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kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
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? No
3.5
Title: Chef's Choice
Author: T.J. Alexander
Series: Chef's Kiss #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
I received a complimentary eARC from Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Comical • Tender • Delicious
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Luna O’Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating office job, she tries to count her blessings: she’s a proud trans woman who has plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York City. But blessings don’t pay the bills.
Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinary empire—which he’ll only inherit if he can jump through all the hoops his celebrity chef grandfather has placed in his path. First hoop: he needs a girlfriend, a role that Luna is happy to play…for the right price. She’s got rent to pay, after all! Second hoop: they both need to learn how to cook a series of elaborate, world-renowned family recipes to prove that Jean-Pierre is a worthy heir. Admittedly, Luna doesn’t even know how to crack an egg, but she’s not going to let that—or any pesky feelings for Jean-Pierre—stop her.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I adored the plot of book one, Chef's Kiss in this series, so I was eager to receive an ARC of Chef's Choice. I was definitely expecting the same foodie vibes and queer representation. In fact, this is the first trans/trans romance I've read that has been traditionally published.
T.J. Alexander has delivered complex main characters yet again. Luna and Jean-Pierre are complete opposites, and I appreciate getting two different takes on the trans experience. In my opinion, a dual POV structure would have served this story better. Getting JP's inner dialogue would have given this story another layer and there were so many times I was curious to get into his head.
While I really sunk into their developing friendship, the budding romance felt too predictable, and not necessarily all that believable. There were also too many competing storylines. Because of these two factors I didn't feel a full fledged investment in their story. As this book tackles many plotlines, it got bogged down at times. A bigger focus on the actually cooking challenge would have allowed for a smoother reading experience.
Although Chef's Choice is technically part of a series, it could easily be read as a stand-alone. Overall, the story was just okay, yet what I really appreciated was the representation and the open door sex scenes. I will continue to add T.J. Alexander's work to my TBR in the future.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fake dating enthusiasts
• readers looking for a queer love story
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"That is black-and-white thinking, and I live in a world full of color."
Author: T.J. Alexander
Series: Chef's Kiss #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
I received a complimentary eARC from Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Comical • Tender • Delicious
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Luna O’Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating office job, she tries to count her blessings: she’s a proud trans woman who has plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York City. But blessings don’t pay the bills.
Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinary empire—which he’ll only inherit if he can jump through all the hoops his celebrity chef grandfather has placed in his path. First hoop: he needs a girlfriend, a role that Luna is happy to play…for the right price. She’s got rent to pay, after all! Second hoop: they both need to learn how to cook a series of elaborate, world-renowned family recipes to prove that Jean-Pierre is a worthy heir. Admittedly, Luna doesn’t even know how to crack an egg, but she’s not going to let that—or any pesky feelings for Jean-Pierre—stop her.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I adored the plot of book one, Chef's Kiss in this series, so I was eager to receive an ARC of Chef's Choice. I was definitely expecting the same foodie vibes and queer representation. In fact, this is the first trans/trans romance I've read that has been traditionally published.
T.J. Alexander has delivered complex main characters yet again. Luna and Jean-Pierre are complete opposites, and I appreciate getting two different takes on the trans experience. In my opinion, a dual POV structure would have served this story better. Getting JP's inner dialogue would have given this story another layer and there were so many times I was curious to get into his head.
While I really sunk into their developing friendship, the budding romance felt too predictable, and not necessarily all that believable. There were also too many competing storylines. Because of these two factors I didn't feel a full fledged investment in their story. As this book tackles many plotlines, it got bogged down at times. A bigger focus on the actually cooking challenge would have allowed for a smoother reading experience.
Although Chef's Choice is technically part of a series, it could easily be read as a stand-alone. Overall, the story was just okay, yet what I really appreciated was the representation and the open door sex scenes. I will continue to add T.J. Alexander's work to my TBR in the future.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fake dating enthusiasts
• readers looking for a queer love story
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"That is black-and-white thinking, and I live in a world full of color."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Cursing, and Panic attacks/disorders
uranaishi's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Transphobia
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Dysphoria, Medical content, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
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