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For the Love of Cake
Maya Vaughn, the hottest young pastry chef to emerge from the reality television machine, takes a turn as a judge on the very show that launched her career, expecting to find a nice change of scenery and a little diversion.
Shannon Hayes, a late bloomer at forty-two years old, is finally on the precipice of achieving her dreams. She has one shot to prove she can compete with chefs half her age and with much more experience. Engaging in a fling with a judge fourteen years her junior would almost certainly kill that chance.
Their attraction offers a taste of the exotic but could turn into a recipe for disaster.
Shannon Hayes, a late bloomer at forty-two years old, is finally on the precipice of achieving her dreams. She has one shot to prove she can compete with chefs half her age and with much more experience. Engaging in a fling with a judge fourteen years her junior would almost certainly kill that chance.
Their attraction offers a taste of the exotic but could turn into a recipe for disaster.
264 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2015
9 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Erin Dutton
18 books115 followersBorn and raised in Upstate New York, Erin Dutton moved to Nashville, Tennessee several years ago. No longer a Yankee, and yet not a true Southerner, she remains somewhere between the two, and is happy to claim both places as home. Her days are spent earning a living, while her nights and weekends are divided between several of her favorite things: writing, reading, golf, and her friends. Erin is the author of ten romance novels and the recipient of the 2011 Alice B. Medal for body of work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 20, 2018
Maya - A hot celebrity, a player who swings both way, meets, Shannon, a forty-two lesbian ‘soccer mum’! Between the 2 of them, there’s an age gap of 14 years. Blurb sure sound interesting and intriguing! They both met on a reality show, where Maya is the mentor and Shannon is the participant. They both have the hots for each other and being in the reality show kinda complicate matter of the hearts/lust in their already complicated lives.
Ratings - 3.5 ⭐️
Ratings - 3.5 ⭐️
December 2, 2018
I love everything about this book. The characters are well developed and have excellent chemistry, the romance is fabulous, the pacing is perfect, and I was left wanting more.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/for-...
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/for-...
January 19, 2016
This is a romance between two women with more differences than similarities, set against the backdrop of a reality TV contest.
The two ladies are literally worlds apart: a significant age gap, different lifestyles, New Yorker vs Nashville-an, brash vs. conservative, etc, etc. Add to that the constant glare of cameras, the unwanted attention of paparazzis, and the player reputation of one of the women, and these two have got very tall odds stacked against them having anything more than a casual fling for the duration of the cake-decorating competition. Even that is wholly inappropriate, as one of the women is a judge and the other a contestant on the show.
How they manage to overcome all of that, as well as some serious personal baggage, makes for an entertaining read. But what I found really riveting was the contest itself. I was afraid I might need an antacid by the time it was over. Shannon, the contestant, is truly, a super late-bloomer. She is a soon-to-be grandmother (at 42!), yet has less experience than most of her rivals. And so she is the perennial underdog, always trying to not be the one kicked off next. Which might have been easier if she could focus more on the cakes and less on the hot celebrity judge following her every move, and vice-versa. The result is more suspense than some purported thrillers I've read. :)
P.S. The book lets us take a peek into the 'reality' behind a reality tv show--sidelights such as how contestants are chosen not just based on talent alone but more on the potential 'drama' they can bring to the show; how producers can dictate winners; how judges are instructed to be 'mean', etc. etc.--all in the name of entertainment. :)
4 stars
The two ladies are literally worlds apart: a significant age gap, different lifestyles, New Yorker vs Nashville-an, brash vs. conservative, etc, etc. Add to that the constant glare of cameras, the unwanted attention of paparazzis, and the player reputation of one of the women, and these two have got very tall odds stacked against them having anything more than a casual fling for the duration of the cake-decorating competition. Even that is wholly inappropriate, as one of the women is a judge and the other a contestant on the show.
How they manage to overcome all of that, as well as some serious personal baggage, makes for an entertaining read. But what I found really riveting was the contest itself. I was afraid I might need an antacid by the time it was over. Shannon, the contestant, is truly, a super late-bloomer. She is a soon-to-be grandmother (at 42!), yet has less experience than most of her rivals. And so she is the perennial underdog, always trying to not be the one kicked off next. Which might have been easier if she could focus more on the cakes and less on the hot celebrity judge following her every move, and vice-versa. The result is more suspense than some purported thrillers I've read. :)
P.S. The book lets us take a peek into the 'reality' behind a reality tv show--sidelights such as how contestants are chosen not just based on talent alone but more on the potential 'drama' they can bring to the show; how producers can dictate winners; how judges are instructed to be 'mean', etc. etc.--all in the name of entertainment. :)
4 stars
April 6, 2020
I'm going to blame my Abah for our cake obsession, a birthday celebration without a cake, sometimes cakes is sacrilege. How obsessed am I with cakes? I'm inspired to have a choc cake tattoo to break my skin's virginity. Since I'm not allowed, my tummy will have to be the strong one to accept the consequences.
