Boy, can we relate!  There is no working mother in the world that can’t at least relate a little to Carrie’s meltdown in the kitchen when the pressures of a career, raising a family, being a spouse and just being alive get the best of her.  The fact that she relates the story in such a fun, quirky way not only rings true to the readers, but also tells us there is hope out there to be able to eventually find humor in those less than ‘sane’ situations.  I actually took a pause and thought about how liberating it would be to just throw those cupcakes.  From the first chapter, I couldn’t put this book down; I had to know what got her to this point where she had to finally vent her frustration on some innocent cupcakes!

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Cader’s memoir, Burnt Cupcakes-a Memoir of Marriage, Motherhood and Madness, struck a chord with me immediately.  There was such an honest approach to something that many working mothers just don’t talk about.  There is an air that appearances are more important than reality.  And despite the title, it isn’t just a book for mothers or married women.  I think we all find a point in our life’s where we have everything that we thought we wanted and realize that it’s not all that it was cracked up to be.  Readers can relate to that moment where we really question is if we haven’t just completely lost it.

Written in a very candid manner, Carrie shares her struggles with perfectionism and control, as well as depicts an honest, though less than glamorous, portrayal of marriage and motherhood.  There is an open dialogue about seeking help for problems that we cannot deal with on our own, which, with today’s stigmas, I appreciated.  While reading the book, I could connect with her story and feelings, while wishing desperately that she would figure it out in the end.  If she could do, so could I.  In a way, this book should almost be in the self-help section.  Just as Carrie learns to relinquish some control and change her outlook by just letting go, that poignant lesson is instilled in the reader.  Focusing on what matters in turn brings focus to our lives.

Cader writes in a very concise, honest, and humorous manner, which made the book an easy read.  She achieves not only telling the reader her story in an entertaining way, but she also tells the stories of millions of women out there.