Carole´s Monday. Fake it till you bake it

Author: Jamie Wesley

Title: Fake It Till You Bake It

Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance, Chick Lit

Format: ebook

Published: June 21, 2022

Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

Summary: 

A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery in this sweet and sexy romance from Jamie Wesley, Fake It Till You Bake It.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego's newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.

When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada's image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.

Review:

Randomly stumbled upon this while looking for a book with food on the cover (for this reading challenge). It's a fake romance and a sports romance JUST in time for the start of Football season....perfection. 

Here we follow Jada and Donovan. Jada is the most hated woman in America after her stint on a reality show. She turned down the proposal of America's sweetheart and now she is in hiding and nursing her wounds. Her grandmother decides enough is enough and forces Jada to go back into the world and get a job or she will take away Jada's trust fund. Enter in Sugar Blitz. Sugar Blitz is owned by Donovan who is a football player and Donovan owes a lot to Jada's granny so he agrees to take on this employee who doesn't know a lick about working in a bakery. When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use this misunderstanding to their advantage. Help Jada's image AND get more customers for his bakery. Win-win.

This was a lot of fun. Two unlikely people who are SO made for each other. She is a hot mess and chaotic. He is a strict and uptight dude. They even each other out for sure. 

I loved the backdrop of the bakery. It made me want to munch on some cupcakes while reading this!! Seems unlikely a football player would own a bakery because we all know they rarely get to indulge. As unrealistic as this is.....it oddly was fitting after getting to know Donovan. He loves to bake and this allows him to be creative. It's an outlet of sorts.

Now....the ending felt..........off. I didn't agree with Jada's decision. Yes, they get their HEA but Jada HAD to throw in a last-minute dramatic impulsive decision. One would think she would've learned her lesson since all her troubles have been caused by decisions like this. Granted, it all works out in the end, but still. Seemed like an unnecessary moment. 

Other than that, I really did like this book. It had a fun set of characters and a fun bakery. I'm curious to see if we'll get a second book. The ending made it seem one of our sides might be getting their own love story! One can hope! I'll give this 4 stars. 

Challenge(s):

- #22 for Romance Reading Challenge - Food on cover