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The Baking Games
Listening time: 8 hours and 58 minutes.
Savannah Greene enters The Baking Games with a clear win the $200,000 prize and secure her sister’s future. But her plan quickly crumbles when she discovers the competition includes her ex-boyfriend, Connor, who still harbors a grudge, and Rhett Jennings, her biggest rival from culinary school.
Thrown together in a luxurious mansion under the constant gaze of cameras, Savannah finds herself part of an unexpected plot twist—a fake relationship with Rhett to boost their popularity with viewers. As they navigate this pretend romance, the lines between reality and performance blur. Rhett's unexpected defense against Connor's sabotage stirs doubts about his true intentions. Is his growing warmth genuine, or just another strategy to win?
With each challenge, Savannah's resolve is tested not just by her baking skills but also by the tangled web of feelings developing around her. Rhett's consistent support and moments of vulnerability make her question if there’s more to their connection than just the game. As the competition intensifies, so does the relationship, pushing Savannah to reconsider what she truly desires.Amidst the strategic alliances and fake romances crafted for viewer ratings, Savannah forges a genuine bond with Maggie, a 65-year-old contestant who becomes like the mother she never had. Maggie's wisdom and warmth offer a haven from the cutthroat atmosphere, grounding Savannah as she navigates the murky waters of trust within the mansion.
As the grand finale looms, Savannah must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart along with her culinary dreams. Caught between a potential new love and the prize that promises a better future for her sister, Savannah faces a choice that could change everything. Is her connection with Rhett just a well-crafted façade, or could it be the most authentic thing she's ever baked up?
Savannah Greene enters The Baking Games with a clear win the $200,000 prize and secure her sister’s future. But her plan quickly crumbles when she discovers the competition includes her ex-boyfriend, Connor, who still harbors a grudge, and Rhett Jennings, her biggest rival from culinary school.
Thrown together in a luxurious mansion under the constant gaze of cameras, Savannah finds herself part of an unexpected plot twist—a fake relationship with Rhett to boost their popularity with viewers. As they navigate this pretend romance, the lines between reality and performance blur. Rhett's unexpected defense against Connor's sabotage stirs doubts about his true intentions. Is his growing warmth genuine, or just another strategy to win?
With each challenge, Savannah's resolve is tested not just by her baking skills but also by the tangled web of feelings developing around her. Rhett's consistent support and moments of vulnerability make her question if there’s more to their connection than just the game. As the competition intensifies, so does the relationship, pushing Savannah to reconsider what she truly desires.Amidst the strategic alliances and fake romances crafted for viewer ratings, Savannah forges a genuine bond with Maggie, a 65-year-old contestant who becomes like the mother she never had. Maggie's wisdom and warmth offer a haven from the cutthroat atmosphere, grounding Savannah as she navigates the murky waters of trust within the mansion.
As the grand finale looms, Savannah must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart along with her culinary dreams. Caught between a potential new love and the prize that promises a better future for her sister, Savannah faces a choice that could change everything. Is her connection with Rhett just a well-crafted façade, or could it be the most authentic thing she's ever baked up?
9 pages, Audible Audio
Published August 27, 2024
652 people are currently reading
4800 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Hanna
99 books2,890 followersHey there! Before I tell you all about myself, can I invite you to join my private Rachel's Readers Facebook group? That's where my readers hang out, discuss my books, participate in giveaways and learn about new releases.
You can join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rache...
So who am I? My name is Rachel Hanna, and I am a wife, mother of three incredible kids (maybe I am a BIT biased?), two lovable doggies and one cat that lives outside and thinks he owns the world. Okay, I also have a gecko now too. Don't judge me.
I started writing as a young child, and I went into the field of Journalism for many years as an adult. Now, as a romantic fiction writer, I get to live out my own daydreams every single day and share them with readers around the world!
I'm a Southern chick living near Atlanta, so I say "yes, ma'm" and "ya'll", but I wouldn't have it any other way. :)
You can join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rache...
So who am I? My name is Rachel Hanna, and I am a wife, mother of three incredible kids (maybe I am a BIT biased?), two lovable doggies and one cat that lives outside and thinks he owns the world. Okay, I also have a gecko now too. Don't judge me.
I started writing as a young child, and I went into the field of Journalism for many years as an adult. Now, as a romantic fiction writer, I get to live out my own daydreams every single day and share them with readers around the world!
I'm a Southern chick living near Atlanta, so I say "yes, ma'm" and "ya'll", but I wouldn't have it any other way. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
August 24, 2025
3.5⭐
Genre ~ romance
Setting ~ Georgia
Publication date ~ August 27, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Select
Est Page Count ~ 327 (26 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 58 minutes
Narrator ~ Anne-Michael Smith
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ baking competition, forced proximity, fake dating, rivals to lovers, no steamage
Savannah (30) is working in a grocery store bakery and has always taken care of her younger sister since their mother died. She wants to send Sadie (20) to college, but is strapped for cash, so she enters a baking competition.
Rhett (31) is working on a cruise ship and was Savannah’s rival in culinary school. She’s not too happy when she finds out he’s in the competition, too. He’s a grump with unsupportive parents who are in a loveless marriage, so he's one of those that never wants to marry because of that.
Which one deserves the $200,000 more? It was hard to root for one or the other because both were deserving.
