Friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. Jennifer Faye did a good job of bringing friends Jillian Parker and Avery Wainwright together. These two fall in love as Jillian teaches Avery how to bake. Sprinkled with Love is the first book in the Tangled Charms series and the standalone third book in the Bachelor Bake-Off series.

I have enjoyed every single one of these books. The characters are warm and I love the intertwining stories and book series based around Marietta. I just wish I could find a list so I know what books I am missing!

Review: This is the third book in the Bachelor Bake-Off series. Each book is written by a different author and revolves around a charity baking competition involving some of the eligible bachelors in Marietta, Montana. Of course, since we’re talking romance, do we really think all of these bachelors will remain bachelors once the authors are done with them?

In Sprinkled with Love, we follow bachelor Avery who is cowboy who is home recovering from a rodeo injury. He gets roped into participating in the Bake Off and turns to Jillian for help. These two have an interesting history. When Avery’s parents passed away, Jillian stepped in to help Avery with his siblings by being a nanny. There was always some tension between the two of them, but with Jillian’s role with the family and her younger age, nothing happened. Now a few years later, the run into each other, friendship resumes and well, you guessed it, romance blossoms.

Avery’s newly home, dealing with rodeo injuries, remodeling the family home and a meddling younger sister who is the reason he’s now in the bake-off. Jillian has just opened her own shop and is dealing with a matchmaking mother…. and once Avery reenters the picture, she’s having to deal with resurfacing feelings.

I’ll admit, that there were moments when I wanted to hit these two as their internal thoughts went around and around. But that’s a pretty common theme in romance novels, so I can forgive it. In the end, I liked both characters and was rooting for them to get over their objections and finally get together. And of course, in addition to cheering on their romance, I wanted all their dreams to come true and for the bake off to be a success.

While this isn’t my favorite book by Jennifer Faye, it is a solid read and a good addition to the Bachelor Bake-Off series. I’d recommend reading this story if you enjoy small town romances.

Another cute read in the Bachelor Bake-off series. Jennifer Faye has such an easy writing style & her stories are just plain entertaining.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

It takes so long for anything to happen in this book and it's so wordy. As sweet as a story as this is, it is just pretty plain like getting a cupcake without frosting or sprinkles.

2.5- 3 stars

This one sounded promising. Sexy cowboys, second chance romance, family set up, bake offs! But there must have not have been the right amount of cooking because this one fell flat for me.

Jillian and Avery didn't seem to have much of a spark. To be honest, they were kind of boring. I found myself flipping through half of the book because nothing was really going on. I found myself more inserted in the cate than then people... and I am not a cat person!

The Bachelor Bake-Off series continues to deliver sweet romances. The latest, Jennifer Faye's Sprinkled with Love, gives us two characters that belong together. Jillian and Avery are assisted by the matchmaking cat, Romeo. With their history, I couldn't help but hope that this time would be the perfect time for them.

I'm enjoying the Bachelor Bake-Off series and can't wait to read about the remaining bachelors.

Avery Wainwright is finally ready to start his life. He became his brother and sister's guardian at a young age, and did what he needed to take care of them. Now they are grown and making their own way, so it's his turn to figure out what he wants from life. Recuperating from a rodeo accident sends him back to Marietta with plenty of time to think. His sister, afraid he will be bored, meddles a little and enters him in the Bachelor Bake-off...why not? The cupcakes he made every year for their birthday were amazing...but if he needs help, why not ask Jillian?
Jillian Parker started as a babysitter, then became the nanny when Avery's parents died. She spent many years as the person Avery could rely on while pining after him and enduring the town gossip about their relationship. She finally got over him and is making her dream of a jewelry shop a reality. When Avery asks for help with the Bachelor Bake-off, how can she say no to her friend?
Then there is Romeo, the cat she adopted for her Mom to keep her mind of Jillian's love life. Romeo has a propensity for escaping and ending up at Avery's trying to win the affection of his sister's cat, Marshmallow.
As these two work through the past and each other’s misconceptions, can they find their way into a future together? This was a quick read with a bit of fun and a bit of drama. There was not as much baking as theprevious books in the series, but it is nice addition. As with the others, this book can be read as a stand alone.

Book three out of five in the Bachelor Bake off in Marietta, Montana. Avery is back after injury in the rodeo, and gets talked into the bachelor bake off by his sister. Jillian, who used to work as his nanny to his younger siblings, and she helps him learn how to bake. The sparks between then are a little soft in this one, but overall still fun reading. The two cats are a fun side story, and at times more exciting than the humans. Still, highly recommend this book and series.

This is a story that had all the right elements to be great. It had heroic self-sacrifice, a cowboy (in books theyvare always heroes, right?), a sweet woman who was in his background, animals, and a bake-off contest.

