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Beaufort Poker Club #1
Poker Face
Every girl dreams about meeting her celebrity crush–Running into them on the street and snapping a selfie. Maybe even being saved like a gorgeous damsel and having said celebrity crush sweep her off of her feet. Me personally? Let’s just say that me and the Hemsworth boys have had our fair share of imaginary meet-cutes.
I’m not picky. I’d take any of them.
The thing is, every girl dreams about what she would do if she got to meet her celebrity crush, but no one dreams about what they’d do if they met their celebrity nemesis. Let me tell you–I have a celebrity nemesis. And he was sitting in front of me wearing a scowl that could be seen from space.
And ten hours earlier I had been sitting on his lap, clinging to him like a koala while his tongue was down my throat.
Pastry chef Madeline Dorsey only hates a few things: people who think that charcuterie boards are an acceptable substitution for dinner, last call at the bar, idiots who don’t return their shopping carts to the corral, and celebrity chef and restaurateur Luca DeRossi.
When her mortal enemy buys out the restaurant that Maddie views as her kingdom, right on the heels of criticizing her on national television, she has no choice but to go toe to toe with him.
Luca DeRossi was expecting a sleepy, coastal fishing town to be a little more, well, quiet. That is, until a spitfire hurricane of blonde hair comes whirling into his life without warning.
Staying in Beaufort, North Carolina isn’t part of his plan and letting a chef with an ego the size of Mars best her isn’t on her agenda. When Maddie realizes that Luca isn’t quite the judgemental grump he pretends to be, she has to decide which side of him to believe. Maybe there really is a heart of gold underneath all those designer suits. Maybe he’s just a jerk. His poker face is too good to tell.
Get ready for Maddie and Luca, their epic meet-cute that turns into a meet-hate, a group of obnoxiously lovable friends, and all the FIRE. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
“Poker Face” is the first book in the Beaufort Poker Club series. This book is an enemies to lovers romance that features a grumpy hero with a swoony side with a heroine that would rather be jumping off of roofs than picking out glass slippers, a feels-packed love story with a fairy tale happily ever after, and some moments that are so hot they’ll melt your Kindle. You’ve been warned.
I’m not picky. I’d take any of them.
The thing is, every girl dreams about what she would do if she got to meet her celebrity crush, but no one dreams about what they’d do if they met their celebrity nemesis. Let me tell you–I have a celebrity nemesis. And he was sitting in front of me wearing a scowl that could be seen from space.
And ten hours earlier I had been sitting on his lap, clinging to him like a koala while his tongue was down my throat.
Pastry chef Madeline Dorsey only hates a few things: people who think that charcuterie boards are an acceptable substitution for dinner, last call at the bar, idiots who don’t return their shopping carts to the corral, and celebrity chef and restaurateur Luca DeRossi.
When her mortal enemy buys out the restaurant that Maddie views as her kingdom, right on the heels of criticizing her on national television, she has no choice but to go toe to toe with him.
Luca DeRossi was expecting a sleepy, coastal fishing town to be a little more, well, quiet. That is, until a spitfire hurricane of blonde hair comes whirling into his life without warning.
Staying in Beaufort, North Carolina isn’t part of his plan and letting a chef with an ego the size of Mars best her isn’t on her agenda. When Maddie realizes that Luca isn’t quite the judgemental grump he pretends to be, she has to decide which side of him to believe. Maybe there really is a heart of gold underneath all those designer suits. Maybe he’s just a jerk. His poker face is too good to tell.
Get ready for Maddie and Luca, their epic meet-cute that turns into a meet-hate, a group of obnoxiously lovable friends, and all the FIRE. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
“Poker Face” is the first book in the Beaufort Poker Club series. This book is an enemies to lovers romance that features a grumpy hero with a swoony side with a heroine that would rather be jumping off of roofs than picking out glass slippers, a feels-packed love story with a fairy tale happily ever after, and some moments that are so hot they’ll melt your Kindle. You’ve been warned.
