Jada is just coming off a less than positive stint on a 'Bachelor' type show, and Donovan is trying to figure out why the cupcake business he owns with two of his fellow NFL players isn't doing as well as they'd like. When Jada's grandmother strong arms her into working at the cupcake shop, sparks start to fly.

This was a fun and steamy book full of great side characters, lots of humor, and even some poignant lessons about figuring out our place in the world. Jada and Donovan had amazing chemistry, Donovan's fellow owners gave some great comic relief, and almost all of it takes place amongst the backdrop of a cupcake bakery. What more could you ask for in a romcom?

This was a great and fun read with just the right amount of spicy romance! I'm excited that it seems to be the first in a series, and will definitely be lining up to get my hands on the next one!

Thanks to St Martin's Press for the provided ARC!

This book was a super cute fake dating romance, one of my favorite tropes. I loved the relationship built between Jada and Donovan, the tension was top notch and I was totally swooning in that moment when they both admitted there was nothing fake going on. I really enjoyed the setting of the cupcake shop and am hoping we get books for the other two owners because I will definitely pick them up!

Jada is unpopular with the general public after she made it to the finale of a popular dating show and rejected a marriage proposal. Her wealthy parents have cut her off so she must convince her grandmother, who owns an NFL team, to give her access to her trust fund early. Her grandmother agrees with one condition - she must find a job and keep it, specifically a job at a cupcake shop owned by one of her players.

Donovan owns a cupcake shop with his two best friends, and he needs to find a way to increase foot traffic to their shop so they can increase their revenue. When Jada stops by the shop with one of her friends and makes negative comments about cupcakes, Donovan takes an instant disliking to her. When the owner of his NFL team says that she'll agree to a favorable contract if he employs her granddaughter, he has to say yes.

Things I liked:
-The cupcakes and any scenes in the kitchen!
-The events held at the shop
-Donovan's friends

Things that didn't quite work for me:
-There was almost no conflict. The most interesting conflict happened 90% into the story and at that point things were wrapping up so it felt like too little, too late.
-Jada was not a likeable character. A woman from a very wealth family needing more money to start a business wasn't someone who I felt like I needed to root for.
-Not enough cupcakes or time in the cupcake shop. With a title including the word "bake" I expected more time in the kitchen.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It was an overall enjoyable read and I will read more books by Jamie Wesley in the future, but aspects of this didn't quite click for me.

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts are my own.

A feisty opposites attract fake dating adventure about a reality television star falling for the professional football player who owns a cupcake shop. Filled with great banter and plenty of mishaps, this is an adorable and bougie summer read about finding love and learning to navigate parental expectations verses following the heart.

Jada is still in hiding after turning down a television marriage proposal, so when her Grandma sets her up to work at a cupcake shop she’s hoping to hideaway and prove she can succeed. Little does she know that her job will be with the dashing professional footballer Donovan. And even though the two start off on bad terms, they can’t seem to get enough of each other while fake dating.

There were a lot of pluses and minuses for me while reading this one. On the minus side, I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I felt like the relationship developed too slowly, and there weren’t enough internal descriptions for me to relate. On the plus side, I loved the setting of the cupcake shop and loved all the shenanigans with the minor characters. All in all, this is a cute read that ended up being a lot better as I continued. The ending had me wanting more!

Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for a digital arc.

I’ll admit that i had high hopes for Fake it till you Bake it, and unfortunately this just didnt hit the mark for me.

I didn’t necessarily love either of the main characters or their relationship, which was a disappointment. I felt there was a disconnect .

For me, this was a very middle of the road rom-com, and while it wasnt my favourite, i would recommend it for a light, easy read.

A very cute and fun story, while predictable the characters were endearing and the story had a good pace and enough different plot lines to keep it interesting. I enjoyed this book as a light and run romantic read.

I enjoyed this enemies to lovers, fake dating romance. The plot is interesting and it’s well written. I liked the characters a lot - a pro football player named Donovan and a woman named Jada, who was on The Bachelor but turned down the proposal, making her a social media sensation.

Donovan and two of his friends opened a cupcake bakery together, planning for their life after football. He plays pro football for a team in San Diego owned by a formidable woman, Mrs. T.

Jada goes to the bakery with a friend and is very critical, insulting the cupcakes and the decor and annoying Donovan. Unfortunately, after her disaster on reality TV, she needs a job and her scientist parents are cutting her off. Her grandmother (Mrs. T.) sets her up with a job in a bakery and she ends up working for Donovan.

