A Treat Not To Be Missed... Book Review: "Cake" by Lauren Dane

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Dane comes the latest release from Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin.

She won’t be satisfied with just one bite…

Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.

But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she’s determined to show him that just one taste won’t be enough… – Harlequin

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

I really enjoyed Cake. Mmm … just saying the name makes me yearn for the sugary confection. I didn’t love it only because of a few repetitive lines and the short length. To be fair, it is a novella and I knew that going in. The thing is, with this being such a good story, I wanted more of it. I wanted to know more about Wren and her life. She has two moms, a brother, and we don’t really get into how that shapes her as a person. Yes, we learn she sees family as those you go home to and the friends you have around you, but I’d love to know how her views have been shaped by her upbringing. She’s such an awesome woman—she’s strong, ambitious, and knows what she wants. Her mothers have something to do with that, though I believe one does more than the other. That’s why I want more background. It’d be great to know who helped Wren become the woman she is. The same goes for Gregori. We learn about his parents and how life was for them in Russia, but we don’t get any real feel for who he is and how his life has been influenced by his youth. I mean, the man sold his first piece of art at the age of 15! That’s quite the accomplishment. There has to be more to him, though, especially with his love for sweets. I get why Dane titled this book Cake—because it’s all sweet, satisfying, and goes straight to your hips.

If Cake were longer, I wouldn’t have felt the rush toward the happy ending. A bit of drama comes up in Wren and Gregori’s friendship/relationship but it’s realistic. It doesn’t go into the typical romance tropes—the ex trying to come between them, or countless dalliances with other people. The hiccup deals with their feelings and is handled with adult sophistication. I can’t express how refreshing that aspect of this story is—to have two adults who are going through a rough patch actually come to terms with their relationship and handle it with maturity. Again, I wish the novella were a full novel so we’d get the ins and outs of the distance that was put between them, the emotions they experience with missing one another or what have you, and the realization of what they mean to one another. The ending comes upon us so swiftly, you get the feeling you missed something.

Other than my desire for more back story and more pages of this thrilling, romantic, and sexy piece, I reveled in this tale. I could probably read it a few more times and fall in love with it a bit more. It’s a romance that doesn’t dwell on the petty, little things. Wren isn’t one to play games, going after her man with abandon. While Gregori thinks he knows what’s best for Wren, she makes sure he knows she’s a grown ass woman and can decide what she wants on her own. Make no mistake, what she wants, she gets. I highly recommend Cake to fans of contemporary fiction, romance, and lovers of strong, independent women. You won’t be disappointed with this read. And hey, if you think it’s too short (like I do), go ahead and read it again. Maybe even three times. It’s that good. Almost as good as cake.

I was provided an ARC by NetGalley and Harlequin for an honest review.

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Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle