What do you think?
Once Upon a Breakfast Show
She’s a breakfast radio star, the queen of witty banter and humorous accounts of her chaotic love-life—until a secret from her past makes headlines of its own.
Emily Blake, known to listeners as the fearless, filter-less Blake from ‘Mack and Blake in the Morning’, has built a career out of turning her messy life into radio gold. But when a cheeky on-air stunt spirals out of control, Blake finds herself accidentally crowdsourcing her next date…and unearthing a past romantic encounter she thought was long buried.
Thirteen years ago she spent one unforgettable whirlwind week with a man who then vanished. And now, with her daughter starting high school and asking questions about the dad she never knew, Blake asks her radio listeners to help her find the one that got away.
What starts as ratings bait quickly becomes something much more personal. Now, with the whole city listening, Blake must decide if she’s ready to discover the truth…not just for her listeners, but for the person who deserves it most—her daughter.
Witty, sexy, and full of humour, Once Upon a Breakfast Show is a heartwarming love story about missed chances, hot mics, and what happens when a woman finally takes control of her own story.
‘Fast-paced and easy to finish in one sitting, MacFie’s debut explores the messiness of love, the reality of single-parenting and the possibility that imperfect lives can find perfect endings.’ Books+Publishing
‘Sharp, funny, addictive and full of heart, absolutely nails the pressure, the tension, the vibes and the on-air chemistry of breakfast radio.’ Heidi Anderson
‘After fourteen years in breakfast radio, I know exactly how fast your love-life can become on-air content! It had me hooked from page 1. You’ll be laughing, cringing and guessing right till the end! LOVED IT!’ Bianca Dye
‘Catches the controlled but frantic pace of the morning radio studio.’ Monaro Post
Emily Blake, known to listeners as the fearless, filter-less Blake from ‘Mack and Blake in the Morning’, has built a career out of turning her messy life into radio gold. But when a cheeky on-air stunt spirals out of control, Blake finds herself accidentally crowdsourcing her next date…and unearthing a past romantic encounter she thought was long buried.
Thirteen years ago she spent one unforgettable whirlwind week with a man who then vanished. And now, with her daughter starting high school and asking questions about the dad she never knew, Blake asks her radio listeners to help her find the one that got away.
What starts as ratings bait quickly becomes something much more personal. Now, with the whole city listening, Blake must decide if she’s ready to discover the truth…not just for her listeners, but for the person who deserves it most—her daughter.
Witty, sexy, and full of humour, Once Upon a Breakfast Show is a heartwarming love story about missed chances, hot mics, and what happens when a woman finally takes control of her own story.
‘Fast-paced and easy to finish in one sitting, MacFie’s debut explores the messiness of love, the reality of single-parenting and the possibility that imperfect lives can find perfect endings.’ Books+Publishing
‘Sharp, funny, addictive and full of heart, absolutely nails the pressure, the tension, the vibes and the on-air chemistry of breakfast radio.’ Heidi Anderson
‘After fourteen years in breakfast radio, I know exactly how fast your love-life can become on-air content! It had me hooked from page 1. You’ll be laughing, cringing and guessing right till the end! LOVED IT!’ Bianca Dye
‘Catches the controlled but frantic pace of the morning radio studio.’ Monaro Post
- GenresRomance
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.75/5
𝙰 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖-𝚌𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝.
𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝙸 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚙 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝/𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.
𝙻𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗-𝚎𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚞 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚍.
𝙰 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚕 𝚞𝚙 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑.
𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 ’𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞’ & 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭.
𝙰 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖-𝚌𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝.
𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝙸 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚙 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝/𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.
𝙻𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗-𝚎𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚞 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚍.
𝙰 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚕 𝚞𝚙 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑.
𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 ’𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞’ & 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭.
August 19, 2026
Yes yes yes! @stefmacfie I adored this read! Thank you so much @text_publishing for gifting me a copy!
This is the perfect RomCom! it is funny, cute and mysterious 👏🏻 Reading this felt like a warm hug from a loved one : familiar and comforting 😍
Emily Blake is the slightly chaotic, oversharing main character. She is the host of a radio show, mum to a tween and trying to juggle it all.
