Things are about to get sticky… I might as well permanently add the label “Ex” to my name. I’m an Ex-Mr. Universe. Ex-Mr. Olympus. An Ex-Hollywood Stuntman. But no one from my small hometown cares anything about that. They only care that I’m the ex-boyfriend to the beloved Mayor’s daughter, Elaina Dyker.And now, ten years later, I’m back, helping my siblings run my mother’s bakery while she … mother’s bakery while she takes on chemo. What should have been a routine cupcake delivery turns into utter chaos when the bachelorette party thinks I’m a stripper. And what’s worse? Elaina is the maid of honor.
When the video of Elaina and I meeting again goes viral, my small hometown becomes positively infested with tipsy bridesmaids looking for my erotic cupcakes.
Now Hollywood’s knocking again—and they want Elaina to join me starring in a reality show.
All we have to do is play nice for a few weeks and pretend to fall in love again in order to win half a million dollars and solve both our problems.
Shouldn’t be too hard, right? Everyone knows, reality television is anything but real…
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Thank you Social Butterfly for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Beefcakes
By: Katana Collins
*REVIEW*
What do you get if you mix a hot guy with a bakery and delicious cupcakes? A delicious guy, obviously-just joking, but you do get Beefcakes. Neil is a former Mr. Universe, Stunt Man, etc. returning home to Maple Grove. Why? His mother has chemo, and help is needed at her bakery, thus Neil becomes a bakery employee. The worst part, however, is seeing his ex young first love, Elaina, ten years after he left her. Awkward much? Elaina is a straight laced in the box woman who has been badly burned by men. Things get even worse when Neil, delivering cupcakes to a bridal party, is mistaken as the stripper, and Elaina is the maid of honor. Funny and humiliating make things interesting. Someone posted a video that goes viral, of course, and Hollywood comes calling with reality shows and money. I really love this story because it’s just plain fun to read. It’s a pick me up kind of story, and that’s exactly what I wanted. Neil and Elaina are not over each other, but they have to figure this out for themselves. Both are wonderful characters with a genuine vibe about them, and this made them very relatable and real. This story is a charming romp down the road of reconciliation, and delight is on every page. Beefcakes is the perfect romcom for that time out from your kids and husband(really just a large child) that you likely need right about now. Don’t forget your coffee!
This was a sweet, fun second chance romance. I liked that even though this was a second chance romance there wasn’t over the top drama. It was a nice book to read at the end of some stressful days, and I’m grateful for that. I enjoyed getting lost in their world.
This is a new author for me and I can honestly say this was the perfect book to find out about her. So we meet Neil who is back at his hometown because his mother is sick and needs his help. Her bakery is suffering and about to become bankrupt, due to a mishap on his way to a delivery there was a mess with the cupcakes and trying to figure out what to do a new opportunity arose. Lainey (Elaine) was shocked to bump into her ex, Neil the one she loved in high school the one who left without a word to her and went on to bigger and better thing. After being shocked at who was at the door doesn’t make it easy for him, and due to both of them needing money and another chance that fell in there laps are spending time together and bickering. I liked that Elaine stuck up for herself and didn’t just forgive him easily. At first I thought that Neil wasn’t very considerate of her feelings but I was wrong.
rcvd an ARC at no cost to author…voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.
This book was soooo good! I loved the history between Neil (SWOON) and Lainey! Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes and I loved watching these two reconnect and work on their HEA. The banter, chemistry, and characters were amazing! I loved every single moment!!
I love books where the characters bake. I love how Beefcakes came to be in this book. I knew right from the beginning that this book was going to be good. This is a second chance for Elaina and Neil. There are old hurts, but these two need to work together to reach a common goal. Neil is delicious because he can bake, but his description isn’t half bad either. This book has plenty of laughs through out the book, but it also delivers on heart and the feels. Overall it’s a great read that had me hooked right from the beginning. Not gonna lie I’m iffy when it comes reality TV so I usually pass it up when it’s in books. I’ so glad I didn’t pass up on this one because I would have missed out on a great book. I would recommend this book! The epilogue was the icing on the cake for this book.
Beefcakes by Katana Collins is book 4 of the Maple Grove series by Katana Collins. It’s a standalone romcom read about 2nd chance romance between Neil Evans and Elaina (Lainey) Dyker who used to be high school sweethearts (first loves) 10 years ago until everything went wrong between them. Fast forward to now and we get Neil back in town, not expecting to see his ex Lainey.
