The Dos and Donuts of Love

by Adiba Jaigirdar, Priya Ayyar (narrator)

Shireen Malik is still reeling from the breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, when she receives news that she's been accepted as a contestant on a new televised baking competition show. This is Shireen's dream come true! Winning will not only mean prize money, but it will also bring some much-needed attention to You Drive Me Glazy, her parents' beloved donut shop. Things get complicated, though, because Chris is also a contestant on the show. Then there's the very outgoing Niamh, a fellow contestant who is becoming fast friends with Shireen. Things are heating up between them, and not just in the kitchen. As the competition intensifies, Shireen will have to ignore all these factors and more, including potential sabotage, if she wants a sweet victory!

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, LGBT, Lesbian, Queer, Contemporary, Audiobook

9 pages, Audiobook

First published June 6, 2023

About the author

Adiba Jaigirdar was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has been living in Dublin, Ireland from the age of ten. She has a BA in English and History, and an MA in Postcolonial Studies. She is a contributor for Bookriot. All of her writing is aided by tea, and a healthy dose of Janelle Monáe and Hayley Kiyoko. When not writing, she can be found ranting about the ills of colonialism, playing video games, and expanding her overflowing lipstick collection.

Reviews

[Adiba Jaigirdar]

November 3rd, 2022
E-ARCs are now available on Edelweiss and Netgalley! As always, content warnings will be in the e-ARCs and will be printed in the book, but they're also available on my website. Happy reading!

September 8th, 2022

And we have a cover!! So excited to have a book with a fat Bangladeshi character front and center on the cover, and very excited to share it with everyone soon. The book is out June 6th 2023, and I'm sure e-ARCs will be available in the near future!

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June 17th, 2022
And we have a title change! Super excited to share The Dos and Donuts of Love with all of you. Make sure you keep an eye on my social media and website for more info and updates!

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I'm so excited that the news of this book is finally out!

DONUT FALL IN LOVE is about donuts, puns, a reality TV show in the style of the Great British Bake-Off...it's also about a fat Bangladeshi Irish girl who is full of life and love, and who is caught between her feelings for two different girls. It contains references to Nadiya Hussain, a queen and inspiration, as Shireen would say so herself, and features puns in every chapter title! I can't wait to share this book with everyone in 2023. It's a while off, but it'll be worth it!! In the meanwhile, keep an eye on my website for info, and there's already a Spotify playlist for the book up!

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was so amazing! i'm usually not a fan of books that follow movies or tv shows but the baking competition element of this was very unpredictable and addicting. i also loved that the main character was flawed and said some mean things that later she realized was wrong. it was just refreshing to see someone who makes mistakes and how she still emerges from her struggles with strong friendships by her side. one of my only gripes is the love triangle in this felt lackluster because i was really only rooting for her to get back with her ex.

it was so sweet to be enveloped in this world where shireen's whole family and friend system were not only accepting of her weight but also her sexuality. the main character still experienced some racism and fatphobia but i loved that she had a support system and even a judge within the baking competition that could act as her mentor. overall the cast of characters, writing and pace of this book were excellent!

i am now desperately craving some donuts..... and a trip to ireland

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outlier review coming up...

I didn't hate this book. There was lots to enjoy. I am a foodie so the descriptions of the dishes were wonderful. I don't watch The Great British Bake-Off so I have no idea if it did the show justice but it seems to be in line with other cooking competition shows I have seen. For me the main issue was that I disliked Shireen, the MC, a lot. She was a self-centered, negative, harsh and unforgiving, grudge holding moany pony. I don't think her anger and hurt were unjustified, just super ugly to read about on page. This meant I was never in her corner. I also listened to the audiobook and was confused about the variety of accents. Shireen had an American accent but was Irish born Bangladeshi. This is definitely not a romance either. More of a teen relationship drama. Fun in parts, frustrating in others.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute and charming sapphic romance! 3.5 Stars. CW: fatphobia, colorism, anti-Asian social media posts directly discussed on page, racism

The Dos and Donuts of Love is the first time that I've read a book from Adiba Jaigirdar and it did not disappoint. It contains two of my favorite elements: sapphic romance and food! The story follows main character Shireen who has entered Ireland's junior baking show to win money that will assist her family in keeping their donut business afloat. Unfortunately, when she arrives at the baking show she learns that she must work closely with her ex-gf. Even more ironic, this ex-gf's family runs a donut business that is the direct rival of Shireen's family donut business. What ensues is a fun, food filled romance about trusting/loving yourself and maybe finding love for the second time.

