This review is originally posted at https://thekeysmashblog.com/review-the-dos-and-donuts-of-love/

If you are looking for a fast-paced romance with tons of drama, then you will love The Dos And Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar. The story kicks off pretty quickly: the book opens with our protagonist Shireen Malik grieving over her breakup with Chris Huang, while Shireen’s best friend Fatima tries to comfort her even while she is on a trip to visit her relatives in Bangladesh.

But then Shireen gets an email confirming that she’s been selected as a contestant for the Junior Irish Baking Show, and things get moving even faster. Not only is she partnered with her ex for the first round of the competition–but she also runs into a very competitive contestant Niamh, who seems to be interested in more than just Shireen’s skills as a baker.

I personally loved the setting of the cooking competition in the story–while I am not a regular viewer of reality TV, I have watched a few seasons of MasterChef Australia (especially the one where our very own Kishwar took the stage by storm), and I loved the way Adiba Jaigirdar brings the tensions of reality TV onto the pages of the book.

There’s drama in The Dos And Donuts Of Love , there’s sabotage, there’s the ugly side of all the things that happens between edits and the final airing of an episode, and through it all, we find Shireen and Chris struggling to remain authentic and true to themselves.

The challenges that Shireen faced in the competition were fun and familiar to anyone who has ever watched The Great British Bake Off or MasterChef, and I loved the references to Gordon Ramsey through the character of Galvin Cramsey, the third judge in the competition.

I also loved how Adiba Jaigirdar does not shy away from showing how violently negative people can be towards the presence of colored people in media–especially when they do not fit the narrative that they have been used to. There are several instances where we see Bangladeshi culture being misrepresented as Indian; something that I grew up watching and noticed the most when Kishwar was competing in MasterChef Australia.

The one thing that I felt was lacking was the presence and character development of the other competitors. While we do have Niamh, Shireen’s potential love interest, and Sean, an annoying self-assured white boy, I was expecting to see more interactions between Shireen and the other competitors on the show, considering the long time it takes for a cooking competition to finish preparing, filming and producing.

And Shireen herself did not go through any character development, which is why The Dos And Donuts Of Love is a 4-star book for me. Not only does Shireen never really get properly called out for her flaws and hurtful actions, but she also doesn’t really redeem herself.

Ultimately though, what I loved the most about this book is the nuanced and accurate representation of Bengali culture–and the way the author reflected all that’s wrong with a traditional Bengali society as well as all the things that are right with it too.

From the references to popular Bangali foods like kalo jam, chomchom, and bakhorkhani, to some of the most well known sweetshops in the country like Bonuful and Premium, and clear examples of Bangali hospitality, there were several times when it felt like the author was weaving her love for Bangladesh cleverly throughout the story.

All things considered, I really enjoyed this book and managed to finish it pretty quickly; the story is fast-paced and action-packed, and therefore a perfect summer read! It would have been a solid 5-stars for me if there was a little more character development, but I would still strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

Bangladeshi Irish Shireen Malik is seventeen, overweight but not trying to lose weight, has anxiety attacks, and is proud of being queer, brown and Muslim. Her parent love and support her. She has recently broken up with her girlfriend, Chris and is having a difficult time getting over it. She has applied to be in the Junior Irish Baking Show which will be on reality tv. She gets notified that she has been chosen. When she arrives at the tv station to film the first episode, she s surprised to see Chris is there too. Much to her chagrin, they are paired together to make a chocolate dessert. After the first judging, they are separated so each can cook in their own station. As the contest continues, people are removed but Not Shireen or Chris. Shireen makes a new friend at the competition, Niamh who seems to be flirting with her. As the pressure builds—Shireen hopes that a win will help You Drive Me Glazy, the family doughnut business, and Chris’ parents own a rival doughnut shop, The Bakers Dozen.

Te author has written this novel with a touch of humor. The book includes fatphobia, racism and mental health in this novel with sensitivity. I loved how she gets support when Shireen leads expects it. It is a cute, fun and a refreshing story.

