If opposites do actually attract, then Gunnar Erickson and Frankie Reeves take the cake. Frankie Reeves is complicated, even though she won’t admit it. She fills her days working as an ER nurse, taking care of her mom, and searching for the father she never knew. Anything else has no place in her perfectly compartmentalized, purposefully simple life. Attachments? No thank you. She has no time for … for that. Gunnar Erickson recently moved to Green Valley to train at Viking MMA with his brother Cage. Being the youngest of the Erickson clan, he’s always felt like he has something to prove, and now that he’s finished with college, it’s his time to shine. But before he can step into the ring, a freak accident sends him to the ER and into the care of one Frankie Reeves. While he’s immediately smitten, she pretends to be unfazed by this six-foot-three, two hundred and thirty-pound beef cake. Gunnar sets out to prove to Frankie that, not only does she like him more than she wants to admit, but he’s not the uneducated, brute she assumes he is. To Frankie, he’s the worst kind of complication, but that doesn’t make it easy to stay away. ‘Beef Cake’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #4 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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funny and witty romance with an underlying darkness to its depth!)
Beef Cake is part of the Donner Bakery Series and the second one penned by the wonderful duo, Jiffy Kate. Although its a standalone, it does kind of spin off from the book Stud Muffin because of some characters. Still it definitely holds itself on its own. Its an opposite attract romance between an upcoming MMA fighter, Gunnar, and an anti violence ER nurse, Frankie. While the other one is almost an open book, the other one is as closed as the vaults in a bank. But Frankie can’t help but fall for Gunnar’s charming and sweet personality but she has secrets that could hurt both of them. Can she trust him and her feelings enough to open herself to the possibility of a happy ever after.
Beef Cake like Stud Muffin appears really fluffy and sweet and straightforward romance but has an underlying social theme thats carefully woven in to make the plot more layered without overpowering the whole story. Frankie and Gunnar will definitely make you smile and cry and cheer them on for their own happy ever after.
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out tomorrow, March 17, 2020 and is the first of the Smartypants Spring 2020 releases. There will be a new book each Tuesday for the next several weeks.
If you’ve read Stud Muffin, you will remember Cage mentioning he had a younger brother who was also training to be an MMA fighter. Well, Cage finally has his own gym up and running and his younger brother, Gunnar has moved to Green Valley to train and teach some classes to the locals. Gunnar is used to being pushed hard by his three older brothers, and he’s willing to put in the work to be the best. When a random accident at the gym sends him to the ER for stitches, he finds himself drawn to the beautiful yet complicated Frankie. Frankie is an ER nurse who has a complicated past and ties to the Iron Wraiths. She is trying to uncover things she can’t remember from her childhood, and the last thing she wants is some meathead MMA fighter flirting with her. When Gunnar lays on the charm, she finds that there is more to him than she gave him credit for.
I really enjoyed this. Both of the characters were complex and I liked that their romance developed at a nice pace. I love that this covers difficult topics such as domestic abuse, drug use, mental health, and more in such a relatable way. Frankie has been through a lot in her life, and while she’s surviving, she’s not really living. It isn’t until she meets Gunnar that she starts to let her defenses down and starts to really experience life. With those experiences come traumatic memories from the past that she has to face with to move forward. I also really appreciated the way that Gunnar never gave up on her, he gave her the space and permission she needed to deal with things the way she needed to in every situation.
I do wish this had more interaction at the actual bakery. I really just loved those characters and the baking aspect, but they only talk about they bakery in passing as neither of the characters work there. That’s OK, we do get mention of it and Tempest is still creating her crazy muffins. This offering is fairly independent of the the original Pennyverse. That in no way is a deterrent from reading the story, it is actually nice to see the authors take the original beloved world of Green Valley and make something wholly unique.
This book is a complete standalone. You do not need to have read the previous books in The Donner Bakery Series to follow along. You should read them because they are also great!
Yay! Finally back in Green Valley! And of course, hello again, Erickson Brothers…
I love it when a series follows storyline(s) of (multiple) siblings, and Jiffy Kate has given us a perfect example of it! Gunnar has stolen readers hearts just like his brother, Cage, did in “Stud Muffin”!
