This book grabbed me right from the beginning. I loved the dialogue and Rosaline's relationship with her ex-girlfriend, Lauren. Lauren is an amazing, smash the patriarchy woman, and she has all the greatest lines. Rosaline's eight-year-old daughter, Amelie, comes a close second with an amazing vocabulary and asides about whether princesses are undemocratic. And Rosaline herself is an incredibly deep main character, at times strong and at times struggling with what she wants her life as a single mother to to look like.

Rosaline becomes a contestant on Bake Expectations. I won't give away spoilers, but bread week was amazing. I laughed so much. If you enjoy Great British Baking Show, you need to read this book for a hilarious behind the scenes version.

Throughout, the book included amazingly funny dialogue paired seamlessly with really serious topics.

I almost wished I read this with a book club because the questions at the end of the book were just as hilarious as the rest of the book. And they were simultaneously deep and thought provoking. So if you are in a book club, your club will love you for choosing this book.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

"Audere est Facere" - "To dare is to do"

I already know I won't give this book review justice because I want to avoid spoilers! But if you read nothing else in this looong review, just know that this book is awesome, and you need to read it!

This is the 5th book I've read by Alexis Hall, and let me tell you, he absolutely has a knack for creating fantastic characters I am immediately invested in and can't help but care about. They reveal their personalities and motivations through their actions and dialogue, never needing more explanation, and I just LOVE that!! Also, they cuss quite colorfully, and that pretty much clinches the deal for me.

Anyway, specific to this book, our MC Rosaline is part self-assured bad-ass bi-sexual woman not afraid to stand up for herself, who is also raising a wicked-smart daughter using unconventional parenting methods, but at the same time is part emotionally destroyed-by-her-parents, a financially struggling single mother who is also beautiful and talented but doesn't believe it. See? Multi-faceted. And that's just ONE character, and only some of her traits!

Also, as is per usual, there are so many quoteable lines in here. Like they are disarmingly simple, but profound. Seriously, this book will make you want to be a better person who can have honest and mature conversations about important topics like sexuality, consent, and how to move on after less-than-stellar life-choices. The life lessons and epiphanies are so relateable.

There is a great twist in this book that I didn't see coming at first, but I started getting an inkling, and by the time it really hits, I was like, oh yeah, it really went all the way there!!

I also love the intelligence sprinkled throughout this author's books, from the origin of Rosaline's name to insecurities that follow "like Banquo's ghost", the author's literary education invariably sneaks into the pages, and I AM HERE FOR IT!

His descriptive style is precisely eloquent, with enough detail so the reader can envision the idyllic British countryside, but not get bogged down in unnecessary minutae that takes away from the storyline. Perfection!

Also want to mention that although I did laugh out loud, cringe in second-hand embarrassment, and get a little teary-eyed at times, this book does deal with heavy topics such as attempted sexual assault and bi-phobia/fetishization, mental illness and although I think it is handled well, please be aware of this.

Anyway, if you can't tell, I absolutely adored this book and I want everyone to read it!

Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way . . . and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.

Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.

Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart.

AAR staffers Caz and Em - both big Alexis Hall fans - read this first instalment in Hall’s new Winner Bakes All series - and got together to chat and share their thoughts.

Caz: The first thing I’m going to say about this book - which I enjoyed very much - is that while it’s as clever, wonderfully observed and laugh-out-loud funny as Alexis Hall’s other books, and there is an HEA at the end, the focus is more on Rosaline and her journey towards acceptance and coming into her own than it is on the romance.

Em:  I think that’s probably a good observation to include early in this review. Rosaline, the titular character, is a bisexual single mum who isn’t sure her life is headed in the right direction.  Her parents are famously brilliant (doctors), wealthy and well connected, and Rosaline was following in their footsteps when she got pregnant at nineteen and decided to keep the baby.  Rosaline loves baking, her daughter Amelie, (and she’s on good terms with Amelie’s father), but she feels  a bit lost.  Should she go back to university?  Is she a good mum?  Should she stake her future on a baking show?  Ha!  Well, fortunately for us, she decides she should.  And in doing so, introduces us to the cast of characters that help her answer all those questions.

Did you love (or like) the premise of the story, and what did you think about Rosaline when you met her?

