loved it! an amazing read and something I would definitely reccomend. This was a new author for me and I was floored by this book!

3.5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Fake It Till You Bake It follows Jada Townsend-Matthews, the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home, 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. And of course it's only fake, right?

I really liked the idea of this novel because I love fake dating. However, it felt like it took entirely too long for the novel to get to that aspect. I found myself a little bored for the first 20% where nothing really happened, and then once they did start fake dating I felt that the love was a little too instant. However, I did really love the baking atmosphere and if the author writes more books about the supporting cast I would definitely read them!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fast and cute read jam packed with chemistry! Highly recommend.

Cute book overall. It had potential and I will check out more by this author, but this book just fell a little flat to me. Jada didn't make a great first impression on me, I wanted to know a lot more about Donovan, and I just didn't feel much depth to their relationship. Don't get me wrong, it was an quick, entertaining read despite all of that, I just wanted more.

Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley satisfies your sweet tooth with a reality tv star/ cupcake shop owner relationship that leaves you wanting more. Jada is fresh out of a reality dating show that left her with legions of fans who blame her for rejecting the bachelor’s proposal. She has never found something she wants to do with her life, so when her grandmother offers her a deal to gain control of her inheritance early if she works at one place for six months, she says yes. Even though she recently insulted the owner of the cupcake shop she is set to work at. As a ​​professional football player, Donovan knows he needs his passion for baking to turn into a successful business if he wants to have something to build on when he leaves the field. He is analytical, even-tempered, and risk-averse, but opening Suger Blitz with two fellow teammates and friends is a risk he was willing to make. Donovan has also agreed to hire Jeda as a favor to her grandmother and the owner of his team, but he never expected to find himself in a fake dating scenario with her. Reporters love Jeda a lot more now that she is in a new relationship, and the struggling cupcake shop is finally getting the steady traffic it needs to stay afloat. Adding love to the recipe threatens to change both their lives, but they cannot say no to something so sweet.
Cupcakes, reality tv show dating drama, football players, and fun event planning all come together in a near-perfect culinary romance. I think Suger Blitz is a perfect store. I cared about what flavors they had on their menu, their employees, their regulars, and even the development of the decorations. Sometimes the businesses or shops in romances serve as a functional, but bland backdrop to the romance at the center of the novel. I never felt that way about this cupcake shop and let me tell you I am already invested in who the other owners fall for.
I completely bought into Jamie and Donovan’s whirlwind relationship. They fall for each other the moment she steps in the door. The romance is more animosity-to-lovers than enemies-to-lovers, but I was still here for it. Jamie and Donovan quickly move past the light arguing to mutual respect to a fake dating scenario to real dating. Jamie supports Donovan’s efforts at the shop and is there for him when he explains his struggle to feel financially stable in adulthood after a childhood with a parent who has a gambling addiction. Donovan also works to help Jamie feel confident that her work is enough and she is enough after growing up with parents who saw her dyslexia as a problem. I will always root for a relationship that feels like a partnership and their chemistry was just icing on the cupcake.
Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley fills a lot of different needs so if you are looking for a celebrity romance, a sports romance, a culinary romance, or a black romance this could be the book for you.

I enjoyed this one!! I really didn’t like Jada at first and didn’t know why Donovan was so interested. Her character definitely grew on me throughout the book and I ended up liking her. Donovan was super sweet and I loved his family. And grams? LOVE!

Nicholas and August were also great. I got Bromance Bookclub vibes and I will be waiting for more books about them!

I always love the addition of a book club in a book too! Makes it so fun.

Overall I really enjoyed this one. Some of the ending bothered my a bit but I thought this was super quick and cute and made me want to bake all day!