When Shireen is chosen to be a contestant on the Junior Irish Baking Show, she’s thrilled by the prospect of showcasing her baking prowess (and the opportunity to advertise her parents’ donut shop on TV). She’s been missing her best friend, who’s in Bangladesh for the summer, and is reeling from a recent breakup, and the chance to do something she’s always dreamed of seems like the perfect distraction. Then, she learns that Chris is also competing on the show and now Shireen must figure out how to work alongside her ex, field a potential new crush, AND impress her food industry idol.

The characters in this book, especially the MC and LIs, are so well-constructed. Shireen struggles with anxiety, is selfish, stubborn, determined, but also honest, passionate and deeply caring, and is an easy MC to root for. She is rather self-centered throughout the novel, but it makes sense – she's a teenager, she’s feeling big feelings, and ultimately, she does reflect and grow. Chris, my favorite girl, is so thoroughly loveable despite the rocky relationship with Shireen, and I really appreciated how this sapphic romance evolved. Niamh is understandably a new love interest because she’s sweet and sunshine-y and immediately puts Shireen at ease, but there’s far more to her than she lets on.

I've always loved cooking and baking shows, and the references to programs and stars in our world delighted me (e.g., JIBS is judged by Máire Cherry, Galvin Cramsey, and Padma Bollywood). Adiba Jaigirdar tackles harder themes through a lighthearted storyline with endearing characters and puns galore; this book explores fatphobia, first love and betrayal, family dynamics and pressure, and racism and the kinds of abuse (gender-marginalized) people of color face in predominantly white spaces, the way this abuse is directed more sharply towards public figures but is always the price we pay to exist, and, relatedly, the lengths people will go to discredit us because our very existence is a threat to whiteness.

The Dos and Donuts of Love has all the makings of a comforting read I can revisit often. And its signature Jaigirdar charm is all the reason you need to read it.

Shireen Malik is ready. And she’s not. She’s been baking for years and working at her parents’ donut shop You Make Me Glazy. She studies recipes and re-reads her favorite cookbooks until they fall apart. She binges The Great British Bake Off over and over. So she’s ready for The Junior Irish Baking Show, competing against other teen bakers from Ireland for a delicious cash prize. She can use that towards her dream of opening a bakery where she can make the food of her parents’ native Bangladesh.

But she’s also not ready. It’s not been that long since she and her girlfriend Chris broke up. Chris and her family have a donut shop right across the street from You Make Me Glazy. That’s actually how they met. And now they’re broken up, but they’re both competing on the Junior Irish Baking Show. And worse yet, when they go to the informational meeting before the first taping, they find out that the first challenge will be a team challenge. And Shireen and Chris are matched up together for that first bake.

Shireen is nervous about working with Chris. They hadn’t spoken to each other since they broke up. Now they had to communicate well enough to bake something that will impress the judges and get through to the next round. And when Shireen finds out who the three judges are, she’s even more intimidated. There is a beloved Irish baker who everyone has watched on television for years, a Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur known for his abrasive judgments on cooking shows, and an Indian baker who Shireen has looked to for years as an inspiration.

And if that’s not enough stress, Shireen met another baker at that informational meeting, Niamh, who is friendly, maybe even flirting, with her. Shireen likes Niamh, but she’s not sure about jumping into another relationship so soon, especially with her feelings for Chris being so jumbled up. She tries to just focus on the competition, creating bakes that will impress the judges and help her through to the next round. But when the trolls come out on social media, calling her out for her heritage and for her weight, Shireen struggles to believe in herself.

Shireen has the support of her family and her best friend, but will that be enough to get her through all the challenges she’s facing and set her up for the future she’s been dreaming of? Or will her baking dreams fall flat?

The Dos and Donuts of Love is a sweet queer rom com about young bakers, first loves, and lots of food puns. Author Adiba Jaigirdar, the author of The Henna Wars, brings this charming love story to life. Through food fights and arguments, macarons and lava cake, blog posts and online trolls, these friends and competitors find their way to express themselves, to believe in themselves, and to make new paths for themselves as they bake their way to the top.

I loved The Dos and Donuts of love. I mean, it wasn’t that difficult for me, as I already love donuts. And I love a good bake-off. But these characters made me want to cheer for them as they struggled in the competition kitchen and in their relationships, and the whole book just felt to me like a big, home-baked hug.

Egalleys for The Dos and Donuts of Love were provided by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group) through NetGalley, with many thanks.

