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klb77's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This may be one of the funniest books I’ve read in a loooonnngggg time but if you choose to rape your fmc, make the only note of comedy be “haha we need to be more politically correct I’m being an asshole to you but making fun of it so suddenly I can’t be an asshole”, and beat the dead horse of objectification while making your entire emotional arc RELY on objectification and abuse of queer people you’ll never get higher than 3 stars from me. While attempting to identify and subvert objectification and fetishization the author managed to do both. Loudly.
Let’s all stop pretending this is a valid love triangle alright? If the options are between a hardworking, consent-prioritizing, compassionate, funny, protective, dedicated, sturdy, occasionally anxious, reliable hot man anda fatphobic biphobic RAPIST that can’t even train down to see the mc one. fucking. time. and relied on her to do 98% of the labor in the half-assed situationship then it’s not quite an equal triangle now is it?
Is it not embarrassing that the most well rounded and well flushed out character of your novel is an 8 year old? Definitely one of the most realistic and charming kids I’ve encountered in a book but why the hell is that the best character here? Would LOVE to know!
Thank you to the previous commenter who stated that there was on-page SA. There was 0 fucking reason for that and it would’ve jarred me without warning so I’m repeating it here for anyone who may come across this.
Shithead parents don’t apologize and reverse a lifetime of disrespect and being antagonistic after one conversation and one cry at them. That’s not how shithead parents work. It is SO wildly disrespectful to your main character to put them in a position where they never once might’ve expressed disappointment towards how her parents treated her.
The lying/miscommunication aspect was never needed in the first place and it felt like the author wrote that and then immediately threw it out the fucking manor window because of how little it impacted the plot/relationships overall. It exclusively existed to justify the red flags and poor treatment of failing triangle leg #1. And that’s gross.
I found book 2 first, learned it was a book 2, and paused to read this one first. I don’t think that was quite needed but oh well.
Cute premise, cute flirting, some good banter, and felt as saccarine as reality tv does. The final chapter was cute and the supporting characters definitely shined but overall definitely a train wreck in my eyes.
Let’s all stop pretending this is a valid love triangle alright? If the options are between a hardworking, consent-prioritizing, compassionate, funny, protective, dedicated, sturdy, occasionally anxious, reliable hot man and
Is it not embarrassing that the most well rounded and well flushed out character of your novel is an 8 year old? Definitely one of the most realistic and charming kids I’ve encountered in a book but why the hell is that the best character here? Would LOVE to know!
Thank you to the previous commenter who stated that there was on-page SA. There was 0 fucking reason for that and it would’ve jarred me without warning so I’m repeating it here for anyone who may come across this.
Shithead parents don’t apologize and reverse a lifetime of disrespect and being antagonistic after one conversation and one cry at them. That’s not how shithead parents work. It is SO wildly disrespectful to your main character to put them in a position where they never once might’ve expressed disappointment towards how her parents treated her.
The lying/miscommunication aspect was never needed in the first place and it felt like the author wrote that and then immediately threw it out the fucking manor window because of how little it impacted the plot/relationships overall. It exclusively existed to justify the red flags and poor treatment of failing triangle leg #1. And that’s gross.
I found book 2 first, learned it was a book 2, and paused to read this one first. I don’t think that was quite needed but oh well.
Cute premise, cute flirting, some good banter, and felt as saccarine as reality tv does. The final chapter was cute and the supporting characters definitely shined but overall definitely a train wreck in my eyes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Sexism, Body shaming, Classism, Sexual harassment, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Fatphobia
bzliz's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Boyfriend Material series wasn’t my favorite but I liked it well enough that when I saw this at the library, I thought I’d give it a try. I really like the backdrop of a Bake Off style program that gives a lot of structure to the story. It feels so comforting to read and limits the amount of stress. I think cozy readers will love this book.
Rosaline’s growth is due to her defiance of what others want for her. Firstly her parents, who’ve been pretty controlling her whole life. Then Alain, whose control is more subtle because it seems like he’s presenting options but really he just ignores the reality of her life and discounts her child as a huge responsibility but also her greatest source of joy. Rosaline starts standing up for herself and it’s a good moment that I think most quiet people secretly want. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as finally saying everything you’ve been thinking and agonizing over. I was also frustrated with Rosaline because she wastes her time on this dude who might as well be saying “I own a Red Flag manufacturing plant and business is booming!” However, I would lay my life down for Harry even though I only understood about 75% of what he was saying.
Finally, it needs to be mentioned that there is a sexual assault scene. When I was looking for more information prior to starting the book, I couldn’t easily find a description of the event. If you’re sensitive to this subject and want to know what happens prior to reading, see my note below with the content warnings.