I enjoyed the time jumps from 2013 to 2026, it felt nostalgic because I’m around the same age as Emily!
There is a swoon worthy love story between Emily and Leo for a week. Then he disappears…. 13 years later Emily gets the city of Melbourne to help track him down.
As well as laughs there was moments that I connected with, especially her motherhood letter.
Definitely recommending this one 😍
This is the perfect RomCom! it is funny, cute and mysterious 👏🏻 Reading this felt like a warm hug from a loved one : familiar and comforting 😍
Emily Blake is the slightly chaotic, oversharing main character. She is the host of a radio show, mum to a tween and trying to juggle it all.
I enjoyed the time jumps from 2013 to 2026, it felt nostalgic because I’m around the same age as Emily!
There is a swoon worthy love story between Emily and Leo for a week. Then he disappears…. 13 years later Emily gets the city of Melbourne to help track him down.
As well as laughs there was moments that I connected with, especially her motherhood letter.
Definitely recommending this one 😍
September 15, 2026
There were things I l-o-v-e-d about this and things I HATED so let's get into them.
Blake is an early thirties single mum that co-hosts a breakfast radio show whose main content seems to be her tragic love life. In the midst of the current promo cycle of "will Blake get a second date?" Blake decides it's time to find the man she spent one week with twelve years ago who is the father of her daughter. Thing is she only knows him as "Leo" and that he was European... and literally nothing else. Putting the call out of Melbourne might get her closer than ever before to the man she still thinks about all these years later but what else will it drag up?
The writing is punchy and fun but Jesus Christ did this remind me how much I fucking hate breakfast radio. I loved how Melbourne orientated the narrative was and most of the characters were quite well rendered. But I hated the red herring Sam moment somewhere in the middle there, it was entirely pointless because it was never developed further. Mack was also a wishy-washy character that encompassed everything that is deeply awful about "one of the boys" and is never called out for his shitty behaviour nor for letting others shitty behaviour go either.
The flashbacks are mostly enjoyable - the whirlwind romance of it all, there was a couple of points that could have been expanded upon (particularly how horrible Blake's parents were) and how that connected Blake and Leo. The effect the search had on Blake's daughter was also well done, she wasn't a passive participant within the narrative and their relationship was more of an anchor for the story than the romance.
Anyway. Fun. But damn were some sections irritating as fuck.
Blake is an early thirties single mum that co-hosts a breakfast radio show whose main content seems to be her tragic love life. In the midst of the current promo cycle of "will Blake get a second date?" Blake decides it's time to find the man she spent one week with twelve years ago who is the father of her daughter. Thing is she only knows him as "Leo" and that he was European... and literally nothing else. Putting the call out of Melbourne might get her closer than ever before to the man she still thinks about all these years later but what else will it drag up?
The writing is punchy and fun but Jesus Christ did this remind me how much I fucking hate breakfast radio. I loved how Melbourne orientated the narrative was and most of the characters were quite well rendered. But I hated the red herring Sam moment somewhere in the middle there, it was entirely pointless because it was never developed further. Mack was also a wishy-washy character that encompassed everything that is deeply awful about "one of the boys" and is never called out for his shitty behaviour nor for letting others shitty behaviour go either.
The flashbacks are mostly enjoyable - the whirlwind romance of it all, there was a couple of points that could have been expanded upon (particularly how horrible Blake's parents were) and how that connected Blake and Leo. The effect the search had on Blake's daughter was also well done, she wasn't a passive participant within the narrative and their relationship was more of an anchor for the story than the romance.
Anyway. Fun. But damn were some sections irritating as fuck.
September 4, 2026
I thought this book was going to go in a totally different direction, but it was super cute with what it did, and I had a good time!
July 22, 2026
Thank you so much Text Publishing for the gifted physical copy in exchange for an honest review!
Bittersweet, romantic and moving.
Emily Blake is well-known across all of Melbourne for being half of the iconic Mack and Blake duo - the most popular radio station in Victoria. But ratings have been slowly dipping and they’re desperate to get more listeners. So when Emily’s daughter Morgan starts asking questions about who her dad is, Emily turns to the radio to see if her listeners can help.
