3.5 stars. A fun enemies(?) to friends to lovers fake dating romance. With cupcakes.

Jada Townsend-Matthews just turned down a proposal on a reality dating show and now everyone in America hates her. A few weeks later, she ends up, for a series of reasons, working a Sugar Blitz, a new cupcake store co-owned by pro football player Donovan Dell. They are opposites in every way. But a reporter ends up thinking that Jada and Donovan are an item and they go viral. When it turns out that opportunity might help the bakery get some much-needed business and rehabilitate Jada's image, they decide to keep faking it. But maybe it's not so fake after all.

I always enjoy foodie romances, and this book is no exception. The cupcakes honestly all sound super amazing and I wish I could go to Sugar Blitz in real life. The characters, including Jada and Donovan but also their super-involved friends and family, were quirky and kept me invested in the story. I also appreciated how Donovan and Jada's relationship and trust in one another builds throughout the book and doesn't get ruined by something stupid. It felt more realistic.

In terms of things that didn't work as well for me, I think the biggest challenges was the third act conflict. It was so over-the-top and I'm not sure why that was the choice that was made. I feel like there could have been a different, slightly more realistic, direction this book could have gone in. A much more minor issue, but one that bothered me a lot nonetheless, is the height difference between Donovan and Jada (he's 6'3", she's about 5'0"). Most of their interactions would be physically impossible, and definitely not cute or steamy! He would have to be basically bent in half for them to be staring into each others' eyes and almost kissing, so I don't think it would look like the cover of a romance novel like was suggested in one scene.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and I thought it was a fun, quick read perfect for summer. Find a cupcake and a coffee and sit down for a good story. I am definitely curious to read the other (future) books in this series as well!

I was soooo looking forward to a fun new fake dating story when I was given this eARC. Baking and fake dating are quite literally the perfect combo. So I was very optimistic going into this one and even as the story started. I liked how Jada and Donovan were originally introduced with their own respective stories.

Unfortunately, the book quickly went downhill for me. The story just felt too focused on sticking to the fake dating plot without really delving into the characters’ actual relationship. It almost felt like things were just happening to Jada and Donovan because “this is how the romance arc is supposed to go”.

I felt no connection between the two. Really disappointing because this story could’ve been the perfect amount of cute and spice.

In the end, it just felt really underdeveloped to the point I almost DNF’d at 60%. Even the side characters felt pushed to the side.

I feel like this story had a lot of potential, though, especially at the outset. I wouldn’t completely rule out reading something else by this author, but this one was just a disappointment.

DNF'ed at around 60%, but for reasons of extreme mediocrity, so it still gets the 'it was ok' rating. I didn't dislike it! Except for being extremely bored I was fine. I like fake dating but this one was so weird in that it felt like it took so many pressure points to get the couple into that situation? Like first she is a customer in his cupcake shop - then her grandma is the owner of his NFL team - then she has to work in his shop to come into her trust fund - THEN they get into the fake dating - and at this point I'm really unconvinced that they have any connection lmao it all seems extremely external. Possibly I would be more engaged if they got to the fake dating sooner rather than like 50% in. Also the she-has-to-work-in-his-shop plot point is engineered by her grandmother and I truly shrivelled up in my soul reading it lol if you WORK the shop you can hire whatever wastrel relative you like but if you employ in a totally different capacity the man who runs the shop it seems like extremely poor taste to foist your granddaughter on him! Anyway I'm sure this book has an audience and will find it somewhere, meanwhile my dreadful record in the romance genre continues. Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc for an honest review!

Honestly, the cover art drew me to this book, and I’m a sucker for a pretty cover (lol). The story opens in the California cupcake shop that serves as main backdrop for most of the book’s action, where the main characters Jada and Donovan have a sort of “meet hostile” situation. The author does a great job of quickly setting up the circumstances that lead to the fake relationship the title describes. Lots of funny and sweet moments follow as our main characters interact. It is a bit of a slow burn, but when the heat comes it is well worth the wait.

If you like black rom coms, fake relationships, and grumpy / sunshine, you're gonna enjoy this book.

