A Cinderella story with a hot boss so charming even a fairy godmother couldn’t do better.Everyone thinks Dax Marshall is a prince of a guy. And he’s definitely charming.But Jane has enough going on without adding a torrid fling with the boss to her life. Between her father’s illness, her wicked-ish stepmother, her little sister’s teenage drama, and the co-workers who depend on her—she can’t … on her—she can’t handle another mess.
No matter how tempting and gorgeous the mess may be. Or how messy he wants to get with her.
Dax has spent his life being very serious about only one thing: proving you can be successful while still having a helluva good time. But he’s just met the one woman who might break his I-can-charm-anyone streak. She’s actually taking him seriously…and she seriously thinks they have nothing in common and can’t be together.
Maybe he’s the one who needs a new view of happily ever after. It’s time to stop forking around.
more
Strawberries, please!
I’m loving this small town of Appleby and it’s residents.
This is Jane and Dax’s story. Jane works at Hot Cakes, the factory that the men of Fluke, Inc. have recently purchased. And Dax Marshall is one of the sexy, new owners. Their first encounter will have you smiling. Jane has a serious sweet tooth and Dax is enjoying watching her “attack” the cake pops table and won’t share. Cake pops aren’t the only sweet dessert that Jane loves….strawberry pie is one of her favs, too.
Dax is intrigued by this fiery red-head, but Jane doesn’t have time for anything but work, spending time with her Dad in the nursing home and solving family crisis between her younger sister, step-mom and step-sister. But Dax doesn’t give up easily and does everything he can to win this woman over. The steps he goes to are indering and he just wants to get to know Jane. Their road to a HEA is fun, heart melting, sexy and hot. I fell in love with Dax because when he sets his mind to it there is no giving up. Jane doesn’t stand a chance. She thinks he is just a grown up that likes to have fun and play games, but she sees a different side of him when they are together at work and outside of it. Her heart doesn’t stand a chance!
Highly recommend this hot, enjoyable story that will take you away from what we are dealing with at the moment. I’m looking forward to reading more from one of my fav authors!!
Dax…….the life of the party, the pleaser, the grand gestures guy
Jane……the care taker, the Cinderella, the one who everyone looks to for help
Can they work…..how can they not! This is a fun, flirty, fabulous book that takes strawberries on many fun adventures!
A MUST read!
Dax and Jane weren’t forking around! Who needs forks to eat strawberries anyway? I love a guy who’s all in from the beginning, and Dax is all that and more. Jane really just wants stability, but Dax gives her plenty of fun to lighten the load on her shoulders. I love Erin Nicholas books – the characters, the friendships, the fun!
Jane wants to keep her work life simple. It’s easier that way, since her non-work hours are filled with chaos. Jane is practical, except when it comes to anything strawberry, and Dax. Dax is not practical – he’s more of a dreams to reality kind of guy. He’s also one of the new owners of Hot Cakes, where Jane works. Jan and Dax have chemistry – lots of it. Tagging along while they fall in love is a fun ride. Of course, there are strawberries – pies, muffins, all kinds. But there is also caring and family, and friends who are like family, bean bags, and gummy bears. Dax is a really good guy who doesn’t really even realize he’s trying to overcome his playboy image. Jane is sassy while she juggles life. Author Erin Nicholas has a story that is full of fun and sweets, but also a story with surprising depth. I enjoyed getting to know Dax and Jane, and Forking Around!
Forking Around is a workplace, opposites-attract romantic comedy that can be read as a standalone or as the second book in the Hot Cakes series. Jane has too much on her plate with her family to change anything in her daily routine, especially a fling with her new boss Dax Marshall. Dax is a fun-loving charmer who has been shocked by a red-headed, strawberry loving beauty who seems to be immune to his I-can-charm-anyone persona. Dax and Jane are both determined to make the other see that they are both able to change and still have a happily ever after. Forking Around was another great read by Erin Nicholas that had both emotional and laughter tears in my eyes. I felt sorry for Jane and the fact she felt like she could not have her own life because of her family issues. I fell in love with Dax and his charming, have fun and love life attitude. This is my favourite book of the series so far and can not wait for Making Whoopie for Grant and Josie’s story.
*ARC was generously provided in exchange for my honest review*
A book from this talented lady is like your favorite fuzzy slippers and your most comfy stay-at-home clothes. You know the anticipation of finally getting out of those “real” clothes and the sigh of relief and relaxation you feel? That’s exactly how it is when I start reading one of her books. The rest of the world falls away and I know I’m headed into a blissful, entertaining world full delectable characters and an abundance of heart that I’ll never want to leave.
