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ladymredd's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
May be considered to contain very minor spoilers
Fun book that I devoured in one sitting. I’m a big fan of the “chic lit” genre, but it’s refreshing to have a heroine who isn’t the perfect white girl next door. As someone with an “invisible disability,” I really appreciated that the author wrote a main character with one and brought attention to it. I also appreciated that this didn’t follow the “boy meets girl, boy and girl circle until the last chapter when they get together and we assume they live happily ever after” standard format.
The author did a good job of switching between the POV of the 2 main characters. Sometimes that device can feel forced or jarring, but it always felt natural.
I took off half point for what felt like a plot hole, but otherwise a very enjoyable book.
Fun book that I devoured in one sitting. I’m a big fan of the “chic lit” genre, but it’s refreshing to have a heroine who isn’t the perfect white girl next door. As someone with an “invisible disability,” I really appreciated that the author wrote a main character with one and brought attention to it. I also appreciated that this didn’t follow the “boy meets girl, boy and girl circle until the last chapter when they get together and we assume they live happily ever after” standard format.
The author did a good job of switching between the POV of the 2 main characters. Sometimes that device can feel forced or jarring, but it always felt natural.
I took off half point for what felt like a plot hole, but otherwise a very enjoyable book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction
sohma4uesugi's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Addiction
jass_readingnook's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel!!!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5) / 🌶🌶 (Spice Level 2)
Rep: black romance, dyslexia rep
TW/CW: Sexual content (18+), toxic parental environment, mentions of gambling addiction, harassment on social media (cyberbullying)
Do you like?: black romance, enemies to lovers, fake dating, workplace romance, and mutual pining
If so, then I highly recommend this book for you!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Addiction, and Sexual content
sdupont's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a fun romance between Donovan, a football player who owns a cupcake shop, and Jada, a woman fresh off a season of a reality dating show. Sparks fly immediately between Donovan and Jada, who have clear chemistry from the start. I recommend this romance for fans of fake dating. Don’t be surprised if this book has you craving some cupcakes and a hot football player to make them for you!
*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Addiction
decklededgess's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trigger warnings: internet harassment, bullying, blackmail, sexual content, alcohol mention, addiction mention, gambling addiction, divorce, fire
This book opens very similarly to Act Your Age Eve Brown in the sense that rich main character is put on a time limit to access her inheritance unless she gets a stable job and ends up working at the business of the grumpiest man alive.
Everything else diverges and it grows into its own beautiful story. The chemistry between Jada and Donovan is so cute it hurts. Jada's spunk breaks through Donovan's prickly exterior and as they get to know each other's life stories they really bond. The physical chemistry between the two of them is just chefs kiss.
The ending is a wee bit cheesy but that's really the hallmark of a solidly trope-y romance so no complains. The third act break up is level headed and brief and that's the crowning glory of the book. No pain all gain baybeyyy.
This book opens very similarly to Act Your Age Eve Brown in the sense that rich main character is put on a time limit to access her inheritance unless she gets a stable job and ends up working at the business of the grumpiest man alive.
Everything else diverges and it grows into its own beautiful story. The chemistry between Jada and Donovan is so cute it hurts. Jada's spunk breaks through Donovan's prickly exterior and as they get to know each other's life stories they really bond. The physical chemistry between the two of them is just chefs kiss.
The ending is a wee bit cheesy but that's really the hallmark of a solidly trope-y romance so no complains. The third act break up is level headed and brief and that's the crowning glory of the book. No pain all gain baybeyyy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
bookswhitme's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
First of all, get into this cover. It's absolutely gorgeous. Two beautiful Black characters on the cover of a romance? Oh sign me up and do it QUICKLY. Second, I love a fake dating trope and so that immediately sucked me in as well. Throw in cupcakes and we've hit the trifecta.
Jamie Presley did not disappoint with this wholesome, cute read. Jada is fresh off of a reality dating show nightmare that has turned her into public enemy number one. She's been stuck in her condo for weeks because the other alternative is facing the world, which apparently hates her for breaking their heartthrob Dr. John's heart. And of course there's the fake boyfriend she made up to justify why she turned down Dr. John's proposal. It's under these circumstances that she meets Donovan, a football player/baker/bakery owner. Her best friend drags her into his shop on her first day out in public and of course she, unintentionally, puts her foot in her mouth when she trashes his bakery and his cupcakes right in front of him without knowing he's the owner. To add even more awkwardness to this series of events, Donovan happens to be one of the star football players on the team that her grandmother owns. Of course neither Donovan nor Jada know this until the two meet for a second time right in said grandmother's office. Mrs. T (as she's affectionately called by her players) has a proposition for the two of them. If Jada can work successfully in Donovan's shop for the next few months, then she can have early access to her trust fund. Jada is mortified. Yes, she has trouble figuring out what she wants to do in life, but that doesn't mean she needs her grandmother to find her a job! Still, no one says no to Mrs. T.