Caz:  I’m not what I’d call a fan of the Great British Bake Off, but I do watch it, and I enjoyed the setting of the story and the way it’s structured.  The different challenges were very similar to those in the actual show, and I definitely heard echoes of Mel Giedroyc in some of the phrases uttered by fictional host Grace Forsythe!  I liked Rosaline from the get-go, actually; she’s a good mum, and - like all of us who are parents - worried she’s not good enough, and she obviously thinks the world of Amelie.  She’s funny and smart, but as you’ve said, is worried about where her life is headed and she doesn’t like that she’s so dependent on her parents for financial support - hence the decision to try to win £10,000 on a reality show.

Em:  Same.  I liked her and could relate to her.  Having a baby at nineteen is tough stuff, and even without a precocious daughter to take care of (and disapproving parents), growing up and figuring out who how to be an adult is DIFFICULT.  I question my choices on a daily basis!

Caz: Agreed. Did the baking show thing and the whacky cast of characters work for you?

Em: Yes!  I love GBBO!  I watch almost zero TV but it is the one show I look forward to every week when it’s on.  I loved the large cast of characters in this story, and the hosts of the show, and I laughed out loud every time the producer harangued her naughty cast.  She’s hilariously evil.

Caz: I laughed so hard at Jennifer’s incredibly inventive invectives(!) - and at so many of the descriptions.  One that’s really stuck with me - and which might only resonate with people of a certain age - is that of warm, endearing judge, Wilfred Honey, as “a man so grandfatherly it was like his whole body was made of Werther’s Originals” - it just cracked me up.

Em:  While I loved the marvelous secondary cast of characters and contestants on Bake Expectations (Anvita is also fantastic) I especially want to talk about Harry, who is AMAZING.

Caz: He really is – but it’s time for another PSA because I realise this will be a deal-breaker for some - Rosaline spends over half the book in a (misguided) relationship with someone else, which is probably not something romance readers normally expect to find ON THE PAGE in something which is being positioned as genre romance.

Em: Unfortunately, yes. Because Harry is HOT, sweet, good and kind – but isn’t what Rosaline thinks she’s looking for in a romantic partner.  He’s an electrician, his grammar is terrible, and at the start, she’s a bit of a snob where he’s concerned.  She dismisses her attraction to him as an aberration, but he proves her wrong every single time they interact.  Alain – whom she meets right at the beginning - is the kind of man Rosaline believes she should be with, and despite her growing affection for Harry, she purposely avoids acknowledging it or admitting she might be wrong.  It’s a nice little - and not so subtle - jab at Rosaline’s biases.

Caz: Amen to all that.  Harry is utterly lovely and the only thing wrong with him is that we don’t see enough of him!

Em:  YES!  Too much Alain and not enough Harry.

Caz: I know you – like me – aren’t the biggest fan of kids in romance novels, but Amelie… was kind of awesome. And Rosaline’s ex-girlfriend and now bestie Lauren was a hoot.  Which brings me to talking about the fact that while this is essentially an m/f romance, Rosaline is bisexual.  Even though her relationships in this story are with men, I thought her sexuality was handled really well, and the author did a great job of showing how it informed her relationships with both men and women, while at the same time showing just how badly misunderstood it is in some quarters and how oversexualised it can be.

Em:  Amelie is essential to this story and I liked her, too.  I loved the bits where Rosaline positioned as a tiger mother defending her choice to keep her, and challenging anyone who dared to treat her as a burden or impediment to Rosaline’s ability to live a happy, contented life.

Caz: I adored the tiger mother thing, too.  We’re continually told how women can have it all, or that we should WANT it all, and I was completely on board with the idea that what we should want is what we want.  Rosaline wanted to raise her daughter, and do what made her happy and I admired her for standing up for that in the face of the expectations those around her.

Em: I struggled just a bit with Lauren’s characterization; initially I thought AH positioned her as another Jennifer, but as the story progressed she proved to be a generous, loyal and loving friend.  She’s ‘there,’ in every way Rosaline’s parents weren’t - although I think it’s a bit strange that she’s Rosaline’s former lover.

Caz: It sounds as though we both enjoyed the book.  Any further thoughts?

Em:  One of my larger takeaways from this novel is… well, it isn’t exactly preachy or teachy, but nearly every interaction Rosaline has with another character is treated as a teachable moment by the author, and it’s sometimes distracting.

Caz:  I noticed that - but it’s at least mostly done “in context”; there are no lengthy diatribes and it’s subtle, but it’s there nonetheless and it was a bit distracting sometimes.

