Donut Fall in Love
BY Jackie Lau

Donut Fall In Love is a sweet romcom that was a fast paced read set in Toronto between Lindsay, a baker known for her culinary inventions, and Ryan Kwok, a gorgeous actor whose recent fame is due to his sick-pack selfie going viral. Their meet cute is literally bumping into each other at the cost of some donut masterpieces ending up on the floor.

Ryan is back in Toronto after the sudden death of his mother and his number one fan, and trying to connect back and build his relationship with his father - who would rather troll him on social media than spend time with his son. An opportunity to become a celebrity contestant for Baking Fail, one of his mother's favorite shows, he enlists the help of Lindsay to teach him a little something about baking to not look like an utter fool on television.

I thought that the story was cute but also had depth and covered important themes as racism (Asians in television), social media trolls, grief and loss, and even some mental health issues. This was an overall fun read that I enjoyed a lot with great characters and a quick read that had me craving all the wonderful sweet and delightful treats.

Jackie Lau is my go-to when I am in the need of a low-angst comfort read because I can always count on her for hot Asian heroes and heroines getting down with cute Asian food porn and steamy times, sometimes at the same time. Ryan, our abs-flashing movie star, and fearless baker Lindsay were another fantastic J. Lau combination. However, I was not prepared for how heavy their story felt, and it wasn't because of the donuts. Ryan is grieving his mother's recent death and its effect on his family while Lindsay is still stuck in an emotional rut of sorts after her father's death years ago. The blurb only warned slightly of this, and perhaps a stronger content warning could have hinted there's more than just dating with donuts here, there's also overwhelming hurt and fear in the those left behind.

Ryan and Lindsay's relationship quickly becomes more than just a mutual love of pastries and Ryan's abs. They become each other's support system as each grapples with how to move on from losing a parent. In fact, it is the memory of baking with his mom that leads Ryan right into Lindsay's bakery, and smack dab into her tray of matcha tiramisu donuts.

Ryan wasn’t entirely sure why, but he felt like he had to go into this bakery, like eating a chocolate cupcake was somehow the closest he could be to his mother right now, even if these cupcakes were works of art compared to the ones they’d made together.

It became really heavy at times reading about Ryan's frustration with his father who would tweet the world but not return his son's calls, not to mention how genuinely fearful I was about his postpartum sister and her baby. This was really dark for a Jackie Lau romance. And it wasn't just Ryan's internal fears and worries. Lindsay was struggling with how to open herself up to another person again:

In fact, she’d felt disconnected from her peers in general. She’d been twenty-two, and even though losing a parent by that age wasn’t super uncommon, none of her friends had lost a parent. They didn’t get it.

There were cute moments about donuts and dads and abs and Asians in Hollywood, but most of all, this was about grief. Grief so heavy and fresh that even donuts couldn't always comfort. As someone still mourning the loss of a loved one, I wasn't emotionally ready myself for the feelings Ryan and Lindsay stirred up.

I really, really enjoyed this book. When movie star Ryan Kwok bumps into baker Lindsey McLeod, knocking an entire tray of doughnuts to the floor, the last thing either of them expects is to become romantically entangled. But when Ryan enlists the help of the cuter doughnut maker in teaching him to bake before his appearance on a knock-off version of Nailed It, sparks fly.

This book manages to put together a stellar, surprisingly realistic romance, both while involving the drama of a celebrity romance, and tackling serious topics like Asian representation in Hollywood, postpartum depression, grief and loss of a parent, body image/standards, and more. This may make the book sound like its a bit of a downer, but it's really not. Overall, it shows a beautiful relationship develop between Ryan and Lindsey, as well as between Ryan and his dad, who has been struggling since the loss of his wife. Though I love a good doughnut, and I love a good celebrity romance, so it would have been difficult not to love this book!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Lindsay's a baker. Ryan's an actor. They're both adjusting to some changes in their family/personal lives. They meet when they literally run in to each other, causing the ignoble death of a tray full of donuts. It's an annoyance, but neither character turns the incident into hostility; instead, Ryan hires Lindsay to help him with his baking skills as he prepares for an appearance on the celebrity-edition of a show called Baking Fail.

This traditionally published romance from Jackie Lau features a low-key emotional landscape and also a low-key external plot. I always like the former, and I especially enjoyed the latter in this book: like, Ryan's career is not at a death point, even though his last movie didn't exactly bust blocks (or whatever the phrase should be) and he's concerned about the consequences of that, and there's nothing vital hinging on his appearance on Baking Fail except some personal emotional resonance. And Lindsay's bakery isn't, like, on the verge of shutting down or close to financial ruin, and nothing hinges on her teaching Ryan and entangling her life with his, nothing requires her to use his celebrity for her own gain. This is not an angsty romance, a conflict-ful romance, and the most intense emotional moments are not between the two protagonists. (I was really into Ryan's shaky attempts to navigate his relationship with his grieving father, who has suddenly taken to trolling him on Twitter.) This is a lighter romance, and I found it to be a relaxing read.

