The Romance Recipe

There's “slow-burn” and then there's glacial. I didn't even care enough to finish.

3.5, rounding up. Also, this COVER, so good! One of the MCs here is a bisexual powerlifter, so I was fully prepared to love this, and I did love the ... not quite a slow burn, since they get together relatively early, but the mutual pining and crushing on each other was a lot of fun to read. The character dynamics got pretty repetitive and frustrating to read, and it felt like they were having the same argument over and over with no resolution. I have legitimately no idea what happened at the end of the book - like did Sophie end up doing the TV show? Is the restaurant still open? I kind of wish the book had been in close-third person instead of alternating first-person narration, because I don't think the narrative voice was super-well differentiated between the two MCs. I enjoyed this overall, and I'm definitely enjoying the mini-trend of cooking/restaurant-themed romance, though it does make me hungry.

4.5 stars the smut scenes were

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily. I am sorry to say that I did not connect with the characters in this book. You might, so please do not take my opinion as anything other than a reader who did not make a connection.

Check out the rest of my review at Mx. Phoebe's Viewpoint. Link in bio.


I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.