This was an okay read. I did not enjoy this one as much as the first but it was enjoyable nonetheless. The romance in this book was fine, it had its moments, but wasn't the biggest draw for me. This was definitely a slow burn . We see their connection deepen through shared experiences, quiet moments, and hesitant glances, making their eventual confession all the more satisfying. If you're looking for a quick fix of romance, this might not be for you,

This was a cute love story and i would definitely read it again and also recommend it to anyone who wants to read something cute and cozy

I loved the trajectory of where this romance went as I went of this ride with our two characters and the writing flowed and wasn’t jarring and so lovely as they found their groove again. Always baking is always a plus for me.

Set in San Diego, California with a focus on a successful cupcake shop run by three pro football players called Sugar Blitz Cupcakes. After August Hodge goes viral, they decide to capitalize and bring in Sloane Dell. I am such a fan of Jamie Wesley's writing and A Legend in the Baking was a true testament to their knowledge and passion for the craft. Wesley writes slow burn SO DAMN WELL and this story had me so incredibly invested from page one. All the small moments that Wesley captures and hooks the reader with is so well done and I was eating up every glance and hand touch. Especially because August and Sloane were so opposite in personality, it was an interesting duality on the page.

A really fun story. I liked this one better than the first one. I love the brother's best friend trope and this one did it so well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

August and Sloane.....what a steamy, fantastic romance. Their chemistry was off the charts with a complicated history. Perfect for fans of brothers best friend and second chances.
Recommended!

A guy that bakes and stands up for women in baking. To bad he’s a hero of a rom com and not actually real. Which makes him a great rom com hero.

A Legend in Baking is a luscious slow burn romance between a football player and his best friends little sister.

Overall, this novel was a fun read, with a perfect setting for a second-chance romance. It's sweet and wraps up with a satisfying ending.

first of all, look at that cover. i mean... stunning. i really enjoyed the slow burn with a lil steam. it made you work for it for sure. but i think this just fell just a little flat for me. it' very unique and very well-written so maybe it just wasn't for me in the moment!

jamie wesley you have done it again i love baking i love drama i love love love this book!!!!! this is an excellent followup to the first book in this series. would recommend and read again!!!

Super cute and steamy. I really liked the vibes between these 2 characters as well as their history. It felt believable. I would read more from this series and author.

*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I remembered enjoying Fake It Till You Bake It when I read it a few years ago, so I was happy to read the follow up following August's romance. I love that August is a quiet "actions speak louder than words" sort of guy and I liked following his point of view. I also liked that Sloane was unwilling to take less than she felt she deserved. While I didn't necessarily fully buy into the romance, I think that might be more to do with the second chance nature of it. We get some flashbacks to 12 years prior and what happened between the two of them, but while I kept reading because I wanted to know what exactly caused them to fall apart, I never bought into the tension they had. I also found some of the plot beats related to opening the second location for Sugar Blitz a little forced.

That being said, I thought this was well-written and a fun way to pass an evening. If you like slow burn (ish? Their first kiss isn't until halfway through the book but it gets pretty steamy pretty quickly after that) and/or celebrity love interest and/or brother's best friend, I recommend this! And I am very much looking forward to a potential Nicholas book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was so wonderful from start to finish. It is the second in a series, but it can be read as a stand alone.

I DNF’d this arc sadly. I didn’t feel connected to the characters and it was a bit too much of a slow burn. Nevertheless, thankful for the publisher granting me this ARC.

Football player August was supposed to be a silent partner in the local cupcake shop, but when he accidentally went viral on social media ranting about how baking isn’t a threat to masculinity, he’s suddenly the hottest topic in town. With a new location in the works, the rest of his business partners decide to capitalize on his new fame and hire a social media manager to help build the brand.

It’s none other than his best friend’s sister, who’s haunted his dreams for years. Sloane has her own hangups, since she’s crushed on August since she was a teenager, but she knows this job could help launch a career. The juxtaposition of a football player who’s also a baker sounds like such a fun storyline.