What Worked: THE GLORIOUS FOOD! I'm a huge foodie so it should have been no surprise to a single individual that a baking show would completely and totally enthrall me. Jaigirdar did a wonderful job incorporating specific and detailed parts of the show that made it feel as though readers were really "watching" something like The Great British Bake Off. I found the writing to be seamless, accessible, and enjoyable. Jaigirdar also did a great job addressing fatphobia that exists in Bangladeshi communities. As described in her authors note, Jaigirdar points out the irony in family and community members encouraging someone to eat only to tear them down for their size at the same exact time. There were also great conversations related to racism against the Asian community especially those who have migrated to and placed roots down in places like Ireland. Shireen also had an AMAZING network of humans that supported her through every trial and tribulation. From her best friend to her parents to one of the judges, there wasn't a moment where I felt like she was fighting external or internal battles alone.

What Didn't Work: The character development could have used a little more work. While I don't disagree with the sentiments of Shireen not being the most likeable character, I need (no, I implore) adult readers to remember that we are not the target demographic. It is completely normal and developmentally appropriate for teen characters to be self-centered. Now, I do think that Jaigirdar could have done more to make the second chance romance more believable. The characters weren't given enough time to work through their issues to make the romance a total sell. It happened too fast, and people do not change that quickly. Also, what was up with the audiobook? The main character was born in Ireland yet had an American accent. But the side character had an Irish accent? It made absolutely no sense.

Overall, this was a good book and I'm looking forward to reading more books by Adiba Jaigirdar.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sapphic love triangle, a baking competition, and a young Bangladeshi woman coming of age in Ireland. The Dos and Donuts of Love is a cute YA contemporary novel coming out just in time for Pride month.

Shireen is still hurting from a recent breakup, but is excited to be a contestant on the televised Junior Irish Baking Show. She hopes for good publicity for her parents donut shop, and the launch of the career she has always wanted. Her favorite celebrity chef is a judge and one of the other contestants is a cute girl she hits it off with, but her ex-girlfriend is also on the show and Shireen might still have feelings for her...

While the story is pretty straightforward and I sometimes wanted more depth from the characterization, this is a fun book that is also effectively tackling some thorny issues like racism, micro-agressions, and fatphobia. It makes the choice not to have homophobia be a big problem though and while it's unusual, Shireen's family are supportive of her identity. We also see her deal with people assuming she's from India and not recognizing the uniqueness of Bangladeshi culture and food. This is a great pick if you like a foodie romance and I liked how it navigated what happens in the story. I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future! I will say I didn't love the audiobook narration. It's set in Ireland but the narrator does an American accent for the main character and when she does attempt an Irish accent for a side character, it's not great. The book itself is good, but I don't think I would recommend the audiobook. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Fanna]

06.09.2022 love the new title and the purple cover!
25.03.2021 i mean, i need no synopsis to know i'll love anything adiba jaigirdar writes but when donut fall in love says it's sapphic, it's filled with puns, it's a bake-off where a bangladeshi-irish girl is competing against her ex and might be falling for another contestant, YOU KNOW I'LL LOVE THIS DOUGH MUCH.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute and perfectly pitched with angst and growth and judginess without cattiness. Loved the protagonist never apologizes for her existence, that she insists on being recognized - something that’s hard for a lot of Asian immigrants in mostly white countries. Also, interesting to me in that this is the first book I’ve read with a Bangladeshi hero and a first with an Asian immigrant hero in Ireland. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will honestly read anything from Adiba at this point.