Their love story is what makes this story feel realistic and relatable. The plot is funny, heartwarming , sizzling and sweet.
Without giving really much away, the story deals with family dynamics, heartbreak, 2nd chance at first love, chemistry, passion, feels, love and whole lotta of cupcakes.
My Rating: 4.5 stars *********
If you’re looking for a sweet, all pun intended, second-chance romance, look no further. I’m just gonna start off by saying this book hooked me from the very beginning. I was in hysterics laughing at the argument Neil was having with his brother.
Neil and Lainey were previous high school sweethearts, but their relationship abruptly ends after Neil leaves town. You really feel for Neil once you find out why he left so abruptly, I think the feeling her had is something that everyone can relate to. It’s no secret that Neil is admired because of his muscles, heck the title of the book is Beefcakes, but perhaps Neil wants to be recognized by people on a deeper more intellectual level, rather than just somebody with a great body. I think it’s obvious that Neil’s leaving town effects Lainey, as it would with any woman. She of course builds up her walls to avoid being hurt again.
Aside from the romance, I love this book because it is centered around one of my favorite things, CUPCAKES!! What’s even better than cupcakes? A reality show. This book truly does have it all.
Overall Grade: 1/2
What do you get when you pair a former Mr. Universe/stuntman/baker and a current uptight, “colors within the lines” town manager together with a baking reality show about exes? You get Katana Collins’s romance, Beefcakes. While I am not the most prolific romance reader, I can tell you that this story read like a fresh take on second chance romance. From its first page to its last, you find yourself rooting for this couple to move beyond their past to find an exciting future together. What is here is a reminder that living an abundant life requires moving forward instead of always looking back.
Why should you read this book?
Neil is this anomaly of a hero. He’s an amalgamation of types. And I think this is Collins’s purpose. Throughout the story, Neil has to remind Elaina “Lainey” that she can be both intelligent and “buttoned-up” and also the carefree “party girl” of her youth. She can take chances and find freedom in losing her strict control. We see Collins crafting this lesson with Neil. He’s a former ex-Mr. Universe bodybuilder who moved into the life of a stuntman before he comes back to his hometown to help his mother’s bakery. He is also an amazing baker who crafts bakery items that are healthier, yet delicious. There is clearly a traditionally masculine side to Neil (we see this also evidenced in his possessiveness around Lainey), but there is also a more compassionate, feminine side to him. We find him worried over Lainey, even when he shows her his “cocky” side. Through his creation, Neil encompasses one of the truths of Collins’s Beefcakes: we can be more than one identity. We can be whomever we want to be. This is a profound message for her readers, an admonishment to be “more” than we allow for ourselves.
This is a story of second chances that emphasizes the need to stay and work through problems. Neil and Lainey are high school best friends with benefits. As they prepare to graduate high school, they have made plans for their future; however, at the last minute, Neil leaves town without a “good-bye” to Lainey. For ten years, Lainey nurses a broken heart, even though she engages in a nine-year relationship with another man. However, no one ever really compares to Neil, yet he left her without ever looking back. Or so she thinks. Neil has always regretted leaving Lainey, but he made a choice and he lives with it until he returns home. It is then that the gravity of his interest in Lainey becomes apparent, and he wants to do everything to win her back. Unfortunately, Lainey struggles with trust, not just due to Neil’s swift departure, but for other reasons. This is the reason for her control. In order for Neil to win her over, he will need to remedy his tendency to run when problems arise. I think this lesson is a profound one for today’s romance. We see this plotline in romantic stories, but it really is something that seems prevalent in today’s relationships. Through Neil and Lainey’s reconciliation, Collins proposes that the time and energy necessary for the maintenance of relationships breeds great rewards. Staying power and facing troubles together is always better than running from problems. It’s an important admonishment that Collins develops beautifully through Neil and Lainey’s story.
