New to Wesley’s writing, I seriously enjoyed her feel-good romance. She’s combined plenty of laugh-out-loud scenes with an enemies-to-lovers touch, and although it’s not overly angsty, her story kept me stuck to the pages. Also, I liked the subject she’d chosen. Not easy to imagine strapping professional footballers baking cupcakes, but she pulled it off to a tee. 

At the outset, Jada Townsend-Matthew’s stance gave me negative vibes. It wasn’t until I’d reached the end of the first quarter that I realised the author had gone out of her way to mislead me. Well-plotted out here because I was starting to get worried. Anyway, observing the genuine Jada in action without heels was a joy. Ha-ha, the Crocs scene had me in fits! I mean, this footwear is so damn underrated.

It was no surprise seeing Donovan Dell, the grumpily scrupulous but gorgeous owner of the Sugar Blitz bakery, have a change of heart, especially after making a deal with his new employee. He and Jada might not get on; nonetheless, they need each other for distinct reasons, reasons I’d rather not divulge.

Regardless of what felt like constant friction, signs of their chemistry came across to those around them. I liked their growth and eventual understanding, how they dealt with some rather personal issues and Dell’s protectiveness. The banter between all the characters was off the charts. And some of them I’d sooner not name even charmed the socks off me. 

I got a bit upset with Jada closer to the finale, but what the . . . I honestly thought that a happy ending was not to be. That said, the author made the story more realistic by doing just that. A twist which would complicate matters somewhat appeared a tad early for my liking, but in retrospect, I don’t think Wesley could have done it any other way. 

Narrated in the third person past tense, Fake It Till You Bake It is a sweeter than sweet sexy story, and if you’re like me and take pleasure in baking, relish eating cupcakes and reading about delectable fillings and toppings, you’ll lap up this easy-to-read, opposites-attract romantic comedy in no time. <b>Bravo!</b>

ARC kindly received from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for an honest review.

3.5 stars ☆ If you like a book that has fake dating, forced proximity, slow burn and diverse characters, this one is for you.

Donovan is a professional football player and also a co-owner of sugar blitz (which is a cupcake bakery) with his two teammates.

Jada was a reality tv star in a bachelor/bachelorette show but due to her turning down a proposal, it causes her fans became furious at her.

It was such a cute and light romance which is perfect if you’re looking for a light summer read.

I enjoyed Donovan and Jada’s banter especially from the first few pages into this book and I loved each and every character here, they were all so entertaining. Overall, it was such a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC !!

Jada is receiving a lot of backlash for not accepting a proposal on a dating show. She has to figure out what to do next, since she doesn’t have access to her trust yet.

She ends up working at a bakery co-owned by Donovan. A football player who is trying to setup his life for when football ends.

While the bakery might be struggling to maintain their initial success Jada seems to breathe new life into, and a reporter mistakenly think they are dating doesn’t hurt.

Seeing each other and pretending soon leads them to realize it hasn’t been hard to fake their attraction.

This is a light and fun read. I didn’t get the depth or character development I would have liked but overall a quick fun read.

