I'll be brutally honest. I did not like this book. At all. I did not care for the characters, the story, or the romance angle. I especially did not care for the writing. I know this was a very anticipated novel, I'm just not sure why. I have not read anything else by this author, but the writing style from this book has dissuaded me to ever read anything else by her regardless. 
I wanted a simple romance novel to cleanse my palate between murder mysteries, but this turned out to be quite a disappointing read. I'm sure other people have liked this book, it's probably just not for me. 
I wish I had liked it, but then I also wish it had been better.

If there’s any connection to food in a book I’m immediately interested and the first time I saw this cover I knew this one would be for me. Throw in an enemies to lovers romance, great humor and wit, and did I mention there’s a lot of food? From desserts to five course meals to wine, it made my foodie heart happy. 

Audrey is a pastry chef who has her own bakery. Landon is a food blogger and critic who stops in one day and accidentally gets the wrong order in the form of a cake with a surprise filling of gummy worms intended as a special order for a little girls birthday party. He writes a scathing review and her business takes a nosedive, then he feels bad and ends up offering her a spot on TV as a guest host on a hugely popular food based show. So I definitely liked the premise and besides my love of food I’m a TV addict as well so it basically combined some of my favorite things all in one book. This one was really charming and cute, the characters had great chemistry and banter and I liked Aubrey more than Landon but I did end up like them together in the end

This is one of those reads where I REALLY like it in the beginning, but as the story continues and as it meanders around I like it less and less. 

The beginning was sweet but the middle to ending got a little messy to me. 

It could be because one of the storylines is one that I simply don’t enjoy- the unexpected pregnancy. . 

Parts of the story flowed well and others dragged on and onnnnn. I feel the supporting characters were thrown in and not developed or flushed out well enough. I couldn’t connect to them because I simply didn’t understand how the main characters knew them. That aspect felt rushed. 

This contemporary romance does include forced proximity and forbidden love tropes. I did feel the forbidden love aspect was a bit dragged out- I couldn’t quite grasp why it was just so forbidden. 

A few extra background storylines felt forced and didn’t quite fit. I think it just was trying to go in too many directions. 

Overall, I wish the book just didn’t take a few turns it did and I would have liked it more. The book was great with how it incorporated food and baked goods so much- it made me so hungry! It was a good, mostly light hearted story.  It had closed door romance that was a slow burn. I appreciate how the author was able to create the tension and chemistry between the two main characters in the first half of the book.

I absolutely loved this book! Aubrey and Landon were the best. I enjoyed the descriptions of food and baked goods, and the setting was so beautiful. This book was such a comfort read.

A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee (2020/08/11)
Rating 3/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher (St. Martin's Press) for providing me with an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW: Cheating, Death of a loved one

This story follows Aubrey Cho who owns a bakery and ends
 up having a one-nightstand with a guy she meets in a bar. The next day when she goes into work, she finds out that she got a bad review from a really well-known food critic who happens to be her one-night stand.
 
When Landon Kim finds out that he gave a bad review to a bakery all because of a misunderstanding and then also finds out that his one-night stand is the owner of that bakery he tries to do damage control. He offers Aubrey a way where she can save her bakery by attending a cooking show. All Aubrey has to do is spend three weeks in California for filming and the she will be able to keep her dream alive. However, when she gets to California, she finds out that she will be sharing a Villa with Landon and surely, she can manage that? Right? 
 
I enjoyed this novel. I found the characters to be really likeable and although I didn't find their love story believable it was really entertaining to read about. I liked how food was such a prevalent theme throughout the novel and how it wasn’t just motioned and then forgotten.
 
What hindered my enjoyment of the novel was that there wasn’t any excitement or anticipation for when the couple would finally be together. I also wished we had gotten more scenes with her actually being filmed for the show especially because she was filming for a few weeks. I also wasn’t a big fan of the conflict at the end and didn’t really think it was necessary for the plot. There was a surprise pregnancy and when the hero found out he bought a house to live with the heroine and also proposed. It felt like everything that happened at the end was way too sudden and didn’t feel realistic.
 
Overall, this was a really cute story, just not one that I loved and adored. Definitely check this book out with you are looking for a really sweet romance that will make you laugh a lot. Once again thank you to Netgalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC to review.

#1 - I received a copy of this ebook from Netgalley for an honest review.
#2 - First the "Ummm, What?" 
We are told, in both the book blurb and in the beginning of the story, that our MCs are Korean, but on the cover they look Caucasian with dark hair. My suggestion: change the cover couple to match the story's characters. Also, this was listed on Amazon as a Rom-Com, but it seems more Rom than Com. Yes, there were a few comedic moments, but not enough for me to think that it was comedy. And, that is why it only gets 4 stars from me. I was really looking forward to some Comedy to sooth my brain from thinking about Real Life.
#3 - This was an enjoyable romance, with all the pitfalls, misunderstandings, and food descriptions, that let me get away from Real Life for minutes at a time. (Yes, minutes at a time, because, you know, Real Life.)

