Fake It Till You Bake It is a fake dating to lovers romance that I could not put down! I literally finished this book in 2 days. The writing felt real and authentic. It had just the right amount of comedic relief that I appreciate in rom coms. The story begins with both Donovan and Jada at important crossroads in their lives and they literally start off annoyed but also attracted to each other in their first meeting. The chemistry between them was amazing from the very beginning. I also love stories like this that keep it light but also touch on the tough parts of life whether it be trying to find what your true purpose is or releasing the hurt from the past in order to embrace a better, freer future. Wesley was able to add depth to the characters and it definitely made you more invested in their outcomes. Also it looks like this might be a series which I'm excited for!

Thanks to netgalley and SMPRomance for the arc in exchange for my review.

If, like me, you love the fake-dating trope, I suggest you give Fake it Till You Bake It a chance!

Firstly, I liked the premise of the book a lot, especially because it takes place in my hometown, San Diego. After enraging fans of a reality show similar to The Bachelor after turning down a proposal, Jada is sent to work at a bakery, THE bakery that our male main character owns. This has elements of enemies-to-lovers but falls a bit short on that trope.

Although overall, I did like this book, I think I wanted more substance from the characters and their relationship. Their attraction to each other felt very insta-love/like, which I'm not usually fond of. I was looking forward to the yearning and pining and slow-burn that usually occurs when it comes to fake-dating but didn't really ever get that.

My favorite part of the book was definitely Jada. Although at first she is, as expected, a bit of a spoiled rich girl, you soon understand that she is more than that. She wants to find her purpose, something I can relate to.

I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick cute story!

I love a fake dating trope! First of all, absolutely adored these two characters — a reality dating show star and an NFL player who owns a cupcake bakery? Couldn’t be better! The story itself was light and predictable as you’d expect from a romcom. Enjoyable read, but nothing too special.

I loved the cover, it’s eye catching and pulled me to this story. The storyline was cute and I enjoyed the characters. I really loved the positive representation of black people, that was definitely a plus.

Overall I liked the story but the writing kinda fell flat. It was too many cheesy moments that just didn’t feel authentic. Yes I know Romcon’s are supposed to be like this but this just felt wrong.
Don’t get me wrong this author has so much potential and so much going for them, just some stuff that needed a little tweaking

Rating: 3.5/5
Steam: 3/5
Tropes: Fake Dating, Sports Romance, Celebrity Romance
Rep: BIPOC, Dyslexia

Thank you to SMP Romance and NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was cute, but (forgive me) completely forgettable. I loved this concept of a pro-football playing owning a bakery + some fake dating vibes. But a lot of this story felt like we were stopping and starting concepts/plot points. It lacked the depth that there was opportunity for…and felt both rushed and so slow at the same time. I can say I enjoyed that it didn’t include the typical 3rd act breakup, Mrs. T was a gem, and I did like the side characters. Over all a meh, story for me but I know others might really enjoy it.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is having a moment. Not a good one. She is the most hated woman in America after "breaking the heart" of the most recent reality show bachelor. So, now she is hiding out in her home in San Diego trying to get her life back on track and out of the headlines.

Donovan Dell is a professional football player and 1/3 owner of Sugar Blitz, a local cupcake shop. The other two owners are on his team. Jada's grandmother is the owner of Donovan's team and has Donovan hire her to work at the shop while she tries to figure out her life.

An unfortunate incident leads to a reporter believing that Jada and Donovan are dating and blows up their lives on social media. However, could this be for the best? Sugar Blitz has never been busier and Jada is getting a makeover in social media. Isn't this what all parties wanted?

I really enjoyed this book - look forward to more by this author.

Another reality based storyline that coupled with the romance genre just didn't work out well for me. It was an average romance for me.

I really enjoyed these characters and getting to know them, especially Mrs. T. However the story felt both rushed and drawn out, and it lacked depth. It was a lighthearted read and fun, but not something I would reread.

Not my usual type of read but it's a sweet and charming little rom-com story. It's hard to not root for the mcs as their romance blooms! I'll definitely check out her next book!

As a (ex) pastry chef, any book set in a bakery has a special place in my heart. This is a very cute, light hearted fake dating story. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two characters. The book starts off a little slow, but it is well worth reading and I definitely recommend giving it a try!

The premise is adorable: a burly football player and an uptight reality celebrity fake date and eat a bunch of mouthwatering cupcakes. Yes!!

The chemistry didn’t work for me, but give it a shot if you love any of the following: grump/sunshine, cupcakes, fake dating, Black romance, cupcakes, reality TV, fashion, cute side characters, or cupcakes. It's really sweet!

Can we say sweet tooth!!! This book made me crave cupcakes from page one all the way to the end. The story was a fun, spicy romance. Jada is running from her past on a reality dating show and Donovan is just trying to get his cupcake shop to be profitable. When the two run into each other in his cupcake shop and Jada's smart mouth puts Donovan on edge, their lives are set on a crash course. Can their "fake" relationship withstand the pressure of social media, and what happens when true feelings become a reality? I really enjoyed this sugar-sweet story even though I still want a cupcake. 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC.

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.