“Friends to lovers at its best– a sweet indulgence I couldn’t put down!” – R.S. Grey, USA Today Bestselling Author
Baking Me Crazy, the first in the romantic comedy Donner Bakery Series of standalones, from Karla Sorensen is available now!
Tricia’s Musings…
3.5 Sonic CROWNS
Baking Me Crazy is the first stand-alone book in the Smartypants Romance collection and is a sweet, slow burn, best friends to lovers romance.
On the whole, I enjoyed Levi and Joss’s story very much. They’re likeable, characters with endearing personalities and I particularly loved the friendship between them. How Joss experiences life in a wheelchair, the challenges it brings, the changes to her everyday life and adaptations that have to be made, together with the way she is perceived by others is well written. I felt that these moments were communicated in a natural way, sometimes with humor, but always in a way so as to inform, enlighten and perhaps educate rather than to lecture the reader.
Levi is a hugely likeable character and his feelings for Joss leapt from the page. He has been in love with her for many years and thanks to chapters from his point of view, this doesn’t come as a surprise to us. I would, however, have preferred to have felt more of Joss’s developing emotions, especially as she’s had Levi firmly placed in the friend zone with thoughts of romance with him the furthest thing from her mind. Although the change in their relationship status didn’t seem particularly awkward, I would’ve liked to have seen more of an exploration of her feelings and a little more of the romance between them and, just a personal preference, a little more drama.
There’s a lovely cast of supporting characters, especially Levi’s family, who I would love to learn more about.
Overall, this is a light, fun read, a feel good story that’s very low on angst, with a satisfying HEA.
Synopsis:
I’m Levi Buchanan, and until five years ago, I thought the legend of my family’s curse was a load of crazy, Southern nonsense.
No curse can make you fall in love at first sight. No curse can force a true, deep, passionate, all-consuming love that will haunt you all the days of your life.
Then I met Jocelyn Abernathy and I realized how completely wrong I was.
The problem is, Jocelyn guards her feelings like well-armed soldier. She’s the most beautiful, stubborn, infuriating woman I’ve ever met. Every time she talks, I want to kiss the living daylights out of her. But I can’t.
Because when we met, she didn’t need true love. She needed a best friend. And that’s what I’ve been to her… for five years.
But when Jocelyn meets a handsome stranger her first day working at Donner Bakery and she lets him buy her a dill pickle cupcake, I realize with ominous regret that I may have missed my window with my best friend.
If I can’t get her to see past our friendship, my new curse may be to watch the love of my life move on with someone else.
‘Baking Me Crazy’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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About Karla Sorensen
Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and big, shaggy rescue dog.
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Website: http://www.karlasorensen.com/
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Happy reading,
This book is on my TBR. Great review!
Added to TBR. This is a new author for me.
Added to TBR. Also, this cover makes me crave a pastry