Lemon Cake

Naughty Desserts

by Tanja Longoria

RiderRider had one sole football. The game demanded his attention, which was why he hadn’t allowed himself to date anyone since he went pro.
Then in walked Gemma. The moment Rider had laid eyes on her he’d known she was special—his kind of special. Suddenly, he had something else commanding his heart.GemmaGemma knew far too well what it meant to be obsessed with the game. She’d played herself—until an accident had taken that away from her. Though Gemma loved to watch Rider, sitting on the sidelines as an amputee had a bittersweet feeling to it.

Will the two find comfort in each other? Or will their insecurities rip them apart?

Don't let the cute cover fool you, this book is intended for an 18+ audience with explicit scenes and a remote-controlled toy.

Genres: Romance, Sports, Disability, Contemporary, Adult, Football

195 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2024

About the author

Tanja is a spicy romance author who loves to write about strong female characters, loving love interests, and the occasional vampires and werewolves.

Besides writing she is a mother and nursing student, with a hectic life and an ever-changing work schedule. Writing is her escape from reality in which she can let go of all the stress that comes with managing a family of three and balancing work and private life.

Reviews

[cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential… but WHERE WAS THE PLOT. 😭 Rider, the focused football star, and Gemma, still healing from a life-changing accident, could’ve had such a powerful connection. I did love how gentle Rider was with her insecurities and her prosthetic leg. ❤️‍🩹 But everything between them moved wayyyy too fast. They were talking about falling for each other within a few chapters without ANY emotional buildup. I think if there was more depth, that would’ve made their relationship feel truly relatable and meaningful. It was just too unrealistic. No disagreements, him going along with everything she says… like where is your personality bro.

The spice was definitely there 🔥 (plus some kinkier elements), but even those scenes didn’t stand out for me. I found myself trying not to skim before I even hit the halfway point.😭 Sweet moments? Sure. Memorable? Not really.🥲 I might try one more in the series, but this one didn’t hook me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really quick cute read! There wasn’t one character I disliked they were all loveable little golden retrievers, and the representation of a prosthetic user was really nicely done.

I loved how intense and proud Rider was in his love for Gemma and that there was no third act break up. They were end game from the moment he laid eyes on her.

My only critiques is that they two random picture inserts were unnecessary and creeped me out a little bit and that there was no lead up to their romance it went from 0-100 within pages.

Having said that I really enjoyed it, who doesn’t love a fluffy spicy romance? 🥰

Really looking forward to reading Strawberry Cake as Decan & Hope sound just as delightful!

(I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review)

[Aj Wathern · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet and spicy love story, but that was it. For me it felt like there wasn’t really an underlying plot other than boy meets girl and they fall in love.
I liked the couple, I love the disability rep which was handled wonderfully imo, but I just feel like something was missing. Everything moved quite quickly and I’m always grateful for no third act breakup but I guess I need something else to happen alongside my love story.

I received this book as an ARC (for free) but my review is honest and voluntarily given.

[sashenka 🖤 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐

It wasn't bad at all, actually it was very sweet. But I was a little bored to be honest. They meet, he already wants to take her on dates, she agrees and is already scared because of her disability, then he's great and she starts trusting him, lot of spice, spice & spice, some cute scenes and that was it. No real plot (which, I don't mind that much), characters with no depth (I liked that a little less), everybody was so bland and almost too perfect to be real people.

Anyway, it's a fast & cute & very spicy read and got me to do a prompt about disability so I can't complain.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, quick breath of fresh air read. I love how there is representation of disabilities without making it seem like people are less than. I do wish there had been a bit more plot line, but the spice made up for that. I enjoyed Gemma’s nephew, I know more than a few little boys who are the same way. Overall, I am intrigued and would like to read the next in the series.

**I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily**

[erikoreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in thinking this will be a cute little read. And it was! But it got spicy very quickly - should’ve read the blurb more carefully 😆

There was great disability/ amputee rep, respectful discussions, and it was just such an enjoyable read!! I can’t wait to read Strawberry Cake!!

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute story following Gemma and Rider.
Gemma played football in high school and loves that game. She’s struggles with the fact that a horrible accident left her an amputee. Rider is a pro football player that is solely focused on the game. At least until he meets Gemma.

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and the insecurities they had. While there were a lot of really sweet moments, there were very spicy moments. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys quick reads with spicy romance.

[Amanda Glaeser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading Tanja's books since day one and I've loved everyone of them. However, this book fell flat for me.

While Rider and Gemma are a cute couple and the story is sugary sweet, ir felt rushed and unrealistic. They fell in love almost immediately, they never fought or argued and Rider agreed with everything Gemma said or asked of him. There was no real build up of their relationship.

I don't mind fast burn but this one was extremely quick. It felt like we were only getting the footnotes of their relationship, though I will say the spicy scenes were hot, hot, hit.

