The perfect Christmas book to curl up with along with a cup of hot cocoa!

Samantha Chase's "Baking It Merry" is everything you want in a holiday romance: warm, festive, and utterly delightful. From the very beginning, this enemies-to-lovers story pulls you in with the charm of a small town, holiday magic, and the joy of a little pop-up bakery that makes you wish you could taste all those sweet treats yourself.

The story centers around Daphne Noelle, the owner of a whimsical bake shop that only operates for two months out of the year, right in the lobby of an upscale office building. Her enthusiasm for the holiday season and her dream-come-true bakery light up the place—except for one person. Tristan, a grumpy architect, is thoroughly unimpressed with the festive cheer and especially the giant gingerbread house Daphne’s booth is modeled after. He’s determined to ruin her fun, but fate has other plans.

The chemistry between Daphne and Tristan is what makes this book a joy to read. Tristan starts out as a classic holiday grinch, but watching him gradually warm up to Daphne (and her infectious love of Christmas) is heart-melting. Daphne, on the other hand, is such a lovable, exuberant character that you can’t help but root for her from the start. When Tristan finds himself in a tricky family situation, Daphne’s compassion and kindness shine through, and their relationship slowly transforms from rivalry to something deeper.

The festive setting really adds to the magic of this story. From the descriptions of Daphne’s gingerbread-themed shop to the small-town holiday vibe, the book makes you feel like you’re right there in the middle of Christmas cheer. The author does a great job capturing that cozy holiday feeling that makes you want to sip cocoa by the fire while reading.

Melanie Mendez’s narration deserves a special mention. She brings these characters to life with warmth and emotion, perfectly capturing both the tension and the heartwarming moments between Daphne and Tristan. Her voice makes the story even more engaging, enhancing the reading experience in the best way.

Overall, "Baking It Merry" is the ultimate holiday romance—sweet, uplifting, and filled with Christmas spirit. If you're looking for a feel-good story to put you in a festive mood, this is definitely the book to pick up!

This is a cute, little enemies to lovers holiday read.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for the chance to read this arc!

Thanks to Dreamscape Media, Samantha Chase, and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this alc of Baking It Merry. All thoughts are my own.

This is your classic enemies to lovers holiday book. Daphne is a baker who seasonally works in Tristan, who do not get along. After "forced" to work together for a few holidays party. During the first party Tristan impulsively bursts out they are dating so the continue to "fake date".

While this book cringe worthy at times, I throughly still enjoyed it. The narrator was just okay, my biggest change as it being dual povs that their was a second narrator.

3.5 stars.

The perfect sweet holiday romance. My only criticism is Jeff is horrible and I didn’t think that storyline was necessary.

This is a fun holiday book about a young woman, Daphne, who has had a holiday booth in the lobby of a high rise building, along with several other vendors. She sells muffins, cupcakes, cookies, and takes orders for other baked goods. One guy in the building, Tristan, is a real grump and he glares at the vendors on his way into work.

He thinks it's all tacky, especially Daphne's booth. He wants all the vendors removed, but Daphne really rubs him the wrong way.

When his family assigns him as the host of several holiday parties, they suggest that he does something simple like a dessert party. His assistant suggests using Daphne's skills as a baker and caterer. Tristan reluctantly agrees and he's impressed by Daphne's skills, both planning and baking. And he grows to like her more and more. And then they start to like each other a lot.

Of course there is a big issue that causes the new couple difficulties, and they need to get to the bottom of it.

Fun, easy to read, sexiness behind closed doors. A nice holiday read. I listened to the audio version. The narrator was very nice to listen to.

This is the perfect super cute holiday romance. I'm super excited for holiday baking as well now. I love them so much. They're so cute and I love the grumpy sunshine of the two of them. I listened to the audio book and it was perfectly done. This is amazing.

Baking it Merry by

This book was so sweet and I ate it all up!!

You know I can’t resist a good grumpy x sunshine! And then throw in baked goods PLUS holiday time! Ugh I’m done for. 🎄🥰

I really enjoyed the narrator, Melanie Mendez, as well!

Daphne Noelle is festive and just as sweet as her delicious baked goods. Tristan is the complete opposite. So when chance throws them together, will they mix well or explode? Read this and find out!

If a Hallmark Christmas movie were based on a book, this would be it. Very cute and seasonal. It basically gave me sugar cravings the whole time. The miscommunication trope towards the end was incredibly frustrating since it showed Daphne didn’t trust him by not believe his word. That aside, I enjoyed their relationship and how it developed. The ending was adorable and absolutely Hallmark-esque.
Melanie Mendez did a wonderful job narrating the story. She has a very clear and soothing voice and is very easy to understand. She brought in different tones and emotions out which helped give each character their own flare.
Overall, this is a very cozy story that is perfect for getting you in the holiday spirit!

