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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
On the off chance that T.J. Alexander reads this review, I would like to say that I very rarely read the acknowledgements at the end of the book. But seeing someone like me writing a book about people like me and doing it so well, I felt I had to. And your final note to us all at the end was enough to add this book straight into my favourites. I cannot wait to read more work from you.
But to those wanting to know about the book itself! If you are a fan of the movie No Reservations, and if you were ever a fan of the Bon Appetit youtube channel, if you love the grumpy/sunshine trope, the enemies to friends to lovers, and you just love to see trans people happy, buy. this. book. You will NOT regret it.
But to those wanting to know about the book itself! If you are a fan of the movie No Reservations, and if you were ever a fan of the Bon Appetit youtube channel, if you love the grumpy/sunshine trope, the enemies to friends to lovers, and you just love to see trans people happy, buy. this. book. You will NOT regret it.
I wanted to like this so badly but I couldn’t stand the main character. Everything just made me roll my eyes and that’s such a bummer.
I enjoyed this book. There were some slow parts for me and I occasionally had a hard time connecting with the main character but overall, I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't necessarily call this a slow burn even though it kind of was. The world-building and secondary characters were well developed and I loved Ray. They were an awesome character to read and I loved getting insight on their perspective.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this blindly because it was the first book and I had already picked up book two but absolutely couldn't read it without reading the first book.
That being said, I was intrigued by how type A Simone was. It was very frustrating how closed off, anti-social, and dependent on others doing the labor of teaching her. We hear Simone talk about her sexuality in a way that seems she has a problem with herself being bisexual, it was very much the oh because you date "boys" you can't be bisexual commentary a lot of the time and it was frustrating to hear. I was aching for more interactions with her roommate Luna to see that their relationship was more than just using her to educate herself on transgendered individuals. I wanted Simone to do some of the work on her own to better understand her friend.
I also struggled with the misgendering of Ray at first, because we as readers know Ray is nonbinary, but Simone has not learned this yet. Ray's coming out was extremely hard to read because I couldn't understand why Simone wanted them to fight so hard against a company that was providing for them to survive. I understand that it is likely that Simone just didn't have a clue but it was rather frustrating to get through. All that said, Ray was truly the sunshine in this novel and was completely themselves even while getting misgendered, having their job threatened, and navigating confirming surgery.
In the end I did enjoy this book, but while it was a queer rom com, it did feel as if the opportunity to utilize Ray and Simone as narrators was missed. I truly read this quickly and moved onto the next book just as quick. I would absolutely read more from this world/cast of characters. I found the romance once the issues were talked about very good. I found Simones's growth slow, but it was there and made the relationship with Ray much better.
That being said, I was intrigued by how type A Simone was. It was very frustrating how closed off, anti-social, and dependent on others doing the labor of teaching her. We hear Simone talk about her sexuality in a way that seems she has a problem with herself being bisexual, it was very much the oh because you date "boys" you can't be bisexual commentary a lot of the time and it was frustrating to hear. I was aching for more interactions with her roommate Luna to see that their relationship was more than just using her to educate herself on transgendered individuals. I wanted Simone to do some of the work on her own to better understand her friend.
I also struggled with the misgendering of Ray at first, because we as readers know Ray is nonbinary, but Simone has not learned this yet. Ray's coming out was extremely hard to read because I couldn't understand why Simone wanted them to fight so hard against a company that was providing for them to survive. I understand that it is likely that Simone just didn't have a clue but it was rather frustrating to get through. All that said, Ray was truly the sunshine in this novel and was completely themselves even while getting misgendered, having their job threatened, and navigating confirming surgery.
In the end I did enjoy this book, but while it was a queer rom com, it did feel as if the opportunity to utilize Ray and Simone as narrators was missed. I truly read this quickly and moved onto the next book just as quick. I would absolutely read more from this world/cast of characters. I found the romance once the issues were talked about very good. I found Simones's growth slow, but it was there and made the relationship with Ray much better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing
emotional
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:
Yes
Loved this!
The representation in this book was unreal, and was so nice to see! I appreciated that the focus of this book stretched BEYOND just a typical queer romance. This story features very real and very transphobic and homophobic interactions at work. Ray is incredibly strong and my heart broke for them not being able to be themselves at work. While it was tough to see, it’s absolutely a reality for so many people-do better America!
