This book was far more than I expected- in a good way. It had sub-plot on sub-plot and much more trauma and angst than the cover suggested. Just when you think the emotional roller coaster is over, the author piles more complications on (the last minute thing with the friend felt like... a lot.) In the hands of a less-talented author, this would be a jumbled soup, not a nice layer cake. Honestly, IMO, this book leans more into Women's Fiction territory with it's multiple family trauma sub-plots and the (multiple) professional sub-plots and the (MULTIPLE) mystery elements. (And also... can I just say there are SO MANY SCULPTORS in England? And specifically, glass sculptors? Can't believe that profession is so popular... )

This book was 4.5 stars for & rounded up to 5 for my immense enjoyment of the book!


Sylvie & Dominic met 4 years ago on the televised baking competition, Operation Cake. Sylvie was a contestant to keep an eye out BUT Dominic always had something to say about her colorful and glamorous pastries. He was a bit (read: a lot) more conservative and traditional with his own pastry style which lead to some stern critique.

Fast forward and Sylvie now has the successful bakery of her dreams. She's only right across the street from Dominic who will now be her co-star as she returns to Operation Cake as a judge. It also turns out that both bakeries will be competing to secure a royal contract for an upcoming wedding.

This book was such a surprise to me. I liked the synopsis of the book but wasn't expecting it to exceed my expectations, which it did. The budding (slow-burn) romance between Sylvie and Dominic had me rooting for them from the start. I was in love with their Sunshine/Grumpy dynamics and how there was never any real malice in their professional relationship which lead to a very wonderful and low-angst romance/relationship. Like, I swear I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop (in their romantic relationship) or for some type of toxic behavior to happen but it didn't. This was a feel good book for me and I had so much fun reading this.

There was some other stuff going on besides the main plot of their romance and the royal contract. This includes a disaster of an intern, the baking show,, some emotional tension with Dominic's sister, and the royal couple themselves. I enjoyed all of these sub-plots and didn't feel that they took away from the main romance/plot. I did feel that one of the sub-plots was a little pointless and ended/resolved a little flatly for me, but that may also be my desire to see some chaos.

Overall this book was a great read and I found myself laughing at how funny it was and rooting for the couple the while time. I would also like book 2 right now!

Can't wait to see what else this author has in store for the characters we've been introduced to!

Thanks to netgalley who gave me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

6/10 stars

Adorable and sweet are the two words that first come to mind when describing this treat of a book.
Battle Royal follows Sylvie a whimsical baker who found stardom after appearing on the show Operation Cake, and Dominic, a stern, traditional baker who judged Sylvie on the show and ultimately sent her home. Four years after that, Sylvie has been invited as a judge for Operation Cake at the same time she and Dominic's bakeries are competing for the chance to bake the wedding cake for the recently engaged Duchess Rosie and her fiance.

As a Great British Bakeoff fan, I was ecstatic to start this book. And it also includes my favorite trope, enemies to lovers? Sign me up.

Let's start with the positives. Lucy Parker has a way of describing love that warms my heart. The way she talks about the different romantic relationships in this book is so precious and it made me fall in love with each and every one.

Sylvie was easy to root for both because she is an underdog but because of her kindness and magical aesthetic. Dominic's transformation from grump to love interest was well explained by his past. Even though the characters didn't have a ton of chemistry together, I could still see and believe that they were falling in love, even if the transition from enemies to friends was a little quick to me.

And what great side characters! Pet is so lovely and I think (and hope) the next book features her and the bodyguard. Mabel was funny and I loved whenever she appeared. Rosie and Jack's love story was my favorite part of this entire book. They were so wholly in love and it was beautiful to read.

The reason I gave this such few stars is that I didn't mesh so well with the writing style. I felt detached reading this even though I desperately wanted to lose myself in the story. It wasn't bad writing, it just didn't do it for me.

Overall, this was a cute story and I will definitely be checking out the next in this series when it comes out.

THis will appear on the RRT site soon. http://romrevtoday.com/

BATTLE ROYAL – Lucy Parker
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-304006-9
August 17, 2021
Romantic Comedy

London – Present Day

Four years ago, baker Sylvie Fairchild competed on Operation Cake, a hit baking competition show. Her beautiful and intricate designs were popular with viewers, but not for one of the judges, Dominic De Vere. He hated her and her cakes, which led to him voting her off the show. Sylvie has gone on to open a popular bakery, which has caught the attention of the Operation Cake producers…and a princess. Sylvie is hired to appear as a judge on the show’s newest season—alongside her old nemesis Dominic. She is also asked to be one of the few bakeries to present a potential cake design for the upcoming wedding of Princess Rosie. Dominic will also be presenting a cake design.