An engaging story set on a baking competition. A misunderstood up and rising chef/judge and a mousy, quite talented contestant met, felt the attraction and the feelings that usually come along after, spend more time off-screen, push and pull, misunderstandings, problems solved and they live happily ever after without adding any extra weights even though they're both pastry chefs.
Worth spending 1O bucks for it? Hey, I'm a fool, whatever that has the word cake with pic attached to it, I'm gone. But Youtube has millions of baking goods vids so - sit, watch, salivate. No romance? Then watch it with your special someone. Currently self partnering? Then order from your fave bakery, indulge as you watch the vids. Hate baking goods? Get the heck out of my buns.
Check out the link - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay2...
An engaging story set on a baking competition. A misunderstood up and rising chef/judge and a mousy, quite talented contestant met, felt the attraction and the feelings that usually come along after, spend more time off-screen, push and pull, misunderstandings, problems solved and they live happily ever after without adding any extra weights even though they're both pastry chefs.
Worth spending 1O bucks for it? Hey, I'm a fool, whatever that has the word cake with pic attached to it, I'm gone. But Youtube has millions of baking goods vids so - sit, watch, salivate. No romance? Then watch it with your special someone. Currently self partnering? Then order from your fave bakery, indulge as you watch the vids. Hate baking goods? Get the heck out of my buns.
Check out the link - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCay2...
April 19, 2015
This is my first Erin Dutton novel. She has an easy fluid writing style I enjoyed reading.
The blurb for this novel sounded interesting and intriguing. A bisexual chef and notorious player meets a forty-something single mom on a reality cooking show. Sparks fly in spite of their difference in age, personalities and backgrounds. Their relationship builds slowly as they deal with trust issues and the confining rules of the reality show. Can these two women set aside their differences and make something beautiful and layered that doesn't involve fondant or buttercream frosting?
It's easy to like the well drawn Shannon and Maya. The reader is drawn into their back stories through conversations with friends. We know how talented Shannon is as a pastry chef so it is entertaining to watch her fumble some of her challenges when distracted by Maya the celebrity judge. Shannon does have her flaws. She believes the entertainment news she reads and her preconceived notions of who Maya is cause most of the conflict in their relationship.
Maya plays up to the paparazzi's image of her as a wild child. I do love a wounded heroine so I was drawn to Maya on many levels and not just the obvious drop dead gorgeous gotta have her level. Like a true alpha she is defiant enough to not try to correct the misconceptions of others.
As this is my first Erin Dutton novel I did not know that Jorie and Sawyer are a couple from a previous novel. Initially I liked them even more than their best friend Shannon and thought they could use their own book. Later on in the novel, a very long scene involving these two became a distraction and felt like unnecessary filler.
The game show itself did have some teeth. I liked the angry producer Hugh and his demands on the contestants. It was fun to see behind the scenes production and not surprising to see just how rigged these reality shows can be as well as intrusive on the private lives of the competitors.
For the Love of Cake shows us that there are parallels to be drawn from game shows and relationships. What you see on the surface does not always reflect the truth. It is up to you to determine what is real and who you can believe and trust.
*ARC received from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.*
The blurb for this novel sounded interesting and intriguing. A bisexual chef and notorious player meets a forty-something single mom on a reality cooking show. Sparks fly in spite of their difference in age, personalities and backgrounds. Their relationship builds slowly as they deal with trust issues and the confining rules of the reality show. Can these two women set aside their differences and make something beautiful and layered that doesn't involve fondant or buttercream frosting?
It's easy to like the well drawn Shannon and Maya. The reader is drawn into their back stories through conversations with friends. We know how talented Shannon is as a pastry chef so it is entertaining to watch her fumble some of her challenges when distracted by Maya the celebrity judge. Shannon does have her flaws. She believes the entertainment news she reads and her preconceived notions of who Maya is cause most of the conflict in their relationship.
Maya plays up to the paparazzi's image of her as a wild child. I do love a wounded heroine so I was drawn to Maya on many levels and not just the obvious drop dead gorgeous gotta have her level. Like a true alpha she is defiant enough to not try to correct the misconceptions of others.
As this is my first Erin Dutton novel I did not know that Jorie and Sawyer are a couple from a previous novel. Initially I liked them even more than their best friend Shannon and thought they could use their own book. Later on in the novel, a very long scene involving these two became a distraction and felt like unnecessary filler.
The game show itself did have some teeth. I liked the angry producer Hugh and his demands on the contestants. It was fun to see behind the scenes production and not surprising to see just how rigged these reality shows can be as well as intrusive on the private lives of the competitors.
