I enjoyed this enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine holiday novella that sees Tristan, a Grinchy, uptight architect trying to sabotage Daphne, the charming pop up baker who has a little Gingerbread house stand in the lobby of his building. Despite getting off to a disastrous first start, Tristan finds himself in need of Daphne's baking services to help him cater a number of holiday events. While I thought Tristan was a bit of a jerk throughout most of the book, he did slowly win me over towards the end and heart of gold Daphne was irresistible! Great on audio narrated by Melanie Mendez and a fun read for the season! Many thanks to NetGalley!!!

Every year, Daphne sets up her gingerbread bakery in an office building lobby for the holiday season. Everyone seems to love the holiday shop, except for Tristan. Tristan finds Daphne's gingerbread house an eyesore and is determined to have the holiday shop removed. When Tristan finds himself hosting some of his family holiday parties and in need of a baker, Daphne seems to be the only person available to help. Tristian and Daphne find each other infuriating, but as they spend more time together, they can't deny their attraction for each other.

This was a cute holiday romance, and I am a complete sucker for the grumpy/sunshine trope. I did enjoy the chemistry between Tristan and Daphne and especially loved the descriptions of all the holiday treats (yum!). Although the third act breakup was pretty obvious, I still enjoyed the ending. If you are looking for a short but fun holiday romance, I would recommend this book.

Baking it Merry is out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review Baking it Merry. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this so much -- seasonal enemies-to-lovers romance sounds so great -- but unfortunately I barely made it through. I try to resist giving negative reviews because I know authors work so hard to write their books and get them published. However, this one had so many cringe moments. The seasonal aspects were fantastic -- but the characters were very under developed and their motivations were too. The male lead hates the female lead's holiday booth --but just because he's an architect? And then suddenly he decorates for Christmas for her at the end of the book and likes is. The publishing company and editor really let down the author too -- there was a whole scene where she got ready for bed and it detailed her putting on moisturizer, putting on pajamas, putting on socks and slippers, etc. This story would have been much improved with editing. I wish I'd liked it but I didn't.

This shorter book was exactly what you want in a cozy holiday romance. It’s grumpy sunshine. It’s fake dating. It’s holiday disasters in achieving your dreams. It’s just a good time. While I enjoyed this book, it did feel like the main character had a big personality flip. This is plausible for a Hallmark style romcom, but normally, that big a change in two months would be annoying and unexpected. But the point was to make you feel warm, happy and cozy and it did exactly that.

This was a sweet tooth of a Christmas read. It gives you all the feels: a smidgen of fake dating, a pinch of close proximity, and a huge dash of grumpy/sunshine—you know, traits of a perfect Hallmark Christmas movie we’ve all come to love and adore this time of year but in book format, and I’m not mad about it.

I adored everything Daphne did, from her baked goods to the sweetness of just her being her now Mr. Grumpy Grinch. Mr. Modern Day Scrooge, you, sir, weren’t my cup of tea because, as an avid Christmas nut, your miserable vibe was so not it, and your "ways" just stuck with me, and I also felt you to be kinda whiny and demanding. sorry 

Overall this was a quick listen. Courtesy of Netgalley and Samantha Chase. I was able to listen to the ALC-ARC in one sitting; I just wished it was a dual POV with 2 narrators instead of the one.

Holiday spin on the grumpy/sunshine trope, with lots of hunger-inducing lists of baked goods and party displays. Tristan was pretty rude and self-absorbed; Daphne was over-the-top, Disney-adult-level juvenile; somehow at the end Tristan moved to Daphne's side of things but she never managed to tone down her ridiculousness. If you're in the mood for a quick, fluffy holiday love story, this is a good fit.

This was such a amazing read. Starting from the characters, plotline and scenarios, everything was on top notch and the pace was well maintained throughout the whole book. The characters were penned down brilliantly, not only the protagonists shine throughout the story but also the side characters too. The spotlight was given to each and every character to shine and contribute to the book.
I had a great time reading this one.

