What a fun read this proved to be
With cupcakes, football players and a bakery
Along with a reality dating show star
Who is finding life after the show is below par!

Jada turned down the proposal at the end of the show
Unprepared for the vitriolic reaction of fans, you know.
She's a straight talking lady, who speaks her mind
But despite the hard exterior, she's actually very kind.

Donovan is the target of Jada's straight talking ways
Not good when neither are having the best of days.
But with her Gran's intervention there are surprises in store
Including cupcakes, fake romance, true love and more!

This book is a really tasty treat
With the greatest friendships you could hope to meet.
There's drama and laughter, and blackmail, too
That'll keep you entertained all the way through.

It really is a great, fun read and so
I highly recommend you give it a go
I'm also hoping that in future there will be
Other stories about these footballer bakers, all three!

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review

The following review was posted 4 days ago on, Sunday, June 19th, 2 days before publication. It will be shared on Twitter and Instagram tomorrow, 2 days after the publication date (Tuesday, June 21st), but the review has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to pre-order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.



“What happens in the supply closet stays in the supply closet.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4.5 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Bullying and harassment.

“Fake It Till You Bake It” follows Donovan Bell, a football player who’s also the owner of a (hopefully) up-and-coming bakery, and Jada Townsend-Matthews, an ex-reality-tv-show-star, as they end up in a fake relationship that benefits them both—bringing traction to Donovan’s bakery and helping shed a must-needed good-light on Jada’s reputation.

I knew I was going to love this book from the get-go. I love football (and books about football players) and I love fake-dating romance books—and that’s exactly what “Fake It Till You Bake It” delivers. Jada and Donovan are charismatic and have undeniable chemistry, both physically and emotionally, yet they’re not perfect characters nor do they try to be, they have their stories and backgrounds and simply meshed together perfectly. I just finished this book and already want to grab and reread it all over again.

Also, I don’t know what it is with St. Martin’s Press books but they’ve never been a miss to me. If it’s a romance book and it’s published by them, I know it’ll be fire emoji x 5. Something as simple as fake-posing for a romance cover in the middle of a book club meeting was made incredibly tense and spicy, that’s all I’m saying.

I would recommend this book to every single contemporary romance book reader, specially those who enjoy rocky starts and the fake-dating trope.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 21, 2022

“I promise to do better.”

This novel wasn’t great, nor was it bad.

Jada was on a season of (essentially) The Bachelor, where she turned down the Bachelor’s proposal in the last episode. As a result, the whole world hates her. Donovan is a football player for the LA Knights, a team owned by Jada’s grandma, who opened a cupcake shop with two of his teammates. Jada’s life is a bit lost so her grandma asks Donovan to hire her. They immediately don’t get along but get stuck in a situation in which Jada claims Donovan is the guy she met before going on the show and was the reason she turned down the proposal in hopes that America will like her again.

I liked this story but didn’t love it. I enjoyed the banter between Donovan and Jada but I felt like the chemistry was more being told to me than I was really feeling it. I liked Jada. I felt like she was strong, a little immature, but not obnoxious. Donovan fell a little flat to me at times. I liked when he was bickering with Jada but I never felt the passion from him. He claimed to be passionate about the cupcake shop but all he cared about were the numbers.

I do wish that Donovan had had a little more pushback about the fake dating too. He just immediately gave in. I will say that I liked how a lot of their problems were resolved realistically. They talked to each other and asked questions about miscommunications rather than just assuming things. However, that meant that the conflict (because as we know, all romance novels need a conflict), didn’t occur until the 90% mark and was so dumb. I would’ve much rather they left that entire part out because I think it ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth for this book and coloring the rest of my opinion.

Honestly, I was leaning more towards giving this book 4 stars until the end which dropped it to a 3. Jada is a strong female character and I enjoyed reading her journey about finding herself. I didn’t dislike Donovan but their chemistry didn’t pop for me. I do look forward to reading stories about his other two teammate (because you know they’re coming) and I hope they end up being a little more exciting.

I always love when my two loves - food and romance collide and this book definitely delivered.

