Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall

Book Description
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.


My Review

I knew I was going to like this book when a character mentioned the Child Catcher (from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) within the first few pages. A+ reference—that n’er do well has frightened several generations of children—why is he so creepy?

But I digress. This book has everything:

A precocious child: Rosaline’s daughter Amelie is intelligent and astute and adorable… so she clearly deserves to have some of the best lines in the book.

Baking: As the punny title suggests, a good portion of this book takes place during the filming of a fictional baking show called Bake Expectations. See, there’s another pun! There’s a lot you can learn about a person by watching them bake, which is probably why the Great British Baking Show.

A love triangle: I have a confession to make. I didn’t read the description before jumping into this book. I said to myself, “Bisexual single mum, baking show, meets a nice man? Sounds good, let’s go!” And then there’s a moment fairly early in the book when the polished and erudite Alain makes a disparaging remark about Harry. I actually said out loud, “Um, WTF?” Except I didn’t say W-T-F. I said the whole phrase. I don’t intend to paraphrase the whole book, but needless to say, Rosaline was a bit taken aback by the comment, but she second guesses herself. This is such a natural thing to do, and I don’t think we should fault her for not dropping Alain like a hot potato right then and there. Besides, if Rosaline had figured out that Alain was rubbish, there wouldn’t have been much of a book. This is what is referred to in the lit crit business as a “well developed character arc".

But the enigmatic Harry proves to be much more than the stereotypical “lad” he appears to be. Not only is he a deft baker, but he’s a good and decent man. And Rosaline doesn’t know what to do with this knowledge because Alain is the sort of man she thinks she’s supposed to be with.

Or rather, he’s the sort of man her parents would want her to be with.

But then again, Alain is a snake.

Okay, I should stop talking about the book before I give everything away. I have yet to tell you who wins Bake Expectations, and you won’t pry it out of me, even if you ask nicely.

Have I mentioned that this book is hilarious? Hall has such a knack for dialogue, and this book is no exception. I spent the majority of the book highlighting the best lines like I was studying for an exam, and laughing to myself.

Needless to say, I would absolutely recommend Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. This book is sweet and tender and Rosaline is such a delightful protagonist. She’s just doing the best for herself and Amelie and doesn’t go onto the baking show to find love, so she’s just as surprised as the reader to find two eligible gentlemen interested in furthering their acquaintanceship with her. I am planning on buying my own copy of this book as well as the audiobook. Well done, Alexis!


I received an ARC of this book from Forever/NetGalley

Steam: 🌶🌶 /5 (one sex scene with description)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars

TW: Biphobia, attempted sexual assault/rape, classism.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC In exchange for my honest review!

No spoiler review!

First thing the amazing LGBTQ+ rep! Our main character is bisexual. She is also a single mom. I love to see representation in my romance reads!

I love the dialogue, the main character is hilarious. This is one of the most funny Romcoms I’ve read. I caught myself laughing aloud a few times.

The background of a reality tv show baking competition (Bake Expectations) makes for an entertaining read!

Without spoiling, there are a couple people in the competition that our main character feels attracted too. One of the love interests went on for a bit long and I would have liked to see more of the other one. Anyway It makes for some twists and turns and a great RomCom.

I liked how the chapters were set up in accordance to the days of the reality show and what they were baking! As well as the drawings of the bakes lining up with the chapters/days. Just such a cool touch! This book also made me really crave cake and all the food. At the end there are recipes from
The characters which was such a clever touch!

This book would make for a perfect R rated British RomCom movie.....Just so good and entertaining!

That being said there are some parts of this book that deal with very serious stuff so please check trigger warnings prior to reading.

4 stars
As some parts were a little slow for me, and some things with the plot could have been cut shorter, as well as some of the romance felt a little rushed. That being said overall a great read!

(Also the smutty romance novels that Nora was reading between shoots, would totally be me)

I highly recommend picking this one up!

Thanks again to NetGalley and
Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the digital copy!

No one is more disappointed than me that this book didn't work for me. Its funny, and Alexis is an excellent writer, but I'm not in the headspace for a book thats more women's fiction than romance, for a book that has a love-trianglish situation.

For romcom fans and loyal viewers of British baking shows, this is absolutely a perfect, light read. Be prepared to read detailed descriptions of all the baked goods in this book. Rosaline, Alain and Harry are participating in the baking show to be televised soon. Having watched these shows intensely for some time, it was a revelatory experience as it outlines how the scenes are shot and how the contestants need to speak things.

