I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Legend in the Baking: A Novel by Jamie Wesley Series: Sugar Blitz #2
Also in this series: Fake It Till You Bake It: A Novel
Published by Macmillan, St. Martin's Griffin on November 19, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Romance / African American & Black
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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Goodreads
After accidentally going viral on social media, 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.
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.
Review
Jamie Wesley’s A Legend in the Baking mixes football, frosting, and second chances into something unexpectedly delicious. Think Friday Night Lights meets Cake Boss, with a dash of social media drama thrown in.
Our hero, August, isn’t your typical football player. Between tackles and touchdowns, he’s piping buttercream roses onto cupcakes – and accidentally becoming a viral sensation. Then there’s Sloane Dell, a social media strategist with something to prove and a complicated history with August (she’s his best friend’s sister, because of course she is).
What makes this book work isn’t just its quirky premise. Wesley nails the messy reality of chasing dreams while dealing with family drama and old flames. August and Sloane dance around each other like two people who’ve been burned before – frustrating at times, but real. Their chemistry simmers slowly, building to moments that’ll make you forget you’re reading about cupcakes and football.
The story gets bonus points for actually understanding how social media works (a rare feat in romance novels). No cringe-worthy “Instagram influencer” clichés here. Instead, we get a genuine look at what happens when traditional dreams – like playing pro football – collide with modern opportunities.
Sure, some plot points feel familiar. And yes, you might occasionally want to lock these two in a room until they learn to use their words. But that’s part of the charm. Wesley’s writing pulls you in with its easy humor and authentic voice, making even the predictable parts feel fresh.
Is it perfect? No. But like a slightly lopsided cupcake with too much frosting, it’s still pretty damn good.
4.5/5 stars. Read it if you like your romance with a side of career drama, sports action, and enough sugar to satisfy any sweet tooth.
