After a unicorn hoof to the face four years ago, Dominic De Vere is happy to never set eyes on Sylvie Fairchild ever again, until, that is, four years later she gets nominated to be a judge on the new season of Operation Cake. It was not her intention, as a contestant of Operation Cake to have the hoof hit Dominic’s face, but, it happened and they are both happy to never be in each other’s presence.

I gave Battle Royal five stars, loving Dominic and Sylvie’s grumpy, sunshine romance and their love develop throughout the book. It was a gradual love but one that could not be denied. The chemistry they had was unsurmountable. This book was absolutely amazing and I enjoyed every second of it. I found their relationship to be at a good pace, not too fast, but also not too slow.

I especially liked the two side characters, Mabel, who works for Sylvie, and Pet (short for Petunia) who is Dominic’s younger sister. Those two truly made the book even better, especially Mabel’s energy throughout the book which ultimately made me love this book even more. Battle Royal doesn’t just feature the growing relationship between Dominic and Sylvie, but the baking world and also in general, the operations of owning a bakery. I loved the features that Lucy Parker added as both Dominic and Sylvie both had to design a cake for Princess Rose’s upcoming wedding, going through the wild flavors that they must add into the cake was hilarious and interesting. There were so many aspects to Battle Royal that I enjoyed and I simply couldn’t put this book down.

As we progressed through Battle Royal, we really got an inside look to Dominic and Sylvie’s emotions. This wasn’t just a simple happy-go-lucky romance novel where both are super happy with each other, no, there was in depth emotion being spread through the book. Happy, sad, angry, and funny, all these emotions were present in the book. I loved how there were simply so many things I could highlight in my book and take note of, it really made me enjoy the book a lot more. Dominic and Sylvie’s relationship was something that simply made my heart full. They both completed each other so well, even if they didn’t like each other in the beginning. But, even though they both had a bad incident in the beginning, staring a unicorn hoof, they both came to love each other so deeply. That was something I thoroughly enjoyed reading about.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Avon for inviting me to read Battle Royal and for providing me with and eARC in exchange for an honest review. I did read this a year later and was able to pick up the physical book, but, I think reading it physically made me love it even more, especially with my annotations.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something romantic, with hints of emotion, baking talk, and funny side characters.

A charming rom-com that I fell in love with. Loved the characters of Slyvie and Dom. I enjoyed how their relationship progressed. And who doesn't love cake? Looks like this is the first in a series, can't wait to read the next one.

Excellent enemies to loves trope. Royalty, Delicious sweets, hilarious banter, and complicated feelings. Sylvie and Dominic are a cute couple. I love the cake descriptions. Battle Royal was vulnerable, and real, and the characters were much more vivid.

This has been one of my favorite reads of the year, I'm so sad that it took me so long to get to it!! The found family, the relationships, pretty much everything was so so amazing!! The fact that I could kinda guess what was going to happen but also be surprised all throughout was pretty cool, and I'm so excited to read the next one when it comes out this summer! Definitely recommend! Can't wait for Pet and Matthias story :)

I really struggled with the authorial voice on this one. I couldn't quite get into the book by 25% and decided to put it down. The characters weren't well defined for me nor was their rivalry. I wanted more on that front. The location jumps were not working either. I wanted to love the show set up as a big GBBO fan.

I wanted to love it so much but something about the writing and set up was not working for me. I think it just lacked the usual things I love from Lucy Parkers books. I may revisit it eventually but for now it just didn't work for me.

Enemies to lovers, throw in a baking competition and a royal wedding, I’m sold.

Much of this book made me laugh out loud. Some of it at the beginning was wordy and bounced around, but as soon as I got the hang of it, I fell in love with the style.

As a long-time single woman and a romantic, this book truly touched me. It made it feel so easy, while acknowledging it’s hard. It spoke of loss and heartbreak on multiple levels, while proving you can find solace in love - that you find in a partner or the family you choose for yourself. And as they say, it’s always worth it.

I’d give it 10 stars if I could.

As a huge fan of baking shows and Lucy Parker, I was so ready for this book. I adored it. While it dealt with grief, I don't think that overwhelmed the love story. And the set up for the next book has me wanting more.

I fun romcom that made my day and sweet as the dishes they prepare. This little rivalry was a damn good time.

I really took my time with this one and I am so glad I did. I love a romance featuring a baking storyline but throw in a grief storyline and I am a sucker. I didn't ant this one to end. Loved it

This book unfortunately was a DNF. i tried it as an audio as well as printed but it felt too slow. Thank you for letting me read and review this book.

This book was a cute romance read. We have a dash of enemies to lovers trope going on with a side of competition between the two. What can go wrong? Sike, everything when you involve love and chemistry while you complete with each other. It's the typically rom-com read.

Sweet and spicy like the yummy treats sprinkled throughout the plot. I appreciate the GBBO-if-P-Hollywood-was-not-a-prat vibe, as well as the great mystery and competition for baking the royal wedding cake. Lots of great notes and I can't wait to read more!