I loved watching Ray and Simone’s relationship evolve, and Simone’s internal struggles and anxieties. But honestly, I think I loved Simone because I AM Simone. From the overachieving to the anxiety, the struggle to do the right thing and the internalized biphobia-I felt extremely seen, it was almost scary.
I always love a book found family, and the one in the book was no exception-they had each other’s back and were truly a source of support for one another. My only “complaint” (if you can even call it that) is that I wanted more. I felt like the book ended too soon!
The representation in this book was unreal, and was so nice to see! I appreciated that the focus of this book stretched BEYOND just a typical queer romance. This story features very real and very transphobic and homophobic interactions at work. Ray is incredibly strong and my heart broke for them not being able to be themselves at work. While it was tough to see, it’s absolutely a reality for so many people-do better America!
I loved watching Ray and Simone’s relationship evolve, and Simone’s internal struggles and anxieties. But honestly, I think I loved Simone because I AM Simone. From the overachieving to the anxiety, the struggle to do the right thing and the internalized biphobia-I felt extremely seen, it was almost scary.
I always love a book found family, and the one in the book was no exception-they had each other’s back and were truly a source of support for one another. My only “complaint” (if you can even call it that) is that I wanted more. I felt like the book ended too soon!
*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
This was such a cute read about a pastry chef’s goals are interrupted and must save her career with a cute non-binary kitchen manager. This book started off well and I love how the author captures the readers attention with food imagery (not even kidding). The author has a great writing style as their storyline was just amazing. The pacing was perfect and I enjoyed the setting plus all the food the main character would make/test out. I didn’t have any problems with the author’s writing style and thought it was amazing.
The main character is Simone (bisexual) and let’s just say that she was honestly very annoying. I honestly could barely stand her which is why she dropped the star for this book. She does have a development but her character was just not it. This book has two main side lgbtq characters (I could think of), Ray and Simone’s roommate but there are also other side characters in this book. Ray is such an amazing character and I enjoyed their story in this book. They helped Simone a lot with her career which was so sweet. The romance in this book is enemies-friends-lovers (more like boss-worker) romance but it was a tad to basic of a love story for me.
The ending was well done and I enjoyed this book. Honestly the main thing that dropped the star for me was Simone. She was just not the character I wanted to read about. Overall the author did such an amazing job with this story. I recommend this book for fans of Love and Other Disasters also Charm Offensive.
This was such a cute read about a pastry chef’s goals are interrupted and must save her career with a cute non-binary kitchen manager. This book started off well and I love how the author captures the readers attention with food imagery (not even kidding). The author has a great writing style as their storyline was just amazing. The pacing was perfect and I enjoyed the setting plus all the food the main character would make/test out. I didn’t have any problems with the author’s writing style and thought it was amazing.
The main character is Simone (bisexual) and let’s just say that she was honestly very annoying. I honestly could barely stand her which is why she dropped the star for this book. She does have a development but her character was just not it. This book has two main side lgbtq characters (I could think of), Ray and Simone’s roommate but there are also other side characters in this book. Ray is such an amazing character and I enjoyed their story in this book. They helped Simone a lot with her career which was so sweet. The romance in this book is enemies-friends-lovers (more like boss-worker) romance but it was a tad to basic of a love story for me.
The ending was well done and I enjoyed this book. Honestly the main thing that dropped the star for me was Simone. She was just not the character I wanted to read about. Overall the author did such an amazing job with this story. I recommend this book for fans of Love and Other Disasters also Charm Offensive.
4.5 stars. A slow-burn romance that’s also a great critique of Bon Appetit? Prickly FMC and loud, goofy NBMC? There’s so much to love about this workplace romance.
This was so cute! The ending was just what I wanted in a good rom com! Ray and Simone are adorable and the scene in the subway had me crying
3,5 stars
This story felt like fanfiction of the bon appetit test kitchen YouTube channel. I enjoyed it but the love story was very slow moving and I got a little bored half way into the story.
This story felt like fanfiction of the bon appetit test kitchen YouTube channel. I enjoyed it but the love story was very slow moving and I got a little bored half way into the story.