I thought this book was cute and enjoyable. I always enjoy the beat friend's sister trope- something about her loving him for a long time and him finally seeing her as more than just a little kid gets me. This book made me want to go back and read Fake it Til You Bake It.

I've been looking forward to this book! I loved Fake it Til you bake it and and how the characters were in this book were introduced. This was so dang cute and fun. A baking romance is always a good time!

I was excited to receive an early copy of this book. I really enjoyed book 1 in the series and was excited to see these football players baking their cupcakes again!

While I loved the vulnerability of August and Sloane, there was a piece of the storyline that I just couldn’t get past and I feel like it tainted the rest of the book for me. This may not be a problem for other people, so I would definitely recommend reading this one if you liked the first one or if you like:
🏈 brothers best friend
🧁 nfl players who own a cupcake shop
🏈 slow burn
🧁 semi-second chance romance

Thank you to netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was so stinkin’ sweet!!! I didn’t realize it was the 2nd book in a series, so I’m super excited to go and read that one!

The characters were lovable and I felt a connection with her flaws & all. It was a fun easy read & I really enjoyed the slow burn! I do agree with the other reviews that this was approx 50 pages too long as it did drag…. But other than that, the book was so much fun to read!

A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley is a unique blend of romance, humour, and the irresistible charm of cupcakes set against the backdrop of social media. The story starts with August Hodges, who unexpectedly becomes a local sensation after a passionate rant about the importance of women bakers goes viral. His sudden fame is both a boon and a challenge, especially when he has to work closely with Sloane Dell, his best friend's younger sister and his long-time crush.

Sloane, a social media manager, leverages August's newfound popularity to boost the bakery's online presence. The tension between Sloane and August is palpable from the start. Their history adds complexity to their interactions, making their journey both heartwarming and frustrating. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their banter adds a playful touch to the narrative and keeps you entertained and engaged.

One of the book's highlights is how it handles the dynamics of past infatuations and present attractions. Sloane's teenage crush on August and its emotional fallout are portrayed realistically, making her a character many readers can relate to. On the other hand, August is a mix of charm and stubbornness, making him both endearing and infuriating. Their relationship development is engaging, with moments that make you root for them and others that make you want to shake them into seeing sense. This relatability of the characters will make you feel a part of their journey.

However, some parts of the story felt predictable, and the resolution of their conflicts, while satisfying, was somewhat rushed. The supporting characters, including the other bakery partners, add a nice touch to the story, though they sometimes fade into the background when more depth could have been given to their interactions.

Overall, A Legend in the Baking is a sweet read with a fair share of romantic tension and heartwarming moments. It's perfect for those passionate about romance, especially with a side of baked goods and social media shenanigans. If you're a romance enthusiast, this book is tailored for you.

This book was very sweet! I read the first book and didn’t hesitate to be able to read this one! I love how this story spoke about past trauma and how it can affects future outlooks. Not being able to get closure to be able to be loved properly. August was well reserved and he needed some pushing to be able to understand the things he couldn’t answer for himself. I can’t wait for the third book for Nicholas story!

As the second installment in the Sugar Blitz series, *A Legend in the Baking* had big shoes to fill after the engaging story of Donovan and Jada. This latest book we meet August and Sloan, Donovan’s sister.

This semi-second chance romance unfolds as a *VERY* slow burn. From the start, it’s clear that both August and Sloane have strong feelings for each other, simmering beneath the surface since their paths crossed 12 years ago. The chemistry between them is palpable, making their interactions intriguing.

Sloane, eager to prove herself as a social media manager, steps in to help revamp the bakery’s image—a task that also brings her face-to-face with the man who’s haunted her dreams. The slow burn is well-crafted, though at times, it felt a bit drawn out. The central conflict, while present, lacked the intensity of a dramatic, high-stakes dilemma.

Despite this, revisiting the football players-turned-cupcake bakery owners dynamic is a treat, adding a fun and quirky element to the series. If you enjoyed the first book, *A Legend in the Baking* is a sweet follow-up that delivers on charm and character chemistry.

The plot was very sweet, I loved the premise of athletes running a bakery, but the writing and editing could use more polish.

I did read the first book in the Fake It Till You Bake it series, however I have terrible bookzheimers, so other than cupcakes, I remembered little until I started reading and things fell into place.

I enjoyed the friends to lovers/brothers friend trope, I like the twist that the 3 footballers are the owners of the bakery.

The guys are the thing I liked the most. I like how they are seen as strong and manly football players, but are also not afraid to show their softer, emotional side of things to the world.

Sloane I liked for the most part, there were a couple of things that irked me, but I am sure they are a me thing.

The last say, 15% of the book really makes it for me.

I like the other 2 main guys, the quirky neightbourhood people were a great addition.

Now I need Nicholas' story

This was extremely sweet and adorable! Maybe a little bit too sweet for me, but still, cute.

A Legend in the Baking is a slow-burn, sort of second-chance, romance between a cupcake baking football player and his teammate/business partner's little sister. They have a bit of a history and have avoided each other as best they could until the start of this book.

I'm only giving it 3 stars because the middle got a bit boring, the end felt a bit rushed, and there was really no serious conflict. But the relationship between Sloan and August was sweet and I was excited when they finally got together.

