Jada Townsend-Matthews is a disappointment to her family because she won't follow in the family business. She knows she doesn't have the right skill set on top of dyslexia. She has gone from one venture to another without lasting success. She becomes a contestant on a reality dating show. She makes to the final show, only to turn down the marriage proposal of the beloved male star, Dr. John. She really doesn't have a valid excuse and she becomes the most hated woman in the country. She had hoped the show would lead to new opportunities. Now that isn't going to happen.
As more fallout, her parents are cutting her off financially. She has a trust from her grandmother, but that isn't coming for a while. Her grandmother tells if she can keep a job for six months her access to the trust money will go forward. Her grandmother even finds her a job. As owner of a football team, her grandmother knows several players who own a cupcake bakery called Sugar Blitz.
Jada doesn't make a very good first impression and her baking skills leave a lot to be desired. Donovan Dell, professional football player and a partner in the bakery, tries to be patient with her. The bakery is doing okay, but needs to do better to stay in business. When a reporter comes to the shop there is a misunderstanding about Jada and Donovan's relationship. Maybe a fake dating plan will help them both. Jada can use it as the reason she didn't accept Dr. John's proposal and Donovan and his partners can use the help to bring in more business.
Jada and Donovan both have some baggage from the past. The author shows how they deal with it over the arc of the story. They both try to deny their attraction to each other. It's hard to get past chemistry and proximity.
Jamie Wesley is a new to me author. I'll be looking for more novels from her in the future, I am working on slowly catching up on long overdue NetGalley reviews in 2024 as a resolution. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Publishing (my favorite) and the author for giving me a chance to read and review this book.

I like when there is some conflict between the main characters in a romance. In this case, the conflict made sense, and the banter made the book, even more entertaining rooted for both the characters because they were both likable.

"Fake it Til you Bake it" is a delightful and easy-going romantic comedy that revolves around the charming duo of Jada and Donovan. The narrative is a sweet blend of instant attraction, mute tension, and frustration, creating a perfect concoction for RomCom enthusiasts.

Jada, a 25-year-old aspiring influencer, finds herself at a crossroads after leaving a reality show and breaking the heart of its leading man, reminiscent of a bachelor-style scenario. Despite uncertainties about her life's direction, Jada follows her heart, turning down a potential love interest on the reality show. In an attempt to regroup, she ends up at a cupcake shop with a friend, unknowingly about to face a series of unexpected events.

The story takes an amusing turn as Jada unintentionally discriminates against the cupcake shop within ear shot of Donovan, one of the owners and a football star. Donovan, intrigued by the challenge, proposes a taste test, setting the stage for a hilarious and endearing plotline. Circumstances, orchestrated by Jada's grandmother, push the two into each other's orbits, resulting in a classic 'meet cute' fake dating scenario with real feelings at stake.
The book excels in its commentary, comedy, and well-delivered jokes.

The characters, especially Donovan with his stern demeanor, and Jada, the unpredictable and impulsive force, make for an entertaining combination. The witty banter and the chemistry between the characters add depth to the overall narrative.

In terms of character growth, Donovan undergoes significant development throughout the story. However, a minor drawback is Jada's communication style, which at times makes her seem younger than her age. Despite this, the engaging plot and dynamic character interactions overshadow this slight inconsistency.

One highlight is Donovan's respectful treatment of Jada, viewing her as a mature woman rather than an immature individual. The book successfully navigates the fine line between comedy and romance, keeping readers hooked until the end.
Overall, "Fake it Til you Bake it" is recommended for RomCom fans who enjoy close proximity tropes and witty banter. The story is a delightful journey filled with laughter, love, and a touch of unexpected sweetness.

If there's one thing I love, it's a foody romcom. I really, really enjoyed this book - it was fun and it was tantalizing, and I found myself craving cupcakes the entire way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fake It Till You Bake It is the first book I have read by author Jamie Wesley. I was a fan of the fake relationship trope, and the sports and baking elements (though some of the goings-on in the cupcakery would never happen in real life. This is fiction). I found the first quarter of the book to be slow, and the flow of the story a bit off, but it picked up after that and I enjoyed the remainder of the story.
Overall, a cute read.