It feels like I've read so many cooking contest books lately—both adult and YA romance, graphic novels, even a murder mystery! It's a popular setting right now, probably because, just like an actual televised cooking contest, it's a lot of dramatic fun. This sapphic romance novel combined a somewhat fantastical cooking contest experience with some very realistic problems around family, friendship, and navigating romance in the competition setting.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The Dos and Donuts of Love follows teen Shireen Malik, fresh off a breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, as she becomes a contestant on the first ever Junior Irish Baking Show.

This was such a sweet read! The cast was easy to love and root for, and it was so fun seeing Shireen go through all the rounds of competition. I also loved the way that the romance played out, because it was important to the story but didn't take up all the space in the narrative. There was plenty of time dedicated to the baking, to Shireen's family, and to important topics like race and identity. The book was a fast enough pace that I barely felt time passing while I was reading, but not so breakneck that I was worried I'd miss something. And above all, it really was just so fun. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted YA read, because this book really does absolutely nail it.

Shireen has a lot on her plate. Working at her parents struggling donut shop. The break up of her first love. Missing her best friend. And a spot on the Junior Irish Baking Competition. Of course, life likes to get more complicated so her ex-girlfriend is one of the contestants too!
I love how this book handles the weighty topics of fat shaming, racism, and bias with honesty and care. It was easy to root for Shireen to succeed in the competition and in love; watching her grow in confidence and maturity was a joy.

This is my first Adiba Jaigirdar book and it did not disappoint! The Dos and Donuts of Love is a YA reality tv baking show romcom set in Ireland, with a Bangladeshi-Irish protagonist.
First off, I adore that Shireen was fat and not ashamed of it. We need more fat sapphic representation! I really related to her struggles of finding clothes that she felt good in.
I really enjoyed learning about Bangladeshi food(my mouth was absolutely watering the whole time) and just the description of the food in general was so good, you could almost taste it!
The plot was fun and pretty fast paced, I finished this book in just two and a half days. Shireen is a great protagonist, who makes mistakes but learns from them, and she’s so determined despite less than optimal circumstances( having to be in a baking contest with your ex?? And have to deal with racism on top of that? I wouldn’t make it through the first round if I was in her shoes 😩)
The romance was really sweet, but what threw me off a little was that this is a second chance romance with her ex, Chris, and not a romance with Niamh, as I thought it was going to be from the description of the book. I’m glad it turned out that way though, because I didn’t like Niamh from the start, I KNEW there was something off about her 🤨🧐
Anyways, this was a super sweet(get it?) book and I cannot wait to read Jaigirdar’s other books. 4.5/5 stars

this is my third book by this author and it was just as cute and fun as the other two (the henna wars and hani and ishu's guide to fake dating)!! loved all the food puns as well as the whole concept of rival businesses and the baking competition. also loved the characters, especially Shireen. Highly recommend checking this one out!

A sweet love story with baking puns as chapter titles? Sign me up! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this title. I am a huge fan of Adiba Jaigirdar’s work and this doesn’t disappoint. 4.5 stars, rounded to 5.

*4.5 Stars*

Shireen is heartbroken, her ex betrayed her and now she's sad and lonely, especially since her best friend is spending the summer in Bengladesh with her family.
But things are looking up when she actually gets in the Junior Irish Baking Show, that may be her way to get out of her head and save her parents' struggling donut shop. Except her ex also got in and now things are even more of a mind twister cause maybe another contestant is into her?? So much to think about...

I really liked this one. Shireen was truly a captivating and flawed main character in the best way. I also really enjoyed her best friend, and how she just told it like it was and Chris of course, they were all truly layered.
I also really enjoyed the setting, as in Dublin and the baking show. I'm truly a sucker for a TV show setting and this one was a good one. I loved going through the rounds alongside Shireen and also really loved her relationship with her family. This was just a very sweet book (pun intended) with parts that made me angry alongside the main character.
Basically just a hit for me and I can't wait to read more of Adiba Jaigirdar's books.

Adiba really just knows how to write a phenomenal YA romance!! I loved all the little GBBO references and the mentorship the Shireen gets from Padma. This is exactly what every GBBO-obsessed South Asian needs!