They have instant chemistry and are attracted to each other, but Jada’s life is full of chaos and Donovan likes his life planned out. When a reporter tracks Jada down, Donovan pretends to be her boyfriend to save her embarrassment. Now what do they do?

Synopsis:
A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery in this sweet and sexy romance from Jamie Wesley, Fake It Till You Bake It.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego's newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.

When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada's image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.

Fake it Till You Bake It is a sweet confection of a novel, the perfect story to curl up with and enjoy with a cupcake on the side.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a sweet read (pun intended). It reminded me of a W Network movie or a netflix show that doesn't get renewed for another season. I kept feeling like there were spots where the book could have ended beautifully and then it didn't, without any real conflict or storyline (or sometimes unnecessary plot points) to move it forward.

The book started off really well and I was enjoying reading it, but sadly by the end of it, I'm not sure I'd recommend it. This might be an unpopular opinion as I've seen lots of hype for it on bookstagram but sadly, I don't think this was a hit for me.

Thank you netgalley and St. Martin's Press @SMPromance for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book was ok. I like the concept of three pro footballers starting a cupcake shop and finding love. Our heroine, Jada, leaves a lot to be desired. Poor little rich girl who goes through life with no plan and struggling because her funds get cut off. I just found her super annoying. Donovan I loved and thought he deserved better.

The book was a slow read for me and I hope Nicholas and August get better matches in future books.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

4 Stars. Great character development. Well worth the read.

Fake It Till You Bake It is how you write a romance. A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple to protect her image and help his bakery become more successful.


The first time Donavan meets Jada, she insulted his bakery, the Sugar Blitz.


“It’s so……. Stale, probably like the cupcakes”


Donavan could not let her comments pass. So, he proceeds to call her out on her insults. The second time Donavan meets Jada, she is walking into the office of his boss, Mrs. Joyce Townsend, the owner of the San Diego Knights. Jada is her granddaughter and wants Donavan to hire her to help teach her some life skills and some responsibility.

Jada is willing to play her grandmother’s game long enough to get access to her trust fund. It doesn’t help she is the most hated villain on the internet because she turns down a marriage proposal on the reality show My One and Only. Her privileged life takes a negative turn and she decides to forgo all social media while she figures out her next plan.

Donavan is trying to make his bakery successful. Sales are not very good and he doesn’t have much time to teach pampered princess Jada some life skills but he gives her a job plus a pair of crocs to replace her Jimmy C

In the beginning, Jada is very vain and superficial. As the story progresses her overflowing cuteness makes her character traits more likable.

What I love about this story was that fake dating took a life of its own. I was more than 40% into the story when they are mistaken as a couple and the idea emerges. Before that happens and their life as a couple begins, we get a glimpse of Jada’s life and Donavan’s life as two separate people. This is why I loved this story so much. The fake dating trope was not thrown immediately into the plot. Like the story, it was a slow burn.

The writing and sexy banter and dialogue were top notice. I love the voice of Jada as pampered princess and Donavan as an uptight baker. However, I do wish we had more of Donavan’s professional life thrown in the mix. It seems he devotes all his time to the bakery in the offseason so not enough professional football moments to swoon with.

Fake It Till You Bake It stands out as funny and a lot of fun to read. The story is like a cupcake: sweet and delicious.

This book was a sweet, corny, and funny read. I finished it in a day and a half. Jada and Donovan are so perfect for each other. Their chemistry was off the charts. I loved their banter and smartassery through the whole book. The way they supported and cared for each other had me swooning. I also love the sport stars passion for baking and turning it into post playing career by opening a bakery.
The cast of friends and support characters were great. I want a sequel to find out more about the best friends and if that epilogue is any indication we might just get one.



Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin

Jada becomes the most hated person in television after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. Her parents have cut her off financially over the embarrassment and she needs a job. Her grandmother, who owns the pro football team, begs one of her players to hire her at his cupcake shop that he runs on the side with two other players. When a reporter tracks her down and mistakenly thinks she and Donovan are together, the story goes viral and cupcake sales are through the roof. They agree to go along with it to help each other out, but suddenly the sparks are feeling all too real.
At first, just like Donovan, I hated Jada! She's the spoiled princess with a whiny poor me attitude, sad that everything isn't just handed to her and says anything even if it hurts people. But her character really matures through the book and she realizes she needs to be independent without falling back on her trust fund to survive. You would think three pro football players baking cupcakes would be ridiculous, but this author really makes it work and has fun doing it. I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

This book was very cute!