This was unfortunately not for me. The food descriptions were excellent and as a hospitality major I was laughing along with them about the CIA and cringing about the super gross special request cake.
However, I wasn't clicking with the prose and even when I later attempted on audio, I wasn't able to click with some of the plot and writing choices. Part of it is the descriptions of sex that was had behind a closed door, after the fact. None of it is as detailed as actually depicting a sex scene, but I think I would prefer to have the door open or the door closed, without someone telling me how great the sex was and what they did. And that was my biggest issue: the telling. I was told often about their chemistry rather than really seeing it. 
Whatever the case, I stopped reading around 30%.

I started enjoying this story a lot until Landon started getting hot and cold with Aubrey all the time and she accepted everything.
Then I didn' t connect with the couple.

The best part about this book was our heroine and hero. Aubrey and Landon were on fire together and their chemistry was scorching. I was rooting for them from the beginning and all the back and forth was excruciating fun. I also really loved the baking aspect of the story and I was salivating over all the amazing food they were eating. I did think the story started to get very repetitive in the middle and I wish that it had been edited down to keep everything moving at the same pace. This is Lee’s first non category romance which is important to keep in mind because those romances have word count parameters which means that Lee was really given clearance with this story and it shows. There is so much packed into this one book that it was overwhelming. The romance, a reality tv show, baking, family drama and more that would be a spoiler but I think you get the picture. I do love Lee’s writing and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors when it comes to intense emotional and sexual connections.

A Sweet Mess follows the romantic relationship between a baker and a food critic after the critic is accidentally given a child’s creation and write’s a bad review.

I really enjoyed A Sweet Mess. The relationship felt real, and I could tell the author went to great lengths to keep Landon (the love interest) from having any toxic male qualities but still be a realistic person with flaws - and I appreciated it. Landon has easily been added to my top book boyfriends of 2020, and I can’t wait to see other readers fall in love with him.

The main characters’ meet-up and ensuing romance was really fun and cute. I especially loved all of the different food mentioned, although, I think Korean and Korean-American readers will get EVEN MORE out of the food description and the familial interactions.

I really enjoyed Aubrey (the main character and baker) and thought she was really sweet and cute. However, I thought her initial one night stand seemed out of character for how she seemed to act the rest of the book. I especially thought it kind of weird/immature how she kept on running away from Landon (literally). Even though I liked her as a character, I found this to be annoying and while she later on saw growth, it was kind of annoying to see her running away so many times.

There’s a bit of a “plot twist” later on in the book (maybe around 67% of the way through) that I wasn’t a fan of. But I thought the author still handled the twist and everything that came after very well.

Overall, I found this to be a really cute romcom. I’ve seen some reviews stating that this was “steamy,” and although the characters are “romantic,” I found those particular scenes to be pretty glossed over. The characters clearly had chemistry and their attraction was written well, but the “steam” was not quite there.

Obviously I’m a sucker for a RomCom, we know that by now, BUT throw in a smorgasbord of tantalizing food descriptions amongst a steamy back and forth love story; and I’ve never had so many sensations (or hunger) triggered by a book before.
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The recipe for success in this book revolves around a small town pastry chef, Aubrey, and a world traveled food critic, Langdon; both with Korean heritage as well as, coming to terms with their family pasts and how it’s shaped them into the people they are today.
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I felt real emotions from the characters, escalating from highs to lows, laughter to tears, as they both navigated working together and discovering how to deal with their desires towards each other; without it interfering with their work. Lee has an innate ability for describing not only food, but the environment, passion, and feelings that make this book really connect with the reader.
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Sometimes it really takes a chance encounter to upend your life and open your eyes to what the world has been trying to tell you all along. There’s love out there for all of us, and it’s always worth finding that true happiness in everything we do.
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And what a pleasant surprise to get Lee’s bulgogi recipe!! 
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Rating: 4.5/5

In A Sweet Mess, Jayci Lee brings together two Korean-American protagonists who have combustible chemistry with each other that eventually deepens into an abiding love. Lee’s skill as a writer is bringing her characters fully formed to life right from the beginning.  

I really liked that Lee gave her characters room to stretch and grow by allowing their relationship to unfold over a few weeks instead of days, which many books do. So while the beginning is swift, the middle settles in for deep character development. The angst in their relationship is not just interpersonal compatibility but also the clash between professional conduct and personal wishes.

If you love reading about food and about people with great chemistry who’re at odds with each other, all mixed in with a large dollop of laughter and a heaping spoonful of romance, this is the perfect book for you.

[Note: Daniel Dae Kim will produce and star in a romcom film based on A Sweet Mess.]

Full review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-a-sweet-mess-by-jayci-lee/

This was such a cute book. There is something about main characters fighting their feelings for each other that just drags at my heart. My love story is kind of like that so I can relate. There is a bunch of yummy foods described in here and there is even a recipe at the end of the book! So grab your snacks and a nice glass of wine and curl up with this book. 

I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great feel good romance. That being said the ending was a bit rushed for me but I don’t know if that was the writing or because I wanted more.

Unfortunately I chose to DNF A Sweet Mess at the 50% mark. This does not mean that there were not some good qualities for A Sweet Mess, but I was not enjoy the romance aspect and moved on to other books.

