This story was so entertaining and enjoyable. Jada is a reality star back home to lick her wounds after turning down a proposal on the reality dating show she was on. Donovan is a professional football player who owns a bakery. When she starts working there and along side him neither of them expect the mishap of a reporter thinking they're an item. To help the struggling bakery and to help mend Jada's image they fake date to help both of them along. A simple fake relationship soon turns into something so much more. I really loved this story and how it gave off a bit of a Hallmark movie vibe to it which I always love as well. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Fake It Till You Bake It blends the perfect recipe for a delicious treat. A reality star and football player pretend to be in a relationship to save his bakery.

When Jada Townsend-Matthews turned down the most anticipated proposal on reality tv, she became public enemy number one. With nowhere to turn, she decides to go home and get her life back on track. Unsure of what to do or where to go, she stops by San Diego’s newest buzzed cupcake shop and really puts her foot in her mouth. Not knowing who Donovan is, she leaves a strong impression that haunts his thoughts of who this mystery woman is. When a proposal from her grandmother comes to give her the financial stability she desperately needs, she takes the offer until she realizes she may have made a mistake.

Donovan Dell is a professional football player with a sweet tooth for business. He and his best friend opened the popular bakery, Sugar Blitz with ambitious goals and aspirations to succeed. With business declining, he’s been trying to figure out how and ways to improve but it all takes money that he isn’t making. When he was offered a possible solution to help from his NFL boss for his business, not wanting to let her down, he agreed to give her granddaughter a chance. Little does he know how life’s about to throw him a curveball.

As time went on, and they got past their first encounter experience, Jada proved to bring more than her sassy attitude. When a reporter happened to be in the bakery one day and put her on the spot, the only way to get out of it was to imply they were an item. Seeing the positive upswing and the advantages pretending could be a win-win situation, they find themselves mixing the ingredients for the perfect recipe.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. This was such a fun read. I just loved the chemistry between Jada and Donovan. Their savory and sweet combination truly made some laugh-out-loud moments. I love a good fake relationship trope because they give the reader something to love towards. I really enjoyed the roles the friends and family played in the book. It brought a nice balance and comfort that drew you in and felt welcomed.

I’m curious to know if this is a stand alone or will there be another book. The epilogue seeks to leave us with a cliffhanger so we'll have to be on the lookout. I can’t forget to mention how cute that cover is. I’m looking forward to reading what's to come. I’d recommend adding this one to your summer reading list.

This is a fun story about Jada and Donovan. Jada is a recent reality show participant who is being hassled about the outcome and Donovan is a professional football player and a co-owner of a cupcake bakery with two of his teammates. I really enjoyed how positive the storyline is and how they brought out the best in each other.

I received a free copy of this book to review from St Martin’s Press through NetGalley and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wow, this was such a charming book! A fake-dating romance with a foodie theme is what bookish dreams are made of. Many thanks to the publisher for approving me to read it early! <3

I have been loving opposites-attract romances so much lately, and boy-oh-boy, Fake It Till You Bake It made me fall in love with the trope even more! It's really fitting that the book is getting published on the first day of summer because it's the perfect beach read to escape to. :') The setup of the story was unlike anything I have ever read before, so that added a very engaging and charming touch to the plot. I mean, the main location of this book is a bakery that football players open together, I don't think my fluff-loving heart can obsess over a story arc more than that.

I absolutely loved Jada and Donovan's story. Their chemistry literally leaped off from the pages, MY GOSH. The banter was top-notch and so, so perfectly written. The humor content was one of the highlights of reading Fake It TIll You Bake It too. I adored how Jada and Donovan complimented each other. Their relationship development was really wholesome. I especially loved the last few chapters, because I honestly wasn't expecting the twists and turns the storyline took!

Also, the side characters??? LOVE LOVE LOVE. Nicholas, Olivia and August have my whole heart. They were all so loving and entertaining. I loved reading about their cheesy/wholesome encounters with Jada and Donovan. One of my favorite parts of the story was how it showcased how differently the media treats men and women. I really appreciated that the author bought up some serious topics in a light-hearted romance!

I honestly cannot wait for the next books in the series. I am so invested in the characters - I WANT MORE, LIKE RIGHT NOW!!

This was cute and I always enjoy a fake dating scenario, but ultimately I don't think this was the right book for me at the right time. I wanted a little more from the characters.

I received an ARC via Net Galley.

Donovan Dell is a professional football player with his eye towards a future without football. Jada Townsend is a former reality tv star who is in search of a career. This is definitely a romance where opposites attract. Donovan is orderly, neat, and logical. Jada is messy, and considers herself the family screw-up. But in true romance fashion, both characters have their insecurities that stem from their childhoods. I really liked them as a couple. I am not a fan of the fake dating trope, but I am so glad that I read this book. .

