E-Arc provided by Netgalley

**SPOILERS**


I will say that this reads a little more Middle Grade than YA for me. I didn't like Naimh the entire book I think it was supposed to be surprising that the betrayal happen but it wasn't, I always liked Chris, and while I understood the breakup that happened before the book I was waiting the whole time for them to get back together. Overall this was cute and has great representation and I do like a baking show-style novel.

This one was really cute! I love a book set within a reality tv competition. I do wish it wasn't really a romance, like I wish she hadn't ended up with Chris, just because Shireen needed to spend more time growing as a character and becoming a better friend before committing to a relationship again, in my opinion.

this was a really enjoyable read.

i'm not the biggest fan of second-chance romances, and i went into this book not expecting that to be the plot, but i think shireen and chris have changed my mind.
i loved the way the story was told. the writing was light and breezy, yet picturesque. i enjoyed the characters also, with fatima being my favorite.

the reason i'm not giving this book a perfect rating has to do with my expectations. as a baking nerd, i expected shireen to also be one and talk more about it. i feel like the technical and scientific aspects of baking could've been brought up a little bit more.
for the same reason, i was surprised that chris made it into the competition. baby girl, it's two ingredients melted together. how are you here when you don't know how to make ganache?

i also think that when it came to the racism shireen and chris experienced could've been delved into more. the same goes for the fatphobia shireen mentions she experiences. neither are fleshed out, the character's feelings about these topics were a little glossed over.

one last thing i thought i'd mention, though it didn't have much influence on my final rating: i listened to the audiobook and found it a little strange that all the characters had accents while speaking except for shireen and chris. i didn't notice it during the narration, but i definitely felt it in the dialogues.

overall, this was definitely a cute, heartwarming read. perfect for pride month!

When Shireen gets accepted into the Junior Irish Baking Show, it’s a dream come true and a way to bring some attention to her parents’ donut shop. But finding out her ex-girlfriend Chris is on the show and getting close to the outgoing rival contestant Niamh means all sorts of complicated feelings--which is NOT what Shireen needs when the stakes are already so high.

--

Another really sweet contemporary romance from Adiba Jaigirdar and personally my favourite of the three. It might have something to do with the fact that I’m more attuned with what to expect this time around, but regardless, I did enjoy this book! Did I also crack a smile at every pun? Yes, yes I did. I’m a simple person and puns make me weak (personal favourite if I’m recalling it correctly was ‘I knew you were truffle when you walked in’).

I found myself getting quite invested, especially around the competition. Some elements were predictable, but it was still engaging even when I did know what to expect. Shireen deals with some tough things whilst going through the competition but her determination and love for baking had me as invested as she was and really wanting to try every dessert in the book. She shares some cute moments with the love interests, and whilst I do admit that I found some of Shireen’s actions frustrating, I was able to understand why she dealt with things the way she did or jumped to the conclusions she jumped to.

I can’t speak on the representation personally, but I thought it was well done. Fat Bangladeshi MC, Taiwanese LI, ginger LI (this is a joke lmao, iykyk). The narrator was also really good, and I think definitely helped the reading experience like in The Henna Wars.

Overall, though it does touch on heavier topics, it was still a fun read that I recommend for anyone who enjoys contemporary sapphic romances, baking, reality TV, or puns.

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.

4 stars

Jaigirdar has cooked up (sorry - this book is filled with puns, and it's apparently contagious) yet another solid YA effort with this most recent tale about Shireen, her love of baking, her connections to her culture, and her potential romantic ties to some very lucky young ladies.

Shireen, the m.c., lives in Ireland and is the only child of two wonderful parents who arrived from Bangladesh in advance of her birth. The family owns and runs a semi-successful but recently struggling donut shop in Dublin. In an effort to explore her love of baking and support her family, Shireen participates in a junior Irish version of one of her favorite baking competition shows (that we are all watching on a major streaming service). This is a special feat for Shireen because she is going through a pretty tough breakup with her ex, Chris, and her reaction to that has been intense. She's 17, so use your imagination.

I was a little nervous starting this read because I just read another YA novel with a very similar premise and many matching details, and it releases only a couple of weeks before this one does. Having read both, I can say that folks who enjoy one will likely feel that universally. They're both great, and this one stands out because it is set in Ireland, features a Bangladeshi m.c., AND has some solid queer rep happening, which we cannot get enough of, especially in YA and especially these days. Readers shouldn't go for one book or the other but both. Just be sure to prepare effectively; the sweet tooth *will* demand to be satisfied with all of these delicious sounding deserts on display.

Fans of Jaigirdar, great YA, and delicious desserts will find what they are looking for here, and I am already on the hunt for what is next from this great author.

*I enjoyed reading the arc so much that I jumped at the chance to listen to this alc when it became available, and I absolutely recommend this version (when and where accessible). The narrator adds a lot to the experience!

