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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
I didn’t looooooove this book, but I’m not the target audience, either. It simultaneously moved too fast and too slow for me and I think it could have been like 50 pages shorter. Cute, not mind blowing, appreciated perspective.
I wanted to like this book so much, it had such potential, but in the end it fell flat for me.
Love the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout the book, and the book started off really strong for the first few chapters.
Dahlia (she/her) and London (they/them) are both contestants on a cooking show for ammeter cooks, the prize is $100,000. Dahlia is recently divorced and quit her job to go on the show, if she wins she plans to use the funds to pay off her debt. London hasn't dated anyone since they came out as nonbinary three years ago, they're from an incredibly wealthy family, and if they win they intend to use the prize money to start a non profit.
Immediately London is attracted to Dahlia. They both slowly figure out their feelings for one another, they know they probably shouldn't hook up since they're competitors on the show and things could get messy, but they of course hook up anyways.
My issues are:
- we jump though so much time with so little happening. The show films Monday - Thursday, but we're constantly reminded about their 'three day weekend,' when it could have been stated they don't film on Fridays and that's their weekend. The book with use about half a page to talk about the challenge for the day, or it might just be them showing up to hair and makeup and then bam, day is over. And it glosses over the challenges they have to complete. At the finale episode, we hear who had the best app, but nothing about the main course, it just jumps to the desserts the finalists are making, then here's the winner, glitter falls done. We'll skip almost entire weeks just so the characters can get to their weekend and have a sex scene.
For a book about a cooking show (and romance, yes) there is very little about the actually cooking which was annoying.
The characters also don't do much other than go to the competition and their hotel. There are a few times they venture out of the hotel but all in all very little happens. At one point they make a list of the things they want to do before they leave LA and they do none of them, or if they do any of them, we sure don't know about it.
The only real character development comes from the main character's parents. There is very little character development for Dahlia or London.
The book had a done of potential, and I feel the author wanted to take it in a few different directions, but it reads like they couldn't decide where to actually take it.
Love the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout the book, and the book started off really strong for the first few chapters.
Dahlia (she/her) and London (they/them) are both contestants on a cooking show for ammeter cooks, the prize is $100,000. Dahlia is recently divorced and quit her job to go on the show, if she wins she plans to use the funds to pay off her debt. London hasn't dated anyone since they came out as nonbinary three years ago, they're from an incredibly wealthy family, and if they win they intend to use the prize money to start a non profit.
Immediately London is attracted to Dahlia. They both slowly figure out their feelings for one another, they know they probably shouldn't hook up since they're competitors on the show and things could get messy, but they of course hook up anyways.
My issues are:
- we jump though so much time with so little happening. The show films Monday - Thursday, but we're constantly reminded about their 'three day weekend,' when it could have been stated they don't film on Fridays and that's their weekend. The book with use about half a page to talk about the challenge for the day, or it might just be them showing up to hair and makeup and then bam, day is over. And it glosses over the challenges they have to complete. At the finale episode, we hear who had the best app, but nothing about the main course, it just jumps to the desserts the finalists are making, then here's the winner, glitter falls done. We'll skip almost entire weeks just so the characters can get to their weekend and have a sex scene.
For a book about a cooking show (and romance, yes) there is very little about the actually cooking which was annoying.
The characters also don't do much other than go to the competition and their hotel. There are a few times they venture out of the hotel but all in all very little happens. At one point they make a list of the things they want to do before they leave LA and they do none of them, or if they do any of them, we sure don't know about it.
The only real character development comes from the main character's parents. There is very little character development for Dahlia or London.
The book had a done of potential, and I feel the author wanted to take it in a few different directions, but it reads like they couldn't decide where to actually take it.
London is the first nonbinary cooking show contestant and they’re already under a lot of pressure when they meet Dahlia. Dahlia is a flurry of clumsiness and brash commentary that just spills out of her mouth. They’re both competing on the show and start off as awkward acquaintances. Dahlia has social anxiety and didn’t show up at the production meeting where London introduced themselves as nonbinary, so they get off to a tentative start as friends. London is best friends with their sister, but they have a rocky relationship with their dad as a result of coming out as nonbinary 3 years ago. Their dad thinks it’s a phase and has never used their pronouns properly, so being out on the show already comes with a lot of pressure while London thinks about how this is affecting their family.
Dahlia is broke and gives up everything to be on the cooking show. She also has a rough relationship with her parents (parents, please go to therapy). Dahlia is the kind of person that makes friends with everyone no matter where she goes and instantly adopts London as a friend (as well as a precious old lady that crochets in the lobby on breaks and gives them advice on their relationship that is very wise). They’re both attracted to each other, but London doesn’t know that Dahlia is queer since she talked about being divorced from a man. As their friendship grows, they start to hang out outside of filming and shoots.