If a sugary sweet, fast burn romance is your thing, grab a copy of this book and enjoy Rider and Gemma.

[Hayley Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a short read with decent smut, then i recommend this one! The plot was lacking, in my opinion, and there was no sort of dimension to any of the characters. Everything felt incredibly rushed, which I should’ve been more prepared for with a book I finished in 3 hours. The background characters could’ve been compelling if they were dived into more, but I wasn’t given a reason to care about any of them, and besides Gemma’s struggles with her insecurities from her prosthesis, I was barely given reasons to care about Gemma and Rider outside of their whirlwind romance either. And while the smut was decently written, it didn’t make up for what the rest of the story lacked.

***I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily***

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid read. FMC and MMC were both interesting. Struggled with the insta love and that's a me issue. MMC was all in almost immediately and I struggled with why.

[Annette V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for letting me read your book. I absolutely loved it so much, it was a nice blend of light and fluffy with some added spice ❤️‍🔥. I was in awe 🥹, smiling, and giddy while reading. The main characters, Rider and Gemma were made for each other. There was a part in the book that made me cry and feel bad for her 🥺😭. I just wanted to comfort her and give her a big hug. I’m a crier and I tend to cry easily, so that scene did it for me 😫😭. I give it a 4 out of 5 ⭐️s. Would definitely recommend 🤩

Rider was a true gentleman, 😫😫, literally fell in loved with him 🥹. He was patient, thoughtful, kind, caring, and honest. He never made her feel uncomfortable or bad about herself. He was supportive and wanted to know everything about her. He was willing to go slow with her and not rush things to make her comfortable. He’s literally the best 😫. It was love at first sight 😍. He fell first 😻, it’s also a HEA.

Gemma loved playing football in high school, she had an accident which resulted in her getting prosthetic. She had a hard time in the beginning adjusting to the change but overtime learned to live with it. With Rider she doesn’t have to hide anything and be herself. She’s kind, caring, loving and great with kids. She was falling in love with him but was scared he’d leave her 🥺.

Tropes:
🍋 He falls first
🍰 Football Romance
🍋 Low Angst
🍰 Protective MMC
🍋 Found Family
🍰 No 3rd Act Breakup

[Megan Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily ❤

 

Lemon Cake is an adorably light-hearted, spicy, sports-themed romance. It follows the love story of Rider, a smokin’ hot football player, and Gemma, a kind & cute nursery school teacher. It was short and sweet with NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP (bless you Tanja)!

 

My mission the past couple of months have been to read more inclusive books (race, ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, differently abled, etc.), and this book features a FMC with an amputated leg. The way the novella was written showed that Gemma was more than her amputated leg – she is a vibrant young woman with a career she loves, a hobby (reading) she loves, a family who she loves. The MMC was caring & courteous regarding approaching the topic, and it respectful & accepting the entire time. It was beautifully written & I applaud Tanja for her handling of this topic.

 

The reason I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars is based on the following:

 

1. The make out scenes, while spicy, seemed exactly the same which was a wee bit boring; and

 

2. Gemma expressed her consent numerous times, and Rider continually asked her if she was really consenting (even after the did the deed). I love that consent was prioritized, but it killed the mood when he asked before AND after the fact.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed the book! It gave me the fluffiest of feels during parts of the books, and the spicy scenes WERE actually spicy.

[Danni Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lemon Cake
By Tanja Longoria
A Naughty Desserts Romance

🍋 A Feel Good Steamy Romance
🍰 Contemporary Romance
🍋 Football Player MMC
🍰 Sweet as Sugar Amputee FMC
🍋 Small Town Romance
🍰 Disability Rep

Rider the MMC football player, who swore he wouldn't date til he was pro, until he saw her.

Gemma the Amputee FMC who loves watching Rider I mean the game, yes the football game because she used to play before she lost her leg 🦵 😉

This stinking cute romance book is a great short read I read it in one sitting I literally couldn't put it down, it reps for the disabled people hard showing that insecurities are okay! There will always been someone willing to learn for you.

Rider is such a sweetheart for Gemma. This book makes you feel all warm and fuzzy while addressing real life issues.

Amazing job Tanja, I can't wait for the next one 😍

Lemon Cake releases November 4th 🖤

[Emily Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lemon Cake was so good!!

Gemma is a preschool teacher, who grew up playing football and unfortunately had to have her leg amputated due to an accident after high school. Rider is a professional football player, who meets Gemma after coaching her nephew. The 2 are instantly attracted to each other and hit it off.

This book was so much spicier than I expected, and I love it! 😍 I love that Rider automatically included Gemma’s family in everything and was so attentive to Gemma’s needs. It was interesting to see Gemma’s struggle with open up with someone for the first time about her accident. I loved seeing this couple navigate a relationship, both as people who hadn’t been in an adult relationship before.

