Collection
Series
Publication
New York, NY : Forever, 2021.
Description
"Rosaline Palmer is just barely holding her life together. Her paycheck might as well be parchment paper, her house is falling apart, and help from her parents is always served with a generous slice of disappointment and judgment. And the cherry on top? Now her daughter's school is charging all sorts of outlandish extra fees for trips that Rosaline can't afford. But where there's a whisk there's a way. . . and Rosaline has just landed a place on the nation's favorite baking show. Winning the prize money could change everything, but more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory. Charming and suave Alain Pope is just the type of person her parents planned for her to marry, and better yet, her fellow contestant is doing his best to sweep her off her feet. Yet while he says and bakes all the right things, it's friendly, down-to-earth electrician Harry Dobson who Rosaline finds as tempting as a midnight ice-cream sundae with salted caramel . . . and just as hard to resist. But as the competition -- and the ovens -- heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious recipes come about when you don't follow the recipe"--… (more)
Language
Original language
English
User reviews
LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
I'm a huge fan of Alexis Hall, but I found this one different in a lot of ways from his other romances, but in a good way. Rosaline drove me crazy for a good part of the book with her inability to live her own life. For all her disdain for people who questioned her sexuality, she still projects the
So the baking competition scenes are just hysterical. When an author's writing makes me laugh out loud, I (and everyone around me) knows the book is great. This one made me laugh too many times to count. I'm glad the next book will also feature the judges and behind-the-scenes people from Bake Expectations because they are a hoot! It'll definitely be on my pre-order list.
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snobbishness and class superiority of her parents. So, her choice of architect Alain over good guy Harry because he's the guy her parents would like was annoying. Also, she's fairly oblivious to Alain's machinations for a smart woman. But that's what makes it a good story, too when she finally has that 'AHA' moment.So the baking competition scenes are just hysterical. When an author's writing makes me laugh out loud, I (and everyone around me) knows the book is great. This one made me laugh too many times to count. I'm glad the next book will also feature the judges and behind-the-scenes people from Bake Expectations because they are a hoot! It'll definitely be on my pre-order list.
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LibraryThing member samnreader
I finished this in 2 sittings-and only because I wasn't going to stay up until the small hours already sleep-deprived. I'm an adult dammit.
She shifted uncomfortably, trying to work out if she had, in fact, let Amelie define her. And if letting something define you was different from it being the
(SO Much this)
so I had seen many a review on this and silently adjusted my expectations for one of my favorite authors to 'basement-level' and quietly left this print copy I got on release day untouched until yesterday. AND THEN, I thought "I am going to read this first b/c I know Mhairi will not disappoint." Note how I expected to be disappointed? I also expected a heavier than normal main character arc than romance arc, and you know what? Maybe it was the reviews I read, but I kind of disagree.
Yes, the main character arc is heavier than some romances, absolutely. yeah, maybe it goes right up to the line into fiction instead. However, whether it was because I was kind of expecting it, or because I've read Hall too many times not to notice the way he messes with tropes and romance convention, but I'm just not convinced that I still wouldn't put the romance smack dab in the middle of this book. It's an anchor, it's a critical piece central to Rosaline's self-acceptance and frankly, it's swoony as shit in the best way.. It's who I expected, how I expected, and what I expected as a Hall devotee. (view spoiler)Where a structure like this on my best of days would bother me because I'm a stickler, the things in this book were essential building blocks on Rosaline's journey.
Or maybe it was the company. Being with someone every who'd seen her house and met her kid and knew what her life was like. Someone who seemed to care about who she was. Not who she should have been.
So much to love here, the flaws and the humor, the entire cast of characters, I just-I guess- I had so much fun spending the weekends with the contestants. And yeah, wouldn't have been mad at 500 more pages.
She shifted uncomfortably, trying to work out if she had, in fact, let Amelie define her. And if letting something define you was different from it being the
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most important thing in your world. And if it mattered?(SO Much this)
so I had seen many a review on this and silently adjusted my expectations for one of my favorite authors to 'basement-level' and quietly left this print copy I got on release day untouched until yesterday. AND THEN, I thought "I am going to read this first b/c I know Mhairi will not disappoint." Note how I expected to be disappointed? I also expected a heavier than normal main character arc than romance arc, and you know what? Maybe it was the reviews I read, but I kind of disagree.