The camera loves these two together, so they do a bit of a fake relationship in order to gain fans. Fake dating is always tricky since we know they’ll both fall for each other, but neither knows if the other is actually being real with what they’re saying or if it’s all part of the fakeness, but it didn’t bother me too much here.
There was some repetition and awful side characters, but overall I liked it well enough. If you're a fan of cooking/baking competitions that take place in a big brother atmosphere then you might like this one.
Narration notes:
UGH UGH UGH, one narrator for dual 1st POV. Boo! She did fine, I suppose, but I really wish I had read it. While we are told whose parts are up next with a simple Savannah or Rhett it was just so quick and it still took me a minute to figure out who was talking with no distinction to her tone. That kind of stuff takes me out of the story.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ romance
Setting ~ Georgia
Publication date ~ August 27, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Select
Est Page Count ~ 327 (26 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 58 minutes
Narrator ~ Anne-Michael Smith
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ baking competition, forced proximity, fake dating, rivals to lovers, no steamage
Savannah (30) is working in a grocery store bakery and has always taken care of her younger sister since their mother died. She wants to send Sadie (20) to college, but is strapped for cash, so she enters a baking competition.
Rhett (31) is working on a cruise ship and was Savannah’s rival in culinary school. She’s not too happy when she finds out he’s in the competition, too. He’s a grump with unsupportive parents who are in a loveless marriage, so he's one of those that never wants to marry because of that.
Which one deserves the $200,000 more? It was hard to root for one or the other because both were deserving.
The camera loves these two together, so they do a bit of a fake relationship in order to gain fans. Fake dating is always tricky since we know they’ll both fall for each other, but neither knows if the other is actually being real with what they’re saying or if it’s all part of the fakeness, but it didn’t bother me too much here.
There was some repetition and awful side characters, but overall I liked it well enough. If you're a fan of cooking/baking competitions that take place in a big brother atmosphere then you might like this one.
Narration notes:
UGH UGH UGH, one narrator for dual 1st POV. Boo! She did fine, I suppose, but I really wish I had read it. While we are told whose parts are up next with a simple Savannah or Rhett it was just so quick and it still took me a minute to figure out who was talking with no distinction to her tone. That kind of stuff takes me out of the story.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
August 17, 2024
4 Stars ✨
Clean Romantic Comedy
Audio Version 🎧 Via Netgalley
Narration 4/5
Savannah is a pastry chef, who has been raising her younger sister her whole life, struggling to make ends meet. But no matter what, her sisters needs have always been her top priority. With no prospects of success in her future she feels defeated , until little sister enters her in a baking reality show competition. If she wins, she can put her sister through college and finally get ahead. What Savannah wasn’t prepared for however, was her night school rival and ex boyfriend both to be on the same reality show.
The Baking Games was a clean, cozy and fluffy read. Full of sweet romance and reality show drama. The characters were likable and funny. I thought the story as a whole was completely unrealistic, but it was still a very enjoyable and entertaining read. The narrator did a pretty good job , I just wish she would have changed her voice a bit more for the male role. My only real complaint is it made me want all kinds of baked goods 🤭. Would recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of The Baking Games, in exchange for an honest review.
Clean Romantic Comedy
Audio Version 🎧 Via Netgalley
Narration 4/5
Savannah is a pastry chef, who has been raising her younger sister her whole life, struggling to make ends meet. But no matter what, her sisters needs have always been her top priority. With no prospects of success in her future she feels defeated , until little sister enters her in a baking reality show competition. If she wins, she can put her sister through college and finally get ahead. What Savannah wasn’t prepared for however, was her night school rival and ex boyfriend both to be on the same reality show.
The Baking Games was a clean, cozy and fluffy read. Full of sweet romance and reality show drama. The characters were likable and funny. I thought the story as a whole was completely unrealistic, but it was still a very enjoyable and entertaining read. The narrator did a pretty good job , I just wish she would have changed her voice a bit more for the male role. My only real complaint is it made me want all kinds of baked goods 🤭. Would recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of The Baking Games, in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2025
3.75/5
simplistic, predictable but overall a cute & chill story
simplistic, predictable but overall a cute & chill story
September 13, 2024
This was a fun, dual POV, enemies to lovers, reality TV baking competition romance that has two former rivals competing to win a baking competition and fake dating to win viewer popularity votes. I enjoyed this romcom by a new to me author quite a bit but thought the POV switches were quite sudden and abrupt - perhaps a better print than audio read but still worth picking up! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
September 18, 2024
Upon entering a new competition reality TV show called The Baking Games, Savannah finds out that two of the other contestants are Rhett, the one person she hated when she was studying in pastry chef school, and Connor, her ex-boyfriend. All three of them (and a bunch of other candidates) have now to spend 5 weeks in a mansion and take up several challenges to determine who's the best baker. But the thing with reality TV is that popularity is always more important than talent. For that reason, Rhett comes up with a great idea to boost his and Savannah's popularity and guarantee the audience's votes and places in the final.
Okay, I'll be honest : was this a good book ? God no. Was it entertaining ? Yes.
When I think about The Baking Games, there are at least a dozen negative comments about the writing that instantly come to my mind, and I'll talk about some of them further down this review. What I want to talk about first is why liked it : give me my favourite trope (enemies to lovers ... Ok, people who dislike each other to lovers), give me food (not literally, just write about it), give me an interesting setting (competition reality TV), give it to me in audiobook format and I'll probably enjoy the novel (but still be triggered by it).
