Sweetest Thing

by Natasha West

Robyn Vincent bakes. It’s the only thing in her life that feels good, feels like control. Until almost by accident, she ends up as a contestant on one of the biggest cookery shows in the world, ‘Bake It!’ Now she’s wildly out of her comfort zone, baking under the watchful eye of mean judges as well as a national audience. If that wasn't bad enough, there’s also her main competitor, Jodie Jacobs. She’s seriously skilled, cold as ice, and worst of all, sex on a stick.

However, when the competition heats up, so do things between Robyn and Jodie. And not just on the set… But are they a recipe for disaster? Or is the attraction between them the icing on the cake?

Another witty and warm romantic comedy from the author of 'Just Married?' and 'The Matchmaker.'

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Queer, Adult

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2019

Reviews

[Jacob Proffitt]

I'm not going to rate this because I had a hard-fail on Robyn. I don't know what it is about UK romance and having characters start in a dead-end relationship, but that seems to be happening a lot lately in romances I pick up from UK authors. I really, really hate that. It just doesn't say anything good about that character that they are either too weak to say no to something obviously failing (this is definitely Robyn) or they're too stupid to realize that they aren't happy until some new toy/prospect shows up. Anyway, I don't feel like smooshing my face in the fail, but it's definitely a personal taste/mood thing that doesn't say anything about the story itself. Hence no rating.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of these two. While I wouldn’t necessarily call them opposites, they’re not at all alike and it’s so much fun to watch them go from an antagonistic relationship to a romantic one. There’s one scene in particular when Jodie goes out of her way to help Robyn with a kitchen disaster that’s SO cute and made me laugh out loud.

Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/swee...

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really works for me. This enemy/rivals-to-lovers tale is one of the best out there.
It’s been a while since I read a full length novel in one sitting and this one was worth it.

The humour works for me, the setting is something I enjoy (a baking show a la The Great British Bake Off) and the characters are just super fun and slightly complicated in their own ways. Jodie signed up for the show to be able to afford buying her childhood home and Robyn signed up to get away from her girlfriend who she doesn’t really like. Jodie is closed off, I wouldn’t call her icy, just maybe a bit cactus-y, she only bakes because it’s all she has left of her dad. Robyn doesn’t like confrontation, hence signing up for a baking show instead of breaking up with the gf, but she loves baking. The women can’t stand each other, their interaction are halted and intense, never really friendly, until…
There isn’t a lot going on in this book and I think that simplicity makes for an entertaining read.

This book is a fun read and makes me want to watch GBBO or another baking or cooking show. I love them and books about them.

This was my first book by this author, which I discovered because of Erica Lee’s recommendations in the back of the Six Pack series. I’m sure I’ll be reading more books from this author.

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars - enemies to lovers, like a lot - reality show bake off - now i want cake

I enjoyed the premise. Both characters were flawed but likable. Maybe one a bit more then the other, but even if she was a bit more standoff-ish she was still as sympathetic character with a good heart just a bit emotionally stunted. Not sure how you end up having a relationship with someone like that, but, eh, I just decided to go with it.

The sex scenes were more letting you know what happened, because it was important to how their relationship develops but they were not emotionally descriptive. For me that takes away a bit of the impact of their attraction and chemistry.

Bottom line it was a quick and fun little read.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ice princess meets her nemisis. This was another fun romance from Natasha West.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this was surprisingly charming. Listen, an enemies-to-lovers F/F romance set in the world of a fake Great British Bake Off universe? I was always going to be here for it. But it was surprisingly charming, had a suspense element, and I thought Jodie and Robyn were both fleshed out pretty well.

My only complaint about it is that the pacing wasn't my favorite. I don't think there was enough time to the 'lovers' part of the enemies-to-lovers trope. I felt like the book ended JUST as they were starting to actually like each other as people, and the epilogue from the fake GBBO host's POV didn't do very much to sustain me with regard to that.

But still, this was a very enjoyable read, and I basically finished it in one sitting.

[Manon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Natasha West did it again, another book that was just excellent, the characters were really great but could have been a little more developed imo. I loved the conspiracy part and finding out who did what, I knew these characters were shady.
Well well, I guess opposites attract indeed.
Really nice story and very little drama

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this light and fluffy tale - set in a TV studio it was filled with secondary characters who really enhanced the story. Recommended.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

perhaps if Miss West writes about two talking sacks of potatoes it would still be a compelling read. She can write just whatever. This is another solid work from her.

[XR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robyn and Jodie’s story really was sweet, and I liked it... even when reading made me hungry for some pie.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was home, with a cold, feeling a little down and then somewhere on Twitter I saw this book. It lift my mood right away. It was short, sweet, funny, interesting, cute. Just what I need it.

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this but where it kept swapping views I got confused at times. I liked the idea of the baking competition and all the things that happened with that. I would have liked to see the softer side a bit more. I understand the point was one was cold but even the softer bits were quite cold. It just seemed that the character needed to grow more together to make you fall in love with them. there were parts that made the banter softer and nicer but they didn't last. I understand that the whole point was the hate sex to start with but it just felt like a boring roller coaster at parts up down up down.