Yes, the main character arc is heavier than some romances, absolutely. yeah, maybe it goes right up to the line into fiction instead. However, whether it was because I was kind of expecting it, or because I've read Hall too many times not to notice the way he messes with tropes and romance convention, but I'm just not convinced that I still wouldn't put the romance smack dab in the middle of this book. It's an anchor, it's a critical piece central to Rosaline's self-acceptance and frankly, it's swoony as shit in the best way.. It's who I expected, how I expected, and what I expected as a Hall devotee. (view spoiler)Where a structure like this on my best of days would bother me because I'm a stickler, the things in this book were essential building blocks on Rosaline's journey.
Or maybe it was the company. Being with someone every who'd seen her house and met her kid and knew what her life was like. Someone who seemed to care about who she was. Not who she should have been.
So much to love here, the flaws and the humor, the entire cast of characters, I just-I guess- I had so much fun spending the weekends with the contestants. And yeah, wouldn't have been mad at 500 more pages.
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LibraryThing member kevn57
If you like your rom-com's actually funny, you'll like this book. If you know who Pru and Paul are you'll like this book. If you know that 10-21-21 was German week you'll like this book.
Here's why I loved it the dialogue
“
Rosaline?”
“Yes. Like in Romeo and Juliet.”
“Look, I know I didn’t
her nervously—“isn’t the girl in Romeo and Juliet called…Juliet?”
It had been ages since she’d had this conversation. And
frankly, she could have done without it now. “Rosaline’s the
woman Romeo is in love with at the beginning. Then he
forgets about her when he sees Juliet.”
“Your mum and dad named you after a bird what gets dumped in a play?”
“She doesn’t get dumped. She’s sworn a vow of chastity, so Romeo never has a chance with her.”
“They named you after a nun in a play.”
This was sounding bad. She’d never really thought about it before. Most people accepted that it was a slightly obscure Shakespeare reference and moved on. “She’s not technically in the play. She’s only mentioned in a few scenes.”
“They named you after a nun in a play what isn’t even in
the play?”
“Yes, but my original plan was for it to be casual.”
“Original plans don’t count.” Lauren finished her wine with gusto. “Hitler’s original plan was to be a painter. It’s not what he’s most famous for.”
Awaiting Judging
they were once more gathered together like the suspects at the end of a Poirot, with Rosaline feeling about as anxious as if she’d murdered her great-aunt with a silver-plated poniard and now had a moustachioed Belgian descending upon her.
Here's why I loved it the dialogue
“
Rosaline?”
“Yes. Like in Romeo and Juliet.”
“Look, I know I didn’t
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do that well in school, but”—he eyedher nervously—“isn’t the girl in Romeo and Juliet called…Juliet?”
It had been ages since she’d had this conversation. And
frankly, she could have done without it now. “Rosaline’s the
woman Romeo is in love with at the beginning. Then he
forgets about her when he sees Juliet.”
“Your mum and dad named you after a bird what gets dumped in a play?”
“She doesn’t get dumped. She’s sworn a vow of chastity, so Romeo never has a chance with her.”
“They named you after a nun in a play.”
This was sounding bad. She’d never really thought about it before. Most people accepted that it was a slightly obscure Shakespeare reference and moved on. “She’s not technically in the play. She’s only mentioned in a few scenes.”
“They named you after a nun in a play what isn’t even in
the play?”
“Yes, but my original plan was for it to be casual.”
“Original plans don’t count.” Lauren finished her wine with gusto. “Hitler’s original plan was to be a painter. It’s not what he’s most famous for.”
Awaiting Judging
they were once more gathered together like the suspects at the end of a Poirot, with Rosaline feeling about as anxious as if she’d murdered her great-aunt with a silver-plated poniard and now had a moustachioed Belgian descending upon her.
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LibraryThing member Jynell
After laughing my way through Alexis Hall's last novel, I was eager for more. Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake provided everything I was hoping for and more.
Not only did Alexis provide quotes that I've repeated multiple times, she provided an entertaining novel that may be one of my new favorites. I
One of my favorite quotes happens toward the beginning of the book when the daughter's teacher pulls Rosaline aside to request that the daughter not use words like "bisexual" in class because the teacher didn't want to discuss it with the other children. Rosaline's response was eye opening and absolutely perfect. I felt this fit into our current culture perfectly and her response has really stuck with me.