Frankie though, is just as swoon worthy as her new man! She is such a strong female character. I loved experiencing her view of the world. First, as more closed off, but increasing hopeful as the story goes on.
Frankie and Gunnar don’t seem like the right fit at first glance, but as you follow the story and understand each character better you see they are absolutely perfect together! Both the characters and the storyline are all superbly developed.
Once again, Jiffy Kate has brought us a story that will, without doubt, be a “re-read” for many. I can’t wait to re-read it and I only just finished it!
I love, love, love this book, this author and this series!
Jiffy Kate’s Beef Cake has left me with a huge book hangover! This is a fabulous way to start off the second launch of Smartypantsromance!
Gunnar has come to Green Valley to train with his older brother Cage. I highly recommend Cage and Tempest’s book Stud Muffin as well. A trip to the ER puts him in Frankie’s path. They are very different people but their chemistry is undeniable.
Gunnar was unexpected. He is a mixed martial arts fighter and is also kind, thoughtful, gentle, and sweet. I loved him from the very beginning of the book, and getting his perspective on Frankie was swoon-worthy.
The book begins with a prologue from Frankie, and things start off with a bang. I thought the authors did a wonderful job displaying both her strength and giving nature and the anxiety and difficult experiences she goes through.
There is a story point that, if you are a reader of the Winston Brothers books like I am, you may see coming. However, even knowing what was going to happen didn’t make it any less impactful. I still felt it deeply and wanted to give Frankie a hug.
This book is not to be missed if you love the Green Valley world!
Thank you to the authors for providing an ARC for an honest review
Well Beef Cake was so much more than I anticipated! Gunnar and Frankie were such a wonderful fit as a couple. I loved how patient Gunnar was with her, how much from
The first meeting he knew there was something different than he’d ever experienced. Frankie was super guarded, with walls for days, but meeting Gunnar brought her the start of a sense of safety she’d never knew was possible. I loved the backstory that Jiffy Kate created for BC, Frankie’s fears and experiences as well as highlighting her work at the women’s shelter. So many layers in this one that drew me in an hoping for the hea that we get. Once again love my trips to Green Valley!
Beef Cake by Jiffy Kate is new full length novel set in the Green Valley World. An opposites attract story between an ER nurse and an MMA fighter.
Frankie Reeves is an ER nurse who hates violence and Gunnar Erickson’s job as an MMA fighter is nothing but violence. When she stitches him up in the hospital he makes it his mission for their paths to cross again and again until she gives him a chance. There’s much more going on in Frankie’s life that she needs to come to terms with and the violence in Gunner’s life may be too much for here to handle.
“I’ve always been an all-or-nothing kind of person, and I know I want all of Frankie.”
Gunnar is not only a viking hottie, he has a sweet personality to go along with it. Seriously his character is just precious and you can’t help but fall completely in love with him. He is sexy, charming, caring and understanding, the complete package. Based on what he does for a living you would have expected him to be a brute of sorts. Nope, no even a little bit. He was a gentleman and so wonderful to her from minute one trying to be respectful of the obvious boundaries she had and trying so hard to get to know her anyways. I enjoyed Frankie’s character to but her hot and cold with Gunnar, while understandable, was still frustrating. She has layers upon layers of secrets and walls that even as a read I found it difficult to really know her as a character. Though, I really appreciated how she wanted to work on her self and feel more stable before really committing. They were really cute together when Frankie would let down her walls.
“He’s everywhere, consuming every part of me – mind, body, and soul.”
Overall, I think Beef Cake is a great addition to the Donner Bakery series and the Green Valley World. This is my first introduction to the author, Jiffy Kate, and I will be on the lookout for her future releases.
4.5 Stars
Beef Cake was a great way to kick off the second round of Smartypants Romance novels. This was my first time reading Jiffy Kate, and I was instantly hooked.
I loved Frankie, she was such a gem. I adored her so much. She was so resilient and strong despite her difficult past. Frankie is slow to trust and she doesn’t let her guard down, but truly wants for someone to comfort her and be there for her. She’s built her walls sky high and it’ll take someone with patience and care to break them down.