What does a cupcake baking football player business owner and a dyslexic fashion aware social pariah have in common? They need each other. Jada has been skewered due to her performance in a reality show and Donovan’s business venture is turning into crumbs. They decide to fake date to salvage both of their endeavors.
The first baking scene was enough to make me throw on an apron and fling some flour around so a hunk would rescue me. It’s quite funny.
Both characters grow a lot and make some important life decisions. My favorite character is Jada’s grandmother. She’s a savvy woman who holds people’s feet to the fire.
If you love romance and cupcakes, indulge in this delectable tale.

3.5 Stars
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.
A well written, light hearted read which I enjoyed but didn’t love. The characters had depth & were likeable. I liked the chemistry between Donovan & Jada & how their relationship changed & grew. I liked the humour & the fact that footballer Donovan makes cup cakes, I also enjoyed the banter. An easy to read frothy romance ideal for whiling away a few hours over the summer
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I’m sorry to say that I did not enjoy this book. I liked the characters enough and the premise was fun though far-fetched (but I’m an experienced-enough romance reader to be OK with far-fetched.) My main challenge with this book was that there didn’t seem to be any stakes. Jada was trying to work at the cupcake store to get her trust, but I didn’t believe that her grandmother wouldn’t give it to her anyway. Donovan was worried about the revenue of the cupcake store, but he is a multi-millionaire professional athlete so it seemed like it was not going to make or break his fortune. They didn’t seem to really have any reason not to be together, so it wasn’t that tense or exciting when they did get together. I liked the writing and most of the characters, but was not pulled in by the plot.

I won’t be sharing this review elsewhere because I prefer not to share constructive reviews publicly.

Solid three stars. It read like a sexy Hallmark movie. The dialogue frustrated me at times because it felt stilted and awkward. Overall though, it was a good time, I laughed a few times and there was heat. I honestly hope Hallmark picks it up because it would work great there and I would watch it.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this!

So cute! I love a fake dating scenario, add in cupcakes and you have a great time. The characters had such good chemistry, and I loved the side characters - I hope they get their own stories!

So this was....fine? Think Hallmark movie but with more interesting characters....kinda? The entire plot is a series of coincidences and absurdities that, of course, all work out in the end. The writing is stttrrreeetched out to the point that you can skim entire chapters and not miss a dang thing. It's very repetitive (you know, you might forget that thing she said 2 paragraphs ago, so let's repeat it. Oh here again in another 3 pages. Next chapter? definitely need a recap of the last one). It's like this was meant to be a screenplay for a mini-series and ended up as a book with no edits to pacing.

Gripes aside, this really was fine. If you want a chance to turn off your brain and read an easy rom-com, this is your bread and butter. I wasn't in that mindset while reading, so it was a slog, but if I'd've had a few drinks in me, it may have gained a star or two.

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC**

I’m a sucker for books about books and or baking and Fake It Till You Bake It was the icing on the cupcake.

Donovan and his two teammates recently opened this cupcake shop and business had leveled out and they were looking for ways to revitalize interest. Jada just turned down a proposal on national tv and is now public enemy number one on social media. While in Donovan’s shop, she criticizes his cupcakes and a battle of sharp wit and stoic stares ensued with each unaware of who the other was. As luck would have it, Jada’s grandma is the owner of the football team Donovan plays for and suggested that Jada work for him for a bit to mutually benefit each other’s endeavors. In a moment of panic, Jada tells a nosy reporter that she and Donovan were dating and things start to get complicated in Donovan’s orderly world.

Jada and Donovan’s love story is the trope trifecta of opposites attract, enemies to lovers with some fake dating thrown it. It’s a slow burn full of sharp wit, unapologetic laughter, supportive friends and tender moments.

Fake It Till You Bake It is the first book in the series about the trio of NFL cupcake bakers and August’s story will be next!


Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was a fast-paced, easy to read rom com that I really enjoyed. The leads have good chemistry and banter and while I honestly could have used more scenes with Mrs. T because she was great, I had a good time. Warning, though this book did contain the word “bougie” about a hundred times which seemed a little excessive but maybe that’s a nitpick.