When Jada Townsend-Matthews turns down a proposal during the finale of a Bachelor style reality TV show, she becomes a social pariah and pulls herself out of the public eye. Until she walks into Sugar Blitz and into the life of Donovan Dell. Although they get off on the wrong foot with Jada insults Donovan’s cupcake shop, they end up reconciling and crafting a plan that benefits both of them. Fake dating brings Donovan’s shop the clientele he needs and gives Jada proof of why she turned down the propose. It’s a recipe for success, right?

I deserve an award for not going and buying my weight in cupcakes while reading this!! The cupcake descriptions were absolutely heavenly and now I need to find a cupcake shop near me!!

I liked Jada and Donovan a lot, given the fact that they’re famous football players and influencers, they really felt like real people and their connection was so sweet (pun intended). The best parts of the book were when they were together just getting to know one another and falling for each other. I loved their backgrounds! The bachelor style show for Jada was so intriguing!! It was interesting to imagine the other side of coming off one of those shows (we can’t all be Hannah Browns!!) I also loved the background we got with some difficult topics like tough families and Jada’s dyslexia.

My only issues were that the pace felt a little off, especially at the end (which felt super super rushed) and some of the dialogue felt a little off. I also wish we got some more of Jada’s friends!! We got a little bit but I love those strong relationships in books.

I’m looking forward to reading more from Jamie Wesley, especially August’s story!! I love the quiet, brooding type!!

It appears I’ve become a big fan of the fake dating trope. I don’t know what’s taken me so long to realize that but here we are. I recently read Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley and I was tickled with the way the main characters were thrown together and had to pretend to be in a romantic relationship. Add in some cupcakes and I was a happy reader!

Here’s the book’s description:
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.
I’ll be honest – this book isn’t exactly what I’d call great BUT I couldn’t stop reading. I was delighted by the chemistry between Jada and Donovan even while I wondered how their romance could ever remotely happen in real life. It’s a far-fetched kind of story so you have to roll with it and accept the ridiculous hijinks and cringeworthy moments. It’s a romance, after all, what did I expect? All that said, I was so pleased to have sweet and sexy moments keeping me entertained throughout the entire novel.

I felt like I got to know Jada far more than I did Donovan, which I don’t think was the author’s intention. She just seemed more…real – even though her penchant for clothes and make-up are the complete opposite of me. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to get behind her as a heroine at the start but, like Donovan, I saw the real person underneath the shiny surface by the end of the novel. It helped that Jada finally saw herself too. She was so lost at the start of the book and so incredibly defeatist. I was honestly super frustrated with her but I can’t know exactly what it would have been like to have scientist parents like hers who always compared me to a book-smart sister while struggling through school because of dyslexia. That has got to damage a girl. I get it. But it was hard to read as she was throwing everything away because of some ridiculous misguided notion that she wasn’t good enough. And she wouldn’t listen to those who really did know her. I’m glad both her grandmother and Donovan got through to her and she realized how much she had to offer the world.

I thought it was too cute that the cupcake shop, Sugar Blitz, was owned by three professional football players. It totally destroys stereotypes and I absolutely loved it. I wasn’t entirely sure of the logistics and I’m not positive the timeline could have worked for the guys being in the off-season. They didn’t seem to ever be even working out or practicing and I don’t think teams get that much time off. That nit-picking aside, seeing a different side of pro athletes was refreshing when it seems like every other day we’re hearing about a dirtbag player doing something atrocious. Even if I didn’t get to know Donovan as much as I’d have liked, I did like him and I definitely hope Wesley has set up a series so we can follow along with his business partners and teammates as they find love, too.

It might not seem like I was super happy with Fake It Till You Bake It but Jamie Wesley’s novel was fun to read. I was really invested and was really satisfied with the Happily Ever After. I’ll for sure check out whatever Wesley writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the talk of the town after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show so she retreats to San Diego and runs into Donovan Dell, professional football player and owner of Sugar Blitz bakery. She finds herself working in the bakery thanks to her meddling grandmother when a reporter believes the two are a pair. They decide to use this to their advantage to reclaim Jada’s image and help the bakery.