There’s something truly satisfying in feeling capable and knowing you can make something from scratch and it doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about a successful business or a perfect cupcake!
Loved this new romcom from Jamie Wesley! Sweet and satisfying!
Jada Townsend Matthews may appear confident and outspoken, but deep down she believes she is a disappointment to her brainy parents. To be fair, at twenty five Jada still needs to find her direction in life, but it doesn’t have to be science or law. Jada’s latest attempt to start her career of an influencer by participating in a TV reality show has backfired and now she is a bit of a pariah on social media. When her friend Olivia takes her to Sugar Blitz cupcake store, all Jada does is express her opinion and it’s not her fault that the store owner Donovan Dell takes offence. The baking goods may be delicious, but the customers aren’t there and that’s the truth.
In a twist of fate, Jada finds herself forced to take up a temporary job with Donovan and…both of them have a lot to learn. Yes, Donovan is a bit uptight, as having grown without financial stability, he craves logic, calm and order. He is also sweet and responsible…He is the proverbial good man who is hard to find. Jada, on the other hand, is both a ray of sunshine and a hurricane with her spontaneity and creativity. Opposites attract, grumpy versus sunshine, fake dating- pick your favourite trope, they are all here in this deliciously entertaining romcom.
I loved the way the protagonists were so flawed and realistic. I knew Jada was my kind of girl when she focused all her attention on what brought the customers to the bakery on that particular day, why they wanted or rather needed their treat. My special mention and gratitude for the dyslexia rep!
Light-hearted, charming, diverse- Fake It Till You Bake It is a fun summer read and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book! I found it absolutely adorable and I loved the banter and tension between Jada and Donovan. This book followed Jada, a former reality star on a dating show who is just trying to find her path in life, and Donovan, a professional football player who is trying to save his struggling bakery. I loved reading a cute black romance with swoon-worthy scenes and I really liked Jada's character. I found her to be very realistic and her struggles throughout the book in deciding what she wanted to do with her life were very relatable and I enjoyed reading about them. I also really liked Donovan's character and I liked how although he was almost the exact opposite as Jada they balanced each other out really well which was what made their chemistry so apparent. This book just had a ton of really cute scenes and I loved reading about the development of Jada and Donovan's relationship as the book progressed. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute, fun read!

This was a really cute novel and I flew through it in about a day! The characters were great and there was diversity and disability representation which was awesome! I loved the reality television star and cupcake store aspects and the drama that ensued. I found Jada and Donovan to be super likable main characters and I loved the fake dating storyline as it was executed well! The steam was so good in this one too!!! Secondary characters were well written and brought a lot to the storyline. The ending was satisfying and I’m hoping that last part of the epilogue means that there is another book coming to make this a series!!

Incredibly charming and cute, with great banter and chemistry between the leads. I enjoyed this so much. I really thought I was going to hate Jada and her bougieness from the beginning, but she immediately won me over with her toughness and her vulnerability, and I ended up absolutely adoring her. I liked that for the most part, things that would have led to miscommunication in another story were addressed quickly and neutralized, but the final conflict felt super rushed and underdeveloped. So looking forward to more from Jamie Wesley in the future!

Such a cute read and a laugh out loud story! I became attached to these characters and their personalities.

Jada Townsend-Matthews turned down a proposal on a reality dating show, earning public ire. Coming home to San Diego, she bumps into professional football player and bakery owner Donovan Dell. They're mistaken for an item, and decide to use that to help the bakery's popularity and repair Jada's image. But a fake relationship might not be so fake after all.

The fake dating trope is a fun one when done well, and is the main component of our meet-cute.

Jada had been hiding to avoid those intensely angry with her and Donovan focused on his football career as well as baking. Jada at first insults the shop, then later it turns out her grandmother owns the team Donovan plays for. She has her own hang-ups about dyslexia and "ruining" everything she tried to do, though she's twenty-five and still figuring out a potential career.

Donovan believes in tactics and study, and taking a logical approach; opening the shop instead of converting the building into apartments was as wild as he got, and even then he researched the business proposal thoroughly.

Impulsive Jada and straitlaced Donovan are the opposites that needed to balance each other out. Each has their insecurities and supports each other to the best of their ability. Of course, there's the dark moment of the story, where the two separate before getting back together and being stronger for it. It's scary to be emotionally vulnerable, but we know they'll get there.

I adored the book and raced through it in a single day. It's as light and fluffy as a frosted cupcake.

What a funny first meeting for this couple. Donovan is a successful football player and is following a dream with his best friends by opening a cupcake bakery. He is very focused on providing for his mom and sisters and hates surprises. I love his focus as he sets goals and attacks them but the bakery is struggling which has him confused. Jada has struggled to find her purpose and passion in life. She comes from a family of doctors and scientists which has always had her feeling less than. Her grandmother challenges her with working a job for 6 months before she can have access to her trust fund. What she doesn’t expect is to have Donovan as her boss, especially after her not so great first impression. What Jada does do well is make people comfortable and happy which seems to be just what the bakery needs. I love how this Donovan and Jada push each other to be better. Donovan needs to loosen up and accept help while Jada needs someone in her corner, giving her that confidence boost so she can find the courage to trust her heart. I had fun with their chemistry and banter. Really a fabulous read. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

This book was so incredibly cute and left me really craving a cupcake!