A story of a reality star and a cupcake-baking football player facing the challenge of saving his bakery, this is sweet and satisfying read, delivering a perfect blend of romance, humor, and irresistible charm.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and author Jamie Wesley for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book.

This one has a great premise. Jada has just come off a reality show where she turned down a proposal from a co-star and wanders into a bakeshop run by three NFL players. An agreement with her grandmother (who also happens to own the NFL team the players are currently with) has Jada right back in that bakeshop just days later but this time to work. Donovan can't believe the new employee he agreed to take on is the woman who insulted his bakeshop just days before. It feels like disaster is about to strike.

While I loved the premise, this one just didn't work for me. The writing itself felt a bit juvenile and it was hard to get into. I enjoyed the book overall. It did improve as the story progressed, but I never really connected with the characters and didn't end up caring about what happened to them. The setting of the bakeshop is fun and there are some sweet scenes that kept me entertained here and there. I just don't think this one was a good fit for me right now. If you like your romance featuring bakeries or food I might give this one a try. I'd love to hear what you think.

Fake It Till You Bake It is a cute story following Jada Townsend-Matthews, who is quite hated on social media for having turned down a proposal on the reality TV dating show she was on. Due to a series of events, Jada ends up working at a cupcake shop owned by Donovan Dell, a football player, who she may have met before when she came into his shop and insulted his cupcakes. Oops! More shenanigans ensue, and somehow the two end up fake dating, and as you can probably guess, it doesn't take long before these fake feelings start becoming more and more real.

This book was a solid 3.5 star romance for me. It was cute and delivered what the summary told me to expect, but there wasn't that much more to it. Sure there are some themes that are discussed that I appreciated, but I don't think that any aspect of this book was given a true amount of depth, romance included. However, as a cute, low stakes romance to pass the time, I would recommend it.

So cute and fluffy! Nothing better than a black romance that has an adorable cover and is well written. Keep putting out more!

Dnf ~10%

I really wanted to get into this one as I enjoy fake dating romances so much, but unfortunately this was not for me. Also not the FMC being blatantly rude while in the bakery not knowing the owner (her future love interest) was standing right there.

The synopsis of this sounded great which is why I requested it. However after reading reviews from friends, I realized this one isn’t for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free copy to read.

Totally caught up in the Swift/Kelce romance?

Looking for a blacklist with a sweet touch?

Look no further than Fake it Till You Bake It.

What is better than a baker and football player? I'll wait. This is the first time I've read from this author and I've added Wesley to my new authors to buy. This story was delicious and sweet all at once. I fell for the characters and had some "feet kicking" moments. Swoons and sweets? Yes, please.

Well-done!

I am a sucker for a good baking show, and I love baking, so seeing this book it was a no brainer, I had to request it.

And I was definitely not let down. What a fun/cute book. Definitely something lighthearted to read after reading some of the darker romance.thats on the market. Well done, and I cannot wait to read more from this Author.

This was a cute book! I liked the premise of the misunderstood reality TV star rebooting her image. Having a man teach her how to bake was a plus. I like that Jada and Donovan both had a bit of grumpiness to them. They bumped heads but in a way that only intensified their connection to one another. This is a good book for getting cozy with a cupcake and drink.

This book was an enjoyable read. I liked the cute romance and the plot. The bakery setting was also delicious to read about. I typically don't like the fake relationship trope, but it was so well executed in this book that I liked reading it. I felt that it was a little slow at times, like the plot was stalling, but overall I liked it.

The descriptions of all the cupcakes made me hungry while I was reading it. Jada Townsend-Matthews finds herself working a cupcake store owned by football player Donovan Dell after fleeing home to San Diego after finding herself reviled for turning down a proposal on a reality dating show.

I really enjoyed how the book followed the fake dating trope in way that felt like a comedy of errors but was still super fun. I do like that there wasn't as much drama in between the couple once they got together, and I really love the subversion of "fixing your partner" in the book. Their relationship together felt very steady in their support of each other, even when it was largely still for the cameras. And the way that they worked together on problems as a couple? Amazing.