For the Love of Cake shows us that there are parallels to be drawn from game shows and relationships. What you see on the surface does not always reflect the truth. It is up to you to determine what is real and who you can believe and trust.
*ARC received from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.*
April 3, 2017
Some of my favourite TV shows are My Kitchen Rules and MasterChef. So, when I came across this book which is a romance story that is set in a cake competition reality show... can't ask for more!
March 14, 2015
A somewhat okay read, the characters are fairly well written with distinct pasts and personalities, and the story flow is mostly fluid (apart from the odd foray into the lives of two characters from a previous book that I'm afraid I could have done without).
The reason I'm not giving it more stars has to do with my own personal tastes I suppose, as the book is certainly not bad. I think I was expecting a slightly different book given the promising setting/situation, and the history of both main characters. Unfortunately the story and the characters seemed a bit too bogged down in some serious issues. I was hoping for a bit more frivolity, a bit more zing, with the setting of a reality show revolving around delicious cakes. But both the main characters and the cakes came across as a bit dull, a bit lifeless.
One of the main characters is quite rightly still reeling from a significant event in her life, but even the pain of that didn't really come across. There was just a general air of lethargy for me. Not dark enough to be an angst fest, but not light enough to be a completely fun read.
There were some nice scenes, however, and a potential between the two leads that came more than close to really nailing that elusive chemistry thing.
So, it was okay, just not really my thing overall.
The reason I'm not giving it more stars has to do with my own personal tastes I suppose, as the book is certainly not bad. I think I was expecting a slightly different book given the promising setting/situation, and the history of both main characters. Unfortunately the story and the characters seemed a bit too bogged down in some serious issues. I was hoping for a bit more frivolity, a bit more zing, with the setting of a reality show revolving around delicious cakes. But both the main characters and the cakes came across as a bit dull, a bit lifeless.
One of the main characters is quite rightly still reeling from a significant event in her life, but even the pain of that didn't really come across. There was just a general air of lethargy for me. Not dark enough to be an angst fest, but not light enough to be a completely fun read.
There were some nice scenes, however, and a potential between the two leads that came more than close to really nailing that elusive chemistry thing.
So, it was okay, just not really my thing overall.
September 2, 2015
An enjoyable sweet romance (pardon the pun) with an insight into a reality TV show.
February 1, 2020
Enjoyed it, but neither of the MC really struck me as 100% real - I love Erin's "Uniform" Books and perhaps I gave her too high a bar to hit. Still recommended - but loved "Fully Involved" and "Officer Down."
January 23, 2015
Another great romance from Erin Dutton. It didn't make me hungry for cake, but wouldn't mind tasting a chef or two.
February 20, 2015
I nearly died when I saw this book. I'm a big fan of this type of reality show and For the Love of Cake pressed all the right buttons:
Younger woman/older woman
Good supporting characters
The hottest pastry chef ever
Speaking of which, I have a major crush on Maya and I’m not even sorry. With those tattoos and platinum blonde hair, all she needs to do to win your heart is to raise a pierced brow. ;) Seriously, imo, she’s the perfect combination of Ruby Rose and Anne-Marie! *swoon*
Ruby Rose
Anne-Marie
Ok, back to the book.
Shannon wasn’t comfortable with Maya’s bisexuality and the media’s image of her was kind of disturbing. Shannon had many reasons to stay away from Maya (she was her mentor on the show, she was much younger and had a reputation as a player), but the attraction between them became undeniable. Yay! I liked how all this was handled, my only complaint is: they needed more time together, more time doing pleasurable things. Ahem.
Erin Dutton is a new author to me and she made a good impression with For the Love of Cake. ‘Cause Maya Vaughn…
*ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley.*
Younger woman/older woman
Good supporting characters
The hottest pastry chef ever
Speaking of which, I have a major crush on Maya and I’m not even sorry. With those tattoos and platinum blonde hair, all she needs to do to win your heart is to raise a pierced brow. ;) Seriously, imo, she’s the perfect combination of Ruby Rose and Anne-Marie! *swoon*
Ruby Rose
Anne-Marie
Ok, back to the book.
Shannon wasn’t comfortable with Maya’s bisexuality and the media’s image of her was kind of disturbing. Shannon had many reasons to stay away from Maya (she was her mentor on the show, she was much younger and had a reputation as a player), but the attraction between them became undeniable. Yay! I liked how all this was handled, my only complaint is: they needed more time together, more time doing pleasurable things. Ahem.
Erin Dutton is a new author to me and she made a good impression with For the Love of Cake. ‘Cause Maya Vaughn…
*ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley.*
September 14, 2015
I liked this but didn't love it. Maybe this was due to me not being a fan of reality TV because of how fake it is, and I felt that the book spent way too much time on the show aspect. I think it would have been more interesting if the show had been the first half and then concentrated on how Maya and Shannon made things work after that.