Adiba Jaigirdar's writing is so lovely! This book was filled with love and friendships! I had such a good time reading this and the plus size rep made me so happy. It was like it was healing my inner child. I really enjoyed this!

The world needs more YA sapphic books like this. Where it's just a thing in a book. Not a big, dramatic to-do. But just a given. And a sapphic love triangle to boot. I'm obsessed! Then you add in representation and so many puns. And you have a winner! This book is just perfection.

This book is about Shireen, a Bangladeshi-Irish young girl competing in a Junior Irish Bake-off show!

It's in general a coming of age story that includes "Mentions of racism and fatphobia, depictions of anxiety (specifically anxiety and panic attacks and spiraling thoughts), and online harassment" according to the author's website.

Shireen is still hurting from a recent breakup with Chris and this show is the only thing that can put her in a good mood, until she knows she has to be paired with her ex!

Even with her heart broken Shireen is excited to get more attention to her parents' donut shop and hopefully help her dreams come true!

I can't believe I got an ARC for this, I'm so excited!!

I love love love books that focus on all types of food, and this was no different. I loved all the desserts and puns in it. I love the chapter's names and how funny it all was without diminishing the importance of this book.

It's mostly a lighthearted read tho. It started right away with the competition and we get to see a saphic relationship evolve with a love triangle in it!

It was super cute and fun to read about, especially all the mishaps in the cooking business! I just loved how big a part the competition played, sometimes I was even stressed for our MC, I wanted so much for her to succeed! Every time I thought I knew the end it kept turning around and around and made it excited!

So in general we have a love triangle, a second-chance romance, saphic rep, bake-off tournaments, funny puns and lots of desserts. What could go wrong?? Also we have as I said Bangladeshi-Irish rep and Taiwanese-Irish rep!

Shireen is fat but she is confident and comfortable with who she is, which was really important for me. For some reason people seem to think everyone that is fat wants to lose weight??

The anxiety rep is not the most prominent but it was there. Panic attacks suck and having someone there helping you breathe and focus is incredibly important. I loved Chris right after that.

I loved this. It was incredibly cute and adorable and did a good job exploring important topics. I can't wait to read more from the author, which I actually own in my physical TBR and have yet to read! Definitely recommend!
4.5stars

The Dos and Donuts of Love quickly became one of my favorite YA novels, and this audiobook was an excellent edition! Priya Ayyar did a great job, and I stayed hooked the whole time.

The trope of a reality TV contest was one of the reasons that I enjoyed this novel, as I just came off of a K-Drama that also showcased this trope, and this hit the spot and brought so much to it with the fantastic cast of characters.

The main character, Shireen, navigates a breakup with her ex with some amazing binging of another iconic baking show. She discovers that her baking talents have been seen and ends up on a TV contest of her own showcasing her baking talents. But while Shireen's been chosen, she now must compete against her ex and a new interest Niamh Baking Show.

Finally, Dos and Donuts of Love is a delicious audiobook filled with baking contests, love stories, and funny food puns. I was utterly delighted to listen to Adiba Jaigirdar's storytelling and Priya Ayyar's narration. I'm very much recommending the audiobook for those of you who seek a pleasant and touching experience. Especially in time for Pride :).

I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with this audiobook's Advanced Listening Copy (ALC). It allowed me to enjoy this charming story in a format that truly enhanced the experience.

A sapphic love triangle, a baking competition, and a young Bangladeshi woman coming of age in Ireland. The Dos and Donuts of Love is a cute YA contemporary novel coming out just in time for Pride month.

Shireen is still hurting from a recent breakup, but is excited to be a contestant on the televised Junior Irish Baking Show. She hopes for good publicity for her parents donut shop, and the launch of the career she has always wanted. Her favorite celebrity chef is a judge and one of the other contestants is a cute girl she hits it off with, but her ex-girlfriend is also on the show and Shireen might still have feelings for her...

While the story is pretty straightforward and I sometimes wanted more depth from the characterization, this is a fun book that is also effectively tackling some thorny issues like racism, micro-agressions, and fatphobia. It makes the choice not to have homophobia be a big problem though and while it's unusual, Shireen's family are supportive of her identity. We also see her deal with people assuming she's from India and not recognizing the uniqueness of Bangladeshi culture and food. This is a great pick if you like a foodie romance and I liked how it navigated what happens in the story. I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future! I will say I didn't love the audiobook narration. It's set in Ireland but the narrator does an American accent for the main character and when she does attempt an Irish accent for a side character, it's not great. The book itself is good, but I don't think I would recommend the audiobook. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the free ALC in exchange for honest review. I really am a huge fan of the INCREDIBLE YA books that more and more kids will get to see themselves in the books they read. Great kids baking competition with great chatacter development and fabulous representation. Highly recommend.

