What a cute book! Love at 350° had the perfect balance of actual plot and romance. I’m not a fan of multiple perspectives, but it really helped this story along and added depth to the characters. I can’t wait to reread this one!

This was such a charming, mature romance! I love foodie romances and this one delivered (at 350!). I also loved that there was almost equal focus on savoury and sweet baking because it's good to have balance, right?

Tori and Kendra meet at Tori's audition for a reality baking show, except that Tori knows all about Kendra's reputation as the Tough Cookie - the critic of the judging duo.

Kendra is taken with Tori and vice versa. And yet, that nasty non-fraternization clause gets in their way - neither of them can afford to lose this gig! So they keep it all discreet and coy and it's super sweet and actually really uplifting - something we maybe don't see enough of in romance novels.

And as they work through this, alongside other major life decisions and challenges, they find their way together (because of course they do!)....sans third act break up (!!!!). Well done - I really enjoyed this.

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for this ARC.
What a fun read! Fans of the food network or any baking show will love reading this story. Our plot centers around a televised baking completion. The subplot is a baker and a judge who fall for each other. Dual POVs depict each main character’s thoughts and feelings as the tv show filming progresses. Our main characters are both in their 40s, females who have had love life’s before that have ended. Tori’s wife divorced her and she shares custody of her teenage twins. Kendra has always been career driven and has never given love a chance.

I will say that this book isn’t a strong Romance read. The characters have limited interactions and communicate mostly through notes.

It’s a story very much focused on growth and character development.

Very quick and fun.

I thought this was very cute and very relatable - as a divorced, single mom in her forties still hoping for love. I loved how this book was about both Tori and Kendra improving their lives, their romance more of a backstory.
Tori's life has been stable - minus the divorce following her wife's affair; after more than a decade together, Tori's ex can't help but tell Tori how boring she is. Her twins are starting college in the fall - entering Tori in a baking reality show.
Kendra has no time for people - running her many businesses, her restaurant sucking up the majority of her time. Though she's determined to be nicer on her baking reality show.
Tori and Kendra circle around each other - attraction combined with the hint of breaking contract rules.

This was cute and modern read. I kept waiting for something to happen to set it apart from all the other rom coms.

Mood: You’re looking for a romance that’s all sugar and no spice.

As a mood reader, sometimes I need a syrupy sweet romance to get lost in and make me feel like all is right with the world.

Love at 350 fits that bill. We learn the story of Tori, a high-school science teacher, mom to twins, and recently(ish) divorcee struggling with her impending empty nester status and Kendra, a no-nonsense baking competition show judge, restaurateur, and serial bachelorette.

The two meet at crossroads in their personal journeys and at a stage of great opportunity in their professional careers. I was on the edge of my seat figuring out what would come next. This story has a healthy dose of angst (it is a competition show!), a bit of a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, kids with main character energy, and a personal growth story for both of the heroines.

There actually was a lot of spice in this book, by way of all the lovely confectionary treats shared throughout the pages. I love food in romance books and this one inspires me to hop in the kitchen and experiment!

If you’re looking for hot and heavy scenes, there aren’t any, but it makes sense for the storyline as the story exists. It’s an excellent palette cleanser in between high heat romances.

If I have to give any criticism it’s that it ended too quickly for me. I would have learned to see even a few months in the future with them spending more than a couple of pages in their HEA. They spent the whole book building a friendship from afar but we barely got the chance to see Tori and Kendra in a relationship. It feels more like a HFN than a HEA but I’d love to see more Tori & Kendra. Either way, I’ll definitely read Lisa Peers again!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC!

I absolutely loved reading this book. The storyline was unique and I loved all of the characters. I love that the main characters weren’t super young like most romance stories. Kendra’s character development was so nicely done and portrayed. The challenge/competition aspect of this story had me waiting to see each result! This book also made me hungry! I really enjoyed reading this.

This book was adorable. As a lover of baking, baking shows, and a good romance, this checked all the boxes!

