Just Desserts

by Crystal Nichols

Isla
What do you do when your whole life unravels in front of your eyes? How do you handle betrayal by those closest to you? After catching my husband in a compromising position, I have some decisions to make.

Myles
All it took was one glance and I was knocked off my feet. Her heart is broken, the timing is terrible, her trust in men is shattered, but I'll do whatever she needs me to do. I'll take care of her the way she always should have been. Nobody hurts what's mine.

This book is intended for those 18+ due to references or mentions of the below
On-page cheating
Sexually Explicit Scenes
Drug and Alcohol Use
Illegal Activities

Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance, Contemporary, Slow Burn, Contemporary Romance, Crime

429 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2025

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - 3.5

This was good. I really liked Isla and her journey. I also loved her cousin's evil machinations. So over the top and ridiculous, but I was here for it. Loved Miles.

This is the second cheating romance involving the heroine starting a bakery post-breakup though. Hoping that's not a theme of this genre lol.

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awww I loved this! It hit the mark for me w this trope

‼️Cheating trope where the h leaves cheater and pretty early on… like the first or second chapter 💕
‼️Husband cheating w her cousin for 6 mo
‼️Cousin in cra cra and obsessed w the h
‼️New hero is obsessed with h/ love at first sight
‼️New hero not stupid friends to lovers crap
‼️Time frame are but confusing at times
💕Comeuppance for the cheaters
♥️New H is soooo swoony he was perfection
💕Could have been a bit shorter but I did LOVED to watch them fall in love and get lots of time together ♥️
♥️The romance was sweet and satisfying

-The cousin is a psycho
The husband knew this and knew how competitive the cousin was w his wife
He loved playing her off the wife to have hotter sex…. He was a total douche and is a complete pig

♥️💕The H is amazing and thank fuck they met for the first time after she left the douche bag husband…..IM SO TIRED OF AUTHORS BEING LAZY AND WRITING THE NEW H AS A LIFE LONG FRIEND…🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 where they grew up together but the H never made a move therefore they both were w other people . Thank goodness the author went the better route and had them meet after she leaves the douche bag cheater!

♥️So yay here they meet and it’s love at first sight for him he is obsessed and totally head over heels for her!!!! He is PERFECTION 💕💕💕💕💕💕 gah he was the best. AND…. HE IS NOT A MANWHORE🥳…. AND…. HE HAS NEVER BEEN IN LIVE OE A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP BEFORE. Just perfection!


‼️Safe between h and new H
She was only even w her husband
No real deets on H past other than he went on only a few dates in the first past few years. And that he definitely isn’t a man who thinks with his dick🥳

‼️Unsafe for on page cheating scenes with her husband and cousin together

[Jac K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been doing some major projects around the house and listening to hours of audio books. I found this one on audible, it has good narrators, and I enjoyed it just as much this time around.

***Original Review***

This opens with the betrayal when Isla walks in on her husband doing her malicious cousin Amanda. The betrayal hits the mark because we get the POV of all three parties and know exactly what happened and where their thoughts were. I loved this. Often as readers we’re left with frustrating holes in the dicey stuff.

Isla was strong, mature, and accepted zero shit from anyone. Those of us that read these tropes are on the hunt for one thing… feels… and this delivered. They were different/refreshing from what I’m used to because the FMC exercised adulting, rising above and cutting off the BS. So, it wasn’t super angsty, but I was here for Isla refusing to wallow in misery and getting on with it.

I also appreciated that their marriage wasn’t complicated with children. It made for a cleaner/more streamlined storyline. I even enjoyed all the different POV’s.

And the cherry on top… Comeuppance!!

Bottom Line- Loved, loved, loved Isla. I was so happy she didn’t turn the other cheek with her cousin or protect her from the family. The story delivers the emotional "feels" I seek in this trope. There were several solid secondary characters… Jonathon had some growth which was nice, although I didn’t pity him at all. Alyssa made a fantastic diabolical crazy OW, and the cousin/family were very supportive.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

So. This Book.