Honestly, the synopsis had me at an NFL star cupcake baker and reality star as I’m a sucker for the celebrity trope. Then add in fake dating and I’m already cozied into my couch ready to read!

This book was CUTE and a light, fun quick read. It was sweet like the cupcakes that left me constantly hungry for more.

It took me a minute to take the heroine seriously, as her reasons for getting the job and fake dating revolve around obtaining her trust fund which automatically makes me roll my eyes, but, I quickly began to like her as she settled into her role at the cupcake shop!

I recommend this one to those who love the fake dating trope and are into sweet books with extra frosting.

Thank you so much to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This cover and blurb was too cute for me not to enjoy or believe the romance in this book. Something has to be wrong with me (sad face)!

This story starts off with Jada going back to her home town after turning down a proposal on a reality tv show. To get Jada out of this funk, her grandmother gets her a job at this very cute bakery in town that ran by a professional football player, Donovan Once the media get ahold of the fact that Jada and Donovan will be working together at the bakery, they spin a story about them being in love and dating. Should Jada and Donovan tell the media the truth or keep it to themselves and save the bakery from closing.

I swear the book is super cute because the majority of it takes place inside the bakery and if it doesn't make you want sweets while reading it, then you are doing it wrong. I had at least two cookies while reading this book. What I didn't like about this book is the romance and chemistry between the two main characters. I don't know what it was but I didn't believe they had feelings for each other and fell in love.

This book was a great read. You have some hot chemistry even though it is suppose to be a fake relationship. I love that Jada goes through a journey of self discovery. Heat, chemistry, self discovery and love all wrapped up in this wonderful book.

3.5 Stars**

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

This was such a fun read! There were a lot of cupcake references that I really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed the fact that Donovan was the one who owned the bakery. I also really enjoyed the banter between Donovan and Jada and how she would rile him up in order for him to not be so serious all the time.

My favorite scene would have to be the affirmation scene where Donovan helps Jada feel more assured of herself after being torn down. Both of the characters really helped to better the other and that was really nice to see.

Overall, this was a sweet romance with a little bit of bachelor vibes and some drama to match. Good if you’re looking for a quick read to activate your sweet tooth.

Light and easy, this fake relationship romance is low angst fun. It plays up the tropes for a lighthearted, laidback read, and I loved the hero. He's a cinnamon roll sweetheart who knows his pro football career will end at some point, so he's opened a bakery with his two best friends. This certainly felt like the start of a series revolving around the bakery, and I'd be interested in checking out more from this new-to-me author. Not only is the representation great, but the book has a pretty solid vibe once you get past the info dump at the start. It was perhaps a little too slow moving for me at times and the ending was kinda lame, but I enjoyed it overall. There's nothing like a sweet hero who isn't afraid of a relationship, and it was easy to see the chemistry between this couple.

The story follows Jada, a fashion-obsessed woman who is really hoping her inheritance will come through soon. While Jada is confident in most aspects of her life, she lives with dyslexia, and that has made finding a career that works for her a struggle. After a disastrous Bachelor-style reality show left her internet infamous, Jada is struggling more than ever. So when her friend takes her to a new bakery, Jada is... not the nicest. Turns out, the stern yet sexy guy she gets into an argument with is not only the bakery's owner, but also one of the star football players on the team her grandmother owns. And in a troubling turn of events, Jada will now need to work for Donovan if she has any hope of getting her inheritance. As the two bicker and banter - and somehow fall into a fake relationship - they soon realize that opposites really do attract.