Will Rosaline end up with posh Alain or sensitive Harry? The supporting characters were also very memorable and had an impact on the plot. It showed the British class system that is prevalent to this day in an interesting way as I haven't seen it in current british rom coms. Without a doubt, the way gender is handled is spot on!

There are some really wonderful things about Rosaline and her baking adventure.

Her journey as a single mom, struggling to make ends meet and fulfill her dream is easy to get behind. As always, Hall writes his supporting characters so well it's easy to fall in love with every single character in the book. (Obviously, not Alain because ew. What a creep.) But everyone else from Rosaline's ex-girlfriend, her amazingly clever and insightful daughter and the other contestants on the show are just incredible.)

The writing is solid and it really brought me right into the bake show. I mean, I could smell the food. It felt like I was watching the Great British Bake Off. I loved the contestants and the scenery. The show really brought an extra layer of urgency to the show. Yes, I want Rosaline to find her happily ever after, but OMG I want her to win too! Can she have both?

That said, I had some minor issues with the story. Rosaline is a bit too prickly/preachy for me, always eager to correct people's behavior but then herself behaving in some not nice ways. I was talking about it with a friend and I think she just reminds me of some other women I know so it might have less to do with her and more to do with my own personal experiences. Alain is the main love interest for a lot of the book and then we have Harry. And we're already kinda invested in Alain (until he turns out to be a terrible human being) and then we're pretty much smacked in the face with Harry. There's nothing wrong with changing love interests obviously, especially when one of them turns out to be truly horrible, but I wish I had been more invested in Harry when the switch happened. I felt like it was too abrupt and didn't really get that slow romantic build I wanted.

Overall though I think Rosaline Palmer is a solid woman's fiction about a young single mom trying to find her way and win a baking competition. It has humor and lots of heart

Hilarious, fascinating, and inspiring. Those are the words that came to mind after finishing this book. I was impressed how the characters and storyline represented the value of simplicity and living life without caring what people say or think. Rosaline transitioned from being indecisive and overly concerned about other opinions into this person who knows her value and wants. I do love that. There were so many laughed-out-loud moments, and the story was very engaging! I highly recommend it!

It’s no secret that Boyfriend Material was a top five book for me last year ... so to say I was excited for this book is an big understatement!! And Hall did NOT disappoint me. I was cracking up from the very first page!

This book combines two of my top favorite things - romance AND BRITISH BAKING SHOWS!!! O. M. G. Be still my swooning heart. ♥️ Here’s a few things I really enjoyed about this single parent, love triangle romcom:

🎂The frank and open narrative about sexuality. Refreshingly done to absolute perfection.
🎂Bake Expectations - clearly a play on my fave show and I loved every second of the baking and behind the scenes drama.
🎂A super cute kid. Seriously this child was hilarious.
🎂Harry. What. A. Guy. That is all. ♥️♥️♥️
🎂The book club questions at the end of the book. HILARIOUS and thoughtful at the same time. Don’t miss it.

There’s definitely a heavy women’s fiction feel here and a little light on the actual romance, but I didn’t mind! I hated Alain, which I realize was the point, but wish less time would have been spent on him.

The best news of all is that we are going to get more baking next year from Hall!! Thank you to @readforeverpub for the #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!!

4.5 stars

Thanks to Forever Publishing for my arc of this book.

One sentence review: Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall is a must read for anyone who loves witty banter or the Great British Baking Show.

I absolutely adored everything about this book. The book follows Rosaline Palmer, a single mother, as she competes in Bake Expectations, a British baking show. The basic structure of the book is that it follows Rosaline from week to week in the competition with some scenes related to the competition itself and other scenes occurring during the week when she is back at home.

My thoughts:

- Alexis Hall is an absolute master at witty banter. He has some of the best dialogue out there.
- This book has some great characters. At the beginning of the competition it gets a little confusing because there are so many contestants but as you progress through the book you can't help but fall in love with some of these characters.
- I love the Great British Baking Show and there is no doubting the tongue in cheek references to TV show. I thought it was really cleverly done and will delight anyone waiting for a new season to load on Netflix.
- Rosaline is bisexual and I really appreciated how the book explores her bisexuality and how she is treated by others because of her sexuality.
- If I have a criticism it is that the book is a bit long. I felt like some of the "real life" scenes between show takes took more time than they probably needed to.

