I started off Pride Month, this June, with a post about Trans and Non-Binary Authors writing speculative fiction. To end the month I thought I’d focus on two romance novels, I recently enjoyed, featuring bisexual protagonists both set in the competitive world of baking shows.
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake
by Alexis Hall
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is the first in Alexis Hall’s new Winner Bakes All series. The series has as its backdrop a baking competition that bears striking similarities to the fan favorite Great British Baking Show. Rosaline is a young single mom and amateur baker. Her wealthy parents, despite being loving grandparents, are disappointed in how Rosaline has lived her life and what they see as her lack of ambition. The baking competition is her chance to shine and set an example for her daughter about following her dreams. It also gives Rosaline the unexpected opportunity for finding love when two very different fellow contestants catch her eye. Rosaline is proudly bisexual and the book handles this in a nuanced way looking at issues of bi-erasure and prejudice. Even though both of Rosaline’s love interest are men, her identity as a bisexual woman is never undermined. Interested in reading more books by Alexis Hall; I’ve written previous blog posts about some of Hall’s other work including The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, Looking for Group, and the Kate Kane Series.
For the Love of Cake
by Erin Dutton
Erin Dutton’s For the Love of Cake is also situated in the world of competitive baking although this show feels slightly more generic and is representative of many that air on TV or streaming channels. It features some characters from one of Dutton’s previous romance novels, A Place to Rest. Maya is the first winner of For the Love of Cake, who is tasked with both coaching and judging a competition with middle aged baker Shannon as one of the new contestants. They find themselves fighting an attraction to one another which could spoil Shannon’s chance at a win and Maya’s career. Maya is bisexual while Shannon, despite a previous marriage to a man, identifies as a lesbian, which causes a brief moment of friction between the two early on. The novel despite having a sweet romance at its center also manages to examine a variety of social issues.
Love baking competitions? You can also check out a previous post which featured bake-off fiction and non-fiction that is sure to delight your palate.
Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Information and Digital Services
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 