Our 2 leads meet in a classic "we got on the wrong foot" encounter and via the romance gods, get thrown together and have to fake date! Donovan was a doll. I liked him so much, August and Nicholas were a hoot too and I could have gladly read a book just about their antics. I will confess it took a while for me to warm up to Jada as I didn't appreciate her attitude initially. But I will admit that I was totally onboard by a third of the way and was rooting for their HEA fiercely.

Minor quibbles- it took a while for the book to find its groove as I felt the beginning was a bit slow. I also didn't like how over the top the villainess was (although I loved her comeuppance).

Overall, this was a fast, FUN read! I wanted to eat alllll the cupcakes described. The book also had very good supporting characters like Donny's friends I initially mentioned but also Grandma, Ella and the Sisters. I am so happy it seems we are getting a book too and I know its between August and S... :)

Thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC

I adored this book! I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, baking adjacent, fish out of water narratives, and you will fall in love with Jada and Donovan. It’s a sweet book (no cupcake pun intended) that resonates emotionally with a lot of charged romantic tension. I especially appreciated that the “dark night” moment was barely a blip — I just want an HEA, and that’s exactly what I got.

Fake-dating leads to love between a reality TV villainess and a professional football player/entrepreneur in a contemporary rom-com set in a bakery.

The frenemies' fake relationship turns real fast in this adorable, sexy rom com about a perfectly matched pair of stubborn, flawed lovers. The high stakes kick in late in the novel, so this one is for readers who are here for banter, sizzle, and a swoony perfect couple rather than the tension of relationship obstacles. I'd recommend FAKE IT TILL YOU BAKE IT to fans of the fake-date and enemies-to-lovers tropes, but more to readers who just want to hang out with two engaging, fun characters as they get swept up in a steamy love affair. The ending suggests that we have more to look forward to from the equally well-developed secondary characters in future books!

Donovan Dell, professional football player knows that football doesn’t last forever as a career, so he and his friend opened a new business. They both love to bake and so they opened Sugar Blitz, a cupcake bakery. Business was booming, but lately things have begun to slow down. At the bakery he overhears a woman claim that their cupcakes are “decent”…WHAT? Later, he meets the woman from the bakery, Jada Townsend-Matthews and learns that she is the granddaughter of the team owner. Offering Jada a job, which was Mrs. T’s idea, he learns about the social disaster that has followed her since she turned down the proposal on a dating show. When they are mistakenly identified as a couple, maybe this will work for both of them? Jada wondered if she would ever find the “thing” that would be hers and maybe Donovan and the bakery is exactly what she was looking for. A delightful romance with amusing and witty dialog. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

First impressions: the cover art and colors are so pretty!! Then, the story's premise sounds like fun.

The setting was cute. A cupcake bakery is always a great place for romance to spark. I really liked how both Jada and Donovan were fleshed out as characters. (I was especially partial to Jada though.) Their concerns were written and treated with care within the story. In turn, their journey was well-developed and I was rooting for them every step of the way. I think the timing was appropriate. Sometimes these types of stories can feel rushed or too slow but this one was just right. I am excited to hear more about the other characters because there were hints to their history.

A new football romance series I won’t be able to resist.

This was my first Wesley book, and it won’t be last. Three football players owning a bakery and the women who they fall for, what’s not to love? This first book is about the main manager, Donovan and the reality television star Jada. These two are opposites attract with a hefty dose of can’t resist.

While the only downer to this book is the slow start, took me about three chapters to really since into the story, Wesley quickly changes tactics and soon I was committed to the game Jada and Donovan have playing. A little fake relationship to feed into Jada’s reasons for why she left the hero of her “Bachelor-esque” reality show stranded, and in turn bring more popularity to Donovan’s business. Naturally, falling in love along the way isn’t the goal, but they can’t stay away from each other.

Characterization is so key in this story and Jada is written to perfection, everything include the walls she builds to protect herself, that bougie exterior, and her deeply-entrenched insecurities were so easy to latch onto and empathize with. I wanted Jada to succeed at everything, including a future with Donovan Dell. Said football player brings plenty of his own to the table from fear of a relationship stopping him from his primary focus. Did I mention Jada is the daughter of the woman who owns the football team Donovan plays for? Drama for miles, ladies and it’s so worth it.

