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katk1ndl3's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
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
4.75
Definitely couldn't put it down when I started, but would have loved more content after she ends up with Gio.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cancer, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Bullying
blackbirdbibliophile's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Cancer, Grief, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
juanat77's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Cancer, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
elvenpanther's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Grief
taracoleman's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, Cancer, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
pocketfullofjosie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was so cute!! Probably my favorite of Josie Silver’s books I’ve read so far (I’ve read all but Two Lives of Lydia Bird). The characters are lovable, I loved the setting of NYC, the plot was surprising but expectant and realistic enough that it kept you hooked.
The beginning was a bit slow and took me a while to get into since it was a lot of character writing but I came to appreciate it more and finished the last 200 pages much more quickly.
I also loved that this was set during the holidays but it wasn’t too hallmark-y and in your face about it.
Very cozy romance book to break up some of my fantasy reads ❄️🫶🏼
The beginning was a bit slow and took me a while to get into since it was a lot of character writing but I came to appreciate it more and finished the last 200 pages much more quickly.
I also loved that this was set during the holidays but it wasn’t too hallmark-y and in your face about it.
Very cozy romance book to break up some of my fantasy reads ❄️🫶🏼
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
macaronsandmermaids's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
amelianotthepilot's review against another edition
3.0
this was eh. definitely a foreigners idealized image of nyc in the winter which was fine i guess. lots of food moments and italian american-isms.
our main character Iris, is a chef from London, her mother has recently passed away and she’s escaped a manipulative ex boyfriend and now is living in NYC trying to live the dream. She’s found work at a noodle restaurant who’s owner is her gay male best friend 🙄 (what a tired trope) and she also lives in the building. After a series of events she ends up helping our leading man, Gio, an italian american restaurant owner, figure out his family’s lost gelato recipe which Iris happens to know.
first off it starts with a random chapter set on valentine’s day of Iris being rude to a random man (guess who this turns out to be) cause he took the last book at a bookstore.
The book then jump cuts to September’s San Genarro festival in Little Italy and doesn’t bring up this bookshop moment until wayyyy later at which point I literally thought it wasn’t coming back.
I also feel like there was a weird confusion around her parents and the love interest’s parents that left me thinking half of the book that this might turn out to be an incest plot 🙅🏼♀️🙅🏼♀️🙅🏼♀️ maybe i just wasn’t paying attention enough but Iris’s mother was in a band together with two men who were a guitarist and a drummer. Her mother also dated one of the guitarist’s brother, who is the restaurant owner and Gio’s uncle that he calls papa. For me it was unclear that Iris’s mother had the baby with the drummer not the guitarist, and that the guitarist is Gio’s dad. Very confusing tbh and I spent have the book in fear it was incest
our main character Iris, is a chef from London, her mother has recently passed away and she’s escaped a manipulative ex boyfriend and now is living in NYC trying to live the dream. She’s found work at a noodle restaurant who’s owner is her gay male best friend 🙄 (what a tired trope) and she also lives in the building. After a series of events she ends up helping our leading man, Gio, an italian american restaurant owner, figure out his family’s lost gelato recipe which Iris happens to know.
first off it starts with a random chapter set on valentine’s day of Iris being rude to a random man (guess who this turns out to be) cause he took the last book at a bookstore.
The book then jump cuts to September’s San Genarro festival in Little Italy and doesn’t bring up this bookshop moment until wayyyy later at which point I literally thought it wasn’t coming back.
I also feel like there was a weird confusion around her parents and the love interest’s parents that left me thinking half of the book that this might turn out to be an incest plot 🙅🏼♀️🙅🏼♀️🙅🏼♀️ maybe i just wasn’t paying attention enough but Iris’s mother was in a band together with two men who were a guitarist and a drummer. Her mother also dated one of the guitarist’s brother, who is the restaurant owner and Gio’s uncle that he calls papa. For me it was unclear that Iris’s mother had the baby with the drummer not the guitarist, and that the guitarist is Gio’s dad. Very confusing tbh and I spent have the book in fear it was incest
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Dementia, and Grief
glscherz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
tyras_bookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
It was fine; not my favorite.
Silver deals with heavy themes of grief so maybe that was off-putting for me, idk.
I didn’t set expectations when I started it and the plot was fine but I think I just didn’t care for slow-paced slabs of imagery that build the story between dialogue. It dragged for me.
*spoilers*
This was another one where I didn’t believe the romance; Iris spends a lot of time telling us how much she and Gio like each other but it doesn’t come off the page strongly. Could also be a symptom of enemies (barely) to friends to lovers; it’s a slow “falling in love” storyline.
Hate that the main conflict/3rd act break up scene hinges on a misunderstanding that could have been easily solved but I also understand that it’s a hard truth for Iris to deal with.
I expected that Gio would come to the rescue but I am glad that Iris stood up for herself and as a character developed both some confidence and grace for herself.
I skipped about 20% of the book towards the end so that may tell you something or nothing at all.
Silver deals with heavy themes of grief so maybe that was off-putting for me, idk.
I didn’t set expectations when I started it and the plot was fine but I think I just didn’t care for slow-paced slabs of imagery that build the story between dialogue. It dragged for me.
*spoilers*
This was another one where I didn’t believe the romance; Iris spends a lot of time telling us how much she and Gio like each other but it doesn’t come off the page strongly. Could also be a symptom of enemies (barely) to friends to lovers; it’s a slow “falling in love” storyline.
Hate that the main conflict/3rd act break up scene hinges on a misunderstanding that could have been easily solved but I also understand that it’s a hard truth for Iris to deal with.
I expected that Gio would come to the rescue but I am glad that Iris stood up for herself and as a character developed both some confidence and grace for herself.
I skipped about 20% of the book towards the end so that may tell you something or nothing at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Grief
Minor: Toxic relationship