Piece of Cake; Authors Mary Hollis Huddleston and Asher Fogle Paul. Contemporary Romanitc 5/5 Stars

This was a perfect book to read/listen to for the month of June—Wedding Month. I listened to the book via the ARC I received from NetGalley . I was so enjoying this book that I would listen to it at my desk while working.

This book is set in Nashville TN. the main character is Claire Sommers, a somewhat disgraced “wedding planner” from Dallas who now works at a struggling local wedding magazine, Piece of Cake. Claire also has a strained relationship with her parents and sisters from her time working in Dallas.

The premise of this book is that Claire has presented an idea to her boss,.. adding Wedding Documentaries to the portfolio of the magazine. Her boss and the publisher’s decide to do a trial run of the idea but instead of having her do it they bring in a social influencer from New York to partner with her. Claire is not happy about this as her boss announces the new employee, Dominique Gravino at the staff meeting. “Dom” is a suave green eyed Italian who runs in instagram site as a guy’s guide to weddings. A first Clair is not happy having Dom partner with her but eventually she does understand that to make this a success she need Dom and the magazine needs them.

The adventures that Claire and Dom have the friendship that begins is sweet and funny. Unfortunately for Dom, Claire has a secret that could jeopardize all they have worked for. Can Claire make this right and will Dom and Claire’s relationship survive? Lastly, will they have a success or failure with the wedding documentaries? I love a book with a bit of drama and Claire definitely brings some drama to the book. The ending of this book is work the read.

A big thank you to NetGalley for ARC audio version of this book, to Mary Hollis Huddleston and Asher Fogle Paul for writing such a lovely book and to Harper Muse for publishing this book.

Claire is working for the bridal magazine Piece of Cake. How much longer the magazine will last is unknown but things are tight. They try something new hiring a social media star Dominic to help create the docuseries about elaborate southern weddings. Of course if you have seen any Hallmark movie you know these two mix like oil and water. But along the way they see where they can use each other's strengths to make a go of this. But like a Hallmark movie you know it is not going to be smooth sailing at all. Claire goes home for her sister's wedding and she has to face her past there and the mistakes she made. Great summer wedding read.

When I first began this book I was unsure of the beginning and thought I wouldn't like it as much but I kept reading and it was better. I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and was happy with the ending.

Given that this book is set in Nashville, and I live outside of Nashville, I really wanted to like this book. On the surface, it was a cute romcom with tension and relatable moments, but there were a few things that just rubbed me the wrong way. I guess there needed to be an emphasis on the fact that this was Nashville, and Nashville is all about country music (which it's not). The constant references to famous country music hits and detailed digs on the broadway culture were a little too on the nose for me. I've read a few romances set in the Nashville area that were a lot more subtle and yet still managed to communicate the vibe of the city. But this nit-picky note is really just an annoyance for me, and I think it's because I live here. The thing that really bothered me was the not-so-subtle dig at the pop culture and fantasy-lovers. One of the weddings featured a bride that loved fantasy and science fiction, so she incorporated a lot of those elements into her wedding. Yet the main characters judged and made fun of them. Then the author chose to have the father of the bride not want the article on the wedding published, so the MCs assume it's because he'd be embarrassed or his daughter would be judged for her love of fandom culture. I don't know what that plot point was trying to accomplish, but it didn't sit well with me. Overall, I liked the romance and the growth of the FMC, but it didn't land like I think the author intended. At least, not with me. This book wasn't my cup of tea, but I'm sure there will be plenty that love it. That's why I'm giving it 3 stars. For me, it was just average and so-so.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book reads like it was written for a specific person. I can appreciate wanting to immerse the reader in the regional milieu but this is done in a way that prevented me from really ever feeling totally into the story. I didn’t love all the IRL brand references or frequent mentions of the pandemic. Brand names are dropped instead of descriptions of whatever is being discussed so if the reader is not familiar with those brands, they don’t get to know any details about what is being described. Overall this book just wasn’t for me. I never felt the chemistry between the main characters and was never really invested in either of their stories.

Spice: Spice rating: 1/5
(Spice scale: 1 Kissing, no sex implied or stated, 2 Closed door (sex implied or stated but reader not present), 3 Open door (on page sex), euphemistic language, 4 Explicit 1-3x, 5 Explicit and repeated > 3x or; on page kink)
Audiobook:5/5

I loved Without a Hitch, so when I heard this writing duo was coming out with a new book I immediately added it to my TBR. And with Brittany Pressley narrating again? Done and done.

BUT

I have to be honest,

When I read that this book was about the villain from Without a Hitch, Claire, I was nervous to dive in.

If you’re in the same boat, give Claire a chance for redemption. You won’t be sorry you did.

Claire left Dallas with her tail between her legs and her trust fund cut off. We meet her a few years later in Nashville working at a floundering wedding mag, Piece of Cake. Her editor teams her up with Dom, a wedding influencer (The Brides Man — genius!) for a series of digital wedding coverage they hope to sell to a network — and their last chance to save the magazine.

