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

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

9/5/2023 Overnights, long weekends, a week away: What's your preference for a trip?

My preference is staying at home. I am not relaxed, and just feel tired after being away. But if I had to choose:

Overnight, no, too hurried.

A long weekend, nah

A week away. Now you are talking. Enough time to relax and take your time.

But you know the worst part is coming home, unpacking. See that is why I stay at home lol

9/12/2023 Libraries: do you prefer to visit in-person or check out on-line?

9/19/2023 New to me authors: who have you discovered this year?

9/26/2023 Do you download freebies? Read free preview chapters?

10/3/2023 Do you enjoy multi-author anthologies?

10/10/2023 Zombie Apocalypse: What would you do?

10/17/2023 What is your favorite season? Why?

10/24/2023 What is your favorite supernatural creature?

10/31/2023 What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Joint discussion: Do you want to start a scandal by Tessa Dare

 

Hello all! We will be discussing "Do You Want to Start a Scandal" by Tessa Dare. Blodeuedd is in red and Carole is in purple.

Author: Tessa Dare
Title: Do You Want to Start a Scandal

Series: Castles Ever After #4

Genre: Historical Romance
Published: September 27, 2016

Pages: 272

Summary:

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library.

• Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan?

• Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall?

• Perhaps the butler did it.

All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers’ true identity, she’ll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville—the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she’s ever had the misfortune to embrace. When it comes to emotion, the man hasn’t got a clue.

But as they set about finding the mystery lovers, Piers reveals a few secrets of his own. The oh-so-proper marquess can pick locks, land punches, tease with sly wit... and melt a woman’s knees with a single kiss. The only thing he guards more fiercely than Charlotte’s safety is the truth about his dark past.

Their passion is intense. The danger is real. Soon Charlotte’s feeling torn. Will she risk all to prove her innocence? Or surrender it to a man who’s sworn to never love?

Discussion:

I have been reading Dare for so many years, and she is always fun 🙂

I’ve read some. She is fun! And I like that I could skip to this one. I think I’m missing a book or two of the series but it did well as a standalone which is always nice. 

I just took a look again, and it is Spindle Cove nr 5, but! Castles nr 4! No wonder it works like a stand alone. And yes I have read some here and there. At the moment I am reading a book where Charlotte is 14

Awwwwww I do plan on backtracking. This was fun and I want to see the others fall in love. 

I am going to do Spindle Cove the missing ones :D I fear September will be a Dare month, but that is good.

I’m beginning to feel that too. I crave more of her books! :D 

I liked this one cos omg that beginning. I had to hide my face in laughter and giggled as I was out walking

This was very funny!!!!! Especially with the aubergine! LOLLLLL

It was just the perfect mix of funny and cute

It really was. The drama was there but it didn’t take too long to fix. I loved this couple. 

I kept trying to solve the mystery too, but I honestly suck at solving mysteries

There wasn’t much given to solve it. I think the author did it on purpose. The solution had me rolling in laughter.

It was a tricky one! 

Cute couple, good times, I even liked her mother. Sure, meddling for sure, but she wanted the best. The one I could not stand was her besties sister, ugh!

Oooh that friend Frances or something another. She can rot for all I care. She was mean and terrible. I GET that she was looking out for her sister, but was she? I think she was just jealous of Charlotte. 

I did like Edmund? Though. Omg honestly all the times he was shouting murderer made me lol

Bless him. That little boy just wanted to solve the murder so bad. A part of me thought maybe he wasn’t wrong. Hahahahaha. 

I think he will solve crimes when he grows up!

Awww I hope so. Maybe we’ll get a book for him ;) Maybe Piers will take the lad under his wings.

I could see that in the future. I really do not have a lot to say about this book cos I was amused all the way through. Def read it, listen to it, and do not give one thought which order it is in.

I’m sure the audio is a lot of fun. I did the ebook and I enjoyed it immensely!! I bet the audio is fun ;) But yes, this was a gem. It was funny, had heart, and a great cast of characters. 

Awesome narration. Nothing to complain about there

Love that! Maybe I’ll try and see if my library has the audio for one of the others of the series. I do plan on reading the others. Maybe, like you said, this might end up being the month of Dare. Darempter. Hehe

I have a mix of things coming up, spindle cover and castle ever after. Good times ;D Oh and one from a series that I loved, but I never read one of the books. Gotta catch them all

Hahahahaha I choose you Dare!

I dare you to Dare

Yessss!!!!! The end?

The end

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging for a long while now. For the last few years the epic duo has been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Best of August

Here are our bests of August! 

Best Movie of the Month:

Blodeuedd - You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

"I never remember my movies but I watched this one. Fun, and cringe."

Carole - The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023)

"This was SO much better than I expected. Fun!!!!"

Best Book of the Month:

Carole - Last Dragon Standing by Rachel Aaron

"Sad to say goodbye to this series but omg this was amazing."

Blodeuedd - Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

"I did not read a lot in August, but I did finish some good ones. Best should go to Do you want to start a Scandal cos it was funny and made me giggle."

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Heartstoper (s2), Queen Charlotte, & Lincoln Lawyer

"I finally watched Queen Charlotte! But I am bad with long eps these days. Lincoln Lawyer keeps the drama up, and Heartstopper brought all the feels."

Carole - Never Have I Ever (s4)

"Such a great ending to a fun series!! It will make you feel all the feelings."

Best Cover of the Month:

Blodeuedd's - 

Carole's -