This book was so ridiculously wholesome, queer, and full of delicious foods!

More to come.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐
Genre ~ LGBTQ+ Literature & Fiction for Teens
Setting ~ Ireland
Publication date ~ June 6, 2023
Est Page Count ~ 330
Audio length ~ 8 hours 27 minutes
Narrator ~ Priya Ayyar
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ teens, love triangle, no steamage
Content warnings Mentions of racism and fatphobia, depictions of anxiety (specifically anxiety and panic attacks and spiraling thoughts), and online harassment

Shireen is thrilled to compete on Junior Irish Baking Show, but then isn't too thrilled when she finds out her ex-girlfriend, Chris, is also competing.

Absolutely love the name of her family's donut shop ~ You Drive Me Glazy . I like a nice donut now and again. My favorite is jelly filled, sugared, not powdered. What about you?

I love me a good baking competition, but honestly Shireen bugged me quite a bit so I couldn't enjoy those parts. I really liked her confidence in her baking and in herself, but that came across as very egotistical. She was a self absorbed know it all and was a bit much going on and on about the break up. There's a love triangle, which I'm never down with. I should've known there was one based on the cover, so my bad. I'm glad it was more focused on the baking and less on the romance since I'm not big on teens romancing these days. Loved her supportive parents.

Overall, this would probably appeal more to the younger generation that can resonate with the drama.

Narration notes:
She sounded fine, but I'm super curious why we have an American narrator for a Bangladeshi character and Irish based book?

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had this author on my radar for a while but never got the chance to read her books yet, and then the opportunity to review this audiobook presented itself.

The main character, Shireen, is seventeen, and depressed at the beginning of the summer: she just broke up with her girlfriend and her bff is visiting family in Bangladesh. Things start looking up when she’s selected to take part in the first-ever Junior Irish Baking Show. Until she finds out her ex is one of the other candidates.

I liked Shireen a lot even though she’s not always likable. But honestly, who is? She’s a teenager and she makes mistakes. She’s young enough to learn from them and I enjoyed reading about her character growth. The author tackles fatphobia, mental health, and racism, at the same time as Shireen tries to get over her ex and decide whether she wants to start something with another girl on the program. My favourite thing though was the way the author writes about Shireen’s family being originally from Bangladesh – her parents moved to Dublin – and how important her culture, especially the culinary aspect, is to Shireen.

The narrator has a nice voice but the pace is strange sometimes and the characters aren’t always distinct from one another. Shireen’s voice works well, however, and I also like Niamh’s, which has a scratchy quality that I felt fit her well.

Being me, I was obviously hungry for half the book. I mean, with so much talk of baking, it was bound to happen. This book though also gave me food for thought.

I received a copy from Libro.fm and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

[lils 😋💪 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. why are all of the characters so irritating

[Ulla Scharfenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich lese üblicherweise keine Young Adult Romane, aber an diesen kam ich nicht vorbei. Es geht um Donuts und um Reality TV, eine Love Story und um Teenager-Drama. Soweit so gewöhnlich. Was "The Dos and Donuts of Love" von anderen YA-Geschichten unterscheidet sind die Charaktere. Im Mittelpunkt steht Shireen Malik, eine fette, queere 17-Jährige, deren liebevolle Eltern vor ihrer Geburt aus Bangladesch nach Irland eingewandert sind und dort einen Donut-Shop besitzen. Shireens beste Freundin Fatima trägt Hijab und verbringt den Sommer bei Verwandten in Bangladesh, nimmt aber via Facetime rege am Geschehen teil. Die Freundinnenschaft der beiden ist absolut wholesome, wenn auch nicht ohne Konflikte. Dann ist da noch Shireens Ex-Freundin, Chris, deren (aus Taiwan) eingewanderte Eltern einen konkurrierenden Donut-Laden gegenüber dem von den Maliks betreiben. Das Drama beginnt, als Shireen und Chris beide als Teilnehmerinnen des Reality-TV-Formats "Junior Irish Baking Show" ausgewählt werden.