Trigger Warnings: break-up, fatphobia, anxiety, anxiety attack, homophobia, racism, cyber bullying

Representation: Irish-Bengladeshi, Bengladeshi, Bengali, Fat, Mental Health, Queer, Lesbian, Taiwanese

The Dos and Donuts of Love is a pun-filled YA contemporary romance that finds a teenage girl competing in a televised baking competition, with contestants including her ex-girlfriend and a potential new crush.

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! 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!

This was such a cute YA story! I loved all of the food and cultural aspects, as well as the romance and storyline. I have to mention how cute the cover is as well! The writing style is fun and easy to read, the book itself is a quick, light read. I liked the second chance romance and also the “villain.” I also loved the voice of reason in Fatima. I feel like there wasn’t a huge inclusion of both sets of parents, I did enjoy the interactions we did have. Overall this is a great story to read in the park now that spring is here! Make sure to bring some sweets, though!

I enjoyed this audiobook so much! I loved that the majority of the plot took place during the reality show competition. I feel like in a lot of books about reality tv shows, the competition is a background character, but it was front and center in this book!

Shireen is feeling down about her breakup with her girlfriend, Chris. She puts her time into helping her parents donut shop, which is called You Drive me Glazy. This book is full of amazing, hilarious food puns that serve as the chapter titles. Shireen is selected to compete on a Junior Irish baking show. She has to compete against her ex and a cast of characters, including a spunky redhead named Niamh. Shireen struggles with being around her ex again, and she starts to spend more time with Niamh.

I love that the story focused so much on the baking challenges and the behind the scenes drama of the competition. I couldn't wait to find out how the competition turned out and who won each of the weekly baking challenges.

The story had some unexpected twists and turns, and I love that it delicately handled difficult topics, such as racism, fatphobia, and homophobia. I also love that Shireen's family didn't tell her that she needed to lose weight, but instead, her family loved her for who she is. Shireen loved her body too, and it's so refreshing to read a YA story where the main character isn't focused on being skinny to be happy. I loved the representation of this book!

Overall, I loved this story, and the narrator did a great job with the audiobook. I appreciated all of the different accents for the characters. It's a fun story filled with baking competition, delicious treats, romance, and hilarous food puns!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of this audiobook.

I freaking LOVE queer reality tv show books books! Especially if they're about cooking. I think this is the first one that I've read that has been YA.

I really loved how Chris (the ex) and Fatima (the bestie) recognised when Shireen was having difficulty with her anxiety and were patient during those moments.

Reality TV side was pretty good. Lots of drama while filming and a decent amount of time spent on set.

The romance was uninteresting. Shireen spends almost the whole time hating on Chris because of their breakup, so I wasn't rooting for them. And Nimah didn't feel like end game material.

Cute sapphic romance that I'd happily suggest to anyone looking for a light, cute read about yummy food and friendship.

I thought the narrator was pretty average and did an ok job with this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a digital audiobook ARC for this book.

A baking competition, a second chance romance with a dash of love triangle, and pastry sabotage make the recipes for a fun and lovable read.

Plot: 4/5
I really enjoyed the structure the plot had with the competition. I think some of the world outside of the competition kind of fell away and I would have liked if it kept touch with what was happening at both their bakeries.

Characters: 4/5
Shireen is a very strong main character. She doesn’t compromise who she is and she’s confident in her identity. Her indecision and trust issues got a little annoying at times but she was able to grow and work through it.

Chris is definitely a good match for Shireen but I wish she had some more depth. Her motivation for what was the catalyst of their break up seemed fairly superficial, like there should have been more to it.

Niamh, without spoiling her path, is a very well written character. Her personality and development are all very believable based on what we see throughout the book.

Writing: 5/5
I love Adiba’s writing style. It’s captivating, keeps you totally hooked, and is bursting with her own personality. I always know I’m going to love what she writes.

The audiobook narration was really well done and made the book all the more engaging.

Overall: 4/5

I loved this latest YA Sapphic romance from Adiba Jaigirdar that sees a fat Bengali Irish teen girl competing with her ex in a reality baking competition in the hopes of winning the $10K prize to help save her parent's donut shop, You drive me glazy.

The food puns were 10/10 amazing! I'm a big fan of all kinds of reality baking shows so the plot was extra fun in this one. Additionally, I really appreciated the struggles Shireen had trying to work with her ex, combat fatphobia and racism while churning out winning creations each episode. The author's note at the end of the book explaining her personal connection to the story was also incredibly touching.

Highly recommended for fans of books like How to win a break up by Farah Heron, Fatima Tate takes the cake by Khadijah VanBrakle or Rubi Ramos's recipe for success by Jessica Parra. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! The narration by Priya Ayyar was great and the gorgeous purple cover is FIRE!!

CW: fatphobia, racism