Categories: Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Cooking, Contemporary, Adult
In this finger-licking good rom-com, two is the perfect number of cooks in the kitchen.
Nikki DiMarco knew life wouldn’t be all sunshine and coconuts when she quit her dream job to help her mom serve up mouthwatering Filipino dishes to hungry beach goers, but she didn’t expect the Maui food truck scene to be so eat-or-be-eaten—or the competition to be so smoking hot.
But Tiva’s Filipina Kusina has faced bigger road bumps than the arrival of Callum James. Nikki doesn’t care how delectable the British food truck owner is—he rudely set up shop next to her coveted beach parking spot. He’s stealing her customers and fanning the flames of a public feud that makes her see sparks.
The solution? Let the upcoming Maui Food Festival decide their fate. Winner keeps the spot. Loser pounds sand. But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts to see a different side of Callum…a sweet, protective side. Is she brave enough to call a truce? Or will trusting Callum with her heart mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
As the title Simmer Down implies, there is some heat in this book – and I thought it was going to come from the cooking. Oh no…no, no…the heat is between Nikki and Callum who start off on the wrong foot, becoming rival food trucks due to both parking in a coveted location. Nikki was there first but Callum refuses to leave. So the pranks start between them, their rivalry even caught on social media but bad publicity is good publicity, right? The two definitely need to “simmer down” but that doesn’t happen. The heat turns up a notch when they give in and become frenemies with benefits!
I thought Nikki’s story of someone from Oregon relocating to Maui was interesting, because I live in Hawaii (Oahu) and it is one of the most expensive states to live in, if not the most expensive…so wanting to do the food truck life and getting by in Hawaii? Yikes, that is tough…but it wasn’t her dream. It was her parents’ dream to have a food truck in retirement but all of that changes when her dad dies and leaves the bills with her mom. Nikki and her mom are grieving and trying to make the best of everything but food truck life is hard.
The setting of Maui is lovely of course but the story also jumps to London for a bit, because Nikki does some traveling. It gives us a chance to see Callum in his element as well. The chemistry between Nikki and Callum are definitely off the charts. Nikki wasn’t afraid to tell him what she wanted in bed, that’s for sure! Outside of the two of them, I also enjoyed Nikki’s budding friendship with Penelope.
And the mention of some Filipino foods like pansit (why have I always spelled it pancit though??), lumpia (can’t have a family party without lumpia!), and adobo (pork is my fave though haha) was nice to sit and Nikki’s mom’s use of the word “anak” for her daughter, it means child.
Triggers: grief
I think I was expecting more Filipno foods in the story, but lumpia seems to be this family’s specialty. And it’s one of my favorite dishes, don’t get me wrong…but I felt like there was a chance to introduce readers to more dishes other than the usuals. I guess I was expecting more filipino culture in the story but didn’t get any more than what I mentioned above.
Nikki is a strong character and I loved that as an only child she dropped everything to be with her mom, but with her relationship with Callum – did she really have to jump to every conclusion, like him cheating when all she could have done was talk to him about it? Aren’t we adults here? Haha…but I get she didn’t want to be caught falling for him and getting hurt because the pain of losing someone if it doesn’t work out. We all have our issues, I get it. I know we need some drama in the story haha.
Why you should read it:
Maui setting, a cat, nude beaches, food trucks and food 😋
Rivals to lovers, they may fight a lot but that translates into a good time in bed
quick read
Why you might not want to read it:
Relationship drama that seem trivial
Nikki making Callum out to be super horrible when he wasn’t
My Final Thoughts:
This one is a quick read filled with food, beaches, and an enemies to lovers romance filled with some unnecessary drama. I enjoyed it for what it was and wish there was a little more about filipino culture, but I’m filipino so my expectations were a tiny bit higher than usual. It didn’t quite meet my expectations but still I thought it was a fun story perfect for a summer read.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Tara Park doesn’t do serious relationships. Neither does she hop into bed with virtual strangers. Especially when that particular stranger is her best friend’s new brother-in-law. It isn’t an easy decision, though. Seth Kim is temptation personified. His unreasonably handsome looks and charming personality makes him easy on the eyes and good for her ego.
When a friendly game of Truth or Dare leads to an uncomplicated four-date arrangement with Seth, Tara can’t say she minds. But their dates, while sweet and sexy, have a tendency to hit roadblocks. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings get frequent and heated.