Lucy Parker's books never let me down and this was no exception. I loved it! Sylvie and Dominic were the perfect grumpy/sunshine pair and their story was so much fun. Can't wait for the next in the series!

🍩💗Happy National Donut Day 🍩💗⁣
⁣
What are your weekend plans ? I’m staying home & reading all weekend :) I’ve been in a bit of a slump this week, I started 3 books that aren’t peaking my interest so I think I’m going to start this really cute romcom: Battle Royal because it involves a baking competition, romance & some enemies to lovers goodness 😍⁣
⁣
Thank you @avonbooks for sending me this gorgeous arc 🥰😍 #partner

It has taken me quite some time to get to this read and for that I apologize. Being a mood reader can be difficult.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

This book is fun and exciting, but also cute. I enjoyed the competition and royalty bits so much. Their banter was on point and hit some serious swoon.
I think loads of people can dive right into this and enjoy it. Sylvie and Dom are well rounded characters with big personalities that you grip right on to.

I did find parts of the plot all over the place and yet somehow slow in places. I think it is very good for what it is and would recommend. Think GBBO with royalty and romance!

3.5**

Battle Royal is the first book I've read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last, I really enjoyed her witty and easy to read writing style.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's just the thing needed to escape this unsettled world, I thought it started off a little on the slow side for my liking and it was until a good third of the way through that the pacing started picking up speed, once it did it's an absolute blast.

I love watching GBBO (I even watch the re-runs) so this was right up my street and I definitely wasn't disappointed, I loved the plot, it's funny and delightful, a heart-warming enemies to lovers/opposites attract romance with two wonderfully charming and complex characters who are in need to love.

I love the characters, Sylive and Dominic are the perfect couple, each with their own thoughts and opinions, the chemistry between them is off the charts; it's sizzling and sexy, they banter, bicker and flirt at times it's a will-they-won't they relationship an then other times you know that they are for keeps.

The story is a real winner, it's ticks all the boxes any romance lover looks for in a rom-com, a definite must read!

Thank you so much @williammorrowbooks and @avonbooks for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This might be my new favorite romance. This just felt so real. The chemistry between Sylvie and Dominic is so good and nothing like I've read in a romance before! I loved the baking competition show they were judges on, the little competition they we in for the wedding cake for Rosie and Johnny, the moments of intimacy, the beautiful and cute moments they had together when comforting each others, so many funny moments of laughter, the great moments in their bakeries with their employees and family. Everything about this book was just phenomenal!

--> Recommended if you like:
• Baking
• Family
• Competition
• Royalty
• Weddings
• Business Ownership
• Steam
• The Great British Baking Show
• Banter
• Humor

This was a quick read. I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope with Dominic and Sylvie. It was a nice slow-burn, which is hard to execute properly and Lucy Parker nailed it. I am excited to visit this universe again with Pet and Matthias's story!

This book is sweet (ha, pun unintended) and though it takes a little bit to get into it, is a quick read. It has a lot of Lucy Parker staples that I enjoy -- wonderful dialogue, excellent character relationships, excellent building of relationships especailly, investment in character nuances -- but for some reason, I just didn't vibe with the romance. I believed it, but it didn't pull me in. It just felt kind of... bland. There. It was a much more quiet romance than I think I was expecting going into it, which is not the author's fault, but it definitely contributed to the not-catching-me-thing. I'm not particularly interested in the next book at this moment (though I do love Pet) because see pet peeve #1 below, but we'll see!

Also, two pet peeves were committed:
1. WHY ARE AUTHORS OBSESSED WITH BIG MEN/SMALL WOMEN PAIRINGS AND WHY DO THEY HAVE TO MENTION IT ALL THE TIME? WE GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. last minute dramatic scene that literally didn't need to happen? lmao

Everything about this book was made for me. Both people are bakers? YES! They hate each other? YES! One is a big giant grump and the other throws glitter everywhere? HELL YES!! From the start I loved this romcom about an upstart baker competing against a legacy baker after meeting four years ago on a Great British Baking Show-esque competition where he was a judge and she was a contestant. Everything is delightful and sweet. The romance aspect goes from bickering to friendship to lover slowly enough that it feels natural for these two people. There was a lot more damage in both their pasts that I was crying pretty heavily at least three times, but in the end, it all works out (of course, it's a romance novel!).

My only real complaint is how hard the author leans on making Dominic into a younger stand-in for Paul Hollywood. He's going grey early, he's tall with broad shoulders, and constantly grumpy. Sylvie convinces him to start giving out handshakes when contestants impress him. It's an aspect of the character that is pushed VERY HARD, and as I find Paul Hollywood to be terrible, it really skewed up my internal movie when Dominic kept turning into him in my head. Ugh...

Still, this book was written for me!