"If you take one thing from me, let it be this. No one is unloveable. That doesn't mean love is going to land in your lap. You have to be open to it. You have to be honest. You have to be vulnerable...
But over the past few weeks, I've learned that's no way to live. I didn't realize that until her. I didn't know how to love. Until her."

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.
This book was so so good! I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one in this interconnected series. This book follows August Hodges who is the quiet, football-player, cupcake-baking co owner of SugarBlitz Bakery. However, when he accidentally goes viral for a feminist outburst, he's forced into a new role— one not quite as silent. With the help of Sloane, his best friend's sister and a social media manager, he has to navigate his new stardom. And his not-so-new feelings towards Sloane.

"The embrace felt like coming home, like his mouth had been made specifically for hers. August didn't hurry. He sampled. He sipped like he was relearning the shape of her mouth."

I truly loved this book. It was so so cute and gave the perfect mix of emotion, romance, and outside plot. This author is so underhyped and deserves so so much more.

Closed door modifications: chapter 32&36

Legend in the Baking was a slow burn romance between Sloane and August. What started off as a business & job opportunity , turned into a loving relationship. I loved these characters and I love the conclusion of this book.

I can’t wait for this book to come out in November because I need a physical copy in my possession.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for this
E-ARC! So cute! Loved the romance & the theme. A lot of good banter too. Will read more from this author!

"A Legend in the Baking" was so cute! The middle part was a bit slow, but it was still a fun read, and I recommend you check it out. This book is the epitome of a very slow burn romance, and at times, it made me want to scream. We know from the beginning that August and Sloane have feelings for each other since they've known each other for the past 12 years. There's undeniable history and chemistry between them from the start.

Despite the slow pace, I enjoyed the gradual build-up of their relationship, even though it sometimes felt a little too slow. The conflict that might tear them apart wasn't particularly intense. Personally, I prefer more significant obstacles in romance stories to heighten the tension and stakes.

One of the highlights for me was revisiting the football players turned bakers, as this is the second book in the series. Overall, it was an enjoyable read with charming characters and a sweet, albeit slow-burning, romance.

ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.50 stars
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This will forever be one of my favourite series, I love men (who play football) who break down gender stereotypes. This is the second in the series, but you get enough information from the author to read it as a standalone - all you miss is the hardships in the first novel of the men struggling to own a cupcake bakery.

In A Legend in the Baking, we follow August (co-owner of Sugar Blitz Cupcakes) and Sloane after August accidentally goes viral for all of the right reasons, after August's online rant the team decides to onboard Sloane to revamp their social media presence. Our two-love interests have previous chemistry as Sloane is Donovan's (August's best friend and co-owner) little sister, I love getting glimpses of their past together.

The romance in this book was lacking in my opinion, we get a lot of banter from the two of them but the romance aspect doesn't happen until later on in the book. August agrees to go on a few public dates (to also smooth over the fact that they plan on opening another location in a neighbourhood where they're not wanted), and the two start to realize that they shouldn't be without one and the other. It was a tad cliche and I had hoped for a bit more conflict between the two of them.

Overall, this was fun - I still think I prefer the first one to this!
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I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, and Jamie Wesley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will publish on November 19th, 2024 - preorder your copy today!

“A Legend in the Baking” by Jamie Wesley
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes sound yummy !
This was one fun romance read. A sweet read I thoroughly enjoyed, until the spicy scenes popped in for visits (which I skipped past). And yes, for me those scenes dropped the stars to 4 from 5. But I did love the story of August and Slone their history and maybe a future? Happy Reading ! !

The second book in this fun series following three professional footballers and their dream of owning a cupcakery, we focus on August and Sloane this time around.

August is the quiet type - just happy to be baking in his moms honor while off the field - until he goes viral for his feminist rant to a couple of dudes who couldn’t help themselves during a visit to the bakery.

Sloane is a social media guru who’s been patiently waiting for her well deserved promotion at work… until she quits when she’s denied.

While interviewing for her next gig, Sloane is poised with a challenge - capture the moment of Augusts new heightened celeb fame and prove what she can do, and the job is hers.

Now forced to spend more time together to focus on helping the cupcakery, Sugar Blitz, soar to new heights, the two are left to reflect on the complicated history between them.

I really loved the chaos of August having to deal with non-football stardom and watching him emerge from his shell. Even more so, I found Sloane’s inner turmoil to be refreshing as she considered what an interview was asking of her and what she wanted for herself professionally.

The lead up to discovering what exactly went down between the two over a decade ago kept me reading and when we did find out, I felt for both parties.

I really enjoyed this, and have been surprised by the lack of actual sports throughout the series, but I’m not complaining. It’s kind of neat to see that side of the characters take a backseat. There’s also a great secondary story to social responsibility and gentrification that I found to be handled very well.

I hope we get Nicholas’ story to finish up this series! I can only imagine the hijinks from the king of flirtation.

‘A Legend in the Baking’ releases on November 19th!

Goodreads Review:

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy!

Where do I start??? The story overall was beyond cute. I loved their development throughout the book. I shed a few tears during the last chapter. Such a sweet story.. I can only hope for one with Nicholas!

To the author - I love your writing style. I love the way your characters feel authentic!

I like the dynamic between August and Sloane. They were cute and adorable. The writing was witty and kept my attention throughout the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed this book and think you will to.