The Cake King

Sugar & Spice #1

by Rosie Chase

I've always been told I can't have my cake and eat it too. But when celebrity baker Michael Godwin wants a piece of me... how can I deny him?

Sam Davis has been fan-girling over Michael “The Cake King” Godwin for years. So, when she receives a letter from Godwin asking her to compete in a private baking competition where the prize could pull her (and her adoptive family) out of poverty, how can she say no?

There’s just one problem: Sam is an amateur baker from a no-name restaurant in a tiny town nobody’s ever heard of. How is she supposed to hold her own against some of the country’s best up-and-coming pastry chefs?

She’ll have to dig deep and discover what she’s really made of if she wants to win because the prize here isn’t just first place. It’s The Cake King’s heart.

This RomCom is a silly but very sexy take on baking competitions, billionaire romance, and sugary sweet happy endings. Full of bawdy jokes and brilliant besties baking their way to a happily ever after, each of the Sugar and Spice novellas are meant to be devoured in a couple of hours and--taking place over the same two weeks--they can be read in any order.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Rom Com

133 pages, ebook

First published January 10, 2020

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 Stars

Even though it is a short novel, I still expected a little more from it. I was drawn to this book because of the baking contest and I must say that it was well explained and shown during the whole story.
Sam and Michael's relationship developed in a fast way, but that was to be expected. I just didn't like how they kind of hinted at marriage at the end, that was just a bit too much for my taste. Also, their relationship had no conflict whatsoever. Don't get me wrong here, I'm glad there was no unnecessary drama, but here everything ran too smoothly and it was all way too simple.

[Laura ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *


The Cake King centers on Michael Godwin, the Cake King, who invites bakers to compete to help with his celebrity sister's wedding. This was absolutely ridiculous and over the top. While mildly entertaining, I felt it lacked depth. The language was far too descriptive and seemed to be trying far too hard to sound cool/quirky. It just ended up making me cringe a lot of the time!

I wish there had been more baking, and less self-deprecation on Sam's part!

And Sam and Michael's relationship was given absolutely no time at all - they went straight from not speaking to hot and heavy and 'in love'.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this because of the cute cover, which, coincidentally, was the best part of the book for me. Really quickly it became clear that this was not going to be for me, but it was less than an hour to read, so I finished.

On the plus side:
- So ridiculous that it's funny.
- They're competing to bake the wedding cake for a celebrity wedding, and the couple is f/f, which is nice.
- All the female characters are nice to each other.
- The deep love the heroine has for her vibrator.

On the minus side:
- This competition is SO. WEIRD. Like, he literally sends messages inviting these bakers to compete. It's not a reality show but it takes like a week or two. Who has the time for this???
- There are so many lines where the heroine comments on his friend Oliver and how douchey he seems, but they barely interact. Clearly he's a love interest later in the series, but his character felt so pointless in this book.
- Actually, most of the characters felt pointless. There are a lot of them considering how short this is.
- And she has more chemistry with her vibrator than the hero.
- It feels like it's trying SO hard with the humor and the dirty talk, and I have no freaking clue who any of these people are.
- HOW did no one care that she was banging the guy running the competition???? That's a serious problem, and they're all like it's fine. Heroine questions it a couple of times, but decides it's okay, even though he does actually tell her the challenges early so she totally cheats!
- But I guess it doesn't matter because she ends up leaving the competition because she loves him so much after dating for a couple of days and she no longer wants to win; she just wants him. HE IS NOW HER ASPIRATION.

I want to give this two stars for the sheer entertainment value of the overwrought, baking-themed sex scenes, but I just can't. I don't think this was good. Now for your enjoyment, some quotes from said sex scenes to...finish us off.

I cracked open like a crème brûlée and inside I was all warm, gooey, sweetness. I was heat. I was pleasure. I was beautiful and ugly and delicious. I was coming apart and whole at once.