Dominic can’t stand Sylvie and is not looking forward to working with her on the set of Operation Cake. However, she also intrigues him as she wears her heart on her sleeve. She is not afraid to state her opinions and she will step in to help those in need. As the favorite baker of the royal family, Dominic feels that he has the inside track to win the coveted prize of baking the royal wedding cake. But the more he’s around Sylvie, the more he begins to realize how talented she really is. Okay, he might not agree with all of her designs, but they are fresh and innovative. Dominic also begins to find himself attracted to Sylvie.

It’s a battle of the sexes—and bakers—in BATTLE ROYAL. Sylvie has worked hard to get where she’s at—owning a successful bakery in London. It isn’t that Dominic hasn’t worked hard himself, but he was tutored in the business by his grandfather, who founded the bakery. His younger half-sister, Pet, also works at the bakery, though they’re still trying to rebuild a relationship after years apart. Meanwhile, Dominic and Sylvie meet with the future bride and groom to get a feel for what they want in a cake. They learn that she was fond of her late uncle, the Prince of Wales, who died a single man several years ago. Going through the late prince’s personal belongings (with the okay of the royal family) Sylvie and Dominic discover that he was once in love. Who was she and what happened to her? Why did they not marry? This is part of the quest that Dominic and Sylvie go on together. Will they discover the answers?

Things are a bit offbeat at times in this tale, but just what you can expect in a romantic romp from the author, Lucy Parker. Things don’t always go perfect between Dominic and Sylvie, nor with the people around them. As they work together, they grow closer—and begin to respect each other. The wedding and the Operation Cake production is just part of the background in BATTLE ROYAL. The main course is Dominic and Sylvie. Will their attraction lead to the bedroom? And if it does, will it be smooth sailing? Be prepared to chuckle and smile your way through the pages in this fun and hip tale.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

I have to say that I was a little unsure when starting Battle Royal. I'm not the biggest fan of baking shows, I know what is wrong with me, and the beginning of the book didn't quite grab me. But, I am such a Lucy Parker fan girl that I had faith and it totally paid off! Once I got going on this one I couldn't stop!

Sylvie was a delight and I am desperate to visit Sugar Fair or find something like it in real life because WOW, that would be the dream bakery. Dominic was a bit prickly but that made him so much more endearing as he opened up and we found out more about him. Lucy Parker's characters are always spot on and this book was no different. Her witty banter and dialogue is one of the best I've ever read and has me feeling like I'm talking to a friend by the end.

The romance was paced just right and I absolutely loved that once they were together, they were together for the long haul and we really got to see these two people find their way and support each other through the ups and downs as one does in a real relationship.

This book really got me with the emotions. I appreciated the way she talked about grief and loss as well as remembering that to love or have been loved even for a small amount of time is always worth it.

I did feel like maybe there was one too many storylines going on at once and I didn't particularly need or love Jay's revelation, but that was a small complaint to an overall wonderful book!

Also Pet was such a scene stealer! Every time she came on the page I wanted more, I am desperately hoping she will get her own book soon!

An ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

While BATTLE ROYAL shares some similarities to one of my all-time favourite Parker reads, and obviously by the above rating I really loved it, I'll admit this might end up being on the bottom rung of my top five favourites from this author. Which just goes to show you how much I love her books because so many of them are so great. <b>But</b> it's easily the one that made me cry the most.

"<i>Some of us have compassion for others. It's called empathy.</i>"
"<b>Some of us would hug a rabid squirrel if it shed a few tears and burbled an improbably sob story. It's called gullibility.</b>"

This story is doing a lot plot-wise, which may actually be what works against it a little bit, only because sometimes certain elements don't quite get the full attention they deserve, or are tied-off pretty quickly and conveniently, but despite all that, I enjoyed everything that was done. And was also, like, moved by much of it; see aforementioned tears.

"<i>[..] it's way too.. not beige to come from your kitchens.</i>"
"<b>A neutral palette is universally appropriate.</b>"
"<i>That's not how you pronounce 'dull'</i>."

The obvious plot points to note are easily deduced by both cover and summary; there's a pair of rival grumpy/sunshine bakers who feature not only on a GBBO-like baking competition but also are competing to win the royal wedding cake contract. But what's less obvious? Is the lovely infusion of found family dynamics. As well as complicated biological-family relations. Less lovely but just as emotional? The talk and processing of loss and grief.