Emily met Leo at Eurofest and the week they spent together back in 2013 changed Emily’s life forever and left her with a daughter who has no idea who her dad is. But 13 years later, Morgan starts asking questions and Emily brings every memory she has of Leo to the studio and empties her heart out to all of Melbourne, with a flicker of hope that she might just finally find the father of her daughter and the man she’s never been able to forget.
What Emily thought was going to be a quick splash of gossip on the radio turns into a proper investigation where the whole community bands together to find out who the mysterious Leo is. They met at Eurofest so Emily thinks he was performing but all the leads are starting to come up dry. Will Emily ever find the mysterious Leo? Does he even want to be found? And if she somehow manages to find him, what happens next?
Soon enough, Emily realises she’s in way over her head but it’s too late to take back the words that have changed her and her daughter’s life forever. Will this end in a happily ever after? Or will Emily regret sharing one of the deepest moments of herself to all her listeners?
Oh my gosh this was so much more heartfelt than I thought it would be. I went in expecting a light-hearted romcom and left with tears in my eyes and a heaviness in my chest. This was beautifully written and there was so much heart to it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. I would definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a romance novel that goes deeper than finding the lost love of your life. It handled some sensitive topics really well, and was an enjoyable read!
Perfect for fans of a fast-paced romance novel that’ll have you rooting for the main character the entire time reading!
Bittersweet, romantic and moving.
Emily Blake is well-known across all of Melbourne for being half of the iconic Mack and Blake duo - the most popular radio station in Victoria. But ratings have been slowly dipping and they’re desperate to get more listeners. So when Emily’s daughter Morgan starts asking questions about who her dad is, Emily turns to the radio to see if her listeners can help.
Emily met Leo at Eurofest and the week they spent together back in 2013 changed Emily’s life forever and left her with a daughter who has no idea who her dad is. But 13 years later, Morgan starts asking questions and Emily brings every memory she has of Leo to the studio and empties her heart out to all of Melbourne, with a flicker of hope that she might just finally find the father of her daughter and the man she’s never been able to forget.
What Emily thought was going to be a quick splash of gossip on the radio turns into a proper investigation where the whole community bands together to find out who the mysterious Leo is. They met at Eurofest so Emily thinks he was performing but all the leads are starting to come up dry. Will Emily ever find the mysterious Leo? Does he even want to be found? And if she somehow manages to find him, what happens next?
Soon enough, Emily realises she’s in way over her head but it’s too late to take back the words that have changed her and her daughter’s life forever. Will this end in a happily ever after? Or will Emily regret sharing one of the deepest moments of herself to all her listeners?
Oh my gosh this was so much more heartfelt than I thought it would be. I went in expecting a light-hearted romcom and left with tears in my eyes and a heaviness in my chest. This was beautifully written and there was so much heart to it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. I would definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a romance novel that goes deeper than finding the lost love of your life. It handled some sensitive topics really well, and was an enjoyable read!
Perfect for fans of a fast-paced romance novel that’ll have you rooting for the main character the entire time reading!
August 18, 2026
Writing was a bit choppy to follow at times (maybe worse on audiobook?) but the story was sweet and different and I loved the ending. + we love an aus based book!
June 30, 2026
I love reading books set in cities I have visited/lived in and Once Upon a Breakfast Show was no exception!
We follow Blake (Emily) who is a co-host of Melbourne’s number 1 breakfast show, “Blake and Mack for Breakfast”. After a series of bad crowd-sourced dates, she reveals on-air her week-long whirlwind romance with a man she met thirteen years ago - and is the father of her daughter. The story of Blake finding her long-lost love quickly boosts the ratings on the show and soon all of Melbourne is tuning in to watch the story unfold.
The mystery man kept me HOOKED and quickly turning the pages - I just had to find out who this man is!! I loved the very “Melbourne” dates Emily and Leo went on in the past POV (bunnings sausage sizzle anyone?!) and the dynamic between Blake and her daughter Morgan (who is neurodiverse) in the present timeline. The quirky cast of characters at the radio station kept me super invested in the story.
This was such an excellent debut novel - I definitely recommend if you enjoyed And Now, Back to You by B.K Borison!
Thank you Text Publishing for sending me an early copy for review!
We follow Blake (Emily) who is a co-host of Melbourne’s number 1 breakfast show, “Blake and Mack for Breakfast”. After a series of bad crowd-sourced dates, she reveals on-air her week-long whirlwind romance with a man she met thirteen years ago - and is the father of her daughter. The story of Blake finding her long-lost love quickly boosts the ratings on the show and soon all of Melbourne is tuning in to watch the story unfold.
The mystery man kept me HOOKED and quickly turning the pages - I just had to find out who this man is!! I loved the very “Melbourne” dates Emily and Leo went on in the past POV (bunnings sausage sizzle anyone?!) and the dynamic between Blake and her daughter Morgan (who is neurodiverse) in the present timeline. The quirky cast of characters at the radio station kept me super invested in the story.
This was such an excellent debut novel - I definitely recommend if you enjoyed And Now, Back to You by B.K Borison!
Thank you Text Publishing for sending me an early copy for review!
October 6, 2026
This book was provided courtesy of Text Publishing, with an accompanying interview with Stephanie MacFie featured on the literary podcast Date With A Debut in August 2026. All views and opinions are my own, the reviewer.
Mild spoilers below.
The world of media and radio is fast, intense, often a world where the scene presented on air is markedly different to the chaos it takes to make those moments behind the scenes - and finding love when you live such a public life makes it even more complicated.
However, this is the world that former radio producer and on-air broadcaster turned romcom writer Stephanie MacFie takes us into with her debut, following Emily Blake, one half of commercial radio show ‘Mack and Blake in the Morning.’
Emily’s love life is frequently used as the butt of many a joke on the show, and when an on-air stunt gets out of hand, she finds herself crowdsourcing her next date from her audience, with the higher-ups at the station leaping on the opportunity to splatter her personal life out there to create that next viral moment.
At the same time, her daughter, Morgan, who she had after a wild weekend 13 years ago, is starting to ask questions about who her father is - and with an entire city now out to find the father, Emily must decide if she can face the truth, and let the one who got away back into her life.
MacFie sells this story with a brilliant support cast at the station around Emily - Chelsea her producer, is an absolute angel, while several higher-ups, along with her co-star, Mack, are often chasing the ratings in a cut-throat, superficial way.
Morgan and Emily are the real love story of this novel, with Emily learning to care for herself as much as finding the father of her child, with Morgan having a maturity beyond her years that gives their relationship a nice balance.
Jumping back and forth between 2013 and 2026, this story plays a lot of the beats of a classic romcom, and when we meet the man in question, Leo, we buy why Emily falls for him, but also the consequences of him not being part of his daughter’s life - though details I’ll leave spoiler-free.
This is a promising debut, and one for the romance lovers that will play your heart like a fiddle. A story of a second chance at love that reveals emotional depth at its best moments, it marks MacFie as a name to watch in the world of Aussie romance.
3.75/5
Booktopia: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/dyrbGk
Date With A Debut Podcast episode: https://dwad.podpixels.com/ep/series-...
Mild spoilers below.
The world of media and radio is fast, intense, often a world where the scene presented on air is markedly different to the chaos it takes to make those moments behind the scenes - and finding love when you live such a public life makes it even more complicated.
However, this is the world that former radio producer and on-air broadcaster turned romcom writer Stephanie MacFie takes us into with her debut, following Emily Blake, one half of commercial radio show ‘Mack and Blake in the Morning.’
Emily’s love life is frequently used as the butt of many a joke on the show, and when an on-air stunt gets out of hand, she finds herself crowdsourcing her next date from her audience, with the higher-ups at the station leaping on the opportunity to splatter her personal life out there to create that next viral moment.
At the same time, her daughter, Morgan, who she had after a wild weekend 13 years ago, is starting to ask questions about who her father is - and with an entire city now out to find the father, Emily must decide if she can face the truth, and let the one who got away back into her life.
MacFie sells this story with a brilliant support cast at the station around Emily - Chelsea her producer, is an absolute angel, while several higher-ups, along with her co-star, Mack, are often chasing the ratings in a cut-throat, superficial way.
Morgan and Emily are the real love story of this novel, with Emily learning to care for herself as much as finding the father of her child, with Morgan having a maturity beyond her years that gives their relationship a nice balance.