I encourage all romance readers to pick this one up and read it!
Not only did Alexis provide quotes that I've repeated multiple times, she provided an entertaining novel that may be one of my new favorites. I
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loved Rosaline and the people around her. I loved her banter with the other characters as well as how sharp her daughter is.One of my favorite quotes happens toward the beginning of the book when the daughter's teacher pulls Rosaline aside to request that the daughter not use words like "bisexual" in class because the teacher didn't want to discuss it with the other children. Rosaline's response was eye opening and absolutely perfect. I felt this fit into our current culture perfectly and her response has really stuck with me.
I encourage all romance readers to pick this one up and read it!
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LibraryThing member amcheri
I love Bake Off so I definitely wanted to read this one. That said, I thought I was getting a rom-com centered on a f/f romance. This is definitely not that. All love interests for this lovely bisexual, single mom are men. That in itself doesn't bother me at all. One of the men is lovely and I fell
The humor is great, the characters are fun, but it seemed overly long to me with the initial relationship going on much longer than maybe it should have. But the fun of the bake off bits made it worth it for me.
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in love with him a little myself. I just wish I hadn't going into it thinking something else was waiting for me.The humor is great, the characters are fun, but it seemed overly long to me with the initial relationship going on much longer than maybe it should have. But the fun of the bake off bits made it worth it for me.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
I spent a day and a half absolutely devouring the audiobook of ROSALINE PALMER TAKES THE CAKE by Alexis Hall. He’s one of my new favorite authors that I discovered last year - he wrote two of my favorite books of the year, and that was a large pool to be competing in. Still, I haven’t loved
It’s a romance set amongst the contestants of Bake Expectations, a reality show that is clearly meant to be The Great British Bake Off, right down to the host that swears on camera to keep footage of contestants crying from being usable (something that Mel & Sue reportedly used to do), and the judge whose opinion can be swayed by sufficiently boozy bakes.
There are so many good things about this book. There is baking (with a few recipes included!). There is a ton of funny banter. There is coming to terms with what you want out of life and relationships. There are class issues and parental expectations, all navigated very deftly. There is bisexual representation, handled similarly thoughtfully. There is some very creative swearing. There is a kid (Rosaline’s a single mom) who is amusingly precocious without tipping over into obnoxiously so. There are book club discussion questions that the author was forced to include that are actively hilarious in and of themselves. There is a bad guy who gets his just desserts (ha! sorry.) There is the assorted cast of (mostly) loveable side characters, just like you would expect on GBBO. There is a very sweet romance with an appealing love interest that builds naturally (no insta-love), and includes just a bit of on-screen spice. There is emotional heft to the story without sacrificing the humor.
In short, I enjoyed the heck out of it, and I think most folks who like GBBO probably would too.
CW: There is one scene with an attempted assault and a lot of gaslighting. It’s not especially graphic / violent, and it doesn’t go very far before she extricates herself, but it was uncomfortable to read.
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*every* book I’ve read by him, so I was really happy that this one was one that absolutely grabbed me.It’s a romance set amongst the contestants of Bake Expectations, a reality show that is clearly meant to be The Great British Bake Off, right down to the host that swears on camera to keep footage of contestants crying from being usable (something that Mel & Sue reportedly used to do), and the judge whose opinion can be swayed by sufficiently boozy bakes.
There are so many good things about this book. There is baking (with a few recipes included!). There is a ton of funny banter. There is coming to terms with what you want out of life and relationships. There are class issues and parental expectations, all navigated very deftly. There is bisexual representation, handled similarly thoughtfully. There is some very creative swearing. There is a kid (Rosaline’s a single mom) who is amusingly precocious without tipping over into obnoxiously so. There are book club discussion questions that the author was forced to include that are actively hilarious in and of themselves. There is a bad guy who gets his just desserts (ha! sorry.) There is the assorted cast of (mostly) loveable side characters, just like you would expect on GBBO. There is a very sweet romance with an appealing love interest that builds naturally (no insta-love), and includes just a bit of on-screen spice. There is emotional heft to the story without sacrificing the humor.
In short, I enjoyed the heck out of it, and I think most folks who like GBBO probably would too.
CW: There is one scene with an attempted assault and a lot of gaslighting. It’s not especially graphic / violent, and it doesn’t go very far before she extricates herself, but it was uncomfortable to read.
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