Yeah… it was that kind of good. The kind where you're telling yourself “just one more chapter” and suddenly it’s 2AM and you're blinking at the last page wondering how you read the whole thing in a single day. Every page had something happening - drama, tension, chaos, somebody lying. Loved that for me.

Now, onto the important part: apparently people felt bad for Jonathan?? Toward the end??

…Be serious.

I went into this book prepared to feel something for him. Really. I read the reviews. I was ready to uncover some misunderstood man who got a raw deal. Instead, I found a guy who literally admitted that he liked having a sweet little “perfect” wife at home and a cousin-slash-mistress who let him be his “dark, dominant self.” And the worst part? He was perfectly fine living that double life - no shame, no conflict, no remorse - as long as he didn’t get caught.

Tell me again why I was supposed to feel bad?

He didn’t even try to have an honest conversation with Isla about his needs - not that it would’ve mattered, because god forbid his image take a hit. His marriage was more about appearances than connection. He didn’t want a partner; he wanted a prop. And once it all fell apart, then suddenly he had regrets? Miss me with that.

And don’t get me wrong - Alyssa was an absolute menace. Zero sainthood happening over there. She had her own messed up motives, her own deep-rooted issues, and made choices that were dangerous, selfish, and petty. But let’s not forget: Jonathan was a grown man. Nobody forced him to do anything. He wasn’t confused. He liked it. And he was never going to stop.

Then there’s the classic cheater move: trying to justify a NEW affair by saying the woman’s marriage is “loveless.” Sir, this is not a loophole. You are still wrong.

The only part that made me feel the tiniest bit of sympathy was when he finally owned up to being a bad husband, apologized to Isla with actual sincerity, and left town without trying to manipulate the ending. Fine. Growth. Congratulations.

That said, his parents - especially his dad - definitely helped shape the disaster we met. But we’re not unpacking that suitcase today.

Now… Alyssa. Whew. I’m not diagnosing anyone, but the BPD vibes were strong. Her family mistook serious emotional instability for teenage angst, and she never really got the help she needed. I did feel for her at times - being the only girl, then suddenly having to share the spotlight with a cousin everyone adored must’ve been rough. But she twisted that into a decades-long revenge arc that hurt literally everyone around her.

And no - Isla didn’t “steal” anyone from her. Isla loved her. The family loved her. Wes tried so hard to be there for her. But it was never enough for Alyssa because she didn’t feel like enough. That’s not on Isla.

Now let’s talk Myles, because wow. A breath of fresh air. No games. No performative drama. Just a secure, patient man who loved Isla out loud and gave her the space to become herself again. He was transparent, steady, emotionally intelligent - everything Jonathan wasn’t. He made her feel safe, seen, and supported. He healed parts of her she didn’t know were broken.

And Isla - my girl. Watching her rebuild herself from the ground up, find her strength, and finally prioritize her dreams? Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Empowering. She gave so much of herself away in that marriage, and for what? A man who didn’t even want her to use her own dad’s life insurance to chase her dreams? He wanted that money for himself. Yeah. No.

But she didn’t stay broken. She found joy. She found Myles. She got her babies and her bakery and her peace. That’s the ending she deserved.

Also - Wes and Sarah? I’m gonna need that story. Immediately. The crumbs weren’t enough. I’m starving.

So yeah. This book? An emotional rollercoaster. Read it. Rant about it. Just don’t come to me trying to defend Jonathan.

[Mora · Rating 2 out of 5]

This scene was one of my favorite parts:

When the husband saw that his wife had moved on with a man way better than him

“But I was frozen in my steps as the dark haired man (the H) I saw at Isla's bakery broke away from the group to pull Isla into his arms.
Unable to turn away, I watched as she curled into him with comfort and ease. Any remnants of hope were dashed in front of my eyes as I watched the two of them together. Isla had a look on her face I had never seen before, she certainly never looked at me like that. I felt invisible. Another man had his arms around my wife, surrounded by her “smiling family. That was supposed to be me. That was my life this strange man was living. He was the interloper yet here I stood, alone on the periphery watching my wife move on without a backward glance.”

