We continue with, DEAN, Book 4 in the series, by Author Annee Jones.
Dean and Josie are the rival owners of the best bakeries in town. Josie is famous for baking the tallest cakes, making all her sweet creations a little bit like her: steady and reliable. Dean is famous for crazy taste combos, explosions of colors inside his cakes, kind of like his personality: a little bit extravagant, a lot flashy.
When they are both chosen to compete on the national TV reality competition show, Wedding Baker, Dean and Josie travel to NYC to engage in the ultimate battle for supremacy. The competition forces them into close proximity and all contestants engage in pettiness and naughty comments while they bake.
Will Josie win the hearts of the audience with her insanely tall and sturdy confections, or will Dean delight the jury more, making him the last man standing in this sweet, sweet war?
“This is our Funfetti Cake,” he said, waiting for the cameraman to zoom in on the confection.
“Why is it called Funfetti though?” asked Stormy, her brows furrowing. “It’s completely white. I mean, it’s very pretty with all the roses and swirls, don’t get me wrong.” She quickly added. “It has to do with the taste, I assume?”
“You’ll find out in just a second, I promise,” Dean replied. Picking up a shiny silver cake knife, he deftly cut into the soft gooey confection and lifted a single slice onto a plate. At the same time, sugared confetti in a rainbow of colors burst forth out of the middle of the cake. The layers of the cake themselves were each in a different color of the rainbow as well, separated by white vanilla buttercream.
“Wow! That’s amazing!” Stormy cried. “Steve, did you catch that?”
The cameraman gave a thumbs-up sign.
“Want a taste?” Dean asked.
“Um, is my name Stormy Matthews?” The reporter asked with a laugh.
Dean cut a small piece of cake making sure the portion he chose included one of the white roses on top. He speared it with a fork and held it out to her.
“Aw, isn’t this guy something, folks?” Stormy said to the camera. She leaned forward slowly so Steve could zoom in and then placed her red lips around the bite.
“Hm,” she said dreamily, closing her eyes as she chewed and swallowed. “I’m here to tell all of you at home, Dean Montgomery is a winner in my book!”
“Thank you,” he said proudly.
“Thank you, Dean, for talking with us today and allowing SWET TV to visit your bakery.” She turned to face the camera directly. “I know folks at home will be excited to learn that you’re not the only baker in Sugar Grove that’s been selected to compete on Wedding Baker.”
“What?” He snapped his head up, startled. Could he have heard her correctly?
“Oh, you didn’t know?” Stormy cooed, widening her blue eyes in mock surprise. “Josie Taylor, of Sugar and Spice, was also selected to be a contestant. You do know her, right? Wasn’t she your co-valedictorian of your graduating high school class?”
He ran his hand through his hair reflexively as an image of Josie’s beautiful – and infuriating - heart-shaped face rose in his mind.
“Yes, that’s correct,” he said, feeling his cheeks flame and hoping he didn’t appear as flustered as he really was. “Um, that’s great news,” he continued. “Best of luck to her.”
“What wonderful sportsmanship!” Stormy replied, grinning widely. “May the best baker win, right? I know everyone here in Sugar Grove will be tuning in to the show eagerly in a few weeks when the competition begins!”
“Um, great,” Dean said through gritted teeth. “May the best baker win.”
The reported took a step closer to the camera. “I’m Stormy Matthews, bringing you the latest and greatest in local news from SWET TV.”
The light on the cameraman’s recording equipment clicked off.
“And that’s a wrap!” The producer yelled.
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“Why is it called Funfetti though?” asked Stormy, her brows furrowing. “It’s completely white. I mean, it’s very pretty with all the roses and swirls, don’t get me wrong.” She quickly added. “It has to do with the taste, I assume?”
“You’ll find out in just a second, I promise,” Dean replied. Picking up a shiny silver cake knife, he deftly cut into the soft gooey confection and lifted a single slice onto a plate. At the same time, sugared confetti in a rainbow of colors burst forth out of the middle of the cake. The layers of the cake themselves were each in a different color of the rainbow as well, separated by white vanilla buttercream.
The cameraman gave a thumbs-up sign.
“Want a taste?” Dean asked.
“Um, is my name Stormy Matthews?” The reporter asked with a laugh.
Dean cut a small piece of cake making sure the portion he chose included one of the white roses on top. He speared it with a fork and held it out to her.
“Aw, isn’t this guy something, folks?” Stormy said to the camera. She leaned forward slowly so Steve could zoom in and then placed her red lips around the bite.
“Hm,” she said dreamily, closing her eyes as she chewed and swallowed. “I’m here to tell all of you at home, Dean Montgomery is a winner in my book!”
“Thank you,” he said proudly.
“Thank you, Dean, for talking with us today and allowing SWET TV to visit your bakery.” She turned to face the camera directly. “I know folks at home will be excited to learn that you’re not the only baker in Sugar Grove that’s been selected to compete on Wedding Baker.”
“What?” He snapped his head up, startled. Could he have heard her correctly?
“Oh, you didn’t know?” Stormy cooed, widening her blue eyes in mock surprise. “Josie Taylor, of Sugar and Spice, was also selected to be a contestant. You do know her, right? Wasn’t she your co-valedictorian of your graduating high school class?”
He ran his hand through his hair reflexively as an image of Josie’s beautiful – and infuriating - heart-shaped face rose in his mind.
“Yes, that’s correct,” he said, feeling his cheeks flame and hoping he didn’t appear as flustered as he really was. “Um, that’s great news,” he continued. “Best of luck to her.”
“What wonderful sportsmanship!” Stormy replied, grinning widely. “May the best baker win, right? I know everyone here in Sugar Grove will be tuning in to the show eagerly in a few weeks when the competition begins!”
“Um, great,” Dean said through gritted teeth. “May the best baker win.”
The reported took a step closer to the camera. “I’m Stormy Matthews, bringing you the latest and greatest in local news from SWET TV.”
The light on the cameraman’s recording equipment clicked off.
“And that’s a wrap!” The producer yelled.
Author Annee Jones writes heartwarming romance and will soon be adding cozy mystery, fantasy/ PNR, suspense, and more to her list of genres since her imagination often runs away with her. She is passionate about writing stories that offer readers a place where dreams come true!
Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she helps her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.
Annee also enjoys freelance writing for Publishers Weekly and multiple publishing companies.
Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she helps her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.
Annee also enjoys freelance writing for Publishers Weekly and multiple publishing companies.
You know who he is... the confirmed bachelor. The fellow who claims no woman will ever tempt him enough to succumb. Cupid will never hit his mark.
Well, guess what? We’ve got fourteen feisty heroines who are about to change their minds.
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Well, guess what? We’ve got fourteen feisty heroines who are about to change their minds.
Find the entire series exclusively on Kindle Unlimited
While you out shopping for one of stubborn men, please remember to grab a copy of the companion cookbook, Game On Snacks, a collection of appetizers, main dishes, side dishes, and sweet treats worthy of any tailgate party or Sunday armchair quarterback. Find it on Amazon.
All proceeds in the sale of Game On Snacks will be donated, on a quarterly basis, to The Wounded Warrior Project.
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Thank you so much for stopping by. Be sure to come back on Wednesday when we'll feature the fifth book in the Last Man Standing series, Alonso, by author Allison Wells.
Nancy
Such a great addition to the series!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to our latest Last Man Standing.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this cover and premise! Happy BOOK BIRTHDAY, Annee! :D
ReplyDeleteLove the name Stormy. Sounds like a great read, Annee.
ReplyDelete