However, this didn't quite live up to expectations. The pacing felt too slow and ultimately the story drug out a bit.

A Legend in the Baking combines all of the things that makes a memorable romance he's her brother's friend, she's super work focused but could use the help thats being offered. I'm always a fan of a sweet MMC that isn't aware of his aura and how attractive he is which of course was tension for our girl Sloane! The plot points and tension were delightful and I was rooting for their second chance from their first encounter to that hot make out session! This series is the cozy romance I needed!!

Meh Again

Even though I didn’t enjoy the first book in this series, I was still looking forward to this follow up book. I liked this one a little bit more, but it was still underwhelming. Nothing about the book really jumped out and made me love it. August had some likable qualities. His angst about dealing with the public got to be annoying. Sloane was super dramatic, but I guess she was okay. Their background story was more interesting than the current courtship. I was glad that they finally stopped fighting it. I’m glad that I was able to remove this from my TBR pile.

A Legend in the Baking is the second book in the Sugar Blitz series. Although I didn't enjoy this one as much as Fake it Till You Bake it, It was a fun story. Sugar Blitz is a bakery that specializes in cupcakes, owned and operated by 3 members of the local football team. August Hodges is the silent partner and is much happier in the kitchen and the shadows. That is until his impromptu feminist rant about how women bakers are the backbone of the industry and baking cupcakes isn’t a threat to masculinity goes viral, making him the hottest bachelor in town. He is suddenly wanted for interviews with magazines, newspapers, radio shows and TV outlets. While August and his partners are trying to open a new location, August is the distraction from those that are against their expansion, afraid they will be priced out of their own neighbourhood with urban renewal. Not only is August dealing with his sudden popularity, but one of his partners, Donovan, has hired his sister to manage their social media. August and Sloan both had crushes on one another when they were younger, but now that they are adults, can they resist the pull? Will Sloane be able to manage the protests and picketers, as well as showcase August to put Sugar Blitz in the best light?

A Legend in the baking is a slow burn romance, with August and Sloan fighting against the chemistry that has between them for years. I enjoyed both characters but Sloan did frustrate me at times. She is a smart, business woman, but her emotions seemed to rule her behaviour many times, which isn't the best way to present a female MC in my humble opinion. I loved August. He was sweet, shy, didn't want to hurt anyone and a big teddy bear. The competition that Sloan was in for a new job added to the story, showcasing her business sense, but also showed that she can be manipulative at times. Themes in this story include advancement in the workplace, perceptions of women and their place in the working world, family relationships, standing up for yourself, sports players and the perception of them. urban renewal and it's effects and of course romance. This was an enjoyable story, but didn't have the same humor or banter that the first book had. It was more of a romance with some fun banter, and a lot of heat and chemistry. it did have some open door romance which I skimmed. I am looking forward to Nicholas' story coming up.

Slow Burn for the win!

I am usually not the biggest fan of slow burn romances, but Jamie did an amazing job with this one! The anticipation, the longing looks, the brief touches... I was dying for it! It was the perfect amount to keep me hooked all the way through. I appreciate the close attention to detail that she used throughout the whole story. It brought it up to another level. I am so happy I got to read this. Recommending it to my friends as we speak!!

I enjoyed this sweet second chance romance! 3 good looking San Diego pro football players opened a cupcake shop to keep them busy during the off-season and after retirement. One of them, Augustus, goes viral when he talks about equality, and the internet dubs him the “Sugarbae”. The shop is jammed!
They want to take advantage of the buzz, so they hire the sister of another partner. Sloane is a social media maven in between jobs. One problem, however. She and Augustus have had a thing for each other for years. How will Sloane promote Augustus, now San Diego’s most eligible bachelor, when she wants him for herself?
The romance is satisfying and the cupcakes sound divine, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.