If you’re new to this series, the home town boy who made it big in the world of gaming, along with his closest friends/business partners, has purchased the Hot Cakes confectionaries factory in order to save it and the town of Appleby, IA. These guys (and their ladies) all have very distinctive, loveable personalities, and each book features the romance of a different guy.
Dax Marshall is the one who brings visions to life and puts fun into the lives of those around him. He seems easygoing and carefree, but he’s happiest when he makes others happy by making them laugh and fixing things for them.
Jane Kemper has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Sure, she’s cheerful around her friends, especially when there are sweets involved, but she’s the one everyone at the factory turns to for help. Added to that, her family situation is tough and exhausting on even the best days, but Jane is tougher.
Dax and Jane seem like complete opposites, and Jane doesn’t have time for anything extra in her life. But the minute Dax sets eyes on the gorgeous redhead, he’s a goner. As opposed to Jane, who’s more of a deny-any-thoughts-of-love kind of girl, yet she can’t seem to ignore her attraction to her funny, handsome boss.
Full of great cheesy puns, witty banter, misbehaving with baked goods and layer upon layer of heart, you’re not going to want to miss this sweet, enchanting, spectacular story. Fair warning though. Just like the best decadent treat, once you savor a morsel of these delicious characters you won’t be able to get enough, and you’ll find yourself bingeing on the whole series!
Erin Nicholas really knows how to Fork Around 😉
Seeing Dax get serious and about Jane – perfection! Just like strawberry pie!
Fun fun read!
Warning: you may want to have strawberries on hand while reading & there may be baking in your future.
Adore Dax and all his fun loving huge heart, he is just what the way to much on her young sexy shoulders Jane needs in her life. Loved this sexy, fun, laugh out loud journey filled with engaging and hard not to love charters, witty banter and undeniable passion. Sexy Hot Cakes!
Overall Grade:
I am new to the Erin Nicholas world. Prior to reading Forking Around, I had only read the first book of the Hot Cakes series, Sugarcoated, and she hooked me into this new series of 5 entrepreneurial male friends who have bought a sweets factory. I think it would easy to say that this series, and by extension Forking Around, is a fluffy treat. There is a lightness to these stories because they are contemporary romantic comedies meant to entertain you with a story of delectable romantic delights. However, it is too simple to say that Nicholas’s Hot Cakes books are easy, sugary goodness because they aren’t. Underpinning their casual stories runs a thread of depth that anchors her stories. In Forking Around, hidden in the rich guy-poor girl story, lies a greater message about personal sacrifice and the common good.
REPORT THIS AD
This second story of the Hot Cakes series follows Dax, the fun-loving Fluke co-owner. People can count on Dax to bring fun to any situation. He lives to lighten people’s days. It would be easy to say that Dax doesn’t worry about life, but underlying this mischievous and charitable person is a man who tries to seek the approval of his father. He has a tendency to listen to the needs of others and find solutions, but his solutions have unintended consequences with his inability to fully realize his solutions. His prowess lies in the ability to initiate change, but he struggles with seeing those changes into the long term.
Enter Jane, the heroine of this story. Jane is the heavy to Dax’s light. Her life has been ordained to care for her ailing father, intermediate for her half-sister and step-mother, and help those closest to her, sometimes at the expense of her own happiness and well-being. At the re-launch party for Hot Cakes, Jane catches the eye of Dax, and he finds himself enamored with her quickly. He uses his usual tricks to capture her, but Jane is grounded in a difficult life. This leads Dax to want to make her life easier, but, in doing so, he finds himself embroiled in a situation that feels beyond his capacity. Will Dax and Jane find a future together, or is Dax too much fun while Jane’s life is too much reality?