"<i>Jealousy is a destructive, pointless emotion and a complete waste of time.</i>"
"<b>Fairly annoying, then, that it's seeping from your pores right now?</b>"
"<i>Very.</i>"

Like many romances these days, we're getting more bang for our buck and within the pages of this cutesy adorable outside is a lot of substance. Which isn't to say the cutesy adorable ones aren't just as satisfying. But I definitely picked this up for something joyful and fun and I got that.. and tears. That's all I mean. And I don't remotely regret getting more than I wanted. There were plenty of laughs (full out cackles a time or two) and I really enjoyed watching these two opposites fall for each other amongst all the other excitement happening around them. Bonus points because they are a bit older than the typical romance protagonists and, as always, Parker makes the steamy moments steamy and a little silly and all around endearingly real.

"<i>You have the table side manner of the shark from <b>Jaws</b></i>."

Though I maybe didn't come off as strong about my love for this one, I think that's a combination of having too many top top favourites from the author and also just because this one, despite the emotes, was a bit of a softer touch. A slower, gentler, burn of a story.

"<i>I'm equal parts terrified and aroused.</i>"
"<b>What an excellent relationship motto for us.</b>"

All that to say : this is a definite recommend. And I can't wait for the next in the series.

All these romances with baking competitions? I'm into it. With any competition, comes rivalries. And since rivals to romance is one of my favorite tropes, Battle Royal is definitely down my alley. Funnily enough, the baking competition - which was initially my main intrigue - ended up being my least favorite element. Battle Royal also features rival bakeries for an upcoming wedding which ended up stealing the show for me.

Sylvie and Dominic wormed their way into my heart. The scenes of them getting to know each other, of their banter and conversations - those stole my heart. And I felt like their judging of Operation Cake was another element thrown into the mix. But at the end of the day, it was my least favorite because I felt it took time away from Dominic and Sylvie's stories, their rival baking styles, and the competition for the contract. I understand from a writing perspective that the judging is part of the reason they're back in each other's orbit, but it was certainly my least favorite element.

I was so excited to read this book after seeing so many positive reviews but I just could not get into it. There was a lot going on with all of the different subplots, and it was a very typical romcom so it was easy to predict what would happen next. I do love the enemies to lovers trope and I really enjoyed the baking theme. I can see how people would enjoy this book, it just was not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

So this was a super fun read and I loved the Operation Cake baking show competition aspect with the main characters being judges and dealing with Dominic being the deciding vote to vote Sylvie off the show for her season four years prior. So we have competing bakeries that are right across the street from each other Sugar Fair is frivolous and fun while De Veres is a veritable British institution. In the midst of this Princess Rose gets engaged and now both bakeries are competing for the contract to bake the royal wedding cake and of course they start to fall in love and end up working together to present the idea for the royal wedding cake. Just a great read and I really loved all the talk of baking and when they were describing the behind the scenes for the baking competition.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Sylvie Fairchild is invited to be a judge on Operation Cake (think British Bakeoff). She was a contestant four years ago and was eliminated when her cake exploded into Dominic De Vere. Now she owns her own cake shop across from his. Dominic still is as traditional and grumpy as he always was. Sylvie likes to add whimsy, color and better yet edible glitter. Of course these two are going to clash and attract. Now in addition to working on the tv show they are competing for the chance to provide the wedding cake for Princess Rose, fourth in line for the throne.

I really enjoyed this book and there are genuinely funny moments. But as a whole it takes awhile to get going. I think there are too many subplots. Figuring out the cake flavor profiles, the mystery of the royal uncle, who is stealing Sylvie's ideas, Pets relationship with Dominic, Sylvie's relationship to Jay etc... They all get resolved but it makes the book overly long and pulls focus from Sylvie and Dominic. This is the first book in a new series and I will look forward to the next. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Parker’s new romantic comedy Battle Royal became a must-read for me as soon as I learned that it features a reality TV baking show and two rival bakers who truly cannot stand one another. Not only are these rivals forced to serve as judges together, but there is also a battle royal where the two rivals go head-to-head as they each try to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design and bake a cake for a royal wedding. This sounded like the perfect recipe (pardon the pun) for entertainment and Lucy Parker sure delivers!

I loved the main character Sylvie Fairchild from the moment she’s introduced. She is a charming ray of sunshine and her shining personality comes through in every whimsical, often glittery, creation that she bakes in her shop, Sugar Fair. Four years ago, she appeared on her way to victory on the reality TV show, Operation Cake, until the famous (and sexy) pastry chef, Dominic De Vere, voted her off the show and pronounced her as lacking in talent and relying on gimmicks. When Sylvie is offered the opportunity to serve as a judge on the same show, she reluctantly agrees to do it even though it means she’ll have to deal with Dominic again.