I also could not get past how unprofessional they both were. A mentor having a relationship with a contestant is a huge conflict of interest and I couldn't get behind that aspect at all, I wish they had waited until the show was over.
Both leads had fairly well drawn personalities, and do spend a lot of time together. However, Maya does nothing to deserve Shannon's constant harping on her player tendencies, I found it hard to believe that a 42 year old woman isn't well aware of the utter crap tabloids spew out, and given what she knows of Maya's past, this issue being raised over and over seemed more for contrived drama than anything else.
Having read A Place To Rest I was happy to spend time with Jori and Sawyer again, but their storyline was weird too. They had all these scene addressing their 'issue' and then it was glossed over with no actual discussion at all, that resolution seemed to come from nowhere.
Overall I found this one to be uneven, but still ok. If you like reality TV and especially cooking competition shows, you might enjoy it more than I did. Yolanda Wallace's Month of Sundays has a reality cooking TV storyline too, and I enjoyed that one more than this, so I'd recommend it too.
I also could not get past how unprofessional they both were. A mentor having a relationship with a contestant is a huge conflict of interest and I couldn't get behind that aspect at all, I wish they had waited until the show was over.
Both leads had fairly well drawn personalities, and do spend a lot of time together. However, Maya does nothing to deserve Shannon's constant harping on her player tendencies, I found it hard to believe that a 42 year old woman isn't well aware of the utter crap tabloids spew out, and given what she knows of Maya's past, this issue being raised over and over seemed more for contrived drama than anything else.
Having read A Place To Rest I was happy to spend time with Jori and Sawyer again, but their storyline was weird too. They had all these scene addressing their 'issue' and then it was glossed over with no actual discussion at all, that resolution seemed to come from nowhere.
Overall I found this one to be uneven, but still ok. If you like reality TV and especially cooking competition shows, you might enjoy it more than I did. Yolanda Wallace's Month of Sundays has a reality cooking TV storyline too, and I enjoyed that one more than this, so I'd recommend it too.
March 1, 2015
This is a solid romance novel with two very different main characters. Erin Dutton masters these type of stories.
December 3, 2018
I just love when my romance novel is interrupted by anti-choice tripe.
Actual quote by main character: “I can’t respect anyone’s decision to terminate a life because pregnancy is inconvenient.”
Actual quote by main character: “I can’t respect anyone’s decision to terminate a life because pregnancy is inconvenient.”
January 21, 2015
3.5 stars.
Dutton has written a lot of lesbian romances, and this is evident in the characterisation and the interplay between the two main characters.
Maya Vaughn is a hot, young pastry chef who started her career by winning a TV cooking competition. To spice up the flagging ratings, the producers bring her back as a judge and hope that her off-screen antics will make it into the press. One of the new competitors on the show is a forty-two year old soccer-mum type, Shannon Hayes, who works as a pastry chef in one of the local bakeries.
So the scene is set; the characters assembled; let the games begin. There were certainly some very detailed scenes and Dutton describes the TV show well. I did find that the connection between the two leads was not as believable as I would like; I really couldn't see how an extravert like Maya would be interested in the very mousy Shannon. It wasn't until half way through the book that Shannon developed any spine, and would be of interest to anyone other than her mother. If she had had some spine early on, I would have been able to see how she could have caught someone's eye. Gutsy characters are always fun to read, but none appeared here until late in the piece.
It is well written for a romance, and Dutton is good at setting the scene and playing it out at a good pace and without too many words. A diverting tale.
Dutton has written a lot of lesbian romances, and this is evident in the characterisation and the interplay between the two main characters.
Maya Vaughn is a hot, young pastry chef who started her career by winning a TV cooking competition. To spice up the flagging ratings, the producers bring her back as a judge and hope that her off-screen antics will make it into the press. One of the new competitors on the show is a forty-two year old soccer-mum type, Shannon Hayes, who works as a pastry chef in one of the local bakeries.
So the scene is set; the characters assembled; let the games begin. There were certainly some very detailed scenes and Dutton describes the TV show well. I did find that the connection between the two leads was not as believable as I would like; I really couldn't see how an extravert like Maya would be interested in the very mousy Shannon. It wasn't until half way through the book that Shannon developed any spine, and would be of interest to anyone other than her mother. If she had had some spine early on, I would have been able to see how she could have caught someone's eye. Gutsy characters are always fun to read, but none appeared here until late in the piece.
It is well written for a romance, and Dutton is good at setting the scene and playing it out at a good pace and without too many words. A diverting tale.
