samharlow85 's review for:

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

4.0

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Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! Dahlia and London both enter a baking show competition, and sparks fly! Dahlia is coming off a divorce and is on the verge of bankruptcy and London is non-binary, announcing their pronouns at the beginning of the show. Dahlia and London feel an instant attraction, but struggle with navigating romance during a television competition and their various forms of baggage with family and life. I really loved this book because it made me laugh, cry, and love both of the main characters. I think that Anita Kelly does a great job making these characters realistic and lovable, showcasing their various emotional states through a competition and while falling in love, while writing beautiful moments of sadness, joy, and comedy. The author is great at describing the fear and joy of falling in love while queer, as well as navigating complicated family dynamics. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes cooking competitions, non-binary and mental health rep, and LGBTQ+ romance.