This is what should happen when authors write cheating books. Wives should find better men, not go back to the cheating losers.

[Claudia]

I came across this book randomly on my Kindle and thought, why not? I’m a sucker for cheating or marriage-in-trouble tropes, so this one was right up my alley.

The story is told from multiple POVs—sometimes four or even five. You’ve got Jonathan (the husband), Isla (the wife), Miles (the new love interest), and Alyssa (the other woman… and Isla’s cousin).

Jonathan and Isla have been together forever—since college, I think—and married for about five years. She’s in her late 20s, runs her own bakery, and he’s a lawyer. Lately, Isla’s been feeling off in the marriage. Jonathan’s distant, unsupportive about the bakery, and overall just cold. Turns out, he’s been sleeping with her cousin Alyssa for about six months.

Isla catches them one day—can’t remember if it’s at their house or his office—but she sees Alyssa on her knees and instantly knows what’s going on. She even snaps a photo. But instead of confronting him right away, she heads out of town to visit her gran and decides there and then—she’s done. Divorce.

Meanwhile, we get Jonathan’s POV, and he’s fully enjoying the affair. Alyssa is nothing serious to him, just someone to have fun with. He still claims to love Isla and puts her on this pedestal, but that weekend Isla’s gone, he goes full party mode with Alyssa, not a care in the world.

Then boom—he’s served divorce papers. Isla doesn’t engage, doesn’t talk—just sends him the pic and cuts him off completely. From there, the story shifts to Jonathan spiraling and Isla starting to rebuild her life. That’s when Miles enters the picture.

Miles owns the hotel where Jonathan and Alyssa used to meet up, and Isla connects with him to gather more evidence for the divorce. He’s also friends with Wes, who happens to be Alyssa’s brother. Alyssa, by the way, is absolutely unhinged. She’s been obsessed with Isla her whole life—super jealous, totally toxic. Wes always suspected something was off, but didn’t realize how deep it went.

Things escalate. Alyssa goes off the rails, stabs her own brother (he survives), fakes a pregnancy, and ends up in prison. Meanwhile, Isla and Miles fall hard for each other. He’s obsessed with her—in a good way—and completely devoted. Eventually, they get married and have two kids.

By the end of the book, Alyssa is out of prison but gets re-arrested for pretending to be someone else (seriously, she’s wild). Jonathan shows up in town five years later, sees Isla and Miles with their kids at the park, and realizes how badly he messed up. He lost everything—his wife, his job, even his parents are disappointed in him.

All in all, it was a solid read. Got a little slow in the middle and probably could’ve been shorter, but it had all the juicy drama I love. It’s basically a story about a man who doesn’t appreciate what he has until it’s gone—and how the woman finds someone way better. Plus, the other woman gets what she deserves. Loved that.

Sometimes you just need something dramatic and soap opera-level messy—and this totally delivered.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

They were served just desserts

I really enjoyed this novel even though I skimmed of and on. It was recast enough for me I guess.

Isla was so kind and generous she did not deserve what Jonathan and Alyssa did to her. Ohhh and Myles geez I want one of him he was a true blessing.

[LaBlue · Rating 3 out of 5]

FMC finds out her husband of ten(?) years is cheating on her with her cousin. The cheating husband and the cousin get POV’s in this story alongside the FMC, the MMC (new man) and the OW’s brother who is also a cousin to the FMC. This book was recommended in my FB book group for two reasons, the FMC gets a new MMC after her ex cheats and for revenge after cheating. So this book definitely has the first criteria but I would say it was circumstances that worked out as consequences more than actual revenge on the cheating ex and the evil cousin OW.