This was a cute, fluffy, comfy story. An easy read and perfect for a quick weekend book!

Thank you Tanja for the ARC!

[Rae C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the cute cover fool you, this book is spicy 🌶️🌶️ It’s a short sweet novella-esque story with an adorable meet-cute. Thoroughly enjoyed it and picked up the second one immediately after. Good little palate cleanser!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super sweet yet spicy book!

The fmc is an amputee who hasn’t really dated since her accident so she is navigating her feelings on this new experience and the mmc is so patient and sweet. It’s a third person pov (for those who like to know)

🏈 Spicy sports romance
🍋 Found family
🏈 Protective mmc
🍋 Linebacker x Daycare teacher
🏈 Amputee fmc
🍋 Toy play
🏈 No third act break-up / low angst
🍋 Character art in this book 🥵
🏈 He takes care of her

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Thank you so much for this lovely ARC! 💋

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fun read. It did have an amputee representation. I love how it was written. This was a good romance book

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Maria Barajas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked that their was some diversity in a way with the fmc. Overall, felt like i started skimming instead of really reading at one point. I just wanted to get it over with

[Kathleen T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this spicy and sweet read.

We meet Rider a football player who is at a charity event where he meets Dan and his Aunt Gemma. Gemma used to play football too until an accident. I really liked the sensitivity and respect the author (Tanja) gave to the sensitive subject matter.

I can't wait to read the next book!

[Rachael Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute fun read! While it is a short book, the relationship between Gemma and Rider moves at a believable pace. The pictures alone 🥵. Can’t wait to read Strawberry cake.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[BeBop19 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keep you reading and makes you see empathy in a world where there seems to be lacking much. A feel-good romance that is refreshing and helps you cheer for the couple to succeed. there wasn't any time when the characters stayed away from each other due to a breakup and it was paired nicely with just the right amount of spice. thank you for a wonderful walk through a different life.

[Lydia Schriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet! And certain moments reminded me of me and my boyfriend together 😆

Gemma is such a sweet woman but very insecure over her disability. Rider made sure Gemma knew it wasn’t a problem for him and that they would take things slow, for her own comfort.

I can absolutely understand Gemma’s fear of rejection once things would go towards the bedroom and undressing. But Rider comforted her once he heard her cry in her bedroom about it because she really wanted him to stay the evening but was scared of what he would think once her prosthetic would come off.

Absolutely love the Auntie and Uncle moments with Dan! Such an adorable kid and I hope his mom will be happy in her new relationship

Loved the spicy scenes where they explored with toys! Especially the remote one 🥵

Recommend this to people who love good and open communication, sport romance and spice 🔥

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun light read with lots of well written spice. I loved the addition of toy use and how not every woman’s body works the same way and that it does not always translate to disinterest or lack of arousal. I found sections hard to follow as it skipped large chunks of time with little clue to how much time had passed. But over all great book

[Amandaa Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet steamy read. A book you can cuddle up and get all the gooey feelings with spice.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first in a number of stand alone romance reads that provides readers with insight into the lives of those living with disabilities. Its the perfect combination of sweet with spicy that follows the budding relationship that starts after a chance encounter between NFL player Rider, and daycare worker, Gemma. For Rider it was pretty much instantaneous and he had zero issues or concerns with Gemma's prosthetic leg. A light, feel-good 4 star read.

[Lavender Monet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute read.. i was chessing the whole way through.. i love how sweet rider was open honest and protective..

Good read to get put of a book slump
Quick read

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished the book in under 24 hours!

It's been a long time since I read a book so quickly and I already know this will definitely be a reread soon! What I really hated most about this book was that it ended, it was so beautiful and good that I didn’t want it to end.

It is really beautifully written and it talks very well about disabilities and all the uncertainties that this entails. WOW I can't wait more books written by Tanja Longoria. 5 stars!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cyd Adger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, sappy and spicy!

I loved the this so much. Can you say love at first sight!? Gemma and Rider are so lovable in their adventure try and navigate their relationship. It does seem a bit rushed in places, but this is a cute story. And I love how being an amputee isn't just and afterthought or dirty secret everyone ignores. Gemma's concerns and experiences are brought up throughout the book and Rider's sweet self fights to dispell them right and left. Something you don't see often in books.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Natasha Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Gemma and Rider's story was beyond fantastic. A great story of love, friendships, family, understanding and belonging. I could not put this one down at all. It was a sweet, sexy story. The characters jump of the page, the scenes like a movie. A must read.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I loved this book!!!!! Rider and Gemma were perfect with each other. So many green flags it’s insane. I literally couldn’t put the book down I had to keep reading. After reading so much dark romance and stories so many twists this was such a lighthearted refresher. I can’t wait to read more from Tanja. Definitely a read worth doing! I wanna know more about Jake and Gina and Jake and Gemma’s future.