Oooookay! This is the most darling Christmas book! I can not stop thinking about how many times I blushed page after page. I think this would be such a fun book club pick while you bake with friends for a party. It was just so incredibly sweet! Samantha Chase, I would love to take you for coffee to hear about how you write such a beautiful story. You have a talent! Beautifully done! Thank you for a wonderful story.

This was such a cute enemies to lovers, fake dating holiday book. Daphne is a baker who has a popup stall in the lobby of Tristan's building. When Tristan's parents tell him he needs to host the family holiday party this year, Tristan finds himself convincing Daphne to be his fake girlfriend. I'm sure you can guess how it plays out! Daphne was a great female lead. Tristan I warmed to by the end of the story with his grand gesture. This would make for a great Hallmark style movie - read if you need a book to make you smile!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Samantha Chase for a chance to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book followed the classic enemies to lovers trope process with holiday spirit and coziness woven in. There were many times I did not get how Daphne could look past Tristan's jerk ways, but who am I to judge ignoring red flags from an excellent kisser. Sometimes physical chemistry breaks down walls.

Narration was done really well.

Quick Summary: A "sugar buzz" romance

My Review: Baking It Merry by Samantha Chase is a sweet enemies to lovers fiction novel that is just right for the holidays.

About the Book: Mr. Bah Humbug meets his match when he crosses paths with Ms. Claus.

About the Characters:

Daphne - >

At the end of the year, Daphne Noelle gets to live out her dreams and bake until her heart is content. She successfully operates a pop up bakery at a downtown venue. For the last three years, all has gone incredibly well, for the most part. Unfortunately, Mr. Grinch himself (Tristan) tries to bring his gray cloud of an attitude her way. Little does he know that she won't be so easily deterred by his grouchiness.

Tristan - >

Little Miss Sunshine is at it again, and it is all Tristan can do to keep his attitude in check. Every holiday season, he cannot help but to get annoyed by the gingerbread setup and the I'm so happy" vibes given off by Daphne. This is the year that he will definitely put a stop to what she has going on.

About the Conflict: When Tristan finds himself in the middle of a holiday hiccup, he has to enlist the help of you know who. Although he does so begrudgingly, he soon appreciates the assist from Daphne. What began as a favor eventually becomes something more. Will the two be able to create the perfect relationship recipe for themselves?

About the Narration: This novel was narrated by Melanie Mendez. It flowed so effortlessly that I was wrapped up in every word and emotion. It was easy to listen to and get swept up in the story in one sitting.

My Final Say: I adored this story. It was a just right read for the Christmas season. It was light and playful. It even had a dose of closed door, sugary heat. Both leads were able to demonstrate growth and courage. I would even dare say that this should be a holiday movie.

Other: I loved the involvement of family in the lives of both characters. Each family proved not to be to overly heavy or pushy, rather they presented as positive and supportive, for the most part.

Rating: 4.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 🍬
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure to read/listen to this novel.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media for the gifted ALC of this one. These are my honest thoughts!

I only got into Samantha Chase this year, so I definitely have not read her extensive backlist. However, I've been adoring her The Donovans: Sweetbriar Ridge series.

Baking It Merry was a bit different than the other Samantha Chase books I've listened to, but I liked it nonetheless! This was the perfect little "Hallmark Movie" of a book, with a little small pop-up baker battling it out in with the stuck up architect in the sterile office building where his firm is located. The happy-go-lucky bakery owner making everything sweeter just really makes him bitter, and we all know what happens when that happens...

This one was such a fun take on the well-known holiday romance of these sorts. I enjoyed it a lot and enjoyed the performance by narrator Melanie Mendez.

3.75 stars

Special thanks to NetGalley, author Samantha Chase, and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listener copy of Baking It Merry. I'm a big fan of Samantha Chase, so I was thrilled to see she's releasing a Christmas book! This book was a delight! Small Town, Enemies-to-Lovers, holiday romance that truly delivered

Everyone in the building adored the bake shop—except for the guy on the top floor.
Tristan wishes there were no trace of Christmas in the building. For two months each year, Daphne Noelle lives her dream of running a pop-up bakery that looks like a gingerbread house, spreading joy to everyone who visits. But this year, Tristan is determined to ruin it all.

When a family crisis strikes, he reluctantly turns to Daphne for help, and he must navigate her cheerful holiday spirit. As they spend time together, he begins to see there’s more to her than just holiday cheer—and maybe Christmas can be a little more special when you’re with the right person.

Publication Date- November 19, 2024
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