Fake It Till You Bake It: A Novel

by Jamie Wesley

Overview

A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery in this sweet and sexy romance from Jamie Wesley, Fake It Till You Bake It.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego's newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.

When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada's image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.

Fake it Till You Bake It is a sweet confection of a novel, the perfect story to curl up with and enjoy with a cupcake on the side.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250801852
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/21/2022
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	122,845
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jamie Wesley has been reading romance novels since she was about 12 when her mother left a romance novel, which a friend had given her, on the nightstand. Jamie read it instead, and the rest is history. When she's not writing or reading romance, Jamie can be found watching TV, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and/or planning her next trip to Walt Disney World. She is the author of Fake It Till You Bake It.

Editorial Reviews

04/18/2022

Opposites attract in this low-angst rom-com from Wesley (Make the Play), which follows a self-centered reality star and a rule-following, cupcake baking football player who fake a relationship to save his bakery. Jada Townsend-Matthews is infamous for turning down the proposal of a fan favorite contestant on a reality-TV dating show. She’s working to restore her image when her grandmother, the owner of a San Diego football team, ropes her into working at Sugar Blitz bakery, which is owned by the team’s star, Donovan Dell. Jada must prove her ability to be responsible and hold down real work in order to gain access to her trust fund. When the tabloids mistake Jada and Donovan for a couple, Jada goes with it in order to save face, and Donovan, seeing an opportunity to increase sales for his failing cupcakery, agrees to fake a relationship. Proximity pushes their relationship to become more real than fake, but familial baggage could cost them their happy ending. After a slow start, Wesley does a good job bringing these two together through some fun tropes, though their chemistry remains a bit tepid. Readers will long for a greater connection between the romantic leads but will appreciate the mellow sweetness of the atmosphere. (June)

Publishers Weekly

OPRAH DAILY, "The 28 Most Anticipated Romance Novels of 2022"

"Fake It Till You Bake It is like a chilli-chocolate cupcake—super sweet with one hell of a kick. Wesley combines delightful characters, delicious tension, and a fascinating setup to create this truly satisfying romance." — Talia Hibbert, New York Times bestselling author of Act Your Age, Eve Brown

“Jamie Wesley mixes up a perfect romantic treat. You’ll fall hard for the men of Sugar Blitz and the sweet charm of FAKE IT TILL YOU BAKE IT.” — Kwana Jackson USA Today Bestselling Author

"Like the cupcakes in the hero’s shop, Fake It Till You Bake It is a sweet treat. This story will make you smile and make you hungry. Have emergency cupcakes nearby!" —Roni Loren, New York Times bestselling author of What If You & Me

"Fake It Till You Bake It is a sexy, modern, charming romance between two opposites. It has everything I look for in a romance novel, plus some of my favorite tropes! Full of friendship, family drama, and emotion, it's truly a sweet treat of a book!” - Leslye Penelope, author of Song of Blood & Stone

“Funny, smart, and deliciously romantic. Jamie Wesley delivers it all with this adorably sweet start to her new series.” - Farrah Rochon, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Dating Playbook

From the Publisher

04/01/2022

In this steamy contemporary romance told in dual-point-of-view narration, Wesley's ("One-on-One" series) writing is accessible and readable, if a bit naive in style, with a fast-paced storyline. Professional football player and bakery co-owner Donovan Dell has been strong-armed by his team's owner, Mrs. T, into hiring her granddaughter, Jada Townsend-Matthews, at the bakery. Jada is infamous for rejecting a marriage proposal on reality TV (she claimed there was a man back home who occupied her thoughts). She's also broke. When word of her employment at Sugar Blitz hits social media, the bakery is mobbed with reality TV fans asking Jada who her mystery man is, so she does the first thing she can think of: kiss Donovan and hope he'll go along with her ruse. VERDICT. The strength of Wesley's novel lies in the likable, relatable characters. who share witty, well-crafted dialogue and sizzling chemistry; readers won't want their story to end. Fortunately, there are lively, amusing supporting characters waiting in the wings for their own happily-ever-afters. Recommended for general purchase.—Heather Miller Cover

Library Journal

2022-03-25
A reality TV show star falls in love with an NFL player who also owns a cupcake shop.

Jada Townsend-Matthews has never quite figured out what she wants to do with her life. Her high-powered family thinks she’s a failure, never appreciating how her dyslexia made school nearly impossible. Her latest brilliant idea—being a contestant in a Bachelorette-style TV show to launch a career as an influencer—failed when she turned down the proposal in the final episode. She slinks home to San Diego, determined to avoid the social media firestorm she created, only to discover that her meddling grandmother has arranged a job for her at Sugar Blitz, a cupcake shop co-owned by three NFL players. Donovan Dell didn’t enter into the bakery business on a lark; he’s determined to have a retirement plan in place, knowing that football careers are short. The cupcake business has stagnated, though, and he and his partners are at a loss for how to right the ship. Donovan is drawn to Jada. She’s effortlessly charming with customers and implements several improvements that bring in new business. When the paparazzi discover Jada and Donovan cozily working together, it boosts foot traffic, visibility, and profits in the store. The two agree to pretend to date in order to keep the bakery in the spotlight. This is a straightforward, low-conflict romance. Jada and Donovan are good for each other and easily overcome any obstacles by working together. When Jada’s family treats her unkindly, Donovan is her staunch defender; meanwhile, her charm and spontaneity are the perfect counterbalance to his deep-seated need for control and stability.

A romance that delivers on the sweet, sugary premise of the title.

Kirkus Reviews