Now, the writing was the exact type of writing that I hate : One dimentional characters, nothing shown - literally everything said, constant amateur psychoanalyses, plot conveniences, and so on ... These points justify my rating, but I'll also address additional points, that bothered me when I was listening to this audiobook :
1. Are we, in 2024, still insisting on the fact that a woman is only considered beautiful because she's 100% "natural" ? The way Rhett kept praising Savannah for not wearing any make up made me feel uncomfortable 🤣 Aaaand he way that other contestant (or bimbo apparently ?) was described by the two main characters was just disgusting and immature.
2. As mentioned earlier, I'm very partial to novels that mention food, HOWEVER ... Ok I'll say it, (fine) pastry and Americans don't go well together 🤷🏻♀️ For contestants that are supposed to be passionate about pastry, they clearly lack imagination ... And knowledge ... And culture. Here's a cringe quote for you : "Red bean? He made a dessert with red beans in the final competition?" Yes dear. Red beans are a commonly used ingredient in Asian desserts. The author probably knows it, but the way the MC and the judges reacted to one contestant using red beans was very ignorant (... and ethnocentric) I get that many people won't see any anything wrong in this, but it did bother me as non-white person who happens to know a lot about pastry.
3. This one may seem stupid -and it is- but I can't say how irritated I got each time they mentioned the pastry chef school Savannah and Rhett went to, because each time, (25 that felt like 250) they literally called it "pAsTrY ChEf sChOol" : WHY DOESN’T THIS SCHOOL HAVE A NAME ? 😭
🎧 Audiobook : 4/5 The narrator is alright.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for giving me access to this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Okay, I'll be honest : was this a good book ? God no. Was it entertaining ? Yes.
When I think about The Baking Games, there are at least a dozen negative comments about the writing that instantly come to my mind, and I'll talk about some of them further down this review. What I want to talk about first is why liked it : give me my favourite trope (enemies to lovers ... Ok, people who dislike each other to lovers), give me food (not literally, just write about it), give me an interesting setting (competition reality TV), give it to me in audiobook format and I'll probably enjoy the novel (but still be triggered by it).
Now, the writing was the exact type of writing that I hate : One dimentional characters, nothing shown - literally everything said, constant amateur psychoanalyses, plot conveniences, and so on ... These points justify my rating, but I'll also address additional points, that bothered me when I was listening to this audiobook :
1. Are we, in 2024, still insisting on the fact that a woman is only considered beautiful because she's 100% "natural" ? The way Rhett kept praising Savannah for not wearing any make up made me feel uncomfortable 🤣 Aaaand he way that other contestant (or bimbo apparently ?) was described by the two main characters was just disgusting and immature.
2. As mentioned earlier, I'm very partial to novels that mention food, HOWEVER ... Ok I'll say it, (fine) pastry and Americans don't go well together 🤷🏻♀️ For contestants that are supposed to be passionate about pastry, they clearly lack imagination ... And knowledge ... And culture. Here's a cringe quote for you : "Red bean? He made a dessert with red beans in the final competition?" Yes dear. Red beans are a commonly used ingredient in Asian desserts. The author probably knows it, but the way the MC and the judges reacted to one contestant using red beans was very ignorant (... and ethnocentric) I get that many people won't see any anything wrong in this, but it did bother me as non-white person who happens to know a lot about pastry.
3. This one may seem stupid -and it is- but I can't say how irritated I got each time they mentioned the pastry chef school Savannah and Rhett went to, because each time, (25 that felt like 250) they literally called it "pAsTrY ChEf sChOol" : WHY DOESN’T THIS SCHOOL HAVE A NAME ? 😭
🎧 Audiobook : 4/5 The narrator is alright.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for giving me access to this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
September 28, 2024
The Baking Games - Rachel Hanna
A baking competition.. All the contenders are put into the same house for 6 weeks and must complete baking tasks… Each round knocks a baker out until they are left with the winner, cash prize and the chance to bake a wedding cake for the hottest celeb couple.. What could go wrong… Well you could walk through the front door and find not only your ex boyfriend but your arch nemesis staring at you.
This book was loaded with cuteness. I love the idea of a reality baking competition where you can watch the contestants 24 hours a day.
Savannah is the sunshine and rainbows baker who lost her mother when she was a teen and took custody of her sister… She has put her life on hold for her. Her rival from school, Rhett, the classic grumpy guy who finds it hard to connect with people. It was magical watching the two of them go from enemies to friends to lovers.
I found the whole book charming and the narrators were awesome.
4 stars
A baking competition.. All the contenders are put into the same house for 6 weeks and must complete baking tasks… Each round knocks a baker out until they are left with the winner, cash prize and the chance to bake a wedding cake for the hottest celeb couple.. What could go wrong… Well you could walk through the front door and find not only your ex boyfriend but your arch nemesis staring at you.
This book was loaded with cuteness. I love the idea of a reality baking competition where you can watch the contestants 24 hours a day.
Savannah is the sunshine and rainbows baker who lost her mother when she was a teen and took custody of her sister… She has put her life on hold for her. Her rival from school, Rhett, the classic grumpy guy who finds it hard to connect with people. It was magical watching the two of them go from enemies to friends to lovers.
I found the whole book charming and the narrators were awesome.