It's my first time reading something from the author, so I really wasn't sure what to expect. That adorable cover gave me high hopes, and the story mostly lived up to that. I wasn't a fan of the third person writing style at the start, but it became much easier to settle in once the many characters and somewhat complicated storyline was introduced. After that, we get a lot of Jada and Donovan falling for each other, which was a lot more fun to read. I never fully related to Jada, but Donovan was easy to love - such a great guy. And while the story tackles a few subjects that could've weighed it down, it remained low angst and easygoing the whole way through. There's also a touch of steam and some playfulness, which made for a light read. I'm looking forward to checking out more from the series, Donovan's friends have tons of potential. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this fake relationship romance.

(3.5/5 rounded up)

This was a delightful, sweet and entertaining romantic-comedy. The storyline was enjoyable, a little bit slow to start but it made up for it in the end. It was a bit predictable but this was different from other romances I've read. There was a steamy part in there but wasn't overdone. And the characters were very likable. Now I'm wondering if there will be another book as a follow-up to this one as the ending was a bit confusing and what I think might be a cliffhanger. ?? I'm hoping there will be a Book Two here.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy.

In this fake dating romance, Jada, fresh off rejecting the eligible bachelor on a Bachelor-type show, takes a job at cupcake shop owned by Donovan, a professional football player. A gossip blogger catches Jada at the shop and Jada kisses Donovan to get the blogger to leave her alone. The pair begin a fake relationship which leads to real feelings.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I am really tired of the fake dating trope. Yes, there are times when it really really works, but this one didn’t bring anything new to the table. I was especially annoyed that this book also heavily relied on miscommunication, which is probably my least favorite trope. I really wanted to like the book more than it was. I was excited to read a book with Black leads, especially one with a football playing baker, but it fell flat for me. It was by no means bad, but just didn’t do anything for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been excited by the storyline of this book since I first heard the pitch and I’m VERY happy to say it did not disappoint. I loved Jada and Donovan and their supportive relationship. The black moment is mildly gray and makes total sense for their relationship. This is the first novel I’ve read by Wesley, but it won’t be the last. There is a big tease at the end, so I’m hoping we see more of Sugar Blitz soon.
4.5 stars

🧁🧁🧁🧁.5 rounded up

Gah ~ hot football players that bake! yes please!

Donovan plays for the San Diego Knights and also owns the cupcake shop Sugar Blitz with two of his teammates. Business isn't as great as he'd like it to be, so he sets up a meeting with the witty and knowledgeable owner of his team, Mrs. T. It turns out Mrs. T has a plan of her own that will not only help Donovan, but her granddaughter, Jada, too.

Jada is currently the most hated woman in America for saying no to a proposal on one of the most popular reality dating shows. Her parents are cutting her off, so she has no choice but to go along with Grams's plan and start working at the bakery that she just called 'stale' the previous day. I love her honesty and how she interacts with people. She's dyslexic and I thought that was well written.

Donovan is a logical man who likes order and stability. He's always calm, cool and collected. He isn't expecting to be thrown into a fake relationship in order to drum up sales, but he goes with the flow and soon realizes it's the best decision of his life.

As always I loved that it goes back and forth between their perspectives. I liked that Jada went after what she wanted, but I didn't care for the inevitable breakup we always get in this trope.
Grams is great! I really loved every character. Donovan, Nicholas and August have a great friendship ~ do I smell a book for each of them too???

A fun, fake dating, slow burn quick read. I can't call this a sports romance because it's the off season, so there is no football playing going on. I enjoyed their banter and sweetness. There was a little too much talk about social media for me. I could have went for a recipe or two for some on the delicious sounding cupcakes.

I have mixed feelings about the epilogue, was it too rushed? ~ (view spoiler) But it seems it might be setting us up for another book ~ yay!!
This is my first time with this author and I've got my eyes peeled for her next book!

Fake dating, hot athletes, and baking! This book has it all.

Jada is off from reality TV and is hated for turning down a proposal while Donovan is a NFL player with bakery dreams. when a misunderstanding leads to the media assuming they are dating, sparks fly!

Jada and Donovan are an adorable couple with an amazing chemistry. Both have family expectations and there is a lot of potential with the side characters for future books.

I received an ARC from Netgalley.