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Jessica Gilmore

Author of Baking for Keeps

44+ Works 123 Members 12 Reviews

Series

Works by Jessica Gilmore

Baking for Keeps (2017) 15 copies
His Reluctant Cinderella (2014) 6 copies
Expecting the Earl's Baby (2015) 6 copies
The Princess Sister Swap (2022) — Author — 5 copies
The Return of Mrs. Jones (2014) 5 copies
Unveiling the Bridesmaid (2016) 4 copies
The Heiress's Secret Baby (2015) 3 copies
Her New Year Baby Secret (2017) 3 copies
British Bachelors: Perfect & Available (2017) — Contributor — 2 copies
In the Boss's Castle (2016) 2 copies
Their Christmas Carol (2017) 2 copies
[Data Missing] (2015) 1 copy
Happily Ever After… (2018) 1 copy

Associated Works

Expecting the Earl's Baby (2019) — Original Text — 1 copy
Honeymooning with Her Brazilian Boss (2021) — Original Text — 1 copy
Summer Romance with the Italian Tycoon (2021) — Original Text — 1 copy
Her New Year Baby Secret (2021) — Original Text — 1 copy

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female

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Reviews

This is entirely an eye of the beholder thing, someone else reading this book might be blown away by Flora and Alex’s chemistry, but I wasn’t really feeling a romantic spark. It didn’t help that being stuck in the same room together then stuck in another place together, plus the business trip to Austria (even if it does make for a pretty setting), seemed somewhat contrived. Also, I like a slow burn, and in this case, the attraction was already fully on when the story began and they acted on it relatively early in the story, too, neither of which tend to work for me, it’s a personal preference issue, I appreciate a more gradual build.

I do like a friends to lovers story, however, I felt like this offered up very little of the friends part of the equation. I get that an attraction between longtime friends would lead to some awkard tension, that was believable, still, I was disappointed there were more moments like that, and more moments of chilliness and criticism between them rather than examples of genuine warm friendship. I wanted to experience that friendship baseline a bit more, I wanted to understand what they stood to lose if it didn’t work out, instead, it mostly seemed like I was being told they’re best friends, told that being a part of her family is meaningful to him, yet shown little evidence of either. Plus, there were instances, like when she asks him if he has relatives and when he didn’t know about her side gig, where I just thought are these two even friends, let alone best friends? Wouldn’t those be some pretty basic things to already have discussed if you’ve been close friends for most of your lives?

While I didn’t buy into the romance or the friendship as thoroughly as I would have liked, there were aspects of this that did draw me in, I liked the little bit involving Flora’s side gig, the short solo journey Alex goes on had me more interested in him than at any other point in the story, and I enjoyed the brief time we see Flora with her parents, if those three things, especially the interractions with family had played a larger role, like if maybe this had skipped Austria altogether and focused on going home for the holidays, this story probably would have been a better fit for me.
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½
 
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SJGirl | Dec 4, 2023 |
Falling for You by Jessica Gilmore
Like this holiday read because it encompasses a lot of different holiday things.
Love baking and all the tips along the way, the treats sound So good.
The bachelor bake off is a good fund raiser for the town.
Like how Zac fits the bill. She hadn't seen herself falling for him. He didn't see her as his one and only either... They both are from totally different background that don't go together well...
Love the vents that take place and outcome of this story. Great read.… (more)
 
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jbarr5 | 4 other reviews | Nov 3, 2023 |
I loved this combination of royal/commoner swap and secret sisters story. Clem, the illegitimate daughter of the King of Asturia, was raised in Cornwall by her mother. Her relationship with the king is a deep, dark secret, but she has been allowed to develop a close relationship with her half-sister, Arrosa (Rosy). I loved the descriptions of the good times Clem and Rosy had during the summers when Rosy came to Cornwall. Even when the visits slowed after they became adults, they kept in close contact with each other. The strain becomes nearly unbearable as Rosy gets closer to being named her father's heir. Determined to help her sister, Clem suggests they switch places, giving Rosy a chance to rest and relax away from the pressure.

Akil is an up-and-coming young politician in Asturia. He is good friends with Rosy and is surprised when she floats the idea of a marriage between them. After a few days, he realizes it's a bad idea, but he is shocked when he goes to Rosy's villa to talk to her. While the woman there looks like Rosy, he knows she isn't.