The contemporization of second chance romance by using a common media attribute: reality television. Collins’s use of a reality television baking show connects us to our own society where these shows are the “bread and butter” of their networks. As a plot device, it forces Neil and Elaina together, but it makes it easy for her readers to imagine. We can see the bachelor-esque beginning of this show as Neil’s exes compete against each other for the coveted spot in the baking competition. It is here where Neil and Elaina are reminded of the depth of their chemistry. It is also in those moments where the readers can enjoy the cattiness of his former ex. This adds some spice and tension to Neil and Lainey’s journey towards reconciliation. As Collins crafts the show in her story, we can see the equivalent of a Cupcake Wars-ish reality show as a means to fully unpack Neil and Lainey’s soulmate-ish chemistry and their inherent conflict. Attaching their journey with something we can “see” and understand from our own world makes this more distinct, more significant, as their happy ending becomes threatened. In my eyes, this was smart of Collins, setting her apart from most second chance romances.
There are enough differences with Beefcakes from other second chance romances that it makes for an engaging read. I found myself falling into Neil and Elaina’s story and hoping for their reconciliation while laughing at Neil and his brother, Liam’s sudden social media celebrity, empathizing with Elaina’s trust issues, and applauding the beauty of Katana Collins’s epilogue.
I signed up for an ARC for this book simply because I hadn’t read a story like it in terms of its characterization. It intrigued me, and I wanted to read these characters developed on the page. Katana Collins did not disappoint with Beefcakes. It was engaging and thoughtful and the type of second chance romance that makes you believe in happily-ever-afters for everyone. I am INDEED excited for any forthcoming stories in this series, maybe Liam’s story? Neil and Elaina in Beefcakes are an apt reminder that we must forgive and move forward to live a rich life without fear.
A fantastic RomCom page-turner that you won’t want to miss. Neil (Mr. Beefcake) and Elaina (Ms. Prude) take us on a journey of never ending LOL moments, unattainable chemistry, and some seriously unexpected situations. You’ll love the characters and every second of their crazy journey torgether.
Oh Neil and Elaina are the unexpected couple. And they unexpectedly run into each other when things go terribly wrong on the way to deliver cupcakes to Elaina’s sister’s bachelorette party! And the media storm that surrounds them is definitely not one either saw coming. But you know what they say: strike while the iron is hot! And that’s exactly what Ash and Jude do with their buddy Neil. When life gives you lemons, make chocolate cake! (Read the book to find out what I’m referring to) I liked the circumstances in which Elaina and Neil are thrown together again and despite the bad feelings in the past, they have to work together now. They’re both motivated by different things, but all the cards are on the table and they aren’t hiding from each other. I loved the feels this book gave me and I was cheering for this couple as things progressed. If you like a sweet, sexy and completely different romance, then be sure to grab this book! It’s one you’ll easily be able to get lost in! And you might want to have some cupcakes lying around while you read this. Just sayin!
This book is much longer than the books I usually read, but I had fun reading it. I enjoyed this book so much that I now want to read the other books in the Maple Grove series! Katana Collins has some serious writing skills! She was able to evoke emotions in her writing—there was even one point in the story where I was so annoyed with one of the main characters I almost DNF’ed! It’s heartwarming, funny, and a little steamy.
Another thing that I like is that there are actual cupcake recipes at the back of the book that I can’t wait to try!
Beefcakes is a contemporary romantic comedy written in dual first-person POV. It’s a standalone that ends with a HEA. No cliffhanger.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Such a great story!
Neil and Elaina’s story is both fun and sweet and I couldn’t get enough!
Reading from the perspectives of both Neil and Elaina made for an easy to follow story and a hilariously cute romance. Hearing/Reading both of their views gave the reader a perfect way to relate to and understand both characters actions and emotions. This hilarious story is amazing and I can honestly say that I totally recommend it to anyone looking for a great weekend read!
Katana Collins is a new author for me but now I can absolutely say that I will be watching for any and all of her future works!
Beefcakes by Katana Collins is a stand alone rom-com which is part of the Maple Grove series. I was pretty sure going in from reading the blurb that I was going to really enjoy this book. But, I don’t think I was prepared to love it as much as I did. Because I did love it!
Ten years ago when they were seniors in high school, Elaina (Lainey) Dyker and Neil Evans were in love. They had plans, futures all laid out as much as an eighteen year old could. But then Neil left. He just packed a bag and left without saying good bye.
Now, Lainey is again recovering from a broken heart. Her boyfriend cheated on her and left her right before Christmas. The only other man she had dated after Neil. In high school, Lainey was known as a party girl but now she is anything but. She is the town manager for Maple Grove, her father is the mayor. She’s all business, all the time.
