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mandkips's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Moderate: Racism, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Car accident, and Alcoholism
Minor: Addiction and Sexual assault
amberinpieces's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Car accident, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Biphobia, Infidelity, Racism, and Toxic relationship
danajoy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Liza is a strong-willed and determined main character. Her relationships with her friends and family are really solid in spite of the clear struggles she and her mother have in regards to both her dating and career aspirations.
Moderate: Eating disorder and Infidelity
Minor: Racism
perpetualpages's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book is pitched as Pride and Prejudice meets The Great British Bake-Off with an #ownvoices Taiwanese-American spin, and that's exactly what it is! It's such a fun, sweet romance which does exactly what a good retelling should do: it takes all the major beats and characters of a beloved classic, but re-contextualizes them in new and refreshing ways. While the basic plot structure of Pride and Prejudice is clear enough for readers familiar with the title, A Taste For Love adds its own layers of characterization and diverges into its own unique narrative that makes it exciting and engaging to read!
Being compared to TGBBO sets a very high bar, and I think this book definitely meets that standard, especially in how the story explores food and its importance. Not only is traditional cuisine a huge part of Liza's cultural experience as a Taiwanese-American teenager, but it also plays an important role in her family since traditional food is literally the family business. Making food is what connects her to her family and the most important people in her life, whether they're spending time together over a family dinner or meeting to catch up over Boba tea. Food is the connective tissue between everyone and everything in Liza's life, and there's an emotional component to every dish and every confection mentioned in the book.
On that same note, I really loved how much detail and focus was put into Liza's baking process. Sometimes "foodie romances" miss the mark by overriding the baking/cooking with the romance plot (which makes sense), but I think this story does such a good job of not only balancing Liza's culinary interest with the rest of the story, but showcasing it to the fullest. When you read this story, there's absolutely no doubt that Liza knows exactly what she's doing in the kitchen. Her skills and her technique are shown so thoughtfully on the page, and that really lends credibility to her character, especially later in the story when she's put in a position to judge this baking competition.
I also found the romance to be super sweet! I was a little bit worried in the beginning, because I think a Darcy-type character is hard to pull off in a more modern story, simply because, objectively speaking, Mr. Darcy is not the "best" kind of love interest, right? He's rude, he's judgmental, he's classist, he's cold and standoffish and horrible at communicating. Obviously he opens up a bit by the end of Pride and Prejudice, but I was hoping that we wouldn't have to wait that long for the pay off in this story, and thankfully we don't! James is definitely judgmental at first and puts up a lot of emotional walls, but there's depth to him and a kind of tenderness that surprises Liza (and the reader) throughout the story. He's passionate, he's driven, he's protective, and his main "flaw" is that he cares so much. I was definitely swooning as their romance developed, and I think they compliment each other really well, especially since they both love to bake!
Another thing I appreciate about the story is that the tension between Liza and her mom feels realistic. Liza feels like she's constantly disappointing her mother and failing to meet her expectations, while Liza's mom feels like being tough on her daughters is a worthy price to pay if it means they find some kind of lasting security. From her mother's perspective, doing manual labor in a restaurant is something that she and her husband have taken on in order to provide their children with a good life. But it's hard work with very little pay-off, and she wants something "better" for her kids. She thinks marriage means stability, and that higher education means less labor-intensive jobs.
Liza, on the other hand, is trying to reconcile those "traditional" values with her modern-day sensibilities. Her upbringing as a Taiwanese-American person is much different than how her parents grew up, and while she knows that there are so many more possibilities than her parents have considered, she still wants to respect her family and do right by them. She and her mom definitely butt heads throughout the story, but I really appreciate that they eventually come to a place where they're trying do right by the other person. Everything isn't suddenly "fixed" and Liza's mom doesn't magically take to Liza's modern-day sensibilities, but they are both genuinely trying to do better—and that's what matters.
So overall, I really enjoyed this! It's fast-paced contemporary rom-com that's full of family, love, culture, and food, and I think it succeeds in making a classic story shine like new. My one critique is that I wish the "Wickham" storyline was explored more on the page, and that we got to see some of that play out instead of merely told to us in hindsight, which makes it that harder to connect. But, that aside, I had such a great time reading this book and I can't wait to see what Jennifer Yen writes next!
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Fatphobia, Racism, and Sexual assault
nitya's review
- 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
I would love to see a movie or miniseries adaptation tbh!
And definitely DON'T read this on a empty stomach, the food descriptions are too much.
Moderate: Eating disorder and Racism
There's Harry Potter references as well (this was most likely written pre 2020 but I will include it). The ED is restrictive eating but not graphic.lizzynotbennet's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Minor: Racism
erinsbookshelves's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Racism, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Infidelity
decklededgess's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this. A truly unique take on the classic Pride and Prejudice, the altered relationships and characters who follow the main stories in p&p make for a suspenseful read despite knowing exactly what’s coming. I also enjoyed the family dynamics. It’s heartwarming to see books depict family dynamics as complex yet loving. Gestures can be grating but they always come from love (in healthy families) and this was expertly shows in this book. I loved the budding relationships and Lisa’s boisterous and headstrong personality. James was brooding yet soft in the cutest way ever. Loved this book!!
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Car accident, and Alcoholism
utopiastateofmind's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I was SO ready for a cute romcom about cooking, family, and love. And A Taste for Love delivers. I loved the core of family within this story - parents with the best of intentions, even though we hate it. Or siblings who don't understand the pressure. A Taste for Love is mouthwatering! I need to go on a food tour immediately. Yen infuses this Pride and Prejudice inspired story with plenty of charm, mentions of "Doctor Who", and conversations about racist microaggressions.
Moderate: Racism and Eating disorder