At first, London pushes Dahlia away, claiming that it’s too awkward to date someone they're competing against and it will make things tough down the road when one of them gets eliminated. So then they agree to start seeing each other and of course never talk about what will happen when that elimination comes. The show has really rigged the finale and pitted London against another contestant that is trans and homophobic, so Dahlia gets eliminated first and that sets off the big angsty parting of ways before they come back together in the finale. They needed some time apart to figure out what they wanted outside of the bubble of this show. London ends up giving their father an ultimatum to come to terms with their being nonbinary or lose them forever. Dahlia talks things out with her mom and decides to give things with London a shot.
The chemistry in this book is so wonderful. There’s such a natural progression to things between London and Dahlia. They get to know one another and help each other through the competition. They are also scorching hot in the bedroom. There is one single moment of foot play that I wish I never had to read and is the reason I docked a half point off my review, but otherwise whew! It was also refreshing to see a lack of awkwardness about their time in the bedroom as a nonbinary person. I think a lot of times people are way too focused on body parts and how that plays into sex, but this was just about these two people feeling good together. I also appreciate that it didn’t focus on the coming out aspect in the typical way. The queerness of both London and Dahlia was never treated disrespectfully except by a character that everyone in the story hates and ultimately they lose the competition, so I’ll allow it. The pacing was perfect, the drama was well set up and never felt blown out of proportion, and the characters were so engaging and felt like they could pop out of the book into real people at any moment. Love that the author is also nonbinary.
Dahlia is broke and gives up everything to be on the cooking show. She also has a rough relationship with her parents (parents, please go to therapy). Dahlia is the kind of person that makes friends with everyone no matter where she goes and instantly adopts London as a friend (as well as a precious old lady that crochets in the lobby on breaks and gives them advice on their relationship that is very wise). They’re both attracted to each other, but London doesn’t know that Dahlia is queer since she talked about being divorced from a man. As their friendship grows, they start to hang out outside of filming and shoots.
At first, London pushes Dahlia away, claiming that it’s too awkward to date someone they're competing against and it will make things tough down the road when one of them gets eliminated. So then they agree to start seeing each other and of course never talk about what will happen when that elimination comes. The show has really rigged the finale and pitted London against another contestant that is trans and homophobic, so Dahlia gets eliminated first and that sets off the big angsty parting of ways before they come back together in the finale. They needed some time apart to figure out what they wanted outside of the bubble of this show. London ends up giving their father an ultimatum to come to terms with their being nonbinary or lose them forever. Dahlia talks things out with her mom and decides to give things with London a shot.
The chemistry in this book is so wonderful. There’s such a natural progression to things between London and Dahlia. They get to know one another and help each other through the competition. They are also scorching hot in the bedroom. There is one single moment of foot play that I wish I never had to read and is the reason I docked a half point off my review, but otherwise whew! It was also refreshing to see a lack of awkwardness about their time in the bedroom as a nonbinary person. I think a lot of times people are way too focused on body parts and how that plays into sex, but this was just about these two people feeling good together. I also appreciate that it didn’t focus on the coming out aspect in the typical way. The queerness of both London and Dahlia was never treated disrespectfully except by a character that everyone in the story hates and ultimately they lose the competition, so I’ll allow it. The pacing was perfect, the drama was well set up and never felt blown out of proportion, and the characters were so engaging and felt like they could pop out of the book into real people at any moment. Love that the author is also nonbinary.
This is my first time reading a book with a non-binary main character, and it was so good!
I read it a while ago so I’m not entirely sure everything I felt about it, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the break up at the end. It felt so irrational and drawn out.
I really enjoyed the chase though, and their relationship in general. They were so cute. I’m sad to not be able to keep reading with these characters!!
I read it a while ago so I’m not entirely sure everything I felt about it, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the break up at the end. It felt so irrational and drawn out.
I really enjoyed the chase though, and their relationship in general. They were so cute. I’m sad to not be able to keep reading with these characters!!
Dahlia is ready for a new version of herself - that’s why she finds herself as a contestant on the hit reality cooking show, Chef’s Special. After a run in on day one with London, a fellow contestant, Dahlia can’t stop thinking about them. Can Dahlia find out who she really is while also falling for London while also competing on reality TV?
I really enjoyed watching Dahlia and London’s relationship blossom. London is the first non-binary character I’ve read and I certainly hope they’re not the last! All in all this was a fun read - I just wish I had the recipe for Dahlia’s soup!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC!
I really enjoyed watching Dahlia and London’s relationship blossom. London is the first non-binary character I’ve read and I certainly hope they’re not the last! All in all this was a fun read - I just wish I had the recipe for Dahlia’s soup!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC!
funny
relaxing
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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
I feel lime everything ive read has been a 3s lately. A good lgbtqa novel, and I liked the premise, but I really did not care for one of the MCs.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Cooking show, LONDON!!!!