Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for supplying me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I really enjoyed the first book. in this series. The idea of three brawny football players opening a cupcake shop is just great. I'm glad I got to read this second one and see what August and Sloane's story was all about.
I really love August. He's this big quiet guy who just wants to stay out of the limelight. Of course it's him who ends up as the face of Sugar Blitz Cupcakes when he accidentally goes viral after he goes off on a few guys bad talking cupcakes. It's always the quiet ones who have the most to say! I liked how Sloane was able to step in and use her social media manager powers to really help Sugar Blitz. Of course she and August have some history and spend the entire book pining for each other. I loved their banter and how easily they got along with each other. Their push and pull was fun, even if it was a little frustrating and I wanted to bop them both in the head and yell, "snap out of it!"
That being said, they were both very relatable despite August's fame as a pro football player.
The plot is nothing special but it was fun. And it did touch on a few social issues that I think are important for people to know about: gentrification being the foremost.
The one thing that bothered me was the sexual harassment August received. It was peppered throughout the book but never really addressed. For a man who was standing up for women, I was surprised to see the reverse happening and no one stepping in to say anything.
Jamie's writing is easy to read. It flows well and keeps the pace going. I liked the third person point of view used for this story, as well. It's an interesting way to go.
Overall this one was fun, though not great for me as the first. If you're looking for a cute second chance love story with lots of slow burn, this one will fit the bill!

A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley is a contemporary romance set in San Diego, California. Three pro football players have opened a cupcake shop that is successful. This second book in the series features August Hodges. He’s supposed to be the silent partner in Sugar Blitz Cupcakes, and stay in the background, mainly doing repairs and ordering, and helping with the baking or customers only when needed. However, after a family telephone conversation, he makes a feminist rant about how women bakers are the backbone of the industry and that baking cupcakes isn’t a threat to masculinity. It goes viral on social media.

With a second location opening soon, they decide to capitalize on his new-found popularity with the help of his best friend and partner’s sister Sloane Dell. August and Sloane have known each other for twelve years, but have been mainly avoiding each other since an incident when Sloane was seventeen. When Sloane is brought in to revamp their social media presence, she and August must learn to work together.

Sloane is tenacious, a workaholic, and has great ideas, but seemed to push August into doing things he wasn’t prepared to do. She sometimes came across as manipulative. August is quiet, lonely, good at keeping his thoughts to himself, and doesn’t like being the center of attention. August is the more likeable character.

This novel felt more straight-forward than the first book in the series. Additionally, there wasn’t as much comedy and the pacing felt slower. I also felt the conflict at the second location should have been addressed more quickly. Despite this, I enjoyed it and the chemistry and connection that August and Sloane had. Additionally, there are themes around perceptions of women, family relationships and dynamics, regrets, and career advancement woven into the story that added depth.

Overall, this was an entertaining novel with a great setting for a second-chance romance. It’s cute and has a good ending. I am looking forward to a book featuring the third co-owner of the bakery, Nicholas.

St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Jamie Wesley provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for November 19, 2024.

Sloane is great with Social Media and PR. Problem is her boss got a promotion that should have been hers because he used her ideas! So she quit!
Now, her brother asks her to help do PR for the cupcake bakery he & his two best friends own, plus the new one they are opening. That means Sloane is going to have to work closely with August, her nemesis, and she's not sure she'll survive being that close to the man she's loved since high school.
August is so happy to have Sloane back home again, but now that she's going to be doing the PR for the bakery, it's going to be impossible to stay so close with the woman he's always loved.
This is one of the cutest,, most charming, second chance at love stories I've read in quite a while!
Don't miss it!

I love a good slow burn, but considering August and Sloane have liked each other for over 10 years, it was painful how long it took for them to get together. They’re thirsting over each other literally the entire book, which made it really frustrating to read.

That said, they did have a sweet relationship and I liked this book way more than the first. It actually felt like they had a genuine connection and they had that chemistry I felt was missing from Donovan and Jada.

Overall, it’s a cute but very cookie-cutter second chance romance, and it was an easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Jamie Wesley for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Fake It Til You Bake It series and quite frankly.... I liked it more than the first! And I liked the first just fine!

I really felt the pull of these two MCs and their shared history- it made for a really believable second chance romance. I enjoyed their slow burn rekindling and the feminist and societal themes and issues were appreciated. I definitely can't wait to see what the third Sugar Blitz owner has in store for us (assuming we are getting a third book!).

A legend in the baking was a cute story about two people suffering from different issues pushing each other out of their zones.

I swooned, and laughed, and felt sad, a whole range of emotions in what seems like such a short story. The time line was also interestingly spaced between the main storyline which made it feel like a story that’s two in one.

There is something about the name Sloane, because I’ve loved every Sloane I ever read. Even when I wanted to shake her that she had the best MMC but I know trauma really rocks your foundation way too easily.

August was similar in his doubts and I wanted to shake him too but I loved their connection even from the beginning of Sloane just seeing August made me heart know these two are meant to be!

August, an NFL player and silent partner in Sugar Blitz Cupcakes, has accidentally gone viral when standing up for a woman in the cupcake shop. Sloan, a sister to one of the partners, is brought in to manage Sugar Blitz Cupcakes' social media and marketing. The story is fine. Nothing makes it really stand out.

My rating is based not on the writing but on the fact that this is a completely WIDE OPEN DOOR romance. There is nothing remotely left to the reader's imagination. A reader picking up this book and looking at the cover would have no idea what they were in for.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF at 59%

I didnt appreciate all of the sexual harrassment August was getting without any kind of commentary from a book that's supposed to be about women's right and such? Men also deserve to give consent on touching.

