A rom-com set in the dual baking worlds of a televised baking competition, and a competition for a bakery to earn the chance to make the cake for a Royal Wedding. Sylvie and Dominic clashed instantly when they met four years earlier on Operation Cake. Her glitter and color infused creations rubbed him the wrong way, a baker who prefers to bake in varying shades of cream. He’s a famously cranky judge, and she was a contestant. Their rivalry culminated in one of Sylvie’s bakes launching itself into Dominic’s face, and then she had the gall to take the premises across the street from his hallowed bakery to open her own.
This was a warm hug full of moments of surprised laughter. I do love a well-done Grumpy One falling in love with a Sunshine One, and this was very well done, mostly because Dominic and Sylvie are much, much more than those tropes would imply. (This is also a very well done example of Enemies to Lovers.) The baking show setting wasn’t as important as I thought it would be, but I loved the journey they went on in their quest to earn the commission of baking the wedding cake for Princess Rose and her love match Johnny.
One of the things I liked best about this, besides the characters (and Humphrey the cat), was how the book was also full of interesting plot. I prefer my romances to have story to go with the swooning, and this has a good story (even if I did call one of the main twists pretty early on). I am SUPER pumped for Pet’s book (Dominic’s sister), which is next up. The backstory of their sibling relationship made my heart hurt, as did Sylvie’s with her aunt/adopted mother, Mallory.
Very good, will be re-reading.