At its essence, Forking Around is an “opposites attract” tale. At first glance, Dax and Jane would be the two least likely to connect, except that each does for the other what the other can’t do. Jane struggles to find peace in her life as she is constantly “putting out fires” in the lives of her loved ones. She needs more carefree fun, and she needs someone who can walk by her side providing that levity. Nicholas constructs Dax to be her soul mate. It’s clear from the start that their teasing is the medicine that Jane needs in her life. Conversely, Dax needs someone like Jane to ground him, to give him purpose. As the perpetual dreamer, his follow-through with ideas is realized through his three of his partners in Fluke: Grant, Aidan, and Cam. Yet, in his personal life, Jane offers him a solidity that he doesn’t understand. Nicholas’s ability to craft their chemistry so that it screams off the page, in my opinion, is the strength of this story. Unlike Aidan and Zoe in Sugarcoated, these two compelled me into their story. I didn’t want Dax to “fix” Jane’s situation. Instead, I needed him to be her safe landing, and Nicholas aptly captures this in her storytelling. She gives Jane a resiliency that is admirable, and her resiliency becomes the foundation for Dax’s growth
If I struggled with anything, it’s Dax’s believability for change. This is a character who has lived as a carefree playboy. It was understandable that Jane would be contrary to his previous conquests, but he so readily falls for Jane. I think it would have been more believable had he struggled with his attraction to her more. Instead, like Aidan in the first book, he falls deeply in love with Jane quickly. I would have appreciated the depth of their couplehood if Dax had offered more conflicted internal dialogue. However, his struggle with other characters’ perceptions of his inconstancy were the moments when my heart hurt the most in this story. Nicholas carefully exposes Dax’s insecurities, and those moments bring a depth to Dax’s character, making him the “perfect” man for Jane.
If you love sugary sweet romances with some spice on top, then Forking Around is definitely your cookie. This book is currently my favorite of the series, but there are a few more to go, and I am eagerly ready to gorge on this dessert of hot men who find intelligent women to ground their lives.
I haven’t read an Erin Nicholas book I haven’t loved. I love all the delicious sizzle between the leads. I love the comedy. I love the banter and I love the relationships with other characters…the bromances and the strong female friendships.
Dax and Jane are two of my favorite characters ever. At the beginning, Dax is portrayed as a wonderkin…this goofy, slightly nerdy guy in a suit who made lots of money by accident…a Fluke, as it were! But we learn quickly that there’s more going on in that mind of his that even his close friends know. And he’s instantly smitten with Jane.
Jane is awesome. She’s juggling more than any young woman should be dealing with. A sick dad, a younger sister who is manipulated by a stepmother and stepsister…sounds familiar? But to me, Jane is not Cinderella. She’s not passively sitting around waiting for her life to change while her only friends are talking wildlife. She’s working hard, taking care of family, friends and co-workers. She’s trying to keep her head above water and is not looking for a prince to save her.
Separately, they are awesome. Together they are dynamite with a side of gummy bears and strawberry pie! This steamy, funny goodness is Nicholas at her very best!
There is nothing better than a man who knows exactly what he wants and has no problem going after it. Dax has been drawn to Jane from the first moment he has seen her, getting her to leave him in is another story. Jane’s life is full, between her family, friends and work she has no time or energy for anything else. Dax finds a way to make people and situations better for everyone and Jane is drawn to that. Dax and Jane were wonderful together and their chemistry is smoking hot. You will never think of strawberry pie the same after reading Forking Around. I absolutely loved Dax, Jane and all the characters in this series.
YES!! I wish there were more than 5-star reviews to give. What a great ‘get out of my own head’ book, with so much unknown in the world right now.
Dax is part owner of the Hot Cakes, a bakery specializing in large distribution of their products. He is also a ton of fun, for everyone! He brings in specialty coffee machines, ping pong tables, lunchtime card games, and other stuff to make the employee lounge more ‘fun’. He figures if the employees are happy, they’re more productive.
Jane has worked at Hot Cakes since graduating from High School. She tolerates the job, she’s not in love with her job, but has obligations she must meet. She’s much more staid in her nature. It’s not that she doesn’t like to have fun, it’s that when she does there are consequences she’d rather not face.
Dax likes Jane. Jane won’t date Dax. Their interactions with each other are as steamy as they are laugh out loud funny! Can playful Dax bring serious Jane over to the fun side?
Forking Around is the second book in the Hot Cakes series and can absolutely be read as a standalone. This series is fun, happy, steamy, and a quick read for an afternoon. Make sure you have strawberries!!