Em:  Yes, I agree with you.  It’s subtle, and some of AH’s observations pinged biases I didn’t even know I had.  But some romance readers will not like the ‘other’ man in this story, and while I understand why he is part of it, I think the author muddies the water by making him such an obvious jerk.

Caz: The way AH works up to showing him to be such a dickhead is well done; to start with, Alain comes across as a decent guy - he’s charming and funny and it’s easy to see why Rosaline is attracted to him.  We start realising all is not as it seems a little before Rosaline does, but she’s trying so hard to convince herself that he’s the sort of guy she should be with - which again, is all part and parcel of the journey she takes during the course of the book.

Em: I loved the premise of this story, its terrific cast of primary and secondary characters, and the slow burn love affair between Rosaline and Harry. I struggled just a bit with Rosaline’s tendency to make snap judgments about others, especially since she resents it when others make judgments about her.  The novel is almost effortlessly both heavy and light - and I giggled quite a bit as I was reading it.

Caz:  Same here.  I loved the structure, the setting, the humour (OMG, I laughed so much sometimes I got funny looks from whoever else was in the room with me!), the characters and the ‘real’ romance. I get what you mean about Rosaline and her tendency to judge… but actually, it just made her seem more like a person than a character in a book.  We’ve probably all been there.

So… crunch time.  Final grade? I’m conflicted because while I liked pretty much everything about the book, as I said at the outset, the focus is more on Rosaline’s journey than it is on the romance, which is what the book blurb had led me to expect. Ultimately, the relationship with Alain takes up too much page time and the real romance doesn’t get enough, so I’m going with a B+.  It’s a fantastic read and contains all the author’s Hallmarks (see what I did there?) - it’s witty, sexy, insightful, and so many other things - but if you’re a reader who likes your heroes and/or heroines to be exclusive once they’ve set eyes on each other, this book might not work all that well for you.

Em:  Hallmarks!  I hated Alain and that parallel plot.  He and it detract from what works and is wonderful in this story (literally, everything else and especially the romance with Harry), and makes it a B+ for me.  And to clarify, I don’t care if Rosaline kisses (or fucks) a few frogs on the way to happily ever after... but in this story, that relationship went on much, much too long.  Harry deserved more page time.

Caz: Agreed.  To sum up then, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is a lot of fun. It’ll make you laugh and make you think (and probably make you hungry!), and it earns a strong recommendation.

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I didn't think it was possible for Alexis Hall to improve upon last summer's Boyfriend Material, but this book might be even better. And I say that as someone who has never watched an episode of The Great British Baking Show, which is obviously the inspiration for the baking competition that the titular Rosaline enters, so I'm not here for the recipes.

Rosaline Palmer is the single mother of a (slightly too precocious) eight year old daughter. Both of her parents are successful physicians and ever since she dropped out of medical school to raise her child she has felt like an aimless disappointment. Will winning Bake Expectations finally make her more successful in their eyes? Or are there different ways to define success? And can she afford the distraction of several potential suitors?

Of course the book is funny; almost all books by this author have that wondrously wry British sense of humor. But it's also warmer and sweeter than much of his previous work. And I'm impressed that Hall does such a good job at crafting a queer female narrator; other than his Kate Kane series (Iron & Velvet, etc.), his MCs have primarily identified as male. Rosaline's bisexuality plays an important role in the plot, and Hall clearly understands the potential damage of bisexual stereotypes, despite the fact that both of his heroine's love interests are male.

This book is so good that it even made me not completely hate love triangles. It's pretty easy to identify the right guy for Rosaline vs. the dickwad, but there are enough lovely, charged, and sweet interactions between Rosaline and Mr. Right that I didn't mind she was sleeping with Mr. Wrong for most of the book.

Plus even though I know nothing about GBBS, I loved the reality show competition. Week by week, Rosaline's wins and near-losses are dramatically contrasted to the fates of the other contestants, some of whom I couldn't wait to get rid of, and others whose departure I mourned. Bonus points for the cheerfully profane producer who livens up the page every time she finds new ways to terrorize anyone who annoys her (and that's everyone).

The book is worth the price just for the hilarious Discussion Questions which Hall helpfully provides. And for those who care, there are a few recipes, written very much in the style of the contestants who provide them. I've been reading Alexis Hall ever since his 2013 debut novel, Glitterland, and he just keeps getting better and better. I'm so glad he has found mainstream publisher success without having to change his voice or style.