Thank you to NetGalley for my digital ARC

DNFed…

I couldn’t get into Jada. She felt snobby to me… all she wants is her trust fund and it was super annoying to me. She was fake ditsy, and it made me annoyed when black female characters are portrayed in negative lights since it happens far too often.

There’s something about this that just wasn’t keeping me hooked. I wish I liked it, but I’d rather be honest… 😬

Add one media-adverse, introverted professional football player to a social, extroverted ex-reality tv star, mix with a fake dating scheme, and you’ll get this book! Sugary sweet romance between opposites who have more in common than they think. Donovan just wants to run the cupcake shop he co-owns with his teammates, and stay out of the spotlight while providing financial stability for himself and his family. Jada is the granddaughter of Donovan’s team owner, trying to keep a low profile after declining the proposal on tv dating show (think The Bachelor). When her grandmother arranges to have Jada work in Donovan’s shop, the pair realize they’ve already met - when Jada inadvertently insulted the shop! Instantly at odds, the pair reluctantly agree to the arrangement. But when a reporter tracks Jada down, she panics and claims she’s with Donovan. And the pair come to another reluctant agreement - this time as a couple instead of employer and employee - him to use the publicity to boost flagging sales, and her to have some cover from the reporters who want to know why she turned down a proposal. But we all know how a fake dating scheme goes…

Fake It Till You Bake It is a cute and charming rom-com book. It wasn’t my favorite because it felt kinda predictable, but it was still good and did the trick. I was hoping for some more emotional moments and deeper connection, but it was a tad superficial and easy for my taste - I like a little more angst and tears with my romances. Great for a poolside or beach read when you want light and frothy.

Fake it Till You Bake It is set in the beautiful city of San Diego. Our main character, Jada, comes from a very rich family, but has sort of lost her way. She can’t keep a job and her grandmother is tired of it. Jada’s trust fund depends on her ability to keep a job. Grandma owns the local NFL team and has asked one of team to employ Jada. Three football players own and run a bakery and have agreed to give her a job. As you can imagine, Jada has no experience with working with this type of job and errors and challenges occur. Of course, some romance ensues as well. It’s a pretty fun read as Jada learns how to be an employee and figures out her future. This is a light hearted book with some depth to it. The characters are well developed and enjoyable. Have fun with it!

I wasn't too sure about Jada at first, but after hearing what she went through, I understood her better. She thinks everyone is against her because she refused to marry a guy from a reality show. She got so much hate mail. He was a nice guy, but there was just something that held her back. Now her parents and her grandmother are pressuring her to get her life together. She and a friend went into a cupcake shop, and she had to open her big mouth about the decor and the cupcakes. When Donovan overhears a woman saying his cupcakes are probably stale, he just can't let it go. Then he runs into the same woman later in his boss's office. When he hires Jada to work at his shop, he is sure it will all be a complete disaster. What he finds is a beautiful, creative woman and love. He is mister practical, and she is whimsy. Can they make a go of it?

Jada has been keeping a low profile after a stint on a reality-TV dating show went sideways, but when she visits local cupcake bakery Sugar Blitz with her friend and unintentionally insults the co-owner, Donovan (a pro-football player who has opened the bakery along with two of his best friends and teammates), sparks fly. Not long after, Jada's grandmother gets her a job at the same bakery (she happens to own the football team Donovan plays for) and flames burn higher between the two. When a reporter shows up and tries to expose Jada's lies about why things ended the way they did on the reality show, Jada lies again and says Donovan is her boyfriend and he goes along with it. Together they hope to help boost Sugar Blitz's business while also helping Jada get her reputation back on its feet, but what they feel for each other is more real than either one is planning on.