Der Roman ist sehr unterhaltsam, wenn die Story auch ein bisschen vorhersehbar ist (YA eben...) Lesenswert ist TDADOL aber vor allem wegen der Auseinandersetzung mit Rassismus und Reality TV und der (fast) klischeefreien Charaktere und Narrative. Die Hauptfigur ist fett, queer und muslimisch, aber keins dieser Attribute wird zum Problem gemacht, es ist einfach so. Eine selbstverständlich dick_fette Person als Hauptfigur eines Jugendbuchs, noch dazu eine nicht-weiße und queere, das ist leider immer noch etwas besonderes. Shireens Beziehung zu ihren unterstützenden Eltern und ihrer besten Freundin ist so schön und (für viele sicher) heilsam zu lesen, genauso wie die Tatsache, dass die Hauptfigur nicht perfekt ist, Fehler macht und trotzdem geliebt wird. Hach!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Libro.fm for the free audiobook listening copy! Greatly appreciate it <3

I want to start this off by saying this author is not for me. This is the second book by Adiba that I've left feeling very 'meh' about (previously: The Henna Wars). So while I do own one more book by her (A Million to One) and I intend on giving it a shot, I will hesitate before picking up her books in the future. Not to say you can't love this book — or any other book I don't particularly enjoy! Maybe the reasons that turned me off this book will draw you in closer, who knows?

The Dos and Donuts of Love follows Shireen, a fat, Bengali-Irish teen baker with hopes of making it big in the baking industry. When Shireen finds herself accepted into the Junior Irish Baking Show, it's like all her dreams are coming true. Or, rather, they would be if she wasn't miserable over her breakup with her secret girlfriend. What ensues is a love-triangle, some poor decisions, and so many mentions of bakery items that you are guaranteed to crave sweetness by the time you finish this book.

The positives! I loved the discourse Shireen brings up as a fat person, and I can easily see how this book can make so many fat people feel validated. I loved the author's focus on Shireen's identity as a fat person in the joy she experiences, rather than focusing on the prejudice she faces every day. The author's note is much more eloquent, but I wanted to mention it, as it was definitely a major highlight. I also really appreciated the discourse surrounding racism in the baking industry. It was interesting the read about, and also an important subject that I hope more literature explores.

The pacing was very fast, which was important to me as I read it in audiobook format. The narrator, Priya Ayyar, did a great job with the narration. Her narration was the perfect speed and enunciation that I had no problems turning the speed over 2x. I also really felt the characters shining through...

...that being said, I hated most of the characters. I'm sorry, but Shireen was insufferable. The character growth? Almost nonexistent, except for the fact that she wasn't spewing (uncalled for) insults at her ex anymore. I COULDN'T DEAL WITH HER. Everything was about her and I was really disappointed in her judgement calls and the actions she (didn't) take to fix that. Her friendship with her best friend felt surface level, even though it was stated they'd been close for years and knew each other intimately. Shireen pissed me off to no end. Like, yes, you are the Main Character. HOWEVER that means you must develop relationships and have dreams and care for people besides yourself!!

In terms of romance (seeing as this is a romance book), I couldn't root for either love interest in the love triangle, and both romance lines (as well as the ending) were rushed. Full honesty: I think Shireen needed to figure herself out a lot more before she could even consider a romance.

Overall, I really wasn't a huge fan of this book. HOWEVER, I will say that if you are looking for a delicious read with fat joy and a taste (hehe) of Bengali culture, go ahead! I can definitely see how this book, while not a literary masterpiece, has very precious representation and is fun to go into for the ride!

Trigger Warnings fatphobia, lesbophobia, racism, online trolling

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightfully fun and deliciously pun-filled, YA Romance filled with baking mishaps, food fights and a wholesome sapphic romance that Great British Bake Off fans are gonna absolutely devour.

It follows Irish-Bangladeshi teen, Shireen a baking fanatic who, still hurting from a breakup, gets the chance to compete in Ireland’s first televised season of the Junior Irish Baking Show. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Shireen, that could not only kickstart her dream career but (thanks to the prize money) help out her family’s struggling donut shop.