TW: The book includes a non-graphic depiction of an attempted sexual assault. Feel free to DM for more information.

In summary, if you are looking for a light, funny read with great dialogue between characters, this book would be the perfect choice.

Not real sure what to say about this one. Parts of it I loved, parts were too cliche, but one thing I really did like was the subject-a reality baking show.

I liked the fierce female lead- I loved her take on work and life and how she stood for what she believed in. Harry and the other contestants were good too but there was just so,etching off for me.

What could be sweeter than a romance that takes place during a baking competition? Single mom, Rosaline's life needs a story arc every bit as much as a reality show baking competition does. She looking for some prize money & a push in a new direction, but finds far more.

The first chapter made me nervous that this would be a book where all the conflict rose out of unnecessary miscommunication, but it's absolutely not. The relationships both romantic and otherwise grow so beautifully throughout the novel. It's a wonderful read.

I really enjoyed Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall. This book is marketed as a romance book, however and I do not think that is appropriate. It is much more of women’s fiction than romance in my opinion. Rosaline and her hero do not get together until the literal last chapter of the book. That being said, Hall’s writing is funny and authentic. Rosaline is such a relatable main character and Hall incorporates important issues including discrimination against bisexuals, classism, life as a single mom, and emotionally abusive parents. In addition, the cooking/baking described in this book is absolutely mouth-watering! This is a fun book, but I think readers should be aware it is not super romance oriented. If I knew that going in I think I would have liked it more!

Thanks to Forever for my gifted copy of Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, by Alexis Hall! This fun, light-hearted romance novel is out on May 18th (next week!).

Seemingly inspired by the Great British Baking Show, Rosaline Palmer is a woman with a young daughter who is just scraping by, when she lands a spot on a beloved national baking championship show. However, in addition to a few challenging recipes, there are a few romantic obstacles in her way as well.

Honestly y’all, this book wasn’t my favorite (unpopular opinion alert). While I love all of the baking show references (and the mouth-watering treats!), the plot moved along very slowly, and I was never motivated to pick it up and read it. On the plus side, this book definitely had a lot of funny parts in it. Alexis Hall definitely has a gift with humor!

I love love loved this book. Rosaline, a British single mother competing on Bake Expectations! In my head as I read, I pictured watching British Bake Off, and several of the hosts and judges from that, along with contestants over the years. It felt so real to watching one of those shows. I loved Rosaline as a character, I loved her friends and family and hope that my kiddo is as smart as hers when she is 8! I enjoyed the romance angles and the plot twists and turns there (somewhat was able to predict some of these but it was fun to read them as they played out, in slightly different ways than I had expected!) -- I finished this book in 1 day, because it was so delightful I just needed to keep reading, and I'm looking forward to finding more from Alexis Hall to enjoy! So glad I got a free ARC to read!

Amusing, spirited, and entertaining!

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is a playful, heartfelt, captivating tale that takes you into the life of the kindhearted, sweet Rosaline Palmer as she juggles motherhood, parental expectations, an unfulfilling job, a handsome new boyfriend, a fellow contestant with a heart of gold, and a cooking competition that could ultimately change her life.

The writing is witty and crisp. The characters are supportive, dependable, and eccentric. And the plot is a lighthearted, sassy blend of life, love, family, friendship, self-reflection, happiness, romance, baking, tricky mishaps, and awkward situations.

Overall, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is a humorous, uplifting, charming tale by Hall that I was lucky enough to be able to both read and listen to, and I can tell you they are both a delight. In fact, Fiona Hardingham does such a fantastic job of bringing all the quirky characters in this book to life, especially the precocious Amelie, who definitely steals the show, that I think, even though this typically isn’t the case, I might have even preferred the audio.

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is the first book I’ve read from Alexis Hall. This contemporary romance novel explores expectations vs. desires, confidence, strained familial relationships, and cut-throat baking competition. I was initially drawn to this book because Estelle from Read Forever Pub has the best contemporary romance book recommendations and I adore food competition settings in romcoms. All the characters were well-developed and it was great to see how some of them changed for the better (or for the worse) throughout the story. As for the writing style, I really enjoyed the hilarious moments and also the way that the author was able to discuss sensitive subjects as well. I also loved that the author not only had romance in here, but he also weaved in personal growth. Overall, I’d highly recommend picking this one up if you’re a romance reader! I can’t wait for the book book in the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

This was a fun and entertaining book that featured food porn, a love triangle, and a great set of supporting characters. The dialogue and witty banter between these characters in this book was great!