4 stars
August 27, 2024
This book was so much fun to read! Both the story, about a reality show baking competition, and the characters, who were overcoming some very relatable challenges, really drew me in and kept my interest in the story. Savannah is raising her younger sister and working in a grocery store bakery, but what she really wants to do is open her own bakery. Savannah's arch-rival from culinary school, Rhett, is secretly working as a chef on a cruise ship to avoid embarrassing his rich family, but really wants to open his own restaurant. When they reconnect on the Baking Games and discover that Savannah's ex-boyfriend is also in the competition, sparks really start to fly.
Anne-Michael Smith had a lovely voice narrating the audiobook, and she did have a slightly different intonation for Rhett that fit well with his personality. But I found it difficult to distinguish when the chapters switched from Savannah to Rhett's point of view, because there is very little pause between the chapters, and the same narrator is used for both characters. I thought she was a great narrator and really appreciate that she did not use a fake male voice for Rhett, but wonder if there's another way to make it easier to follow, by adding more pauses or chapter numbers perhaps? However it was still really enjoyable to listen to!
Anne-Michael Smith had a lovely voice narrating the audiobook, and she did have a slightly different intonation for Rhett that fit well with his personality. But I found it difficult to distinguish when the chapters switched from Savannah to Rhett's point of view, because there is very little pause between the chapters, and the same narrator is used for both characters. I thought she was a great narrator and really appreciate that she did not use a fake male voice for Rhett, but wonder if there's another way to make it easier to follow, by adding more pauses or chapter numbers perhaps? However it was still really enjoyable to listen to!
August 26, 2024
I love baking competitions so this was so much fun for me. I loved the focus on the competition and the contestants as well as the “Big Brother” feel with the housing situation. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and their motivations for being in the competition. I am used to culinary books being written by those with a background in the field and while I appreciate the research that went into this book, there were a few things that bothered me: one, it’s pastry school, not pastry chef school, and two, red bean is a traditionally accepted ingredient in some Asian cuisine, particularly desserts so for all of the contestants and the judges to be confused by the selection made me question their expertise (perhaps saying it was the wrong type of red bean would have made more sense). Also, I received an audio ARC after getting the e-ARC from the author and found that the audio didn’t distinguish well between characters and didn’t pause between changes in points of view, which confused the story. Otherwise, this was cute and I found it perfect for a rainy afternoon.
I received a copy from the author and #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from the author and #NetGalley for an honest review.
October 31, 2025
I read this book on the plane, which is, i think, the only way i could have read this book. With all due respect to ms. Hanna, this writing is just so laughably god awful!!! I mean i was picking out full on grammatical errors, not to mention the borderline childish tone. Plus, for a book about reality tv and baking, my girl apparently had no clue about reality tv OR baking!!!
But this book was still SO enjoyable, because we LOVE a romance trope!!! Maybe the described desserts weren’t giving, but the STORY ATE!!! I mean absolutely flawless enemies to lovers, forced proximity, etc etc. I was smiling and kicking my feet throughout.
But this book was still SO enjoyable, because we LOVE a romance trope!!! Maybe the described desserts weren’t giving, but the STORY ATE!!! I mean absolutely flawless enemies to lovers, forced proximity, etc etc. I was smiling and kicking my feet throughout.
January 20, 2026
Quick, cute, predictable but fun read. Would have rated it higher but the audiobook narrator had the same voice for the main characters which was very confusing.
January 6, 2026
Fake dating on a baking show… Yes!
December 6, 2025
I was SO excited to read this. I used to watch Cupcake Wars on the Food Network religiously.
This book would not make it to the finale.
*I want to apologize in advance for the amount of cooking and baking related puns that will be featured in this review. You have been warned.*
I am a sucker for fake dating, but this trope was half-baked. Rhett pitches the idea to Savannah to increase their popularity, but she says no. But then they continuously simmer over the possibilities, flipping back and forth. It was very sloppily done.
Savannah is sunshine in human form. She loves her little sister more than anything after practically raising her since she was born. She enters the contest to make a better life for them.
Rhett needed some sugar and spice added to his personality, because he was bland. Also, the Rhett from the first 40% of the book was not the same Rhett as the last 60% of the book. It's like he had a sudden personality transplant.
Connor was as slimy as an oyster. With as much as Rhett was worried he'd try to sabotage Savannah, we never see him do anything. Just a small thing off page.
Maggie was sweet, but I needed more of Savannah and her together.
The romance was undercooked. Both Savannah and Rhett kept being wishy washy about their feelings and whether or not they should like the other person. I feel like they needed to marinate a bit more. Especially with that epilogue. 4 months together and they're engaged? At least eat your appetizer before skipping to dessert!
The story line was okay. The premise was great, but the execution was not. There were lots of slower parts. And a TON of repetition. Savannah literally thinks "This industrial kitchen is so big and industrial!" Like... Obviously. Thanks for pointing that out. Both S and R repeated the same things multiple times throughout the same chapter and again in the next. I kept rolling my eyes.
Speaking of, what was with the constant changes of POV WITHIN THE SAME CHAPTER??? I got confused countless times on who was speaking. I believe in one chapter it went from Rhett to Savannah to Rhett (for 3 sentences) just to go back to Savannah before going to the next chapter. Start a new chapter when you change POVs.
I wish the story had focused more on the baking challenges instead of the side challenges and their house shenanigans. The whole appeal of the book didn't get enough baking time.
You can tell the author is not knowledgeable about the culinary world. There were lots of simple mistakes (pastry school vs pastry chef school, red bean paste being frowned upon, etc) that stuck out to me.