Fake relationship tropes are one of my favorites in romance, so I was a sucker for this one from the start. The humor and chemistry between Jada and Donovan made it even better, as did the supporting characters (minus Jada's horrible parents). Though Jada reads older than her supposed age of 25, the overall storyline is satisfying and the main characters likeable. The external conflict feels a little much but not to the point where it derails the story, and the internal conflict experienced by Jada and Donovan compensates by being entirely relatable for anyone who has ever felt insecure. I wish the next book was already out so I could continue reading more about the people of Sugar Blitz! It sounds like August is next in line for romance and I can't wait to read what comes next!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Fake It Till You Bake It early in exchange for an honest review!

What a fun read! This has exactly the right elements for a great, flirty rom com! I loved the personality of the characters - the supporting ones included. The interactions between Jade and Donovan were full of humor and sexual undercurrents! I laughed, cringed with embarrassment for Jade, but mostly felt good throughout the book. It’s a really cute story and a pet romance read for Summer!

Fresh and Fun Romantic Comedy
4 Stars

Read “Fake It Til You Bake It” if you like:
✔ M/F contemporary romantic comedy
✔ Opposites Attract
✔ Fake Dating
✔ A baking football player
✔ A FMC trying to figure things out
✔ Third person narration with dual perspectives
✔ Dyslexia rep
✔ Mild spice
✔ Complete standalone

Donovan Dell is a football player with the San Diego Knights. He also loves to bake and has a bakery named Sugar Blitz with his two best friends and teammates, August and Nicholas. He started the business as a way to ease into retirement even though he’s barely 30. Unfortunately the bakery isn’t thriving in the way he’d envisioned.

Jada Townsend-Matthew is at the center of a national scandal. She was on a reality TV show called My One and Only (like The Bachelor), made it to the end and then turned down the marriage proposal. Currently the internet has a hate on for her.

Her BFF, Olivia, convinces Jada to leave her condo where she’s been hiding and go shopping. They end up at Sugar Blitz where Jada is overheard by Donovan insulting the bakery’s aesthetic and cupcakes. The two go toe-to-toe as he tries to get her to try (and like) the cupcakes. There is an immediate attraction between them but Jada soon leaves.

Jada is at a crossroads in her life. She’s still not sure what she wants to do as a job and her parents are going to cut her off money-wise if she doesn’t join their medical research company. She needs some direction. Her wealthy grandmother jumps in to provide her some by telling her that if she can hold a job until her birthday she will be granted access to her trust fund.

Jada ends up working for Donovan at Sugar Blitz which neither of them are too happy about. But doing this will give Jada her trust fund.

Jada and Donovan bicker and bounce off one another all while feeling an electric connection to each other.

Circumstances force them into fake dating each other which gives the bakery some media attention and helps Jada with her public perception problem.

Even though they are opposites, Jada and Donovan gradually bond over their shared experiences with people underestimating them. As they grow closer Donovan wants to figure out the “puzzle” that is Jada. This leads to some cute scenes and interactions like a food fight and the three bakery owners binge-watching Jada’s reality show.

Jada and Donovan’s relationship development, their mutual support, the fun they have with one another, and the way they bring out the best in each other are just a few of the things to love about this book. I really loved the dyslexia representation in Fake It Til You Bake It as well. Jada sometimes lets herself be affected by her parents’ opinions to the point where she doubts her own intelligence but ultimately she’s honest and open about it and freely explains it to people when she needs to.

Fake It Til You Bake it is a funny and fresh romantic comedy that will make you smile while you treat yourself to some yummy cupcakes.

For fans of The Wedding Game by Meghan Quinn and Accidentally Engaged by Farah Herron.

I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

So this book was cute. It was pretty low angst, and I love the story of a football player owning a cupcake shop and falling for a reality star. Note- there's not much about his football career kinda life in here, it's off season. Anyways! So Donovan is super by the book. He likes things cut and dry, and sticks to a plan. Jada is still figuring herself out, and kind of impulsive, and these two clash. But in a sparks fly kind of way. I love how they stand up for one another. And I love their banter. The only thing I wasn't really into was their one big love scene. Everything between Jada and Donovan flowed so well throughout the book, but that scene did not have the same flow for me. I even found myself starting to skim. Other than that, this was a cute read and I enjoyed it.