Amelie, Rosaline's daughter, was one of my favorite characters of the book. She is a precocious child who has been raised by a mother who encouraged open discussions about most things. The things she said had me cracking up!

It was clear from the beginning of the book that Rosaline is a fierce defender of her life choices and sexuality. She is a feminist at heart and she is assertive in calling people out on heteronormative/patriarchal thinking. I found her lack of confidence in herself and her self-consciousness of being a single mother a little puzzling at times. I know that people and characters are complicated with layers, but there was something about this incongruity in her personality that I kept questioning.

At about 450 pages, it was a bit too long but I think it was long because there was a lot that Hall was trying to cover in terms of messages/themes, all against a backdrop of a baking competition.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and the important messages in this book. If you enjoy baking and/or baking competition show, you'll enjoy this one!

Steam level: 🔥🔥½-🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: anxiety, classism, sexual assault

Thank you Forever Pub and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rosaline is a 20 something single mom with an amazing young daughter. She's working in a shop, but loves to bake so she applies and is accepted to be on Baked Expectations. She's struggling but sees the show as a way out.

For a romantic comedy/book about baking, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake had so much depth. Rosaline is bisexual and her sexuality often comes up. She shouldn't have to defend herself or her sexuality, but it seems like she did often throughout the book. I loved the serious conversations she was able to have with her fellow contestant Harry. She was able to tell him she didn't appreciate/want to be called love and he took her seriously and changed his behavior. She started out not being a fan of him, but they developed such a sweet friendship that blossomed into much more.

I loved Rosaline's best friend Lauren and her daughter, Amelie. For me they were high points of the book. I was so proud of Amelie to standing up for herself with her parents and with Alain. The parts with Alain were hard to read at times. At his best, it felt like Rosaline was trying to force herself to like him because her parents would approve of him. At worst, he tricked her and set her up to sexually assaulted by his ex-girlfriend. I didn't like him at all, but he helped her to get to Harry. I loved that Rosaline won the show and beat Alain.

I can't wait for the second book in this series.

I will update with the link when I share to my bookstagram account.

I'm so happy that this is the start of a new series by this author! I loved Boyfriend Material and was so excited to see a new release pop up on my radar!
This whole premise made my Great British Baking Show -loving heart so happy. This story follows single mom Rosaline Palmer who feels like she hasn’t lived up to her parents goals & isn’t providing the life she wants for her daughter. She decides to sign up for a baking reality tv show because she loves to bake,
It didn't feel traditionally romance-y in that Rosaline spends more of the book with the obviously wrong choice, but the hero was very delightful. And Rosaline is great! It did include a bit of a fake dating trope but this story felt more about Rosaline than the romance aspect which I ended up really enjoying even though I did go into it expecting mostly romance. I loved all the self-growth that took place and I really loved Rosaline's relationship with her daughter, Amelie.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

So, first thing’s first, the summary and cover of this book really present it as a rom-com and it definitely isn’t. Yes, it’s hilarious at times. Yes, there is some romance. But it’s definitely not a rom-com.

Rosaline is a single mom, struggling to pay the bills so she decides to audition for a British Bake Off type show to see about getting some extra cash. Throughout the competition she finds herself in a bit of a love triangle with architect, Alain, and electrician, Harry.

So, this book. I really hated the plot with Alain. In general, I’m not a fan of love triangles, but Alain as a character was just awful. Without giving too much away, he’s just a downright predatory character who tries to pass himself off as charming but is instead manipulative and narcissistic.

Also, just going to say, there should have been a content warning for sexual assault.

Harry was the redeeming factor of this book. At first I questioned him as a love interest, but he’s really so sweet and honestly just the kindest character.

All in all, I loved the baking parts. Baking competition shows are my absolute favourite so I could basically see the entire competition in my head which was very fun. The love triangle romance was not my favourite.

This book has a super cute premise! It was definitely a lot longer than it needed to be, though— the first quarter or so could have been cut way down. I also struggled with the characters a bit because they all felt a bit two-dimensional. The plot itself was adorable, though!

I really liked how the chapters were divided up by days/weeks of the competition! I felt like the baking competition aspect of the book was really well developed, and I liked that we got to “hear” the judges’ critiques and the winners/losers for each round.
Also, tThe producers for the baking competition were hilarious characters and often had me laughing with their dialogue!