This was such a amazing read. Starting from the characters, plotline and scenarios, everything was on top notch and the pace was well maintained throughout the whole book. The characters were penned down brilliantly, not only the protagonists shine throughout the story but also the side characters too. The spotlight was given to each and every character to shine and contribute to the book.
I had a great time reading this one.

"Baking it Merry" by Samantha Chase is a Christmas rom-com novel.

Daphne has a pop-up holiday bake shop in an office building lobby. Tristan is a grinchy CEO who works on the 28th floor. He had no interest in the pop-up ships and considers Daphne's in particular to be an eyesore.

This has the enemies to lovers trope. I recommend this for anyone who likes this type of rom-com.

The audiobook is effectively narrated by Melanie Mendez.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 4/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 28/8 = 3 4/8
Rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Samantha Chase for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute, festive book! I thought the romance was super cute and love to chemistry. The story had a great Christmasy feel to it, which is exactly what I want in a Christmas book. I really appreciate it that the book was super clean… Closed door and no language. if you were looking for a lighthearted, easy, festive romance this is a great option!

I did listen to this book on audio, and while I found the narrator to be good I do wish that there would have been a male narrator for the male POV. It would have added a lot to the overall narration of the book.

While I enjoyed the beginning of this book the ending did not do it for me. The third act break up was what really just lost me. 3.5 stars bc there was so much potential.

3.75⭐, 1.75🌶️

I think I was just blindly expecting to really enjoy this book, so while I enjoyed the start of it, the ending was meh for me and it lost steam.

Wat I liked about it also caused my qualms with the ending - enemies to lovers. I loooved the sassiness and aggression the MC's had for each other at the beginning, but the aggression they had for each other during the fake dating situationship was kinda hinky for me, and then the third act break up lost me. I thinkin general, I didnt feel the enemies to lovers transition go well. It was just hostility, random kissing, then still fake dating but banging, then kinda in love? Idk, just in general this book had a weird flow

🎄Fake Dating
🍪Enemies to Lovers
🧁Grumpy x Sunshine

I enjoyed all the Christmas vibes and liked Melanies Mendez's narration.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape MEdia for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Daphne and Tristan couldn’t be more opposite! I really enjoyed their story. It had everything you could ask for in a holiday romance!

Adorable wintry romcom. I loved the baking aspects of this book and the narrator did a wonderful job voicing each character.

This grumpy/sunshine, fake dating romance stars a holiday-obsessed baker and a crabby architect who find themselves reluctantly collaborating during the Christmas season. Will they make it through the end of the year without driving each other crazy?

Oh wow, Christmas really threw up all over this story 😅 Lots of cheese here if you're looking for a Hallmark-quality tale. I have seen lots of reviews complaining about Tristan being an asshole, but he's no worse than any other grumpy romance novel character I've seen and he does have a softer side. Daphne is fun and likeable, and I aspire to her level of festive enthusiasm.

The story was a bit predictable in places, but that made for a nice comforting listen. There are some hints of spice, but I would say it falls between PG and PG-13. I wasn't sure how much chemistry Tristan and Daphne had, but they seemed to work together well as the story progressed.

The audiobook narrator was a little too perky at first, but she either mellowed out or I got used to her.

Baking It Merry was a relatively quick listen, but it did not resonate with me as a whole story. The writing was good and engaging, but the MMC was extremely unlovable. I get that it's an enemies-to-lovers trope, but it also was just not realistic at all to me that she ended up falling for him.

If you don't care much about these points and want a quick holiday listen, then others may enjoy this more than I did. But it was not for me, and it felt like the MMC did not grow enough in his EQ, self-awareness, and selfishness throughout this story for the HEA.

Many thanks to the artist, NetGalley, and the publisher for access to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Chase’s ”Baking it Merry” is a cozy holiday romance that follows the classic grumpy/sunshine trope. Daphne, a bubbly baker, clashes with the stern architect Tristan, but their forced proximity and fake dating scheme lead to unexpected feelings.

While the book’s festive setting and delectable descriptions of baked goods create a warm and inviting atmosphere, the execution falls short in a few areas. The main issue lies with the male lead, Tristan. His character is inconsistent and often unsympathetic, making it difficult to root for him. Additionally, both main characters could have benefited from more nuanced development.

The pacing of the story is uneven, with some parts feeling rushed and others dragging. Some plot developments, such as the sudden resolution of conflicts, feel contrived and unrealistic.

Overall, ”Baking it Merry” is a decent choice for those seeking a light and fluffy holiday romance. However, its underdeveloped characters and inconsistent plot hinder its potential. It’s a sweet and comforting read, but it’s unlikely to be a standout in the genre.

Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and the editorial team - thanks for giving me the opportunity to review an audiobook ARC of this publication!

For more reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#BakingItMerry #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

I usually love a grumpy/sunshine trope, but this was just too cheesy. Tristan hired Daphne's pop-up shop to cater multiple work events for the holiday season. Usually I end up loving the grumpy men (as they remind me of my husband), but Tristan was plain unlikeable in my opinion. He blatantly ignored Daphne's wishes and requests and got her to do this bidding. She would be exhausted to the point of just wanting to go home and go to bed, and he would talk her into staying at an event with him so he could have a date.

His character wasn't consistent. Tristan is so driven and depressed throughout the book when he isn't able to get a skyscraper approved through the city to add to the skyline. I know he mentions that he wants it so he can please his family, but it really did feel like it was a goal of his. Somehow at the end he decides he just wants to design homes. I just didn't feel any true growth in his character. Daphne is a baker who loves Christmas which of course is going to irk Tristan constantly.

I'm still confused why Daphne didn't feel more of a rush to open a permanent bakery. Every time Tristan tried to talk to her about doing it full-time, she would just say it wasn't the right time. She also seemed exhausted throughout the entire book from having to get up early (which is a normal schedule for bakeries). She says she pushes through it all because she knows its for only a limited time - the holiday season. I don't see her succeeding in a permanent bakery with that type of attitude.

I simply didn't feel their connection. Their first kiss scene where Tristan asked to kiss Daphne in the pantry before his brother walked in was completely glazed over. He sees her for the first time in a nice dress (that looks like Mrs. Claus) and is almost embarrassed of her because of it. The entire book was a mix of feeling like Tristan was embarrassed of Daphne, didn't have time to actually spend time with her that wasn't one of his parties, then sprinkle in a few booty calls.

The ending was just odd to me. Daphne is upset because she believes Tristan was emailing the landlord and trying to get her fired. Why would she tell every boutique in the foyer about this? Why would she have told Tristan's personal assistant and his whole office about this betrayal? The WHOLE building thought he seduced and sabotaged her. If I was her, I wouldn't have wanted anyone to know what happened.

Also a total missed opportunity. The very first scene has Daphne talking to local vendors about starting a potential book club so when they didn't have customers, they could meet. After that scene, it was completely dropped. I would have loved a few book club meetings sprinkled throughout the book.

Another missed opportunity was adding recipes in this book since Daphne owns a bakery. If not recipes, I would have loved more descriptions of her food. The only thing I remember of her baked goods was that Tristan liked blueberry muffins (boring).

I loved this book. The perfect cozy Christmas read. It’s a classic grumpy meets sunshine easy lighthearted read. Will definitely be on the lookout for book books by this author.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Samantha Chase for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy of Baking it Merry in exchange for an honest review.

It took me some time to get into this audiobook. At first, I thought it was the narrator - and it was to a degree, but it was also just the extremity of the grump x sunshine trope. The FMC was almost too happy all the time, and the super supportive parents raised some eyebrows for me. I prefer my characters to have a bit more of a history with more development throughout the book.

I do love a fake dating trope, and enjoyed the banter between the two main characters, but I didn’t like how he just pressured her into it without there being mutual motivation/benefits. He was pretty manipulative and it seemed like the end of the story wrapped up quickly with him “fixing” his mistakes .

It was overall a cute book with Hallmark vibes. And it made me hungry with all the baked goods references.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I enjoy Samantha Chase books, so when I saw her new Christmas book was on netGalley I was hopeful I'd get it. I laughed and was anger at the main male character but got over it with his grand gesture which was really good. She's such a happy person and a good soul that you want her to be happy even though he's such a grump.

Classic grumpy meets sunshine & fake girlfriend mash up. While the falling for eachother felt a little fast to me the plot moves along well. You never feel the story lag. I wish this book had recipes of some of the goodies Daphne makes because they sound yummy

Tis the season that I start looking for a few warm and cozy reads. Baking it Merry is one of those books you know could turn into a cute little Hallmark movie or end up on the Oxygen channel. But that is exactly what I’m looking for this time of year and the combine forced proximity trope with the grumpy/sunshine trope was almost perfect.

Daphne is sunshine and smiles for everyone most of the time. She has set up a bakery stand in a high rise office building for the last few years. For two months, she works a crazy amount of hours and saves up for her dream of starting a little bakery of her own. There are a few other booths in the building and it is everything she loves about the Christmas season. There is only one person in the building that seems to have any issues with her bakery and that is the very cute but ever grumpy Tristan. While everyone else seems to love Daphne and her festive sweaters and gingerbread booth, Tristan only seems to have sneers and complaints for her. When Tristen needs to help his mother out and host a few of the holiday parties they put on for friends, family and employees, Daphne seems to be the only baker available to help.