Expect the same hilarious wedding mishaps as Without a Hitch but with an undercurrent of a woman on a quest to find herself … and a hilarious hot chicken date.

4/5 stars for me because Dom and Lottie’s love interest from the previous book were too similar for me! I half expected them to be long lost brothers or something.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Miss for a copy of the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Claire grew up in a family where perfection was the only option and things did not go well if you failed live up to expectations. For her parents nothing matters more than what the world sees. If we all had a theme song, Claires would be “One of these things is not like the other”. In a moment of truly terrible judgment she does something awful (don’t worry, she doesn’t kill anyone) and rather than ask why her parents emotionally and financially abandon her. She leaves town, finds a new job in hopes of redeeming herself and becoming the person she wants to be. She loves her job, but it the status of the magazine is tenuous at best. When her latest idea of how to help is adopted she is thrilled until she realizes she has to partner up with Dominic, a social media star influencer and is not happy about it. Not even a little bit. Claire is a wonderful work in progress and trying to create a life and set down roots in Nashville while where as Dominic is all about what works in the moment and moving on to reach his career goals. Will they, won’t they fight the attraction, their differences, share their real feelings, can she trust him, can they be honest with each other and can their project save the day? A light fun listen sweet listen too finding it all out. If half stars were available I’d have rated as 3.5.

I really love this narrator! She is one of my top 5 favorites! She does an amazing job and this book is no exception.
This book was very cute! I really, really enjoyed it! Claire is from a wealthy family in Dallas but when she messes up big time she moves to Nashville to start over. She is now working for Piece of Cake a wedding magazine that’s kind of struggling.
Enter Dom, a media influencer and digital designer. He’s brought in to create videos of the weddings the magazine is covering with the hopes that a major network will pick it up and save the magazine.
It’s obviously that Dom has a thing for Claire but she doesn’t even want to be his friend….at first.

So very well written and narrated!
Another perfectly executed audiobook by the very talented Brittany Pressley. Her ability to switch to southern accents, different characters both male and female is impressive. She brought this story to life!
Team writers Asher and Mary have written this heartfelt story of forgiveness, understanding and lord of love.
Set in the wedding circuit an socialite gone rogue and an city boy living his dream become a team trying to save the company they work for.
Each wedding is a story about love, companionship, and overcoming obstacles. I hope to see more titles like this from this talented duo.

4ish stars

This was a fun, dramatic rom-com. Although I had mixed feelings about many of the decisions the characters made, I also understood some of them and appreciated most of what the writers were trying to do. I enjoyed this book (as well as their last co-creation) and will most likely check out whatever they create together next.

This was a sweet, funny book. "The Wedding Planner" meets "Sabrina" in a country setting. Middle child, Claire, has made her own mistakes. Big ones. But that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her career goals. When the future of the company she has worked hard for is threatened, she finds a way to move forward in a new direction. Claire is resilient and quick thinking. She's easy to identify with as someone who has worked to overcome past decisions.

I could see this romance was coming a mile away. A southern gentleman, how can you not love Dominic? He’s so sweet to Claire right off the get go and there’s really no ulterior motive there for him. He’s just doing his thing and happens to fall in love- it’s wonderful. Claire, on the other hand, had a harder time. The two meshed well though and had a good balance to make each other better.

🌀Synopsis
Claire is about to lose her job. Well, they all are. The magazine they work for has one foot in the grave. All this after she escapes her past in Dallas and can’t return home. So, now what?
Claire comes up with a pitch that she feels is going to save the magazine. By featuring some major upcoming weddings and venues she’s determined to make this a hit. The only problem is her boss pairs her with Dominic. A southern boy who is also creating his own content.
Their adventures together show them each other’s true colors and they begin to realize that they might just be more than friends. Claire’s past comes roaring back though and she’s going to have to be brutally honest if she wants to save what they have together.

I enjoy stories set within the wedding industry. This was a different perspective that was very fun. I loved the journey the main character has been on after making a mistake and being cut off from her trust. She has learned from her mistake and has been working to be an independent person. This book made me laugh and root for the characters.

This book follows Claire Sommers as she works at the bridal magazine Piece of Cake. In order to save the magazine (financial struggles) she will document several big weddings in the surrounding area’s - but not just her. Instagram influencer Dom is flown in from New York, and he has to help her.

I think the idea of this book was really cute & I enjoyed most parts of it. The setting is fun and the idea is original! There was one thing that really bugged me though, and that is the main character, Claire. She’s not very likeable - she’s condescending, mean sometimes even, rude and judgmental. This it a little harder to root for the main character.

I will say though I did like the chapter before the final chapter, it was more well rounded than I expected!

- Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with the audio-book!

