Scan barcode
angieinbooks's review
3.0
Drew is an ambitious chef ready to land the title of head chef, who moves to upstate New York to run her own kitchen at a farm-to-table restaurant in an effort to hasten her dreams of becoming a renowned chef in NYC. Hannah runs and owns the farm which supplies produce for the restaurant, Their first meeting doesn't do either of them favors and Hannah, especially, is quick to judge city-slicker Drew before Drew even says a word.
I struggled to get into Recipe for Love. Hannah's prejudice against Drew seems really misplaced for a person who deals with customers and tourists and who otherwise is described as a nice person. So her immediate dislike of Drew makes no sense. But then I'm also supposed to believe there's an immediate spark between them, too? None of it felt earned.
But I'm glad I stuck with it because Aurora Rey does eventually make me believe that they actually do have spark, only it comes after they start to get to know each other. The drama is predictable and unoriginal, but the resolution is cute. And I'll give Rey kudos for giving us a protagonist who is black and butch.
I struggled to get into Recipe for Love. Hannah's prejudice against Drew seems really misplaced for a person who deals with customers and tourists and who otherwise is described as a nice person. So her immediate dislike of Drew makes no sense. But then I'm also supposed to believe there's an immediate spark between them, too? None of it felt earned.
But I'm glad I stuck with it because Aurora Rey does eventually make me believe that they actually do have spark, only it comes after they start to get to know each other. The drama is predictable and unoriginal, but the resolution is cute. And I'll give Rey kudos for giving us a protagonist who is black and butch.
sixphanel's review
4.0
I loved this book so much! Lots of tropes that I enjoy: Drew, the big city chef that arrives to a town and Hannah, the farmer who thinks she's looking down on them all because it's not New York. The chemistry between the main characters was great, and the secondary characters were charming (I loved Hannah's sister).
This was one of those books that where I love reading about the girls' jobs. The restaurant and the farm. Girl power! They know what the want and they get it by working hard. It's awesome and inspiring.
The drama that *has* to ensue was, well, not surprising (but it shouldn't be, we know from the start what it's going to be) and I love how it was dealt with.
So, fun read! It makes me want to go and grow some organic vegetables.
Via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of those books that where I love reading about the girls' jobs. The restaurant and the farm. Girl power! They know what the want and they get it by working hard. It's awesome and inspiring.
The drama that *has* to ensue was, well, not surprising (but it shouldn't be, we know from the start what it's going to be) and I love how it was dealt with.
So, fun read! It makes me want to go and grow some organic vegetables.
Via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
hhushaw's review
3.0
An honest review thanks to NetGalley. This book had a great concept, but it was difficult to get through the whole book. I never felt the connection between Drew and Hannah, and as the story progressed, I felt their relationship didn't. I did love the concept of Hannah being a farmer and Drew being a chef at a farm to table restaurant, their professional interactions were perfect. I just felt that I needed more with the relationship between Hannah and Drew to make the story great.
tseyi's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
elvang's review
4.0
I enjoy reading foodie romances. Combine mouth watering dishes with a couple of mouth watering women and you have a Recipe for Love. Drew Davis is hoping to advance her career by making a name for herself as head chef of Fig, an upstate restaurant hoping to be a trendsetter offering farm to table dishes using locally sourced produce. Drew knows that success here will speed up her chances to run a kitchen back in her beloved NYC.
Hannah is proud of her market garden operation and eager to prove to her father that she is quite capable of turning a profit with hard work, good marketing and excellent produce. Her contract to supply Fig means she will have to learn to work with big city chef Drew on a daily basis. Let the city mouse vs country mouse confrontations begin.
I liked this sweet traditional slow burn romance. Drew and Hannah might be slow to act on their attraction but once they do the reader is rewarded with some pretty steamy sex scenes. I liked the way both mains dance around their feelings knowing their differences would make a lasting relationship a challenge. No surprise when their budding relationship falters and no surprise again when they find a way back to find their HEA.
More than anything I was impressed with the growth I see in this author’s writing style. I liked the pace and way she slowly doles out details about her mains to hold the reader’s interest. I know when I read a book by Rey I will want to enjoy the mouth watering dishes she describes. It’s nice to see she is adding meat to the bone with her characters and storylines.
3.5 stars
ARC received with thanks from publisher via NetGalley for review.
Hannah is proud of her market garden operation and eager to prove to her father that she is quite capable of turning a profit with hard work, good marketing and excellent produce. Her contract to supply Fig means she will have to learn to work with big city chef Drew on a daily basis. Let the city mouse vs country mouse confrontations begin.