March 22, 2017
For a book with cake in the title, I really wanted more of it in the story! In the acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, Dutton thanked a pastry chef for allowing her into the kitchen for research, but I can't imagine this book needed a ton of culinary research to pull off. Maybe I'm just spoiled by more literary kitchen-set books like Crescent or even indie romances like The Second Mango where food is described in loving detail, making all our mouths water, but For the Love of Cake just didn't deliver the goodies like I expected it to.
Maya Vaughn, however, is a wonderful bisexual protagonist I was rooting for throughout the story. She's a celebrity chef (a cross between the fierceness of chef Anne Burrell and the youthful sex appeal of starlet Ruby Rose) who won the first season of the titular baking competition, and after years of book tours, tabloid scandals, and personal crises, she's returning to the show as a mentor.
Shannon Hayes, a middle-aged pastry chef and soon-to-be grandmother, is eager to prove herself as a master decorator on the show--and she's also drawn to Maya before she even meets her on set. She's definitely wary of Maya's party-girl past and does not want to get her heart broken, yet she can't seem to stay away. I can't say I liked Shannon a whole lot as a character. She was very judgmental of Maya's bisexuality, romantic history, and rumored abortion , and she never allowed Maya to explain herself. Her insecurity stuck around until nearly the end of the story, making her sort of an unpleasant match for a more complex character like Maya.
For the first half of the book, I was confused as to why side characters Jori and Sawyer (a married couple and the owners of the bakery Shannon worked at) got so much story attention, but then I realized they were the main characters in Dutton's previous book A Place to Rest. I think I'd appreciate their subplot a lot more if I read that book as well, so I'll put it on my reading list.
In the end, I enjoyed Maya enough to say the book was worth a read (this book would hover closer to a 2 1/2 star rating than a 3, just because of my dislike for Shannon). I wanted more--more detail, more history, more characterization. Dutton's writing is certainly good enough to warrant a stronger story.
Maya Vaughn, however, is a wonderful bisexual protagonist I was rooting for throughout the story. She's a celebrity chef (a cross between the fierceness of chef Anne Burrell and the youthful sex appeal of starlet Ruby Rose) who won the first season of the titular baking competition, and after years of book tours, tabloid scandals, and personal crises, she's returning to the show as a mentor.
Shannon Hayes, a middle-aged pastry chef and soon-to-be grandmother, is eager to prove herself as a master decorator on the show--and she's also drawn to Maya before she even meets her on set. She's definitely wary of Maya's party-girl past and does not want to get her heart broken, yet she can't seem to stay away. I can't say I liked Shannon a whole lot as a character. She was very judgmental of Maya's bisexuality, romantic history, and rumored abortion , and she never allowed Maya to explain herself. Her insecurity stuck around until nearly the end of the story, making her sort of an unpleasant match for a more complex character like Maya.
For the first half of the book, I was confused as to why side characters Jori and Sawyer (a married couple and the owners of the bakery Shannon worked at) got so much story attention, but then I realized they were the main characters in Dutton's previous book A Place to Rest. I think I'd appreciate their subplot a lot more if I read that book as well, so I'll put it on my reading list.
In the end, I enjoyed Maya enough to say the book was worth a read (this book would hover closer to a 2 1/2 star rating than a 3, just because of my dislike for Shannon). I wanted more--more detail, more history, more characterization. Dutton's writing is certainly good enough to warrant a stronger story.
May 12, 2015
I really enjoyed it, I've watched my share of cooking and baking competitions and it was interesting reading about it,
February 21, 2015
It had cake, what more does it need?! Sweet romance with a pinch of humor. It's a fun book.
October 24, 2021
While I think the writing and plotting in For the Love of Cake is generally competent, there were several serious issues that dragged this down to a one-star book for me. Light spoilers ahead.
1. One of the MCs, Maya, repeatedly refers to a secondary Latina character, Lucia, as a "hot tamale." This is racist. At one point she acknowledges that this is maybe not okay, but she continues to do it.
2. Later in the book, Maya has to choose between eliminating the aforementioned Lucia or a white woman named Alice from the competition. Alice has performed better that day, so she wants to cut Lucia, but the producer tells her to eliminate Alice instead. Maya automatically assumes that the producer wants Lucia kept for "diversity reasons." While I grant that it's entirely plausible that this is what motivates the producer, there is a long history of white folks assuming that the successes of people of color are due solely to affirmative action and not their own merits. For Maya to jump to this conclusion as well, a conclusion that she reiterates later in the book, reflects her internalized racist prejudices, but the book does nothing to challenge this or suggest in any way that Maya's assumption could be wrong.
3. The second MC, Shannon, expresses some pretty biphobic beliefs throughout the book (ironic considering her character had previously been married to a man). It's true that a lot of lesbians are super biphobic and awful about it, but I think if you're going to make the deliberate choice to make your character a biphobic lesbian, you need to exercise care with this part of your story, which wasn't really evinced here. Why is Shannon biphobic? How does it serve the character, the story? And at no point does the character ever have a reckoning with her biphobia and come to realize that she was wrong to feel that way. So that's just there. One of the MCs is racist, the other is biphobic, and we're supposed to root for them?