Fake dating is without a doubt one of my favorite romance tropes and hunky football players with a soft side just make it that much better. This gave me vibes similar to Talia Hibbert with great BIPOC representation. Even though they progressed very quickly in their relationship, it was refreshing to see Jada stand up for herself and venture out on her own to discover what her true feelings were. I absolutely loved this!

Love stories centred around food and baking have been super popular lately, and I am eating it up! I have definitely been craving a cupcake since reading this book! Jada and Donovan's romance was certainly sweet, with plenty of depth, spice, and growth mixed in too. It was funny to see how their relationship quickly went from argumentative and heated disputes to deep passion and mutual respect. The more-than-working relationship started as a result of lust, but it was obviously how much they ended up caring for each other.

Both Jada and Donovan had great personal growth. They learned a lot from each other and those around them throughout the story, especially their friends and Mrs. T. I really liked Donovan's friends (and business partners), Nicholas and August, and am definitely looking forward to their love stories that were hinted at throughout this book!

There was plenty of teasing and joking to provide some balance for the more serious topics covered in this story. I particularly loved the vibe of the book club scenes. Jada and Donovan were going through some difficult circumstances and life changes, and it was nice to see how they supported and challenged each other. I enjoyed the overall tone of the book, along with the pacing of events. The ending would feel rushed if I didn't expect this to be a trilogy where we will see more of this couple. This book is definitely worth the read for the enemies to lovers trope, the cupcake descriptions, the great dynamics among this group of characters, and the relevant topics covered for anyone sorting out their life path.

Jada is not your average woman. She is a woman who is accustomed to a certain lifestyle, but is not always taken serious. Her grandmother loves her dearly and is her biggest cheerleader. Jada has not quite found herself yet. Her grandmother challenges her to become the woman she knows she can be by "helping" her secure a job. Jada is not ready for who and what the job entails. Fake It Til You Bake It will have you stoping by your local bakery on the regular for more than the treats. Simple and light read for the summer.

Reality star meets cupcake-baking football player and pretend to be a couple. The fake relationship has its benefits. Jada is trying to rehab her public image; she turned down a proposal on a reality dating show. Donovan's new cupcake bakery needs good publicity and a solid customer base. When Jada finds herself working at the bakery (thanks to a meddling good-hearted grandmother), a reporter mistakes them for a couple so they roll with it.

When a main character is unlikeable, it is very hard for me to fully enjoy the story. Jada was a whining, selfish, clueless young woman that didn't appreciate the opportunities in her path. Donovan seemed charming and headstrong, essentially a catch. Jada's first impression was of her talking shit about Donovan's bakery. It was downhill from there for me.

Funny one liners and the writing style is what kept me reading to the end. If you like cute fake-to-fall-in-love stories, then read Fake It Till You Bake It. Otherwise, you can skip this one.

Happy Pub Day, Jamie Wesley! Fake It Till You Bake It is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

~LiteraryMarie

4.5 stars = I loved it! Would re-read.

This was delightful! I loved the chemistry between the two characters as well as the premise (Professional football players who launch a cupcake business). Each character's development was interesting (although Jada's was emphasized more) and satisfying. The pacing was perfect - nothing dragged, and new developments kept me turning pages. But the end I had my fingers crossed that this was kicking off a series starring the three business partners/football players, and the ending makes me believe that is where this is headed. And I am here for all of it - highly recommend! (Language, sex)

3.5/5
POC romance featuring baked goods, hate to love, fake dating, in a sports background (though this is not so prominent), grumpy sunshine,.. really it has all the tropes I love in a romance book!

But to be honest, I didn't fall in love with the characters' instantly. I found Jada a little too jarring and Donovan a little too uptight (in not a very good way) in the beginning. But slowly and surely I saw their characters growing and evolving. I liked Jada's sass and I liked how steadfast Donovan was, and their chemistry! Could have done without repetition (9 times, I counted) of the word "bougie" however.