Add in a couple villains who are double icky, and they get theirs. Every reader of this blogs knows how I like my villains treated, with a good, tall glass of retribution. They get it. And Wesley sets up the future books in this series with precision. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Overall, a great contemporary sports romance that has a good balance of drama, jokes, romance, and tropey goodness. For readers who enjoy Lyssa Kay Adams.

~ Landra

"Fake It Till You Bake It" was just delightful—perfect RomCom with the spice you want from a Romance. The heat starts about 53 percent in (I had to stop and look at the ebook percentage), partly because I was shocked I was halfway done with the book because I sped through the book. I read it in one sitting—just enough drama, but not a major drama.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is a reality TV Bachelorette-like constant turns down the proposal of the Bachelor on national television, and any goodwill she had is gone. She is hiding out and trying to figure out her life. Donovan Dell plays professional (American) football and runs a cupcake shop with two other players.

Higher power in terms of a grandmother/fairy godmother who owns the footfall team Donovan plays on and is the grandmother of the shunned Jada decides they both to could each other out. So Jada works at the bakery where her past comes trolling in, and fake dating begins to boost sales and recover her image. Easy. Totally.

But cupcake batter turns into cupcakes, and so does fake into real.

Fake It Till You Bake It had all the ingredients for a perfect romance, but it was difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. Donovan and Jada's first meeting was entertaining with Donovan unwilling to back down from Jada’s unwarranted critique of the cupcakes even if her comment about the ambiance hit the mark. It was a great way to introduce the characters to each other and to start building their attraction. Donovan and Jada had great banter, and it was one of my favorite parts of the book. After their first meeting, the chemistry between the leads fluctuated, sometimes it was present and other times I couldn’t feel it. The romance also moved slowly, with nothing particularly butterfly-inducing until more than halfway through the book.

While I immediately liked Donovan, he doesn’t undergo much character development. Jada is the more interesting character. She displays a tough exterior to the world, but she’s more vulnerable than she lets on. She’s timid when it comes to her family, and she’s still trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. All these things added depth to Jada’s character, but I was disappointed that they were not better explored.

Fake It Till You Bake It hooked me with fake dating and cupcakes. There are multiple layers to Jada that had the potential to make the novel a better read for me, but the presentation seemed very surface-level, like something to checkmark and make Jada interesting as opposed to being explored. I liked the novel but thought it could have been better.

Finished this one in one day and not only do I love Jada and Donovan but also I’m craving some cupcakes 🧁🧁

Read if you want:
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers
-open door romance (a big slow burn)
-cupcake inspiration

Not only will you love the main couple here but you will also fall for the other characters. The epilogue has me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book!

Oh my gosh! That was just about too cute for words. I mean, cupcakes, reality television, and a fake relationship; what’s not to love about that? At first, Jada wasn’t my favorite person in this story, but it didn’t take very long before we saw why she’s as prickly as a porcupine. It took a little bit to get beyond all those spiky defenses to get to her soft mushy heart inside, yet it was pretty clear exactly what made Donovan so crazy about her. And he’s what book boyfriend dreams are made of: smart and successful, sweet and caring, alpha and vulnerable. Sigh! Where can we clone him so I can have one of my very own? They’ve also got an amazing supporting cast backing them up. There to lend a helping hand when the going gets tough or call them out when they get caught in the spiral of their own thoughts. I loved these characters so much that my fingers are crossed that we’ll get to see more books about these amazing men and women.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

This story was so entertaining and enjoyable. Jada is a reality star back home to lick her wounds after turning down a proposal on the reality dating show she was on. Donovan is a professional football player who owns a bakery. When she starts working there and along side him neither of them expect the mishap of a reporter thinking they're an item. To help the struggling bakery and to help mend Jada's image they fake date to help both of them along. A simple fake relationship soon turns into something so much more. I really loved this story and how it gave off a bit of a Hallmark movie vibe to it which I always love as well. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Fake It Till You Bake It blends the perfect recipe for a delicious treat. A reality star and football player pretend to be in a relationship to save his bakery.