Literally cannot stop laughing about this orgasm. Now to the beach for some sex in the waves.

He held me tight, sat back on his calves, lifted me with him. Easy as pie. Like I weighed nothing. And then I was astride him, riding him. What had begun as some kind of tribute to a sleek, 80s music video became hungry, messy.
Michael gripped my hips and worked me, pounded into me, so our bodies thundered together and each crash as he filled me, completely, brought stars to my eyes. My head lolled back as his hand slid down to my ass, held me tight, slowed me down.
"God damn, Sam. You're fucking killing me."
The growl of his voice. The desperate hold on his control. The way he looked at me through those long, black lashes, the ambrosial honey shining in the moonlight. Like he would devour me. Eat me whole. And I would thank him for the privilege.

Um yeah, this is a thing I read.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Have Mixed Feelings

Ok so this wasn't good but it wasn't bad either. It's in one of those middle stages where it could have gone either way. I liked the romance between the main characters but the self deprecating was a little unbearable and I hated how she assumed that because he had money he couldnt be a real person with real feelings. Michael was genuine from the beginning and I think she took that for granted. She insulted him in a of of ways and I'm glad he had enough patience not to take it personally. The baking scenes were also really good but I wanted more. I would have loved a little more detail about the inner workings of the competition. The friendships between the contestants was also great especially the relationship Sam had with Rai. I loved Rai and I know she has her own book so I'll love to check that out. Great love scenes. I'll be picking the next one.

[Ana Ramos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I only finished it by how short the story is but I had lots of struggles trying to keep my interest afloat and it felt more like I was forcing myself rather than enjoying it.
I believe this is a book for a very specific taste and shamely it wasn't for me.
I couldn't connect with any of the characters and I felt no interest to whether the story could lead us. I don't support Sam's attitude towards other women and I dream about a future where we don't have the need of drawn each others down.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOOOOOOWWWWY. I have been trying to avoid a serious slump lately and nothing knocks the reading blues away like a good old fashioned romance! This one was especially great because it felt like an episode of Cupcake Wars as well! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally rave about sweet romances, but after I finished The Cake King by Rosie Chase, I went and shared the link on a few bookish pages as a must-read. There was just something extra sweet about this read and it wasn't just all the sweet bakery treats in-between the pages. The Cake King starts with Sam being part of a baking competition - sort of a reality TV "Top Baker" show. Michael aka The Cake King's sister Megan is having her Wedding at the end of the book and he is trying to get the best baker to make her wedding cake. This will also benefit the baker and help them kickstart their careers. As Sam gets near the end of the competition, she starts to doubt herself as the other participants are from big named bakeries or popular social media influencers and she is a foster kid from the backwoods near the Appalachian Trail. Around the middle of the book though, we learn that Michael fancies Sam and vice versa. Of course, though Sam is shy and not one to put herself out there as she is afraid of being hurt and also believes she isn't good enough as nobody famous like Michael wants a girl from the middle of nowhere right? Wrong. The latter half of the book is Michael and Sam's romance blossoming but what will happen near the end of the competition where Sam has to make the biggest decision of her life - continue the competition as she is in the finals or drop out and go back to her normal life as her foster dad turns ill? Is her HEA with Michael over before it even properly began or will Michael prove to Sam that he isn't giving up and will have her one way or another?
Find out in this sweet romance read The Cake King which as you finish you will want to move onto Book #2 which I went and got on Kindle Unlimited straight after finishing this book.

[Manya · Rating 1 out of 5]

_The arc of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review._

I feel like this should've been a longer book. The book was too short for me to have an emotional connect with the characters. Their relationship progressed too quickly for my liking. Their relationship had no conflict so everything felt too convenient and too simple. They confessed their love a few weeks after knowing each other out of which they were intimate most of the times.

Some moments were cringy af. Michael called Samantha's *cough* vah jay jay *cough* hot pussy or sweet pussy... Gross.

