The Half Baked Plan by Becca Jackson

LUCAS

Fire took out my business, my apartment and almost my life a few weeks back, and now I’m living in my best friend’s house while I rebuild, and he travels the world. He found his perfect match and now It’s time I found mine.

After years on my own, I want a family, but I have zero hope in finding my match while I’m still completely crushing on the hottest builder in the world, and to make matters worse, he’s now my roommate.

I thought sharing a house with Carter would help me get over him. I’d see why he’s never had a boyfriend, or anyone worth bringing around town. I’d discover all of his faults up close and squash the perfect god-like image I’ve cemented in my mind all these years.

Problem is, no matter what annoying habits I jot down on my list, the more time I spend with him the more I’m convinced Carter is everything I will ever need. Now I just have to figure out a way to tell him.

CARTER

With Michael traveling the world, it’s just Lucas and me in his house while we rebuild the café, bakery, and apartment. I’m happy for Michael. I really am, but seeing another friend get their happy beginning shines a light again on the fact that I might never get mine.

I’m sick of being everyone’s best friend, yet no one’s boyfriend. I want my happy beginning too. I want someone to pick me. To want me. To love me.

So I do what any single guy would do, I sign up for speed dating. Blind dates suck but I’m never going to find the one if I don’t start putting myself out there.

The problem is, the more time I spend living with Lucas the more I realize, I don’t want any of these random hookups. I want the sweetest guy I’ve ever met. The one who bakes me cookies to make me smile. So now I have to figure out a way to show him I can be an awesome boyfriend. I can be his happy beginning if he will just give me a chance out of the friend zone.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Love in No Man's Land series!
For book one, Textual Connections, click HERE.

 

 

Book 2
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“Ohh, aren’t you delicious?” The guy wearing deep purple eyeliner preens as I take my seat at table G.

“Ahh, thanks.”

Theo taps the mic, gaining everyone’s attention. “All right, your night starts now. Have fun.”

The app chimes, and the guy across from me immediately starts talking.

“I’m Stuart. Thirty-seven, Capricorn, I’m a stylist and live in the city, but have visited this town a few times. It’s super sweet, I could totally see myself settling somewhere like here. I could open a salon. You obviously work out, so what else do you do besides pumping iron?” He props his head on his hands, tilting it to the side as he waits for my reply.

“I’m Carter. I’m a contractor.”

“Oh, so you’re good with your hands. I knew a big, buff guy like you would be.”

“Thanks. I, umm, live in town, but work all over depending on the job.” Lucas’s warm laugh sounds from somewhere on my left. I turn my head towards the sound, and like being pulled by a magnet, my gaze finds him. He’s sitting across from a man in a suit with slicked-back hair, flawlessly clean-shaven face, and impeccably manicured eyebrows. My jaw tightens.

Really? That guy?

I can’t see his face, but Lucas is smiling, and I hate that this man, whoever he is, is making Lucas smile that way. That’s my smile.

Stuart is talking again, and I’d be lying if I said I had any clue what he was saying. My gaze keeps being drawn back to Lucas.

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆☆
The Half Baked Plan is the second book in the Love in No Man's Land series. It can be read as a standalone without issue, but I feel you get more out of it if you read the books in the order that the author intended.

Lucas is in the process of rebuilding his business and his life. When his bakery and apartment above it burn down due to faulty wiring, he moves into his best friend's house while he's off traveling with his boyfriend. His longtime crush, Carter, who is also staying at the house, is now his roommate and rebuilding his bakery and apartment. Lucas tries talking himself out of crushing on Carter but everything he does just makes it that much harder to stop falling for the man.

Carter dreams of finding the perfect relationship. All of his friends are finding theirs and he just wants someone to call his own. When he signs up for speed dating, he's surprised to find the person he clicks with the most is his roommate, Lucas. Suddenly seeing him in a new light, Carter can't stop thinking about the sweet baker who makes him the best cookies he's ever had.

I loved seeing Lucas and Carter's relationship build. They both wanted the same thing but didn't see what was right in front of them. They had so much chemistry between them.

I can't wait to see what's next!


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
This book picks up where the first book left off. You could read it as a standalone, but you would get more of the back story of the fire and why everything is happening. We met Lucas and Carter in book one. Lucas owns the town’s bakery. Carter is the local construction guy and best friends with Michael, Lucas's business partner. These guys both fancy each other but don't want to ruin their friendship, so they spend half the book keeping their feelings to themselves. Once they both get their heads out of their butts, it's a beautiful, sweet love story. I mean it's sweet before then, but even sweeter. The secondary characters are amazing, we met all of them in book one as well. I can't wait for Marcus to get his own book, I just love him. Another sweet love story to add to the series. If low-angst, sweet, sappy love is your jam, this book is for you!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and whilst you could read this as a standalone, you would miss out on quite a lot of the background to the town, the guys, and the vibe – so do yourself a favour and read Michael and Bobby's story first.

The last book left us knowing that a fire had damaged Lucas and Michael's business and when the guys left for adventures abroad, Lucas would be living with Carter whilst the cafe, bakery, and Lucas's flat were rebuilt. We also know that Lucas has had a crush on Carter for a long time and this could be make or break!

I love that these stories are low angst, but still have enough tension and dilemmas that it is impossible not to want to turn the page again and again. These two are the ultimate definition of slow burn and worry about turning from friends to lovers – but I enjoyed the push pull and most definitely when they finally came to their senses.

The 'perfect' brownie recipe was a great foil to the stuttering romance, as was the question of whether brownie or cookie are best! I am definitely going to have to try out the 'secret' ingredient next time I bake.

It was great to have some catchups from Michael and Bobby, but also from the wider crew, and there are plenty of guys who deserve a happily ever after, even if the speed dating did not work!

 

 

 

BECCA JACKSON is the author of mm romance stories that deliver heart, heat, and happily ever afters for some totally adorkable and fabulous guys.

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ARC provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Half Baked Plan (Love in No Man's Land #2) by Becca Jackson to read and review.