Love at 350°

August 1, 2023

Divorced high school chemistry teacher Tori Moore is going to be a contestant on the new season of American Bake-o-Rama, thanks to her twins, who secretly applied for her. Tori isn't sure about being on a televised competition show, but with her kids going to college, she needs to shake things up, and this stressful baking program will certainly do that. Kendra Campbell, a celebrity chef and Bake-o-Rama judge, dislikes being on the show but needs the money to shore up her barely breaking-even restaurant. Kendra has little patience for incompetence and has earned a reputation as the mean judge with her harsh, uncompromising critiques. When Tori and Kendra meet on set, the sparks are immediate. Getting to know each other amid six grueling weeks of competition is made even more difficult by the no-fraternization clause in their contracts, but they find a way through secret notes and baking. This romantic comedy is slow-burn at its best; the tension between Kendra and Tori is palpable and jumps off the page. VERDICT Fans of foodie romances and the Great British Baking Show will love this delightful novel from Peers (Love and Other B-Sides).--Heather Miller Cover

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August 14, 2023
In this sweet sapphic love story from Peers (Love and Other B-Sides), a schoolteacher and a famous chef come together on the set of American Bake-o-Rama, a competitive cooking show. Always optimistic Tori Moore dreams of opening a bakery, leading her teenage children to convince her to try out for Bake-o-Rama—but she worries about stepping out of her comfort zone as a high school science teacher. Meanwhile, notoriously ruthlessBake-o-Rama judge Kendra Campbell must fight to save her first restaurant when her landlords decide to sell the building. Though fraternization is forbidden by their contracts with the TV network, the two fall for each other in a classic case of grump meets sunshine. The high stakes of fame and money don’t stop the romance itself from being cozy, with endearing romantic notes and gifts reminding readers that it’s all about love. The supporting cast—including Tori’s children, her ex-wife, and her main baking competition, Natalie—add dimension and help propel the story. The pace occasionally falters, especially in extended baking scenes, but the yummy results are well worth it. Like the apple pie recipe included at the back of the book, this is a simple but satisfying treat. Agent: Frances Black, Literary Counsel.

July 1, 2024
What can it hurt? That is divorced highschool science teacher Tori Moore's initial thought when she discovers her college-bound twins have entered her as a contestant in the next season of the popular TV show, American Bake-o-Rama. After all, Tori is a good home baker, and she does have the summer off. The moment Tori sets foot on the show's set, she experiences a welcome spark of culinary creativity. However, immediately upon meeting Kendra Campbell, one of the competition's judges, Tori experiences a spark of a different kind. In her scrumptiously entertaining debut, Peers deftly keeps the sexual chemistry between Tori and Kendra simmering while treating readers to a panoply of mouthwatering scenes as the contestants on American Bake-o-Rama beat, whisk, and fold their way to the show's finale. Fans of a certain popular British baking show will be giddy with delight, and romance readers will especially adore Peers' superbly rendered protagonists and the insightful way she has them demonstrate that falling in love is not limited to those under 40.

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