Paperback
First published May 3, 2021
737 people are currently reading
4289 people want to read
About the author
Maggie C. Gates
24 books2,174 followersMaggie Gates writes raw, relatable, romance novels packed full of heat and humor. Maggie calls North Carolina home. In her spare time she enjoys daydreaming about her characters, jamming to country music, and eating all the barbecue and tacos she can find! Her Kindle is always within reach due to a love of small town romances that borders on obsession.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
dnf
October 8, 2025"Grief was a wicked thing to bear. It was the price of having too much love and no one to give it to."
DNF at 20%.
Nothing wrong with it, I just thought it would take a different direction than it did, and I'm not feeling it atm. Might give it another shot later on.
DNF at 20%.
Nothing wrong with it, I just thought it would take a different direction than it did, and I'm not feeling it atm. Might give it another shot later on.
June 10, 2025
6/3 - audio reread 🎧 so far not loving these narrators 😬
glad I already read the ebook, this probably would have lowered my initial rating/love for this book….
________
OMGG A NEW FAV BOOK & INSTANT FAV AUTHOR!!!
I’m about to go down a Maggie Gates rabbit hole 🙃
adding on 1/23/2025:
I LOVED this book!
⭐️: ♾
🌶️: open door, several scenes
I'm going to attempt to review this series, though I took barely any notes because I was SO INVESTED!
I loved Maddie's character, her wild spirit and zest for life.
I loved the dynamic between her and Luca, the banter, the tension - perfect.
read if you love:
1️⃣ one night stand to enemies to lovers
🥘 celebrity chef mmc
🧁 pastry chef fmc
🍽 workplace - restaurant owner/chef
🌳 small town
🫶🏼 found family
💞 dual 1st person pov
*trigger warning - death of a friend to cancer
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
glad I already read the ebook, this probably would have lowered my initial rating/love for this book….
________
OMGG A NEW FAV BOOK & INSTANT FAV AUTHOR!!!
I’m about to go down a Maggie Gates rabbit hole 🙃
adding on 1/23/2025:
I LOVED this book!
⭐️: ♾
🌶️: open door, several scenes
I'm going to attempt to review this series, though I took barely any notes because I was SO INVESTED!
I loved Maddie's character, her wild spirit and zest for life.
I loved the dynamic between her and Luca, the banter, the tension - perfect.
read if you love:
1️⃣ one night stand to enemies to lovers
🥘 celebrity chef mmc
🧁 pastry chef fmc
🍽 workplace - restaurant owner/chef
🌳 small town
🫶🏼 found family
💞 dual 1st person pov
*trigger warning - death of a friend to cancer
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
July 8, 2024
2/2.5⭐️ Small town, enemies to lovers romance about two chefs, Luca and Madeline.
I am definitely in the minority here but it’s never taken me this long to get through a book. It draaaaaaagged and it pains me to admit this because the writing is good and I like the author. I even think the characters and plot are decent but there were so many issues I couldn’t ignore.
Madeline is a pastry chef who has a hatred for famous celeb chef Luca. She loathes him so much so, that she tweets hate messages to him regularly. Her reason for hating him- kind of stupid. But what I couldn’t get past was that when she meets him randomly at a hotel gym, she doesn’t recognize him with a beard. I’m sorry but how? A beard doesn’t change the fore face and mid face ?? And he even says his name is Luke—- how did that not connect the dots for Maddie? You hate someone so much but don’t know what he looks like?
I didn’t like Maddie or Luca. Maddie was a bump on a log and Luca was not believable (falling in love immediately). Maddie’s stubbornness was not cute nor endearing to me.
The drama was anticlimactic and so was the resolution. 🫠🫠🫠
I am definitely in the minority here but it’s never taken me this long to get through a book. It draaaaaaagged and it pains me to admit this because the writing is good and I like the author. I even think the characters and plot are decent but there were so many issues I couldn’t ignore.
Madeline is a pastry chef who has a hatred for famous celeb chef Luca. She loathes him so much so, that she tweets hate messages to him regularly. Her reason for hating him- kind of stupid. But what I couldn’t get past was that when she meets him randomly at a hotel gym, she doesn’t recognize him with a beard. I’m sorry but how? A beard doesn’t change the fore face and mid face ?? And he even says his name is Luke—- how did that not connect the dots for Maddie? You hate someone so much but don’t know what he looks like?