Also, cheating is never okay, even in just the dating stage and the fact that she was 17 while he was in college? Nah man, miss me with that. I'm bummed because this book sounded SO cute, but it was so slooooow and then these problematic issues made me DNF.

I was lucky to get an ARC of this book and I am so happy I did. I already knew it was going to be good because I LOVED Fake it Til You Bake It. I really enjoy a mysterious man slowly opening up and Jamie executed this perfectly with August's character. The way he really hated the limelight but would do anything to make Sloane happy was so sweet and cute. I was so happy to see the brotherhood displayed in this book, the guys really had August's best interest at heart and let him come to his decisions on his own. Sloane is the perfect woman for him and I'm genuinely happy with how their story unfolded.

A Legend in the Baking was a very entertaining romance novel, and my first by Jamie Wesley.
I enjoyed the dual POV, getting the story from both Sloane and August.
Good pacing and a fun story meant that I didn’t want to put the book down! There were some twists that I didn’t see coming, which is always a good thing.
I’d recommend this book and I’ll be reading more by this author.

A Legend in the Baking is an amazing romance book that talks about love, forgiveness, family drama, self-discovery and self-worth.

The FMC (Sloane) is a hardworking woman that is striving to pave her own path on her own merit. However, an unexpected outcome lands her unemployed. This situation leads her down a path of self-discovery about who she wants to be and how she wants to achieve that while battling events from her past.

The MMC (August) is a shy and reserved professional athlete that co-owns a very popular cupcake shop. Even with all the accolades that he posses, he still carries baggage of past trauma around family and love.

When a viral video and unemployment leads these two together, their interactions are awkward to say the least. Probably based on their past friendship. However, these two together will figure out that they need each other to achieve what they truly want in life, personally and professionally.

This book is beautifully written while addressing many personal and societal issues.

Do I recommend? Yes!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I read book #1 of this series and was excited for the next book. In this book we get to follow Sugar Blitz’s August and Sloane as they navigate through old feelings while attempting a new norm within their new working relationship. Say it with me SLOW BURN. I liked the themes of feminism throughout the book. We get to grow with the main characters as they tackle grief, heartbreak and insecurities. Overall a pretty good read !

Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.Good.

A quick read. I love when a man goes all out for his woman. This was a bit cheesy and a slow burn but nevertheless, a good read.
I love that the MMC is a football player and a baker. Food is the way to a woman’s heart.

A Legend in the Baking just keeps on giving us the sexy cupcake maker men that we never knew we needed in our lives. They play professional football, but also bake! Before reading this adorable romance prepare yourself for some big romance moments, friends to lovers, and just overall swoony behavior. Did I mention it is sexy?

Sloane and August have history - most of it good, except for that last fateful night. But through the years since that night they have been cordial, if avoidant. But with August going viral overnight, social media and creative media guru Sloane has to help her brother's best friend/teammate/co-owner, it helps that this could get her the job of her dreams. But can these two maintain the "just friends" that they have been playing at since the beginning or is more going to develop? Will Sloane become the SugarBaeby to August's SugarBae?

This book was such a joy! Both the MCs were lovely, but very real. The story and the romance were so much fun, I laughed out loud several times, and the romance was set to 100%. I loved how well these two were matched for one another, but that there was as much of an emotional connection as a physical one. I think that there is something in this romance for all lovers of the genre.

It is definitely a rom-com book, so there are moments that are over the top. If that is not your favorite than this may not be the book for you. There is also some angst that you wish they would just talk about it, but sometimes real life doesn't work like that so I was alright with the slow development in that aspect.

This was the second book in the series and the second book I have read by this author. I was not disappointed! In fact, I enjoyed this one even more than the first book and I fell more in love with all of the characters. I will definitely be telling my romance friends about this cozy, yet sexy rom-com! Can't wait for the next in the series.

This book is for those who are fans of friends to lovers and brother's best friend. August, a football player turned viral baker, and Sloan, down in her dumps social media mogul, have one goal in common - successfully launch the second location of the bakery. They navigate chemistry, fame, and lots of banters. This is a new to me author and I can say with confidence that I will more than likely pick up other works. This was a feel-good romance with humor and a sprinkle of heat. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Instagram review will go live 18-Nov-2024.

A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley offers a delightful twist on the culinary romance genre. The story follows two characters as they navigate past regrets and realize the importance of self-improvement in order to achieve their happily-ever-after.

I thought the first book was good.. this book is 5 star read. August and Sloane had my heart throughout the entire book. I was rooting for them the entire time.,

A shy, quiet professional football player/cupcake baker, and his best friend’s little sister/social media manager collide.

What I liked:

This book was lovely. I love shy, grumbly August and spitfire Sloane. They had great tension, and the longing on each side was delicious.

The side characters are wonderful. We get a little time with Jada and Donovan (Sloane’s big brother) from Fake it Till You Bake It. Nicholas is hilarious, and I’m hoping we get his book in the future.

The plot was sweet and low-stakes. Exactly what I needed to read.

What didn’t work for me:

I do wish we got a little more of their past, and their interactions from then.

Super cute, and an excellent second book in the series. I loved how both MCs worked/are working through their emotional trauma to be the best they can be for each other. Because wanting to be together is so clearly the ultimate goal (even if they’re in denial), they put in the work to make it happen.