Neil loved physical fitness. He has held the title of Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympus. Then he became a Hollywood stuntman until he injured his shoulder. When Neil received the call that his mother back in Maple Grove was sick, he knew it was time to go home.
Neil’s mom owned a small bakery in town so during her recuperation, Neil and his siblings took over. Neil loved to bake. He loved to incorporate his love of physical fitness and baking and created healthy cupcake options, options his mother would be able to eat while she was sick. But a cupcake delivery gone wrong to a bachelorette party, a party where the maid of honor was no other than the only girl he had ever loved, Lainey, reinvented their little bakery. What do you get when you combine a lot of muscles and delicious cupcakes? You get Beefcakes.
All the attention Beefcakes is getting brings Hollywood calling right to their door in Maple Grove with a baking reality show. Only not only do they want Neil, they want to pair him up with his ex, Lainey. Is this a recipe for disaster? Or could it be a second chance to prove to Lainey that he can be the man she deserves?
“On the outside, Neil and I didn’t look like an ideal couple. But for the first time in a decade, I truly wondered if maybe we could make a good team.”
This book was so adorable. It was obvious these two were meant to be together. They both needed to win the competition and I loved watching them come together as a team, as a couple, learning to work together and to trust one another. But of course, there are going to be obstacles to overcome as they find their way. Ten years is a long time, there was a lot of hurt to make up for. Is it too much, or can they forgive the past, and find a future together?
4.5 stars
Neil Evans and Elaina (Lainey) Dyker were high school sweethearts. After a disturbing confrontation with a teacher, Neil skips out on life in Maple Grove and a future with Lainey, by leaving in the early morning hours to start fresh. It isn’t the smartest decision, because it leaves Lainey with a boatload of uncertainty about why she isn’t ‘enough.’ Fast forward ten years later, and her boyfriend has just left her because once again, she isn’t ‘enough,’ leaving Lainey with some deep-seated trust issues. Neil and Lainey finally meet again after Lainey hires Neil’s family bakery to make cupcakes for her little sister’s bachelorette party. Unfortunately, the cupcakes get destroyed on the way to the party, and Neil and his brother have to salvage the situation somehow. On the fly, they create Beefcakes—a PG-rated somewhat-sexy service for dessert deliveries catering to upcoming brides.
There is more to this book than it seems at first glance. There are several storylines that keep the action flowing in this story. Namely, Neil and his family are trying to save the family bakery; Lainey and Neil have some unfinished business that needs resolving; two of Neil’s friends are now successful directors, and they want Neil to be in their latest TV project; Lainey (as town manager) is trying to repurpose an abandoned building to benefit the region; and there are some people who hope to sabotage anything and anyone they can. Because of the various storylines, the reader stays engaged and invested in the outcome.
There are some wonderful supporting characters in this story as well; these people add heart and warmth to the story, and even some awkward moments and laughter. The main characters are flawed, and they sometimes behave in immature ways, but there is a lot of love and support for each of these protagonists. They share a history and they share some heartache, but ultimately they both bring out the best in the other. Trust is a big issue for Lainey especially, but it is understandable with her history. And Neil has some issues with being seen as all brawn and no brain. Both characters grow stronger as the story deepens. Nevertheless, they figure it out in the end and this story concludes delightfully.
This book was a refreshing change; the storyline was unique and kept me reading to see how it ended. The challenges were all too real and had me hoping for more.
Neil is such a sweetheart, he really does wear his heart on his sleeve where Elaina is concerned and that made me swoon. I loved his personality and the relationship he has with his family.
Elaina is such a stiff, stickler for control in her job and life that it’s hard to see her softening up but, once I got to know her, I loved her. She’s been through too much for me to hold anything against her. She’s passionate about her town and her job and so kind hearted that I have a little girl crush too.
I really enjoyed this different story and will be looking up more books by Katana Collins.
Just so good. This story grabbed me from the first Jeep-bouncing pothole and held on through the very end.
I loved Neil even when I wanted to shake him and Lainey was very real and lovable. The whole cast of characters was three-dimensional and entertaining! I would love to hole up in Maple Grove for a while!
Recommend!