Seth is leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice little distraction for both… But soon Seth realizes that Tara Park doesn’t come in a “nice & little” package–she’s funny and bold, sweet and sexy, and everything he ever wanted and never expected to find. Neither of them are ready for something serious and both have past relationship baggage they’ve been ignoring, but with a shot at forever on the line will they follow their hearts and take a chance on happily-ever-after?
I enjoyed the first book in the series, A Sweet Mess, and wanted to know what happened with Tara, one of the secondary characters. This is her story.
Tara’s personality is vibrant, fun, loud and she runs a brewery with her family. I could relate to her reluctance to fall in love after her past relationship.
The second half of the book was better to me than the first. I did like seeing how both characters was going to embrace their growing feelings for each other. The four dates in the dating dare were cute.
There’s a happy ending where Tara finally puts aside her ex-relationship trauma and goes for Seth and in Paris, no less, the city of romance, so the ending was great.
Triggers: abuse
It’s lust at first sight with Seth and Tara, but they’ve known each other before they get together in this book since Seth’s brother and Tara’s best friend got together in book one. And the lusting is fine, there are some steamy moments in this book but for some reason, it wasn’t doing anything for me. Their passion for one another made me cringe a little – it was evident they really wanted each other, it’s in their thoughts constantly! I skimmed a few of those parts.
Tara’s past with her ex finally affects her in this relationship because she starts to feel something for Seth but I kind of wish we knew more about it in the beginning of the story. It would have made me more invested in this “dating dare”.
This is a light, fluffy romance and a quick read. It’s not my favorite of this romance series so far, but I did enjoy Tara’s character and their happy ending in Paris. I think with less internal dialogue (I get it, you really want to have sex with each other all the time lol) and more exploring of Tara’s past relationship and how it was affecting her, the story would have appealed to me more.
Marin Cole has never: Seen the ocean Climbed a mountain Taken a risk on love ….But if her sister’s plan works, she just might do all three.
Ever since her journalist mother died on assignment, Marin has played it safe, refusing to set foot outside the state of Tennessee. Her wild-child younger sister, Sadie, has trotted the globe as a photographer, living off of art and adrenaline.
When Sadie returns from a tough assignment abroad and looks a little worse for wear, Marin reluctantly agrees to a sisters’ spa weekend on the tropical island of Saba. But her lifelong fear of travel is affirmed when Sadie misses the flight, Marin’s luggage gets mixed up with another passenger’s, and an episode of turbulence sends her hurtling into the lap of Lucas Tsai, the handsome stranger who stole her sister’s seat.
For the first time in a long time, Marin has to step outside of her comfort zone as she explores the island with Lucas and learns what she’s been missing out on. With each breathtaking new experience, Marin gets closer to her real self, the man she’s falling for, and the heart-wrenching truth about why she’s there in the first place.
Warning!! This is not a cutesy rom-com. Please don’t go into this one thinking it’s this funny cute rom-com because of the vibrant cover. That’s what I did – and I ended up crying a lot while reading this book.
It starts off with two sisters – it’s mostly told through Marin’s POV but Sadie comes in here and then because she has a story to tell as well. Sadie is the wild child and Marin is the safe and anxious one but there is a reason for that due to their mom’s death when they were young. But Sadie wants Marin to break out of her shell and she definitely makes that happen.
Marin finds herself waiting on the tropical island of Saba for her sister who has decided to blackmail her to have fun. I thought that was cute and you can tell right away these sisters are close, which is heartwarming. Marin even finds herself doing unexpected things on the island with Lucas Tsai who is rich, and gorgeous. From the moment Marin touches down in Saba it’s a very beachy kind of summer read, but things take a turn at the end.
There is a big twist in the story though and one that is heartbreaking. Oh my heart!
Let’s just say yes this is a story about love – one that is so deep between sisters and also a love that is newly found even through the pain of what they are all dealing with. I did love how Marin and Lucas get to know each other in the week they are together, fast maybe? They’re both adults though, and it happens – it’s not insta-love or anything just a really good time.
This story deals with a lot of grief and that topic always speaks to me personally.
Triggers: grief, death, cancer
This book is emotional from the middle onward – bust out the tissues! If you don’t want to read a book about grieving – stay away from this one. For me I thought the story was beautiful from beginning to end, but that’s me. I love Marin and Sadie. Marin and Lucas was just bonus.
Lucas at times came off hot and cold but he also is going through grief, having had lost his dad just recently. Then he went through everything with Marin and Sadie. It made me think this man is strong emotionally and I’m glad Marin had him. I know their romance had to take a backseat in the second half of the story but I didn’t mind. I thought it was cute how they found each other again – the time apart was good and I’m glad Marin got to explore on her own a little.
The book cover is misleading and I went into this expecting some hot summer fling story but what I got was Marin’s personal journey through breaking through her anxiety and then dealing with grief from her past and present. Marin grows a lot and meets so much people on the island of Saba that are kind, and open, something she was missing in her life. She needs that kindness when life deals her more heartbreak. Lucas is there too – with space or open arms, and ready to climb any mountains with her. It’s a story about sisters who love each other so much. It turned out to be a beautiful story about love in the past, present and future.
📚 ~ Yolanda
Quotes from the Book:
It’s a special kind of torture when the one person you want when you’re lost in a black ocean is the very person who just blew up your boat.”
~ Meet Me in Paradise by. Libby Hubscher
It is a truth almost universally acknowledged by survivors that you will ask yourself if you missed something. If you should have known.”
~ Meet Me in Paradise by. Libby Hubscher
I’m not as brave. But I am, finally, after all this time, myself. I’m not all the way there yet, but every day I spend out here on my own in places I’ve never been, the closer I get.”
~ Meet Me in Paradise by. Libby Hubscher
I wasn’t ready to be without you. But I’m doing it.”
Categories: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, Single Mom
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents–who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno–Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father’s never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn’t “father material” before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard…and lonely.
But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Pena. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Pena. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we’ll pay you. Jess–who is barely making ends meet–is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the “Diamond” pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist–and the science behind a soulmate–than she thought.
Funny, warm, and full of heart, The Soulmate Equation proves that the delicate balance between fate and choice can never be calculated.
Jess is a single parent of a 7 year old girl, Juno. I totally related to Jess as a mom being frazzled and just trying to get through the day. I’m not a single mom, but there are times when I feel like one haha, so I admired how Jess did what she had to do to keep them afloat with the help of her grandparents and best friend.
Jess’s best friend Fizzy is the BEST ever. 😍 I love how she’s a romance author. Fizzy is funny, adventurous, says what she wants to say, does what she wants to do and she and Jess have the best relationship. The two of them together made me laugh so much! Their dialogue was perfect.
The importance of family comes through in this one, not only because Jess is a mom, but her own mother gave her up, and was out of her life for a very long time. Jess was raised by her grandparents and they are the sweetest. I love their little family.
What is it about the geeky guy turning handsome/hot/successful that I love? Revenge of the nerds much? I love how River is this gorgeous guy, very much into his work…but he used to be the unpopular geeky kid in high school. Awww!
The romance is so good! The chemistry is palpable. I love how they meet, how they get together, how they grow as a couple and try to figure out their feelings. This story made me feel good and happy. 😍
I found the matchmaking app using DNA very interesting. Some of the science and statistics went over my head but it was still very fascinating.
Jess’s mom is a recovering addict or she’s supposed to be. She shows up in Jess’s life to ask for money and I feel for Jess but like River says, she definitely takes charge when she has to and is decisive.
I thoroughly and happily love The Soulmate Equation. I was invested with Jess and River’s love story and their chemistry is off the charts. I love how they could talk science and statistics and understand one another even when I didn’t understand them. I laughed a lot because Jess’s best friend is fantastic and for me that was the other love story in this book, the love in friendship. This is that kind of book where I wanted to find out what happens after the ending because I fell in love with this little family. This story is heartfelt, fun, smart, and I wish it never had to end.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
“Hot, heartwarming, and hilarious…This is a knockout.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
Award-winning, highly-acclaimed author Adriana Herrera delivers the sexy, modern enemies-to-lovers romance you’ve been waiting for.
Starting over is more about who you’re with than where you live…
Julia del Mar Ortiz is not having the best year.
