3*
This long-time friends-to-lovers, small town romance will appeal to foodies. It is a second-chance romance, but even more of an exposé on farm-to-table restaurant culture, toxic and sexually-abusive male chefs, and how much harder it is for a woman to find success in the high-end restaurant world. Effie Olsen has been in the business for 16 years, ever since leaving home (an island off the coast of Maine) and finishing culinary school, and in all that time, she hasn’t stayed in any one place for too long. When she is let go from her latest executive chef job in San Francisco, she begrudgingly moves back home, intending to only stay the summer and never expecting that the home she couldn’t get away from fast enough may be just the place she needs.
My biggest frustration with this book and reason for the 3* rating is Effie and her insistence that she must leave at the end of the summer, despite her growing feelings for her childhood friend, Ernie, and her admission that her life as an itinerant chef has left her unhappy and unfulfilled. I’ve never enjoyed the trope of a main character resisting love because they want to preserve a friendship, yet giving into their attraction while also giving the love interest false hope. Friendship is the best basis for a loving relationship, so when the chemistry is strong, how is that a bad thing? In this case, Effie’s indecisiveness and getting Ernie’s hopes up were just too off-putting for me. If this trope doesn’t bother you and you’re a fan of small town, friends-to-lovers romances, give it a try.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment