I am so glad I read this one! It's a delightful and oh so sweet rivals-to-lovers romance.
Magda and Mac have been competitors in their small town business section for years, but as the story unravels we see the origin of this rivalry and the hurt and miscommunication at the heart of it. It leads to a romance as sweet as the competition our protagonists attend to battle it out over bakes for a chance to win a cash prize. But, as we come to quickly realize, it's their hearts on the line that matters most.

And readers' eager anticipation of every turn of the page that awaits!

I adored this one, I left it with such a full heart and warm smile.

Magda especially had my heart. Her hurt felt like my hurt, and when she finds out the twist on the show she's about to be a contestant on, the betrayal she and other contestants feel went straight to my heart like a stake. For a split second I forgot this was fiction and wanted to like start an online petition to stop the injustice, haha! But this just goes to show how immersed and engaged I became. How these characters came vividly to life off the pages.

While I was Magda's number one fangirl, I came to truly understand and appreciate Mac's decisions of the past that affected them both in the years after. In fact, I applaud him for the decision he made. He was in the right, and had he made the wrong choice neither would be better off in the present. They're given a second chance, and once Mac sees this, he goes for it so gorgeously. Like I was so hardcore cheering him on! Yess!

I loved the banter between Magda and Mac, and I loved the slow burn romance. I only wished for more of it once they came together! I needed more, but my goodness, what a lovely journey it is just as it is. Also, let me add how appreciative I am of how the author ensured the leads' miscommunication evolved into such a healthy dynamic, blossoming their mutual trust! This becomes critical in the final act and all I can say is I love how that was tested. It made me so proud of both characters.

There's a surprise third POV, but it doesn't overtake the narrative. I consider it more of a interlude and it piqued my curiosity for perhaps this person having a future book!? I most certainly would be open to it!

This book introduced me to writing of Lizzie Shane and I am absolutely in love with her style and eager to dive into her other works! If you love charming, romantic plots, lead by complex, layered, relatable leads, this one is for you!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.