She moved to Dallas with her boyfriend, who ended up ditching her and running back to New York after only a few weeks. Left with a massive—by NYC standards, anyway—apartment and a car lease in the scorching Texas heat, Julia is struggling…except that’s not completely true. Running the charitable foundation of one of the most iconic high fashion department stores in the world is serious #lifegoals.
It’s more than enough to make her want to stick it out down South.
The only monkey wrench in Julia’s plans is the blue-eyed, smart-mouthed consultant the store hired to take them public. Fellow New Yorker Rocco Quinn’s first order of business? Putting Julia’s job on the chopping block.
When Julia is tasked with making sure Rocco sees how valuable the programs she runs are, she’s caught between a rock and a very hard set of abs. Because Rocco Quinn is almost impossible to hate—and even harder to resist.
Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.
My Reactions:
My Attention: it’s a quick read
World Building: Dallas, Texas with New York City nostalgia
Writing Style: flowed nicely, except for some typos (but this is an arc copy)
Bringing the Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Crazy in Love: Julia and Rocco are crazy for one another
Creativity: I like the Dominican representation
Mood: content
Triggers: abuse
My Takeaway: You can find love and make your own family in a new place away from home.
Julia is a confident, Dominican woman who is focused on the work she does with immigrant and refugee children. I liked her NYC pride even while living in Dallas. She’s doing her best to move on from her ex and making the most of life in a new city.
Rocco is trying to make a life in Dallas as an expat from NYC as well. He has a troubled past but he’s determined to live a good life and help his sister and niece as well. He and Julia connect on that level of being expats and for their love of family and friends.
Julia and Rocco are hot together. I mean their sex scenes were on fire! Their relationship grows steadily from co-workers, to friends, to lovers and more.
I like the Dominican culture representation because I don’t know much about it. But the author brought Dominican food to life and I was wanting to try everything they were eating in the book!
This copy is an arc so I hope the errors are fixed, but there were some typos that I had to reread to make sure and understand what the author was trying to convey.
This was a quick read and I wished I could connect to the characters more. I think I was hoping for more an enemies to lovers interaction but from the beginning they seemed like fast friends and not enemies at all. They are co-workers with Rocco being the person to evaluate her work, but still…they were friendly. I’d have love more tension between them.
This is a cute, workplace romance story between a sexy and smart Dominican woman and her co-worker. Seeing them get to know each other and flirt was fun and their sex scenes were hot! I love that they both valued family and friendship plus we get treated to Dominican and Latinx culture. Julia and Rocco are perfect for each other and they get their happy ending, as they should.
Check out this EXCERPT from Here to Stay:
Julia
I stepped into the elevator and shoved my phone into the pocket of my dress, took a moment to send a prayer to the employee discount that let me buy bomb clothes on a nonprofit worker budget, and did some mental math of what could be going on.
Was the program really in trouble? Could we actually get shut down?
Nope, I would not go there. I would not think about what it would be like to get on a plane back to New York dumped and unemployed. Not happening.
A distraction. That’s what I needed. Just as the door to the elevator was about to close, someone got in. The fact that I was eye level with the base of his throat was a good clue as to who it was, but when he opened his mouth and the now familiar knee-weakening baritone echoed off the walls of the elevator, I got my confirmation.
“Morning, Ms. Ortiz.” That voice could be used for interrogation tactics. Every muscle in my body loosened at the same time whenever I heard it.
I squeaked out a “Morning” and took my time lifting my head all the way up to look at the last person in the world I wanted overhearing my conversation with my mother.
Him.
Rocco Fucking Quinn, otherwise known as the “Team Leader” for the consulting firm looking to bag my job. The guy with the New York City-est name on the planet. I hadn’t exactly gotten personal with Mr. Quinn, but I picked up on that accent the first time we met.
“What’s good?” I really tried to sound polite, but my Queens jumped out in situations like this. I did not gulp, because I could not let this fucker see me sweat. I managed not to cut my eyes at him, but it was a close call.
I took him in, ramrod straight, every hair in its place, not a wrinkle in sight, and decided he could not be the proprietor of the laugh-choke from before. The man seemed to be completely lacking a sense of humor. I knew he must have teeth but I’d never seen them.
Yeah, definitely not him. That fact rallied my spirits a little bit as I stood close enough to pick up on how he smelled. Like the ocean and something woodsy. That was not helpful information.