I didn’t like Maddie or Luca. Maddie was a bump on a log and Luca was not believable (falling in love immediately). Maddie’s stubbornness was not cute nor endearing to me.
The drama was anticlimactic and so was the resolution. 🫠🫠🫠
June 14, 2022
3 ⭐️ out of 5.
I loved the first half of this book. Typical enemies to lovers trope, which I love. Sexual tension, rude comments, teasing. It’s all so fun.
However I found myself bored with the second half. Nothing really happened besides the typical almost break up that was only one chapter or two. I did end up skimming a bit when they had the same argument about 3 times.
I still did enjoy the writing style though, and quite enjoyed the fieriness of the main lead, Maddie. Maybe it’s because I read this right after Love Hypothesis, which I LOVED. Must be comparing them too much.
Would still recommend for anyone who wants a cheesy enemies to lovers romance.
I loved the first half of this book. Typical enemies to lovers trope, which I love. Sexual tension, rude comments, teasing. It’s all so fun.
However I found myself bored with the second half. Nothing really happened besides the typical almost break up that was only one chapter or two. I did end up skimming a bit when they had the same argument about 3 times.
I still did enjoy the writing style though, and quite enjoyed the fieriness of the main lead, Maddie. Maybe it’s because I read this right after Love Hypothesis, which I LOVED. Must be comparing them too much.
Would still recommend for anyone who wants a cheesy enemies to lovers romance.
March 14, 2024
Poker Face - Maggie Gates
**BOOK REC**
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒚.
Maggie mfing Gates does it to me again. If the quotes don't sell you then I don't know what to say 🤣 I friggin LOVED these two. Chefs, banter, spice, SWOON. This literally had it all. My name is Brittany am I am addicted to Maggie Gates MCs.
“𝑶𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆?”
“𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉?” 𝑰 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉.
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚.”
Luca and Maddie have a meet cute and didn't realize who the other was....until Maddie shows up to her Pastry competition and her nemesis is one of the judges. Let the enemies banter ensue! Maddie goes home never wanting to see Luc again....except he bought the restaurant she works at and Luc has no intention other then to make Maddie fall for him. Guys...please read this one...you won't regret it.
“𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆...𝑺𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒕.”
🧑🏼🍳Chef/Pastry Chef
🎂Forced Proximity
🧑🏼🍳Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
🎂Small Town
**BOOK REC**
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒚.
Maggie mfing Gates does it to me again. If the quotes don't sell you then I don't know what to say 🤣 I friggin LOVED these two. Chefs, banter, spice, SWOON. This literally had it all. My name is Brittany am I am addicted to Maggie Gates MCs.
“𝑶𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆?”
“𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉?” 𝑰 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉.
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚.”
Luca and Maddie have a meet cute and didn't realize who the other was....until Maddie shows up to her Pastry competition and her nemesis is one of the judges. Let the enemies banter ensue! Maddie goes home never wanting to see Luc again....except he bought the restaurant she works at and Luc has no intention other then to make Maddie fall for him. Guys...please read this one...you won't regret it.
“𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆...𝑺𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒕.”
🧑🏼🍳Chef/Pastry Chef
🎂Forced Proximity
🧑🏼🍳Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
🎂Small Town
June 27, 2025
Yaniiii çıtır çerez seriye başlamadık bir kitaptı. Sevdim ama bir tık uzun gibiydi sanki 👉🏻👈🏻
Özellikle sondaki drama yani olmasa da olurdu bence ben bu tarz ayrılıkları çok sevmiyorum tam bizim Türk dizi klişemiz 😂
Yine de seriye başladık devamı gelir. 2.kitabın karakterleri için heyecanlıyım.onlar canımız acıtacak gibi duruyor 🥲
Özellikle sondaki drama yani olmasa da olurdu bence ben bu tarz ayrılıkları çok sevmiyorum tam bizim Türk dizi klişemiz 😂
Yine de seriye başladık devamı gelir. 2.kitabın karakterleri için heyecanlıyım.onlar canımız acıtacak gibi duruyor 🥲
April 18, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up, rtc!
