I love books that involve food as a big part of their plot, so „Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake“ seemed like it would be a lot a fun. How wrong I was. This review is NOT going to be nice - brace yourselves.
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The plot focuses on Rosaline, a single mother who participates in the nation’s most beloved baking show to win the prize money she desperately needs. During the competition she meets not one, but two potential love interests, also referred to as „stone-cold hotties“.

Rosaline as a main character is INSUFFERABLE. She is posh, and not in a pretty, Chloe Brown-sort of way - she is haughty, and stuck-up, and her child is apparently super-clever, well-mannered and perfect, which gets on my nerves because that is NOT realistic at all.

Rosaline being Rosaline, she bonds with Alain (1st MMC) on judging people for being uneducated and on body-shaming them. She also establishes her relationship with him by lying to him to impress him.
Yet, even though she doesn’t have a problem with Alain essentially being a classist jerk, Rosaline takes great offense when Harry (2nd MMC) calls her „love“ and „girl“, and „pretty“.

This awful, classist behavior from Rosaline goes on until 60-70% of the book, and then, inexplicably, she starts fancying Harry. Why? How? We don’t know. I loved Harry (he is the best of all characters), and I wish he didn't have to be shoved aside for so long until his kindness and worth are recognized. What a shame.

One other thing that prevented me from enjoying the book: it’s WAY too preachy. It seems like the book takes up ANY social issue there is, and that takes away from the main storyline and makes reading really difficult.

All in all, I would say this book is more Womens’ fiction than romance. The romance part is very understated and the focus lies more on Rosaline’s journey of „self-discovery“ - though I’m not even sure she got the right lessons in the end.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this book, and sorry for my honest review!

Rosaline likes structure, order routine; she likes following the recipe. However as a single mum with a money pit of a house she has to bring some money in pretty quickly so applies to a baking show on tv. She meets not one but two men! The safe choice and the more risky Candidate. Has Rosaline learned anything about life? Will she go gor the stable or the risky? This book is really easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable. You will have a lump in your throat and you will laugh out loud. And you will root for Rosaline all the way through