In addition to serving as a judge on the reality show, Dominic also owns a well-respected bakery that is often used by businesses in the area and even by the palace at times. Sylvie snarks that everything Dominic bakes is beige and colorless, just like his personality.

I loved the tension between Sylvie and Dominic as the sparks flew between them. It became clear pretty quickly that what they were feeling for each other wasn’t hate at all and it was very entertaining to watch their relationship grow and evolve, especially as they each vie for the contract to bake the royal wedding cake. It also becomes clear that they have more in common than they ever realized, particularly as it relates to loneliness and loss.

Battle Royal also features a fabulous cast of lovable secondary characters, including Dominic’s sweet sister Pet, as well as Sylvie’s coworkers at Sugar Fair, who, although they love to snark at each other all the time, are loyal to Sylvie above all else and were definitely her found family. These characters were all so great. I became very invested in all of them and I’m hoping we’ll see them in future books since this is apparently the beginning of a new Palace Insiders series.

If you enjoy romances that feature rivals to lovers and sunshine personalities versus grumpy, Battle Royal is the book for you!

This such an incredible romance. The non sexual intimacy between the main characters makes this book extremely comforting for me as an ace-spectrum reader. I loved the slow paced yet quick romantic development, I love the expanded relationships with all secondary characters, and most of all I loved how the layers were peeled back for both the main characters as they got to know each other's quirks, backstories, and tragedies that fed into their personalities. I can say with conviction this has hit the top of my list for favourite romances of all time.

I adored so much about the premise of this book! Set in Notting Hill in London, Sylvie and Dominick are rival bakers and also fellow judges on a baking competition show (which gave me major Great British Bake Off vibes). There is also a royal sub-plot, competing for the chance to make a wedding cake for the upcoming royal wedding.

The characters were all so well written. Dom and Sylvie are the definition of he’s grumpy/she’s sunshine, enemies to lovers perfection. The chemistry between them was undeniable and unfolded so naturally. There are some seriously swoon worthy moments packed in.

I loved the addition of characters like Mabel and Pet and enjoyed the bits of drama along the way, which added a lot of depth to the story. Although I found the pace a bit slow at times, I found the writing superb and enjoyed my time with these characters. A solid 4 star!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. Mark your calendars, pub date is 8/17!

Fans of the Great British Bake Off and of royal weddings will delight in this mashup that includes two couples fighting for each other. This enemies-to-lovers romance of rival bakers vying to be the next baker for a royal wedding includes lots of side characters but perhaps a bit too much plot with multiple storylines converging. Our grumpy hero Dominic De Vere and sunshine heroine Sylvie Fairchild first met years ago when she was a contestant on the baking show and he was a judge. With an epic fail that included Dom being shot in the face with basically a glitter bomb, Sylvie gets voted out of the competition. But four years later, they now have rival baking shops across the street from each other. His traditional style rubs her the wrong way but her eccentric shop is only mildly successful. So when offered the chance to redeem herself and become a judge on the baking show too, she jumps at it.

Throw in the competition for making the next royal wedding cake and you definitely have a great Battle Royal!

I can't wait to read more in the series!

Lucy Parker's latest has everything I want in a contemporary romance – characters I fell for immediately, swoony, slow burn enemies to lovers, a fantastic premise, and loads of charm. I adored Battle Royal from its opening pages and devoured this book as quickly as Sylvie devours good chocolate.

Sylvie and Dominic couldn't be more different – in their approach to their bakeries or their personalities. Sylvie already loathed Dominic when she earned his ire while she was a contestant on Operation Cake four years ago, She's very surprised when the show invites her back to serve as a judge alongside Dominic, but she can't pass up the opportunity for increased exposure and sales for her charming bakeshop in Notting Hill. When Dominic and Sylvie learn they're both in the running for the cake contact of the year – the wedding of the royal princess – they can't decide which runs hotter – their attraction for one another or conflicting styles.

The chemistry and sparks between Sylvie and Dominic were fantastic. I loved their banter and the barbs that flew between them. The side characters – particularly Rosie, Johnny, Mabs, and Pet – were just as nuanced and sincere. I loved everything about this book. I am so excited Lucy Parker is continuing this series. I can't wait to see what she does next. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of an e-arc.

I love a Lucy Parker book, no doubt. But this is the start of a new series, and you never know what might happen, even when it's from a favorite author.

No need to fear! This is the grumpy-sunshine, GBBO-style competition, rivals-to-lovers with a bit of modern-royals glamour to top it all off that I needed.

I won't bother recapping the plot. I'll just talk about what I loved and think was done well:

The food details were wonderful--tried-and-true from Dominic, quirky and inventive from Sylvie (and abysmal from another character). I adore food in books, always!