4. Shannon (and Maya, to a lesser extent) also says/thinks some gross pro-life/anti-choice stuff throughout the book. The fuck?
5. There is a power imbalance between the couple, with Maya being a judge on the reality show Shannon is a participating in, as well as explicitly being Shannon's official show mentor. I think it's possible to navigate this kind of power imbalance in a romance in a way that is respectful and not abusive, but that did not always happen here. Maya, the one with the power in the relationship, is the main aggressor and there are some scenes where she pursues and flirts with Shannon in a way that is downright predatory. Shannon repeatedly asserts that she does not want to go down that road with Maya, given their current circumstances, and Maya ignores her refusals and continues to push. It's straight up sexual harrassment in some scenes and it really turned my stomach.
So, yeah. This is not an author that I'll be returning to.
1. One of the MCs, Maya, repeatedly refers to a secondary Latina character, Lucia, as a "hot tamale." This is racist. At one point she acknowledges that this is maybe not okay, but she continues to do it.
2. Later in the book, Maya has to choose between eliminating the aforementioned Lucia or a white woman named Alice from the competition. Alice has performed better that day, so she wants to cut Lucia, but the producer tells her to eliminate Alice instead. Maya automatically assumes that the producer wants Lucia kept for "diversity reasons." While I grant that it's entirely plausible that this is what motivates the producer, there is a long history of white folks assuming that the successes of people of color are due solely to affirmative action and not their own merits. For Maya to jump to this conclusion as well, a conclusion that she reiterates later in the book, reflects her internalized racist prejudices, but the book does nothing to challenge this or suggest in any way that Maya's assumption could be wrong.
3. The second MC, Shannon, expresses some pretty biphobic beliefs throughout the book (ironic considering her character had previously been married to a man). It's true that a lot of lesbians are super biphobic and awful about it, but I think if you're going to make the deliberate choice to make your character a biphobic lesbian, you need to exercise care with this part of your story, which wasn't really evinced here. Why is Shannon biphobic? How does it serve the character, the story? And at no point does the character ever have a reckoning with her biphobia and come to realize that she was wrong to feel that way. So that's just there. One of the MCs is racist, the other is biphobic, and we're supposed to root for them?
4. Shannon (and Maya, to a lesser extent) also says/thinks some gross pro-life/anti-choice stuff throughout the book. The fuck?
5. There is a power imbalance between the couple, with Maya being a judge on the reality show Shannon is a participating in, as well as explicitly being Shannon's official show mentor. I think it's possible to navigate this kind of power imbalance in a romance in a way that is respectful and not abusive, but that did not always happen here. Maya, the one with the power in the relationship, is the main aggressor and there are some scenes where she pursues and flirts with Shannon in a way that is downright predatory. Shannon repeatedly asserts that she does not want to go down that road with Maya, given their current circumstances, and Maya ignores her refusals and continues to push. It's straight up sexual harrassment in some scenes and it really turned my stomach.
So, yeah. This is not an author that I'll be returning to.
January 30, 2018
I’m not sure I can say anything nice about this book. It was definitely not what I was expecting and so many times I wanted to put it down, but I still haven’t gotten comfortable with putting books down. You never know how they might finish! It could be a case of unreliable narrator and the biggest plot twist is coming up!
Unfortunately that wasn’t the case here. What you saw was what you got: boring, generic. This book could have been a fluffy “melt in your mouth” treat. Instead it’s a stale slice of bread.
Maya Vaughn is a hot topic in the baking world. Winning a reality baking competition changed her life--interview after interview, walking red carpets, and schmoozing at the best parties became the norm. But no one seems to want to talk about her creations; they just want to talk about her dating life. And because her sexuality is so discussed, she’s offered a position as a mentor on the very competition she once won. She knows she’s only there to bring in views.
Shannon Hayes is a divorced mother, soon-to-be-grandmother, happily working at a small bakery. She’s seen her share of struggle and sacrifice so when she learns she’s made it onto the show For the Love of Cake, she’s ready to do something for herself. She just doesn’t want to be the first competitor to be sent home, especially when Maya chooses her for her team.
It sounds like a solid book but when the competition starts, the book proves itself to be a struggle. It’s a crawl through a lot of nothing.
Maya is Generic Character A. She’s the spunky gal who wants to prove she’s more than her image. We hear this over and over. Unfortunately, we never see her try. She has one struggle throughout the book and that’s The Big Secret. She does nothing, she adds nothing. Her entire character is only there for others to comment on her sexuality. She is a cardboard cut-out that stands around and tries to be Generic Character A: Spunky Gal.