Gunnar completely and utterly stole my heart. I was captivated by him. His character was the opposite of what you would expect from a MMA fighter. He was so sweet and thoughtful with a heart so pure. He fought hard in the ring, but his toughest fight was fighting harder when it came to earning Frankie’s trust and heart. He was patient and didn’t push Frankie and waited until she was ready to open up to him. I loved him and his caring heart so much.
Frankie and Gunnar were truly the best. It took time for them to come together even though their attraction for each other was undeniable. Gunnar was exactly what Frankie needed and it was a joy to watch them grow together and overcome personal obstacles. They made quite the perfect pair—I loved them.
Beef Cake is an emotional slow burning love story that was beautifully pieced together. The characters are both enjoyable and lovable. Frankie and Gunnar have an irresistible love story that was deeply felt and left me smiling from ear-to-ear.
4 Cranky Stars
I’m not going to lie for about more than half of this book Frankie annoyed me. She was social distancing long before it was cool (bad pandemic joke sorry). I knew she had a deep back story but man she was tough to deal with. I wanted to smack her a few times to be honest, yet she had a good heart with how much she gave back to her patients and the women at the shelter so that redeemed her in my eyes. Once I got her story it made me like her even more. Gunner though was a genuine good guy. Yeah sure he was an MMA fighter but that was just his job. He wasn’t this rough and tumble kind of guy he was persistent and loved his family. He just wanted to make a name for himself and his brothers’ gym. I like how he saw something in Frankie and gave her space when it was needed. He never stopped pursuing her because it got too hard.
I guess you are wondering what the drama of this book is and that is Frankie is strictly against violence because she knows it had something to do with the past she represses. What does Gunner do? You guessed it. She has a hard time compartmentalizing who he truly is and his job. I hated the Iron Wraiths for taking advantage of her in her quest for answers. I just love how Jiffy Kate are big on family in their books. The sexy Viking brothers and even Frankies reclusive mother all play an important part in Beefcake. So if you love stubborn ladies with walls thicker and longer than the Great Wall and swoon worthy Vikings this is the book for you.
I was looking forward to the spring launch of Smartypants Romance, so I was excited to read this book. I’d read the other Jiffy Kate contribution, Stud Muffin, and I enjoyed it but found it surprisingly angsty. I’m not familiar with any other Jiffy Kate books, so I don’t know if that is standard for these authors. This had some elements of angst, but not nearly as much as the first book.
I felt like it was a bit rushed toward the end, and would have liked to see more of the relationship between the two characters once they got past their conflict. One thing I will say is that I loved how persistent Gunnar was in his pursuit of Frankie. She was an interesting character and a tough nut for him to crack; but while he recognized she needed her space, and gave it to her, he didn’t give up.
YOU GUYS. I just finished Jiffy Kate’s Beef Cake & I’m so in love! Gunnar just blew me away with his patience and acceptance for all of Frankie. I loved Frankie! She broke my heart a little, but watching her fall in love with Gunnar put a big smile on my face & filled my eyes with happy tears. I think that everyone will be blown away with these two!
SmartyPants Romance is starting off so strong with this release!! I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love so throughly like I did!!
t was such a sweet and emotional story.
It was wonderful.
I have loved this series and these two authors are great. I definitely recommend this story.
Overall Grade: 1/2
When it was announced that we would be returning to the Penny Reid universe with a second season of SmartyPants Romance, this reader was EXCITED. In my opinion, the first round was a HUGE hit with some inspired, sexy romance. For me, most of the writers were brand new. I hadn’t read their books previously, and I felt like I found some new “friends.” One of those friends is Jiffy Kate. Their first book in this series, Stud Muffin, introduced us to Tempest, a fiery muffin queen, and a former MMA fighter, Cage Erickson. I loved the message of that book and Cage’s acceptance of Tempest’s foibles. He was a swoony hero who made reading that book effortless.