This should have worked together to be the best of the series, yet it wasn't. Missed opportunities to turn Avery into a great character left him seeming like he waffled back and forth. Make a decision and move with it, man! Jillian was a better developed character, but I wanted her to stand up for herself instead of going through his uncertainty. But maybe I was just feeling impatient the day I read this.
The last thinkninwant to point out is that the whole bake-off theme isn't strong enough in this story. It seems to have disappeared in some places. Other books left me hoping for the inclusion of a recipe, but not this one.

The blurb made Sprinkled with Love sound like it would be a lot of fun with the pseudo-drama of a Bachelor Bake-Off and kitties. The kitties deliver. Unfortunately, the Bake-Off takes a backseat to the waffling of the two main characters. It was disappointing that after every kiss they shared, there was a statement to the effect that “this was a mistake.” Jillian and Avery never really came together as a couple for me. They seemed to have little spark.

The kitties, however, worked and were charming. The little that there was of the Bake-off was good with Avery proving time and again that he’s probably a better cowboy than baker. This reader would have enjoyed more of the Bake-Off than the repetitive thoughts of the main characters.

If you’re in need of an extra fluffy romance with a matchmaking cat named Romeo, this one’s for you!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet (see what I did there?) story about a possible second chance romance. Jillian has started a new business with her best friend and has also moved into her mother's in-law quarters (a detached house on the same lot). Of course her mother is determined that her Jillian's finger not be bare for long. Avery is back in town with an injury and runs into Jillian, literally. Well almost. Jillian is chasing her mother's black cat Romeo as Avery is driving up in the dark. Avery needs Jillian's help and Jillian needs to steer clear of Avery.

A good story worth a re-read. And reading the other books in the series!

Sprinkled with Love is a sweet story with a lot of potential. There’s a lot to like about Jennifer Faye’s Bachelor Bake-Off story. Jillian and Avery are good-hearted protagonists who are easy to root for, and when you add in a couple of hilarious cats, it’s clear that this story has the makings of a feel-good romance.

When Avery and Jillian are on the same page, Sprinkled with Love made me smile. They have an easy chemistry and a solid history that means their love story should have unfolded in an organic manner. However, while all the elements are there, the story is dragged down by general miscommunication, the dreaded “big misunderstanding,” a lot of unnecessary push-pull, waffling about big life decisions that didn’t always make sense, and an abrupt ending. I was never quite sure what Avery wanted, likely because a lot of the time he didn’t know what he wanted. As for Jillian, she fell for Avery when she worked for him before, but he never made a move on her (which made sense to me, given that she was a live-in babysitter and housekeeper in his employ). That her feelings were hurt made sense, but it felt wrong that she (and others) seemed to blame him because half the town assumed she was waiting for him to marry her back then. Little things like these picked away at my enjoyment of the story, which was a pity because I really wanted to love Sprinkled with Love. With a bit more fleshing out and a bit less back-and-forth and false drama, the story could have gone from ok to great. As it stands, Ms. Faye’s writing has enough charm to make the story entertaining even when I was frustrated with Jillian and Avery. And of course, the story is also buoyed by the antics of the lovelorn Romeo and Marshmallow, the previously mentioned scene-stealing cats. Overall, Sprinkled with Love was a bit hit-and-miss for me, but I’m definitely looking forward to reading more Bachelor Bake-Off books and I will be looking for more of Ms. Faye’s work in the future.

3.5 Stars
I was drawn to this book because of the matchmaking cat. I must say that was my favorite part being the cat lover I am. I also enjoyed Romeo's own love story unfold. Poor Avery is so oblivious when it comes to Jillian. Jillian had a crush when she worked as a nanny for him now she says she's moved on, but once Avery comes back to town she's proved wrong. It was fun to watch Jillian teach Avery how to bake. It's a sweet, light-hearted read.

A sweet story of unrequited young love that eventually turns into romance. Avery, of course, is quite clueless and stuck in his own head whereas, Jillian has worn her heart on her sleeve for the longest time only to never be noticed by Avery. This time she is determined not to feel like a fool once again. Fortunately, Avery is beginning to realize that his feelings for Jillian are more than they seem but he can't help getting in his own way.

A sweet romance with a mischievous cat that has a way of bringing people together.

Jillian Parker always had a thing for Avery Wainwright, but never let him know. Now that he is back in town, she can't get her mind off him. And it was all because her mother's spoiled cat Romeo decided to take off running when she opened the door. He ran right out onto the icy road where Jillian nearly got hit by a truck that Avery was driving.

Avery was back in Marietta to recuperate from an injury he got while in a rodeo. But the first thing he did when he got to town was almost hit someone standing in the middle of the road. When he saw it was Jillian, he couldn't believe his eyes. She had gotten even more beautiful since the last time he had seen her.

When Avery's sister informs him, she has signed him up for the Bachelor Bake-Off, Avery decides he needs help learning to bake. He asks Jillian to teach him because he knows she can bake. When they get together for Avery's baking lessons, Avery is tempted to make a move on Jillian, but Jillian keeps pulling away. Will Avery ever be able to get Jillian to see him as more than just a friend?