Jumping back and forth between 2013 and 2026, this story plays a lot of the beats of a classic romcom, and when we meet the man in question, Leo, we buy why Emily falls for him, but also the consequences of him not being part of his daughter’s life - though details I’ll leave spoiler-free.
This is a promising debut, and one for the romance lovers that will play your heart like a fiddle. A story of a second chance at love that reveals emotional depth at its best moments, it marks MacFie as a name to watch in the world of Aussie romance.
3.75/5
Booktopia: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/dyrbGk
Date With A Debut Podcast episode: https://dwad.podpixels.com/ep/series-...
August 2, 2026
What a wonderful debut!
Blake has built a solid radio career and while on air she is known for her fearless and confident attitude, behind the scenes her life feels anything but
Single mum to teen Morgan, she is trying to hold everything together. But when Morgan starts to ask questions about the dad she has never known, a quick decision sees Blake share a more private side live on air, declaring she spent a magical time thirteen years ago with a mystery man named Leo
Believing her time with Leo would be a once in a moment romance, no details were shared, and life went back to normal until much later when Blake learned she was pregnant with Morgan
She asks her listeners for help in finding the man who stole her heart all those years ago. While just trying to find answers, the story becomes a big break for Blake and takes the city by storm! But is Blake ready for this kind of publicity, she has spent so long protecting Morgan, will this find the answers they are both looking for?
A fabulous premise, gorgeous FMC and a perfect amount of spice! I devoured this wonderful book!
Highly recommend for all the romcom lovers out there!
This is one of those books that would be a brilliant movie! It has that beautiful 90s romcom vibe throughout!
Thank you so much Text Publishing for my gifted review copy
Blake has built a solid radio career and while on air she is known for her fearless and confident attitude, behind the scenes her life feels anything but
Single mum to teen Morgan, she is trying to hold everything together. But when Morgan starts to ask questions about the dad she has never known, a quick decision sees Blake share a more private side live on air, declaring she spent a magical time thirteen years ago with a mystery man named Leo
Believing her time with Leo would be a once in a moment romance, no details were shared, and life went back to normal until much later when Blake learned she was pregnant with Morgan
She asks her listeners for help in finding the man who stole her heart all those years ago. While just trying to find answers, the story becomes a big break for Blake and takes the city by storm! But is Blake ready for this kind of publicity, she has spent so long protecting Morgan, will this find the answers they are both looking for?
A fabulous premise, gorgeous FMC and a perfect amount of spice! I devoured this wonderful book!
Highly recommend for all the romcom lovers out there!
This is one of those books that would be a brilliant movie! It has that beautiful 90s romcom vibe throughout!
Thank you so much Text Publishing for my gifted review copy
September 8, 2026
Once Upon a Breakfast Show is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. It's witty, heartfelt, and incredibly easy to read, but beneath the humour is a beautiful story about navigating life, relationships, and finding your place in the world.
Blake is wonderfully flawed in a way that feels completely authentic. She's messy, frustrating, lovable, and so relatable that it's impossible not to see a little of yourself in her. And Morgan absolutely stole my heart. A beautifully written neuro-spicy character, she's the kind of person you can't help but root for. I spent most of the book wanting to reach through the pages and give her a hug.
The story balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine emotional depth, pulling at the heartstrings without ever feeling heavy-handed. It's ultimately a story about being human, embracing imperfections, and learning how to move forward when life doesn't quite go to plan.
This is one of those books that leaves you with that bittersweet feeling when you turn the final page: grateful you read it, sad it's over, and desperately wishing there was more!
Blake is wonderfully flawed in a way that feels completely authentic. She's messy, frustrating, lovable, and so relatable that it's impossible not to see a little of yourself in her. And Morgan absolutely stole my heart. A beautifully written neuro-spicy character, she's the kind of person you can't help but root for. I spent most of the book wanting to reach through the pages and give her a hug.
The story balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine emotional depth, pulling at the heartstrings without ever feeling heavy-handed. It's ultimately a story about being human, embracing imperfections, and learning how to move forward when life doesn't quite go to plan.