Wholesome! Pun-tastic! Full of delicious food mentions! But of course, we also talk about racism in Ireland (and around the world) and also fatphobia. Reading the author’s note at the end really brings the fatphobia into context: the balance of the importance of food to Bengali culture with rampant fatphobia. But this book isn’t about the main character being fat and dealing with fatphobia - it’s about her thriving and having a positive relationship with food while also being fat, and that’s really important.

I think I would have liked to get to know more of the other show contestants, but Jaigirdar does a great job of keeping the story feeling balanced and giving the actual characters enough space to shine. Though I think a bit more time could have been given to both love interests to show more about who they are beneath the surface - at least until the die is cast and we find out who deserves our main girl.

But now I’m craving donuts.

The Dos and Donuts of Love to me is pure summer goodness. With a foundation of competition - which felt immersive and realistic - this queer romance story is about proving to ourselves that we have what it takes. It's about the power of representation, of sharing what we love, and friendship. For fans of YA Contemporary stories, this is a winner. On a side note, I adored the chapter headers with the puns - prepare yourself for some great ones!

The Dos and Donuts of Love is a fun YA contemporary romance. Adiba Jaigirdar’s newest book features a baking competition called the Junior Irish Baking Show, and MC Shireen dreams of winning it. Shireen is reeling from a recent breakup, and being accepted as a contestant on the show feels like just what Shireen needs to take her mind off her ex-girlfriend. But it turns out her ex is competing on the show, too. There’s also a very flirty new girl vying for Shireen’s attention which makes the competition more complicated than she expected.

Shireen is ambitious and I love her personality. Her love of baking is heartwarming and I could feel her excitement. She experiences anxiety several times throughout the book, and I love how it's normalized. Her support system is incredibly supportive and understanding of her mental health, and as an anxious person myself, that meant the world to me because I don’t see that often enough. I love her parents and her best friend Fatimah is amazing. These are great core relationships that ground the story.

This book is full of sapphic love and cute romantic moments. Chris, Shireen’s ex, was my favourite character, and Shireen’s changing dynamic with Chris was my favourite part of the book. While their relationship evolves, Shireen doesn’t show any character development herself until the very end of the story. Shireen is actually pretty self-absorbed and this was frustrating for me as an older reader who loves character development. But she’s a teenager, and she’s allowed to be selfish. I ultimately love where Shireen ends up in her journey and think the ending of the book is solid.

I also like that Shireen finds a mentor who looks out for her in the competition. The book has a great message about staying true to yourself, and brings to light the reality of what it’s like to be a WOC competing (or even just existing) in a predominantly white space.

As a fan of baking shows, I was expecting more from the baking show aspect of the book. I was disappointed because most of the challenges in the book were pretty simple. It was also hard to believe that the producers of the show were seemingly hands off whenever trouble arose (which was often!).

Overall, this is a mostly lighthearted book full of eggcellent (😌) baking puns, sapphic love, and Bengali pride, featuring a protagonist who isn’t afraid to follow her dreams.

Thanks to Fierce Reads for providing me with an eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a cute and uplifting book! I loved the cover and this is my first official book by Adiba Jaigirdar. I also don’t know much about south Asian foods & Ireland so that was another new topic for me!

Shireen is teenager who works at her parents doughnut shop and dreams of being a baker. Her family is from Bangladesh and immigrated to Ireland chasing their dreams. Shireen has recently broken up with her girlfriend and her best friend is in another country for the whole summer. While she’s grieving her relationship, she is informed she is chosen to participate in the first ever Junior Irish Baking Show and compete for 10,000 euros on national television. Unfortunately, her ex girlfriend is also chosen to be on the show and another contestant begins to show an internet in Shireen as well, making it hard for her to concentrate on her goal.

I appreciated the way this book dealt with the racism and fatphobia that Shireen & Chris deal with because it’s very real for people who decide to put themselves out there online. You can’t control the mean comments and they can be very hurtful and not encouraging. The puns were super cute and even though Shireen was quick to get angry with everyone, she was also quick to apologize and realize her mistakes. I liked her as a character. Fatima was a great friend to Shireen and even though she was so far away she seemed ready to defend her or give her advice no matter what. I really enjoyed the ending and how everything was wrapped up.