Also, she told him that he is her dream and left the baking contest or whatever because she wanted to meet him. Again, after knowing him for a short period of time.

I wanted her to end up with Rei instead of Michael.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute fluffy romance with plenty of dirty bits, which I was expecting. Besides being a quick read, it was steamy, intriguing and all around adorable if that’s your sort of thing. I’ll definitely be reading the next installment.

[Treena · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 to 3 Stars

This story reminded me of a more grown up Sweet Dreams book. I liked the foodie parts a lot — the baking contest — and all the descriptions/scenes about baking. But it’s insta-love, which I’m not a big fan of.

Lastly, this was a nice introduction to other characters, who will likely get their own stories.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Parental abandonment
Death of a grandmother recounted
Car accident, off-page
Homelessness mentioned

[Jodee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually would give this book 4 1/2 stars. Not 5 because it was just too short

I didn't want this book to end. It grabbed me and I didn't want to stop reading it.

This is the story of "Pink Hair", Sam, who has had a really hard life. She has entered into a contest to make the wedding cake for the sister of the "Cake King", Michael. Why isn't he making his own sister's wedding cake? Simple she doesn't want him to.

Sam is from a small town wher she works at a restaurant called Apple Butter. She's had a hard life and one that makes it so that letting her self trust that she is worthy of anything is very hard for her. As her relationship with Michael grows without pushing her he earns her trust and this helps her to realize that just because people in the past may not have wanted her doesn't mean that nobody ever will.

This is a cute, short, story of learning to trust and to love. I really enjoyed it. As I said I didn't want it to end and I didn't want to put it down once I started it. The author does a great job grabbing your attention and keeping it throughout the book.

I will definately be recommending this to friends.

[Viv · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Cake King is the first book in a series of five novellas which all take place in the two weeks of a baking competition. All five novellas can be read on their own and in any order.

I really, really liked the Cake King. The story was wholesome and sweet and it tackled a lot of themes that are very dear to me.

The main character Sam lives with her insecurities, grown from her past in which she had to live on the street as a teenager. To save the place and people she now calls her home she participates in a baking competition to land a job big enough to make a difference. What she didn't expect is to fall for the person who offered her a place in this competition in the first place - the Cake King himself.

What I really loved about this novella was the positivity throughout the story. While all character have their past (you have to read their novella to learn more about that though) and went through loss and pain the novella is all about finding your way back into life. It features positive and supportive friendships between women, healthy relationships and charming families. The people in this book are having their backs and I really enjoyed that.

And if the novella would have been a novel I might have ended up giving more stars. Because while the story was fast to read and lovely, it didn't come quite natural. For me it felt like the last third or quarter of a book. The happy, everything is gonna work out in the end, full of feelings and healing, part, that normally follows a story of meeting and getting to know each other, bounding and - most often - a lot of drama. While I loved the lack of an overdose of drama, the pacing still felt off. People are meeting, connecting, falling in love and healing in an amount of time that often felt rushed and incomplete to me.

And while I liked that this book was pretty sex positive and the happy relationship between Sam and her vibrator, I also thought the dirty talk (and there is a lot of dirty talk) a little too much or ... like it was sometimes trying to hard to come off as sexy and natural.

Both of those things made me miss a lot of the connection and chemistry of the main characters. Don't get me wrong, they are super sweet together and again I love how healthy and supportive the relationships in this novella are (if we ignore the timing), but all the chemistry of the first meetings and getting to know each other was rather lost. I felt way more chemistry between her and her friend which she makes in the competition than her and the male lead. (So much so that I was pretty sure for the first half of the story that she would get together with her in the end and not him.)

But really, other than that I highly enjoyed reading this book. I can't say much more about it without spoilers but the supportive character of the relationships in this book are absolutely lovely and charming. I wished there would have been more about the completion and baking in general - I think including a recipe at the end of each story that somewhat represents the character would have worked so well for example - but that nearly all the things that I didn't like that much about the story are pretty much me complaining that I wished it would have been longer, says a lot I think.

