A Legend in the Baking is an amazing romance book that talks about love, forgiveness, family drama, self-discovery and self-worth.

The FMC (Sloane) is a hardworking woman that is striving to pave her own path on her own merit. However, an unexpected outcome lands her unemployed. This situation leads her down a path of self-discovery about who she wants to be and how she wants to achieve that while battling events from her past.

The MMC (August) is a shy and reserved professional athlete that co-owns a very popular cupcake shop. Even with all the accolades that he posses, he still carries baggage of past trauma around family and love.

When a viral video and unemployment leads these two together, their interactions are awkward to say the least. Probably based on their past friendship. However, these two together will figure out that they need each other to achieve what they truly want in life, personally and professionally.

This book is beautifully written while addressing many personal and societal issues.

Do I recommend? Yes!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I read book #1 of this series and was excited for the next book. In this book we get to follow Sugar Blitz’s August and Sloane as they navigate through old feelings while attempting a new norm within their new working relationship. Say it with me SLOW BURN. I liked the themes of feminism throughout the book. We get to grow with the main characters as they tackle grief, heartbreak and insecurities. Overall a pretty good read !

Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.

A quick read. I love when a man goes all out for his woman. This was a bit cheesy and a slow burn but nevertheless, a good read.
I love that the MMC is a football player and a baker. Food is the way to a woman’s heart.

A Legend in the Baking just keeps on giving us the sexy cupcake maker men that we never knew we needed in our lives. They play professional football, but also bake! Before reading this adorable romance prepare yourself for some big romance moments, friends to lovers, and just overall swoony behavior. Did I mention it is sexy?

Sloane and August have history - most of it good, except for that last fateful night. But through the years since that night they have been cordial, if avoidant. But with August going viral overnight, social media and creative media guru Sloane has to help her brother's best friend/teammate/co-owner, it helps that this could get her the job of her dreams. But can these two maintain the "just friends" that they have been playing at since the beginning or is more going to develop? Will Sloane become the SugarBaeby to August's SugarBae?

This book was such a joy! Both the MCs were lovely, but very real. The story and the romance were so much fun, I laughed out loud several times, and the romance was set to 100%. I loved how well these two were matched for one another, but that there was as much of an emotional connection as a physical one. I think that there is something in this romance for all lovers of the genre.

It is definitely a rom-com book, so there are moments that are over the top. If that is not your favorite than this may not be the book for you. There is also some angst that you wish they would just talk about it, but sometimes real life doesn't work like that so I was alright with the slow development in that aspect.

This was the second book in the series and the second book I have read by this author. I was not disappointed! In fact, I enjoyed this one even more than the first book and I fell more in love with all of the characters. I will definitely be telling my romance friends about this cozy, yet sexy rom-com! Can't wait for the next in the series.

This book is for those who are fans of friends to lovers and brother's best friend. August, a football player turned viral baker, and Sloan, down in her dumps social media mogul, have one goal in common - successfully launch the second location of the bakery. They navigate chemistry, fame, and lots of banters. This is a new to me author and I can say with confidence that I will more than likely pick up other works. This was a feel-good romance with humor and a sprinkle of heat. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Instagram review will go live 18-Nov-2024.

A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley offers a delightful twist on the culinary romance genre. The story follows two characters as they navigate past regrets and realize the importance of self-improvement in order to achieve their happily-ever-after.

I thought the first book was good.. this book is 5 star read. August and Sloane had my heart throughout the entire book. I was rooting for them the entire time.,

A shy, quiet professional football player/cupcake baker, and his best friend’s little sister/social media manager collide.

What I liked:

This book was lovely. I love shy, grumbly August and spitfire Sloane. They had great tension, and the longing on each side was delicious.

The side characters are wonderful. We get a little time with Jada and Donovan (Sloane’s big brother) from Fake it Till You Bake It. Nicholas is hilarious, and I’m hoping we get his book in the future.

The plot was sweet and low-stakes. Exactly what I needed to read.

What didn’t work for me:

I do wish we got a little more of their past, and their interactions from then.

Super cute, and an excellent second book in the series. I loved how both MCs worked/are working through their emotional trauma to be the best they can be for each other. Because wanting to be together is so clearly the ultimate goal (even if they’re in denial), they put in the work to make it happen.