Pros: Two Korean-American characters, an awesome best friend, awesome food descriptions, good writing.

Cons: The romance didn't work for me at all. I was frustrated with some of Landon's choices to the point that I couldn't enjoy their reconnection.

I will definitely try more from Jayci Lee, with the quality writing and well done characters it was really just the romance that did me in.

A sweet mess reminds me a lot of Helena huntings books. The style of writing is very similar. I enjoyed this book. I did find myself skipping over a lot of the banter though. I felt like Landon and Aubrey were lacking some depth in their relationship. There is no doubt they had sexual chemistry but aside from that it was hard to see past surface level. All in all a good quick read. Thanks for allowing me to read this book.

I received a copy for an honest review through NetGalley. 

I loved this book!  It was well written and the characters were well Liked.  I will look for more by this author Jayci Lee.  Thank you

An enjoyable romance with wonderful descriptions of food and sweets.  A delicious Read.

I highly recommend picking up a copy.

A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee highlighted how important communication was in any relationship. If only the characters featured in this book had communicated with each other, they could have avoided half the problems encountered in this story. With that being said, this proved to be a sweet story involving food (I am sure I packed on some pounds just reading about all those baked goodies) and romance.

The story introduces Aubrey and Landon, two driven, ambitious and compassionate characters who shared a love for food. Aubrey specialised in baking, while Landon was a well-known food critic.

The banter between the main and secondary characters was fun and cute. I especially enjoyed Aubrey’s interaction with her best friend, Tara. Tara was what one would call the life of the party.

I am on the fence as it relates to the romance. I loved the outcome which I found sweet and adorable, but I was not a fan of the journey it took to get there.  The many obstacles in the form of abandonment and daddy issues, failure to communicate, pride and cowardice proved to be the major hindrances in their journey to a happily ever after.  Landon did something that had me fuming, and frankly I thought Aubrey should have made him grovel a lot more. I never felt the connection between them. I believe that the fact that the reader was told of the chemistry between the characters instead of it being showed was a contributing factor.

The story featured the POVs of both main characters, which I had no issue with. However, what I found frustrating was the there was no warning when a change in the POVs occurred, therefore it took me awhile to figure out which of the character’s POV I was reading. The fact that this was an ARC may have been a contributing factor to the confusion surrounding the change in POVs. I sure hope that is the case.

Conclusion/Recommendation
I had hope to love this book, but alas I would have to settle for liking it. Would I read more from this author, maybe?

everything about a sweet mess is charming. the two leads, aubrey and landon are just so, so adorable. 

aubrey has worked hard to build up her small business, a bakery. when a food critic is accidentally served a specialty cake, it leads to him writing a terrible review. but his code of ethics prevents him from just retracting the piece. 

but before the disastrous review is published, aubrey meets landon at a bar. and they have one intense, incredible night together. 

when landon's review publishes, aubrey is devastated. when he realizes that the review he dashed up to fulfill a deadline hurt the woman he couldn't stop thinking about he knows he has to do something. 

so he comes up with a plan. a plan that puts them in close proximity. and they just sizzle together. 

everything about this book, i loved. it's just an absolute delicacy!

**a sweet mess will publish on july 14, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/st. martin's press in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited for the Asian American couple and representation but this is rather bland. Nothing about the characters was particularly Asian and they could’ve easily been white people. We’ve seen a lot of bakery/restaurant romances lately. I also didn’t like the trope of sex first, relationship later. It’s a bit slow like a Hallmark movie too.

"The chocolate cake was moist, not quite dense, and just the right amount of bitter and sweet. It was a perfect balance of the devil and the angel."

I don't usually read or watch romcoms, but my Great British Baking-loving self was drawn to 'A Sweet Mess' by Jayci Lee. A pastry chef's bumpy romance with a celebrated food critic, with a 'Crazy Rich Asians' vibe? This might be a recipe for certain summer bliss for many readers, but I came away from 'A Sweet Mess' all the more certain that romance novels -- at least this one -- are not my kind of bundt cake.

But, let me start with the good, for those readers for whom a semi-"open door" romcom would be a treat. I most appreciated the fact that the protagonists -- small town bakery owner Aubrey and jet-setting culinary blogger Landon -- are Asian Americans. They have family and identity struggles that resonated with me, adding a touch of dimension to the characters and the plot. On top of this reliability, what kept me going were the fun food descriptions and feather-light humor scattered throughout the story.

There were too many tropes and somewhat unbelievable drama, though, to make it a satisfying read. Other reviewers might not agree with me, but despite the repeated claims of irresistible chemistry, I still wasn't convinced about Aubrey and Landon's connection beyond the physical. I also don't personally enjoy lusty gazes over perfect bodies and semi-explicit love scenes, even if these were couched in a pseudo-cute way. I kept closing my e-reader starting around a quarter of the way through, but kept forging on to see if the book would grow on me.

I'm more of a 'Like Water for Chocolate" and 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' kind of food and romance gal. Really, 'Pride and Prejudice' is more in my lane. So I will leave this less-than-perfect sweet mess to other readers who might enjoy more sexy frosting than cake in their reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!