With their newest offering, Beef Cake, we are introduced to Cage’s brother, Gunnar Elias Erickson. He has taken on the mantle of MMA fighting, but he’s decided to move to Green Valley, Tennessee to train under his brother. This is a huge change for him, as he hails from Dallas and a BIG MMA training family, and Green Valley is small-town living. Trying to find his way and gather his bearings, he becomes involved in a gym accident that requires some treatment in the ER. There, Gunnar meets Frankie, and he begins to fall. There is chemistry between these two from the outset. Yet, Frankie, an ER nurse, has an elusive past that influences her staid, solitary life. She works three days a week in the hospital, volunteers with a local shelter twice a week, visits the Piggly Wiggly on Tuesday evenings at closing, and sells her reclusive mother’s jams and wares at the local Farmer’s Market. There is very little room in her life for relationships because she doesn’t allow for it. That is until she meets Gunnar. He plows into her life and asserts himself, pushing her out of her comfort zone. As memories from her past start to awaken, she becomes conflicted, waffling between feelings of a future with Gunnar and wanting to push him away, due to her fear. Will Gunnar and Frankie find a future together? Is it possible for Gunnar to love Frankie enough to help her to the other side?
From the start, Gunnar Erickson won my heart. Like his brother, Cage, he is brash and physically intimidating, but there is something much deeper in Gunnar. He is intuitive about people; he reads them well. This hero is an empath, and he “sees” Frankie, even when she doesn’t know herself. He is persistent, yet cautious. He works diligently to woo her to him. Honestly, there are times when you read Beef Cake when you think Gunnar might be too good for Frankie. He is a “man’s man,” but he has this amazing nurturing side. You feel “seen” with him. Jiffy Kate crafted him in such a way as a challenge to male heroes. Yes, I love an alpha-hole hero like the rest of us; however, I also love a hero who is both masculine and emotionally mature. This is Gunnar.
Frankie is a complex heroine. Honestly, her character IS the tension of this story. From one minute to the next, you are never sure if she will find self-actualization. There is good reason for this. I refuse to divulge Frankie’s secrets, and readers should know that Frankie is like an onion; she has many layers that Gunnar has to peel away to find her truth. Thankfully, he is patient to do this because Frankie doesn’t make it easy for anyone to be close to her. However, this is a protection, a defense. I connected with Frankie in so many ways because I might be perceived as having a prickly shell as a way to protect my tender underbelly just like Frankie. She and I are emotional twins, I think. Jiffy Kate connect us to the history of Green Valley through Frankie’s character, and they offer more insight into Penny Reid’s stories by divulging her secrets.
So what does it mean to love yourself? Does it require you to protect yourself from everyone at the expense of “living” life fully? Is it more important to become vulnerable with others so that we can be known by them? These are the hard questions of Beef Cake. Yes, Gunnar is the “beefcake” of this story, yet he also holds the emotional integrity of it in his character. It is through the development of his relationship with Frankie that she is emboldened to find her truth and live her life more vibrantly. He is the catalyst for her change, but ultimately, Frankie does all the hard work for her self. I think this is the beauty of Jiffy Kate’s Beef Cake. It reminds us that, through the act of being loved, we can become better versions of ourselves.
***4.5 “Team Gunnar” Stars***
I seriously need my own Gunnar. That man *le sigh*
This book was slow burn, frustrating as all get out goodness. This one gave me all the feels and that little twist was definitely well done.
But Gunnar…
Okay. I seriously ADORED Gunnar. Talk about a good man with a good heart. He’s total book boyfriend goodness. That’s all that needs to be said.
And then there’s Frankie. At first, I had a hard time with her. She has such an amazing heart and is so compassionate that my reaction to some choices she made kinda messed with my head because I just couldn’t understand why she would do them…and then we got deeper and I went from being unsure to loving and rooting for her.
As for their journey to their HEA. It was slow burn, all kinds of sweet and frustrating, goodness. It’s obvious I am totally #TeamGunnar but I really liked Frankie and Gunnar together. They brightened each other up and simply fit. The issues that they faced were rough, boy were they rough, but I liked how everything worked out for them in the end.
This was a great read. Things do get intense, so some may be triggered, but it was all handled well and fit what was going on with the characters. And as for the characters…OMG I LOVE the Erickson brothers! They are simply awesome and I’m crossing my toes that we’ll see a lot more of them down the road. And Tempest made me all kinds of hungry, but I loved getting to see how she and Cage were doing. There is a character we meet, who isn’t an Erickson, that I’m crossing my toes will get an HEA because this person totally deserves an HEA, but only time will tell…
~ Copy provided by SBPR & voluntarily reviewed ~
Beef Cake by Jiffy Kate is an emotional, fun and uplifting read. The Erickson brothers are so much fun to read. Gunner and Frankie are relatable and refreshing characters. Their banter is easy and playful. The sexual tension sizzles in a slow burn which simmers and then boils over. The fire between them is so hot! This book is another amazing romance from New Orleans and two very talented writers that know how to pull heartstrings.
