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lennie_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Graphic: Sexual content
sarah984's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a sweet little romance novella. I liked the main characters and their interactions and inner conflicts were interesting (probably a little too easily resolved but that's common in novellas). Most of the side characters were charming as well, though I found the 'villains' a little silly. I was a bit disappointed how little the actual competition featured in the story, but the food descriptions were good. The romance was cute enough and I liked the ending, but that one sex scene in the kitchen was really goofy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Death and Homophobia
naika's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was pulled into the story pretty early on (food, travel, only-one-bed), but found that my interest waned as the two main characters, Kiskeya and Sully, grew closer together.
Kiskeya is driven - almost to a fault. Her determination to win the cooking competition so that she can further her career leads her to have somewhat of a cold or standoffish demeanor with Sully and the other contestants. Her attraction to Sully only causes Kiskeya to double down on her guardedness. Granted, we find out why she presents the way she does, but I am not quite sure it fully excused her overall disposition.
Sully is more open of a character. The competition means a lot to her, but it doesn't take away from her desire to be connected with others and to allow her Dominican culture to shine. She and Kiskeya often butted heads when it came to their baking creations as Sully was determined to err more on the side of caution, while Sully was willing to go all in - opinions of the judges be damned.
Kiskeya too, is Dominican, but did not initially share the same pride (or rather the same way of displaying her pride). It was nice how Sully tried to break down some of those walls, but it often felt as though she put in most of the effort.
Whereas communicating with words seemed to be an issue for the couple, they certainly were more in sync when they were physically intimate. If you are looking for a cute, fluffy, holiday-inspired romance, I would not say this is it. This was steamy. Which I personally was ok with.
There is a grovel scene (as romances as wont to have) that although cute, felt rushed. I was not convinced when it came to Kiskeya's realization about her love for Sully and willingness to throw caution to the wind. And even though I am well-versed in romances, I still found it a bit difficult to suspend disbelief in how quickly they fell in love with one another. This book takes place over the course of about a week. But, I also acknowledge this is a novella and there is only so much an author can do with the space and time constraints. Perhaps this would have been a stronger read for me if it was novel-length.
All in all, a solid read.
Kiskeya is driven - almost to a fault. Her determination to win the cooking competition so that she can further her career leads her to have somewhat of a cold or standoffish demeanor with Sully and the other contestants. Her attraction to Sully only causes Kiskeya to double down on her guardedness. Granted, we find out why she presents the way she does, but I am not quite sure it fully excused her overall disposition.
Sully is more open of a character. The competition means a lot to her, but it doesn't take away from her desire to be connected with others and to allow her Dominican culture to shine. She and Kiskeya often butted heads when it came to their baking creations as Sully was determined to err more on the side of caution, while Sully was willing to go all in - opinions of the judges be damned.
Kiskeya too, is Dominican, but did not initially share the same pride (or rather the same way of displaying her pride). It was nice how Sully tried to break down some of those walls, but it often felt as though she put in most of the effort.
Whereas communicating with words seemed to be an issue for the couple, they certainly were more in sync when they were physically intimate. If you are looking for a cute, fluffy, holiday-inspired romance, I would not say this is it. This was steamy. Which I personally was ok with.
There is a grovel scene (as romances as wont to have) that although cute, felt rushed. I was not convinced when it came to Kiskeya's realization about her love for Sully and willingness to throw caution to the wind. And even though I am well-versed in romances, I still found it a bit difficult to suspend disbelief in how quickly they fell in love with one another. This book takes place over the course of about a week. But, I also acknowledge this is a novella and there is only so much an author can do with the space and time constraints. Perhaps this would have been a stronger read for me if it was novel-length.
All in all, a solid read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content