🧁Second Chance
🧁Brother’s Best Friend
🧁Forced Proximity
🧁Mutual Pining
🧁Dual POV, 3rd Person

I completely enjoy August and Sloane! Sloane was pretty fierce! A determined, sassy go-getter. I didn’t feel she needed much character growth, but I’m so glad she was able to let go of past hurts and fully opened her heart to August. As for August, my heart was hurting for him! He was hurt so badly by two people who would have to deepest impact and it left him emotionally broken. However, he got everything he deserved and I’m happy for his closure. I was eating up the pining these two were doing for each other. 🫠 I could feel the push and pull but when they came together…🥵👌🏼.

There are some flashbacks interwoven through the story that helped with their backstory. As much as I wanted these two to get together and even though her hurt her, good on August!

I LOVED Jada and Donovan in Fake It Till You Bake It! Now I cannot wait to see Nicholas to fall hard!

When Sloane is fired from her job she goes to her brother's bakery to help them with social media. She has to try to stay away from August after he's already turned her down many years ago

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

I had such a great time reading this book. The characters were lovable, relatable, and had a lot of depth, which kept me wanting to learn more about them and follow their journeys. There's just something about baking in books that makes me hungry, and even though I don’t like cupcakes, I craved one every time I picked this up. It’s not every day you get to read about three football players who own a cupcake shop, which made it such a fun read.

I especially enjoyed how August handled all the social media stunts, even though he wasn’t a fan of being in the spotlight—I can totally relate. I love doing what Sloane does but prefer not to be the face of it. It was great to see myself reflected in both main characters.

It was also nice to see our favorite couple from the previous book. I received an ARC for that one too, but I have to say, I enjoyed this one even more. Overall, I’d rate this book 4.5 stars, and I definitely recommend picking it up when you get the chance!

After reading ‘Fake It Till You Bake It” I couldn’t wait to read this one and boy did I throughly enjoy this read. Sloane was the perfect FMC she was driven, funny, tenacious and was a woman who knows what she wanted. August was the definition of a cinnamon roll character but also a gentle giant. It was clear as day that he and Sloane were in love with each other and watching them trying to maneuver these feelings was so entertaining to read. I love how they both grew together throughout the book which will make their relationship much stronger in the long run. I also loved how this was a second chance romance but with a different twist on it. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC

I thought this was such a cute book with great characters and a fun plot. This is the 2nd in the fake it till you bake it series and each book are a stand-alone book and having not read the first book I don't feel like I was missing anything in this book. There were definitely mentions of things that happened in the previous book, but it had no impact on this book. But having read and enjoyed this book I definitely want to check out the first book and the next book as well.

One of the reasons I chose this book was that I bake as a hobby and love to make cupcakes so reading about a cupcake shop run by athletes where one athlete goes viral for a feminist rant... sign me up! August was the MMC and he was such a charming and kind sweetheart. He is the quieter of the 3 business partners who is uncomfortable with the spotlight that is being shined on him now but is willing to step out of his box to help the business especially as they open a 2nd location. I just loved the dichotomy of a touch huge football player able to make delicate tasty desserts who is also in tough with his feelings.
Then you have Sloane who I also adored as she is a strong and determined woman who is trying to make it in her own career without having to as she says rely on her famous brother. I really admired so much about her because along with her drive she has the ability to step back and think of the people she is trying to promote and make sure that while she is pushing them outside their comfort zone, she is respecting their boundaries and not exploiting them. What I mean is that August is an introvert and while he was willing to step outside his box especially to help Sloane when she saw something that would obvious exploit him and cross boundaries she refused to give in even if it meant she might not get her dream job. That is very admirable in my opinion and not something we see in this day and age.
I loved these characters, and the plot was so cute with them struggling with their feelings and trying not to give in meant there was a lot of tension and buildup. So, this is a sloooooow burn but it was so worth it in the end.
This book is about Sloane who quits her job after being passed over for a well-deserved promotion. But that's okay as she is in the running for a job at an amazing company...there is just one thing. She and the other candidate need to show and prove to the company that they can run a successful marketing campaign generating growth for a product/company. Little hard to do when your unemployed or it would be if you didn't have a famous brother who runs a cupcake store with 2 best friends who are going viral at the moment. While normally she wouldn't want to work for her brother because she wants to make it on her own and not ride his coattails, she can't risk this opportunity. The issue is the reason for their viral moment is that one of her brother's friend and fellow owner August went on a feminist rant resulting in him being dubbed sugarbae. So, to capitalize on this moment she will have to work closely with August a man who she has history with and who she has pushed down her feelings about him for years but as they spend more time together those feelings are getting harder and harder to push down all leading up to an explosive moment between the two of them that leads to them both having to reconsider everything they know about their relationship as it stands.