The character of Big Thelma was also an issue for me. Not even including her being called Big, but Savannah is constantly mentioning how much she eats. And it's always donuts or cookies or pies. We don't need that shoved down our throats. A mention once or twice for context, sure. But don't mention her eating handfuls of donuts every time you bring her up.
The audiobook needs some major work. The narrator does not take adequate time to let the audience differentiate between characters' POV changes. She ends a sentence, says the character's name, and keeps reading. It took me a bit to realize she was actually telling us the character POV instead of using the name as part of the story. Also, with dual POV, you HAVE to change your voice for the characters. Instead, all the characters sounded exactly the same. And with a large cast, there needed to be some changes.
This book would not make it to the finale.
*I want to apologize in advance for the amount of cooking and baking related puns that will be featured in this review. You have been warned.*
I am a sucker for fake dating, but this trope was half-baked. Rhett pitches the idea to Savannah to increase their popularity, but she says no. But then they continuously simmer over the possibilities, flipping back and forth. It was very sloppily done.
Savannah is sunshine in human form. She loves her little sister more than anything after practically raising her since she was born. She enters the contest to make a better life for them.
Rhett needed some sugar and spice added to his personality, because he was bland. Also, the Rhett from the first 40% of the book was not the same Rhett as the last 60% of the book. It's like he had a sudden personality transplant.
Connor was as slimy as an oyster. With as much as Rhett was worried he'd try to sabotage Savannah, we never see him do anything. Just a small thing off page.
Maggie was sweet, but I needed more of Savannah and her together.
The romance was undercooked. Both Savannah and Rhett kept being wishy washy about their feelings and whether or not they should like the other person. I feel like they needed to marinate a bit more. Especially with that epilogue. 4 months together and they're engaged? At least eat your appetizer before skipping to dessert!
The story line was okay. The premise was great, but the execution was not. There were lots of slower parts. And a TON of repetition. Savannah literally thinks "This industrial kitchen is so big and industrial!" Like... Obviously. Thanks for pointing that out. Both S and R repeated the same things multiple times throughout the same chapter and again in the next. I kept rolling my eyes.
Speaking of, what was with the constant changes of POV WITHIN THE SAME CHAPTER??? I got confused countless times on who was speaking. I believe in one chapter it went from Rhett to Savannah to Rhett (for 3 sentences) just to go back to Savannah before going to the next chapter. Start a new chapter when you change POVs.
I wish the story had focused more on the baking challenges instead of the side challenges and their house shenanigans. The whole appeal of the book didn't get enough baking time.
You can tell the author is not knowledgeable about the culinary world. There were lots of simple mistakes (pastry school vs pastry chef school, red bean paste being frowned upon, etc) that stuck out to me.
The character of Big Thelma was also an issue for me. Not even including her being called Big, but Savannah is constantly mentioning how much she eats. And it's always donuts or cookies or pies. We don't need that shoved down our throats. A mention once or twice for context, sure. But don't mention her eating handfuls of donuts every time you bring her up.
The audiobook needs some major work. The narrator does not take adequate time to let the audience differentiate between characters' POV changes. She ends a sentence, says the character's name, and keeps reading. It took me a bit to realize she was actually telling us the character POV instead of using the name as part of the story. Also, with dual POV, you HAVE to change your voice for the characters. Instead, all the characters sounded exactly the same. And with a large cast, there needed to be some changes.
July 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️½ 2.5 stars
The amount of hype around The Baking Games is absolutely wild for how meh it turned out to be.
The character building felt forced and repetitive. I felt like the author was shouting at me:
“Bret is moody and prickly!”
“Susanna is sweet and innocent!”
Okay, we get it—but unfortunately their actions rarely matched the personas being hammered into the narrative. It didn’t feel like character development—it felt like character marketing.
Then there’s Rhett. He’s bitter, cold, and shut-off… until halfway through the book when he suddenly becomes emotionally available and warm? It was such a flip-of-the-switch change, I honestly wondered if the author has spent much time around actual men. That kind of transformation doesn’t happen overnight—especially not without any clear catalyst.
The premise itself strained believability. A live baking competition? With hours of pastry chilling and baking? No way a real-time audience sticks around for that. And a professional pastry chef who overflows a sink like she’s never seen a dish in her life? Come on.
The timeline was equally wobbly. “Weeks” go by with no chef eliminations? The book starts before the contestants even apply—yet we find out mid-competition that Susanna’s ex is also a contestant? Shouldn’t that have been part of the setup?
Worst of all, it was repetitive. I lost count of how many times Rhett reminded us (bitterly) that he needed to sketch his designs before baking. We got it. Really.
It had potential and a fun setting, but the execution was half-baked. Pun, still, very much intended.
The amount of hype around The Baking Games is absolutely wild for how meh it turned out to be.
The character building felt forced and repetitive. I felt like the author was shouting at me:
“Bret is moody and prickly!”
“Susanna is sweet and innocent!”
Okay, we get it—but unfortunately their actions rarely matched the personas being hammered into the narrative. It didn’t feel like character development—it felt like character marketing.
Then there’s Rhett. He’s bitter, cold, and shut-off… until halfway through the book when he suddenly becomes emotionally available and warm? It was such a flip-of-the-switch change, I honestly wondered if the author has spent much time around actual men. That kind of transformation doesn’t happen overnight—especially not without any clear catalyst.