I love the every growing Green Valley TN families. I loved getting more from the men of Viking MMA. There was a mystery around Frankie that kept me reading. She was closed off in the beginning. It was wonderful reading how Gunnar pealed back her layers. I really enjoyed seeing them come together and work through the trials. Great book!
What a great read!
“I don’t get attached. That’s the bottom line.”
Frankie Reeves is a nurse by profession with a strong need to heal people. However, she’s also emotionally distant. She has a forgotten past and to uncover the secrets, she’s made a bargain with the devil. When she meets Gunnar Erickson, he somehow manages to get under her skin. His persistence, good looks and thoughtful nature slowly breaks down her walls.
“I place her palm against my chest, right where my heart is, and hold it there. I want her to feel the beats, the stutters, the pounding because she needs to know what she does to me.”
Gunnar is in Green Valley training with his brother as an MMA fighter. He is gorgeous and built like a Viking, and has a heart of gold. From the moment he meets Frankie, he’s smitten. However, she’s skittish and a hard nut to crack, but no matter how many knockbacks he gets, he’s patient and persistent.
“He’s stealing more than my breath; he’s stealing my heart.”
I’m in love with Gunnar Erickson! He’s such a sweetheart. I loved his kindness, his protectiveness, thoughtfulness and just general awesomeness!! He’s got a gift for reading people and he understood Frankie so well, and was so patient in his affection for her. I loved how he got under her skin and made her yearn for a closeness that she’s never allowed herself to have before. She was somewhat disengaged from the world and people around her, and I loved how he brought her to life.
I loved this book.
I was hoping when we met Cage in Stud Muffin, that we would get to know more of the Erickson brothers.
Gunnar & Frankie’s story did not disappoint.
Frankie’s journey for the truth is not an easy one. The honesty of the different parts of her life and how they shaped her is important. Parts of her past, are sadly not uncommon and many people are effected by similar situations. Gunnar is an amazing H, not just for Frankie, but as a character in general. The way his and Frankie’s relationship grows and the compassion he shows for her life, feelings, and situation makes my heart soar.
I don’t want to spoil Frankie’s connection to other parts of Green Valley, but I do hope we get to see more of the connection in the future!
I love this series. I was drawn to Gunnar in Stud Muffin and was so excited he was getting his own book. I fell in love with Frankie too. She was so strong yet so guarded. She had a lot on her plate and learned to deal with things by blocking emotion. It is why she was such a great nurse, but not so great with relationships, with anyone.
I loved that Gunnar made her drop her defenses, she could lean on him. When she opened herself up to love and to someone else, it was a beautiful thing. I especially loved the twist and tie in to Green Valley with this book. It brings me back to my favorite Winston Brothers book. The emotions I felt during that read came right back up. I can’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil it, but this book gave me all the feels.
Oh-My-Heart! Y’all! One would think a story called Beef Cake would not be an emotional rollercoaster, well…One would be mistaken. Lol
This phenomenal standalone story is #4 in the Donner Bakery Series and it is a standalone. What you can expect from this trip back to Green Valley for Gunnar and Frankie’s story is one full of life, laughter, mysteries, secrets, angst, tears, self growth, forgiveness, self healing, happiness and yummy sensual hotness. But most importantly love. Gunnar and Frankie’s story is not a magical fairytale story full of easy Insta-love. It is the journey of a woman, a beautiful broken woman who meets her unlikely match in a UFC mixed martial arts fighter. A fighter with his toughest fight ahead of him yet, getting this woman who captivates his every thought to break down her walls. Will this be the first match the undefeated athlete walks away from without a total knockout?
