This was a DNF for me unfortunately :( I could not get into the story. The dialogue was too cheesy and unrealistic in my opinion. Just not for me!

Not 100% sure of why there's a theme of cozy contemporary romances in the market this year, but definitely here for it.

If you love baking, sports, and fake dating romance then definitely pick this one up and give it a try!

Who wouldn't fall in love with a football player who bakes cupcakes? Well, I will! 😁 But it took time for Jada Townsend-Matthews, the most hated celebrity, to like Donovan Dell.

It was difficult not to, especially since he was her boss and they needed to pretend to be in a relationship to promote Sugar Blitz, where she was assigned to work. And perhaps, people would understand why she needed to turn down the proposal on the reality TV show.

This is a very easy read if you are into sweets, sports, and showbiz. I enjoy the exchange of banter between Jada and Dell. I also admired the growth of each character, particularly Jada, who finds herself after the controversies.

Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley, for the ARC.

This was an enjoyable read. It was cute and funny and I loved the characters and their dynamic. The writing was great, which is very important to me because bad writing means I automatically hate the book. This book was exactly what I needed, quick, easy, fun and romantic.

This was funny and cute. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did because I’m new to romance but it was so worth it.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the concept of this romance book especially since it involves baking! I love baking a lot and the fake dating trope, so I knew I would love this story. I loved the main characters Jada and Donovan and their chemistry was so obvious. It was funny and engaging, so I definitely recommend it! It's for sure a quick fluffy read that provided the perfect escape. If you're looking for a light romance, this book is for you.

This book is an excellent read! It combines some of my favorite things: romance, cupcakes, and business acumen. Stick with me here!

Donovan Deel is a pro football player who loves to bake. He and three friends are co-owners of the Sugar Blitz cupcakery. However business sales have been declining over the past few weeks, and Donovan is not sure how to revive them.

Enter Jada Townsend-Matthews! She comes to the cupcakery with a friend who loves the place. Jada finds the ambience stale, which Donovan overhears. Afronted by her words of his business, he offers her a free cupcake. She refuses to give him an immediate opinion.

Jada has some issues of her own. And inspiring actress or something, anything really, she was recently on a reality TV show called My One and only. At the end she turned down the proposal, and has been slammed on social media and in person too. Her parents have cut her off financially, and her grandmother is giving her an opportunity to earn her trust fund early if she can hold on a job for 6 months. The catch: The job just happens to be at Sugar Blitz, because the grandmother owns the football franchise that Donovan plays for.

Jada cannot bake, but she is great with the customers. She even has ideas for bringing in extra sales. However, this topsy turvy relationship runs into snags very early on, as people figure out where Jada is working. In order to avoid a media frenzy, she claims that Donovan is her boyfriend. He goes along with the ruse!

This novel doesn't excellent job of walking through the emotions of a new business owner and the struggles they have to keep the business afloat and ultimately thriving. It also does a great job of showing a woman who may not know who she is, but grows throughout the book into a beautiful character.

There is definitely some steam in the kitchen in this novel! You will enjoy some back office shenanigans, as well as some closet scenes! But there are certainly more, but I don't like to ruin that for y'all!

Very much worth the read. I hope we get to hear more about Nicholas and August, the other two co-owners very soon.

I didn't buy this romance or the author's knowledge of working in a kitchen or how to bake cupcakes. Legitimately you can read the back of a Betty Crocker box and know that cupcakes won't burn in 20 minutes. Like, not even a little bit. and HEELS in a kitchen? Are you trying to slip and die? Every restaurant I've worked in (which is decidedly different than a bakery but you're still using similar equipment and procedures) required anti-slip soled shoes. Basically so you can't sue them for your injuries from slipping and falling. It's a whole thing.

And that timeline? Who is she? I really struggled with this one.

This was a cute and sexy enemies to lovers arc set in a charmingly absurd plot. I'd recommend for any fans of the Bromance series, although this definitely has the right ingredients to stand on its own without comparison. Witty banter and sweet encounters blended for a perfectly decadent read.

I love romance books and I love baking so this book was perfect for me. Despite it involving football which isn't my go to sport I still really enjoyed this book. As someone who deals with social media for a living I couldn't help but shake my head and laugh a few times because I understood Jada. Also my heart bled for the poor woman. As a fan of reality tv I love seeing the pain that it can cause in a book. And while I'm not the biggest fan of football I'll watch Donovan play any day. Can't wait to read more from Jaime!

Thank you to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book! Apologies for the delay in the review.

I thought this was a cute and fun book. The heroine was a little much for me at first, as she is very into fashion/influencing/appearances, but you grow to appreciate her and see beneath the surface. The hero is charming and swoony, and the cupcake shop is a delightful setting. I enjoyed the characters and setting, but found the "fake dating" plot and ultimate conflict pretty strained and wished it had been more of just enemies to lovers without the fuss over public perception.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-galley of Fake It Till You Bake It.

What a charming enemies to lovers rom-com. The writing style of this book was so descriptive, it made me hungry for cupcakes the whole time. I loved the burgeoning relationship between Jada and Donovan.

Wonderful book from start to finish.

Okkkk so first of all Donovan, August and Nicholas immediately reminded me of the Bromance bookclub guys, and I am here for it. Just swap out the book club for a bakery, and other sports for all football and you got this great group of friends. There is def a set for up a second novel (August) and I cannot wait. Plus I see a story line with Donovan’s sister and Nicholas as well, or at least a little more to that story.

This was such a fun strangers to friends, to fake dating, to real dating story line. Donovan and Jada rolled from one right into the next without skipping a beat. I liked the progression of the story, although predicable I loved seeing how it all played out. My favorite characters though was definitely a tie between Donovan’s sisters and Jada’s grandmother. They added that extra element of fun to the story.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for this eARC copy to read and review.

Fake It Till You Bake It was a sweetly satisfying treat. Probably as good as the cupcakes from Sugar Blitz. I enjoyed all the characters and the relationships between Donavan and his partners at the shop. It was just a low angst love story with all the ingredients to leave you smiling and happily satisfied at the end. Now I need to know how August ended up going viral!!

I thoroughly enjoyed Fake It Till You Bake It! There is an incredible lack of POC centered romance novels and it's criminal. I immediately pick Black and Brown romance books and they always end up being placed among my favorites. This sweet story will have you smiling, laughing, and kicking your feet from start to finish. I feel so lucky to have gotten this ARC and would recommend to anyone.

Donovan is a pro-football player turned baker in the off-season. Donovan and 2 of his teammates own a cupcake shop/bakery. Jada is a "spoiled" rich-girl whose grandmother owns the football team that Donovan plays form. In an attempt to teach Jada responsibility and get her to "grow-up" her grandmother asks Donovan to give Jada a job a the shop. What ensues is a enemies to lovers romance with a side of fake dating and laughs.

I enjoyed the dynamic of the characters and the back-and-forth between Jada and Donovan. It was a quick read and I found myself laughing quite a bit. The characters were relatable and the relationships between Donovan and his teammates/business partners as well as the premise of the story was relatable.

This was such a cute read! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes. I'm pretty sure they would be considered grumpy/ sunshine pairing as well! Plus add in good chemistry AND baking?! Yes. Highly recommend, this was such an enjoyable read! Donovan and Jada were wonderful characters. I liked their banter and teasing, and also how their relationship developed. This one was cute.

3.5 rounded up.

This was super cute!! From the cover to the romance, everything about this book was a treat. Thank you for the copy! I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

When an influencer and a football palyer get caught up in life. THey never realize their lives are interconnected. THis was a great book. I enjoyed this book it had humor, angst and romance.