'No Whisk, No Reward' by Ellie Kay is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
📚Cassie's Review📚
This was such a fun read! This debut author did a wonderful job adding to the Donner Bakery Series. Again I'm off searching for copycat recipes that are mentioned in the book! It was lovely to see a redemption story for some of the characters we didn't 'like' in Penny's Books (Winston Brother's Series). Sophie and Joel found their own redemptions in this very sweet story.
📚Ashley's Review📚
There's so much to unpack in this debut novel from the delightful Ellie Kay – a great deal of story in this one book.
For fans of the Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid: Have you ever thought about the consequences the Winstons' decisions have had on other Green Valley residents? I hadn't before I read this book. Now I find myself wanting to know more about every Green Valley resident and what's been going on in their lives while I've been getting to know the Winstons and the Iron Wraiths.
I enjoyed Joel and Sophie's story. The flow was a bit slow at first as the characters were developed and the plot built, but when it found its rhythm I found this book had a good mix of story, romance, angst, and comedy. I found myself laughing out loud at times, as one might expect with a quirky heroine, but I also found myself close to tears at times. Joel is so soulful and has such a tragic backstory, it’s impossible not to root for Sophie in her attempts to help him. It's impossible not to root for Sophie in general.
This is a very impressive debut by a new author. From her author’s note “Ellie is on a mission to help change the stigma surrounding the Romance genre and hopes to see a day when they are no longer considered ‘guilty pleasures,’ but rather, just pleasures.” I hope we see that day, too. I’m hopeful that with more books like this, and others in the SmartyPants Romance Universe, we will.
📚Extra Tidbits📚
Favorite Side Character? Cassie - Cletus Ashley - Paul Newman
Favorite baked treat? Cassie - Scotcharoos Ashley - Donuts make me go nuts. (In a good way.)
📚Blurb📚
How do you know if a risk is worth taking? If you knew, there wouldn’t be any risk.
Following a disastrous appearance on a televised baking show, Sophie Copeland is certain things can’t get any worse. Several calamities later, Sophie finds herself in Green Valley, Tennessee with no plan, no place to stay, and no prospects. But at least she has a temporary seasonal arrangement with the famed Donner Bakery. And that's something, right?
It's not permanent, and it's not a home, but it's still something.
Enter Joel Barnes, a Green Valley mystery, wrapped in rumors, and a whispered connection to the local notorious biker gang. Joel’s got a name for being bad news, but he also has an apartment for rent.
Intrigued by the dichotomy of Joel’s reputation and sexy southern pull, Sophie can’t help but be tempted, even though she knows—given her (bad) luck—she should stay far, far away. . .
Yet as everyone knows, without risk, there’s no reward.
