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The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar is a sweet romance combining desserts and drama. Following a reality baking competition, this one contains a lovable main character as well as thoughtful conversations about racism in this space. Those who love food-related books as much as I do will not want to miss this one!
Title: The Dos and Donuts of LoveAuthor: Adiba Jaigirdar
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: June 6, 2023
Rating:
A pun-filled YA contemporary romance, The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar finds a teenage girl competing in a televised baking competition, with contestants including her ex-girlfriend and a potential new crush - perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off and She Drives Me Crazy!
“Welcome to the first ever Junior Irish Baking Show!”
Shireen Malik is still reeling from the breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, when she receives news that she’s been accepted as a contestant on a new televised baking competition show. This is Shireen’s dream come true! Because winning will not only mean prize money, but it will also bring some much-needed attention to You Drive Me Glazy, her parents’ beloved donut shop.
Things get complicated, though, because Chris is also a contestant on the show. Then there’s the very outgoing Niamh, a fellow contestant who is becoming fast friends with Shireen. Things are heating up between them, and not just in the kitchen.
As the competition intensifies , Shireen will have to ignore all these factors and more― including potential sabotage―if she wants a sweet victory!
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar
While still dealing with a recent breakup, Shireen learns that she has been selected as a contestant on Junior Irish Baking Show, a reality baking show competition. She’s thrilled at the opportunity to bring more publicity to her parents’ donut shop and to launch her own career, but when she finds out that her ex is also competing, things get more complicated. As the competition heats up, and Shireen gets closer with another cute competitor, she must sort out her feelings for both girls and stay focused in order to win.
❀ Shireen is Realisitic
I liked Shireen’s character, and I found her realistic. She struggles in the competition to figure out who she can trust, especially in the face of sabotage, but she stays strong. What I especially enjoyed about Shireen is her creativity and the way she approaches each challenge. This added so much fun to the story, and I was excited to see what she would create next.
❀ Competition Aspect Really Delivers
Being a book about a baking show, this one really delivers on the competition elements. The show is described well, from the details of each challenge to the judging, and I loved being immersed in this setting. The descriptions of each dessert are also so mouthwatering. What I found especially interesting is the inclusion of topics like racism as Shireen finds herself getting more attention online. Seeing the way the criticism and hate comments affect her is heartbreaking, but the author finds a nice balance between these more serious themes and the upbeat nature of the competition.
❀ An Entertaining Story
The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar is an entertaining story centred around a reality baking competition. I enjoyed the main character and her creations, and the competition itself is well-developed. This is the perfect read for fans of The Great British Bake Off.
About Adiba Jaigirdar
Adiba Jaigirdar was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has been living in Dublin, Ireland from the age of ten. She has a BA in English and History, and an MA in Postcolonial Studies. She is a contributor for Bookriot. All of her writing is aided by tea, and a healthy dose of Janelle Monáe and Hayley Kiyoko. When not writing, she can be found ranting about the ills of colonialism, playing video games, and expanding her overflowing lipstick collection.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.
You had me at Great British Bake Off!
This was so much fun! 🙂
I wasn’t expecting a YA romance with that cover, but it sounds like a great read that has a combination of a lot of fun stuff. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Great review!
The cover is very deceiving! Definitely a great YA contemporary! 🙂
This sounds like a great book! I love characters like Shireen!
Same! She was such an enjoyable character! 🙂
This sounds wonderful – the bake off show had me sold lol
Same! One of my favourite themes! 🙂
As much as I hate watching baking shows, although I’ve been getting a little more into them lately when I’ve had them on in the background as I’m reading or playing on my phone, I love books about them! This was already on my TBR, I do love a good punny title too. Glad to hear it was good and I’ll be looking forward to reading it! Great review!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…E-galley Review: The Fallout (The Warning #2) by Kristy Acevedo
Haha! I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did, Lisa! 🙂
This sounds like a really good book for my granddaughters to read.