This was a perfect enemies to lovers romance. It had all the passion and sexual tension the trope needs. The two characters were legitimately antagonistic, too, with a long history of rivalry. So their inevitable romance was even more sweet.

I LOVED the setting as well. I’m a big fan of shows like The Great British Bake-Off, and this book totally captured the spirit of baking shows. The contestants and crew were great side characters. I loved the descriptions of the bakes as well. The structure of the show provided excellent twists for the plot.

My only complaint, as always, was that this is a fade-to-black romance, and I love my spicy scenes. But even with the closed door scenes, the author managed to infuse excellent sexual tension and chemistry. Some of the spiciest closed door scenes I’ve read!

Although this was book six in a series, I never felt like I was missing anything despite the fact that I didn’t read books 1-5. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! Thank you to @salty_caroline_reads @netgalley and @readforeverpub for this ARC.

Like Cats & Dogs is the final book in the Pine Hollow series. Following enemies Mac & Magda as they compete against one another on Cake-Off, think GBBO but in the U.S. Unlike other years of Cake-Off where the show gives viewers warm and fuzzy feelings and competitors are nice to each other, this season a new showrunner is putting rival contestants against one another. Also they'll have chances to sabotage their fellow bakers, which hasn't been done before. Although Mac knew about the rivals reveal Magda didn't and it threw her off, as expected. Although the showrunners are hoping for a lot of tension between the bakers, there is plenty, it also gives Mac & Magda a chance to work out their differences.

Enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes so it's no surprise I loved a lot of this book. I'm also a fan of romances set in a baking or cooking competition so that works in my favor too. It's fitting that Mac & Magda are the final couple in this series as they've been wresting with their dislike for the entire series and if you're a romance reader you know what that means. Although I love Pine Hollow it was nice to get out of the setting and see these characters in a new one. It also introduced us to some new characters, which helped to freshen up the story. Overall I really enjoyed this book and it felt a good ending for the series. As Lizzie Shane closes the door on this chapter in her writing journey, I'm excited to see what she writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

It was a cute friends to enemies to lovers that spans over about fourteen years and comes to sparks over a baking show competition. I enjoyed the arch rivals concept and loved the friendships Magda made at the baking competition. There were a few errors that took away from the story for me and it was very Hallmark vibes. A cute small town romance and a quick read!

I was gifted this ARC to read without any knowledge of the Pine Hollow series, but now I have more books to add to my reading list because I adored this book. The story is sweet and fun and made up of several of my favorite things:
*Enemies-to-lovers – but where the characters bicker a lot but are not cruel to each other
* Cats. And dogs. [Although they do not factor into this story nearly as much as you might anticipate based on the title, when they make an appearance they are great fun]
* The Great British Bake-Off. The story’s Cake Off baking competition is clearly an amalgam of numerous reality television baking competitions, but modeled largely after GBBO and I could not be happier about that as I am a big fan of that show.

This book is really well-written. It absolutely works as a stand-alone novel; I have not read the other books in the series, but never once felt at a disadvantage or that I was missing important information. The plot builds nicely with a couple of enjoyable twists -- even if they are predictable, they are still well-executed and satisfying. The story stays with the characters and their relationship and doesn’t lose focus. And those characters are extremely likeable, so much so that you want to root for both of them to win [the competition and each other]. And with how much I loved it, I imagine this book delivers big for the readers of the series who have been waiting for Magda and Mac’s story.

This is a solid romance written in a light and easy style. Filled with descriptions of baked treats, Broadway show tune references, and a never-in-doubt HAE, it is a perfect feel good book. Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book – coming soon [with an expected pub date of Nov. 12, 2024].

I’ve been eagerly waiting for Mac and Magda’s story since the first book in the series, and it did not disappoint. Magda, a classically trained pastry chef, has been trying to land a spot on the reality show Cake Off for years. Finally, her dream comes true—but there’s a twist. When she arrives on set, she discovers that her longtime nemesis, Mac, from her hometown, is also competing this season. Mac, a cafe owner from the same small town, has been feuding with Magda for years, and readers have been sensing the mounting tension between them over the last five books without fully knowing why.

In this book, we finally learn the reason behind their feud and how it spiraled out of control. Watching them confront their past and communicate after years of misunderstandings was incredibly satisfying. The enemies-to-lovers arc was both heartfelt and sweet, with some adorable animals adding extra charm to the story. Overall, it was a delightful read and a perfect resolution to their long-running conflict.