I want to start off by saying I enjoyed this book! Donavan was such a driven character. A total contrast to Jada who was lost and finding her stepping stone again. But in a way, it all worked out. The banter and chemistry were great! It was a fast-paced romance, but super cute. It was an overall cute, funny, and simply entertaining book!

This was one of the cutest books I have had the pleasure of reading recently, both because of the enticing culinary setting and also due to the undeniable chemistry between the characters.

Fake it Till You Bake It is a romcom that all of my dreams are made of. Truly all of my favorite tropes were included:
✔️Football Player and a former reality dating show contestant
✔️Working together in a cupcake shop
✔️Who were brought together by a meddling grandma
✔️Enemies to lovers turns into fake dating

With all these gems how could I not love this one?! Not surprisingly I flew through it in a day and it made me feel so happy! This book was so much fun but also saw two main characters coming to a crossroads in their life and finding their footing/next steps. There was great banter and chemistry right from the disastrous meet cute and it only grew from there. I loved Jada’s strength and how she really didn’t let anyone stop her from being unapologetically herself and going for what she wanted. And Donovan is truly the biggest cinnamon role and was so sweet. I loved these two both individually and together.

Grab a cupcake before you pick this one up. Trust me, you’ll really want one (or ten) while reading this.
Thanks to SMP Romance for the advance copy.

Things I liked about this book: the male lead and all of the Sugar Blitz coworkers. The overall plot line. The growth that happens in the female lead. The grandmother character.

Things I didn't like: the female lead, especially at the beginning she was just mean and hard to like. Open door romance. Tension that was constantly brought up and felt over the top.

Overall, a decent book. May have to skip some sections (which I hate doing) and must stick it out through the first third of the book to get to the part that pulls you in.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Fake It Till You Bake It is a fast, lighthearted read: a cupcake bakery, a football player, a disgraced reality TV star. He believes in logic and organization; she’s impulsive. They are truly an odd couple, more so after they become romantically linked. Some parts of this story work; some parts are not credible. The plot gets bogged down early on and struggles to get back on track. Despite the many ups and downs in the H/H’s relationship, all’s well that ends well? This is a sexy rom-com contemporary romance that has potential but that fell short. 2.5 stars rounded up.

A successful football player bakery owner....that's a woman's fantasy just as is. Add a woman who needs his help to reinvent herself after a reality show catastrophe and now you've got an intriguing story we have to read to see how it unfolds. Sexy and sweet with all the fake and realness you can handle this book delivers a satisfying read that takes you out of your own head as you dive into theirs.
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy in return for my honest opinion.

If you are looking for a light and fluffy read to match your light and fluffy cupcake this the perfect book for you. This rom-com was pretty predictable and at times slow. I didn't like Jada at first but I warmed to her. I loved Mrs. T and the teammates that work at the shop. It would have been satisfying if Lila and John had been exposed. I also had a hard time with Jada's only complimenting her once and yet her grandmother doesn't intervene more. Donovan's dad and his story was wrapped up a little too neatly. I loved that the author included Dyslexia.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Jada tried her luck at a reality tv dating show. When she turns down the proposal at the end of the season she goes home to hide from all the negativity being spread about her online. Donovan has a game plan to make his cupcake shop successful and the backup plan after his football career ends. Jada runs on a whim of impulses and Donovan is all about statistics and logistics when their worlds crash both their worlds are turned upside down. They begin a fake relationship to benefit both of them they never expected to fall for each other.

My rating:☕️☕️☕️☕️(4/5)

This book was such a fast paced read! The 3rd person point of view took a second to get used to but once the story got good it was so easy to forget it was 3rd person. Donovan is honestly goals. He sets a plan that gives him a result he wants but Jada goes off of instinct keeping him on his toes at all times. While this isn't a grumpy/sunshine trope it was one i fully enjoyed. I was squealing out loud to their cute chemistry/awkwardness. It was too cute! The fact most characters were poc made it that much better!!! I loved how Donovan let Jada be herself without ever judging her or letting her feel her ideas were not worth listening too. The 3rd person point of view helped see what others in the room were doing. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

🚨🚨Spoilers below read at your own risk🚨🚨

I would of preferred if they hadn't broken up for those 3 months! I mean they clearly didn't tell others they had split up. They could have grown together. I understood Jada wanting to do it on her own but she didn't need to breakup with Donovan! My nosy self though wanted to know what the deal was between Sloane and August! SInce it was 3rd person it was sometimes confusing to understand whose thoughts you were reading. Or who the 'she' in the room was when there was more than two women.