A fun, sugary sweet, enemies-to-lovers room-com. I enjoyed every delicious bite of this delightful story. Meeting Donavan and Jada was a real treat. Plus there was cupcakes!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

I found Fake It Till You Bake It to be a cute fake dating romance. There were points that I felt it was a little slow, but overall I enjoyed reading it. It's possible that I felt it was slow because when I read it I was tired so I missed some things. I am very much looking forward to reading the second book in this series with August as the lead.
I enjoyed that the male lead, Donovan, wasn't just a macho jock, while he was a professional football player we hardly saw him in his role as a player, we primarily saw him working as a baker in the cupcake bakery that he owns with some of his buds. I really liked that we got to see him as a more than a jock, which can be an over played trope. But him also having a side hustle with the hobby he loves, that is traditionally seen as a feminine hobby was so refreshing.
I also thought it was nice to see the female lead Jada, embracing her learning disability and learning that she doesn't have to be defined by it. I also liked that when she was on the dating show that seemed very similar to the Bachelor she wasn't willing to compromise when it came to love, while she liked the bachelor on the show, she didn't see them having a future together and didn't want to lead him on future. The fact that she became a viral internet sensation was an unfortunate consequence of her decision but she stands by it.

This was a super cute fake dating story. Donovan is a super serious football player that owns a bakery. And Jada is the most hated woman on reality tv. The two really started off rocky when Jada made comments about the bakery but when they started, “fake dating” the two became really close. It was cute, I liked their friendly banter, the way that Donovan helped Jada overcome her insecurities and how Jada helped Donovan break his barriers down as well. Jada kept Donovan on his heels he was so out of his league. Opposites attract and when they bring out the best in one another, it is 10x better. I enjoyed this read. I received a arc from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this book! I am always attracted to books that deal with fake romance and baking so this one was calling my name, but man I didn't think I would love it as much as I did. I just felt like the characters were fabulous and I appreciated the cute bakery. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Jamie Wesley for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one since I requested it without reading much of the synopsis - I’m a sucker for baking romances now! I loved the characters and the storyline. It was actually quite unique and I loved seeing another aspect to the athlete in this novel because we really hear next to nothing about his career as he plans for what comes after. The banter was amazing and I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley + the publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Fake It Till You Bake It" by Jamie Wesley, in which a reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery.

When reality star Jada Townsend-Matthew finds herself working at San Diego's newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, she ends up working with pro football player Donovan Dell. A reporter mistakes them as a couple. so the two decide to embark in a fake relationship. Since they both can benefit from the fake relationship, what could go wrong?

"Fake It Till You Bake It" is a sweet story about faking it till you make it, literally. Making baked goods that is.

I’m a sucker for fake dating AND opposites attract so this already had my interest before I started. The characters had amazing chemistry and loved the heat factor.

I loved this little story so much! It’s everything I want in a romance: sweet, funny, and spicy. I loved Jada and Donovan so much. I loved their backgrounds and their growth throughout the book. The supporting characters were great, too. Mrs. T was a firebird. I am a sucker for the fake dating trope and I feel like this one was done so well. I will definitely read another one by this author!

One of my favourite tropes to read is the fake dating/engaged trope but it is so rarely done well. I loved how this book grabbed the trope and made it work in the best possible ways. I also enjoyed that the two people who are “in a relationship” have so little knowledge of each other but that just makes it all the more fun.

The blatant nod to The Bachelor made me chuckle and the Sugar Blitz made me hungry. (I will admit that I am still not interested in football but I will read more about August and Nicholas if there are more books.) The characters charmed me with the friendships and the lively interactions. There was just so much in this world that I enjoyed.

There was one significant sex scene that was easy to skip as I don’t read them. I was happy to find it was not heavy though out the whole book so this could a romance for many readers. I hope you check it out and get a cupcake along the way!

I received an arc via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Light and entertaining romantic comedy with fun characters and dialogue that made me chortle with laughter. Jada is a trust fund baby trying to discover what she wants to do with her future while football star Donovan has already decided that he wants to run a cupcake bakery. Jada and Donovan have sparks flying in the romance department since she decides that her job will be working with Donovan and he is trying to win her heart over to the deliciousness that are his cupcakes. Jada’a grandmother is the instigator for the two of them ending up together since she gives Jada an ultimatum that she has to have a job for six months before she can get her trust fund money. I loved the interactions between the characters. It was like watching a rom-com on television and imagining who would play each part. Jada was delightfully sarcastic and somewhat spoiled while Donovan was surprisingly humble for a star football player. The setting was perfect, a cupcake bakery and all of the yummy flavors that I could almost taste. I really wanted to visit the Sugar Blitz and get an apple crumb cupcake myself! The story was realistic as well as original and the plot was fast-paced. Of course, the romance between the two protagonists was predictable but it was an engaging read to get the two of them together instead of sparring with one another. The characters were like actors who stepped out of a screen and onto the page, and I enjoyed the development of their budding relationship. This is just a plain fun book to read, with not a lot of drama and a lot of laughs.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