Shannon is Generic Character B. She’s our main character so she should be engaging and likeable, but instead she’s just… flat. She’s the meek character that gets flustered and tongue-tied around Maya and then immediately has an identity crisis and becomes Generic Character A: Spunky Gal. Shannon is supposed to be a forty-year-old woman who has struggled through a marriage and a miscarriage. Guess what she reads like--Generic Character. There’s no weight, no substance.
The side characters are nonexistent. They’re as flat as the main cast! There’s no one to care about, no one to root for. It’s a shuffling cast of cardboard zombies. You could put the entire cast in a different “Generic Lesbian Romance” novel and nothing would change.
The book doesn’t have a real plot. It’s possible the idea was that the characters would carry the plot; it would be about their weaknesses and their problems as they go through the competition. Um, what competition? Let me give you an example of these scenes:
“Shannon made the thing and then it was time for judging.”
That’s it in a nutshell. We are told, over and over, that things are happening. We don’t spend a moment with Shannon, in her head, to see her process or how her desserts might look. “Shannon made a cake with buttercream and fondant figures and brought it up for judging.” Mm’kay, thanks.
And this is the entire book. There were more jumpcuts than there was development. We’re supposed to believe that Maya and Shannon grew a relationship in the time of filming. “They talked for two hours” does not a relationship make. And the only tension in the entire book? Shannon constantly accusing Maya of the smallest things. “You were flirting with this person, you were flirting with them, I don’t know if I can do this!”
SHANNON YOU ARE FORTY YEARS OLD. NOT TEN. And this is a repeated thing! This isn’t just once or twice and they finally sit down and have a talk on the page. No, it’s a constant “Shannon misunderstands and doesn’t trust Maya, so she hurls accusations and runs away.” Although, thinking about how the progress of the relationship is told to us through jumpcuts, any talk would happen outside our view.
I was expecting a love story with behind-the-scenes action. I was looking forward to a baking competition on paper. I truly wanted to enjoy the book for what it was, but there was just nothing there.
Unfortunately that wasn’t the case here. What you saw was what you got: boring, generic. This book could have been a fluffy “melt in your mouth” treat. Instead it’s a stale slice of bread.
Maya Vaughn is a hot topic in the baking world. Winning a reality baking competition changed her life--interview after interview, walking red carpets, and schmoozing at the best parties became the norm. But no one seems to want to talk about her creations; they just want to talk about her dating life. And because her sexuality is so discussed, she’s offered a position as a mentor on the very competition she once won. She knows she’s only there to bring in views.
Shannon Hayes is a divorced mother, soon-to-be-grandmother, happily working at a small bakery. She’s seen her share of struggle and sacrifice so when she learns she’s made it onto the show For the Love of Cake, she’s ready to do something for herself. She just doesn’t want to be the first competitor to be sent home, especially when Maya chooses her for her team.
It sounds like a solid book but when the competition starts, the book proves itself to be a struggle. It’s a crawl through a lot of nothing.
Maya is Generic Character A. She’s the spunky gal who wants to prove she’s more than her image. We hear this over and over. Unfortunately, we never see her try. She has one struggle throughout the book and that’s The Big Secret. She does nothing, she adds nothing. Her entire character is only there for others to comment on her sexuality. She is a cardboard cut-out that stands around and tries to be Generic Character A: Spunky Gal.
Shannon is Generic Character B. She’s our main character so she should be engaging and likeable, but instead she’s just… flat. She’s the meek character that gets flustered and tongue-tied around Maya and then immediately has an identity crisis and becomes Generic Character A: Spunky Gal. Shannon is supposed to be a forty-year-old woman who has struggled through a marriage and a miscarriage. Guess what she reads like--Generic Character. There’s no weight, no substance.
The side characters are nonexistent. They’re as flat as the main cast! There’s no one to care about, no one to root for. It’s a shuffling cast of cardboard zombies. You could put the entire cast in a different “Generic Lesbian Romance” novel and nothing would change.
The book doesn’t have a real plot. It’s possible the idea was that the characters would carry the plot; it would be about their weaknesses and their problems as they go through the competition. Um, what competition? Let me give you an example of these scenes:
“Shannon made the thing and then it was time for judging.”
That’s it in a nutshell. We are told, over and over, that things are happening. We don’t spend a moment with Shannon, in her head, to see her process or how her desserts might look. “Shannon made a cake with buttercream and fondant figures and brought it up for judging.” Mm’kay, thanks.
And this is the entire book. There were more jumpcuts than there was development. We’re supposed to believe that Maya and Shannon grew a relationship in the time of filming. “They talked for two hours” does not a relationship make. And the only tension in the entire book? Shannon constantly accusing Maya of the smallest things. “You were flirting with this person, you were flirting with them, I don’t know if I can do this!”