Classic Alexis Hall with a delicious baking twist! Rosaline is really finding herself in this book. Discovering what she wants from life as well as a partner, while working to win the baking competition and be a good mother to her daughter. It resonated with me for sure.

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall is the first in a planned rom-com series, and it follows single mom Rosaline as she participates in a televised baking competition with Great British Bake Off Vibes. I loved the premise of this book. Cooking show and romance? Sign me up!

Alexis Hall's writing is entertaining and captivating and definitely kept me turning the pages for this book. I was immediately drawn into the baking competition and I was rooting for Rosaline in each challenge. I felt nervous for her with the different obstacles to her practicing and the struggles presented by each episode of the baking show. I was really invested in Rosaline's journey. I loved her as a character. She certainly had her flaws, but she was portrayed as a wonderful mother working hard to do the best for her family. I found her to be endearing and funny and relatable as she sought happiness.

Rosaline's journey to of self-understanding and finding happiness took center stage in this book, with romance featuring into her story but not being the main event. There is a sort of love triangle/false love interest aspect to the story. I almost wished that the triangle was resolved a little sooner because I spent a good amount of time yelling at Rosaline in my head for not seeing what was happening.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this title! There's plenty of humor, entertaining dialogue, a British baking show, and some slow burn romance. Plus, there's a precocious and quirky child (I loved Amelie!) and a bisexual single mom and a cinnamon roll character. Definitely pick up a copy of this one!

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley which did not affect the contents of my voluntary review. All opinions are honest and my own.

First of all, thank you to Forever for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review!

Rosaline Palmer is a single mother working at a stationery store, baking in her free time. She’s been selected to join a baking show, having to balance her weekends on the show, her job in the week, and time with her daughter. Alain, a fellow contestant immediately connects to her and they hit it off. But when his true colors show and Harry, another fellow contestant, is nothing but kind and supportive, Rosaline Palmer starts questioning her decisions and her future.

I loved Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, but my goodness I would have finished this in one sitting if not for sleep! I loved the bi rep and all the very important discussion around biphobia. I love her relationship with her daughter, Amelie, and seeing Rosaline come to terms with her family.

The friends, the show, the food. All of it is just AMAZING! I could envision everything, and it felt so very very really. Harry is such a sweet character, and her dynamic with Harry and the other contestants was so fun, charming and witty! The humor, the romance, the reality TV and the relationships between all of the characters was just PERFECT! Please, PLEASE just read this for your own sake!

CW: biphobia, sexual assault.

Also, maybe don’t read this on an empty stomach.

Ok, I don't say this lightly, but here's the thing: I actually liked this one more than Boyfriend Material--and I looooved Boyfriend Material. That's how much I adore this novel. Hall does an excellent job of using emotion, quirky characters, and humor to craft an excellent romance.

I don't normally read love-triangle romances, but WOW does Hall do a good job with this trope. I was rooting for the the man we all know will be the hero--he's so adorable!

Rosaline is an excellent romance-novel heroine, and I was extremely impressed with how her bisexuality was written. It played a major role in the arc of the story, and it was done well. While she came off as pretty judgmental at times, overall, she grew and became a very relatable character.

Alain --mild spoilers--is such a horrible person. He starts off so charming and you're rooting for him, then WHOA buddy, does that change. I was blown away by the major stunt he pulls at Rosaline. It made him absolutely disgusting.

And Harry. Sweet, sweet, super-hot Harry. It took me a while to get on board the Harry train, but as soon as I did, I never looked back. I ADORE him. He is 100% my newest book boyfriend. I could not get over how sweet and kind and charming he was.

The "Great British Bake-Off"-style event that the story is based on made the novel really fun, and that's where a lot of the humor comes from. The quirky characters on the show are hilarious.

To me, the majority of the characters were so relatable. Even Rosaline's relationship to her parents was very relatable. I think Hall writes a funny, emotional, and sexy romance. The one and only sex scene in the novel is both hot AND adorable at the same time.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Alexis Hall is definitely an auto-buy for me now.

*Given an ARC from Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an honest review.*

This has to be the smartest and wittiest book I've ever read, and I loved every second of it.

Now we all know that Alexis Hall is a force to be reckoned with, and this book just double proved that notion because I had the best time reading this. It's as if I was watching the Great British Baking Show (in my case it would be Great Canadian Baking Show) so every the contestants were baking something that cute little song would be playing in the background.