This book was good. It had minor editing and continuity issues that I can’t even remember other than that it was there. I loved the relationship development between the FMC and the new man MMC. But we didn’t get much confrontation from the cheating. We didn’t get any hard conversations between the FMC, cheating ex or the OW. Just mostly the revelations of their situations. And two pointless cringy scenes of intimidation by the OW to the FMC.

Nothing really exciting or OTT happens in this book other than the affair in the beginning and the stabbing at the 85% mark. And that situation was written in three characters POV’s so it broke up the impact of the scene for me, therefore it fell flat. It was a good finale to end the circular story I was getting bored with by this point. But it could have been better if it was a single POV.

So the betrayers get their comeuppance but it was kind of tame. The cheating ex ends up miserable, which I’m not a fan of. I would have liked if he got his life together and learned to live a happy and giving life with someone else who he treats better because he matured and learned his lessons. Instead, he has a job he probably doesn’t appreciate and does the bare minimum at and he is seeing a married woman and doesn’t seem to want more for himself. Just pining away over the FMC he didn’t really love in the first place. He loved how he controlled her and how she made him look better to others. Regardless, for me I would have liked if he tried to be happy again. Got therapy. Gave back to his new community. Just tried harder to be a better person and human. Instead he wallowed. It is satisfying seeing someone suffer for a bit but then you have to move on. Just like he should have moved on to find happiness.

The vile cousin OW was revealed to just be a hateful person which I liked. Sometimes the OW isn’t mentally ill kind of crazy. She’s just a horrible human being kind of crazy. Selfish, narcissistic, entitled. Basically a Karen. And unrepentant about it all. I loved that. It was funny to me. She goes to jail in the end but I felt like it wasn’t bad enough for her. It came off as too easy. But while the cheating ex’s self pitying was dragged out for far too long, I felt like the OW’s comeuppance wasn’t harsh enough or long lasting enough. She learned to game the system while in jail and was living it up in there. So really, other than collaring her what was her real repercussions?? She was still controlling others around her and hadn’t changed her thinking in any way. She was the worst of the two betrayers and yet IMO she didn’t suffer significantly.

As for the FMC and the new man MMC, they were cute and I enjoyed them. But they were very boring. They were too easy. Almost no on page naughtiness between them. It’s good between them but I was over it by 75% mark. Like I needed more from them to get me to reread this book and that is how I define a book as good. If I’m not left wanting to read it again then it’s just OK. Good luck.

[Amee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was between a 3 and 4 star read. I enjoyed the four points of view we get throughout giving us viewpoints some may not like, on page cheating, but it brought the angst which I’m all there for. There isn’t redemption as much as sweet revenge, but I will say they each get a much deserved visit from Karma.

[˚₊‧꒰ა vruxreads ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8★

amazing plot but poor execution! there could have been so much more to this book. i think i have read similar book on wattpad as well

[Jen • jenteereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review forthcoming. Brilliant addition to “the List”

[Misha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 star

Pretty typical. Nothing too new or too exciting. Already can’t remember the plot, unfortunately.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoy reading books where the heroine ends up with a better man, and the dumb ass who hurt her gets to watch her move on and blossom from afar.

[Shannon Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Comeuppance Telenova

So, I read angsty cheating romance because I like the angst and drama surrounding two people who love each other coming back together after a terrible betrayal. I tend to shy away from books where that’s not the case. However, I knew coming into this book that the MC would not get back together. So, if you’re looking for that this is not the book for you.

Just Desserts is like a Jordan Silver book. It’s all about the comeuppance and retribution of the two cheaters. Both are completely irredeemable and that’s apparent by 11%. The cheater cheats with the h’s cousin and he’s a child man-pig, so he doesn’t realize it’s over between him and the h until he’s literally in court for the dissolution of his marriage. The OW is bunny boiling crazy and that’s pretty apparent from 20%.

The H of the book meets the h when she’s almost divorced and he’s smitten right away, so no real drama there except from the OW, who also has history with him. However, since the H is clearly smarter than the child man-pig cheater, he sniffed the crazy right away.

Again, if you like Silver-level drama akin to the type found in telenovas, then this is for you. However, I was bored by 22%. At 50%, I realized I wasn’t reading for the romance or to find out how the h triumphed. I was continuing to read to find out what happened to the cheaters. The romance in the story is boring enough to completely skim past without losing anything. But I wanted to find out what happened to the cheaters more-so because that was the most interesting aspect of the whole book. I honestly couldn’t care less what happened to the h.

I am starting to think these novels should be termed comeuppance cheating fiction because that’s the focus. The romance is secondary to that, and that is not my cuppa tea. Still, it was well written and interesting enough for me to finish.

2 stars

[Courtney Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ | 1 🌶️

Holy hell, this book was addictive! I could not put it down and was constantly needing to know what was going to happen next! It’s told from four POVs, and there were so many aspects and tropes in here that I’ve never read before—and honestly never thought I would read. But somehow, Crystal pulled it all together and gave us this layered, emotional story that had me completely hooked from start to finish.

Isla is the absolute sweetest—seriously, the biggest sweetheart—and Myles is 100% taking a top spot on my book boyfriends list. Their love felt so natural and real, and I was rooting for them with my whole heart.

I’m honestly so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to pick this one up—it was so worth it. It surprised me in the best way, and now I can’t stop thinking about it!

This is a low spice book, but the plot is so gripping, you don’t even notice—or care! If you’re looking for something high angst, plot heavy, and heart-tugging, this is definitely for you!!

[wrkatreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

long

All the action in this book happens at the begining. The rest of the book is a lot an I mean A LOT of words and they are just saying the same as other characters the previous chapters. Should have stuck to Wattpad.

[Anonymous Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read any book that has cheating because usually in cheating romances the FMC ends up forgiving the MMC and they live happily ever after.. but that just doesn't seem normal to me. I hate those books and Amy cheating romance books (it even sounds juxtapositional! ) so I was pleasantly surprised when this ended up coming as a suggestion. I was very skeptical but gave this a chance, and thank book gods I did! it was amazing 😍😍😍 I love how Isla was kind, sensitive, sensible, overall amazing but not a pushover, she was loving but not a doormat. I loved how she did not take the disrespect and took a stand so powerfully, didn't let the scummy duo affect her inner peace. I loved it, the ending was satisfying right down to the epilogue. The cheating husband and the crazy Cousin played stupid games won stupid prizes, I love the side characters so much too,all the world building was amazing and this is the author's debut book (if I'm not wrong) cannot wait for more. I hope we get a book for Wes and Sarah 😍😍😍

[Meggi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge is so sweet!

I first read this on Wattpad and loved it there, so had to come purchase and reread here! I love this book so much! Myles is pretty much the perfect MMC and I just adore him! His love and devotion to Isla is epic!

Isla was a strong FMC and I loved that she didn’t just jump into a physical relationship with Myles and took her time to make sure she was ready. I also loved that there was no trumped up third act break up. I have gotten sick of the predictability of them, so I get excited when things differ.

Now on to Jonathan and Alyssa. I have zero sympathy for Alyssa and she was a bit of a monster for the way she went out of her way to hurt Isla. She got what she deserved. That being said, I did end up with a little bit of sympathy for Jonathan. He hadn’t put up with Alyssa’s crazy and kind of ended up going through H3ll, because of her. He started with no remorse and then I wanted him to hurt, but he kind of learned his lesson and I kind of began feeling bad for him.

I love the side characters in this book. Wes and Sarah are 💜. I also adore Sully. I want all of them to get their HEAs too!