This is one of those books that leaves you with that bittersweet feeling when you turn the final page: grateful you read it, sad it's over, and desperately wishing there was more!
September 8, 2026
Once Upon a Breakfast Show was one of those rare books that had me hooked from the very first chapter. It had everything you'd want in a great story: memorable characters, plenty of laughs, unexpected twists, heartfelt moments, and a storyline that kept me turning the pages long after I should have put the book down.
What I loved most was how effortlessly the story flowed. It's an easy, enjoyable read, but that doesn't mean it lacks depth. Every chapter added something new, and I genuinely found myself invested in the journey and eager to see what would happen next.
This was absolutely a "just one more chapter" kind of book... except that one more chapter quickly became several more! If you're looking for a book that's entertaining, engaging, and incredibly hard to put down, Once Upon a Breakfast Show delivers on all fronts.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves a great story told with warmth, humour, and heart. Five stars from me!
What I loved most was how effortlessly the story flowed. It's an easy, enjoyable read, but that doesn't mean it lacks depth. Every chapter added something new, and I genuinely found myself invested in the journey and eager to see what would happen next.
This was absolutely a "just one more chapter" kind of book... except that one more chapter quickly became several more! If you're looking for a book that's entertaining, engaging, and incredibly hard to put down, Once Upon a Breakfast Show delivers on all fronts.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves a great story told with warmth, humour, and heart. Five stars from me!
September 10, 2026
This was such a fun read and really hard to believe it’s Stephanie Macfie’s debut book.
I loved following the antics of Emily and her daughter Morgan. It was great to see a highly gifted girl on the autism spectrum so beautifully represented. The issues she faced at school were very real and authentic and sadly the way the school handled them were too.
I loved this book and would love it to be made into a movie. I’d certainly pay to watch it.
I’m now looking forward to the next book written by this author.
I loved following the antics of Emily and her daughter Morgan. It was great to see a highly gifted girl on the autism spectrum so beautifully represented. The issues she faced at school were very real and authentic and sadly the way the school handled them were too.
I loved this book and would love it to be made into a movie. I’d certainly pay to watch it.
I’m now looking forward to the next book written by this author.
August 11, 2026
A behind the scenes glimpse for some. A nostalgic trip for the media-initiated. My radio-soul was sitting in the studio alongside Blake and the team (or in the street patroller giving out those icy cold cans of coke); my 2013 self cringed at wearing too-small jackets, tight jeans and ballet flats; and my book-loving, lit-nerd devoured the witty banter, Aussie-isms, and fairy tale romance with a man written by a woman 👌
Take yourself to church and enjoy this one over a Tim Tam Slam.
Take yourself to church and enjoy this one over a Tim Tam Slam.
August 4, 2026
Once Upon a Breakfast Show is a joyous heartwarming read. I didn’t want to put it down.
I’m positive there will be so many other readers just like me who will engage with the characters, delight in the mystery, the relationships, intricacies of breakfast radio, the search for the one that got away and be brought to tears and left wanting more.
I’m positive there will be so many other readers just like me who will engage with the characters, delight in the mystery, the relationships, intricacies of breakfast radio, the search for the one that got away and be brought to tears and left wanting more.
August 23, 2026
I thought this was a great Aussie rom com- felt like I needed something quite easy and light and this totally delivered. I was constantly comparing to Love on the Air because radio/romcom/aussie (both good in their own right!).
August 27, 2026
What a great Aussie book. It didn’t go where I thought it was going to go but it was a great rom com style story with a lovely happy ever after.
August 30, 2026
An easy book to read whilst I was in bed recovering from a bug. I enjoyed that it was set in my hometown
September 8, 2026
Loved every moment of this book! Made
My heart feel warm and I couldn’t put it down.
My heart feel warm and I couldn’t put it down.
September 8, 2026
Amazing, a stunning first book for this new writer really loved it!
September 13, 2026
This book was so fun. The MC is endearing and comedic and the radio show element gives it an unusual twist. I can imagine watching this as a Hollywood film, had perfect romcom vibes.
September 13, 2026
LOVED IT! So Melbourne, so relatable. I devoured it.
September 27, 2026
Absolutely devoured this in 5 days! Taken along for the ride like I was a listener. Loved being taken back through the original love story and holding on for the hope of a new one.