Forking Around by Erin Nicholas is the second book in her latest series, Hot Cakes . Set in the small town of Appleby, Iowa, this is the story of the Hot Cakes Factory and the Buttered Up bakery and the friends and owners of both these sweet places. Jane Kemper, a worker at Hot Cakes factory is all about the sweet treats and Dax Marshall, the new owner of the same factory isn’t beyond using all the sweet tools in his arsenal to get her attention and win her heart.
jane is independent, sassy, strong, and in charge and when Dax shows up in her life she is torn between remaining in charge and just once, allowing someone else to do for her the way she has been doing for others her whole life. Dax may have just met his match in Jane. She is apparently immune to his charm, takes no crap from anyone but also is the nicest and kindest person he has ever met. He may just lose his heart in order to win hers.
Loved it! Funny, emotional, sweet (pun intended) and sexy. I cannot wait to see whose book is next, hoping it is Josie’s. Enjoy!
I always look forward to diving into Erin Nicholas’s books. She set up Jax and Jane’s story in the previous book, so I was really looking forward to seeing how everything played out.
Jax and Jane are well-developed characters with real problems. I especially felt for Jane with her father’s illness and having to deal with her stepmom and stepsister. It was really nice to see Dax bring some fun and romance into her life. She also is a grounding force for him, someone he can bounce his ideas off of and explore the big feelings and emotions with.
The banter and humor are spot on and exactly what I’ve come to expect from Erin Nicholas. I flew through reading this book and loved the romance, friendship, and perfectly paced plot.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Jane has been picking up the pieces behind her family for a long time now. While still a teen, Jane took a job at the Hotcakes factory as a way to help support her family. She she knows the ins and outs of the business but has no desire for advancement. She has way too much on her plate taking care of her family.
When the new owners of Hotcakes come in, sparks fly between Jane and one of the new owners, Dax. Dax is immediately smitten with Jane. As much as Jane would love to have a relationship with Dax, she won’t do anything that might put her job at risk.
Dax is the opposite of Jane. He is fun loving and the life of the party. But can he convince Jane to take a chance on them? Dax would love to have people see him as more than a fun guy. He’s ready for something more.
I loved this story. It’s the second book in the new Hotcakes series by Erin Nicholas.
Dax and Jane’s story was a cute, funny, hot and somewhat unusual romance. The way in which Dax shows love isn’t that of the usual Tom, Dick or Harry. He wrote the book on grand gestures. The only problem is that Jane doesn’t always appreciate his gestures.
Ms. Nicholas’ characters always have a grand time together and give me some much needed relief from the tedious times we are living in. I know I can count on her to make me laugh and swoon all at the same time!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Erin Nicholas does not fail to suprise her readers with yet another cute, sexy and funny romance.
I simply love Dax and Jane’s irrestible chemistry and this new version of pie. I can’t wait for the next installment and to bake a strawberry pie
I’m running out of ways to describe Erin Nicholas’s books. Forking Around is a fun, entertaining romance between a fun loving, short term guy & a serious, reliable young woman. Jane has always been serious & steady. She has put herself in charge of taking responsibility for her family instead of following her hopes & dreams. To her, a job isn’t somewhere to have fun, it’s a place to earn a paycheck. She just can’t fathom how Dax & his friends are successful with their business manner.Dax fell for Jane from the first time he saw her. How can he impress her when all she sees is his light side? No matter what he does, she isn’t taking him serious. How can they have a future if she won’t let him in?
Any time I want to escape my life, I can pick up an Erin Nicholas book & be transported to another place. Her heroine’s are attractive, well developed & easy to relate too. The men are good looking, sexy & smart. These couples are what we all want to be,. This series has been so much fun so far! Each book can be read alone but by reading them all, you develop a better understanding of the characters & the community. Each book is witty, sarcastic & hot!
Dax is fun, over the top, loving, rich and One of Jane’s new bosses at Hot Cakes. Jane is reserved, hard working, caretaker and great friend. There is instant attraction when they first meet but she doesn’t want to get involved with her boss. Love the sexy banter between them and I laughed more in this book than I have in awhile. I absolutely loved this book and loving this series. Can’t wait to read Grant and Josie’s book next. Highly recommended
This was a good read! Even though this is the second book in the series, I don’t think you will be lost if you haven’t read the first one. Dax was a good guy, and I love that he wanted to make things better for Jane. Jane was a great heroine, and even if she didn’t want to, she took care of everyone. I liked that they were able to understand each other from the start. While I wish that Jane would have believed in Dax completely, I understood where she was coming from. It’s hard to be responsible for someone, and think they might be hurt because of someone’s actions. The ending was sweet, and the only thing I would have changed would have been an epilogue. I can’t wait to find out what happens with Josie and Grant or Ollie and Piper!