The Cake King is a sweet novella about finding your place in the world and your own way in your life, about the love of food and how it can be such a big part of our home and about allowing yourself to heal.

I can't wait to read Rei's story next.

[maha · Rating 1 out of 5]

a digital review copy was kindly sent to me by the publisher. this doesn't affect my thoughts in any way.

i really don't know where to start.

this short novella seemed more like a chance to throw in all possible clichés in one (short) story. i didn't have high expectations for it, and yet. i was disappointed. because the premise isn't bad in itself, i just found that it was done very poorly.

let's start from the beginning, shall we? sam is a twenty-something years-old woman living in a small city in the south of the US who, for some ~unknown~ reasons, is chosen to compete in a baking contest. she accepts the offer, because she (supposedly) loves baking and the bakery she works in is close ro shutting down. but oh boi who will she fall in love with?

you guessed right. THE micheal godwin, or as people like to call him, The Cake King (who is the organisator of all of this).

anyway, it seemed like a pretty good book when i first read the synopsis. and let me tell you: it is full of clichés. in general, i don't mind them, no no, i LOVE them, but in this book it was cliché after cliché after cliché, and seemed like the intent was to write a cute cliché story but actually turned to be anything but that.

i didn't connect to the story, nor did i connect to the characters. they were one-dimensioned, the secondary ones were just here to ~bring the couple together~, and there wasn't any depth in any of them. i am aware of the story being a novella, but come on man.

PARAGRAPH WITH A MINOR SPOILER

the main characters were...i don't know how to describe them. first there is sam, who i liked at first but then made THE worst decision ever for love. and i just thought, so you just give up everything, aka a chance of winning a contest and a wonderful baking career for A MAN?! 💀

END OF PARAGRAPH

and then there's the prince charming: micheal. every inch perfection. not one flaw. rich. kind. humble. you name it. but what annoyed me the most was that one page he's like "i don't know what idea you made of rich people but i am EVERYTHING. BUT. THAT.", and then the next page he proceeds to show exactly the opposite, by bringing sam to a date on a PRIVATE JET to his HOUSE THAT HAS A PRIVATE BEACH. because that's not the idea we have of rich people.

anyway, this book was...something. i am glad i picked it up because i had a good laugh, that's it.

[Brit Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam is a baker from nowhere who finds herself in a baking competition hosted by her baking idol. Though it feels like a reality show it’s far stranger than that. The competition has the potential to change her life and her family’s small town struggling business. If she wins she could be baking a cake for a famous actress’s wedding, it could be just the thing to change things for her. She’s had a hard life and lost a lot and has pretty clear abandonment issues and doesn’t really get close to people. Which makes things difficult when the other bakers try to befriend her. Especially Rei who she wasn’t sure what to make of in the beginning. Focusing on the competition gets a little more challenging when Michael the so-called Cake King who is hosting this competition takes a special personal interest in her. The problem is that Sam doesn’t feel like she belongs here everybody else appears to be accomplished than her and why would this rich guy even really be interested in her? Is it possible for her to win and bring some attention to the little restaurant that she calls home? And what is it that the Cake King wants from her? And is there is reason he collected this specific group of attractive bakers?


I liked this felt like Sam needed a hug and a little more confidence but I get why she felt out of place and why she has trouble trusting things. All she had in the world were two people who took her in when her own flesh and blood failed her so of course she has trust issues. It’s my first book by the author is short and sweet and I’ll probably go ahead and read the others in the series to see what the other hot bakers get up to.

[Natalie Unread · Rating 2 out of 5]

*eARC provided from publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Sam is a small town girl and amateur baker who is invited to participate in a baking contest by her celebrity crush, Michael, "The Cake King". She doesn't know why he'd invite her, a nobody, to bake for him. But of course, we know. It's because he *likes* her. Cue more sex (and seriously cringe-worthy dirty talk) than a 150 page novel needs.

