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Recipes with Romance #4

The Bachelor Preferred Pastry

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In an attempt to advertise her new business, pastry chef--and walking disaster--Olivia Regan bids on a date with high-profile playboy Daniel Worth during a high-profile auction and proves to him that she is a risk worth taking. Original.

382 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

22 people are currently reading
334 people want to read

About the author

Shirley Jump

445 books742 followers
Shirley Jump is a writing instructor and an award-winning, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and USA Today bestselling author who has published more than 80 books in 24 countries. She has spoken all over the world about the power of narrative and how to create compelling books. A former reporter and communications director for a marketing agency, she uses her diverse background to help clients create impactful books that readers can’t down.

She knows the path to publication isn’t all rainbows and unicorns, so to help writers write their best possible book, she offers monthly Manuscript Masterminds through her website, www.WritingCompellingFiction.com.

On her channel, https://YouTube.com/@WritingCompellin..., she unlocks the secrets behind compelling novels and delves into the psychological aspect of overcoming creativity-stoppers like doubt and perfectionism. Follow her channel for more writing exercises, classes, and behind-the-scenes writing lessons or join her Manuscript Mastermind to build your tribe of like-minded writers and receive crucial feedback on your pages.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
54 (18%)
4 stars
114 (38%)
3 stars
94 (31%)
2 stars
29 (9%)
1 star
8 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Cyndi.
2,463 reviews124 followers
July 9, 2021
Our heroine needs a boost to her advertising. So she spends too much money to win a date with a rich guy at an auction. She knows that the paparazzi follow him everywhere so anything he does will go viral, including a date with the new owner of a pastry shop. Lots of laughs and a sweet romance with some excellent recipes.
Profile Image for Doodle.
794 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2020
Meh. 

FYI: This book's original title was The Bachelor Preferred Pastry.

I just couldn't get into this book. It started off okay but I didn't like the female main character almost immediately and the male main character wasn't very likable either. From the moment we are supposed to think the heroine driving irresponsibly is a positive character trait that demonstrates strength and independence, I knew this story might not be for me. The dialogue seemed forced, like it was supposed to be "cute", but instead, it fell flat. The story took turns I wasn't expecting but not in the "pleasantly surprised" way. I was expecting a "fun" romance based on the description, but all the fun was sucked out of the premise very early on.
Spoiler: The hero doesn't go along with the heroine's initial plan, which would have been fine had the story went down a fun, interesting road from there, but it didn't.
The motivations of the characters seemed contrived. And there was too much subplot interjected into the story. I started skipping the parts with the heroine's parents and the hero's family drama. It wasn't engaging and added nothing to the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Goldie Crystal.
165 reviews
December 24, 2023
It's basically exactly what it looks like. A cheesy pastry themed romance. I knew it would be corny, but the blurb recipes in between chapters was too much and I skipped them almost every time.
Also, the main character is super annoying at times. She gets mad and breaks it off with a guy she really likes, because he tries to help her with a business deal?
Then turns around and jumps for joy when her sister manages to set up the EXACT same deal he already tried to set her up with!?!? I don't get that. Overall it was ok but I didn't fly through it like I thought I would
3,340 reviews31 followers
July 31, 2018
A modern romance with recipes and sex included. The main characters are Olivia Regan and Daniel Worth. Regan owns a pastry shop and Daniel is a rich man who does nothing. Regan wins Daniel at an auction and the story goes from there. The book was a quick easy read.
Profile Image for Sue Lauzon.
297 reviews2 followers
September 28, 2019
This book was pretty much what I have to come to expect from a Shirley Jump novel Romance with a side order of comic relief. A few times the book dragged a bit making it seem a little longer than it needed to be but overall it was a quick enjoyable read.
75 reviews
March 11, 2017
Although there were some okay sections, overall the plot was weak, the chacaters lacked depth and it was difficult to finish.
Profile Image for Deborah Alexander.
21 reviews
March 4, 2014
A Playboy and a Pastry Chef Spark Flames

Another winner from Shirley Jump, this delightful story draws the reader into an enthralling story of two wonderful people who are willing to risk everything on the chance for love. Olivia bets her entire business account to win wealthy playboy Daniel Worth in a charity auction. When he fails to promote business for her bakery, she discovers that he succeeds in promoting the speed of her heartbeat. As both deal with family problems, it is the butler's secret, and her sister's marketing skills, which pave the way down the aisle. Shirley Jump creates well fleshed characters with whom you fall in love at first sight. She puts them into a story with plot twists which keep you guessing fight up to the end. If you like romances with laughter and tears and happily ever after endings, you'll really enjoy reading this book.
Profile Image for Sandy.
498 reviews20 followers
July 6, 2009
The Bachelor Preferred Pastry is cute, funny and has oodles of recipes. Half the time I wanted to smack Olivia out of frustration because she was just so irritating but overall, it was mediocre. Jump tries too hard to write funny dialogue but it just doesn't work. She's too "wordy". 2/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
109 reviews3 followers
July 7, 2012
Romances are not my things, so probably not fair for me to rate this book. They were okay, but predictable. Too detailed sex scenes for my liking.

While this is a series, you could read them out of order or even skip a book and not loose you way in the series.
Profile Image for Ashley FL.
1,045 reviews28 followers
February 3, 2011
This reminded me a lot of a Jennifer Crusie book. Fans of hers will enjoy this one!
Profile Image for Lydia.
966 reviews10 followers
September 9, 2016
Actually one of the better food-based paperback fiction books out there.
558 reviews2 followers
February 7, 2014
This was a good book. I enjoyed the love that developed between Daniel and Olivia. Olivia's sister Josie was hilarious. Im glad Daniel stood up to his grandfather about his beliefs and dreams.
Profile Image for Renee.
1,501 reviews8 followers
April 5, 2015
Fun romance. Included some yummy sounding recipes with fun directions.
Profile Image for Jenn.
102 reviews2 followers
April 13, 2015
Love the recipes but wasn't in love with the story.
1 review
April 25, 2015
I liked it, good book, and very well put together. Thanks for a good read! It was greatly appreciated. Thanks
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

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