The main storyline of The Marquess of Cake is the growing relationship between Alys and Michael, which has a slow yet passionate build from meeting to marriage, and touched upon their struggles to make their relationship work. Their realization they loved each other was a bit unusual but by no means jarring. The trouble with the novel lies in the subplots, as those threads were left dangling in an unsatisfactory manner. One can only hope a sequel will pick up a few and bring them to conclusion rather than the pseudo resolution they currently hold.

When it comes to secondary characters Alys’ sisters are veritable flibbertigibbets and, even as you hate them, you have to give the author credit. She managed to write the pair in such a way the reader can channel how Alys must feel about them: wanting good for them, but wishing them to hades at the same time. Michael’s mother, the dowager, is depicted in such a way that you expect some delightfully horrible clashes with Alys, yet before such arguments really got started Lady Hatbrook suddenly decided to like Alys.

I enjoyed reading about the Marquis and his cake-baking lady, and intend to read more of this series. The best part is perhaps how the Marquess describes his sweet tooth as a "minor medical matter", as it made me laugh.