May 4, 2021
Poker Face by Maggie Gates is the first book in the Beaufort Poker Club series. Poker Club is an enemies-to-lovers, small-town romance. Madeline Dorsey is the executive chef at Revanche, a high-class restaurant located in her hometown of Beaufort, North Carolina. Madeline, also known as Maddie, is a feisty, sassy, and hurricane-esque woman who is in Los Angeles to participate in Pastry Throwdown. Unbeknownst to her, she bumps into Luca, a celebrity chef, and hospitality group CEO, at the gym. The two go on an amazing date and make out until the early hours of the morning only to find out he’s one of the judges of the Pastry Showdown and Maddie’s celebrity arch-nemesis. Maddie hates Luca with a passion and at the end of the competition returns home only to discover Luca is the new owner of Revanche. Thus begins a showdown of sorts, but it’s only a matter of time before Maddie succumbs to the fire burning between them.
I LOVED IT. This book has everything I could want in a book and more. A sassy and feisty heroine who is a star in her own right. Check. A sexy and confident Italian hero who says the most captivating Italian phrases. Check. Lovable and supportive friends group that meddle in each other’s matters. Check. Banter, wit, and hilarious dialogue will have your face hurting because of all the smiling throughout the book. Check. I loved Maddie and Luca, their chemistry, and their relationship.
All the characters in this book, the main and supporting were well-developed and amazing in their own way. There was just enough about the other characters to warrant anticipation for their books in the series and I can’t wait for more about this group of characters. The characters were flawed and realistic making them relatable.
Poker face is a well-written addictive read that had me captivated and enthralled from the first page. The writing in this book flows effortlessly and you won’t realize you’ve stayed up reading this book until it’s too late! It was way too easy to get lost in the pages of this book and I am looking forward to the next book in this series!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I LOVED IT. This book has everything I could want in a book and more. A sassy and feisty heroine who is a star in her own right. Check. A sexy and confident Italian hero who says the most captivating Italian phrases. Check. Lovable and supportive friends group that meddle in each other’s matters. Check. Banter, wit, and hilarious dialogue will have your face hurting because of all the smiling throughout the book. Check. I loved Maddie and Luca, their chemistry, and their relationship.
All the characters in this book, the main and supporting were well-developed and amazing in their own way. There was just enough about the other characters to warrant anticipation for their books in the series and I can’t wait for more about this group of characters. The characters were flawed and realistic making them relatable.
Poker face is a well-written addictive read that had me captivated and enthralled from the first page. The writing in this book flows effortlessly and you won’t realize you’ve stayed up reading this book until it’s too late! It was way too easy to get lost in the pages of this book and I am looking forward to the next book in this series!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 22, 2022
Oh my gosh! This small town second chance romance is a MUST. I have been begged by a friend to read this series and book 1 was so good, I cannot wait to hear everyone else’s stories! There’s spice, there’s drama, there’s a badass FMC, and there’s even parts that will tug at your heart strings 💙
June 18, 2024
Oh incredible. I expected nothing less from my girl Maggie. I was giggling so much. The y’all-ification of our Italian New Yorker man Luca was so silly and fun. I almost feel like they got together -too- quickly? It’s entirely possible that’s just my hard on for slow burns talking. Love Maddie and her poker club so much I already can’t wait to read the other FIVE books in this series. Also since I read the Falls Creek series and Griffith Brothers already, this feels like an Easter egg hunt. Will be waiting on the edge of my seat for whatever goes down between Chase and Bridget by the end of this
March 16, 2022
I would’ve read this a lot faster, but i was in a major reading slump. This is a small town romance book with a little bit of enemies to lovers in it. Maddie hated Luca, but he had no clue as to why she did for awhile. Over time Maddie started to put her guard down and get to know him which lead up to her liking him. I loved watching their relationship grow & this was just truly an amazing story. I can’t wait to read Steve’s story in the second book!
September 19, 2024
#bored
May 20, 2024
I love Maggie Gates.
I’ll most likely start every review for her the same.
Her writing is crack.
Disclaimer: I read the Griffith brothers books and falls creek series before starting this series. Easter egg hunting I go.
I’m excited for this group of friends.
Beaufort NC, little beachside town.
Luca, speaks Italian and calls her Tesoro. Swoon. Bigwig restaurant owner/chef extraordinaire.