This is truly an opposite's attract romance and I love that just as much as I love the fake dating premise. Where Donovan is all logic and order, Jada is all impulse and slight chaos. Both of them balanced one another out and helped them find the pieces of themselves they were missing. Donovan was dealing with left over trauma from having a father addicted to gambling so he craved stability. To him, order without surprises meant that he would never again be placed in a situation where the rug could be snatched out from under him. Jada has been struggling against her parents' expectations of her her whole life. Between her lack of direction and her struggles with dyslexia, she's never felt good enough. Their relationship, which blossoms into something beautiful and real, helps them both realize that sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone is just what the baker ordered.
Besides being completely adorable with one another, I loved watching them getting on each other's nerves. There are a few moments where Donovan is teaching Jada how to bake and when I tell you his patience with her was so sexy! WHEW! Speaking of sexy, if you're expecting a sexy read here, that's not what you're going to get. There is one steamy scene about...65% into the book, but most of the physical moments don't involve anything above kissing. I love a spicy romance, but I didn't mind that this was lacking in this area because the cuteness made up for it.
I also thought the pacing was great, though towards the end it gets a little rushed. Jada will definitely make you want to shake her, especially towards the end, but it's all for a great cause. Other than cute baking scenes and wholesome encounters, this book will also give you some funny side characters (who we'll explore in the next book), cupcake cravings, nosey book club members, a steamy book cover shoot, and an all around cute time. I can't wait to have this book on my physical shelf!
Jamie Presley did not disappoint with this wholesome, cute read. Jada is fresh off of a reality dating show nightmare that has turned her into public enemy number one. She's been stuck in her condo for weeks because the other alternative is facing the world, which apparently hates her for breaking their heartthrob Dr. John's heart. And of course there's the fake boyfriend she made up to justify why she turned down Dr. John's proposal. It's under these circumstances that she meets Donovan, a football player/baker/bakery owner. Her best friend drags her into his shop on her first day out in public and of course she, unintentionally, puts her foot in her mouth when she trashes his bakery and his cupcakes right in front of him without knowing he's the owner. To add even more awkwardness to this series of events, Donovan happens to be one of the star football players on the team that her grandmother owns. Of course neither Donovan nor Jada know this until the two meet for a second time right in said grandmother's office. Mrs. T (as she's affectionately called by her players) has a proposition for the two of them. If Jada can work successfully in Donovan's shop for the next few months, then she can have early access to her trust fund. Jada is mortified. Yes, she has trouble figuring out what she wants to do in life, but that doesn't mean she needs her grandmother to find her a job! Still, no one says no to Mrs. T.
This is truly an opposite's attract romance and I love that just as much as I love the fake dating premise. Where Donovan is all logic and order, Jada is all impulse and slight chaos. Both of them balanced one another out and helped them find the pieces of themselves they were missing. Donovan was dealing with left over trauma from having a father addicted to gambling so he craved stability. To him, order without surprises meant that he would never again be placed in a situation where the rug could be snatched out from under him. Jada has been struggling against her parents' expectations of her her whole life. Between her lack of direction and her struggles with dyslexia, she's never felt good enough. Their relationship, which blossoms into something beautiful and real, helps them both realize that sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone is just what the baker ordered.
Besides being completely adorable with one another, I loved watching them getting on each other's nerves. There are a few moments where Donovan is teaching Jada how to bake and when I tell you his patience with her was so sexy! WHEW! Speaking of sexy, if you're expecting a sexy read here, that's not what you're going to get. There is one steamy scene about...65% into the book, but most of the physical moments don't involve anything above kissing. I love a spicy romance, but I didn't mind that this was lacking in this area because the cuteness made up for it.
I also thought the pacing was great, though towards the end it gets a little rushed. Jada will definitely make you want to shake her, especially towards the end, but it's all for a great cause. Other than cute baking scenes and wholesome encounters, this book will also give you some funny side characters (who we'll explore in the next book), cupcake cravings, nosey book club members, a steamy book cover shoot, and an all around cute time. I can't wait to have this book on my physical shelf!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
laneyslibrary's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Addiction
raccoonbirb_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction and Ableism
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