SHANNON YOU ARE FORTY YEARS OLD. NOT TEN. And this is a repeated thing! This isn’t just once or twice and they finally sit down and have a talk on the page. No, it’s a constant “Shannon misunderstands and doesn’t trust Maya, so she hurls accusations and runs away.” Although, thinking about how the progress of the relationship is told to us through jumpcuts, any talk would happen outside our view.
I was expecting a love story with behind-the-scenes action. I was looking forward to a baking competition on paper. I truly wanted to enjoy the book for what it was, but there was just nothing there.
August 2, 2018
I like this story a lot, but there are some things about it that keeps nagging me. The beginning had the makings of a fun roller coaster ride of emotions with a combination of a high-stakes competition and the charged attraction between Shannon and Maya's despite their differences. However, the story fell a little flat. I like the chemistry between Shannon and Maya and was even nervous about them getting caught. I also was a little anxious during the competition scenes. Unfortunately, that's where it ended for me. There wasn't enough build-up of emotions to make some components of the story feel believable. I wish there were more scenes of the competition to get my adrenaline going. Also, I didn't like the interruption of Shannon and Maya's storyline for Jori and Sawyer.
Edit: I'm changing my ratings to 4 stars. Its been a few days since I read Maya and Shannon's story, and I'm still thinking about their journey. I'm going to add this book to my reread list. Maybe I'll view it differently.
Edit: I'm changing my ratings to 4 stars. Its been a few days since I read Maya and Shannon's story, and I'm still thinking about their journey. I'm going to add this book to my reread list. Maybe I'll view it differently.
April 12, 2021
Sequel to A Place to Rest. Maya Vaughn is a celebrity pasty chef who came to fame and fortune after winning the first season of a reality cake decorating show. To add some pizazz into the seventh season she is invited back as a guest judge/mentor. Shannon Hayes is about to be a grandmother at the age of 42 after adopting and raising a foster child. She went to culinary school late in life and hopes competing on the show, For the Love of Cake will prove she is equal to younger chefs. The set up was fun. And story light with minimal angst. Shannon was lusting a little too much on her celebrity crush but it seems realistic they could get together. I did feel a couple of times the story jumped without explanation. Almost like I missed a few chapters, especially in the best friend storyline.
June 2, 2018
I just started watching/getting into cooking reality shows. So this book came at the right time for me. I must say, I couldn't put it down. But the closer I got to the end, the slower I read. I didnt want it to end. And I think I have a crush on Maya Vaughn! Erin Dutton described this character so well that it made Maya come to life for me. Yeh that sounds weird, but its true. I'm still re-reading parts that I found stimulating! This was my first book by Dutton and can't wait to read one of her others. Hope to see you again at 2018 Knox Pride!
May 18, 2020
This is the angsty love story taking place behind-the-scenes of the behind-the-scenes of a reality baking competition. To be honest, there were a few points where I wanted to throw the book across the room because Maya and Shannon were...aaarrrrg. But, I loved them and they had a story that needed to be heard, albeit an exhausting story.
December 26, 2020
Sweet love
Shannon is a pastry chef who won the spot on a baking show. She was excited to be on the show and then just found out there’s a famous place to stay is Maya what’s going to be a mentor and judge. The characters are very good and we’re well built up. The plot is the romance so I won’t reveal it but it is a great romance and I highly recommend it
Shannon is a pastry chef who won the spot on a baking show. She was excited to be on the show and then just found out there’s a famous place to stay is Maya what’s going to be a mentor and judge. The characters are very good and we’re well built up. The plot is the romance so I won’t reveal it but it is a great romance and I highly recommend it
July 11, 2020
Great Story
I really enjoyed this story! Both Shannon and Maya were incredibly strong,independent women who have a warm, loving heart. I could see myself with either of them. Another great story, Erin!
I really enjoyed this story! Both Shannon and Maya were incredibly strong,independent women who have a warm, loving heart. I could see myself with either of them. Another great story, Erin!
January 24, 2021
Though I like the more older main character, I was a bit taken aback by the level of cynism in the book.
I just spend two weeks early January binge-watching cooking shows and I was hoping for a less cringe-picturing.
Still the sparks are good.
I just spend two weeks early January binge-watching cooking shows and I was hoping for a less cringe-picturing.
Still the sparks are good.
November 14, 2022
Fun romance about forbidden attraction on a reality baking show. Reading this felt a little surreal because of the reality baking show setting which is also featured in Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall. Editorially the story could've used some tightening but it was fun.
December 16, 2019
Love this book I’m a big fan of cooking shows and this was a great spin on a reality show romance and cake what else do you need
January 6, 2020
Ok romance -- not too memorable but well written
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