I liked that first meeting between Akil and Clem. Akil is initially worried about Rosy but relaxes after he talks to her and hears about their plan. I liked how Clem doesn't mince words when she talks to Akil and is passionate about protecting her sister. Akil likes that about her and offers to help by showing her around the country. The sparks between them are evident from the start, but neither intends to do anything about them - their lives are set on different paths. But Akil can't deny he likes spending time with Clem, who brings a sense of fun to his life that has been missing for too long.

Clem enjoys spending time with Akil, who introduces her to the country of half her heritage. I loved her enthusiasm for getting to know Asturia; their intense sightseeing day was fun. I also enjoyed seeing her observations and comments on the things she saw. I especially enjoyed how she used her acting skills and the joy it gave her. I ached for her because of how her father treated her. To have him be so close yet still ignore her was so hurtful for her. Akil's attention and appreciation go a long way toward easing some of that hurt.

But the more time they spend together, the stronger their attraction grows, and their feelings along with it. I liked seeing Akil accept his feelings and want to keep Clem in his life. But Clem worries that staying in Asturia would make things too hard on Rosy, so she pushes him away. Matters become more complicated when the king finally comes to see Clem, only to devastate her further. I loved that Akil decides to fight for her, and has an interesting conversation with the king. The ending is terrific as Clem also decides to fight for what she wants. The scene on the beach was sweet and emotional and the perfect end to the book.
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scoutmomskf | Oct 1, 2023 |
I love a royalty-in-disguise story, and this was no exception. Princess Arrosa, aka Rosy, is at the end of her rope. She desperately needs a chance to escape the pressures of her royal duties, and her half-sister Clem gives her that chance. No one in the tiny Cornish village of Polhallow knows that Clem's "cousin" is a princess, and Rosy cherished her brief summer visits to Clem and her mother when she was growing up. So when Clem offers to go to Asturia and impersonate her so that Rosy can have a few weeks break, Rosy takes her up on it. She never expected to meet and fall for a local single father.

Jack grew up in Polhallow, the son of the local drunk and thief. By the time he was a teen, his father was gone, and his mother worked three jobs to support them. Looked down on by the villagers, as a teenager, Jack was determined to live down to their expectations. A too-close brush with the law changed the direction of his life, and he was determined to make something of his life. When his rebellious rich girlfriend got pregnant, he married her, moved to London, and spent the next few years working doubly hard to support his family. Lily never took to motherhood or being married, just spending Jack's money. As the book opens, Jack had been a widower for two years and moved from London back to Polhallow to get Tansy and Clover away from bad influences.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Jack and Rosy. It started as friendship when Rosy offered to help Jack with the girls when he had to work. Tansy and Clover took to Rosy right away, and she to them. Neither Jack nor Rosy wanted to acknowledge the sparks that flared between them. Rosy knows she has only a few weeks of freedom before she must go back to her real life. Jack has been burned by instant attraction before and doesn't want to experience that disaster again. The more time they spend together, the stronger the attraction grows. I loved seeing them get to know each other and discover how much they have in common.

But the closer they grow, the more Rosy's secret weighs on her. She tells Jack the truth when she and Jack are on the verge of taking their attraction further. It doesn't go well, as Rosy's situation brings back bad memories of Jack's late wife. I understood his need to think about what she said, but I ached for Rosy and her feelings of rejection. I was happy when they finally sat down and talked things out. The impact on their relationship was significant, and I loved watching them fall harder for each other.

But reality intrudes too soon, and Rosy gets called back home early. She and Jack are torn apart by her duty to her country and Jack's insecurities over the differences in their stations. Then the revelation of Clem's true relationship with Rosy wreaks havoc in Polhallow. I liked Rosy's solution to helping her friends deal with the fallout and her hope of reconnecting with Jack. I ached for her as he kept some distance between them, still intimidated by their differences. A slow breakdown of his walls was accelerated when a crisis showed Jack that his place was at Rosy's side. I loved seeing them come together and realize they could handle anything together. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up for both Rosy and Clem. I haven't read Clem's story yet, but it looks like it will be just as good.

The secondary characters were terrific, too. I loved Tansy and Clover, who were portrayed realistically for their ages. I could feel Jack's worry about Tansy and her reactions to Lily's death. I liked how Rosy's influence helped her. I initially wasn't very fond of Rosy's parents, finding them cold and aloof. But by the end of the book, they had redeemed themselves, and it looks like their relationship with Rosy has improved. I also liked Clem and her love for Rosy. It is clear that the two have a close and loving relationship and are there for each other when needed.

#netgalley
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scoutmomskf | Jul 13, 2022 |

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Works
44
Also by
4
Members
123
Popularity
#162,201
Rating
3.8
Reviews
12
ISBNs
156

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