And, to be clear: I LIKED THIS. Low stake romances for the win!! I hope readers who also like low stakes can find their way to this book.

One thing I always appreciate in Lau's books is how she features a multitude of Asian-Canadian experiences, and especially regarding the lives of multiracial/biracial Asians. I'm not Canadian, and I don't share the same exact ethnic background as these characters, but it always means a lot to me to see people similar to me having experiences that I can both relate to and not relate to: no tokenizing, no unnecessary angst, and all centering. Lau's characters within individual books, friend groups, and families, all have different experiences and relationships to their ethnic and racial identities, and this book is no different.

'Donut Fall In Love': 3⭐

(Unpaid Review: thank you to @netgalley, @jackielau and the publishers for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

So, this book is a gender-reverse, canadian, Nothing Hill. By that description only, you're completely hooked. Now, let me tell you something: don't be fooled by the cover, because this is spicy 🌶️🌶️ like a 4 in a 5 scale. It is GOOD!

The story is set around a baker and a movie star, which are basically two popular jobs we adore. Also, you'll be mouth-watering the entire time, so get yourself some donuts, will ya?

I didn't rate this much higher because it took me a while to get used to the writing and the insta-love trope. I'm not a girl for insta-love trope, although I do appreciate it sometimes. I just felt like it was too rushed!

DONUT FALL IN LOVE
“A baker provides the sweetest escape for an actor in this charming romantic comedy. ”
🥰really liked \\ 🔥high steam
🤟celeb romance, viral abs, gourmet donuts
📚While We We’re Dating

This was an enjoyable romance. Loved the banter between the two. For a celeb romance I wish there would have a been a tad more of that element to it (my favorite trope).

This was a fun read with an interesting plot. I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

What happens when a baker and movie star crash land into a heap of donuts - LOVE! Ryan Kwok, a-list actor, needs help prepping for his stint on Canada's "Baking Fail" and who better to help him than than women who's donuts he ruined.

Drown yourself in the savory confectionary sweetness as they mix together baking and romance. This story also mixes unsavory concoctions with secondary cast members dealing with loss and postpartum struggles. And, Twitter has never been more fun than with this read.

Ryan and Lindsay's romance felt a bit rushed from casual to dreaming of babies, love and exclusiveness considering his status. Communications issues are getting tiring in romcoms and this one could easily of been prevented.

Donut Fall in Love cuteness is a perfect Fall read if you are looking for a light-hearted, quick story.

Jackie Lau's books always make me hungry. And she always brings the heat! This was a cute romcom between a fancy donut shop owner and an actor who has made it big based on his cuteness-- and his tendency to show off his chiseled abs. Both are reeling from the death of a parent-- Lindsay from the death of her father seven years ago, and Ryan from the sudden death of his mother just six months ago. Ryan is obviously still deeply grieving her, and seeing a couple of women eating cupcakes outside of Lindsay's shop reminds him of his mom, so he goes in. There is a run-in with some matcha tiramisu donuts. When Ryan is offered a chance to be a contestant on a Nailed It-type show, he decides to do it in honor of his mother, but he needs to learn how to bake in order to avoid complete humiliation on the show. So he goes to Lindsay for baking lessons. During these baking lessons, they discover how much they actually have in common, and they start to fall for each other.

I am not a huge fan of tropes involving "famous" people because the problems and insecurities that arise generally aren't interesting to me. That was the case with this book, too, but other parts made up for it. Ryan's father is a hoot and a half, and he's clearly dealing with his own issues (not so well) with the death of his wife. Lindsay's roommate and Ryan's best friend had a tense interaction. Furthermore, I am always fascinated by the look into Asian-American culture and learning about their experiences. And, again, THE FOOOOOD.

When movie star Ryan Kwok is called to go on a celebrity baking show, he knows he needs some serious help. And who better to help him than the cute bakery owner he literally ran into (and caused her to drop 2 dozen specialty donuts). As Ryan and Lindsey spend more time together, the chemistry is undeniable. But can Lindsey handle the celebrity spotlight?

Y’all already know I love a good baking show romance, and this one had some delicious sounding treats! This was a sweet romance, and I really appreciated the character development and seeing how both Lindsey and Ryan dealt with things they were struggling with. This one dealt with some heavier topics (death of a parent, grief, postpartum depression) and also discussed problematic Asian stereotypes in pop culture, all of which was done well. The love story itself was cute, but I personally would have loved a bit more chemistry and banter.My favorite part of this book, however, goes to Ryan’s dad and his Twitter account.

Go ahead, grab a donut and pick up this book!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This was a cute story and I enjoyed it, but it could’ve been so much better. The premise and plot for this story had a lot of potential.

I’d call this a contemporary romance rather than a romcom. I loved the characters on their own, their backgrounds and struggles. The writing is good.

The chemistry really wasn’t there for me between Lindsay and Ryan. Like.. instalove, but make it awkward.

I wish they hadn’t made Ryan quite so vain. I appreciated and enjoyed his sense of humor for the most part, but goodness with the amount of times we went through the let-me-just-take-off-my-shirt crap. We flip-flipped so much between him being arrogant and self-aware/respectful. Some of it was downright cringey and painful.

I received a gifted galley of DONUT FALL IN LOVE by Jackie Lau for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Rating: 3.5 / 5

DONUT FALL IN LOVE follows an unlikely couple. Ryan Kwok is an actor best known for his fitness, in particular his abs. He’s had some success on the screen, but also some flops. He’s spending time in Toronto with his family between gigs after the loss of his mother. He’s invited to appear on Baking Fail, a celebrity cooking competition. He knows he needs help in order not to make a complete fool of himself.

Ryan’s first meeting with Lindsay results in spilled tray of gourmet donuts, so it’s less than ideal. Still, there’s some chemistry there and Lindsay is a baker who specializes in donuts, cupcakes and all sorts of goodies perfect for Ryan’s cooking show debut. Lindsay is convinced to give Ryan some private lessons to build his cooking skills.

This was a fun read and I loved Lindsay’s bakery. This is not a book to read hungry! They make all sorts of delicious sounding goodies – and I especially really want some of Lindsay’s espresso donuts! The cooking classes and the banter between the pair while baking were some of my favorite parts!

This book also hits on some serious subjects as well – grief, postpartum depression, family issues, racism abd body image, to name a few. It talks about the racism in casting and Ryan’s feeling responsible for doing well to open doors for more Asian leading men to get starring roles. It also addresses the issues of those with fame in the media and the internet trolls who feel free to comment on every last thing and create rumors out of nothing adding strain to life and relationships.

Overall this was a good book and I am glad to have had the chance to read it – even if it did leave me craving sweets even more!

Jackie Lau is one of the best contemporary romance authors out there, and her latest does NOT disappoint! Really recommend this for all libraries looking to diversify AND update their romance collection

Jackie Lau is a go-to author for me, and I was excited to get a sneak peek at her traditional publishing review. Donut Fall in Love is textbook Jackie Lau - full of food descriptions, strong family relationships, and steamy love scenes.

Although the cover suggests this will be just another rom-com, the story also deals with deeper themes of grief and, in a secondary character, post-partum depression. There are plenty of light moments throughout, and loads of descriptions of delicious food.

As in many of her books, the older generation really shines here. Both the MMC's father and the FMC's mother stole the show for me. It may be a reader-side problem but I was sometimes less interested in the MCs than what was going on around them. I also find that Lau's style of writing sometimes comes across slightly stilted to me (and I was noticing that in this ARC), though her emotional impact and funny situations far outweigh that for me.

It's full of heart. And donuts. Yum.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an e-copy of DONUT FALL IN LOVE to review. Ahhhh, this book will make you want to work in a bakery and have a movie-star boyfriend. If nothing else, you will crave a donut. The dessert descriptions were scrumptious!

This book deals with different levels of grief for the two characters Lindsay and Ryan. Both have lost parents, but while Lindsay's father died years ago, Ryan's mother died only four months ago. Their grief are the things holding them back from romantic relationships.

The two meet in Lindsay's bakery and sparks were immediate. While I loved their story, I think there was not enough conflict until the end.

I enjoyed seeing the characters change for the better - through each other. Their faults were things they acknowledged and worked to improve so they could be better girlfriend/boyfriend/friend/daughter/son/sibling. The family dynamic was huge in the plot.

I give DONUT FALL IN LOVE four out of five stars.

First off, this was super sweet-you know, being based in a a bakery ;) And the fact that it’s in Toronto, my hometown, made it even better for me! As the title implies, the characters shouldn’t make sense together being as different as they are, but that’s where the fun comes in.
Lindsay is running a fun bakery with her best friend and struggling to deal with the loss of her father a few years ago. Ryan is a working actor with abs of steel and a huge social media following. When he’s asked to appear on a celebrity bake off show, he asks Lyndsey to teach him how to bake so he doesn’t embarrass himself on tv. In spending so much time together, they find they have more in common than they first thought and their attraction each other is off the charts. Can they make it work even though their lives are very different?
There’s a couple of triggers-loss of parents, postpartum depression but they’re dealt with in a very compassionate way. And the steam factor is pretty high so buckle up!
Thanks to Berkley Publishers and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

This was a cute story of a baker and a movie star who meet over a pile of destroyed donuts. He needs help prepping for a Nailed It style baking show and she takes him on for baking lessons. Meet cutes, fun friendships, family struggles and threads of walking through grief add depth and heart to this story. While it moved a little slower than I prefer, I thought it was the perfect read for a night at home and a fun treat for my brain.

There's a lot to enjoy about this book. I liked the meet-cute, the Canada setting, the baking, and the dad's Twitter posts (you'll see what I mean), All very fun. I also liked the more serious elements of Asian rep, grief, and a glimpse into a secondary character's postpartum depression. All in all, a very enjoyable, quick -- and sometimes rather steamy -- rom com.

Ryan Kwok is an actor, fresh off filming a movie that’s bringing in mediocre reviews. Afraid of being known as that Asian actor with abs that won’t quit, he decides a career rehab is in order. That’s when he agrees to be a celebrity participant on a reality baking show.

The show, entitled Baking Fail, doesn’t require you to know how to bake. In fact, given it’s title, it’s quite the opposite. But Ryan, the ever dedicated professional, still wants to prove his worth. So when he runs into baker Lindsay McLeod- literally- he starts to cook up a plan. The only problem? His idea is half baked as Lindsay isn’t too fond of the cocky movie star who is used to getting his way. But as Lindsay gets to know Ryan better she starts to see him differently. Can these two whip up a batch of sweet success or will attraction ruin their recipe?

Donut Fall In Love is the latest in a long line of books marketed as one thing, but are something else almost entirely. Everything from its cutesy cover, meet cute premise, and punny title promises sweet romance. There is romance, don’t get me wrong, but this is one test kitchen whose heat gets turned up a lot more than the reader might bargain for. The story also touches upon serious topics like Asian American representation and the loss of a parent. However, if the story itself was a donut, I’d consider this portion to be the frosting or the glaze rather than the dough.

In other words, Donut Fall In Love is an enjoyable enough one off, but I wouldn’t necessarily come back for seconds.

A huge thank you to Penguin Random House, Berkley Pub & NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5⭐️ 4🌶

Despite the title, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this book and its amazing characters!

It was no surprise that I loved this as I’m obsessed with the recent abundance of romcoms mixed in with baking-related things!

I enjoyed the whole premise of their meet cute with actor, Ryan Kwok, literally bumping into Lindsay of Kensington Bake Shop causing her donuts to fly everywhere. Then later on when Ryan signs up to appear on the celebrity episode of Baking Fails (their version of Nailed It!), he asks Lindsay to give him baking lessons and their love story starts there!

I absolutely loved the main characters in this! With Ryan being this up and coming, hotshot actor and Lindsay, a baker and owner of Kensington Bakery, exploring the differences in their lifestyles was so interesting to me! I’m always a fan of actor characters and learning more about the ups and downs of their life of casting calls and fame. I also really love bakers and seeing their creativity go wild with their mouthwatering baked goods. I enjoyed seeing them bond over things they had in common and being able to relate to their being fellow Asians!

Their friends to lovers, celebrity/non-celebrity romance was perfectly swoony! Their chemistry and banter all througout their relationship from being friends to student/teacher to lovers was so EVERYTHING! I was entertained in their every moment together may it be in the kitchen, their bubble tea dates or in bed. The sexual tension was palpable which led to the most unexpectedly steamy smut! (I went into thinking it would be sweet and swoony but the spice factor was WOW.)

Also, I wasn’t expecting to love the family dynamics and friendships in this so much! Both characters had such interesting relationships that it was hard not to be as invested with the side characters. Firstly, I LOVE Ryan’s Dad! He was one of those characters that wasn’t even trying to be funny but had me cackling so much! Their father/son relationship was a huge part of Ryan’s journey and I just loved it til the end. Ryan with his sister and her new baby was so wholesome and his friendship with Melvin Lee was so comical. As for Lindsay, I liked exploring her relationship with her mother and her friendship with Noree and especially her new roommate, Vivian. (I can feel a possible next book between Vivian and Melvin Lee though 🤞🏼)

Alongside the sweetness of the love story in this book, I appreciated how it dealt with such serious topics with ease that it was both informative and relatable. Some of those topics include racism and discrimination especially in the entertainment industry, internalized racism among asian families and dealing with the overall issue of being not enough or too asian. This also explored the struggles of celebrity life or dating a celebrity and having to deal with the changes that comes with it. Lastly, grief and dealing with the loss of a parent was also a prominent subject present in both the main character’s stories.

I was pleasantly entertained by the role of Twitter in this story starting with the whole hashtag with Ryan’s abs and his dad’s growing popularity on the app.

Overall, this book was can only be described as “sweet, spice and everything nice”! It had everything I could want in a romcom from the mouthwatering baked goods, swoon-worthy and laugh out loud moments to the heartwarmingly relatable character stories! I loved this so much and I’ll definitely be on the look out for more from Jackie Lau!