Maddie: spitfire pastry chef
Boss/employee
Poker club
He falls first
I’ll most likely start every review for her the same.
Her writing is crack.
Disclaimer: I read the Griffith brothers books and falls creek series before starting this series. Easter egg hunting I go.
I’m excited for this group of friends.
Beaufort NC, little beachside town.
Luca, speaks Italian and calls her Tesoro. Swoon. Bigwig restaurant owner/chef extraordinaire.
Maddie: spitfire pastry chef
Boss/employee
Poker club
He falls first
May 9, 2024
Liked the preview and the guy falling first is always a good trope. But it also fell a little flat, maybe it’s also my reading slump making every reading minute miserable. But we persevere.
May 24, 2024
Had to find out who Luca Derossi was after his appearance at Griffith Ranch. He did not disappoint 🤌🏽
June 14, 2024
I loved everything about Luca and Maddie’s story. The whole book had me kicking my feet and giggling. I can’t wait to spend 5 more books in Beaufort!
January 27, 2025
What a fun series to start in ENC 💛
December 9, 2024
I was not invested in either character or story.. It was bland..
I enjoyed the friend group more...
I will read the other books for the other characters..
In love with Bridget and Chase already!
I am glad I did not start reading Maggie's books with this one because the other ones I have read are amazing and were true to my taste :)
I enjoyed the friend group more...
I will read the other books for the other characters..
In love with Bridget and Chase already!
I am glad I did not start reading Maggie's books with this one because the other ones I have read are amazing and were true to my taste :)
July 16, 2022
I though the book was okay. It was cute in some ways…however I found Luca to be too controlling, it kind of put me off a bit. I think it would have been so much better without that aspect, he was kind of likable at first until his money came into play.
November 20, 2024
4.5⭐️
I don’t know why I waited so long to start this series. Luca & Maddie are a delight! I’m completely in love with this friend group and can’t wait to read their books.
The shoutouts to Scott Conant & The Pasta Grannies made my day.
I don’t know why I waited so long to start this series. Luca & Maddie are a delight! I’m completely in love with this friend group and can’t wait to read their books.
The shoutouts to Scott Conant & The Pasta Grannies made my day.
May 1, 2021
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review!
This novel is the first of Maggie C. Gates' that I have read. The story takes place in a small town, which is always my favorite setting, and is filled with a great group of supporting characters that readers will definitely want more of.
Luca and Maddie meet while they're both on business in LA. They have an incredible night together but find out the next day that Luca is one of the judges on the baking competition Maddie is hoping to win. Of course he has to be the mean judge, too.
Not only does fate bring them together twice in LA, but they stumble upon each other again after Maddie returns home to North Carolina.
Luca is charming and nothing like the jerk he portrays to the media, but Maddie still isn't so sure about him.
Overall, the characters had great chemistry, and you'll definitely get a HEA. The side characters are loyal and loving, and readers will definitely want to more about them. Luca is a dream, and any woman would want his attention, but Maddie was hard to love. Luca did everything he could to prove himself to her, and she just couldn't let go of the issues SHE put on him. Her impression of him came from the media and from something she hadn't experienced first-hand years ago. It's as though Luca is forced to spend the entire book proving that he's a good guy, when he's never really been a bad one.
Yet Maddie does nothing to get over her own issues. Luca does all the work, loves her, cherishes her, respects her, and Maddie doesn't believe any of it. She spends the whole time running from him and he continually chases her.
This book is a good read and has definitely left me wanting more from the other characters the readers get glimpses of.
This novel is the first of Maggie C. Gates' that I have read. The story takes place in a small town, which is always my favorite setting, and is filled with a great group of supporting characters that readers will definitely want more of.
Luca and Maddie meet while they're both on business in LA. They have an incredible night together but find out the next day that Luca is one of the judges on the baking competition Maddie is hoping to win. Of course he has to be the mean judge, too.
Not only does fate bring them together twice in LA, but they stumble upon each other again after Maddie returns home to North Carolina.
Luca is charming and nothing like the jerk he portrays to the media, but Maddie still isn't so sure about him.
