The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar: Blog Tour Review

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: June 6, 2023 

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

A pun-filled YA contemporary romance, The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar finds a teenage girl competing in a televised baking competition, with contestants including her ex-girlfriend and a potential new crush – perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off and She Drives Me Crazy!

“Welcome to the first-ever Junior Irish Baking Show!”

Shireen Malik is still reeling from the breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, when she receives news that she’s been accepted as a contestant on a new televised baking competition show. This is Shireen’s dream come true! Because winning will not only mean prize money, but it will also bring some much-needed attention to You Drive Me Glazy, her parents’ beloved donut shop.

Things get complicated, though, because Chris is also a contestant on the show. Then there’s the very outgoing Niamh, a fellow contestant who is becoming fast friends with Shireen. Things are heating up between them, and not just in the kitchen.

As the competition intensifies, Shireen will have to ignore all these factors and more― including potential sabotage―if she wants a sweet victory!

~ Goodreads ~ Storygraph ~ Blackwells ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Bookshop US

Note: Thank you to Coloured Pages and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the e-arc!

My Review

The Dos and Donuts of Love is an absolutely adorable, wholesome coming-of-age story. When you’ve read as many YA coming-of-age books as I have you start getting bored and everything seems to blur together. But the author brings a freshness with her beautiful characters, complex relationships, and a well-paced baking competition and romance that made this the perfect read.

As a fat and queer girl, I was able to relate to Shireen quite well, in fact, I loved every second that we got to spend with our main character. She’s a confident, determined and bubbly girl who loves to bake. She knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to go for it. At the same time, she also deals with anxiety and anxiety attacks and again, I personally felt that this was very well dealt with. Shireen’s anxiety didn’t make her any less capable of anything and the way the characters around her responded to it was heartwarming.

It was also lovely to read about the fat rep. I think the author was spot on with how being comfortable in your fat body and yet having insecurity sneak in a couple of times is extremely normal and valid. The parts about the society and system not being built for fat people in terms of clothing and accessibility were also very well-written.

I also loved every other side character in the cast! Fatima was a lovely splash of colour in the story, Chris was an interesting and complex character who brought the will-they-get-back-together vibes for me and Niamh was also a sweet love interest. My favourite part about this book was how complex some of the themes ran and how well-built the characters were. I think with YA books I sometimes crave the depth in both story and characters which was definitely fulfilled in The Dos and Donuts of Love. the author explores long-distance friendship, love, family, homophobia, racism and whatnot in a wonderful manner.

And I absolutely adore all sorts of competitions so it was very entertaining to keep up with the baking competition. Not to mention that the book has beautiful donut headers and all sorts of baking-related puns in the chapter titles that had me smiling and giggling at all times. All in all, this is the perfect book if you want something heartwarming and fluffy. Beware though, you will be craving donuts throughout the book!

chocolate glazed donuts that I attempted to make inspired from Shireen

Adiba Jaigirdar is the critically-acclaimed and bestselling author of The Henna Wars and Hani & Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating. A Bangladeshi/Irish writer and teacher, she has an MA in Postcolonial Studies from the University of Kent, England and a BA in English and History from UCD, Ireland. All of her writing is aided by tea and a healthy dose of Janelle Monáe and Hayley Kiyoko. When not writing, she is probably ranting about the ills of colonialism, playing video games, or expanding her overflowing lipstick collection.

~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~

Book Tour Schedule

June 6th

Yourlocalbookreader – Review

Sanjariti – Review & favorite quotes

June 7th

Utopia.state.of.mind – Review 

Wilted Pages – Review

June 8th

​​krithiques – Review

@sagarific – Review & playlist

@allielovestoread – Review & favorite quotes

June 9th

@annas_sweets_and_stories – Review

Foreverinastory – Review & moodboard

@inkingandthinking – Review & playlist

June 10th

@emm_reads – Review

@lgbtrepinbooks – Review 

June 11th

@sritamasen_ – Review 

@NicolettaWrites – Review

Readwithchan_ – Review

June 12th

@read_with_kate.16  – Review

Popthebutterfly – Review

@not.just.fiction – Review

Is this book on your TBR? If not you’re really missing out!

What are some of your favourite food or bakery-related books?