"Baking it Merry" by Samantha Chase is a Christmas rom-com novel.

Daphne has a pop-up holiday bake shop in an office building lobby. Tristan is a grinchy CEO who works on the 28th floor. He had no interest in the pop-up ships and considers Daphne's in particular to be an eyesore.

This has the enemies to lovers trope. I recommend this for anyone who likes this type of rom-com.

The audiobook is effectively narrated by Melanie Mendez.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 4/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 28/8 = 3 4/8
Rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Samantha Chase for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute, festive book! I thought the romance was super cute and love to chemistry. The story had a great Christmasy feel to it, which is exactly what I want in a Christmas book. I really appreciate it that the book was super clean… Closed door and no language. if you were looking for a lighthearted, easy, festive romance this is a great option!

I did listen to this book on audio, and while I found the narrator to be good I do wish that there would have been a male narrator for the male POV. It would have added a lot to the overall narration of the book.

While I enjoyed the beginning of this book the ending did not do it for me. The third act break up was what really just lost me. 3.5 stars bc there was so much potential.

3.75⭐, 1.75🌶️

I think I was just blindly expecting to really enjoy this book, so while I enjoyed the start of it, the ending was meh for me and it lost steam.

Wat I liked about it also caused my qualms with the ending - enemies to lovers. I loooved the sassiness and aggression the MC's had for each other at the beginning, but the aggression they had for each other during the fake dating situationship was kinda hinky for me, and then the third act break up lost me. I thinkin general, I didnt feel the enemies to lovers transition go well. It was just hostility, random kissing, then still fake dating but banging, then kinda in love? Idk, just in general this book had a weird flow

🎄Fake Dating
🍪Enemies to Lovers
🧁Grumpy x Sunshine

I enjoyed all the Christmas vibes and liked Melanies Mendez's narration.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape MEdia for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Daphne and Tristan couldn’t be more opposite! I really enjoyed their story. It had everything you could ask for in a holiday romance!

Adorable wintry romcom. I loved the baking aspects of this book and the narrator did a wonderful job voicing each character.

This grumpy/sunshine, fake dating romance stars a holiday-obsessed baker and a crabby architect who find themselves reluctantly collaborating during the Christmas season. Will they make it through the end of the year without driving each other crazy?

Oh wow, Christmas really threw up all over this story 😅 Lots of cheese here if you're looking for a Hallmark-quality tale. I have seen lots of reviews complaining about Tristan being an asshole, but he's no worse than any other grumpy romance novel character I've seen and he does have a softer side. Daphne is fun and likeable, and I aspire to her level of festive enthusiasm.

The story was a bit predictable in places, but that made for a nice comforting listen. There are some hints of spice, but I would say it falls between PG and PG-13. I wasn't sure how much chemistry Tristan and Daphne had, but they seemed to work together well as the story progressed.

The audiobook narrator was a little too perky at first, but she either mellowed out or I got used to her.

Baking It Merry was a relatively quick listen, but it did not resonate with me as a whole story. The writing was good and engaging, but the MMC was extremely unlovable. I get that it's an enemies-to-lovers trope, but it also was just not realistic at all to me that she ended up falling for him.

If you don't care much about these points and want a quick holiday listen, then others may enjoy this more than I did. But it was not for me, and it felt like the MMC did not grow enough in his EQ, self-awareness, and selfishness throughout this story for the HEA.

Many thanks to the artist, NetGalley, and the publisher for access to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Chase’s ”Baking it Merry” is a cozy holiday romance that follows the classic grumpy/sunshine trope. Daphne, a bubbly baker, clashes with the stern architect Tristan, but their forced proximity and fake dating scheme lead to unexpected feelings.

While the book’s festive setting and delectable descriptions of baked goods create a warm and inviting atmosphere, the execution falls short in a few areas. The main issue lies with the male lead, Tristan. His character is inconsistent and often unsympathetic, making it difficult to root for him. Additionally, both main characters could have benefited from more nuanced development.

