A bake-off reality show involving a hot chef, a drooling contestant and a lot of cake.. what’s not to love?

Erin Dutton is well known and respected for her ‘chick-lit lesfic romances and she won 2011, Alice B. Medal, for her body of work. “For the Love of Cake’ follows in the footsteps of other good reads such as “Fully Involved”, “Sequestered Hearts”, and is a loose sequel to “A Place to Rest” where we left Jori Diamantina and Sawyer Drake in their adorable cake shop haven.

Here we find 42-year-old Shannon Hayes who has spent her life living other people’s lives, first for the expected husband, and then her beloved adopted daughter. Finally, she has started to find her own path from catering school to the Drake bakery where she has become the star decorator. When she is picked to take part in a baking reality show her first ambition is not to be sent home first – and to meet the extremely gorgeous, bad-girl chef, who is joining the judges.

Maya Vaughn won the first series as a hot-tempered rebel and the intervening years has done little to soften her reputation. She is seen as a dangerous, egocentric celebrity and a bi-sexual player. Whether any of the media hype is based on the truth doesn’t disguise the fact she is a million miles away from ‘soccer mum’ Shannon both in terms of lifestyle, age and personality type. When the two meet the sexual tension is almost impossible to resist and the ensuing tug of war between reality and celebrity, trust and fear is an enjoyable roller coaster.

The main characters are excellent, their development well handled and their attraction and occasional rejection make for good reading.  The reality show is also well-drawn. We get the celebrity characters, the manically bouncy and controlling producer and the wide-ranging contestants chosen at least as much for their TV appeal as their skills.  The contrasting personality and styles make for an intriguing contest and the combination of romance and competition gives multiple layers of suspense.

Thoroughly enjoyable reading. If you like a good romance this will hit the buttons, and if you like reality cooking shows you will have a double winner. As many others will probably say – it has hot women and cake, what else could it possibly need?