This is a super cute summer read that I recommend to everyone who enjoys baking shows with a little bit of ex’s turned rivals in the kitchen.

the dos and donuts of love by adiba jaigirdar: 5 out of 5 stars

first of all, a round of applause for a fat brown bangladeshi girl on a book cover!

second, this was right up my alley. i’ve really enjoyed adiba jaigirdar’s other sapphic ya books, hani and ishu’s guide to fake dating and the henna wars (i have not read a million to one yet). i love brown girls in love. i love how jaigirdar weaves in discussions of racism and culture.

in the dos and donuts of love, teen shireen malik applies to be on a new tv show, the junior irish baking show. the winner gets €10K, which would really help out her family’s donut shop, you drive me glazy. she’s ecstatic when she’s chosen to be a contestant and less ecstatic when she learns her recently ex girlfriend chris is also a contestant. and of course, they get paired together for the first challenge. but shireen is determined not to fall for chris again, and there’s a cute red headed girl named niamh flirting with her.

i love the forced proximity of reality show romances, and the added stress of being around your crush(es) on camera. i adored shireen and how flawed she is; she’s a little mean to chris at the beginning of the book, lashing out because she’s still hurt about their breakup; she has to apologize to her friend fatima, etc. but she learns from her mistakes and grows throughout the book, which is exactly what i want from a book about a teenager.

i also loved that it isn’t easy for shireen to let go of chris because chris is taiwanese and is the only other contestant of color on the show, and is the only person shireen can talk to about the racism they’re facing on social media. there are things that white people just do not understand, and i am so glad that queer teens of color have more rep in books.

there are fun food puns in here and good food descriptions. the dos and donuts of love comes out june 6, 2023 and i highly recommend it. i also recommend you buy some donuts to eat while you read this. and maybe a cake.

thank you to netgalley and fierce reads for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet, delicious read to devour this summer! Fans of Adiba's previous novels will want to run, not walk to the shops to pick this up because it is an absolute treat.
If you, like me, appreciate getting to see brown girls be chaotic and messy and perhaps caught in a love triangle (à la Devi in NEVER HAVE I EVER), and especially if you've been known to turn on THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF to relax after a long day - this is just the book for you.
I appreciated the way Jaigirdar masterfully balanced out the lightearted, quick and fun plot with the more serious discussions she introduced while exploring Shireen's experience as a fat woman of colour in Ireland, and how othering it can be to have fatphobia and racism thrown at you for daring to exist in a public sphere.
Cannot recommend this enough!

My Thoughts:
Shireen is depressed after her breakup with her girlfriend and her best friend is having a blast with her cousins in Bangladesh. Donuts and The Great British Bake Off are not enough to keep her from wallowing. That is until she gets the email that she will be a contestant in the first Junior Irish Baking Show. This is a way to showcase her family's struggling donut shop, You Drive Me Glazy, and fulfill her dream of bringing Bangladeshi desserts to the Irish audience.

Adiba Jaigirdar is the author of The Henna Wars so she still brings forward queer characters who stand up to racial bullying with a little humor and a lot of gumption to stay true to their culture and do a good job.

From the Publisher:
“Welcome to the first ever Junior Irish Baking Show!”

Shireen Malik is still reeling from the breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, when she receives news that she’s been accepted as a contestant on a new televised baking competition show. This is Shireen’s dream come true! Because winning will not only mean prize money, but it will also bring some much-needed attention to You Drive Me Glazy, her parents’ beloved donut shop.

Things get complicated, though, because Chris is also a contestant on the show. Then there’s the very outgoing Niamh, a fellow contestant who is becoming fast friends with Shireen. Things are heating up between them, and not just in the kitchen.

As the competition intensifies , Shireen will have to ignore all these factors and more— including potential sabotage—if she wants a sweet victory!

Publication Information:
Author: Adiba Jaigirdar

Publisher: Felwel and Friends (June 6, 2023)

The Dos and Donuts of Love was a really fun story. I am a big fan of cooking competitions so it was new and interesting to use that as the setting of the story. I enjoyed some of the twists and turns that we were not sure who to trust. Overall if you like romance, baked goods, and interesting characters you should check this out.