Tristan was such a grump that it took some time to get used to him and start to like him. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get there and was hoping Daphne would hold out for someone better, but there were a few tender moments where we see Tristen’s vulnerability and the pressure he has placed on himself that start to make him a real human. Daphne on the other hand, was cute and cuddly and so hard working for her dream that it was easy to like her from the beginning and want all the best things for her.

Baking it Merry was cute and had some sweet holiday fun in it. It is what I like to call a cotton candy read. Fluffy, sweet and melts in your mouth or eyes/ears in this case. You know going in that we will eventually get to the HEA and there will be some big gesture at the end for a great finale. My advice, give Tristen a lot of slack in the beginning because he is going to need it and remember we will eventually get to the sweet guy he could be as soon as he found the right girl.

Narration:
Melanie Mendez is a new to me narrator. It looks like she might just be getting her start in the business with a little under twenty narrations under her belt. I was a little disappointed that even though this had dual PoVs there was only one narrator. I always think this is a mistake especially for romance novels when there are two distinct voices for the story. She did a good job, although I found the pacing a little slow and needed to bump up the speed from my normal 1.5x speed to 1.75.

Performance: ★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★
Sound Effects: none

Move over Hallmark. Samantha Chase has given us the perfect holiday romance. It's the kind of story that makes you want to curl up with a blanket, warm drink and a fire. It's an enemies to lovers, opposites attract holiday romance.

Tristan is an overworked, straight-laced architect stressed out as the holidays approach. Daphne is the baker that runs a popup space for 2 months over the holidays in the lobby of his building. She often refers to him as grinchy-grincherson. Tristan is forced to help throw the family and business annual parties and begrudgingly now needs Daphne's help with baked goods and hostessing. Let the fake dating commence! I enjoyed watching their relationship change and grow as they navigate through the busy, stressful holiday season.

This is a single narration by Melanie Mendez. I think this is the first Melanie book for me and I enjoyed her very much. She did an excellent job distinguishing between characters and kept me entertained.

This is a sweet story with lots of heart, great characters and the perfect read for the holidays.

I don't want to be mean, but this was just not good at all. The MMC was a jerk for the ENTIRE story, pretty unredeemable specimen of man if you ask me. But what really drove it home was the feeling that this book was written as if it was some foreign entities impression of what humans spoke and thought like. The interactions and "voice" of the story were so stilted and unrealistic.

The narrator did a great job for what she had to work with but that's about all I have to say positive for this one.

Finally I romance's of varying spice levels, I do not particularly care, closed door, fade to black or the smuttiest of smut, but I have never encountered a story with this much sex that was fade to black. Normally in "clean" stories there is like one or two scenes that we know happen but aren't privy to but this story just lead us there repeatedly and then DOOR SLAM. Weird creative choice, but not what drove my rating.

This was about as Saccharine sweet as they get. Very Hallmarky but with some spice. Still probably closed door but allusions to spice more than a normal hallmark movie where they don’t even kiss until the last scene. This does have more affection and references so it is great for people who are looking for a little more than the traditional closed door romances. This is a grumpy/sunshine, enemies to fake dating, poor communication filled book. The MMC just couldn’t get out of his own way and the FMC didn’t help the situation sometimes. I didn’t take issue with the writing style but more the character development. I wanted their relationship to be fleshed out a bit more by the end because it wasn’t the most believable 180, from disliking each other to falling in love, more like lust. I could definitely see this becoming a made for tv movie and Samantha Chase did a great job of presenting a very cozy holiday scene, complete with lots of cute Christmas market boutiques and a gingerbread bakery shop in the office building. I loved all the references to what Daphne would bake for each event and how she would decorate. Tristan was just a grinch and even towards the end, he still wanted everything to be classy vs. cutesy. I was provided this ALC by @netgalley and @dreamscapemedia in return for my honest review and I do feel like part of what I I didn’t love was because of the audio version. The female narrator was too valley girl sounding and it became irritating.

Single POV/Solo Narration: Melanie Mendez, as Daphne. Unfortunately, I did not love this narration. It was almost too sweet and cute, at points it seemed whiny and grating. I’m not sure I would have interpreted the dialogue that way if I had read it on the page instead of listened to the interpretation that was on audio.

Something about the holidays just puts me in a gooey mood. I loved this adorable holiday romance, especially the baking theme and puns. Grumpy/sunshine can be hit or miss, but this one did it for me. I'll definitely be looking for more similar to this.