And the characters! The characters!!!! Some of the best characters I have read ever. Jennifer made me laugh every. Single. Time. Her use of curse words never ceased to amazing me. I would love to reiterate some of the things she said, but I'll just leave it to you to discover those amazing bits.

Alexis Hall fans will be over the moon while reading this book, that I can say with absolute certainty. And that Harry has my whole heart <3

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for the earc in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars

It’s no secret Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material was one of my top favourite books of 2020. Because of that, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake was one of my most anticipated books of 2021, and I was extra excited that one of my favourite publishers, Forever, was publishing it. After reading this book, I have so many thoughts and feelings. So many. I will say it started and ended great - I was laughing within the first few pages and I was cheering for Rosaline in the end - but the whole rest of it was a bit of a roller coaster for me.

My main issue with this book was how preachy it felt. Within the first 20%, there were three instances where Rosaline was super preachy, and it continued on throughout the book. I’m here for inclusivity and calling out injustices and wrong assumptions, but the fact so many scenes turned into ‘teachable moments’ where Rosaline climbed up on her soapbox and told people in great detail they were wrong and why, it got to be a bit much. All of that was paired with the fact it seemed like nobody in the entire book had ever known someone who’d had a baby at 19 and made a huge deal over the fact Rosaline did. Maybe it’s because I know so many people who had babies in their late teens and early twenties so it’s not a big deal to me, but it was a massive deal to literally everyone in the entire book when they found out. Plus it really irked me that someone Rosaline barely knew - a love interest, no less - asked her why she hadn’t had an abortion. Who asks that of someone they just met?!

I got to a point where I rolled my eyes when a conversation was heading a certain way or someone said something even remotely offensive because I knew Rosaline would dust off the ol’ soapbox and we’d get another lesson. On the one hand I appreciate that these things were included in an overall lighthearted, fun book, but I think a sprinkling would have worked better than having it dumped in repeatedly. The whole preachy aspect was made even..funnier? Stranger?...by the fact Rosaline herself was incredibly judgemental and often made snap judgements about people the moment they opened their mouths.

I’m also not 100% sure how I feel about the romance(s); Alain quickly revealed himself to be a jerk, yet Rosaline seemed determined to make things work with him because he was everything she thought she should want. I kept wondering at what point the red flags from Alain would smack her on the head and knock some sense into her. Harry was sweet, swoony, and very different from the typical love interest, which I loved. I enjoyed his interactions with Rosaline, but I would have loved to see more of the focus on him and not the guy who turned out to be a completely irredeemable scumbag. I’m not a huge fan of love triangles to begin with and this one fell flat for me because of how obviously wrong one of the guys was, plus a general lack of chemistry.

Okay, now that all that’s off my chest, I’ll move into the positive. As with Boyfriend Material, this book had me giggling so much. I love Hall’s wit and humour; the way he writes inner dialogue and banter is genius. Despite my issues with Rosaline’s preachiness, I did like her and connect to her, and I genuinely ended up rooting for her and wanting her to succeed. She reminded me of Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls in a way - despite having rich parents who put a lot of pressure on her, she wanted to forge her own path, raise her daughter on her terms, and find a sustainable (and enjoyable) way to support herself. I enjoyed watching her figure out what mattered to her, and felt like her stumbles along the way were realistic. Even when the things she did made me shake my head or roll my eyes, I still appreciated that more than a perfect, unrealistic character. And even though she came across as preachy, I appreciated how she learned to stand up for herself.

Overall, despite my issues with Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I did enjoy it. I was fully invested in Rosaline’s story and felt like she was a friend I was cheering on from the sidelines. This is apparently the first of three books in the Winner Bakes All series, and I’ll be curious to see what Hall has in store for us next.

[CW: attempted sexual assault, biphobia]
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall was one of my very favorite reads of 2020, so when I saw their new book, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I added it as quickly as I could to my tbr. And then when it arrived on NetGalley, I clicked request so quickly and giggled out loud, so excited about the possibility.

And I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The basic plot here is that Rosaline Palmer, the daughter of successful, affluent London doctors, gets pregnant while at Cambridge studying medicine, and at age nineteen, drops out to raise her daughter. She has eked out a living as a part-time employee of WHSmith’s and single mom, who has to rely on her best friend and ex, Lauren, and her judgmental parents to stay afloat. She takes a chance on going on Bake Expectations, the book’s version of the Great British Bake Off, to see if it could be the thing she needs to change her life.