Magda and Mac are so fun as adversaries. I’m not really a reality show lover, but I really enjoyed their adventure into the reality baking realm. This is definitely an enemies to lovers jaunt, and it’s a good one! I liked their story and that it is a sweet romance. If you’re ready for a tasty treat, enjoy this story!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my own personal opinion.

I'm a sucker for baking rom-coms. This has a spin of the Great British Bake-Off, but it's American, so clearly it's meaner and less the British wholesome show (which absolutely works for this as it's an enemies to lovers style. I dove into this book and loved the relationships Magda has, and I absolutely plan on picking up other books in the Pine Hollow series.

The final installment of Lizzie Shane's Pine Hollow Series is a winner take all story set against the backdrop of "The Great American Cake Off," a competitive baking show. A stolen recipe and unrequited feelings have fueled a decades long feud between Magda and Mac, two shop owners in Pine Hollow. They are forcibly reunited when the Cake Off's new season features arch rivals. The forced proximity and competition provides the opportunity to process hurt feelings and re-examine their connection to each other. You will want to read this with some baked goods nearby as the descriptions are craving inducing! Your blood sugar will rise and your heart strings will be strummed as you enjoy Magda and Mac's story.

If you like cooking shows and storylines about frenemies, then this a book for you! I loved getting to know Mac and Magda and seeing how their past history was impacting their lives so many years later. Throw in a baking competition and reading about the highs and lows of reality tv, and I was hooked! The way the story developed and the characters grew through challenges, made this a perfect read! I definitely will be purchasing this one for my bookshelf and for a reread!

4.5 stars rounded up. As a big fan of cooking competition shows, this book was so fun to read! I feel like Lizzie Shane did a great job of making it engaging as a sweet background for a love story, but showing the potential negative sides of these shows as well.

Sometimes in enemies to lovers books, the lovers part can seem sudden and unearned. But I really connected with both characters, their backstory, and the realistic way they fell in love over the course of the competition and supported one another. I also appreciated that there were several points where the story didn't go the way I would have predicted.

I could have probably done without the extra POV from Julia, but if it's setting her up for her own spinoff book in the future, I'm not mad at it!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been waiting to read Mac and Magda’s story since book one of the series, and it didn’t disappoint. Magda is a classically trained pastry chef, who has been trying to get on the reality show Cake Off for years. Finally she is chosen for this season, and she could not be more excited to finally be living her dream. That is until she gets there and realizes her nemesis Mac from her hometown was also put on this season as a twist. Mac is a cafe owner from the same small town, and he has been feuding with Magda for years. Readers previously had no idea of the reason for the feud, but had felt the tension mounting for the last five books between them. In this book we find out why they have been feuding, and how they let it get this far. I loved learning about their feud, what fueled it, and watching them communicate finally after years of hurt feelings. It was a very sweet enemies to lovers story, with some cute animals thrown in. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Magda Miller and Mackenzie (Mac) Newton have history. They are fellow residents of Pine Hollow. Mac is six years older, Magda is very shy/quiet, and they met when they were teens. And it’s not like anyone would have guessed they would grow close... The story is about something that happens – we don’t really know details of what, really – that derails their budding closeness. For. Years. I’ll just say this: Family. Gotta love ‘em!

The ending made me laugh! I was quite surprised. Mac and Magda’s relationship and battle is a bit angsty for me but it was fun and sweet and sometimes a nail biter. And don’t get me started on trusting reality TV folks... A good read.

This Pine Hollow series novel was just adorable. I might also be biased because even tho it was a compilation of different baking shows I know her main inspiration writing this book from the format was the Great British baking show. That is one of my tops.

Baking competitions on food network…I’m sold. I have an addiction. So I adored this book.

I loved how Cupcake cowered like a punk while “ Cat” took over. They played a small part but a big image role in my mind!

Anyways….

Magda and Mac. Enemies for years. He stole her man catching cake. She stole his business expansion location.

Finally Magda is going to live her dream of competing on her favorite show and not have to think about Mac…or will she?

Cake-Off has a new twist this year.

Will Mac and Magda burn down the show kitchen or burn for each other?

This was such a fun book! If you like reality cooking shows you will really enjoy this book. Magda and Mac have been rivals in their hometown of Pine Hollow. They end up competing on the same reality baking show and, as usual, the rivals find things to like about each other. It was fun to see how the rivalry began and where it ends up. This was a really fun read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the book.

