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totallyshelfaware's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse
tacoshark's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this - it’s set in and around a GBBO-like show but that gimmick isn’t overused. The characters are well drawn and it’s a fairly slow burn romance but the surrounding plot is interesting and compelling enough to support the main romance without making it overly formulaic - there isn’t much here of the invented obstacle to keep them apart or the “I didn’t realize I was falling in love” trope. It’s very lived in and realistic and I enjoyed that a lot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
bookworm_leilani's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I marked this in content warnings as "moderate child abuse" which I don't think is quite accurate: the abuse, mainly via neglect and heavily emotional, of one of the main characters is a significant part of the narrative and one cannot read around it. However, marking this as "graphic" feels wrong as well, since for most people "graphic child abuse" is going to summon images of physical brutality, which is not the case here. Both Dominic and Sylvia are deeply marked by losses and grief, and the main subplot of the book is their untangling of the complicated relationships with their respective family members.
None of which is to say this book is not good: it's excellent, and I'd even say delightful. While it handles a lot of very heavy topics, including death, lost love, neglected childhoods, estrangements, and mental health, it did not feel overwhelming or dark to me. Conversely it is also not at all what I'd categorize as a "rom com." I loved this book, and think Lucy Parker executed a bittersweet, deeply hopeful, very romantic, very human story while deftly setting up what looks to be a promising series. It's just a.) not a rom com and b.) does deserve content warnings (a feature I love about this app!) but needed some finessing to make sense.
None of which is to say this book is not good: it's excellent, and I'd even say delightful. While it handles a lot of very heavy topics, including death, lost love, neglected childhoods, estrangements, and mental health, it did not feel overwhelming or dark to me. Conversely it is also not at all what I'd categorize as a "rom com." I loved this book, and think Lucy Parker executed a bittersweet, deeply hopeful, very romantic, very human story while deftly setting up what looks to be a promising series. It's just a.) not a rom com and b.) does deserve content warnings (a feature I love about this app!) but needed some finessing to make sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child abuse and Death of parent
onthesamepage's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
His gaze went to her hair and locked there. He wanted to touch it. In that instant of time, he obviously desired nothing more than to slide his long fingers into the fine strands, cup her head with that huge palm, tug her forward, take a slow breath . . . and sling her out the window by her ponytail like the Trunchbull.
I believe I was on page 3 when I first had an inkling that I was going to really enjoy this book, and I'm so glad that proved true because I think I would've been gutted otherwise. This has the perfect blend of tropes I enjoy, characters I grew to love, a setting I really like (baking + royalty? heck yeah), great pacing and character development, and, of course, the exact kind of humor and banter that can absolutely make a book for me. I haven't read many romances that are this spot on and conforming to my tastes. I absolutely loved it.
“He once called you the pretty, annoying one,” Mariana added, clearing up that little mind-boggler of a moment. With intense dryness, Sylvie said, “I don’t think he intended you to insert a comma into that sentence.”
It starts with our main characters and how the relationship develops between them. Whether it's enemies to lovers, hate to love, rivals to lovers or whatever other variations there are, this is a trope I really, really like when it's executed well, and by that I mean, the characters don't just start lusting after one another secretly right from the start. By necessity, that means the relationship is more of a slow build, otherwise it doesn't feel believable for me. But I believed it here. Sylvie and Dominic are such a precious couple, and their romance felt so heart-warming and tender. There was definitely plenty of steam too, but it's honestly the quiet, simple moments that got to me and made me root for them so hard. The way Sylvie managed to worm her way through the wall Dominic puts up for the world, and the way Dominic became her support when she needed it, was just *chef's kiss*.
But there's a lot more to this story than just the romance, and those other elements were all amazing too. The book actually deals with some heavier themes like grief from losing a loved one, and the pressures that come with being in the public eye. There are also a lot of very loveable side characters, from Pet, Dominic's sister, to Jay, Sylvie's partner and best friend, to the royal couple, and they're all worth rooting for in their own way. I found the subplots to be just as interesting, and I was super invested in everything the author was trying to sell me. It doesn't hurt that this is a book about two bakers, and romances that have something to do with food always earn extra brownie points.
There is also no dramatic conflict to break the couple apart briefly before they get back together again, because they are adults who communicate, and even when they're going through a tough time, they deal with it and don't run off. That alone would bump it up a star.
Maybe it's too early to say after reading one book by the author, but I have a feeling Lucy Parker might become my comfort contemporary romance author, the way Courtney Milan is for historical romances. Can't wait to dive into her backlist.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent
kimiichanga's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
girly this was so good
like this was my jam
baker enemies to lovers, ft the great british bake off ALSO A ROYAL WEDDING
the fact that it had so many sub plot lines didnt feel congested to me
ugh this was so good
like this was my jam
baker enemies to lovers, ft the great british bake off ALSO A ROYAL WEDDING
the fact that it had so many sub plot lines didnt feel congested to me
ugh this was so good
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cancer, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse and Injury/Injury detail
getbrekked's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Violence
lnzava's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Cancer
Moderate: Car accident, Death, and Death of parent
100_pages_hr's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I love Lucy Parker's writing. Her voice is one I enjoy regardless of setting or anything else.
I really enjoyed getting to know Sylvie and Dominic. I always enjoy the opposites attract tropes and this was no exception. It was quite interesting how different these two were and it was fun to see how things worked out. I really liked that while neither had a perfect childhood they both had some good memories. I loved how they began to open up to each other. I also loved how it lended well to personal growth for both characters throughout the book
Sometimes side characters don't do much for me, but I really liked Pet. I'm hoping she gets featured in a future book in this series.
Reality television and baking in general are not my favorite - but that shows you how good Parker is - because I still really enjoyed this book. The reality television parts were appropriately dramatic and the cake parts had me wishing sugar didn't have such a bad effect on me.
I look forward to more in this series and reading a new Parker book has me wanting to reread her first series.
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
I really enjoyed getting to know Sylvie and Dominic. I always enjoy the opposites attract tropes and this was no exception. It was quite interesting how different these two were and it was fun to see how things worked out. I really liked that while neither had a perfect childhood they both had some good memories. I loved how they began to open up to each other. I also loved how it lended well to personal growth for both characters throughout the book
Sometimes side characters don't do much for me, but I really liked Pet. I'm hoping she gets featured in a future book in this series.
Reality television and baking in general are not my favorite - but that shows you how good Parker is - because I still really enjoyed this book. The reality television parts were appropriately dramatic and the cake parts had me wishing sugar didn't have such a bad effect on me.
I look forward to more in this series and reading a new Parker book has me wanting to reread her first series.
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Medical trauma, Grief, Car accident, Blood, and Alcohol
meganpbennett's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received a free ARC from William Morrow, through a Goodreads giveaway. And I loved it. The two characters are well fleshed out for a romance novel, and the chemistry is real. I also enjoyed the GBBO knockoff that they two main characters are the judges for, as well as the set up for the next novel. The royals were a nice change from the usual depictions.
Update: 2023-04-05: Book was wonderful to read a second time.
Update: 2023-04-05: Book was wonderful to read a second time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying
Moderate: Child abuse, Cancer, Vomit, Stalking, and Death of parent