Reviews

Stirring Up Love by Chandra Blumberg

dwon_reads_a_lot's review

The writing was not engaging and the story just not well written attention gripping. 

caitlin_joan02's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

andireadsromance's review

5.0

I loved Chandra Blumberg's debut, Digging Up Love, so I was excited for it's follow up, this time focusing on Alisha's sister Simone.

Simone has just come back to her home town, after leaving it for 4 years to get away. She's taking over the family BBQ restaurant she's just inherited and feels she has a lot to prove to the town she left to let them know she means business. In addition to updating the restaurant, she wants to expand it into an entertainment venue. She also doesn't like accepting help because she wants to prove she can do it on her own.

Finn is a chef who wants to open a no-profit cooking school for those who are underprivileged or low income. He was an orphan who bounced around from home to home until someone finally gave him a chance and now he wants to do that for others. He starts by selling his homemade BBQ sauce.

Simone and Finn get off on the wrong foot and end up on the same reality show, similar to Shark tank, to try to get investors. Those investors see their heated chemistry and want them to work together. All or nothing. They have a week to decide, but end up getting stranded at the airport. Finn decides to rent a car and invite Simone to join him. He figures it'll give him a chance to prove that she should take a chance on him. What could go wrong?

I enjoyed this book even more than the first. Simone is sassy and Finn is sweet and I loved the banter between them. They balance each other out. They're both trying to prove their worth in the face of loss and abandonment. Simone wants to prove herself and needs to be able to trust. Finn needs to feel chosen. Being in forced proximity helps them see each other in a new light and helps them find acceptance in each other.

Thank you to Montlake Publishing and NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed an early copy of this book.
4.5 Stars

kkmillsaps1's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

applejacksbooks's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really think that the author's writing style shines with this one. I enjoyed it a lot more than the first one in this series. I think the rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and Simone and Finn's relationship is a testament to that. Their banter was 10/10 throughout the story and I love that until the very end the author kept up with in (my favorites being the extensions on Finn's name and the conned into playing two truths and a lie). I love how the characters come together in the end and that Simone is the one to propose to Finn first. It's cute and not something that is really seen in a lot of stories (but we all know Finn was right there ready too). 

kelseybea's review

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

yvo_about_books's review against another edition

2.0

Finished reading: June 4th 2022

"He'd complained about the music, but his real complaint was why the universe kept throwing him together with this sexy thunderstorm of a woman."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I admit that I was intrigued as soon as I first read the blurb of Stirring Up Love. I always enjoy a good contemporary romance story with a food element, and the enemy-to-lover trope can be great fun when done right. I loved the sound of the barbecue sauce war and the characters seemed like they would be easy to like, so I fully expected to have a great time with this story even though I hadn't read the first book of the series. Sadly, the complete opposite happened and I ended up struggling considerably with this story. I'll try to explain briefly why this book wasn't for me below.

First of all, I do have to say that I still love the premise of the story with the two characters trying to sell their barbecue sauce to finance their dreams, and the reality TV element was another bonus. I also always love a road trip story, and this was probably the main reason I kept reading as I liked the descriptions of the places where they stopped (although I would have liked more of those). BUT. I ended up having considerable issues with certain aspects of the plot, and I even came close to DNFing it more than once. In fact, I confess that I started skimreading well before the halfway mark, because I simply wasn't enjoying my time with this story and characters. Why?

One of the main issues I had with this story is that I simply couldn't like neither of the main characters. The story is told with a dual POV structure, switching between Simone and Finn. I initially thought that they had potential, but as soon as I started to get to know them better, there was just something about them that put me off. This might have been due to how they handle things and how a simple conversation could have avoided all the trouble they went through... But it also had to do with another issue: I wasn't a fan of how the whole enemy-to-lover trope was developed. The banter felt too forced and I didn't think that especially the enemy part of the relationship was done realistically. Instead, they seemed like two horny teenagers trying to be angry, but being too hot and bothered to really try as they preferred jumping each other. And then ding, ding, issue number three: the sexy scenes. Cringeworthy is an understatement, and they only made me like the story and the characters less and less.

All in all Stirring Up Love and me definitely didn't get along despite the fact that I usually love road trip stories and contemporaries with a food element. I wasn't a fan of how the enemy-to-lover trope was developed and the sexy scenes were a huge turn off, but I do know that romance fans might have a better time with this story than me. Don't give up on it on my account if you think it's your cup of tea!

allthaterricka's review

lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

brandylyons's review

4.0

Fair warning, I started off hating this book. Which was frustrating because I love bbq sauce! Like, a lot. But the enmity  between Simone and Finn was really vicious and made me really uncomfortable. However! I absolutely loved the last half of the book.ot was filled with growth and joy and understanding. 

breadedbookpages's review

4.0

I had such a great time going on this roller-coaster of emotions. I usually don't read enemies to lovers because the tension of enemies doesn't give me the swoons like it gives other readers, so I know any enemies-to-lovers fan will adore this. The misunderstandings, the argument (ON LIVE TV), the bickering on the road trip, they'll hit just right because they hit for me. I fell so hard and I got so hungry reading about these two cooking. I loved the bonding moments with their families in the last parts of the book. Precious characters who'll live in my head.