Publication Nov. 12, 2024
Even their pets don't get along.
Magda Miller and Mac(kenzie) Newton have been rivals so long that not many even recall why. Quite frankly, I rather sided with Mac on this one. Him turning her romantic crush down when she was just 18 and him six years older shows character, not cruelty. That she's hanging onto that anger of rejection even now, 14 years later, made me roll my eyes. She's the one who allowed her teenage emotions to retain their grip on her, if anything, and that grip has only gotten stronger. Now they're thrown together in a baking contest designed to make sparks fly, and I don't mean loving ones, and forced to face their past. Given that this is a romance, I'm sure you can figure out how it'll all work out but, well, getting there is half the fun. If you like romances and baking shows, with a touch of quirky pets, you'll probably enjoy this book.
While, I wasn't really taken with Magda, I didn't dislike her but also don't think she was someone I'd want to hang out with. I could almost feel sparks flying as she bristled at anything connected to Mac, particularly his cat's habit of showing up in her home to terrorize her dog, Cupcake. Mac seems to be more of the live and let live type. He even manages to make one of Magda's wildest dreams come true (Nope, don't go there. This is a closed door romance. Grin) and ensure she is part of the baking reality baking show. Although I never felt terribly invested in the contest, I'm leaning toward thinking that part of my lack of connection to the plot was simply because I've read several baking related books of late, so I don't fault the author there. In any case, the contest is still interesting, even to non-foodies like me. The perspective alternates from Magda to Mac and even tosses in one from the show runner for the baking show. Toss in some interesting friends, fellow contestants, and the show crew, and it's an interesting mix. Mac's grandmother is a hoot, that's for sure.
Bottom line, it was an enjoyable, relatively quick read. I liked the role the pets played in the whole, too. Having read the author's "Pride and Puppies", this was a nice addition to that tale. It was definitely fun seeing Magda and Mac go from bringing out the worst in each other to bringing out their better selves in this enemies to lovers story. Thanks #Forever - #GrandCentralPublishing for giving me this sneak peek at what's been going on in Pine Hollow.
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