All in all, a quick light hearted read. Extra props for positive portrayal of dyslexia!

This one is a fun combination of fake dating and a foodie romance! Jada takes a job at a bakery after talking bad about in front of the owner to try convince her grandmother that she is capable of keeping a job. Donovan is the owner of the cupcake shop that Jada insulted but he realizes he needs more customer so agrees to take Jada on so she can boost sales. Donovan and Jada soon start a fake relationship to help each of them with their public images, Donovan for his store and Jada because after turning down a proposal on national TV both could use some good press. I really enjoyed their relationship, it started out fake but both realized pretty soon that there was more there. I will say I could have used a little more on Donovan being a professional athlete. This book took place over a good chunk on time and it was never discussed that he would be away for a lot of time for games and practices. I also really enjoyed the family relationships in this book as well as the friendships. I always enjoy when the characters have great relationships with other people in books. This one does get steamy in case you like or don't like that. Thank you St. Martin's Press for my #gifted copy for review!

such a cute rom com!! These characters had amazing chemistry and i could not put the book down! I loved the interactions and the fake dating. I cannot say no to fake dating ever!! I think fans of romance will love this one.

🧁Fake It Till You Bake It
Author: Jamie Wesley ( @jamiewesleywrites )

🥰: Huge thank you to @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

🗓Release Date: June 21st, 2022

👩🏾‍💻: Wait, hold up.. fake dating, black love, and a football player all in one book? Need I say more? First and foremost, happy late pub day to this cute, light-hearted read that was published yesterday. If you need a quick read to get you out of your slump then this is just the novel for you with its hilarious banter, pure chemistry, and it’s amazing character development.

This was SUCH a sweet, slow burn enemies to lovers, fake dating romance between Jada, a former reality star with dyslexia and Donovan, a NFL football player turned cupcake bakery owner who band together to help save his dying business.

The dyslexia rep was a surprise for me but SOOOO well done!! I really felt for Jada and the ways she's learned to compensate for her disability, stand up for the accommodations she needs and deal with less than supportive parents.

This was a fun, somewhat steamy, dual POV romance recommended for fans of Alexa Martin. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

A sweet (pun intended) read, light hearted read. The story features two people who are mistakenly identified as a couple and they take advantage of the situation and fake a relationship. They both hope to improve their circumstances (she has a bad image due to a reality dating show, he is an pro football player with a cupcake business that could use some publicity). A cute, fairly quick read.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

And with that, I wish I could give it a better one. Diverse cast, cupcakes, fake-dating. It was right up my alley and I went into it hopeful.

For one, the characters aren’t likeable. And that’s not a requirement in a story but when it comes to romance, I would like to like them at least a little bit. Or maybe it was their chemistry I didn’t like. It wasn’t natural, it really did feel forced.

Jada is dyslexic which was really nice to see and Donovan is stiff, rigid so there was relatability to the characters. It ends there though for me. Especially with Donovan.

Part of that comes down to the harried feeling of the timeline of the book. It feels like it happens very fast. A week, two? More like one. And then, there’s the three month epilogue at the end of the book.

Donovan however is literally possessive. I don’t like possessive men. That’s a huge turn off and it’s honestly disturbing to me. Possession isn’t attractive, partners aren’t property. What makes it worse is he’s like this over a woman that he doesn’t really know. They’re fake dating, they don’t know each other all that well, and this is how he acts?

Dude is literally growling at other men? That’s not hot. It’s frightful.

There is also a sex scene and it’s not good. How is it too long and feeling rushed at the same time? I couldn’t really enjoy the writing of the book at all because there are pacing issue more or less throughout the entire thing.

I desperately wanted to like this book but it wasn’t possible. Flat characters, possessive men and characters who also don’t seem to really be into each other because that was not chemistry, I just couldn’t.

So from me, it get’s a one (1) star rating.