Dominic and Sylvie have a history, most of it horrid. But things improve throughout the story, and I appreciate so much that they've got each other's backs when things go wrong. While they are technically in competition for the chance to make the royal wedding cake, they aren't awful to each other. The awfulness comes from another quarter entirely. Nicely done!

The royal love story is a lovely gem hidden inside the larger tale of Dominic and Sylvie. Dom and Sylvie's closest friends and family members are interesting without stealing the show, and I wouldn't mind seeing some of them with books of their own.

There is a mystery--a tertiary or even quaternary subplot--that was fascinating to me. Sometimes, I feel like authors have too much going on, and it pulls focus from the main relationship. This time, I thought they all shed light on the main characters and their development, so nothing was gratuitous.

All in all, a lovely story. I think this will turn out to be right up there with my other LP fave, Act Like It.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

Lucy Parker is the queen of grumpy-sunshiny romances, absolutely my favorite kind of pairing in Romancelandia, so I knew I would love this book, but adding in a GBBO inspired reality TV show was the literal icing on the cake. I have no doubt this is going to be one of my top reads for the year. I found it to be filled to the brim with witty banter, warmth, love, high emotional stakes, and best of all, scrumptious sounding sweets and cake.

Dominic is a stern, straight-laced, take no prisoners owner of one of the most prestigious confectioners shops in London. Due to financial pressures and the need to keep a high profile for his shop, he has a side gig judging on the most popular baking show on TV, however he's well-known for his pithy criticism and the withering glare that can dissolve any contestant into tears.

Sylvie is an adorable, imaginative, glitter and fairy tale loving baker, who appeared on the baking show as a contestant 4 yrs ago and memorably pelted Dominic in the face with a misfiring unicorn cake. In the ensuing years, she opened a shop reflecting her own unique style right across the street from Dom and as the story opens, not only has she been invited back to the show as a judge, she's also determined to win a contract to supply the wedding cake for a high profile royal wedding and will be competing directly with Dom for that contract.

The sparks between this mismatched, yet perfectly matched, pair are incendiary but more importantly, the warmth, care, and love that grows between them as they slowly reveal their true selves to each other while dealing with various personal and professional crises is absolutely heartwarming. I could read about these two all day with a smile on my face. Also, by the end of the book, it’s clear who the next couple in this series is going to be and I’m so there for it.

Super cute enemies-to-lovers with a GBBO spin. Sylvie was a contestant who infamously blew up a glittery unicorn in frosty judge Dominic's face during her time on a Bake Off-esque show. Three years later, she is the owner of a rainbows and glitter bakery, right across the road from Dominic's very traditional family bakery. She accepts a judging spot on the show she was kicked off of, and while filming the season, she and Dominic find themselves battling each other for the contract of a royal wedding cake.

I really enjoyed how thoroughly every character was developed. Dominic's childhood, along with his relationship with his sister, was heartbreaking and definitely plays into his icy exterior, and Sylvie's similar background (and completely opposite sunny disposition) made them a sweet couple. I also super enjoyed them trying to figure out the Midnight Elixir recipe and desperately want to visit Sylvie's Dark Forest.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I loved this romance between two rival bakers! Lucy Parker is one of the strongest writers of contemporary romance and "Battle Royal" does not disappoint. The intersection of food and romance was wonderful, the description and atmosphere superb (for example, the heroine's underground dungeon room where she concocts her fancy cocktails- I want to go there!) Fans of Laura Florand's romances that center around chocolate in Paris will love this one too!

This book had so many elements that I love reading about in romance books.

It has:
🧁 grumpy/sunshine trope
🧁 enemies to lovers
🧁 forced proximity (they work across the street from each other)
🧁 royalty romance (subplot)
🧁 focus on healing and family (biological and self made)

I enjoyed the humorous banter and quips littered throughout this book. The little comments sprinkled here and there reminded me of Lorelei Gilmore’s sense of humor when she banters, especially with Rory. The pacing of this story started off slowly for me, so I had a hard time staying focused in the first half of the story despite liking the characters and the general idea of the story. Two competitive bakeries across the street from one another have to compete for a royal wedding cake job opening while also working together on a baking reality show. The second half of the book picked up more and I found it easier to read for longer amounts of time and get swept up in the characters and feel invested in the ups and downs of the story. I really enjoyed the way the story progresses throughout the second half of the book, all the twists along the way and the conclusion with its own happily ever after for our main two characters. While it took me longer to get into the story, I did enjoy reading it and seeing how everything would work out so that all the romantic couples could find their own hea.

Content: abandonment, adult language, minor mention of mental health, one open door scene

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.