This is the 4th book in this amazing series and is Elaina and Neil’s story. Neil is back in town after a 10 year absence to help run his moms bakery while she is ill, and when a delivery of cupcakes does not go to plan, he ends up face to face with his ex-girlfriend Elaina, and the sparks fly. This is a well written story which is emotional, heart-warming, and an all-consuming 2nd chance romance story. I highly recommend for all readers.
LOVED this one so much!!
I never wanted to put it down.
Neil, former Hollywood stunt man, former Mr. Universe, current Beefcake…has stolen my heart. And I don’t want it back.
Lainey, recently burned by her ex of 9 years, current town manager of Maple Grove, the Mayor’s daughter, has high, concrete walls up around her heart. With good reason.
Back in high school, Neil and Lainey had THEE BEST senior year as best friends and lovers with plans for the future. They hit it off in every way possible. But…Neil took off right before HS graduation without so much as a goodbye. So who can blame Lainey for holding a grudge.
Fast forward ten years…
Neil is back in town, helping at his mother’s bakery. A cupcake delivery gone very very wrong lands Neil face to face with Lainey at her sister’s bachelorette party. And guess what? That grudge? It’s still there and it’s as strong as ever.
But the sparks! Lordy, the sparks. They are unavoidable and undeniable, they are present, and they are sizzling. The author made me feel those sparks.
I loved these two together.
She’s feisty, he’s persistent.
She’s determined, so is he.
She’s witty and snarky, he’s witty and snarky right back.
To see them both working through their issues and insecurities was emotional and heartwarming. To see them visit the past, mend those wounds, and decide to move on and give each other another chance made my heart happy.
This second chance romance filled my heart with all the warm fuzzies and gave my body all those delicious tingles. The serious and emotional scenes pulled at my heartstrings. The feel-good humor had me smiling often and the passion and love between Lainey and Neil was intoxicating, making me fall harder with each turn of the page.
I can always count on this author for a story filled with so much passion and heart and all the feels I love. This one had it in spades.
**Even though this is set in the small town of Maple Grove, it is not officially part of the Maple Grove series by this author.
If you like second-chance romances you need to read this. This was sweet (no pun intended) without being over the top. The characters felt like real people with real relationship problems. They lived real lives with real problems. This was the perfect mixture of romance, comedy, and serious.
I love it when a couple works through their issues and they actually talk about their problems instead of hiding behind lust and ignoring the bad stuff. In this book, there is a lot of baggage between main characters Neil and Elaina. He broke her heart when he left, and if he has any chance of winning her back he has to earn her trust back. Elaina has been hurt far too many times in her life by people she cared for, and Neil was probably the worst. She isn’t going to make it easy for him to waltz right back into town and win her back with his antics. I also love it when couples don’t change for each other or settle to be something they are not. Neil loves being a stuntman and loves to bake. When he was injured on set, his career in the movies was over so he came home to help out with the family cupcake business. Elaina is the town manager, and she’s very serious and business oriented. The Elaina from high school that Neil used to know was fun and a bit of a party girl. He wants to know where she went and inspire Elaina to let “Lainey” out because you can be responsible and serious and still have fun sometimes. All the while Neil is trying to help his mom’s struggling business while she is going through cancer treatments and racking up debt. When Elaina and Neil are thrown together in a crazy TV show that could potentially solve both of their financial issues, they realize that they still have feelings for each other. They both have issues they will have to face, but the only way they will win is to face them together.
I love to bake, and I need the recipes for Neil’s low carb, protein cupcakes in my life. All of his recipes sound amazing! Did I mention there are a couple of recipes at the end of the book? As someone who eats a low carb diet, I’m excited to try them and see how they work out. The author has even thought through substitutions for sugar alternatives and flour alternatives which makes me a very happy girl!
This is part of the Maple Grove series, but it is 100% standalone. This is my first book from Katana Collins and I didn’t find myself lost or confused by not having read the other books in the series. I actually had no idea there were more books until I got to the end of this book and there were links to more books which I will of course be reading in the future.
This was a solid enjoyable book. This was my first book by this author and now I need to catch up on the rest of the Maple Grove stories.
Neil is back in Maple Grove and working with his brother in the bakery. One botched delivery and he comes face to face with his first love Lainey but winning her back will be an uphill battle. Lainey has trust issues and isn’t sure Neil is trustworthy but fate puts them into each other’s paths and that is something they can build off of to get their HEA.
This story had all the feels and a fair amount of laughter and sweetness thrown in.