When Jada Townsend-Matthews turned down the most anticipated proposal on reality tv, she became public enemy number one. With nowhere to turn, she decides to go home and get her life back on track. Unsure of what to do or where to go, she stops by San Diego’s newest buzzed cupcake shop and really puts her foot in her mouth. Not knowing who Donovan is, she leaves a strong impression that haunts his thoughts of who this mystery woman is. When a proposal from her grandmother comes to give her the financial stability she desperately needs, she takes the offer until she realizes she may have made a mistake.

Donovan Dell is a professional football player with a sweet tooth for business. He and his best friend opened the popular bakery, Sugar Blitz with ambitious goals and aspirations to succeed. With business declining, he’s been trying to figure out how and ways to improve but it all takes money that he isn’t making. When he was offered a possible solution to help from his NFL boss for his business, not wanting to let her down, he agreed to give her granddaughter a chance. Little does he know how life’s about to throw him a curveball.

As time went on, and they got past their first encounter experience, Jada proved to bring more than her sassy attitude. When a reporter happened to be in the bakery one day and put her on the spot, the only way to get out of it was to imply they were an item. Seeing the positive upswing and the advantages pretending could be a win-win situation, they find themselves mixing the ingredients for the perfect recipe.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. This was such a fun read. I just loved the chemistry between Jada and Donovan. Their savory and sweet combination truly made some laugh-out-loud moments. I love a good fake relationship trope because they give the reader something to love towards. I really enjoyed the roles the friends and family played in the book. It brought a nice balance and comfort that drew you in and felt welcomed.

I’m curious to know if this is a stand alone or will there be another book. The epilogue seeks to leave us with a cliffhanger so we'll have to be on the lookout. I can’t forget to mention how cute that cover is. I’m looking forward to reading what's to come. I’d recommend adding this one to your summer reading list.

This is a fun story about Jada and Donovan. Jada is a recent reality show participant who is being hassled about the outcome and Donovan is a professional football player and a co-owner of a cupcake bakery with two of his teammates. I really enjoyed how positive the storyline is and how they brought out the best in each other.

I received a free copy of this book to review from St Martin’s Press through NetGalley and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wow, this was such a charming book! A fake-dating romance with a foodie theme is what bookish dreams are made of. Many thanks to the publisher for approving me to read it early! <3

I have been loving opposites-attract romances so much lately, and boy-oh-boy, Fake It Till You Bake It made me fall in love with the trope even more! It's really fitting that the book is getting published on the first day of summer because it's the perfect beach read to escape to. :') The setup of the story was unlike anything I have ever read before, so that added a very engaging and charming touch to the plot. I mean, the main location of this book is a bakery that football players open together, I don't think my fluff-loving heart can obsess over a story arc more than that.

I absolutely loved Jada and Donovan's story. Their chemistry literally leaped off from the pages, MY GOSH. The banter was top-notch and so, so perfectly written. The humor content was one of the highlights of reading Fake It TIll You Bake It too. I adored how Jada and Donovan complimented each other. Their relationship development was really wholesome. I especially loved the last few chapters, because I honestly wasn't expecting the twists and turns the storyline took!

Also, the side characters??? LOVE LOVE LOVE. Nicholas, Olivia and August have my whole heart. They were all so loving and entertaining. I loved reading about their cheesy/wholesome encounters with Jada and Donovan. One of my favorite parts of the story was how it showcased how differently the media treats men and women. I really appreciated that the author bought up some serious topics in a light-hearted romance!

I honestly cannot wait for the next books in the series. I am so invested in the characters - I WANT MORE, LIKE RIGHT NOW!!

This was cute and I always enjoy a fake dating scenario, but ultimately I don't think this was the right book for me at the right time. I wanted a little more from the characters.

I received an ARC via Net Galley.

Donovan Dell is a professional football player with his eye towards a future without football. Jada Townsend is a former reality tv star who is in search of a career. This is definitely a romance where opposites attract. Donovan is orderly, neat, and logical. Jada is messy, and considers herself the family screw-up. But in true romance fashion, both characters have their insecurities that stem from their childhoods. I really liked them as a couple. I am not a fan of the fake dating trope, but I am so glad that I read this book. .

A fun, sugary sweet, enemies-to-lovers room-com. I enjoyed every delicious bite of this delightful story. Meeting Donavan and Jada was a real treat. Plus there was cupcakes!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.