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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this queer rom com so much! It features likeable, realistic characters dealing with believable problems. I'll be recommending this one regularly.
I loved this book!
Is it the most nuanced, thought provoking read I’ve ever experienced? No, but it’s fun and light and it doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t.
As someone who loves cooking shows and queer love stories, this book was right up my alley. I was a little bit worried about the pacing because I thought the relationship developed too fast, but I was happily proven wrong. I’m really hoping that this book isn’t marketed as YA because there are a few sex scenes in it, but I thought that the sex scenes were (mostly) thoughtful and didn’t feel out of place in the work.
It was nice to read a non-binary character by a non-binary author because as someone who isn’t non-binary, it was nice to read about an experience from an author who’s had that experience so that I could get a better glimpse into what it’s actually like to have that identity.
One thing that was surprising was the family element. Both protagonists have a rich family life that is wonderfully explored, definitely more towards the end but also throughout the novel, and it was really well done and got me the closest to crying.
The cooking show element I was a bit worried about, but it was really well incorporated. It’s easy to understand how the show works (it’s a combination of Great British Bake Off and Chopped with a sprinkle of Lords and Ladles — can you tell I watch too many cooking shows?) and it’s incorporated into the book enough that it makes sense but not in a way that’s overwhelming or takes away from any other aspects of the book.
It’s hard to do five star ratings because oftentimes I rate five stars on how happy a book makes me, but this book was both well written and made me happy.
(The only bad thing about this book was the one paragraph in one of the sex scenes that dealt with… feet. *gags*)
Is it the most nuanced, thought provoking read I’ve ever experienced? No, but it’s fun and light and it doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t.
As someone who loves cooking shows and queer love stories, this book was right up my alley. I was a little bit worried about the pacing because I thought the relationship developed too fast, but I was happily proven wrong. I’m really hoping that this book isn’t marketed as YA because there are a few sex scenes in it, but I thought that the sex scenes were (mostly) thoughtful and didn’t feel out of place in the work.
It was nice to read a non-binary character by a non-binary author because as someone who isn’t non-binary, it was nice to read about an experience from an author who’s had that experience so that I could get a better glimpse into what it’s actually like to have that identity.
One thing that was surprising was the family element. Both protagonists have a rich family life that is wonderfully explored, definitely more towards the end but also throughout the novel, and it was really well done and got me the closest to crying.
The cooking show element I was a bit worried about, but it was really well incorporated. It’s easy to understand how the show works (it’s a combination of Great British Bake Off and Chopped with a sprinkle of Lords and Ladles — can you tell I watch too many cooking shows?) and it’s incorporated into the book enough that it makes sense but not in a way that’s overwhelming or takes away from any other aspects of the book.
It’s hard to do five star ratings because oftentimes I rate five stars on how happy a book makes me, but this book was both well written and made me happy.
(The only bad thing about this book was the one paragraph in one of the sex scenes that dealt with… feet. *gags*)
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5 stars
Reality baking show with lots of drama? ☑️
Rom-com with queer and non-binary characters? ☑️
Fantastic descriptions of food and baking? ☑️
Love and Other Words does a lovely job of bringing a non-binary character first and foremost into the romance genre. London Parker is the tall quiet smirking first ever non-binary contestant on Chef’s Special who meets the bouncy effervescent runs-her-mouth-too-much Dahlia Woodson. A baking competition show, the two contestants become more intertwined as the show progresses and other contestants are kicked off. Unable to avoid one another, Dahlia and London find that they have more in common than just cooking. I found this book to be an easy read, possibly predictable, but sweet nonetheless. The cooking challenges were my favorite parts of the book and the antics of Chef’s Special follow much like any reality competition show—laughable, cringe-worthy, and high stakes drama. I was excited to read about a non-binary character (a first for me in this genre) and although it mentally took my brain a moment with the pronouns used for London (reading them feels different to me than speaking them), I appreciated Anita Kelly’s subtlety in introducing London first as “Strawberry Blond Hair” seen through the eyes of Dahlia. Although enjoyable and definitely steamy at points, I felt like I never quite knew who Dahlia was as a character. Her development was a little on the surface to me; London seems to truly be a giver whereas Dahlia is a taker in their relationship. Perhaps this is because Dahlia has just come through a divorce, but I wanted more out of her as a character than it seemed I was getting. I would also have liked to see more family dynamics, especially between London and their sister/mother/father and I never felt like I had much of a sense of who Hank was to Dahlia or her mother and father. Perhaps too many story lines were trying to be told? But the Chef’s Special scenes were on point and the most fun parts of the book. The best writing was during the on-set filming parts of the Reality Show where character tension was used through a glance, a feeling, or a moment between contestants.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Reality baking show with lots of drama? ☑️
Rom-com with queer and non-binary characters? ☑️
Fantastic descriptions of food and baking? ☑️
Love and Other Words does a lovely job of bringing a non-binary character first and foremost into the romance genre. London Parker is the tall quiet smirking first ever non-binary contestant on Chef’s Special who meets the bouncy effervescent runs-her-mouth-too-much Dahlia Woodson. A baking competition show, the two contestants become more intertwined as the show progresses and other contestants are kicked off. Unable to avoid one another, Dahlia and London find that they have more in common than just cooking. I found this book to be an easy read, possibly predictable, but sweet nonetheless. The cooking challenges were my favorite parts of the book and the antics of Chef’s Special follow much like any reality competition show—laughable, cringe-worthy, and high stakes drama. I was excited to read about a non-binary character (a first for me in this genre) and although it mentally took my brain a moment with the pronouns used for London (reading them feels different to me than speaking them), I appreciated Anita Kelly’s subtlety in introducing London first as “Strawberry Blond Hair” seen through the eyes of Dahlia. Although enjoyable and definitely steamy at points, I felt like I never quite knew who Dahlia was as a character. Her development was a little on the surface to me; London seems to truly be a giver whereas Dahlia is a taker in their relationship. Perhaps this is because Dahlia has just come through a divorce, but I wanted more out of her as a character than it seemed I was getting. I would also have liked to see more family dynamics, especially between London and their sister/mother/father and I never felt like I had much of a sense of who Hank was to Dahlia or her mother and father. Perhaps too many story lines were trying to be told? But the Chef’s Special scenes were on point and the most fun parts of the book. The best writing was during the on-set filming parts of the Reality Show where character tension was used through a glance, a feeling, or a moment between contestants.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
funny
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:
No
This was cute AF. Falling in love on the set of a Top Chef-style reality show? Yes please! But omg can people please start having conversations like ADULTS?!?
emotional
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:
No