The only problem is she’ll be competing against her ex girlfriend, Chris whilst trying to navigate her brand new crush on fellow competitor Niamh— who appears to like Shireen just as much.

But if Shireen intends to win, she’ll have to concentrate and block out all distractions (including sabotage) to land her sweet victory.

This was such a fast paced and entertaining read with an endearing protagonist whose confidence in her baking talent and celebration of her plus sized figure made it nearly impossible for me (a plus sized woman myself) not to root for!

The setting of the GBBO style competition will be familiar to anyone who’s ever watched the show, but I really liked the little nods to the show’s original judges in the JIBS’ very own Máire Cherry (aka Mary Berry) and Padma Bollywood (aka Paul Hollywood) which I definitely found quite fun. And Galvin Cramsey the third judge was soo clearly meant to be Gordon Ramsey that I found it quite funny picturing his reaction during a particular incident in the competition.

Shireen’s time in the show does explore some pretty relevant issues such as racism, mice aggressions and fatphobia and the trend in cyber related attacks on social media. Which is why I appreciated Padma’s check ins , though I admit Shireen’s network of supporters (including her adorably proud parents, best friend and even her ex) was also really sweet to witness.

The romance too was absolutely wonderful and the second chance/ love triangle dynamic that Shireen navigates added an interesting dose of tension between the baking scenes that really kept me intrigued, especially given the rivals to lovers aspect that we see in Shireen’s interactions with both Chris and Niamh.

Overall, a (mostly) lighthearted and entertainingly sweet Rom-com with a satisfying conclusion that really captures the essence of GBBO (in all its overly dramatised highs and lows) — just make sure you have plenty of sweet treats on hand cause it’ll definitely make you hungry

A huge thank you to Team BKMRK for this gorgeous (and Signed!) proof, I’m adding all of Adiba’s other books to my tbr as I type this!

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is exactly the baking competition YA I've been waiting for! It's such a cute, mostly lighthearted read, and I loved how big a part the competition played - we got to see everything unfold, which was really fun to read. The book also has an adorable second-chance romance, which I'm a sucker for, so all in all it was a win for me, and definitely a comfort read worth revisiting.

[gauri]

another sapphic book by the author!!!!!!!!!!!

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: racism/xenophobia
4.2

This is a super cute, wholesome story full of baked goods! If you love Jaigirdar's other books, and you're a cooking show fan, then this might be your new favorite.

I love the tropes in this, and I think they're played so well! The competition based romance is a favorite of mine, and the extra tension of this being a second chance romance and a love triangle, something I'm usual not a fan of, upped the ante in a serious way. The romance in this played off of that tension and also played into comfort, mutual respect, and mutual history nicely.

This book is super light and fluffy in a way that feels like a balm, or a sweet treat, without compromising the actual plot, or overshadowing the realities of being a marginalized person. I thought the inclusion of more down to earth plot points and the way Shireen is seen and sees herself was thoughtfully included, without stopping this book from feeling so light.

The only issue I have with this book is, because of all the layers to the competition show centric plot, the actual romance sometimes felt a bit more tagged on than it did a strong part of the plot. But, I can't argue with the priorities, because those other pieces of plot definitely do work.


Pre-review comments below
I feel warm and fuzzy inside and also I want a donut

[Gabbie Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, delicious read to devour this summer! Fans of Adiba's previous novels will want to run, not walk to the shops to pick this up because it is an absolute treat.
If you, like me, appreciate getting to see brown girls be chaotic and messy and perhaps caught in a love triangle (à la Devi in NEVER HAVE I EVER), and especially if you've been known to turn on THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF to relax after a long day - this is just the book for you.
I appreciated the way Jaigirdar masterfully balanced out the lightearted, quick and fun plot with the more serious discussions she introduced while exploring Shireen's experience as a fat woman of colour in Ireland, and how othering it can be to have fatphobia and racism thrown at you for daring to exist in a public sphere.
Cannot recommend this enough!

[acorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

Fluffy, entertaining, surface-level

Shireen loves working at her parents donut shop and dreams of opening her own bakery one day where she can sell Bengali desserts. When she gets the opportunity to be on the Junior Irish Baking Show, it seems perfect. Except that her recent ex-girlfriend is also on the show along with another cute contestant...

Sadly, I didn't really like Shireen! I found her impulsive and a bit self absorbed. Because of this, I couldn't really get into the story because I felt detached from her. Also, the description of the baking itself was pretty brief and I wasn't immersed in the food aspect at all.

All that being said, there was something about this book that made it a quick read that I found myself flying through. I didn't hate it, I was just disappointed with some elements.

[Nella ☾ of Bookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was adorable and made me very very hungry 😋

[Noah de Campos Neto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, the girl who works at Waterstones Amsterdam that recommended me this book deserves a raise! This book was absolutely captivating from start to finish. I couldn't tear myself away from it, thanks to the perfect pacing and the build-up to the incredible ending—every moment had me hooked. The main character was exceptionally well-crafted, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the entire journey.

The portrayal of the baking show was outstanding, with a striking realism, particularly in depicting the racial backlash that Shireen and Chris encountered during their participation. I don't want to spoil anything about the plot, so I'll leave it at that.

This book pulled me out of a heavy reading slump, infusing me with hope and a sense of positivity. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a rivalry romance novel. I'm definitely going to explore Adiba Jaigirdar's other works. ❤️

[milliereadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a whole lot of fun! Adiba Jaigirdar's pun skills were on fire throughout this book, I had such a great time reading it. I love GBBO so much, so any book that features a similar reality show is right up my street. There are some heavier moments in here, particularly the awful things that Shireen faces hearing from viewers of the show, with racist, fatphobic comments and microaggressions levelled at her. I loved how we got to see the strong support network Shireen has behind her, particularly her friendship with her best friend Fatima. This book features a love triangle, which isn't my favourite trope for pretty much the exact reason shown in this story - I always find it obvious which love interest is going to be the one the main character ends up with, and sadly that was also true for this book. Second chance romances are one of my favourite things to read and I did love how this book handled that aspect. I also was desperate to eat all of the food described! A fun lighthearted contemporary, perfect for summer!

[Fem loonieslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Pride book of the month and we immediately start off with a BANG 🌈✨

The Dos and Donuts of Love was so adorable, fun and diverse! I didn’t really know anything about it going in, other than it being sapphic and set during a baking show. Mind you, I’m a sucker for the Great British Bake Off AND I’m sapphic so immediately, I was convinced.

The story follows Shireen, a young Bengali teenager whose biggest dream is to make a career in baking beyond her parents’ donut shop in Dublin. After a difficult break up with Chris, whose family owns a rival donut shop, Shireen finds out she’s been accepted on the Junior Irish Baking Show. The catch? Her ex-girlfriend is also a contestant. As Shireen battles against the odds, she must navigate the complexities of a budding friendship with Niamh, all while striving to emerge victorious.

I always love how Adiba manages to address important topics while keeping her books light and fun. Shireen is confident, yet struggles with the criticism society continues to throw at her. Especially now that she’s in the public eye, she has to deal with racist and fatphobic comments on social media and even from other contestants, which definitely takes a toll on her.

Beware that this book has a love triangle romance plot between the MC’s ex (so, second chance romance) and another contestant on the show. If that’s not your thing, I’d sit this one out. Though in my opinion, it was done fantastically.

I read this book as an alc, which I received from Libro.fm. I loved the narrator, though I was a bit confused on the American accent for the mc and Chris and horrible Irish accents for the other characters. Still, I had a great time listening!

I gave this book 4 stars. It’s a great YA story with wonderful rep! Adiba Jaigirdar truly never disappoints.

REP: Bengali, sapphic, plus-sized mc, queer and diverse side characters

TW: Racism against Asian people, fatphobia, mc has anxiety attacks, break up

[sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIRST OF ALL, it's from Adiba. It has donuts in the title. And it's based off GBBO? Count me in omg. And references to Nadiya? Perfection. I'm in love already.