Alexis Hall writes dialogue that you just want to crawl into and live in. Snappy, sarcastic, smart, delightfully English dialogue that makes up the majority of this novel, and Hall’s ear for dialogue is just so pitch perfect that I found myself smiling and laughing out loud at many points of reading this. I’m jealous of their ability to write dialogue that feels so real and true.

And oh man, did I love how English this book is. The setting, the dialogue, the fundamental class conflicts, it was great. Maybe that comes from me missing my annual visits to the UK, but I felt transported to the place throughout. It was a delight. The English class conflicts between Rosaline’s family and her objects of affection are well-rendered and real.

This is a romance novel, mostly closed door, at heart, but it tackles issues of sexual assault and biphobia in a way that feels integral to the story and real. While the central romances of the book might be between Rosaline and two men, this feels like a queer story at its core.

So, come for the delectable descriptions of desserts and witty banter. Stay for the story of Rosaline charting her own path and figuring out what she wants in the world. This book ties everything up tidily, and I didn’t care. I didn’t need more complex. Hall delivered everything I wanted.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Hadn’t read anything by Alexis Hall but she had me laughing out loud and rooting for Rosaline. It also really made me want to bake and eat some desserts lol Great light book for a beach read or weekend read!

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I have mixed feelings about it.

I really liked Rosaline, Lauren and Amelie’s relationship. That was very heartwarming to read about.

However I struggled to connect with Rosaline and her character. I more identified with the side character of Harry, who is a sweetheart.

This book is incredibly funny at times but also deals with a variety of heavy topics including sexual assault.

I also wanted less woman’s fiction and more romance though.

Rosaline Palmer is going to be a contestant on the popular British baking show, Bake Expectations. She wants to win it all so she can give her daughter, Amelie, a better life, to perhaps meet her parent’s own grand expectations of her, and maybe have a little fun.

It all starts off rather bumpy when the train she’s taking to the filming location breaks down and lets her off in the middle of nowhere, luckily stranded with another contestant, Alain. She lies about what she does, saying she’s a student studying medicine, that her education was delayed when she spent several years volunteering in Malawi. Really, she got pregnant at nineteen, decided to keep the baby, and dropped out of Cambridge to raise her daughter. Constantly reminded by her parents that this was the wrong choice, Rosaline felt compelled to lie. Still, her and Alain somehow hit it off and start dating.

Harry, a fellow contestant, is also of interest. He’s much more down to earth than Alain, much less posh, and quite handsome. Rosaline finds herself drawn to both men over the course of the show’s filming. She questions whether she’s done the right thing, whether or not she should even be on this show, if she should try to go back to school.

Rosaline is bisexual and that’s introduced very early on, when Amelie, Rosaline’s daughter, gets in trouble at school for saying that her mother is bisexual. The teacher took immediate offense, saying that it was inappropriate talk for an eight year old, especially at school. Rosaline is very reasonable throughout the discussion, defending her sexuality. She continues to do so throughout the book, unfortunately for her because bisexual people are just novelties, lying to themselves, or deviants. She is very firm in her belief that she is bisexual and that she didn’t make a mistake when she decided to have Amelie. I very much admire her conviction, especially against people who are constantly questioning her and implying that she made the wrong choice and should regret that. Several people, including Alain and her own parents, say she should want more, that she shouldn’t be happy raising her daughter and working in a shop, as if providing for her child is something to be ashamed of if she’s not doing so by being a doctor or some other university education required profession.

Rosaline’s loyalty to her friend and ex-girlfriend, Lauren, is also admirable. Lauren is caustic and sarcastic, but also a staunch supporter of Rosaline. She babysits Amelie while Rosaline is filming and is otherwise a great sounding board. They’ve clearly known each other for a long time. Amelie is simply hilarious. She’s very curious and confident, obviously encouraged to be so by her mother. The love interests, Alain and Harry, are quite opposite. Alain is a landscape architect who is in the show because he’s very technically a good baker. He enjoys baking for the act of the thing, liking to try new recipes and make things for the sake of it. He’s too stuck up for my tastes, too focused on being technically perfect and holier than thou. Harry is an electrician, the family business. He likes to bake for his family or for himself, to enjoy the flavor and to enjoy pleasing his family. He’s much more relaxed and calm about everything, enjoying life much more for the fact that he doesn’t care what other people think as much. He’s also ruggedly attractive.