Warning: DO NOT READ THIS WHILE HUNGRY.

Loved it. I wanted it to keep going.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It's a solid 3.5 stars for me because it's a VERY cute and wholesome queer romance that is not about 20-somethings. I love the cooking competition angle, even if I've read similar stories before. I'd definitely read a sequel!

While I absolutely adored Love at 350, I have to start by saying that while billed as a romance, the actual romance in the book takes us less that ten percent of the actual book.

Putting that aside, I can say that Love at 350 was a delightful book that had me often salivating from the tempting descriptions of delicious foods throughout its pages. Both Tori and Kendra are likable in their own ways and I loved the part Tori's kids played in the story--always rooting on their mom from behind the scenes.

If you're looking for a full on romance, you may want to look elsewhere. However, if you are okay with a major slow burn with little sizzle with complex characters that grow throughout the book, you'll love Love at 350.

Tori Moore, high school chemistry teacher and amateur baker, knows she will be dealing with an empty nest once her twins Milo and Mia head off to college in the fall. What she doesn't expect is for them to decide she needs to test her own limits -- and to sign her up for the American Bake-o-Rama program. But hey, maybe the experience will help her decide whether or not to follow her dream of starting her own bakery!

Kendra Campbell, known as the Cookie Queen for her chain of Chippy Chunk cookie places, is facing a difficult decision over her failing restaurant, Gamma Raye. Her brother Alden (also her financial adviser) wants her to renew her contract as a judge for the Bake-o-Rama in order to ease their finances, but he warns her that she has to gentle her harsh comments about the contestants. And when she meets Tori in the audition interview, she's impressed by Tori's willingness to find out what she's capable of creating as a baker... as well as attracted to the lovely woman with the warm smile.

Of course, their contracts rule out any kind of relationship between judge and contestant, but that doesn't mean they can't get to know each other, right?

This sweet and slow-burn sapphic romance hits all the right notes. I really appreciated seeing two love interests in their 40s, both with enough experience and heartbreak in their past to know that it's better to move slowly toward a potential relationship. Tori has a wonderful personality, warm and compassionate without being unrealistic in her positivity. She brings her teacher skills to the competition and not only is able to break down recipes and make magic with them, but also is a natural at narrating what she's doing for the cameras. Kendra slowly reveals her more vulnerable side at the same time that she learns how to recognize and reward the contestants' efforts without being so judgmental. The two women balance each other well and remain mindful of the ethics of their situation, taking a mature and cautious path to their HEA.

I cannot resist a baking competition romance and the chaos and fun that ensues, and this did not disappoint. 4 sweet, sweet stars.

Thank you, Dial Press and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

What a cute book! Tori, our main lady is a chemistry teacher who will soon become a divorced one. Her twin girls signed her up without her knowledge in a TV baking competition that could change Tori's life. The prize? $100,000. The prize will surely help Tori open her dream bakery. She goes into the competition and shows her talents but also catches the eye of one of the judges. The tough and ruthless Kendra. This book is set on beautiful Sonoma and will keep you engaged from beginning to end. How much are Tori and Kendra willing to sacrifice for this mutual attraction. Will Kendra be able to find and discover the softer side of Kendra? I read this book in one sitting. It's a very entertaining lesbian rom-com that will make you believe in true love again.

A delightful romance novel!

Tori Moore, a chemistry teacher and single mom enters a television baking competition at the insistence of her children which will change her life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an arc of this book,

First of all, I started my journey with no expectation at all, except this book would do me good. And it somewhat did. First, I love the idea of sapphic romance in broadcasting industry. Personally, I'm always thinking that broadcasting is a place full of hardworker people, and one of my dream job, so having this as background in a book is a blast.

But, I must say, this book is lacking something. I don't sense any chemistry between two main characters, and it was kinda rushy.

The writing was not spectacular but it has something to make me sat my ass down for a while. It was a heartwarming story, perfect for night reading.

