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lindsaykosnick's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.25
readingwithathena's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
This was cute, and the ending was absolutely lovely. I do feel like the number of secrets and lies ordered on ridiculous, but the final 100 pages really won me over. Looking forward to reading Heron’s other book (which I’m thinking is the prequel/companion novel to this one?? Oh well).
Also, there's a head lice side-plot. And a heavy emphasis on one character's intense foot fetish. Make of that what you will.
This was cute, and the ending was absolutely lovely. I do feel like the number of secrets and lies ordered on ridiculous, but the final 100 pages really won me over. Looking forward to reading Heron’s other book (which I’m thinking is the prequel/companion novel to this one?? Oh well).
Also, there's a head lice side-plot. And a heavy emphasis on one character's intense foot fetish. Make of that what you will.
erinmassey23's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Mental illness
Minor: Islamophobia and Death of parent
jay_mack9712's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I am so sad that it took me so long to get to this book! This was amazing ! I loved it! The diverse culture! The quirky set up! The Bread and all the food! I love how it was more than just a romance book and it focused on so many different relationships as well! Truly what a fun read!!
livinthebubble's review against another edition
3.5
I thought my last read was full of miscommunication, but I guess I’m getting another dose.
When I read the blurb, I expected a romance with fake dating and a baking competition. Did I get that? Yes, but not as I anticipated. The plot was all over the place. For the first half of the book, the focus was on the baking competition, which I enjoyed. I loved reading about them cooking together and falling for each other. However, the second half was a mess. The cooking competition became an afterthought, and the massive miscommunication between the main characters took centre stage.
There was every subplot you could imagine: her parents' secrets, her job search and quest for fulfilment, her sister, her past trauma, Nadim's secrets—it just went on and on. It was too much. I really wanted more of the cooking competition and less of the soap opera drama. The cooking show sadly had a very rushed ending, even though it was a main plot point according to the blurb.
As for the relationship, it was cute for the most part. I thought it was cuter during the first part of the book, as I mentioned earlier. I'm not usually a fan of fade-to-black scenes, and that remains true in this case. Also, I'm not a kink shamer, but I don't understand why a foot fetish needed to be a key point.
The characters weren't particularly memorable. Reena was an interesting main character. I loved that she was obsessed with bread and making it. Reading about all the food she made made me very hungry. But that was all I enjoyed. With Nadim, I didn't feel like I could connect with him, even if I wanted to, since we only got Reena's POV.
Overall, I think Farah Heron's YA books are more my kind of thing.
When I read the blurb, I expected a romance with fake dating and a baking competition. Did I get that? Yes, but not as I anticipated. The plot was all over the place. For the first half of the book, the focus was on the baking competition, which I enjoyed. I loved reading about them cooking together and falling for each other. However, the second half was a mess. The cooking competition became an afterthought, and the massive miscommunication between the main characters took centre stage.
There was every subplot you could imagine: her parents' secrets, her job search and quest for fulfilment, her sister, her past trauma, Nadim's secrets—it just went on and on. It was too much. I really wanted more of the cooking competition and less of the soap opera drama. The cooking show sadly had a very rushed ending, even though it was a main plot point according to the blurb.
As for the relationship, it was cute for the most part. I thought it was cuter during the first part of the book, as I mentioned earlier. I'm not usually a fan of fade-to-black scenes, and that remains true in this case. Also, I'm not a kink shamer, but I don't understand why a foot fetish needed to be a key point.
The characters weren't particularly memorable. Reena was an interesting main character. I loved that she was obsessed with bread and making it. Reading about all the food she made made me very hungry. But that was all I enjoyed. With Nadim, I didn't feel like I could connect with him, even if I wanted to, since we only got Reena's POV.
Overall, I think Farah Heron's YA books are more my kind of thing.
solerpower's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
thriftstorebooks's review against another edition
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
4.0
rosali's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ich empfand es als spannend, eine Liebesgeschichte aus einem anderen Kulturenkreis zu lesen. Auch wenn ich Mühe hatte mir vorzustellen, wie ein Tansanier indischer Herkunft aussieht (hätte mir mehr Beschreibungen der Figuren gewünscht). Das Element Kochen war, wie der Titel erahnen lässt, ein zentrales Element. Und zwischendurch kriegte ich richtig Hunger beim Beschrieb des leckeren Essens (war intensiver beschrieben als die Figuren).
Das Buch war angenehm zu lesen, ideal für in den Ferien, wo man nicht zuviel nachdenken will.
Ein bisschen zu aufgesetzt empfand ich, dass das ganze LGBTQ-Spektrum vorkam, aber dann doch alle eben nicht die Hauptfiguren waren.
Das Buch war angenehm zu lesen, ideal für in den Ferien, wo man nicht zuviel nachdenken will.
Ein bisschen zu aufgesetzt empfand ich, dass das ganze LGBTQ-Spektrum vorkam, aber dann doch alle eben nicht die Hauptfiguren waren.
mgs3's review against another edition
3.0
Book was a hit a d miss for me. I did enjoy the way Reena’s culture was a big part of her life. The way it was woven into the story through her cooking felt authentic to me and not cheap or stereotypical. Reena herself was a complex character and I felt could have been more but the storyline fell so flat. The whole family secrets that weren’t even that secret and kinda dumb made me want to roll my eyes and skip to the parts where it was just about just about Reena and Nadim. I will say the evolution of Reena and her sisters relationship although a bit rushed was nice to see.