I do like that our characters grew separately from the relationship from their own pasts, and I love Mrs. T and Mrs. Dell as parental figures that are both firm and supportive. I loved the supporting cast as well - Mrs. T, Olivia, Nick and August, Ella, all the regulars at Sugar Blitz were so great in their interactions with our main characters.

Something that was small but really shined for me was Jada's dyslexia and how it was treated in the book - how she viewed it versus how Donovan viewed it versus how her parents viewed it, the way she brought it up in a large public setting that had positive results.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Fake dating trope that was super cute. I love that it also explored internet toxicity/vitriol and cyberbullying culture. Well written and well executed.

Spoiled trust fund reality tv star meets down-to-earth football star. The premise was there but the execution was dull and didn’t hit the mark. It was cheesy with no plot and okay banter. Conflict was unbelievable.

Jada Townsend-Matthews, fresh off a public heartbreak, has to find a job. Since the season finale of My One and Only aired, and it became public that she turned down the bachelor and his diamond ring in the end, she’s been universally hated. And since she turned down her parents’ offer of working for them, they’re going to cut her off financially. Jada has a trust fund that will come to her when she turns 26, but that’s still a year away. Her dyslexia had made college difficult, and while she graduated, it had made her miserable.

But her grandmother steps in to help give her some direction. And she gives Jada six months. If Jada can hold a job for six months, then she can get her trust fund early. She even has an opportunity in mind for Jada—a job at Sugar Blitz.

Donovan Dell plays football professionally for the San Diego Knights. But as he was getting closer to 30, he knew that his time on the field wouldn’t last forever. So he and two of his friends from the team—guys he’d played ball with since their freshman college days—decided to open a cupcake shop. They worked relentlessly on the recipes, and when they opened Sugar Blitz, they were ready to make the shop a success. But somehow, the store itself lacks warmth. Which is something that Jada had pointed out the day before, when her best friend had brought her there for her favorite cupcake.

So when Jada had found out that her grandmother’s job for her was at Sugar Blitz, Jade wanted to say no. She tried to say no. But as her grandmother pointed out, Jada had nothing else. And it was only for six months. And it was cupcakes. That should be fun, right?

But Jada isn’t a baker. And when Donovan tries to teach her how to make the cupcakes anyway, she almost burns down the kitchen. But slowly, she gets some confidence at the cash register and enjoys talking to the customers. Things start to look up for her. And she loosens up, even switching her designed shoes for a pair of Crocs. She finds that things start to loosen between her and Donovan also.

But the lie she told to get out marrying the doctor on the reality show comes back to bite her. She had said that there was someone at home that she couldn’t stop thinking about. And when reality show viewers figure out that she’s at Sugar Blitz and start taking photos and posting them, her chemistry with Donovan starts rumors that he was the guy from home she’d been pining for. But when the doctor shows up at the cupcake shop himself, trying for a second chance, Jada is worried that her lie will be exposed. Will she lose everything—her job, her growing feelings for Donovan, the trust she’d been working so hard to restore—just because of a stupid lie she’d told weeks ago? Or will she find a way to win the heart of the bachelor after all?

Romance writer Jamie Wesley brings cupcakes, a reality star, and a football player together in this romantic comedy filled with flavor and fun. Told from the perspectives of both Jada and Donovan in alternating chapters, Fake It Till You Bake It comes together like a well-crafted cupcake, the sweetness balanced with fresh fruit for tartness and some streusel for crunch.

I listened to the audio book of this book, read by Kassiopia DeVora, and I’m sorry to say that I thought the narration was not as good as I’d hoped. There were places in the writing that were a little bumpy, and the narration seemed to emphasize the awkwardness instead of smoothing it out. However, it’s hard to knock her for what is really a problem with the writing. I do wish the writing had been stronger, or the editing of the manuscript, had ben more deft because I love the concept for the book. I just felt a little let down by the execution of it.

Egalleys for Fake It Till You Bake It were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I bought the audio myself through Chirpbooks.

the writing wasn't very engaging and the characters felt 2 dimensional. the premise was cute, but not enough to keep me entertained.