The Bake-Off Connection

Last year, François' Café server Avaline Knutson's ex-boyfriend Jimmy stole her recipe and won the Westbury Bakeoff's $50,000 grand prize. This year, Avaline is even more determined to win that prize money and realize her dream of owning a bakery in quaint downtown McKinley, Texas.

Handsome bread baker Leo Evans, Avaline's co-worker at the downtown café, knows the pretty and talented server is still healing from her ex's betrayal. Leo has been a supportive friend, but he wants more from Avaline. A lot more. Leo swears he saw a flicker of something between them once, before she relegated him to the dreaded friend zone. Avaline, aware of the spark between her and Leo, snuffed that out. She doesn't want any distractions as she attempts to qualify for the bakeoff.

But as the contest entry deadline looms, Avaline needs help and has no choice but to accept Leo's generous offer. Can she resist her attraction to the tall Texan as they share a kitchen? Leo smells like fresh-baked bread (someone should bottle that), and Avaline is struggling to keep herself in check watching Leo use his muscle-y biceps and strong hands to knead bread dough. Me, me, can I be next?

Avaline is incensed when she finds out Jimmy, her ex, will be competing again this year. But Jimmy is not the only contestant getting in her way. With help from Dusty the Westbury flour bag mascot, reporter Stu, and the intrepid Bakeoff Barb, Avaline and Leo uncover a saboteur, right a fifty-year-old wrong, and go viral with a steamy #NotSuitableforBakeoff kiss. Before these two Texans get their HEA, they must choose between fulfilling a lifelong dream or something else that will change their lives forever.