[Lorraine Rusnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baked with love

This was a fun story. A bit of enemies to lovers from a competition point of view. I love the baking shows and this gives a nice behind the scenes look at it. I found the main characters to be quite likable. They both did some growing during time together.

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reality TV baking show, enemies to lovers - sounds like a recipe for disaster, but this story is anything but! Natasha West is a master of her craft, and like all of her other books that I have read, this is a brilliant rom-com. Ice-cold Jodie and anxious and nervous Robyn clash like nothing else, but beneath it all, perhaps there is a lot more. It's fun, witty, hilarious, and really just a whole lot of fun to read, and very easy to recommend. Loved it!

[valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

GOD THAT WAS SO CUTE i needed something like this

[t 🍓 · Rating 5 out of 5]

just realized i never marked this as read, Loved this book tho it was so fun!!!

[Marina Popkewitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet sweet enemy to lovers and bake off.

[CLAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book in one sitting. I truly enjoyed it! The humor works for me. It's one of the best enemies-to-lovers story out there. It got me looking for more books written by this author.

I just wish the chapters were longer. And I was hoping the love scenes would be more detailed, at least to reflect the development in the MCs' relationship from when the first "hate-fucking" happened, down to when they decided to be gentler with each other. This would've been a 5-star book if it weren't for these. The chemistry of the MCs was done so well.

This one's a real page-turner :)

[John T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and salty

I just loved this story. I sat down today and read the whole thing, I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the two main characters. My wife and I have this little thing where we get on each other’s shit. We tease and to others it seems as if we are being mean to each other. Sometimes it gets a little raunchy but we laugh at each other and we have fun. It’s kind of like this book. When you find that person that just gets you hold on to them for dear life!

[victoria.p · Rating 3 out of 5]

maybe 3.5? It was cute and I enjoyed it, but it was a little claustrophobic in that only the two leads were fleshed out, and even that was tenuous - we never saw Robyn interact with anyone but her terrible girlfriend or Jodie with anyone but her brother.

[D.M. Dowdal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

British baking shows, comedy and enemies to lovers, what's not to love? Miss West is as usual on point. I can't wait to read whatever she puts out next.

[Best Lesfic Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The romcom specialist delivers a gallopingly entertaining bit of full with this one.

Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh...?

I think a lot of people could enjoy this, I just forced myself through it.

[TheBrat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, just wished there was more shown of them being a couple.

[J.Rats · Rating 5 out of 5]

#leyendofuerte otra novelita romántica de Natasha West, que es la Danielle Steele del lesbianismo. Cada vez que el algoritmo de Amazon ve que vamos de vacaciones, me ofrece el prime reading gratis un par de meses y tengo que dejar todas las lecturas de la lista para leer las novelitas románticas de lesbianas de Natasha West.

¿Es un guilty pleasure? SÍ.
¿Lo disfruto a tope? infinitamente.

Está en particular va de unas chicas que se conocen en un concurso de cocina de la tv y pasan de enemigas a amantes. Muy entretenido si te gustan los concursos de cocina, la tele o las novelas de amor de lesbianas.

Le doy: unas galletitas recién horneadas 🍪🍪 y una tonga de libros de novelitas de amor de lesbianas 📚

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. I love a romance set on a reality show. They’re just so much fun to me. This one was pretty good. Jodie and Robyn were so obnoxious together but I loved them together. If that makes sense. The way that they interacted was so incredibly hostile and it worked for them. Jodie is extremely rude and stand offish and I *love* her. Something about an emotionally constipated woman that does it for me every time. Robyn despite being really shy and timid knew how to hold her own with Jodie. Her relationship with Jodie really brought her out of her shell which was great to see. They had fantastic chemistry. It’s a closed door romance but it was still hot and passionate between them. The reality show was fun and I like the way it wrapped up in the end. Cute and light read.

[Alisha Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the mood for a sweet, fluffy read and Sweetest Thing fit the bill. I'm a sucker for a hate-to-love romance and adding in a reality baking show element? Well, now that's just a really great fanfic trope and I wholeheartedly approved. I didn't like how cartoony the "villains" were (or why this book even needed villains) and the sex scenes were kind of stale, but overall this was a cute book that can be read in one sitting.

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down

I enjoyed this story so much. I’m speechless. The way this story was told was so original. I highly recommend it to everyone. I’m sure you do not want to put it down, not even for a minute.

[Laura-Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and their interplay was amazing. I loved how the relationship developed and getting both MCs POV was fantastic. Well written and the narrative flowed easily.

[Bennett]

Turn the first page and you have to keep on.

I love Natasha West's stories this is an obvious take on Bake Off as a background but with a bite to it.

Started at 10 pm and finished at 9 am next morning. Did manage to get some sleep.