The premise itself strained believability. A live baking competition? With hours of pastry chilling and baking? No way a real-time audience sticks around for that. And a professional pastry chef who overflows a sink like she’s never seen a dish in her life? Come on.
The timeline was equally wobbly. “Weeks” go by with no chef eliminations? The book starts before the contestants even apply—yet we find out mid-competition that Susanna’s ex is also a contestant? Shouldn’t that have been part of the setup?
Worst of all, it was repetitive. I lost count of how many times Rhett reminded us (bitterly) that he needed to sketch his designs before baking. We got it. Really.
It had potential and a fun setting, but the execution was half-baked. Pun, still, very much intended.
December 30, 2024
All I wanted after christmas... was a fluffy, entertaining, but preferably well executed, romcom read.
And that fell a bit flat. The premise was good, it just failed to deliver. Lots of issues, but my two main ones:
- If you choose the enemies-to-lovers trope: make sure they act/talk like enemies. Don't say every sentence that they 'loathe' one another and then have their actions/behaviours say something different. Sure, we all know where this is heading anyway, but you have to make the initial enemies part at least a little bit believable.
- A character isn't given depth by a sad back story, it's about depth in their actions/behaviours. Characters here were very one-dimensional and cartoon-esque: the cosy grandma, the jerk, the superficial pretty one, ...
So good premise, sadly not good writing. But it was still a bit entertaining: Like a Hallmark movie you know is not actually any good and still you keep watching.
And that fell a bit flat. The premise was good, it just failed to deliver. Lots of issues, but my two main ones:
- If you choose the enemies-to-lovers trope: make sure they act/talk like enemies. Don't say every sentence that they 'loathe' one another and then have their actions/behaviours say something different. Sure, we all know where this is heading anyway, but you have to make the initial enemies part at least a little bit believable.
- A character isn't given depth by a sad back story, it's about depth in their actions/behaviours. Characters here were very one-dimensional and cartoon-esque: the cosy grandma, the jerk, the superficial pretty one, ...
So good premise, sadly not good writing. But it was still a bit entertaining: Like a Hallmark movie you know is not actually any good and still you keep watching.
November 17, 2024
It was like reading a Hallmark movie only not very well written.
September 4, 2024
The Baking Games by Rachel Hanna and narrated by Alex Michael Smith was one of the best romances I have read it was funny heartwarming and oh so sweet. Savannah green against her every instinct applies to be on a baking competition show, after a life of being raised by a drug addict with her little sister Sadie all she wants to do is help Sadie get into college and own her own bakery. So when she gets in it is more than she could’ve hoped for when she arrives at the home where the show will be based and meets the other contestants she is totally taken aback to see her ex Connor and her nemesis from baking school Rett Jennings as two of the fellow contenders. It isn’t just the players she knows that come in with gloves off ready to fight to win but nothing they can do can dampen Savannas positive attitude when she gets chained to Rhett Jennings however The last thing she thinks is that hippopotamus will be her favorite word and Rett Jennings will become one of her favorite people. There is so much I want to say about this book 1st The story changes from Savannah‘s POV to Rhett‘s POV and I must admit listening to retts inner dialogue as they introduced the other contestants had me rolling on the floor laughing and that’s when I knew I was going to love this book and love this book I did. I thought savanna was one of the sweetest characters in a book in the narrators voice was so perfect for her. I also thought she was really good at accents and although I believe they were too many characters forher to create original voices for all of them I think she did an admirable job especially with the French chef Tess Lana and dizzy Dan. I really love this book I don’t know why I have never heard of Rachel Hannah before or if I did why I didn’t pay attention. If you love sweet romcoms then you will definitely love this book it was so good and now I’m just repeating myself loved it! #NetGalley, #RachelHannah, #AnnaMichaelSmith,#TheBakingGames,#Dreamscape select,
September 2, 2024
My enjoyment of The Baking Games doubtless was enhanced by following closely my reading of Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews. Both books feature cooking-show competitions; The Baking Games more successfully incorporated that theme into the plot. The characters in this book seemed similar to The Great British Baking Show; being a fan, I liked that. Savannah, the protagonist, hopes to win because she needs the prize money. Making the first hurdle of being accepted as a contestant, she risks job security and privacy to pursue the title. I admired Savannah's intrepidness in caring for her sister, but it was mentioned so frequently, I started to roll my eyes a little. I was invested in the story and characters, and it was a nice, cozy romance.
December 21, 2024
Omg this book was so fun!! I was immediately hooked and interested in the story from the first few chapters. I loved the whole reality tv show aspect and the competition! Such a sweet and fluffy no spice romance!
July 28, 2025
DNF. Utter crap.
January 5, 2025
After two so-so reads decided to clear my mind with a light, fun read. Found it with this book. Totally predictable but still a cute story.
August 31, 2024
Loved it!
Review to follow!
Review to follow!
August 19, 2024
What a cozy, enemies-to-lovers, baking show rom-com! Super cute and loved the main characters. Side characters were handy and helped the story. The baking show competition added to the story.
Narrator was great!
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.
Narrator was great!
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.
August 17, 2024
Rachel Hanna does it again with a sweet cozy story. Girl raises younger sister. Younger sister convinced her to go on reality show. The story is mostly the show which is fun and different. I also enjoyed the ending which happened in a round about way.
The audiobook, while the narrator was enjoyable to listen to, it was very challenging to distinguish between the two main characters at times making it confusing.