This book put me in an unusual dilemma. I felt it was too short for meaningful character and plot development, but if it was ANY longer, I most likely would have set my kindle ablaze. This book kept the story at a mostly surface-level, which is almost a complaint, but I truly didn't like these characters and I don't want to read anything deeper about them. So... it's a textbook Kobayashi Maru. Just kidding. It's obviously not that, it's just a short book with some cute potential to which it fails to live up.

And I really wish there had been more baking. It's called the Cake King. I don't think I'm wrong for wanting more descriptions of food.

[Kayla Brunson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, this was okay. I liked the aspect of the baking competition. That’s what got my attention, well that and the cover. The characters that we met were all so different, but I liked the friendships that were formed. My favorite out of the bunch was Rei! Was anyone else getting Sailor Mars vibes? Just me?

My issue was that I just wasn’t sold on our main characters, Sam and Michael. I never felt the chemistry between them. Their moments together felt forced and I didn’t understand what made them fall in love. To me, she had more chemistry with Rei. Just saying.

I’m curious to see what the other girl's stories would be about and who they would be paired with. I’m interested in giving the second book a read. Fingers crossed I enjoy it more than this one!

Blog | Instagram

[Michelle Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was only going to download a sample. I was only going to put this in my TBR queue, but then... I read the sample and was hooked! Had to have it! This book is like a delicious, indulgent feast in itself. The romance and raunch is delectable (proving that express consent and safe sex can be sexy), the food descriptions make me drool and even the settings are created by the use of yummy treat metaphors.

A quick, easy, scrumptious read that manages to pack in fab new friendships, a touch of mystery, gorgeous locations and a sweet, down to earth hero who just happens to be a billionaire. The humour was perfect (particularly from Rei) and overall, I couldn't help but gobble it all up in a couple of sittings.

Thank you @rosiechaseromance! (Whom I give credit to for this pic). The sequel is already on pre-order! 🍰🍦🍩 #book3of2020 #thecakeking #bookstagram #romancereader #romancetagram

[Avigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

#Netgalley #TheCakeKing
As I was browsing through the Netgalley, I requested the ARC of The Cake King that it came out in January 2020. If you like the show Bake-Off and rom-com movies, that is the book for you, if not the series.
It is a short story of Sam & Michael; it is a pallet cleanser but without the conflict and the angst.
Even though Michael is a rich known chef/baker, he doesn't forget where he comes from and his roots. The Bake-off contest is Sam's opportunity to salvaging the people that helped her more than her biological parents, now that they are at their lowest.
The Cake King is a short and fast read, the first in a series that I am looking forward to reading more from Rosie Chase and the Sugar and Spices series (especially now that I know they are at KU).

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cake King

All I can saw is WOW! This is the author and the book that has broken my slump! Rosie Chase is a brand new author for me. I am about to binge the rest of this series.

A completely safe story no cheating, no others after meeting, no abuse, NO VIRGINS but also no mention of previous partners/relationships either. A very Happily Ever After!

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a delightful funny and adorable book to read i ended up buying the two other books halfway into the book, and that is saying something! :D

[ItaPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cake King is a short novella, easy to read perfect if you want to spend some hours relaxing with a nice and delightful story.

Rosie Chase did a good job writing this story about Sam and Michael journey. They are two likeable characters and I wanted the best for them, I cheered for them to reach their happiness throughout the book.

[Maddie butler · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this was a short cute read, it wasn’t my taste. Everything happened so fast. You started out reading about the cake off then bam three pages later she going out with the “producer” of the show.

Nothing felt right to me about this book. Things didn’t really add up or meet what really would happen in the world. Such as one of the other contenders saw the producer at her door but didn’t do anything didn’t rat her out, hold it over her head you know something interesting.

[Tathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

It's not that this isn't well writing or good, it just wasn't keeping my attention and I found myself not caring for it at all.
I requested this because I'd read a backing romance before that I really enjoyed and I guess I thought this one sounded similar enough that I would probably enjoy it too, but sadly I didn't.

[Alexis The Nerdy Bruja · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't a massive fan of this book, The writing was not my favorite and I didn't really like the main characters. The story just seemed to moved way too fast and felt very unrealistic. I felt like the author was trying too hard to make it something that it wasn't.

[Jinghay (these.blank.pages) · Rating 3 out of 5]

[ I was provided an ARC on Netgalley in return for an honest review. ]

'The Cake King' follows Sam Davis and a group of star bakers who are invited to compete in an unusual baking competition hosted by the Cake king himself.
---

I really enjoyed reading about the various different dishes and following along with the competition as the story progressed. I'm glad that this is going to be the start of a new series (Sugar Spice), because I would love to find out more about the other characters in the book, especially the other competing bakers!

The romance between Sam and the Cake king kind of developed too quickly for my taste... but I think that's to be expected since the book is only around 100 pages. Sam is a strong protagonist to which many readers can surely look up to, and I thought it was also inspiring that the Cake king himself had been through so much to get to where he was in life.

I think I expected a little something more going in, but overall, it was an interesting, short read.

Rating: 2.5/5

[Lauren loves llamas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content warnings: minor character gets injured in a car accident (off-page), references to homelessness, parental abandonment, death of MC’s grandmother when she was a teen

Michael Godwin, the Cake King, has summoned several bakers from across the country to Lexington in order to hold his own private bake-off to determine who’ll bake the cake for his celebrity sister’s wedding. Sam’s not quite sure what she’s doing in a room full of big name bakers, considering she just does desserts at a tourist restaurant in Appalachia, but she’s determined to win the prize in order to help save her family’s restaurant. Nellie and Eric took her in after her grandmother died, and while the restaurant is successful, they’re drowning in medical debt. Problem is, she can’t keep her eyes off Michael, and it seems like he can’t keep away from her, either. Is he just a distraction that’ll lose her the competition, or could a bake-off fling turn into something more?

“This was all just magic.
And Michael might be the Cake King but I wasn’t a princess.”

Sam has a lot of self-confidence issues. She feels like she doesn’t fit in with the bakers around her, and she definitely doesn’t fit in to what she imagines the Cake King’s life to be. Michael’s sweet and kind, and turns out he’s as great a kisser as she imagined, but his glitzy Cake King world isn’t where she belongs. Michael came off a bit flat as a character for me – I’ve never been a big fan of the “why yes I’m rich but aw shucks I’m just a country boy”-style guys – but he and Sam have definite chemistry. The insta-love? Also not a fan of that, but what really bothered me was that they started their relationship while she was still competing in the bake-off…. and none of the other competitors seemed to care. At that point, I basically just disengaged the rational part of my brain and went along for the ride.

“Hi,” I said. “I’m Sam. I’m a baker.”
Why I said my profession in addition to my name, why I said I’m a baker and not a friend, why I said anything other than my name was a mystery to me. It’s just what came out. Apparently, it was how I self-identified.”

So now that I’ve basically thrown the whole plot out the window, what’s left? Well, the sex scenes are steamy and pretty varied for a novella. There’s very little conflict between Michael and Sam – pretty much all of the angst is from Sam’s worries that she doesn’t fit into Michael’s life and that it’s only a matter of time before he throws her to the curb. The baking competition itself doesn’t play as much of a role as I’d have liked, but it’s very GBBO-style. Sam becomes pretty good friends with some of the other competitors, and talkative, raunchy Rei serves as a good foil for her throughout the book. Also, do not read this novella hungry! Besides the delicious baked goods, there’s also lots of delicious southern food (mmm, chicken and dumplings and collard greens) and lots of restaurants (shawarma, sashimi, yum).