Rosaline’s growth is due to her defiance of what others want for her. Firstly her parents, who’ve been pretty controlling her whole life. Then Alain, whose control is more subtle because it seems like he’s presenting options but really he just ignores the reality of her life and discounts her child as a huge responsibility but also her greatest source of joy. Rosaline starts standing up for herself and it’s a good moment that I think most quiet people secretly want. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as finally saying everything you’ve been thinking and agonizing over. I was also frustrated with Rosaline because she wastes her time on this dude who might as well be saying “I own a Red Flag manufacturing plant and business is booming!” However, I would lay my life down for Harry even though I only understood about 75% of what he was saying.
Finally, it needs to be mentioned that there is a sexual assault scene. When I was looking for more information prior to starting the book, I couldn’t easily find a description of the event. If you’re sensitive to this subject and want to know what happens prior to reading, see my note below with the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Cursing, Sexual content, Classism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Mental illness, Biphobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia
The sexual assault scene happened much later in the book than I expected it would. What happens iscleot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Very well written but I did find the first love interest arc challenging to read because he is flying sooo many red flags .
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Classism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming
bookishmillennial's review
emotional
funny
reflective
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
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Okay, admittedly this is more ✨self-discovery✨ than romance but you know your girl latched onto the slow burn, wholesome, friends-to-lovers romance okayyyyyy🥲
I stan Alexis Hall & everything he writes.
I loved SO MUCH about this book. I already know this review will not do it justice. I also recognize I am extremely biased because I:
💓am already a die-hard Alexis Hall fangirly
💜GBBO has been my comfort show foreverrrrr & is what got me into baking in the first place
💙am bisexual & deeeeeply relate to the shit Rosaline has to constantly hear & deal with on a daily mf basis
Despite that, I’m confident you’ll love this little slice of heaven🍰 (see what I did there? Plz don’t unfollow me, corny dad jokes/puns are SO GREAT😅)
As far as the parallels to GBBO: The descriptions of their bakes, the themed weeks, the judges’ banter & feedback, the BTS producer guidance & the challenges.
As far as the interpersonal relationships & Rosaline’s journey, I especially appreciated the discussions of:
-bisexual fetishization (the situations Rosaline was out into rang so damn true & felt authentic. I’ve never felt more seen in regards to sexual orientation💔)
-classism
-feeling good enough for your parents & hoping they could be proud of you & happy for you regardless
-what constitutes as a “full life” (“I want what I’ve got and what I’ve got ✨is✨ enough” 😭😭😭😭😭😭)
-being proud of being a young single mum
-kids not being a burden or just a “responsibility”
-healthy sex lives, consent talk & sex toys
-so much more!!!
I adored how Amelie was so present in the story & showed how amazing kids are. She was fiesty & modeled an open mind so beautifully!
Honorable mention to Rosaline’s ex girlfriend & best friend Lauren, who was hilarious & is the perfect representation of why there’s nothing like found family😭 the support, encouragement & honesty she provided Rosaline with was absolutely lovely. I’m also here for healthy friendships with your exes — sometimes no one is the villain, you’re just not each other’s person.
So grateful for this book & for Alexis Hall🙏🏽
Okay, admittedly this is more ✨self-discovery✨ than romance but you know your girl latched onto the slow burn, wholesome, friends-to-lovers romance okayyyyyy🥲
I stan Alexis Hall & everything he writes.
I loved SO MUCH about this book. I already know this review will not do it justice. I also recognize I am extremely biased because I:
💓am already a die-hard Alexis Hall fangirly
💜GBBO has been my comfort show foreverrrrr & is what got me into baking in the first place
💙am bisexual & deeeeeply relate to the shit Rosaline has to constantly hear & deal with on a daily mf basis
Despite that, I’m confident you’ll love this little slice of heaven🍰 (see what I did there? Plz don’t unfollow me, corny dad jokes/puns are SO GREAT😅)
As far as the parallels to GBBO: The descriptions of their bakes, the themed weeks, the judges’ banter & feedback, the BTS producer guidance & the challenges.
As far as the interpersonal relationships & Rosaline’s journey, I especially appreciated the discussions of:
-bisexual fetishization (the situations Rosaline was out into rang so damn true & felt authentic. I’ve never felt more seen in regards to sexual orientation💔)
-classism
-feeling good enough for your parents & hoping they could be proud of you & happy for you regardless
-what constitutes as a “full life” (“I want what I’ve got and what I’ve got ✨is✨ enough” 😭😭😭😭😭😭)
-being proud of being a young single mum
-kids not being a burden or just a “responsibility”
-healthy sex lives, consent talk & sex toys
-so much more!!!
I adored how Amelie was so present in the story & showed how amazing kids are. She was fiesty & modeled an open mind so beautifully!
Honorable mention to Rosaline’s ex girlfriend & best friend Lauren, who was hilarious & is the perfect representation of why there’s nothing like found family😭 the support, encouragement & honesty she provided Rosaline with was absolutely lovely. I’m also here for healthy friendships with your exes — sometimes no one is the villain, you’re just not each other’s person.
So grateful for this book & for Alexis Hall🙏🏽
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Classism, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Body shaming
Minor: Sexual content
ohheyitskaitlin's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Ableism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Violence, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Abortion, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Medical content
aimzthereader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
5.0
I LOVED this book and felt sooo seen by it . This book represents a lot of the bisexual experience, the good and the bad. I love that the author was not afraid to call out a lot of shit that lgbtqia+ community has to deal with .
I loved the writing style. I loved the plot especially the setting of it being on the Great bake which is the Great British bake off 100%. It was I reretibg to hear about the competition while having a romance happen at the same time. This id also a story of friendship. The power of standing up for yourself and being your true self and being fine with that and making others realize they need to be accepting and respectful.
The daughter in this is also super cute and that’s a great storyline of seeing Rosaline as a single mother and all the experiences that go along with that.
There were many many moments where I found myself snapping/clapping along at this book, nodding my head and smiling and also getting mad at certain characters. This book also made me watch the great British bake off and I highly recommend that for a
Multimedia experience.
I will read many more books by Alexis hall because to me this book was perfection .
I loved the writing style. I loved the plot especially the setting of it being on the Great bake which is the Great British bake off 100%. It was I reretibg to hear about the competition while having a romance happen at the same time. This id also a story of friendship. The power of standing up for yourself and being your true self and being fine with that and making others realize they need to be accepting and respectful.
The daughter in this is also super cute and that’s a great storyline of seeing Rosaline as a single mother and all the experiences that go along with that.
There were many many moments where I found myself snapping/clapping along at this book, nodding my head and smiling and also getting mad at certain characters. This book also made me watch the great British bake off and I highly recommend that for a
Multimedia experience.
I will read many more books by Alexis hall because to me this book was perfection .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Cursing, Biphobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
Minor: Body shaming, Violence, and Medical content
karolinaz's review against another edition
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Biphobia
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, and Mental illness
angelareads's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Biphobia, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, and Cancer
meganpbennett's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? Yes
5.0
After adoring Boyfriend Material, when I saw that this was written by the same person, well, I had to give it a try! And it was wonderful. Full of Hall's trademark wit, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake takes the reader on a whirlwind adventure. Rosaline, a single mother, is a contestant on a BBC baking competition that is heavily based on the Great British Bake Off. On her way to the competition (which is, of course, in a town that doesn't get reliable rail service), she and another competitor end up stranded at a random rail stop. And she lies to Alvin, trying to make him think that she's more awesome than she really is. It totally backfires, of course. And then there's Harry. Who's a highly skilled laborer - electrician - and still somehow calls women "love." Rosaline lets him have it, and it sticks. Over the course of the competition, Alvin and Harry compete for the prize and for Rosaline's hand. Except.....
One of them turns out to be a right bastard and the other one a truly nice guy. Read to find out who she end up with, and how bad one shows himself to be a right bastard.
This book was laugh-out-loud funny, and kept me awake too late more than once, since I had to know how it ended.
Update: 2022-08-25: This was an excellent re-read. I noticed so much that I missed during the first read. There's a lot of discussion about class, which this American reader still doesn't quite get, but it was informative and interesting. It was also very cool to see the well-written evidence of what was going to happen between Rosaline and her two guys, as I noticed how they had completely different interactions with Rosaline and how those interactions telegraphed how their various relationships would play out.
One of them turns out to be a right bastard and the other one a truly nice guy. Read to find out who she end up with, and how bad one shows himself to be a right bastard.
This book was laugh-out-loud funny, and kept me awake too late more than once, since I had to know how it ended.
Update: 2022-08-25: This was an excellent re-read. I noticed so much that I missed during the first read. There's a lot of discussion about class, which this American reader still doesn't quite get, but it was informative and interesting. It was also very cool to see the well-written evidence of what was going to happen between Rosaline and her two guys, as I noticed how they had completely different interactions with Rosaline and how those interactions telegraphed how their various relationships would play out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Biphobia, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy
kp_writ's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
Lighthearted and quippy, this is definitely an easy summer read (barring the one sexual assault scene) for those interested in a down to earth romance between adults older than 25. Some of the internal conflict was frustrating, and the external conflict was terribly predictable, but it didn't take me out of the story too much. There was a period where I thought both romance interests were terribly boring and I contemplating shelving it, but I'm glad I didn't. A solid, lighthearted read overall that still manages to interrogate the question "what do you *really* want out of life" without getting too terribly existential.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, and Cursing
Moderate: Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Body shaming
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Infidelity