Published: 18 May 2021 (print)/ 18 May 2021 (audio) 
Publisher: Forever/Little, Brown Audio
Pages: 435/11 hrs and 22 mins
Narrator: Fiona Hardingham
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Romance
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars
Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheque as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way…and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.
Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory. Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.
Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart.
I love a book that is floating around the idea of a not quite Bake Off show but very similar to Bake Off. Of course this isn’t trying to be The Great British Bake Off, but it doesn’t matter because it’s a set up so well known it’s the cosy world of reality baking, meeting new people, and making tarts and biscuits that you fall in love with.
What I liked about this one compared to the teen baking show book is you get to have a realistic look at the TV production side. It felt like you were there behind the scenes with the cameras and the realities of reshoots, production reminders, and the weekly competition. There’s all the joy of ovens and timers and bad batches to relish in as well as interactions with other competitors.
Other behind the scenes moments were interesting too and there is a lot of character focus away from baking. I loved watching Rosaline grow as the weeks progressed and Hall weaves these moments in easily but notably. I also thought the romance aspect was really well done. I loved the meet cute and the connection, but I also loved the slow realisations and developments as more time is spent with the competitors on and off the set.
In a way I enjoyed how adult it was. There are children to think about, there are leery old men, adult responsibilities and relationships to consider. Not to mention interfering parents and navigating new friendships which is also great. Even though Rosaline is young there is more in your life after your twenties and seeing an adult novel tackle family, life, making new friends, nerves and trying new things without being a serious literary tome is fantastic. It is as funny and light-hearted as all Hall’s books are but also doesn’t shy away from real events, emotional moments or adult situations and feelings.
It’s a fun book about life and passions and baking which is all anybody could ask for in a book really. Easily already in my top five of the year. The queer aspect wasn’t front and centre but it was notable. Rosaline’s bisexuality is a part of her present and her history but so is her family, her baking, and other parts of her life. The balance of character and plot was great, the critical points were great, and the development of the characters felt wholesome without being too sweet and certainly not without issue.
Hardingham does a fantastic job as narrator. I was never taken out of the story and each character was unique and had their own voice throughout the story. The humour and emotion shines through and easily made the 12 hour read fly by.
This is the first in the series and while the others don’t follow Rosaline it is still a great world I am keen to keep reading about.
You can purchase Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake via the following
Wordery | Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson
Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