The pacing of the story is uneven, with some parts feeling rushed and others dragging. Some plot developments, such as the sudden resolution of conflicts, feel contrived and unrealistic.

Overall, ”Baking it Merry” is a decent choice for those seeking a light and fluffy holiday romance. However, its underdeveloped characters and inconsistent plot hinder its potential. It’s a sweet and comforting read, but it’s unlikely to be a standout in the genre.

Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#BakingItMerry #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

I usually love a grumpy/sunshine trope, but this was just too cheesy. Tristan hired Daphne's pop-up shop to cater multiple work events for the holiday season. Usually I end up loving the grumpy men (as they remind me of my husband), but Tristan was plain unlikeable in my opinion. He blatantly ignored Daphne's wishes and requests and got her to do this bidding. She would be exhausted to the point of just wanting to go home and go to bed, and he would talk her into staying at an event with him so he could have a date.

His character wasn't consistent. Tristan is so driven and depressed throughout the book when he isn't able to get a skyscraper approved through the city to add to the skyline. I know he mentions that he wants it so he can please his family, but it really did feel like it was a goal of his. Somehow at the end he decides he just wants to design homes. I just didn't feel any true growth in his character. Daphne is a baker who loves Christmas which of course is going to irk Tristan constantly.

I'm still confused why Daphne didn't feel more of a rush to open a permanent bakery. Every time Tristan tried to talk to her about doing it full-time, she would just say it wasn't the right time. She also seemed exhausted throughout the entire book from having to get up early (which is a normal schedule for bakeries). She says she pushes through it all because she knows its for only a limited time - the holiday season. I don't see her succeeding in a permanent bakery with that type of attitude.

I simply didn't feel their connection. Their first kiss scene where Tristan asked to kiss Daphne in the pantry before his brother walked in was completely glazed over. He sees her for the first time in a nice dress (that looks like Mrs. Claus) and is almost embarrassed of her because of it. The entire book was a mix of feeling like Tristan was embarrassed of Daphne, didn't have time to actually spend time with her that wasn't one of his parties, then sprinkle in a few booty calls.

The ending was just odd to me. Daphne is upset because she believes Tristan was emailing the landlord and trying to get her fired. Why would she tell every boutique in the foyer about this? Why would she have told Tristan's personal assistant and his whole office about this betrayal? The WHOLE building thought he seduced and sabotaged her. If I was her, I wouldn't have wanted anyone to know what happened.

Also a total missed opportunity. The very first scene has Daphne talking to local vendors about starting a potential book club so when they didn't have customers, they could meet. After that scene, it was completely dropped. I would have loved a few book club meetings sprinkled throughout the book.

Another missed opportunity was adding recipes in this book since Daphne owns a bakery. If not recipes, I would have loved more descriptions of her food. The only thing I remember of her baked goods was that Tristan liked blueberry muffins (boring).

I loved this book. The perfect cozy Christmas read. It’s a classic grumpy meets sunshine easy lighthearted read. Will definitely be on the lookout for book books by this author.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Samantha Chase for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy of Baking it Merry in exchange for an honest review.

It took me some time to get into this audiobook. At first, I thought it was the narrator - and it was to a degree, but it was also just the extremity of the grump x sunshine trope. The FMC was almost too happy all the time, and the super supportive parents raised some eyebrows for me. I prefer my characters to have a bit more of a history with more development throughout the book.

I do love a fake dating trope, and enjoyed the banter between the two main characters, but I didn’t like how he just pressured her into it without there being mutual motivation/benefits. He was pretty manipulative and it seemed like the end of the story wrapped up quickly with him “fixing” his mistakes .

It was overall a cute book with Hallmark vibes. And it made me hungry with all the baked goods references.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I enjoy Samantha Chase books, so when I saw her new Christmas book was on netGalley I was hopeful I'd get it. I laughed and was anger at the main male character but got over it with his grand gesture which was really good. She's such a happy person and a good soul that you want her to be happy even though he's such a grump.