As I write this review, and I feel like I am still hearing all my thoughts about this book with the southern accent of the narrator. This is meant as a complete positive aspect of the audiobook. The narrator’s voice was calm, had wonderful accents for various characters, was well paced, and just overall sounded so calming. The story itself was a cute romcom that also had personal growth of the characters. Claire has done a lot of growing up before the book even began, but had to deal with her past mistakes, and the consequences of those, throughout the book. Dominic was a overall well-rounded male main character. He brought a humor and a lightness to the book and I loved the twist of him being the brides best man as an Instagramer. Claire was also in the wedding business but more of the writing side and I loved how Claire and Dom had to join together. The various weddings and events they attended, along with their general banter, was cute and fun. The storyline was generally predictable, but the ending, and the jumps of time at the end really worked well for the story. Overall, this is a sweet read that you don’t have to be southern or in the wedding business to love. 4⭐️, 0.5🌶

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Claire Sommers is making her way through the world on her own despite everyone's doubts she could. After making a massive mistake that left her disowned and shamed out of the Dallas high society, Claire has worked hard to carve a place for herself in the city of Nashville and find moderate success at her new job at Piece of Cake, a long-standing Southern bridal magazine. However, when her idea to save the print magazine is practically given to a stranger from New York-- Claire can't help but feel personally attacked. 'The Bride's Man', or Dominic Gravino, is a smooth talking, native New Yorker who's found success in the bridal industry offering insight and advice as an influencer. Claire doesn't trust him one bit, but reluctantly realizes it's better to go with the flow rather than fighting it. What follows is a fun journey through over-the-top Southern weddings, and some emotional ups and downs.

This book was truly a mixed bag for me. Claire, while she goes through some astounding character growth throughout the book, is hard to like. Similar to Piper Bellinger from It Happened One Summer (by Tessa Bailey), Claire exudes this indefinable 'rich-white-girl' attitude that can be difficult to relate to or sympathize with. Claire continually complains about how much she's struggling, while living in a charming apartment in Nashville (with no roommate!), a four-figure bank account, and products people on a budget typically won't even let themselves hope for (i.e. a Le Labo $80 candle and owning a Range Rover in a city???). There's a disconnect between what being poor actually is, and what living moderately comfortable is-- and for Claire, there seems to be no difference.

However, there were some genuinely sweet and funny moments throughout the book, and the (rather short) ending is tooth-achingly perfect. And the audiobook narrator did a wonderful job-- her accents and characterization make what is probably a slow moving book something enjoyable and entertaining from start to finish.

PIECE OF CAKE is a great choice for a summer rom-com read, or for fans of southern drama and weddings!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Hollis Huddleston, Asher Fogle Paul and Harper Muse for an audio arc of Piece of Cake. This review is wholly my own (except any quotations) and may not be reproduced.

I was hesitant on this title because the reviews weren't that great, but when it was offered on audio, I knew I could get through it quickly, so thought I'd give it a shot.

I think the reviews are a little harsh. It's not the best book I've every listened to, but not the worst. I thought it was a cute little rom-com that I really did enjoy.

Claire Sommers comes from a high society family in Dallas and she leaves town to start anew after she disgraces her family, friends, employer and herself with a little case of "trying to get ahead by stepping on EVERYONE else's toes." She now lives in Nashville and works for Piece of Cake Magazine covering weddings. She has reinvented herself & actually cares about others and wants them to succeed. She has an idea to cover weddings for a social media series, but then her boss brings in the super HOT Dom, who is already a famous influencer and Claire feels like her idea is getting stolen out from under her, which is not the case. While Claire & Dom cover these weddings and the hiccups along the way, they start to fall for each other. But, can they survive the one wedding that will end the series and will put them on the map? That would be the wedding of her baby sister, Lucy. And none other than the wedding planning firm Claire previously worked for and disgraced, is planning Lucy's wedding. Can Claire make amends or will her past behavior cause not only Claire, but all of her co-workers & friends at Piece of Cake to lose their jobs as well?

This story moved at a great pace & was a great look into knowing one's self-worth and respecting yourself (and others). I enjoyed Claire, Dom and the other minor characters. This is an easy read/listen. You don't have to think too much - just sit back and enjoy.

3.5 Stars from me

It's such a cute story. It was an audio arc, and I would buy it when it comes out. You are rooting for the main character. She did a bad thing when trying to find her way as a wedding planner. When she has to work on weddings with her old coworkers, she tries to show how much she has changed.

I just reviewed Piece of Cake by Mary Hollis Huddleston, Asher Fogle Paul. #PieceofCake #NetGalley I enjoyed this audiobook. The narrators gave a great reading and kept me engaged. I'm a fan of the story of Claire and Dom. I think the trust fund bit was unnecessary to their story. It seemed to be a big portion of the story but didn't add any value. Overall, its a light read that teaches the importance of honesty and integrity with a dash of a love story.

This book was super cute, funny and southern. I loved it. I highly recommend this to anyone that love a good romance and the charm of the south. Thanks NetGallery!