Review of advance copy
My Amazon pre-order arrived several days early & I’m so glad it did! Stef’s first book is a fast-paced book set in a very realistic, very chaotic radio station. From the first chapter we’re set up to root for our FMC, somewhat dislike her cohost and also be a big fan of the on-air anchor. Emily Blake is messier than her tshirt after dinner, she’s doing the most to raise an incredible daughter solo, and the flashbacks through the book show her softer side as well as how hard she’ll work to chase her dreams and give her daughter the best she can.
As someone who works in the industry, I found the world of this so easy to step into because of how realistic it is and inhaled the book in an afternoon. An easy read, a feel-good story and a (mostly) loveable group of characters. It was a palate cleanser I enjoyed - and saw some familiarities in characters as people I’ve met during my career. (Full disclosure I have worked in the same office as the author in the past, but paid for this with my own money and would again).
As someone who works in the industry, I found the world of this so easy to step into because of how realistic it is and inhaled the book in an afternoon. An easy read, a feel-good story and a (mostly) loveable group of characters. It was a palate cleanser I enjoyed - and saw some familiarities in characters as people I’ve met during my career. (Full disclosure I have worked in the same office as the author in the past, but paid for this with my own money and would again).
September 12, 2026
Such a fun read! As someone who has worked in radio for quite a while, I loved how relatable the radio jargon, characters and storyline were. A perfect combination of two of my favourite things — radio and a good romance! I absolutely flew through this one and would love to see a follow-up story.
September 14, 2026
This is a 3.5-3.75 star for me I think!
It’s a fun romance and journey for the most part, and the flashes between now and then help paint the picture well.
I guessed the plot twist VERY early on in the read, and the ending didn’t suuuuuper do it for me - it’s good but I wanted more, I would’ve liked an epilogue chapter for for the reveals to happen sooner so there was some time.
I also had a real issue with the harassment a few of the women characters faced from a male character - the older women were all aware of it to some extent and didn’t step in / say anything, and it made me feel a bit icky.
It was resolved in the end but in this day and age, that didn’t sit great.
Anyway still a mostly fun and enjoyable book!
It’s a fun romance and journey for the most part, and the flashes between now and then help paint the picture well.
I guessed the plot twist VERY early on in the read, and the ending didn’t suuuuuper do it for me - it’s good but I wanted more, I would’ve liked an epilogue chapter for for the reveals to happen sooner so there was some time.
I also had a real issue with the harassment a few of the women characters faced from a male character - the older women were all aware of it to some extent and didn’t step in / say anything, and it made me feel a bit icky.
It was resolved in the end but in this day and age, that didn’t sit great.
Anyway still a mostly fun and enjoyable book!
September 14, 2026
4.75/5 stars ⭐️
August 19, 2026
This was such a fun read, I enjoyed the concept with the radio breakfast show and it gave me a little FTC vibes!
I found myself really invested in finding Leo and enjoyed how the community came together to help, even the cops 😂 The anticipation of who he was and finding him had me hooked and I lowkey enjoyed that part more than the romance aspect 🙈
I’m actually dumb and didn’t expect the reveal at the end even though it was literally right in my face but I kept think something else and it never even occurred to me to think that (iykyk because I dont want to spoil) 🤣 but I’m kinda glad because I enjoyed it more that way
I really loved Morgan she’s so precious and I literally just want to hug her even though I know she doesn’t like hugs 🥹
Overall this was a cute and enjoyable read!
Once Upon A Breakfast Show is out now! ✨
I found myself really invested in finding Leo and enjoyed how the community came together to help, even the cops 😂 The anticipation of who he was and finding him had me hooked and I lowkey enjoyed that part more than the romance aspect 🙈
I’m actually dumb and didn’t expect the reveal at the end even though it was literally right in my face but I kept think something else and it never even occurred to me to think that (iykyk because I dont want to spoil) 🤣 but I’m kinda glad because I enjoyed it more that way
I really loved Morgan she’s so precious and I literally just want to hug her even though I know she doesn’t like hugs 🥹
Overall this was a cute and enjoyable read!
Once Upon A Breakfast Show is out now! ✨
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews