Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

Didn't quite live up to [b:Boyfriend Material 50225678 Boyfriend Material (Boyfriend Material, #1) Alexis Hall https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575987260l/50225678.SX50.jpg 73590298], but it would be hard for almost anything to live up to that, since it's one of my recent favorites. Really enjoyed Rosaline and her journey in this book - probably would call this rom-com instead of romance per se, since it's all from Rosaline's POV and focuses to a large extent (though not exclusively) on her journey through the competition and to the truest version of herself. Loved Amelie so much, even though I don't usually love kids in romance; she was weird and hilarious in the way real kids are (though maybe the tiniest bit precocious). No pun intended, but I devoured this one. (2021 Summer Romance Bingo: “protagonist smells like freshly baked bread,” would also work for reality TV, friends to lovers, or tattoos.)

i've realised that if a book has a main character whose relationships with their parents are fraught, in a way that makes me relate to my own abusive upbringing, i'm probably gonna love it. TRAUMATIZED BITCHES UNITE.

I absolutely loved Boyfriend Material so this was one of my most anticipated summer reads. I was a bit disappointed. I had a difficult time getting into the story and I wasn't sure who the love interest was supposed to be until about 20% in. Even then, the main character, Rosaline, is with someone else for the majority of the book. I wish the author hadn't focused so much on that relationship. I did enjoy the baking show aspect of the story though and am looking forward to the next book in this series.