I love this book and I am sure I will read it yet again, because it is the perfect mix of romance and revenge! I would definitely recommend it to anyone that loves a good revenge romance! I love Crystal Nichols’ books! You really can’t go wrong reading any of them!

[Linda Calizo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new author, an interesting read

The plot was interesting, I like multiple POV’s. There are some parts that drag, mostly the story was pretty good.
It shows that lives can be destroyed in many ways, confidence is not always good, it can lead to mistakes and in this story it did. It seems fate was able to correct the actions of an evil toxic individual who hurt everyone in her path.
The ending was very unusual.
I recommend this book because it’s hard to find good books 📕
I suggest the author to create a fan base and an ARC group to help proofread and rate her books in the future. I wish her a great success and look forward to future books 💕 I’m following her now.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing debut! 5 full ⭐️!

Wow - I cannot believe this is the author’s first book! It’s a wonderfully delicious story of betrayal, revenge and comeuppance. Love that the fmc is strong from the start and knew her worth. Love the happy ending she gets. The side characters are so much fun and wow are they supportive! The epilogue was perfect - wrapping it all up and giving us everyone’s pov ending. Really bravo 👏🏼 effort. I’ll keep this in my reread list and will recommend it. Can’t wait for more books!

[Dxp · Rating 4 out of 5]

That’s what I want from a book that has cheating!
While it’s a bit lengthy, we have multiple povs, side characters that are amazing, an FMC that is not a doormat but at the same time she is super sweet and forgiving, an ex-husband that lost everything, a OW that is terrible and she gets her karma.

The only thing I’d like to see is MC’s family (?) maybe I’ve missed some part about his family but we don’t see them at all and they are briefly discussed.

The drama was great. The new relationship is great.

I generally prefer my books smutty and that’s not it. No descriptive intimacy between the couple, so we don’t get to see any passion, just love.

Loved the book.

[Amanda Davis smut reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh what a great book!

For her first book this was very well written. At first I wasn’t sure with the different POV in the beginning especially from the characters I knew I would loth. However I am not great full for those POVs bc I enjoyed having the first hand experience of their suffering. I am more of a dark romance girl but I loved the crazy OW drama and I was able to relate to Isla as I caught my husband having an affair. Now if only I could have her happy ending too lol 😂

[Kristine Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.

This book has it all, OW drama, family drama, some Karma, and an amazing new hero.

Just Desserts has everything you would want packed into it.

Isla is a strong, independent woman who can stand up for herself and move forward after heartbreak.

I love books with strong heroines, and this book has one. Myles, her new suitor, is loving, caring, and is just what our heroine needs.

This book will be a re-read for me. I highly recommend it!

[Kelli Upchurch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

I read this in one sitting. I loved the multiple POVs. I got to see the inner thinking of the main characters. At the end I kinda felt sorry for Jonathan but then remembered all the horrible stuff he did. I recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

[Fiona Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Wow this book was amazing!!! I loved everything about it. I loved how the 2 in the wrong got the karma they deserved and how much Isla's life improved after the divorce! This book was unbelievably amazing!!!. I really hope we get to have Wes and Sarah's story too....

[2DaysReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy cousin!

I loved this book and I’m excited to read more. Isla and Myles were so cute but what really kept me coming back was Alyssa! Girl was unhinged I couldn’t get enough of her crazy. She was so vicious with everyone and by the end of the book I actually felt sorry for Jonathan. That man was a pos but Alyssa put him through the wringer and I kinda wished he gotta a better ending I think he suffered enough. But overall 5 stars I can’t wait to read more from this author!

[Nanette D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollercoaster

This book had it all. I laughed, I felt emotional, angry and most definitely had wtf moments. It was spectacular. There is ONS cheating and boy did he get what he deserved. It was great. Can't wait to read whatever Crystol Nichols writes next.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read

Isla finds out her husband is cheating with her cousin. Read about the effects this has on all the families

[Melanie Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

JESUS

[vanne ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5