Gunnar Erickson is EVERYTHING I was hoping he would be when I started this book. I mean he had big shoes to fill, being the younger brother of Cage Erickson, and all. I wasn’t sure there was room in my heart for another Scrumptious Scandinavian after Cage “The Fighting Viking”, however the gloriously gorgeous and sweet Gunnar “ the Gunman” shot his big brother right out of the way, earning himself top spot. But you know what? This long blonde hair, blue-eyed beast of a man, is remarkable. He may be a rough and tough fighter in the ring, but he is a patient, perfect, sensitive lover outside of it. He treated Frankie with just enough push to get her to agree to see him, but not enough to pull her out of her comfort zone. He was so instantly drawn and addicted to this woman, yet put her needs before all of his own, even without fully understanding what drove the deep rooted issues she was dealing with.
He just knew she had some issues and was hiding things from him, and that would require him to be patient and to be ready and hopefully she would eventually share with him about her past. He had such faith that they were just meant to be and that everything would work itself out. Y’all my heart was all over the place for this man. He was hot, and sweet. GAAHH! He was understanding and perfect. He was just pushy enough and knew right when to pull back. He was mature beyond his years and still fun at heart and funny. He brought out all the things for Frankie she was missing but didn’t know she was missing and I couldn’t have loved his character more!
Frankie is a nurse with a mysterious yet troubled past. She is a beautiful person inside and out.She works nights at the hospital and spends her days proving just how big her heart is by patching up broken and abused women and children. She felt this strong connection with them that most wouldn’t ever be able to understand. While she was somewhat damaged by her upbringing, she was strong and resilient and this pillar of getting past tragedies and becoming something great, but she wasn’t living her best life. She had no one to share her life with. When she meets Gunnar she is both interested and terrified. She has spent all of her life pushing away any chance at real relationships, she has kind of a sheltered life and keeps to her routine.
Her past has left her with unanswered questions and mysterious dreams, internally and even a few external scars. Lack of intimacy or connection to a man or boyfriend hasn’t been a problem, something she desired, or struggled for, until Gunnar. The magnitude of her attraction is as great as the magnitude of her fears.
She finally started to see what she’d been missing, what her life had to potential to be like. She’s been hiding secrets and telling lies to cover them. When the mysteries behind her tragic past start unraveling how will she handle it, and will she lean on Gunnar or push him away?
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book!
My Cr8zysockbookblock blog wrap up for this book!
– I love this book. Jiffy Kate is this amazingly talented duo of ladies that can weave together a story and you would never know that two people are working on it together. They are so in tune to their craft if flows flawlessly from one chapter to the next and never lets on there could be anything remotely different in a writing style or anything. They bring it each and every single book. This flawlessly, tragically beautiful love story was no exception. Heartwarming and Soul-Healing! It’s a must read for champions of good coming from bad, The Phoenix rising from ashes, the broken put back together. We do get all this all this, but don’t worry, as alway the amazingly wonderful ladies break it up with quirky and funny moments, making this just well rounded, fast paced, I could stop reading because this book was EVERYTHING!
-It was simultaneously sweet and hot!! It was also sensual and beautiful. It’s perfection really, because Gunnar is everything Frankie needs. He anticipates what those needs are and gives her everything and more. He’s just strong and alpha enough, but also sweet and tender.
Cliffhanger Warning- HEA This journey was not an easy road to HEA, but it was worth every bump in their road.
I did really enjoy this book as much as I did the other one in the series by Jiffy Kate, Stud Muffin. And I loved getting to know Cage’s brother, Gunnar. Of course, this book kind of had the Donner Bakery not quite as central as the other books in this series had, and I kind of think I want a branch off series for the Erickson brothers, because there are at least two more that I think we need! Maybe Vali will get the next book? Anyway, this book had some really great moments, and also some connections to the town of Green Valley that were really good and could lead to even more stories down the road. First off, Frankie doesn’t know who her father is, other than that he is one of the Iron Wraiths. And when we do find out who he is, man, that is intense, and there are other characters that I need her to connect with now!
After Frankie’s background though, and even me not having that same background, I totally agreed that having a fight as a benefit for a battered women’s shelter could definitely be a bit of a trigger issue for some people. That’s just me. I personally don’t have a problem with it, but could see why Frankie did, because it was my first thought when he came up with the idea, before she even had found out about it. There was also a mother and daughter that had checked into the women’s shelter and I kind of would like more about their story if possible. Maybe someone else is writing that in the Green Valley World?
All in all another great entry into this wonderful SmartyPants Romance world, and I look forward to more!