Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

by Alexis Hall
Series: Winner Bakes All #1
Setting: England
Genres: Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Bisexual, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Published on May 18, 2021
Pages: 368
Format: eBook Source: Library

Fans of Casey McQuiston, Christina Lauren, and Abby Jimenez will love this scrumptious and sweet romantic comedy from the "dizzyingly talented writer" of Boyfriend Material

Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way . . . and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.

Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.

Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart.

I really enjoyed this look at a Great British Bake-off style show. Rosaline is a single mom who gets a spot on the show. She needs the money because she is tired to having to take gifts from her wealthy parents who disapprove of her every life choice.

This isn’t a typical cute romance book. The main story isn’t really about Rosaline finding someone who loves her. She spends a lot of the story making romantic choices that aren’t in her best interests. Learning to stand up for herself and get what she wants is her main developmental arc. This book falls more in the women’s fiction/chick lit category.

I liked the secondary characters. There is precocious daughter who is obsessed with ugly fish and who has no qualms talking about her mom’s business in school. Rosaline’s relationship with her ex-girlfriend/best friend is great. Her parents are snobs who continuously want her to live up to her potential. They casually insult her under the guise of just wanting the best for her.

The behind the scenes aspect of the show was fun. I liked the very aggressive producer who is in charge of making the most cutesy show possible. There are a lot of tidbits that fans of the real show will recognize. There are baking puns and innuendos from the host. Adding alcohol to the bake is a way to win the heart of one of the judges.

This is the start of a series based around this cooking show. I’ve already grabbed the second book to read.