I liked this sweet traditional slow burn romance. Drew and Hannah might be slow to act on their attraction but once they do the reader is rewarded with some pretty steamy sex scenes. I liked the way both mains dance around their feelings knowing their differences would make a lasting relationship a challenge. No surprise when their budding relationship falters and no surprise again when they find a way back to find their HEA.
More than anything I was impressed with the growth I see in this author’s writing style. I liked the pace and way she slowly doles out details about her mains to hold the reader’s interest. I know when I read a book by Rey I will want to enjoy the mouth watering dishes she describes. It’s nice to see she is adding meat to the bone with her characters and storylines.
3.5 stars
ARC received with thanks from publisher via NetGalley for review.
mjsam's review
3.0
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m pretty sure this is my first book by this author, and it was a nice enough place to start. It’s a fairly by the numbers romance, but nothing too noteworthy.
The two MCs are Hannah, who runs a farm that seems to grow everything and Drew, who is a chef who has taken a role as head chef at a farm-to-table restaurant to boost her chances of running her own kitchen in NY.
The relationship gets off to a slow start, mostly because Hannah doesn’t think much of ‘city girl’ Drew and believes Drew won’t stick around for long. They do spend a lot of time together in varying circumstances, and inevitably move past their reluctance (again mostly Hannah’s) to start a relationship. Their scenes together are fun and cute, and there’s some nice secondary characters (Hannah’s sister Clare, Drew’s boss/Hannah’s friend Nick), as well as some more tertiary characters like their best friends and family members that round things out a bit.
My main issue was that there wasn’t a lot of context given regarding certain aspects. Drew’s background for one, she’s described as having ‘sepia’ skin, and refers to herself being ‘brown’ (her mother and grandmother are described in similar ways), but it’s not until roughly the 60% mark that we find out that they are from Haiti, would it really have been difficult to work this in earlier? Same with Hannah’s sister, who is the youngest of four and 12 years younger than Hannah, who is the next to her in age, so one assumes she was a ‘surprise’ baby, but again, no context is given. Hannah’s brothers are mentioned but don’t even rate a conversation with her even when they appear in a scene, but we get detailed descriptions of all the crops Hannah grows and most of the meals they eat. I could have done with less of that and more fleshing out of the characters.
Anyway, that aside, the romance itself is sweet and I enjoyed it up til the ‘miscommunication/breakup’ section of the story, but I did like how it was resolved, and that the story continued past them gettting back together so that we got a glimpse of their HEA. It’s a nice enough romance, and I’d try more from this author. 3 stars.
I’m pretty sure this is my first book by this author, and it was a nice enough place to start. It’s a fairly by the numbers romance, but nothing too noteworthy.
The two MCs are Hannah, who runs a farm that seems to grow everything and Drew, who is a chef who has taken a role as head chef at a farm-to-table restaurant to boost her chances of running her own kitchen in NY.
The relationship gets off to a slow start, mostly because Hannah doesn’t think much of ‘city girl’ Drew and believes Drew won’t stick around for long. They do spend a lot of time together in varying circumstances, and inevitably move past their reluctance (again mostly Hannah’s) to start a relationship. Their scenes together are fun and cute, and there’s some nice secondary characters (Hannah’s sister Clare, Drew’s boss/Hannah’s friend Nick), as well as some more tertiary characters like their best friends and family members that round things out a bit.
My main issue was that there wasn’t a lot of context given regarding certain aspects. Drew’s background for one, she’s described as having ‘sepia’ skin, and refers to herself being ‘brown’ (her mother and grandmother are described in similar ways), but it’s not until roughly the 60% mark that we find out that they are from Haiti, would it really have been difficult to work this in earlier? Same with Hannah’s sister, who is the youngest of four and 12 years younger than Hannah, who is the next to her in age, so one assumes she was a ‘surprise’ baby, but again, no context is given. Hannah’s brothers are mentioned but don’t even rate a conversation with her even when they appear in a scene, but we get detailed descriptions of all the crops Hannah grows and most of the meals they eat. I could have done with less of that and more fleshing out of the characters.
Anyway, that aside, the romance itself is sweet and I enjoyed it up til the ‘miscommunication/breakup’ section of the story, but I did like how it was resolved, and that the story continued past them gettting back together so that we got a glimpse of their HEA. It’s a nice enough romance, and I’d try more from this author. 3 stars.
More...