I really loved the Great British Bake Off mockery. It was so perfectly wonderful and made the story really easy to fall into. As a great lover of GBBO, I definitely heard the judge’s voices as being Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood and pictured the set as on the show. It really helped set the scene, though the writing did that well on its own. The first couple challenges were largely glossed over, instead focusing on the growing relationship between Rosaline and Alain, and with the other contestants, as well as dealing with the logistics of going out to the country every weekend when one has an eight year old daughter and a weekday job. As the contestants were whittled down, there was more focus on the baking prep and the actual baking during the competition. As well as on the film crews and hosts, and how everyone has a story, an angle, that makes them appealing for reality television.

There was a lot of banter. Tons of moments when I was laughing out loud and smiling as I read. The emotions and descriptions were also well written. Rosaline’s doubt follows her throughout the book, until it becomes apparent that it’s not her doubt about her decisions, but the doubt of everyone around her affecting her decisions. She always comes back to knowing what she wants and wanting what she already has, especially when she’s away from those people who think otherwise.

The main plot is the baking show and who will win, but it’s also about Rosaline’s internal battle of whether or not she should go back to school and whether her life is enough. Plus, of course, the romance. Who will she end up with? Will it be Alain or Harry? Or neither? It was pretty clear from the beginning who she should be with and given this is a romance novel, who she would end up with. I feel like romance novels do like happy endings so the main character will end up with who they should end up with, if that makes sense. I both loved and hated that Rosaline’s two love interests were men, given the fact that she’s bisexual. I do respect the choice, that it wasn’t a men versus women fight and that Rosaline is still firmly bisexual even though she’s intersted in two men at the same time and ends up with one of them. She’s still bisexual, no matter what.

The timeline is limited by the baking show, progressing over the course of eight weeks. I definitely would have liked to see more baking in the early stages, more juggling life’s responsibilities with baking practice and recipe development. I didn’t come in knowing Rosaline was good at baking. Her life didn’t seem to offer much room for improving her baking, or baking at all, even for fun with her daughter. Given the bakes I’ve seen on the actual show, I know some of them can be really complicated and require a lot of planning. I had to suspend my disbelief a little, that she was capable of the bakes she produced.

I enjoyed this immensely. There were a few times that the story felt too formulaic but given the broad outline revolves around a formulaic baking show, that’s to be expected. It did seem to fit a similar pattern to Boyfriend Material, in which the main character is somewhat down on their luck while the love interest has their life more together and so is more confident. But that might just be life. I laughed out loud many times and identify closely with Rosaline. Given that I choose to work in retail, despite having a college degree, I definitely have the conversation far too often about not being good enough, not having enough, and wanting more. Sure, I’d like more money. That’s what it comes down to. I want more money and more freedom to do what I want. Retail gives me some of that freedom, though I wish it gave me more money.

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is a delightful read, full of romance and conviction in one’s choices and identity. The banter is wonderful and the characters are well fleshed out, easily lovable, or hateable, in some cases. Plus, the structure of the baking show is just inherently enjoyable to me since GBBO is one of my comfort shows. The background filming crews and interviewers certainly put things in perspective, as did the idea that it is a reality cooking show. There needs to be a story, an angle. It’s a lot less wholesome than the final cut presents it to be. And yet it came out as a wholesome story in the end.

★★★★

CW: attempted sexual assault, biphobia
I went into this having recently reread Boyfriend Material, so I had those expectations and this definitely was not Boyfriend Material. But I really enjoyed it!
I like how each section was a weekend of filming the baking show, I liked the characters (except for the ones you’re obviously not supposed to like). I felt like there were a couple of plot points that were expected, and although they happened, it didn’t quite go as I thought it would.
Also, this is marketed as a romance, but it’s not really. There is definitely romance in it, but there’s not too much of it until towards the end of the book.
I also really enjoyed the bookclub questions at the end. Kind of makes me want to start a bookclub just so that we could read this and use the questions. 😜
Very much looking forward to the other books in this trilogy!

Rosaline Palmer is a single mom to Amelie, works at a stationary store, and has aspirations of becoming of a baker. She lands a spot on the GBBO knock-off, "Bake Expectations." Instead of baking in a tent, the contestants compete in a ballroom; there are two quirky hosts that mirror the camaraderie of Mel and Sue; and there's even a play on Paul Hollywood's handshake - when one of the judges says "by 'eck" when tasting an exceptionally tasty bake. Rosalie finds herself caught in a love triangle with two of the contestants as her relationship with her affluent parents escalates. The book is divided up into "weeks" as contestants are progressively eliminated.

