Book Review: The Icing on the Cake

I was interested in reading The Icing on the Cake because the author, Elodia “Dee” Strain, grew up in my parent’s ward. This is her debut novel and it was hoot.


Annabelle Pleasanton is a 24-year-old magazine editor hoping for a fresh chance as a writer after a disastrous first attempt. In an effort to impress her boss she makes a trip from her hometown of Monterey, California to the small town of Los Banos to purchase a Portuguese cake to impress her boss. While there she meets a photographer named Isaac who makes her heart do a couple of somersaults.

After one date Annabelle decides she must end it with her Prince Charming before she gets in any deeper since it has always been her goal to be married in the temple. Low and behold, when she attends the singles ward that Sunday …. well you can probably put the pieces together.

In classic chick lit fashion, Annabelle and Isaac deal with many romantic moments that are fraught with complications while Annabelle navigates her attempts at magazine reporting, planning her best friend’s wedding shower and dealing with interferences from the opposite sex.

The road to romance is never smooth, particularly in romance novels, but Strain infuses hers with some sweet moments, lots of gentle humor, and a sprinkling of gospel/spiritual moments that remind us of what is the highest priority.

I think you’ll like this one if you pick it up. Elodia Strain now has a second book out, and I am looking forward to getting a chance to read that one too.