Sugar Blitz, Book 2
From the publisher:
In A Legend in the Baking, the new romance from Jamie Wesley, a cupcake-baking football player gets assistance from a social media maven―and his best friend’s little sister―to help promote his new bakery after accidentally going viral online.
August Hodges was supposed to be the silent partner in Sugar Blitz Cupcakes. Emphasis on silent. That is until his impromptu feminist rant about how women bakers are the backbone of the industry and baking cupcakes isn’t a threat to masculinity goes viral, making him the hottest bachelor in town. With a new location in the works, August and his partners decide to capitalize on this perfect opportunity to help cement their place in the community. But the hiring of his best friend’s younger sister, the woman who has haunted some of his best dreams for years, was as much of a shock as his new-found fame.
Social media manager Sloane Dell fell hard for her brother’s best friend the moment she met him more than a decade ago, but that teenage infatuation cost her dearly. Still, she accepts her brother’s request to revamp the bakery’s social media presence to take advantage of August’s newfound popularity, knowing it’s the big break her fledgling career needs. She’ll just ignore the fact that August is still August, i.e. sexier and sweeter than any man has a right to be. And that he drives her crazy with his resistance to all her ideas.
They vow to leave the past in the past. But when an explosive make-out session makes it clear their attraction burns hotter than ever, Sloane and August are forced to reconsider what it means to take a risk and chase your dreams.
As they’re both about to find out, all’s fair in love and cupcakes.“Wesley delivers a delectable mash-up of rom-com tropes in her adorable follow-up to Fake It Till You Bake It.“ – Publishers Weekly
“A fun twist on the culinary romance with both characters reliving a lot of past regrets and discovering the need to work on themselves if they are to find their happily-ever-after.” – Booklist
“A sweet romance with a very slow burn.” – Kirkus
“This fast-paced second-chance romance from Wesley (Fake It Till You Bake It) is sweet and hot, with a sexy cinnamon-roll hero and a determined, strong-willed heroine.” – Library Journal
This was a terrific follow-up to Fake It Till You Bake It, but it easily stands alone. Three professional football players own a bakery together. It is not just an investment; they actually do the baking and work there. Not sure how that happens during football season, but I was willing to just go with it. One of the owners has a sister, Sloane, who is a social media marketing genius, but she doesn’t want to work for her uber-successful brother, she wants to make it on her own. But when she loses her job, she applies for a new one at a company she is dying to work for. The only hiccup in the hiring process is that they want to see what she can do in real time. So she ends up working for her brother and his friends anyway, even if it is just temporary.
August is one of the owners, but he considers himself to be the silent partner. The other guys are gregarious and happy to do publicity and meet and greet the public. August prefers to bake in the kitchen. But when a few bros come in and start spouting off, he ends up going viral when he talks about how women are the backbone of baking. August has always had a thing for Sloane, but he is shy and not sure how she feels about him. Working together as Sloane makes August the star of the social media for the bakery brings them pretty close, especially as they get to know one another.
This is a slow-burn, sweet romance with a bit of spice and a really good read. This is turning into one of my favorite series – I love sports romances, close proximity romances, and foodie culture, so this hits on all counts for me. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
12/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
A LEGEND IN THE BAKING by Jamie Wesley. St. Martin’s Griffin (November 19, 2024). ISBN: 978-1250801876. 336p.
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