#FakeItTillYouBakeIt:⁣
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Listen, when I hear a quick stand off that sings like an enemies to lovers, I get giddy. I want the enemies so strong that one tried to make a voodoo doll to curse them and instead made a love doll. That’s the enemies I feel. Fake It Till You Bake It is right up there with the enemies to lovers beginning turned fake date. ⁣
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Y’all know I’m down any kind of baking book. Throw in a reality star, yes y’all. Thanks to Farrah Rochon, I’ve been salivating for sports romances, so bam, a hint of football. That’s my recipe for a good romcom. Chef’s kids, case closed. All the other fun sayings. ⁣
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This is probably the 3rd or 4th book I’ve read this month that has someone in the public spotlight getting harassed to the point of it being excessive. I really hope y’all are out here letting people live their lives, regardless of what their profession is. I really liked Donovan and his grumpy, yet patient personality. He seemed like someone you’d love to have in your life. He was so kind and gentle and ugh, I was definitely rooting for him and Jada.⁣
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Beware, you WILL want to raid your nearest bakery for only the best and freshest cupcakes after reading this. I especially craved a chocolate peanut butter one. ❤️⁣
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Overall, a sweet and fun romcom that I breezed through in about a day. It dabbles in a slew of tropes in the best way and I need books on the rest of the crew at Sugar Blitz.⁣
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Thank you so much @smpromance for the gifted copy! Fake It Till You Bake It is out today!⁣
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QOTD: favorite sweet? Mine is definitely a cupcake ❤️

A cute and flirty summer romcom!

There should be no surprise that I enjoyed this book – I LOVE a fake dating trope! Perhaps I love it so much because the characters inevitably reveal little pieces of themselves, sometimes without realizing it. Though both were vulnerable with each other, Jada was exceptionally outspoken and honest, which I loved as an outspoken and honest woman myself. I especially appreciated that Donovan wasn’t intimidated by this; in fact, he was attracted to Jada, and not in spite of it but because of it!

I loved that these big, “manly” football players were not only business savvy, but also amazing bakers, of all things! (Thanks, Jamie Wesley, for smashing gender and athlete expectations!) I do wish Nick and August had made a little more of an appearance in the story, but there seemed to be more to August’s story, plus a cliffhanger that I’m hoping is a segue to a companion series novel. (PLEASE!)

Honestly, my only complaint is that I was expecting Jada to do more baking based on the title but all in all, I enjoyed this book. It opens slowly, but things take off pretty early in the story, and the quick pace remains throughout the rest of the book. If you’re looking for a light and pretty fast read for the summer, I’d recommend this.

A very fun book that I didn’t want to put down. Interesting take on a Bachelor-eske show where the main female character, Jada, rejects the Bachelor. As she faces a lot of social media backlash, her family decides that she needs to grow up and stop being so impulsive. Donovan, our lead male character, does nothing without looking from every vantage point first - whether it’s renewing his contract with his football team or opening up a cupcake shop with his two closest friends. He is never impulsive, and it shows in his failing shop.

I liked how the MCs grew as individuals and how they pushed each other, even before they were a couple. It was about challenging each other to be better, while supporting each other and defending one another. Cute book, fun premise. Gave me the warm fuzzies!

Tropes: enemies to lovers turned fake dating, banter, dyslexia rep

📖Book: Fake It Until You Bake It
⭐️Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏼Author: Jamie Wesley
📚Genre: Romance
🗏 Pages: 336 – Medium Paced
💕Tropes: Fake Dating, Enemies to Lovers, Hallmark Movies, Open Door, Forced Proximity
⚠️Warnings: Toxic Relationship, Addiction, Ableism, Sexism

After a reality dating show disaster, Jada becomes a social media target, leading her to work at a cupcake bakery. This bakery is owned by the Mr. panties in a bunch - football player, Donvan. When rumors that these two might be dating, the two play along to get some good PR. One thing leads to another, and you have a charming enemies to lovers' romance that will have you drooling for some more. With a decent amount of spice and some cute banter, this will satisfy you all with the sweet deliciousness Jamie has baked up. At times I did feel it was predictable, but with romance novels, most of the time, you know what you are signing up for, and this is what we want. Four stars for the readability of the annoying italics.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.