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A review by waltzingme
The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I found the motivations of the main characters to be inconsistent, and a lot of the sections in one character's POV conflicted with what was seen from the other character's POV - which can be done well, but it felt more inconsistent rather than intentional. It made it hard for me to latch on to them, feel like I understood them, and root for them; I wasn't really invested in their relationship or the internal back and forth keeping them apart. It was more frustrating than anything. Also some of the spice scenes felt a little cheesy to me, especially for the new-to-wlw-spice character.
Also, a big reason I picked this book up was the reality cooking show angle, which didn't really appear until the last 10% of the book! They talk about it and meet with producers, but I really expected something more like Love & Other Disasters or Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail, so I was a bit let down that it wasn't a feature.
A little bit of a slog to get through due to the issues mentioned with the characters, but I do appreciate the representation, especially for an out later in life character and the importance of the authenticity of a bi identity regardless of what your relationship looks like.
Also, a big reason I picked this book up was the reality cooking show angle, which didn't really appear until the last 10% of the book! They talk about it and meet with producers, but I really expected something more like Love & Other Disasters or Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail, so I was a bit let down that it wasn't a feature.
A little bit of a slog to get through due to the issues mentioned with the characters, but I do appreciate the representation, especially for an out later in life character and the importance of the authenticity of a bi identity regardless of what your relationship looks like.