Stud Muffin by Jiffy Kate

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Title: Stud Muffin
Author: Jiffy Kate
Series: Donner Bakery #2, Fighting for Love #1
Published by: Smartypants Romance
Release Date: October 29, 2019
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Chris Brinkley, Marnye Young
Length: 9 hours and 11 minutes
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Source: Authors Direct
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 Beat the Backlist Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ Authors Direct
My rating:

Blurb:

It’s hard to get revenge without getting a rap sheet.

After Tempest Cassidy walks in on her husband banging her high school nemesis, her whole world gets turned upside down. She goes from being known as the Duchess of Muffins to the town crazy. Her new MO: revenge.

Eventually, Tempest grows weary being arrested. Yet what choice does she have? If she’s not angry, then she’s simply . . . sad.

Just as she decides to get her life back on track, in walks Cage Erickson, the new bouncer at the local strip club. He’s scary-handsome and the polar opposite of her ex. She’s attracted to him, but she’s not looking for a rebound. He’s attracted to her, but he’s not looking for a serious relationship. So, they agree to be friends.

But when lines get blurred in the friend zone, will they both get burned? Or will it be a TKO?

'Stud Muffin' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #2 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

My Review:

4.5 stars — Dudes, this book just gave me EVERYTHING!  I felt the emotions, I laughed out loud too many times to count, and hooowwweeee did I feel the chemistry between Tempest and Cage!

I’m not sure if listening made it even better, but I adored our narrators.  Mr. Brinkley’s Cage was sexy AF, and I loved the accents from both him and Ms. Young (no idea of accuracy, just fun to listen to).  They both brought all the emotions, and their pacing was spot on, making it an easy listen to get lost in.  I will admit, because of the amount of inner dialogue, I occasionally had a hard time figuring out what was spoken out loud (still not sure), but I think that’s just hard to convey via narration sometimes.  Either way, will definitely be listening to both again in the future.

Tempest was as emotionally complicated as her name suggests.  I actually really loved what the authors did with her journey, and how we got to see all the stages she went through.  I really felt her anger and rage and confusion and heartbreak.  I loved what she learned about herself after that, and how much she struggled with how to trust her own judgement…I think that’s something that a lot of people don’t pay attention to in the trust department after an affair.  I really felt for her and what she was feeling, and I appreciated watching her work through it to figure out that risking it for love was worth it.

Cage was seriously sexy AF…I mean, it didn’t hurt that Mr. Brinkley’s narration was swoonworthy, but his character itself was just swoonworthy.  He had so many characteristics that I love in a book boy: sensitive, thoughtful, genuinely caring, and OMG I loved being in his head with his thoughts about Tempest.  I don’t know any woman (or man) who wouldn’t want to be desired the way he desired Tempest.  I particularly loved how hard he tried to move at Tempest’s pace, and not overwhelm her — but at the same time, he was going to nudge her forward when he felt he could.

They were adorable together.  I loved the way they were as friends, and I loved all those moments where you could see the more come out.  I loved the way that developed, and OMG their chemistry was off the charts!

So many fascinating side characters, and some who really surprised me!  I thought Tempest’s parents were funny but genuinely caring.  I loved the relationship she had with her cousin Cole too, and even though she and Anna were an odd couple, I genuinely felt their friendship.

So yeah.  This is my first book by these authors, and I can already tell it won’t be my last.  I can’t wait to read more, and in particular more books in this universe from them!