Thank you NetGalley and Rachel Hanna for the advanced audiobook.
The audiobook, while the narrator was enjoyable to listen to, it was very challenging to distinguish between the two main characters at times making it confusing.
Thank you NetGalley and Rachel Hanna for the advanced audiobook.
Read
May 2, 2025Specifically, the audio for this book was bad. The only difference between the female and male parts was a more bored sounding voice. I’m not sure why a man couldn’t read the first person parts of Rhett. There was no pause or even a breath taken when transitioning from one person to another which made it hard to catch when the point of view was changing.
March 23, 2025
So so bad
September 1, 2024
Another one that I loved!!
I’m starting to think that anything that Rachel Hanna writes is a MUST READ for me!!
So this is a fun, mostly lighthearted book, but with a few hardships along the way.
Savannah is a BRIGHT personality who exudes happiness from her pores! How, is beyond me… she’s had a rough life. She lost her Mom when she was 12, and has raised her little sister since then. Basically, doing whatever had to be done in order to get by. She and Sadie have a very strong sisterly bond! BUT…Sadie now wants to go to college. And, Savannah really has no way to make that happen….
One day Sadie sees an ad for a Baking Competition. The grand prize is $200,000. She knows her sister CAN do this, and pushes her in that direction… But, Savannah, although she has gone to pastry school, has not gotten a job to reflect this. She’s working in a market…but it’s better than nothing…
Can she really even consider doing this?
What the heck. She applies!
And shocker of all shockers, makes it onto the show!
But there are many rounds…and she’s not sure she’ll get past the first one!
Add onto this that her ex boyfriend (Connor), AND her arch nemesis (Rhett) from pastry school are also competing….on the SAME show!
It gets very interesting from here on, so I’m going to stop 🛑 right here! 🛑
Loved the story! Loved the interactions with all the competitors! Loved Maggie, the grandmotherly woman, most of all!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! Great story. Terrific characters! Lots of moving parts. Fake relationships. Media coverage. Celebrity couples. Baking…and…Love!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review! I was so excited to get this one!!
(It has already been released, so you can look for it on shelves now!)
#TheBakingGames by #RachelHanna and narrated by Ann Michael-Smith. Although the narrator did a nice job, I had a really hard time identifying whose POV she was representing. There was NO change in voice (at least from my standpoint) and that was very confusing at times…
If not for this, it would’ve been a 5 ⭐️ for me. But, maybe it’s just me, as I see other reviewers loved her!?!?
Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, and click ‘LIKE’ below!! 📚⭐️
I’m starting to think that anything that Rachel Hanna writes is a MUST READ for me!!
So this is a fun, mostly lighthearted book, but with a few hardships along the way.
Savannah is a BRIGHT personality who exudes happiness from her pores! How, is beyond me… she’s had a rough life. She lost her Mom when she was 12, and has raised her little sister since then. Basically, doing whatever had to be done in order to get by. She and Sadie have a very strong sisterly bond! BUT…Sadie now wants to go to college. And, Savannah really has no way to make that happen….
One day Sadie sees an ad for a Baking Competition. The grand prize is $200,000. She knows her sister CAN do this, and pushes her in that direction… But, Savannah, although she has gone to pastry school, has not gotten a job to reflect this. She’s working in a market…but it’s better than nothing…
Can she really even consider doing this?
What the heck. She applies!
And shocker of all shockers, makes it onto the show!
But there are many rounds…and she’s not sure she’ll get past the first one!
Add onto this that her ex boyfriend (Connor), AND her arch nemesis (Rhett) from pastry school are also competing….on the SAME show!
It gets very interesting from here on, so I’m going to stop 🛑 right here! 🛑
Loved the story! Loved the interactions with all the competitors! Loved Maggie, the grandmotherly woman, most of all!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! Great story. Terrific characters! Lots of moving parts. Fake relationships. Media coverage. Celebrity couples. Baking…and…Love!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review! I was so excited to get this one!!
(It has already been released, so you can look for it on shelves now!)
#TheBakingGames by #RachelHanna and narrated by Ann Michael-Smith. Although the narrator did a nice job, I had a really hard time identifying whose POV she was representing. There was NO change in voice (at least from my standpoint) and that was very confusing at times…
If not for this, it would’ve been a 5 ⭐️ for me. But, maybe it’s just me, as I see other reviewers loved her!?!?
Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, and click ‘LIKE’ below!! 📚⭐️
August 5, 2025
Savannah enters a reality television production baking competition where contestants are locked in a house together... only to find her very recent ex-boyfriend, Connor, and her old night pastry school rival, Rhett, among her competition. Savannah wants to use the prize money to send her sister to college, the sister she's had full custody of for 8 years. Rhett tries to convince her that a staged romance would help with the audience vote and push them through to the finale. But when real feelings get in the mix, the competition isn't the most important thing in everyone's minds anymore.
I will admit, I was first annoyed with hearing Savannah's story over and over and over at the start. it got repetitive and made me stop feeling anything about it. However, as it continued I got caught up in the very adorable relationship between Rhett and Savannah. Cheesy, but cute. It was fun and sweet. Nothing spicy in this book, just light. It stayed on the surface levels, but was a pleasant break if you want an easy romance.