Without saying another word, I ran my eyes over him. It struck me that he was not wearing something bespoke like pretty much everyone here. Don’t get me wrong, he still looked good enough to eat, but he was clearly on a budget. And at a place where everyone looked like they were heading to a New York Fashion Week photo shoot, it was sort of jarring. Still, the suit fit him well. And there was no question, this guy could wear the fuck out of a suit. I held back a whimper when I envisioned him in a Brioni or a Zegna. They’d have to put out a heat advisory for the building if that ever happened.
“I thought I could detect a familiar accent when I was coming down the hall.” His perfectly blue eyes twinkled at what I was certain was an expression of utter mortification on my face. He sounded pleasant enough, but he was also alluding to the fact that I was yapping on my phone. This wasn’t the first time he tried to be cute. Rocco Quinn seemed to like fucking with me. And it was only a matter of time before he stepped on my last nerve and I reamed him out.
Thankfully, just as I was scrambling to respond to his comment, the elevator got to my floor. I was planning to just leave him hanging and run off, but he was hot on my heels.
Dammit.
“Sounds like your mom misses you.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. Why did he have to act all fake nice?
I nodded without looking at him. “She does. Listen, Mr. Quinn—”
“You can call me Rocco.”
Nope, that was not happening. I was not letting this sexy bastard talk me into getting all chummy with him. I was already on thin ice as it was. He could keep his pheromones and his slick-as-fuck expressions to his damn self. I came to a dead stop a few feet away from the conference room door where my boss—and whatever shitty news she was about to give me—was waiting.
When I turned around, Rocco was looking down at me with an expectant smile. God he was handsome, that jet-black hair so dark it almost had a tinge of blue and those eyes, piercing. And I guess he had teeth after all, and of course they were perfect. Asshole. I shook my head hard when my traitorous brain started wondering what Pantone color his eyes would be.
Get your head in the game, Julia del Mar.
I straightened my back, determined to fight off the debilitating effects of those gleaming teeth and perfectly pink lips. I had to remember this niceness was probably his way of getting us to let our guard down. He was here to find ways to cut jobs. I was not about to mouth off and get myself fired, but I needed to get some things clear.
“Look.” I was proud of myself for not rolling my neck or pointing at his face. “I know you’re trying to be nice, but you make me nervous.” I pulled on the hem of my blue polka-dot dress and smoothed my yellow cardigan, avoiding eye contact at all costs.
“Why do I make you nervous?”
Uh, maybe because you’re here to close down as much of the foundation as you can.
I refrained from actually saying that because I had not been raised by a Puerto Rican man and Dominican woman just so I could act like I had no home training with the guy who could get me fired. But it was a close call.
“I’m sorry for saying that. You don’t make me nervous.”
Lies.
Rocco Quinn didn’t just make me nervous. He made me want to run my hands all over that big-ass body and moon over his almost but not quite curly hair and blue eyes, in spite of the fact that I knew he was out here gunning for my entire program. And yet, I still wanted to kiss the hell out of him while I climbed him like a sequoia.
Adriana was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last fifteen years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings.
When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a trauma therapist in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Her Dreamers series has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and has been featured in The TODAY Show on NBC, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Library Journal and The WashingtonPost. Her debut, American Dreamer, was selected as one of Booklist’s ‘Best Romance Debuts of 2019’, and one of the ‘Top 10 Romances of 2019’ by Entertainment Weekly. Her third novel, American LoveStory, was one of the winners in the first annual Ripped Bodice Award for Excellence in Romantic Fiction. Adriana is an outspoken advocate for diversity in romance and has written for Remezcla and Bustle about Own Voices in the genre. She’s one of the co-creators of the Queer Romance PoC Collective. Represented by Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary.
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Secret Crush Seduction by. Jayci Lee!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Title: Secret Crush Seduction (The Heirs of Hansol, #2)
Author: Jayci Lee
Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 9/01/20
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Categories: Contemporary Romance, Brother’s Best Friend, Interracial Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Billionaire, dynasty, Office Romance, Reunion
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
She’s done waiting for what she really wants…
“If I don’t have you after that kiss,
I’ll burn to dust from the inside out…”
Aspiring fashion designer Adelaide Song wants to prove she’s more than just a pampered heiress. All she needs is a little courage—and the help of deliciously sexy Michael Reynolds, her childhood crush and her brother’s best friend. But when her secret crush turns into an illicit liaison, Adelaide realizes mixing business with pleasure spells trouble for all her plans…
Thank you to Harlequin Desire and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.