I thoroughly enjoyed Jillian and Avery's story. Romeo was a cute addition to the story as well. This is another great addition to the Bachelor Bake-Off series.

This series has me hooked with its sweetness and inspired me to bake to my heart's content. Sprinkled With Love is an adorable second chance romance where two people who grew up together, who used to work together, and who has supported each other through tough times in life finds themselves facing new challenges in life. And no one expected the bake off contest to be the most challenging one Avery Wainwright would face that winter.
Avery is a character easy to like. He hasn't had it easy, yet he managed to make the most of it. When Avery and his siblings lost their parents, he claimed the responsibility of his sister and brother and raised them to the best of his knowledge. His dreams of owning a farm drove him to the rodeo circuit, though he soon found out raising the money to buy a farm would be harder than he thought. He has always liked Jillian, while they were kids in school, as well as when she was a nanny to his brother and sister. The rumors about them being a couple while they worked together - those he thought best to be ignored since there was no truth to them.
Jillian Parker worked for Avery for years and fell in love with him. She worked hard to move on when she realized Avery wasn't interested. She finally feels that she left the dreams of a future together behind, and is now going after her own dreams: the handmade jewelry store in Marietta.
I enjoyed the baking adventures Avery and Jillian had and the honest heart to heart talks while they baked. In their personal relationship, they had a lot of back and forth, accordion type action. The author did a splendid job with the angst, letting it keep the story on the edge but never taking it too far to make it overwhelming. Avery and Jillian had a good of foundation to built the new relationship on. They knew each other better than the most, they had faced difficult and challenging things together before, only if they had learned to communicate better while at it, they would have saved themselves from a lot of trouble.
A picture perfect date under the Marietta skies, hot kisses stolen at every opportunity, baking that had me salivating and wanting to try the modified version of Cowboy cookies, and two friends fumbling with life and love while trying to find a new direction. A sweet and tender tale that had me smiling
~ Four Spoons

Sprinkled With Love is a good story, well written and while not as lighthearted as the others in this series (so far), still an enjoyable read. Unfortunately, I was unable to connect with either Jillian or Avery. Without liking or caring about the main couple, it’s hard to love a romance. So I’m going to stick with my “good” book opinion and simply leave it at that.

When in Marietta, Montana I expect a certain feel to the story, to involve the townsfolk in some way or another. The sense of community, neighbors and people who care about one another is very strong in the ongoing adventures set in this country – cowboy – small town feeling place. I also got very little impressions of the actual gearing up for Avery’s part in the bake-off. What I did get was the impression of two people who kept missing the mark with each other, the timing off somehow. While Jillian had feelings for Avery for a long time, he didn’t return them only friendship. When Avery did decide to notice Jillian, he was all over the place in his indecision of whether or not to follow through on a relationship. So, like I said earlier – while it’s a good stand alone kind of story in general – it wasn’t one that I got caught up in enough to care one way or the other about the outcome. And it honestly pains me to say that, but this one missed that “it’s great to be back in Marietta” feeling for me.

The true stars of this story were the adorable cats Romeo and Marshmallow. Romeo certainly did live up to his name.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Rating: 4.5/5

Overview:

This series, set in Marietta, Montana concerns the participants in the Bachelor Bake-Off which is being organised to help finance ‘Harry’s House’, a house where it is planned children can go, take part in activities, learn key life skills and be helped with their studies. A safe place for them all being created in memory of Harry Monroe, a first responder who was tragically killed whilst endeavouring to help an elderly couple. Each story in the series has one of the bachelor’s participating in the bake-off as the focus.

My Review:

This is the third novel in the series and stars Romeo, the matchmaking cat! As you might guess from that, the story has many laugh out loud moments as Jillian Parker is the daughter of Romeo’s human - come on, cat’s always seem to choose the human they relate to rather than a human being their owner! Whilst cat sitting, Romeo, a house cat, makes a break for freedom - closely followed by a chasing Jillian racing through the snow and out onto the road. This is where Avery Wainwright, an injured rodeo star, is driving home and almost hits Jillian. The two have a history. After his parents were tragically killed in a car crash, he raised his younger siblings with Jillian acting as their housekeeper and carer. She always loved him but he never showed any interest in being more than her employer. Now the youngsters have left home, he’s usually riding the rodeo circuit and she’s just set herself up in business so she’s determined not to succumb again. However, his sister has entered him into the Bachelor Bake-Off. He can’t not support such a great community cause but he needs help and turns to Jillian for lessons in baking. Working together again, could this prove to be their recipe for love?

This story has great characters, a real sense of humour, plenty of angst and turmoil and is a fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed escaping into it and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys romantic comedies with an injured cowboy and independent but loving lady. There will be a few burnt offerings and mix ups on their spicy journey but, with Romeo’s help, baking will prove their recipe for romance and the ending is swoon worthy!

Many thanks to the publishers for gifting me a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review.