The premise of this book is so cute and cozy - fans of "Bake Off" will love all of the little nods to the show and Easter eggs. Unfortunately, the actual plot doesn't follow. Rosalie makes bad decision after bad decision, and the excessive use of "f*ck" just didn't fit with the general mood set by the author. [spoiler] My real problem with the book though is its use of sexual assault to advance the plot. I really wish we could retire this trope. A character doesn't need to experience assault to learn about herself and become self-aware. The perpetrator doesn't face any real consequences for his actions and dissipates entirely in the last few chapters.

I hope I get to read more rom-coms inspired by the GBBO - it's a wonderful concept. Rosaline Palmer just didn't "take the cake" for me.

Content warning: sexual assault, intoxication, depiction of harmful stereotypes of bisexuality, minor physical violence

I requested this title because I absolutely, positively ADORED Hall’s Boyfriend Material. This book had several things in common: large cast of eclectic characters, LGTBQ+/Mental illness representation, humor and wit.

WHAT I LOVED
*The spin on The Great British Bake Off. Hard to go wrong with cakes, breads and other delectable treats.
* Humor- awkward and positively British. One passage had me laughing so hard that it left me in tears and gasping for breath.
*Slow burn romance. This is closed door right up until the end when there is a “tires screeching eyes pop out” interlude.
* The show’s producer Jennifer had some of the most colorful language.

WHAT I DIDN’T
* I love books that blend levity with heftier social/representative issues. But- in this case the way the heavier issues were presented felt heavy handed and preachy. They were frequent and it kept pulling me out of the story.
*There was a lot dialogue. I love words and conversation, but it started to bog down the pacing.

While it was a “nice bake” it wasn’t quite scrumptious. But I'll still go back for another serving with the next book in the series.

Oh my gosh y'all this is exactly the type of book I adore. It's beautifully queer, has loads of amazing characters and a handful of asshole ones, a squishy cinnamon roll man hunk of a love interest, and a crap ton of baking. I will note that I am slightly obsessed with the great British bake off and I am a baker, so while I adores the huge amount of time spent focused on baking, it may not be for everyone. This babe is gonna get her own post so stay tuned for that. I think this may be the first ARC I've read before it's pub date in a hell of a long time.
CW: biphobia, attempted sexual assault, internalized sexism, mentions of anxiety, explicit sex.

Before you read this book, make sure you have adequate baked goods on hand, because you are going to need them! If you're a fan of British baking shows, this ones for you.

This book was completely delightful, full of British humor, a bisexual single mom heroine, and all the baked goods you could ever want.

This book had me smiling and laughing through out. Rosaline is at such a crossroads in her life, trying to live up to everyone else expectations. This book lets us tag along as she figured it all out. The hero is a complete cinnamon roll, and I love how he encourages communication between the two of them, especially during private moments. Her daughter, Amelie is smart as a whip and her running commentary will have you in stitches.

This book also touches on a lot of issues around gender socialization, biphobia, sexual assault, and normalizing mental health.

Rosaline Palmer is a 27 year-old single mother who chose to drop out of medical school to raise her daughter, Amelie, when she got pregnant at nineteen. This is a decision that Rosaline stands by, but she has a lot of conflict with her parents, both of whom are medical doctors, not approving of her lifestyle of being a single mum who enjoys baking, owns a small home, and openly identifies as bisexual.

The book takes place over the time that Rosaline spends on the British baking show, "Bake Expectations", which Rosaline is competing on to try and gain further opportunities. There she meets two very different men who are fellow competitors on the show. The first is Alain, who is rigid and quick to anger and bossy and honestly so much more that's even worse that I'll let you figure out for yourself, who Rosaline is immediately drawn to due to his perceived charm and misguided support of her returning to medical school. Then, there's Harry, a total himbo whom Rosaline gets off on the wrong foot with, but eventually grows to like, creating a love triangle between the three. I enjoyed Alexis Hall's choice to make both of Rosaline's on-page love interests male, while not invalidating her bisexuality.

There is also a big theme of biphobia in this book, but I find it is handled well. It is a truly great romcom with really enjoyable characters, a cute setting, and lots of laughs.