I received and ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

BIPOC Romance in which a social media maven and a cupcake-baking football player find themselves working together only to have their old feelings and attractions reawaken.

4/5 stars: This is the second entry in Wesley's Fake It Till You Bake It series which is a BIPOC Romance that follows a cupcake-baking football player and a social media maven, who just so happens to be his best friend's little sister, find themselves working together after he goes viral and she needs a project to help her land a new job only to have their decade old feelings and attractions to reawaken with a vengeance. The two are forced to reconsider what it means to take a risk and chase your dreams. Told in dual POV with flashback chapters, Wesley's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Sloane and August are both great characters and I enjoyed seeing them dealing with their personal and family issues and finally come together and earn their HEA. The romance is top notch with plenty of swoony banter and the OPS sex scenes are incredibly steamy and very hot. Additionally, Wesley's humor hits just the right spot. While there are plenty of heartfelt and lighthearted moments, Wesley does takes on some sensitive subjects; so take care and check the CWs. This can be read as a stand-alone, but if want to read the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Fake It Till You Bake It.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Delicious, delectable, and delightful! I binged it in one sitting just like a cupcake from Sugar Blitz. It was easy to become enamored with August, he has the recipe for book boyfriend PERFECTED! He’s a massive feminist, built like an NFL player (bc he is), and a bit growly. This is the second in the series, and I don’t think I’ve read the first one but this plot flowed seamlessly. If you want an easy-to-dive-into escape, don’t miss this out Nov 19!

🧁fun bakery
💕second chance
🏈Football star
👫🏾best friends little sister

When a pro-baller stands in his bakery defending the history and present of hard-working women and mothers he ends up a viral sensation. This was not his intention at all, but his partners and him are opening up a second bakery and need to capitalize on him trending. Enter Sloane, a past friend who had a crush on him and he rejected who just happens to be his partner’s sister AND he might just be lusting after all the time. Yeah, life just got a whole lotta complicated for August.

I absolutely adored A Legend in the Baking. I wish I had known that this book was the second in the series, because I totally would have read the first one before reading this one. You don’t need to - at all. I actually didn’t know there was a first one until I was laying out this review, but seeing how good this one is (rubbing my hands gleefully) I would have totally read the first one (chuckle).

I love Sloane and August’s back story. I don’t want to give anything away, but you can see both sides of the relationship. How it developed and why it didn’t go any further. Then there is their current lust. Whoooowheee. Damn. Jamie Wesley can write some steam. This is a slow-burn that actually works for me. It’s just not torture because it works consistently with the storyline. Then when the action happens…yup, I took a moment…just saying. Y’all know me so don’t act all shocked. (chuckle)

There are layers of serious issues interweaved in the romance. Parental death can have long-lasting effects. Wesley also incorporates gentrification and community impact into the story. Something that isn’t spoken about enough. I already mentioned misogyny in social context and how August stands up and speaks out for women. Once again, snap, snap, snap.

I love everything about A Legend in the Baking. A must read this baking season.

This sweet romantic comedy has overtones of a Hallmark story but with more substance. The main characters, Sloane and August, are convincing, and their love story unfolds believably. August struggles with a strained father/son relationship with his dad, and both he and Sloane must learn how to trust again, and to be honest about their feelings. There are some serious themes explored in the story, such as neighborhood gentrification vs neighborhood revitalization and the dangers and responsibilities inherent in social media. The neighborhood characters, notably Cynthia, who is protesting the changes that August and his friends propose for her community, provide good foils for the main characters and bring some light humor into the novel. All in all, this second chance, brother's best friend romance is an engaging story that has enough conflict to keep the action moving but is never too heavy on the angst.

3 🌟

This book was a little too sweet.

I mean, I love the idea of a football player who loves to bake (two of my favorite things) but this book was a little too cliche. Also, I don't love books that center around social media/going viral so that's on me.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!