Tori teaches biochemistry and Della teaches Skills for Living (aka Home Economics). One day, a few years ago, they had a brilliant idea, which was to combine forces and design “Biochem of Baking”, a course they could dual teach. It quickly became the most popular courses at Sequoia High School. Tori loves spending time with Della, but the less than subtle hints about introducing her to single women are getting a bit exhausting. It doesn’t help that Tori’s ex cheated on her, moved to New York with a new girlfriend, and her twins are heading off to college in the fall. Kendra is a reluctant judge on the baking show that is the center of this book. She is the “mean one” who expects the best and offers constructive criticism to the home bakers who don’t bake to perfection. Little did Tori know, her kids signed her up for the show. And drama and excitement ensues! I loved that this featured two queer teachers (yay LGBTQIA rep) and that it was set in high school with a baking sort of spin. It really made it fun! I liked that the MCs were around 40 and the book is a dual POV. The side characters really made this such a fun book that made me really invested. The other baking contestants were wonderful and really added to the story! I wish there was more chemistry and that it wasn't so instalove with these two, but overall this was a great book that I enjoyed and would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an eARC of this book.

Love at 350° by Lisa Peers--Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this upcoming romance novel which releases in October. Love at 350° is a cute queer romance set on a baking competition à la Great British Baking Show. Tori is a contestant and Kendra is a chef & judge on the show. Show contracts prohibit relationships between contestants and judges, for obvious reasons. Told from alternating POVs, the reader follows the competition and the developing crush between Tori & Kendra. I was way more interested in the baking part of the story and the romance part fell kind of flat for me. I liked the side characters and how they enhanced the plot.

A sweet and cozy read! Tori has dreamt of opening a bakery for a long time but her practical nature and insecurities caused her to put those dreams aside. When she has the chance to win $100K on a baking competition reality series, Tori begins to believe in her dreams once again. But will her attraction to one of the show’s judges put those dreams at risk?

This was a cute story - I enjoyed getting to know Tori and Kendra and there is good chemistry between them. There is not much drama which makes for a comforting, low-anxiety read. At times, the romance felt like a subplot as the focus is largely on Tori and her aspirations (though I did not mind as I loved reading about all of the delicious things she and other contestants were making).

Love at 350 is delightful - if you are a fan of baking competition shows and romance, give this a read!

Thank you very much to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

If you are as big of a fan of the Great British Baking Show as I am, then you are going to really enjoy this book! It's got similar challenges, endearing contestants, and complicated bakes! In this book, one of the contestants starts falling for the judges, which is strictly against their contracts. The baking show definitely took center stage of this book, whereas the romance had a very far backseat. I would've liked more romantic aspects than baking show drama, which I can get from turning on my TV. There was opportunity in the ending for that romantic chance to be taken, but it was just lacking. Definitely still a fun and easy read if you're looking for one.

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun romance that really focused more on the growth of the characters and their experience on a baking reality show, than whatever was happening between them. And I liked that, because those two pieces were so strong. It was easy to imagine what the baking competition actually felt and looked like - the author did a great job of making that experience feel relatable and real - everything from the anxiety of a certain mistake, or the uncomfortable doubt that creeps in from trying to understand how a total stranger is reacting to you as either a fellow contestant or a judge.

The two characters, despite being older lesbians (a demographic I want to see EVEN MORE of in the books I read), had quite a bit of growth over the course of the book. I especially liked that the growth came from within each of the characters, and even started before they met each other. But was encouraged to grow and bloom as the two love interests came into contact.

One detail that I really liked was the way Tori reacted throughout the novel to her ex-wife Shelby. At points, Tori was angry, ashamed of falling behind, resolute in her decisions to stay away. Given the complexity of a divorce, especially with kids in the picture, I thought the author did a great job capturing all the feelings and how they might even overlap.

This was a super fluffy, light read with a lot of heart. I did find the second half to be kind of slow and expected a little more from the ending, but it was still cute and enjoyable. Perfect for fans of Great British Bake Off and wholesome romances.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC of this book!