Tag: Chef Heroine

Heroine – includes pastry chefs and bakers

Recommended Read, Review

Review: For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa (2022)

Ingrid

Heat Factor: It’s a nice amount of heat…think spice in chocolate.

Character Chemistry: Dead serious, this is the BEST enemies to lovers set up I’ve read in a long time. Meticulously done.

Plot: Nina and Leo are co stars on a culinary reality show–when Nina reaches her breaking point in dealing with Leos’ crap and quits. In order to save their respective restaurants after the messy episode airs, Nina and Leo decide to embark on a fake relationship to stir up good press. Only, it gets REAL. Real juicy.

Overall: The second I saw the tiniest hint that these enemies were actually going to fall for each other, my jaw dropped. It was just deliciously done–and honestly, extra points for the bold and punny title.

Continue reading “Review: For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa (2022)” →
Recommended Read, Review

Review: The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett (2022)

Holly

Heat Factor: Sex, then denying it has any meaning.

Character Chemistry: They have alllllll the feelings.

Plot: Amy keeps making decisions for everyone else.

Overall: Look, this is a sexy, bi-awakening, f-f chef story. How could I not love it?

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: The Flamingo’s Fated Mate by Elva Birch (2022)

Holly

Heat Factor: One open-door sex scene without a ton of detail

Character Chemistry: The fate is right there in the title.

Plot: Baker and billionaire / artist / flamingo shifter trapped in creepy banquet hall during a snowstorm.

Overall: Short, sweet, and fun

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Review

Review: A Match Made in Lipa by Carla de Guzman (2022)

Holly

The Laneways, Book #2

Heat Factor: In the first chunk, there’s one chaste kiss and one toe-curling kiss

Character Chemistry: Butterflies

Plot: Toxic Family + Corporate Shenanigans + Astrology + Chocolate

Overall: I struggled through the first third before giving up

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Dueling Review

Dueling Review: Then, Now, Always by Mona Shroff

smutreportteam

To kick off Secret Baby Week, Holly and Ingrid buddy-read Then, Now, Always by Mona Shroff. And you know what that means: time for a duel! (Moderated by Erin) 

Holly’s Take:

Heat Factor: The door is firmly closed.

Character Chemistry: Um. It’s complicated. But also love at first sight.

Plot: Maya and Sam were in love. But they broke up. Now it’s 16 years later and Maya finally tells Sam that he has a daughter.

Overall: This was kind of a weird book and I’m still processing how I feel about it.

Ingrid’s Take:

Heat Factor: This is not a book with a temperature.

Character Chemistry: It’s both “at first sight” and also a slow, complicated development at the same time.

Plot: Maya and Sam had a good thing going until everything blew up and incredibly bad choices were made. Then, 16 years later, Maya fesses up that she’s kept their child secret from Sam and he’s an emotional wreck, understandably.

Overall: I maintain that this trope is a massive romantic buzzkill and this book is like a case study in why that is.

Continue reading “Dueling Review: Then, Now, Always by Mona Shroff” →