I will admit, I was first annoyed with hearing Savannah's story over and over and over at the start. it got repetitive and made me stop feeling anything about it. However, as it continued I got caught up in the very adorable relationship between Rhett and Savannah. Cheesy, but cute. It was fun and sweet. Nothing spicy in this book, just light. It stayed on the surface levels, but was a pleasant break if you want an easy romance.
August 15, 2024
This was such a cute cozy book! Savannah enters a baking competition to win $200,000 to help her and her sister. Her ex and someone she went to pastry school with are among the contestants. There is also a very attractive male contestant named Rhett!
I loved all of the details about the desserts they baked during the competition. I think my favorite desserts were the holiday themed ones.
As emotions get intense, so does the competition! Are their feelings all for the show or is there something more?
The only negative thing I have to say about the audiobook is that Rhett and Savannah's voice have a very similar pitch. While it is easy to differentiate who is saying what, i think it would be more captivating to have a more definitive difference. I still completely enjoyed this audiobook!
Thank you #TheBakingGames #NetGalley for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
I loved all of the details about the desserts they baked during the competition. I think my favorite desserts were the holiday themed ones.
As emotions get intense, so does the competition! Are their feelings all for the show or is there something more?
The only negative thing I have to say about the audiobook is that Rhett and Savannah's voice have a very similar pitch. While it is easy to differentiate who is saying what, i think it would be more captivating to have a more definitive difference. I still completely enjoyed this audiobook!
Thank you #TheBakingGames #NetGalley for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
August 18, 2024
3.5
Savannah has had a hard life- her addict mother died when she was 18 and she raised her 12 year old sister. They've survived- barely. She enters a reality baking show (like a cooking version of Big Brother) to hopefully change their lives. She enters and she finds that her recently former boyfriend and pastry school nemesis are also both contestants. This is going to be harder than she thought!
I read Happy Harbor by Rachel Hanna a few weeks ago and was not a fan. I found the FMC, Josie, intolerable.
As I began The Baking Games, Rhett was pretty intolerable. I was worried I was going to end up with another Happy Harbor. But, thankfully, he came around.
I really liked Savannah and Rhett together. The way they went to rivals to supporting each other in everything was sweet.
Other than Rhett being terrible in the beginning, my other issue is with the audiobook. However, it isn't really the fault of the narrator, Anne-Michael Smith. More the producers. First, I always appreciate multiple narrators when there are multiple POVs. But that is a preference. The issue is with the switching of the POVs. A sentence would be read. Suddenly, without a breath, "Rhett" or "Savannah" would be said to switch POVs and the story continued. Not even the length of pause you'd normally find at the end of a sentence. I appreciate their names being used (otherwise I'd have really been lost), but a slight pause would have been nice. And this is coming from a person who regularly complains about pauses being too lengthy!
I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
Savannah has had a hard life- her addict mother died when she was 18 and she raised her 12 year old sister. They've survived- barely. She enters a reality baking show (like a cooking version of Big Brother) to hopefully change their lives. She enters and she finds that her recently former boyfriend and pastry school nemesis are also both contestants. This is going to be harder than she thought!
I read Happy Harbor by Rachel Hanna a few weeks ago and was not a fan. I found the FMC, Josie, intolerable.
As I began The Baking Games, Rhett was pretty intolerable. I was worried I was going to end up with another Happy Harbor. But, thankfully, he came around.
I really liked Savannah and Rhett together. The way they went to rivals to supporting each other in everything was sweet.
Other than Rhett being terrible in the beginning, my other issue is with the audiobook. However, it isn't really the fault of the narrator, Anne-Michael Smith. More the producers. First, I always appreciate multiple narrators when there are multiple POVs. But that is a preference. The issue is with the switching of the POVs. A sentence would be read. Suddenly, without a breath, "Rhett" or "Savannah" would be said to switch POVs and the story continued. Not even the length of pause you'd normally find at the end of a sentence. I appreciate their names being used (otherwise I'd have really been lost), but a slight pause would have been nice. And this is coming from a person who regularly complains about pauses being too lengthy!
I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2025
Rachel Hanna delivers another heartwarming tale with The Baking Games. This clean romance is the perfect recipe for a cozy, feel-good read. The story revolves around a delightful baking competition that brings together charming characters, small-town vibes, and a sprinkle of romance.
Hanna’s signature style of creating relatable, lovable characters shines here, with the protagonists navigating personal growth and budding love in the sweetest way possible. The plot is engaging without being overly dramatic, making it a perfect escape for anyone looking for a wholesome, lighthearted read.
The romance is clean, making it suitable for readers who prefer stories with heartfelt connections over steamy scenes. The baking aspect adds a unique and cozy twist, making it impossible not to crave some sweet treats while reading.
Overall, The Baking Games is a cute story that’s sure to leave you smiling. A must-read for fans of clean romance and uplifting tales. Highly recommended as a relaxing and enjoyable addition to your reading list!
Hanna’s signature style of creating relatable, lovable characters shines here, with the protagonists navigating personal growth and budding love in the sweetest way possible. The plot is engaging without being overly dramatic, making it a perfect escape for anyone looking for a wholesome, lighthearted read.
The romance is clean, making it suitable for readers who prefer stories with heartfelt connections over steamy scenes. The baking aspect adds a unique and cozy twist, making it impossible not to crave some sweet treats while reading.
Overall, The Baking Games is a cute story that’s sure to leave you smiling. A must-read for fans of clean romance and uplifting tales. Highly recommended as a relaxing and enjoyable addition to your reading list!
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