Overall, the book is pretty ridiculous, but it’s also so sweet and fluffy (and steamy) that I have a hard time holding that against it – so 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. The rest of the series seems to be in Kindle Unlimited, so I’ll probably give them a try as well!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Babes in Romanceland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ratings (out of of 5):
Sweet: 🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁
Spicy: 🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧
Funny: 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰
⠀
Sam Davis hails from a tiny Appalachian town where she works in a tiny, local diner. Money is anything but abundant. When she receives an invitation to participate in a competition hosted by the Cake King himself, Michael Godwin, Sam jumps at the chance to repay the kindness of the people who took her in and gave her a home, a job, a family. But Sam has far more to lose than a competition - especially when a certain King starts looking like he’d rather devour her than anything she can bake.
⠀
In many ways, TCK feels like Chase’s ode to friendship and how transformative it can be.
After all, this book is two love stories in one. The first, most obvious, love story is that of Sam and Michael - a whirlwind, take-you-completely-by-surprise love that is so achingly sweet. The other love story, however, just as meaningful and powerful, is that of Sam and her friends, both new and old.
⠀
This has always been a strength of Chase’s writing. She weaves so much rich texture into her books by giving her characters wonderful, loving, deep friendships.
⠀
There is a lot going on in this book and Sam is anything but a one-dimensional heroine. She wrestles with her feelings of inadequacy as well as a defensiveness about her roots, especially when she finds herself in Michael’s sphere, with all his wealth and access. But Chase plays a clever card here and shows us that we never really know a person until we give them a chance and learn not just who they are now but also who and what made them.
⠀
It’s laugh out loud hilarious, populated with so many brilliant, bright characters (who you will see more of throughout the series) and I can honestly say it’s the best rom-com I’ve read in a very, very long time. If you like contemporary romance that is funny, sexy, but also swoon worthy, you won’t want to miss Cake King. The series itself is a triumph and you’ll hardly be able to wait to see who else loses their heart in The Bakery.
⠀
Kiss and Tell: If you’ve ever read a Chase novel, you know she writes some sexy-as-hell books. This one lives up the reputation. Her scenes and writing are so vivid that they fly off the page. Incredible kissing, hand play, toys, mutual masturbation, oral, and p&v penetration all feature and you will be panting AND hungry by the end.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cake King bk 1 [Sugar & Spice series].. This book follows Sam and how she finds love.. Also what she wants to do with her job as a baker.. [I would say for over 18+ Readers because there is a lot of steamy parts]

Michael is a Famous baker, sweet, kind, caring, sassy, smart, looks out for his family and friends, strong, has a big heart and he wants to try and find someone that only see him and not just that he is a famous baker..

Sam is a awesome baker, sweet, kind, caring, she has been hurt a lot in her life, she likes baking different sweet foods, Her life got better when she met Nellie and Eric and moved in with because she had no one, did not have many friends until she started the baker competition and she has a Crush on the cake king since she seen his cooking show on TV..

This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Strong Friendships
⦁ Baker Romance
⦁ A lot of Steamy Parts
⦁ Fast read
⦁ Over 18+ Readers
⦁ A lot of food talking

I really like the Relationship between Sam and Michael throughout this book.. They are so sweet and cute together..

I liked the strong friendships that you see through this book in the Baker Competition between Sam, Rei, Maya, Adrienne and Danielle.. It was nice to see them all making friends even as they were trying to win the baking competition..

Fav characters are:
⦁ Sam [Baker, Works at Apple butter with Nellie and Eric]
⦁ Michael [The Cake King, famous baker]
⦁ Rei [Baker]
⦁ Maya [Baker]
⦁ Adrienne [Baker]
⦁ Danni [Baker]
⦁ Tom [Works for Michael]
⦁ Nellie [Owner of Apple butter]
⦁ Eric [Owner of Apple butter]
⦁ Megan [Michael's sister]
⦁ Germaine [Michael's Aunt, Owns a Restaurant]