Like Cats & Dogs is a multi POV enemies-to-lovers romance that focuses primarily on Magda and Mac, two feuding bakers in a small town that are chosen to be on a reality cooking show! The two have been fighting, without agreeing on WHY, for so long that even townspeople have taken sides. But now they have a chance to either fuel the fire or put old animosity aside and start fresh.

This one was fun and mostly worked as a stand-alone alone, even though it was book six in a series. There were a few references that made me feel I was missing a little but not enough to ruin the story. I liked the rivalry between Magda and Mac, and how they gradually got past it!

Read dates: 10/05/2024 - 10/07/2024
Goodreads review: 10/07/2024
Instagram review: 10/07/2024
Blog review: 11/12/2024

Even their pets don't get along.

Magda Miller and Mac(kenzie) Newton have been rivals so long that not many even recall why. Quite frankly, I rather sided with Mac on this one. Him turning her romantic crush down when she was just 18 and him six years older shows character, not cruelty. That she's hanging onto that anger of rejection even now, 14 years later, made me roll my eyes. She's the one who allowed her teenage emotions to retain their grip on her, if anything, and that grip has only gotten stronger. Now they're thrown together in a baking contest designed to make sparks fly, and I don't mean loving ones, and forced to face their past. Given that this is a romance, I'm sure you can figure out how it'll all work out but, well, getting there is half the fun. If you like romances and baking shows, with a touch of quirky pets, you'll probably enjoy this book.

While, I wasn't really taken with Magda, I didn't dislike her but also don't think she was someone I'd want to hang out with. I could almost feel sparks flying as she bristled at anything connected to Mac, particularly his cat's habit of showing up in her home to terrorize her dog, Cupcake. Mac seems to be more of the live and let live type. He even manages to make one of Magda's wildest dreams come true (Nope, don't go there. This is a closed door romance. Grin) and ensure she is part of the baking reality baking show. Although I never felt terribly invested in the contest, I'm leaning toward thinking that part of my lack of connection to the plot was simply because I've read several baking related books of late, so I don't fault the author there. In any case, the contest is still interesting, even to non-foodies like me. The perspective alternates from Magda to Mac and even tosses in one from the show runner for the baking show. Toss in some interesting friends, fellow contestants, and the show crew, and it's an interesting mix. Mac's grandmother is a hoot, that's for sure.

Bottom line, it was an enjoyable, relatively quick read. I liked the role the pets played in the whole, too. Having read the author's "Pride and Puppies", this was a nice addition to that tale. It was definitely fun seeing Magda and Mac go from bringing out the worst in each other to bringing out their better selves in this enemies to lovers story. Thanks #Forever - #GrandCentralPublishing for giving me this sneak peek at what's been going on in Pine Hollow.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

2.5 stars
I really liked the previous book in this series and was excited to read Magda's story but it was a struggle to get through and ended up DNF at 45%. I couldn't see where it was going, if this was supposed to be enemies to lovers, since Magda seemed to hate Mac so much. I felt there was zero chemistry between them - it was all anger, more so on her part. Come to find out, what precipitated the "enemy" part of their back story took place 14 YEARS AGO and she never got over it. She was 18!! He's six years older! Also, I really need to stop reading anything reality-show related. It's never enjoyable for me.

Absolutely Absolutely perfect. I LOVE pine hollow and the characters, and the way the story line throughout the books just flows so naturally. There were dogs, baking, romance, and old friends...what could be better??? I lost myself in this book. It plays out like a movie and every line is wonderfully written and believable. Perfect book!!!

This is only my 2nd book by Lizzie Shane but I stand by my opinion that her books would make the cutest movies 🤭

If you’re a fan of any kind of cooking competition then you should give this book a shot. I loved the whole show set up, which is basically like a mashup of The Great British Baking Show, Top Chef, and Master Chef.

I love the twist of the show in making it Archrivals themed. Mac and Magda were already enemies, and then to add on a layer of rivals, too? Delicious. 🤭

This was a sweet ending to the Pine Hollow series. Now I gotta go back and read the ones I missed!

Thank you for the ARC, Forever!

3.75 stars - It's a simple, sweet story, and I love that this reads just like the Valentine's Day Hallmark movies. It's enemies to lovers with a baking competition. Is the story predictable, mostly. Is it fun, absolutely. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a feel good, pick me up story when you're just having one of those days when you are feeling great.