Overall, the characters had great chemistry, and you'll definitely get a HEA. The side characters are loyal and loving, and readers will definitely want to more about them. Luca is a dream, and any woman would want his attention, but Maddie was hard to love. Luca did everything he could to prove himself to her, and she just couldn't let go of the issues SHE put on him. Her impression of him came from the media and from something she hadn't experienced first-hand years ago. It's as though Luca is forced to spend the entire book proving that he's a good guy, when he's never really been a bad one.
Yet Maddie does nothing to get over her own issues. Luca does all the work, loves her, cherishes her, respects her, and Maddie doesn't believe any of it. She spends the whole time running from him and he continually chases her.
This book is a good read and has definitely left me wanting more from the other characters the readers get glimpses of.
December 13, 2023
I had the honor of meeting Maggie at the HEA signing last month. I asked her where I should start with her books and she did not disappoint! This is the first book in her Beaufort Poker Club Series, and after reading this I can not wait to dive right back into this world!
Luca saw Maddie and just knew, he knew he needed her in his life and not for a moment but for all of the moments. Unfortunately Maddie didn’t agree. I love a good “he fell first” story, I love watching Luca do all he can to get her on the same page.
This is a great story with a family of friends, proving that you don’t need blood to be a family and be there for each other. Maddie has that with the Poker club, they are a tight, protective group who reluctantly let Luca into the fold.
Maggie Gates is a new to me author, but now that I’ve started, I’m not going to stop! If you like sassy take no BS heroines and heroes who love them this is definitely the story for you! I can’t wait to read this whole series, and if you haven’t read it, come join me in the adventure!
Luca saw Maddie and just knew, he knew he needed her in his life and not for a moment but for all of the moments. Unfortunately Maddie didn’t agree. I love a good “he fell first” story, I love watching Luca do all he can to get her on the same page.
This is a great story with a family of friends, proving that you don’t need blood to be a family and be there for each other. Maddie has that with the Poker club, they are a tight, protective group who reluctantly let Luca into the fold.
Maggie Gates is a new to me author, but now that I’ve started, I’m not going to stop! If you like sassy take no BS heroines and heroes who love them this is definitely the story for you! I can’t wait to read this whole series, and if you haven’t read it, come join me in the adventure!
April 3, 2025
Overall a good contemporary romance with some fun moments. You get the basic guy meets girl and they are attracted, but somehow she doesn't recognize him (which makes no sense whatsoever). Well never mind that she competes in a baking show and he's a judge (which she knows, yep there's that). She wins because she's the best baker ever and goes home.
Turns out said judge just so happens to be buying the restaurant she works in and did I mention she hates him ... which you never ACTUALLY find out why she hates him.
Anyway, it's a typical enemy to lovers, on her side. He chases her, she gives in, they have sex, they fall in love, she thinks he's cheating, he's not, comes home after being away for a bit on business and apologizes ... we're all good.
Honestly, it was a good story overall and not badly written, but Maggie, the main character, was a complete nutjob and all over the place. And as I mentioned above, I never could figure out why she didn't like him, or how she didn't recognize him because that was just stupid. But in the end, she marries him, so I guess it's all good.
Now to the huge elephant in the room. In this story, right near the beginning, a close friend dies. And well that's it. She's mentioned a bit here and there, and she was married to her best friend Steve, but it's like "poof" and she's gone. It was the sort of thing that I felt could have been left out of the story, i.e. the actual death part, and could have still been part of the storyline because it will, of course, impact Steven's story in a later book. It didn't lend much to the overall story and left me feeling that none of them, i.e. Maggie and all of her poker friends, who were all supposed to be close to this person, didn't care. And I don't think that was the case.
Anyway, I may continue to book two at some point, but I'm not in any particular hurry to do so.
Turns out said judge just so happens to be buying the restaurant she works in and did I mention she hates him ... which you never ACTUALLY find out why she hates him.
Anyway, it's a typical enemy to lovers, on her side. He chases her, she gives in, they have sex, they fall in love, she thinks he's cheating, he's not, comes home after being away for a bit on business and apologizes ... we're all good.
Honestly, it was a good story overall and not badly written, but Maggie, the main character, was a complete nutjob and all over the place. And as I mentioned above, I never could figure out why she didn't like him, or how she didn't recognize him because that was just stupid. But in the end, she marries him, so I guess it's all good.
