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.

Fake It Til You Bake It is a cute, fun, fast paced rom-com about Jada, America’s most hated reality TV star, and Donovan, a professional football player who also owns a cupcake shop (Sugar Blitz). Jada and Donovan enter into a fake relationship in order to help save the cupcake shop and improve Jada’s public image, but their chemistry is undeniable and things go from fake to real very quickly.

This book is a lot of fun. It’s sweet (cupcake pun intended), low angst and adorably predictable. I could feel the chemistry between Jada and Donovan and I loved how lively, unpredictable Jada kept reserved, type-A Donovan on his toes. The story is well written and funny and I enjoyed the great banter and side characters. Donovan’s teammates and co owners of Sugar Blitz added a lot of humor and I’m hoping to see more of them in future books!

There’s great dyslexia rep in the story and a found family element that was really special. I think the book tries to be enemies to lovers at first, but Jada and Donovan have one tense encounter in the beginning and after that they get on very well. There’s a bit of a slow burn and I loved that moment when these two finally admit their feelings. There isn’t a lot of spice, but when it’s there it is top tier!

Overall, I really liked this one and I think fans of Talia Hibbert or Helena Hunting will also! Read if you like reality shows, baking and sports romance without any actual sports. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy to read and review.

I was here for sweet Donovan and sassy Jada in this love story. It felt real and it felt right. The right amount of tension. The right amount of believability. The right amount of drama. All together a great beach reach and also a fun get together with your girlfriends and dish about book! I’m all in and can’t wait for the book 2 on Donovan’s friends!!!!

I will start by saying, if you’re reading this book then you know how it’s going to end. It’s a romance and they have the happy ending baked right in (see what I did there 😝). That means that I’m rating on things like pacing, characters, and writing.

The story is set in a cupcake shop in San Diego. Jada and Donovan have great chemistry and even though it can border on cheesy, it’s expected given the genre. The writing is snappy and the characters are well developed. There are a couple of mentions of damage from the past that feel a bit out of place and half baked, but it doesn’t ever derail the story. I really love that we get a lot from Donovan’s perspective, it’s great to celebrate Black love and success in multiple generations, and it’s a happy little romance book.

The strength of this novel is in the pacing, it moves really quickly, and doesn’t throw too big of a hurdle between our protagonists. I don’t need 30-60 pages of the main characters separate from each other. Although, I could see the pacing bothering some people because the end wraps up quickly.

Good read all around. I would love to see Jamie Wesley writing a full behind the scenes reality tv romance novel next. The glimpses that we get in this book makes me think it’d be perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the early copy in exchange for my review.

This was a cute and fast paced book. I loved the Black representation in this book because I feel that there is an underrepresentation in the book community. It was a fun and easy read. I love the fake dating trope- and the slight "enemies to lovers" that we got from the beginning. I wish that the enemies to lovers carried more throughout the story, because I got the insta love vibe. I will admit- I was waiting for a big betrayal moment but that never came, and I am happy it didn't. I feel like the concept of time is never really discussed in the book. Things went by so fast and at one point the main character is saying "a month ago I said this" and you realize just how fast everything progressed. And then suddenly from that moment forward 3 months zoom by and I just felt confused. I did appreciate the dual POV because I always like knowing what each person is thinking. All in all, I think this was a cute, quick read.

Just the cover and the concept of this one had me picking it up. I would definitely recommend not reading this on an empty stomach, because it definitely made me want many many cupcakes. 

Donovan’s scheduled, routine-oriented nature seems like it would be perfect for running a business, but he’s still struggling to find a way for his cupcake shop to thrive. Jada’s recently returned from a stint on a reality show and shakes up more than just the way he runs his store. The attraction is as instant as the dislike. 

I really loved both of their complicated pasts, their struggles, and their banter. I loved watching the struggle to balance attraction and dislike, especially once they started pretending to date. I cheered when they made their relationship real, and I could not believe how well the ending wrapped up the story so perfectly for these two characters. 

I loved everything about this book and thought their fake dating was extremely believable. If you love enemies to lovers, celebrities, fake dating, or closed door romances with implied intimacy, I’d definitely recommend this one. 

I received an advanced copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and St. Martin's Press. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

***ARC received from St. Martins Griffin and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Fake It Till Your Bake It is a perfectly adequate summer read, its not terribly nor is it the best but it hits all the right notes of a book you can get lost in and leave you likely craving cupcakes.

The story is told between two points of view, Jada and Donovan. Jada is currently social medias number 1 villain for breaking the heart of social media current heart throb of choice after not accepted his proposal. The other is Donovan, a cupcakery owning NFL player struggling to keep his business afloat. This was one of those rare romance book cases were I preferred the male lead over the female lead. Jada starts off rude and it was hard for me to connect with her as the book went on. While Donovan is a little more uptight, very set in his ways but I still really liked him. I found his struggles with his business and his family far more relatable than Jada. I did eventually warm up to Jada

Donovan and Jada do have chemistry and they are ultimately a sweet couple but when it came to romance I found myself more invested in the bromance than the romance. Donovan, August and Nicholas are not just equally passionate about their bakery, they are equally supportive of each other and I found myself wishing that the book spent more time with them than with Donovan and Jada.

Now any good romance novel has to have troubles/conflict and I both liked and disliked the way they were handled. Donovan’s troubles come from his struggling business and I absolutely did not for one second believe that a cupcake shop run by three incredibly attractive men that happened to be star football players for the local team was failing. Seeing how they worked there that place should have been swarming with fans, single ladies and tourists hoping to be helped by the football stars. It would have also attended some conflict if they tried to figure out how they would handle it come the end of off season. I will applaud this book for handling the main conflict to Jada and Donovan’s relationship as I would have expected two successful adults to handle it. It is one of my least favorite parts of romance books when characters suddenly turn dumb in the face of conflict and allow themselves to be manipulated into a bigger issue. It was refreshing to see the opposite happen, which made Jada’s next decision so frustrating.

The first half of this book was difficult for me to get into but it significantly picked up once Jada and Donovan began the fake dating and I liked it a lot more. The romance felt like a natural progression and while I didn’t really like Jada at the beginning I did like her by the end as she slowly became her own person. After a shaky start this turned out to be a good read that I did ultimately like.