This is book two in The Heirs of Hansol series and we get to have Adelaide’s love story. Let’s break it down:
My Attention: it’s a really quick read so it had my full attention
World Building: the multi-billion Hansol fashion empire
Writing Style: flowed nicely
Bringing the Heat: 🔥🔥🔥
Crazy in Love: crush turned into lovers
Creativity: fun to see the Hansol family again
Mood: happy
Triggers: assault
My Takeaway: A crush on the boy Adelaide wanted forever turns into so much more.
I wanted Adelaide’s story since book one and I wasn’t disappointed. She’s beautiful, smart, can cook and comes up with an idea to design clothing for people with autism – I mean, she’s awesome! All she wants to do is have a part of the Hansol empire, but her grandmother doesn’t trust her because of her wild, partying past. Adelaide proves this time around she deserves a place in the family business.
Michael is older than Adelaide by like 10 years and he’s already divorced. He has some personal issues that makes it difficult for him to commit to Adelaide but love wins out. He knows how special she is. I like how they good they are together as a team.
I love the family dynamics in this series. We see Adelaide brother, Garrett and her cousin, Colin make appearances. But once again, Mrs. Song, her grandmother is boss!
The sex is steamy, the history between Adelaide and Michael is there, and their banter is fun. You can feel how they know each other so well, plus he’s basically part of the family, which was nice. This story hits all the checkmarks.
I think the books in this series are supposed to be short, but I enjoyed this couple so much I felt like the ending was so rushed, especially when it came to Michael’s “secret”.
This might be my favorite of the series so far mostly because I adore Adelaide! I’m glad she and Michael get a happy ending and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Bake a chance on love.
Aubrey Choi loves living in her small town nestled in the foothills of California, running her highly successful bakery away from the watch of her strict Korean parents. When a cake mix-up and a harsh review threaten all of her hard work and her livelihood, she never thought the jaded food critic would turn out to be her one-night stand. And she sure as hell never thought she’d see her gorgeous Korean unicorn again. But when Landon Kim waltzes into her bakery trying to clean up the mess he had a huge hand in making, Aubrey is torn between throwing and hearing him out.
When she hears his plan to help save her business, Aubrey knows that spending three weeks in California wine country working with Landon is a sure recipe for disaster. Her head is telling her to take the chance to save her bakery while her heart—and her hormones—are at war on whether to give him a second chance. And it just so happens that Landon’s meddling friends want them to spend those three weeks as close as possible…by sharing a villa.
When things start heating up, both in and out of the kitchen, Aubrey will have to make a choice—to stick it out or risk her heart.
My Sweet Mess is a foodie romance – meaning if you like romance and stories with cooking in it, especially baked goods, then this will be up your alley.
Aubrey is a pastry chef and owns a small bakery in a very small town. A one-night stand with Landon, a well known food critic (except not known to Aubrey), ruins her business when he does an article on her bakery.
To make amends Landon has a plan. Now it’s strictly business between them but their attraction between them is undeniable and gets in the way.
Food! I love a romance story with food in it, most especially when it centers around baked goods – since that is my weakness. So I loved all the cooking references.
It’s a light-hearted romance and a very quick read. The story comes with its share of timely drama and resolves easily into a happy ever after. It’s a cute ending.
I like that it’s main characters are Asian because it’s nice to see more diversity in the romance genre.
The story is very predictable. One-night stand, woman’s life is ruined by a man, man comes into save her business, attraction is still there, conflict, resolution – HEA. So…it’s got all the elements but nothing really stood out to make it wow me.
I didn’t connect to the characters. Their attraction happens in an instant, which is fine, but when things become a problem and they are back together, things almost fall easily into place. There is no real tension between them, I think I wanted more tension.
And this might be the fault of it being a digital arc but some paragraphs were running into each other and I would get thrown off wondering if it was supposed to be a new chapter. So that might just be formatting because it being a digital copy.
Overall, this was a light hearted romance novel with love of food present throughout the story. For me I wish I could connect to the characters more but ff you like a love story about food and falling in love then you will enjoy this one.
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 