Now to the huge elephant in the room. In this story, right near the beginning, a close friend dies. And well that's it. She's mentioned a bit here and there, and she was married to her best friend Steve, but it's like "poof" and she's gone. It was the sort of thing that I felt could have been left out of the story, i.e. the actual death part, and could have still been part of the storyline because it will, of course, impact Steven's story in a later book. It didn't lend much to the overall story and left me feeling that none of them, i.e. Maggie and all of her poker friends, who were all supposed to be close to this person, didn't care. And I don't think that was the case.
Anyway, I may continue to book two at some point, but I'm not in any particular hurry to do so.
May 3, 2021
A “new to me” author that has quickly crawled into the depths of my heart and so easily slipped onto my “go to” author shelf. This book has dimensional, flawed characters that you can’t help but connect with. You will laugh your ass of while swooning over Luca while praying Maggie gets her head out of her own. The steam (holy hot) and banter are so well paced that it keeps you reading. I didn’t feel any lulls in this book and that’s rare for me to find. Cant wait for more releases from this authored.
November 30, 2021
If Hallmark and Food Network got together and had a baby🥰
I absolutely loved it.
Maddie and Luca's love is perfect.
Luca the hot celebrity chef who comes off as a jersey, Maddie the talented workaholic pastry chef meet in an unexpected way then fate brings them back to each other.
It started off as Maddie couldn't stand him but turned into couldn't stand to be away from him
I am a hobby baker. So this was a definite fall in head first no looking back book. Absolutely loved it
I cannot wait to start the next book!
I absolutely loved it.
Maddie and Luca's love is perfect.
Luca the hot celebrity chef who comes off as a jersey, Maddie the talented workaholic pastry chef meet in an unexpected way then fate brings them back to each other.
It started off as Maddie couldn't stand him but turned into couldn't stand to be away from him
I am a hobby baker. So this was a definite fall in head first no looking back book. Absolutely loved it
I cannot wait to start the next book!
July 17, 2025
3.5⭐️ found family will always be my favourite trope and this is just chefs kiss! Obsessed with the fact it’s a mixed friend group who all just platonically love each other and are there for eachother. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series as I feel it will only get better!!
Also, this one in particular felt to me very much like a bake off contestant x gordon ramsey and I was here for it.
Only 3.5 as some of the spice was a bit too cringe and I hated how the conflict was resolved with zero conversation just straight away sex but other than that a fab read!
Also, this one in particular felt to me very much like a bake off contestant x gordon ramsey and I was here for it.
Only 3.5 as some of the spice was a bit too cringe and I hated how the conflict was resolved with zero conversation just straight away sex but other than that a fab read!
November 9, 2021
Excellent book full of heart and heat!
I found this amazingly talented author completely by chance! She's in another book group for an author we both love. So glad I found her and her book Poker Face! What a fun read, and what a ride! Some parts had me sobbing and others had me blushing from the heat! Maddie and Luis were incredible to get to know as well as the rest of the poker club crew. Going to one click the rest of this series asap! Very enjoyable read!
I found this amazingly talented author completely by chance! She's in another book group for an author we both love. So glad I found her and her book Poker Face! What a fun read, and what a ride! Some parts had me sobbing and others had me blushing from the heat! Maddie and Luis were incredible to get to know as well as the rest of the poker club crew. Going to one click the rest of this series asap! Very enjoyable read!
November 12, 2021
This book was so wonderful! I loved being introduced to the Poker Club, they are a fun bunch of people who really know what it means to be there for eachother. All I want to do is meet them at Jokers for a margarita! Maddie and Luca's story was so great and the spice makes me look at hurricanes totally differently. If you like a strong alpha and a fiesty heroin, this is the book for you! Nonna would definitely tell you that this book is worth a read!
June 6, 2025
i was really enjoying this until the whole third act breakupish thing. i am the biggest hater of the third act breakup. i like the whole baker chef coz i love people who can cook. also i love the poker club. i really wanna read about isaac’s story and kristin’s. they’re the two that intrigue me the most at the moment. mostly because i read kirstin’s brother’s book already and im so curious about her and will. 3.5 stars.
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