Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble

This book has a lot going for it. It's a gay baking show romance! There's a cat! It starts off with a really funny scene and the writing sparkles throughout! Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that stopped it from being a perfect read for me.

The biggest problem is that we only get Paris's POV for the entire book. This makes Tariq, who is wonderful, feel more like an object for Paris to win rather than his own fully realized character. I would have liked more insight into how he's feeling when Paris puts his foot in his mouth, and how he personally processes the stress of being in Bake Expectations.

The other thing is, Paris's POV is *exhausting*. As somebody who has low-key anxiety, I find it really stressful reading MCs with anxiety. It makes me anxious for them, and anxious for myself. Like what if my anxiety ever gets this bad?

The other other thing is Paris is kind of a jerk sometimes. Yes, some of it can be blamed on his anxiety but I really do think he comes across as a self-centered rich boy who isn't fully aware of his privilege, even when he's trying to be.

Two other things to note: This book does contain spoilers for the previous book in the series, but much like the seasons of your favorite baking competition, it largely stands well on its own. Also, there's zero sex in this book. Tariq doesn't believe in having sex before marriage. This isn't personally a choice I agree with but I thought it was nice to see how Tariq navigates his Muslim faith and sexuality.

Content Warnings

town_scar's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.0

Content Warnings

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.0

You don’t have to have read the first book in the series to enjoy this one. But you’ll find the whole setting so enchanting you’ll want to go back and read the first one, which I am doing now!

The beginning was so cute and laugh out loud funny, but it progressively got darker and harder to read as I went on.

Everything in this story was filtered through the lens of anxiety, and as someone who also has anxiety, this was hard to read. The obsessive thoughts and shame spirals are described effectively in an all encompassing way, which can make for a stressful read.

That being said, I did appreciate that anxiety was not glamorized and thought the portrayal was relatively realistic as how it hinders almost every aspect of your life.

Unfortunately though, the romance didn’t really do it for me. I found the couple hard to root for, as the main character Paris said and did some things that were completely out of pocket, regarding Tariq’s boundaries and religious beliefs.

Overall, the writing style was goofy and fun, but the drawbacks from this storyline prevented me from loving it as much as I thought I would.

Thanks so much to Forever Publishing, an imprint of the Hachette Book Group, for providing us with a copy of this book!

Content Warnings

sefkhet's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful tense 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

3.75

Content Warnings

savvyrosereads's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

Out now! [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The new season of Bake Expectations features Paris, who must juggle his own severe (and borderline crippling) anxieties while also navigating his burgeoning feelings for fellow contestant Tariq, an openly gay devout Muslim.

I adored Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, and I adore Alexis Hall. So, suffice to say that I was so excited to read this book, and I definitely enjoyed it.

The mental health representation here is spot on, and I appreciated that it was a romance that nonetheless took care to navigate important and sensitive themes. The storyline was equal parts fun and serious, and the romance was sweet (though not steamy! I am fine with a spice-less rom-com but so be aware that’s what you’re getting it you pick this up.)

My only reason for docking a half star was that I didn’t connect to these characters *quite* as much as I did to those in RPTTC, because I felt like we spend most of our time in Paris’s head rather than connecting with others. But, that is truly a quibble of the most insignificant magnitude. If you want a cozy, diverse, hilarious romance with a side of delicious baked goods, look no further.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: LGBTQ rom-coms; baking shows; mental health representation

CW: Mental illness/panic attacks; Islamophobia; some homophobia; mentions of abandonment/child neglect.

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