An utterly delicious romance that's meant to be devoured.
Two British bakers with an antagonistic history and vastly different aesthetics vie for the honor of creating a royal wedding cake.
Four years earlier, Sylvie Fairchild missed her chance to reach Operation Cake's semifinals when her mechanical unicorn cake exploded over curmudgeonly judge Dominic De Vere. Though she didn't go home a champion, her role on the show allowed her to open her own whimsical bakery, Sugar Fair, in Notting Hill. She had hoped not to have to deal with Dominic anymore, but with his own bakery continually beating her out on event contracts, their dislike for one another remains strong. Dominic is a baking purist, sticking to classic flavors and minimalist designs, while Sylvie's aesthetic is more of a fairy tale come to life, complete with edible glitter. While Sylvie's creations are an Instagrammer's dream, social media momentum goes only so far. When Operation Cake asks her back to serve as a judge opposite Dominic, both the paycheck and the chance to get under her rival's skin are too tempting to ignore. Not only must Sylvie and Dominic work together, but the bakers are anticipating the announcement of Princess Rose's engagement, and they're both ready to pitch their glamorous cake ideas for the royal wedding. Parker is a writer who knows her audience, and she keeps raising the bar when it comes to warm romances and charming tropes. Opposites attracting over delicious cakes and the fearsome thrill of competition are a heady combination as Sylvie and Dominic's chemistry snaps, crackles, and pops off every page. The slow burn of the romance is tantalizing and well paced, though there is plenty of setting and detail to take in while readers await the inevitable happily-ever-after.
An utterly delicious romance that's meant to be devoured.Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-304006-9
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A Regency with old-school charm and newfangled sensibilities.
Proposing to the wrong earl leads to the right love match.
Those in London society who have met Miss Lydia Hope-Wallace know her only as a painfully shy, absurdly wealthy spinster. That’s because almost no one knows that she’s also responsible for the radical pamphlets published by her anonymous alter ego, “H,” on topics like universal suffrage and the right to divorce—not even the Earl of Strathrannoch, with whom H has been corresponding for several years. As a result, things are a bit awkward when she sneaks north to Scotland to propose to the Earl, only to find, when she arrives at his castle, that he actually doesn’t know Lydia or H, and someone else has been writing to her under his name. Arthur Baird, the earl, quickly realizes that his brother, Davis, has been masquerading as him. Though in her embarrassment Lydia tries to escape, the unexpected chaos of a stampeding herd of zebras provides her with a chance to reconsider, and she decides to help Arthur figure out the mystery behind his brother’s behavior. They are almost immediately attracted to each other, and though Arthur is loathe to get involved with a woman he thinks belongs to his brother, circumstances soon lead them to pretend to be newlyweds, which leads to a series of red-hot encounters and allows both to imagine what it might be like to actually marry. This sequel to Ne’er Duke Well (2024) brings more political intrigue and suspense to the world of the woman-run Belvoir’s Library, with a similar heat level and comedic sensibility. Though the plot is a bit disjointed, the almost-slow-burn chemistry between Arthur and Lydia—and the scorching scenes that follow—keep the pages turning. With the help of a lovely Scottish backdrop (and accents), Vasti’s fans, as well as those looking for a post-Bridgerton story, will be pleased.
A Regency with old-school charm and newfangled sensibilities.Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9781250910967
Page Count: 352
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
Weak and inert, like a dead vampire's heart.
A down-on-her-luck artist discovers her new roommate is a 300-year-old vampire.
Cassie Greenberg barely makes a living from her cobbled-together part-time jobs, her art incorporating trash and recycled items is too avant-garde to be successful, and she has just been evicted from her Chicago apartment. When she sees a Craigslist ad for a room rental in Lincoln Park for only $200 a month, she contacts the owner even though she’s sure there must be a catch. Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, her stunningly handsome new roommate, is a bit of an oddball: His clothes and mannerisms are too formal, he sleeps all day, and he seems completely unaware of how the modern world works. Who doesn’t have Wi-Fi or prefer texting in this day and age! Cassie mostly works when Frederick is sleeping, so they strike up a flirtatious friendship through handwritten notes. When Cassie arrives home early from work one day, she discovers the fridge is full of blood and realizes that Frederick is a vampire. He recently awoke from a centurylong coma and realized that finding a human roommate might help him learn the ropes of the 21st century. The two strike up a tentative friendship, and Cassie agrees to teach Frederick how to navigate the modern world, including using public transportation, ordering drinks at the coffee shop, and shopping for clothes at the mall. It’s a cute setup, one full of potential, but the plot and characters are shallow and underdeveloped. Cassie and Frederick settle into a tame, conflict-free relationship. The details about Frederick’s history and the supernatural world are thin and full of omissions, leaving so many unanswered questions that the book almost feels unfinished.
Weak and inert, like a dead vampire's heart.Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9780593548912
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
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