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Headlines:
Adorkable main characters
Exes and allies
Cake puns a-plenty

I'm coming to expect to enjoy Adiba Jaigirdar's queer books because there's something about how she writes her characters, the real-ness but always with a slice of fun. I'd say this was the most comedy offering yet and I simply adored the Great British Bake Off take in a junior Irish setting.

Shireen was a lovely FMC, she held the show with her quick wit, baking skills and good daughter material. She was a little flawed on the friendship front at times, but we can't all be perfect. Shireen found herself pitched against Chris, her ex in Irelands junior GBBO. There was a new love interest and a some very annoying characters in the form of other contestants and presenters.

Kudos to the 'Ramsey' character and I loved the mentor Shireen found. The reality of Shireen being in this competition meant a whole lot of fatphobia from the media attention and lots of prejudice aimed at Shireen and Chris. To balance this out we got real Bangladeshi flavour from Shireen and her family/friends, some of their favourite foods and the real sense of love that pinned this family together.

I'll not spoil the competition but it was super fun to read and pun-laden.

Thanks to Team BKMRK for the review copy.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my word - the book is brilliant, but I've knocked a star off the audiobook edition because there could not have been a worse narrator! Why why why have a novel set in Ireland with Irish characters be narrated by an American who (by the sounds of it) has never ever heard an actual Irish person speak. If you're looking for comedy audio, or need a really good laugh? Give this a listen.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book beyond measure. Muffin compares to this sweet story. Buttered me up real nice. (Listen, the chapter titles are food puns, I'm just trying to get on Jaigirdar's level here)

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and sweet.

I love the cover and the social anc cultural aspects but the romance wasn’t my favorite.

[seasalted.citrus (Topaz, Oliver) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75!! Sped through this. It was fun and sugary sweet(not just because of the desserts!), with a small little mystery of sabotage, and had an unexpectedly believable sideplot of writing dealing with online harassment and bigotry. I’m not going to lie, I wish we got more character development, especially with *both* parts of the love triangle, but Shireen was a pretty well-written flawed teenage character. She semi-frequently erred but it wasn’t enough to make me want to bash my head against a wall lol. (Probably because she also didn’t make that many major mistakes, even if she could be unintentionally self-centered at times?)

I’m bummed we didn’t spend more time on some of the challenges, but I’m really most disappointed by the romance itself. I could pick up on when there was some romantic tension, and I was biting my nails through the love triangle drama, but there wasn’t anything that seemed truly believable or swoon-worthy. And the resolution was a little rushed.

Still though, I liked how the reality TV backdrop/plot was handled, both on and off the camera, and I liked most of the cast. (Fatima and Shireen’s friendship was my favorite, through their ups and downs. But I’m biased, Fatima kind of reminded me of one of my cousins haha.) Also, I can’t really speak on the fat rep, but it was nice to have Shireen’s story exist without all the traumatic content usually present in stories with fat MCs.

I can still see myself recommending this because it was overall an enjoyable read, even if the romance part that’s advertised and focused on fell through.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 reads: 172/350

disclaimer: i received an alc from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.

still reeling from her recent breakup, shireen is delighted when her dreams of being on a baking competition show come true. she wants to win the show to help out her parents’ donut shop, but complications arise when she realizes her ex-girlfriend, chris, will also be a competitor. forced to work with chris, and getting to know another contestant, niamh, shireen might just get more than she’s looking for.

i’ve been a huge fan of adiba jaigirdar’s books since reading the henna wars a couple years ago, so i was so happy to have the opportunity to read and review this book early! i loved everything about this, from the drama that the baking show aspect brought, to the audiobook narration that really brought the story to life. i’ll admit i’m also a sucker for second-chance romance, so even seeing shireen and chris become friends again toward the beginning of the book was great to me!

i highly recommend this book to any YA romance fans, especially those who also happen to love baking!