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greta_o's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
nitya's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Super cute!!
If you like grumpy/sunshine, rivals to friends to lovers, boy falls first (and simps hard), feminist themes, and nods to Bon Appetit/Test Kitchen, this is a fun and quick read :)
Probably would have liked it more without the miscommunication trope, oh well.
If you like grumpy/sunshine, rivals to friends to lovers, boy falls first (and simps hard), feminist themes, and nods to Bon Appetit/Test Kitchen, this is a fun and quick read :)
Probably would have liked it more without the miscommunication trope, oh well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual harassment
samcanuel's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! The story was fantastic and the cast of characters was lovely. I could absolutely see this as a modern rom com. My main reason for only giving it 3.75 stars was the fact that the enemies part of the enemies-to-lovers story line was not as developed as I personally would have preferred. There were also points when Reese annoyed me, but mostly because she reminded me too much of me. I would absolutely recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
iamkiaraayleen's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked this up on a total whim when my local bookstore didn't have the book that I originally went there for, and after reading it I'm so glad that's the way it played out.
This was the adorable, easy to read, sugary sweet romance I expected, while also discussing important topics such as (internalized) misogyny and double standards at the workplace as well as on social media.
Something to be aware of is that it does feature the miscommunication trope, that has ruined more romance books for me personally than I care to admit. But in this instance the resulting conflict didn't take up much of the book and was handled and resolved in a way that seemed fitting for the plot and the characters, so it didn't take me out of the story the way that it has in other books in the past.
Overall, I liked this a whole lot. Reese and Benny as well as Nat, Clara and the Friends of Flavor were a pleasure to read about and Reese's and Benny's nicknames for each other had me chuckling more than a few times. All while other moments had me thinking about the hardships Reese - as well as many real women - had to face.
The issues that were discussed certainly weren't news to me and won't be to many other readers either, but I still very much appreciate the book's perspective on them as well as the representation in general. And I especially appreciate the underlying message, as put by Nat and Clara, that women "can have it all" - finding romance, being a feminist and being successful in your career can and should co-exist and are by no means mutually exclusive.
This was the adorable, easy to read, sugary sweet romance I expected, while also discussing important topics such as (internalized) misogyny and double standards at the workplace as well as on social media.
Something to be aware of is that it does feature the miscommunication trope, that has ruined more romance books for me personally than I care to admit. But in this instance the resulting conflict didn't take up much of the book and was handled and resolved in a way that seemed fitting for the plot and the characters, so it didn't take me out of the story the way that it has in other books in the past.
Overall, I liked this a whole lot. Reese and Benny as well as Nat, Clara and the Friends of Flavor were a pleasure to read about and Reese's and Benny's nicknames for each other had me chuckling more than a few times. All while other moments had me thinking about the hardships Reese - as well as many real women - had to face.
The issues that were discussed certainly weren't news to me and won't be to many other readers either, but I still very much appreciate the book's perspective on them as well as the representation in general. And I especially appreciate the underlying message, as put by Nat and Clara, that women "can have it all" - finding romance, being a feminist and being successful in your career can and should co-exist and are by no means mutually exclusive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Toxic relationship
laramlr_05's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexism
amberlfaris's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Sexism
rachrreads's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Reese Camden is offered an experience of a lifetime when she gets a Marketing internship at her favorite show— Friends of Flavor. She is so excited and is vying for the fall internship, but unfortunately so is the other intern, Benny Beneventi. What makes things even worse? The fact that he is charming and Reese is falling for him. When the two are wrangled into doing a segment on Friends of Flavor one afternoon, they are not expecting it to become a regular thing. The two become an internet sensation and fans are shipping them. Reese knows it is dangerous to mix romance and work so she tries to keep Benny at bay.
This was such an adorable story and I love how it dealt with some important issues as well. Reese struggles with social media anxiety after being bullied in high school. She also struggles with anxiety towards relationships, which is in part due to the bullying she received after a relationship went south. There was also some sexual harassment and misogyny that has been interwoven into this story and it is dealt with beautifully.
Benny. Benny is such a sweet soul and I love how understanding he is towards Grace. He does not want to push her into something she is not comfortable with and encourages her to open up to him.
There was definitely some horribly cheesy parts as well which is why this is not rated higher but I would definitely still recommend <3
Reese Camden is offered an experience of a lifetime when she gets a Marketing internship at her favorite show— Friends of Flavor. She is so excited and is vying for the fall internship, but unfortunately so is the other intern, Benny Beneventi. What makes things even worse? The fact that he is charming and Reese is falling for him. When the two are wrangled into doing a segment on Friends of Flavor one afternoon, they are not expecting it to become a regular thing. The two become an internet sensation and fans are shipping them. Reese knows it is dangerous to mix romance and work so she tries to keep Benny at bay.
This was such an adorable story and I love how it dealt with some important issues as well. Reese struggles with social media anxiety after being bullied in high school. She also struggles with anxiety towards relationships, which is in part due to the bullying she received after a relationship went south. There was also some sexual harassment and misogyny that has been interwoven into this story and it is dealt with beautifully.
Benny. Benny is such a sweet soul and I love how understanding he is towards Grace. He does not want to push her into something she is not comfortable with and encourages her to open up to him.
There was definitely some horribly cheesy parts as well which is why this is not rated higher but I would definitely still recommend <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
bookrecsbyjess's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this ARC.
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the cute cover, but then I read the synopsis and was hooked!
While this book had a lot of good qualities, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I would rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars (not bad but not awesome).
What I loved most about this book was Benny. He’s so wholesome and sweet, and I just wanted to give him a huge hug. He treated Reese so well even when she didn’t deserve it (which was most of the time…).
I also found the premise of this story to be very interesting, unique, and relevant. The whole social media and video series elements were done very well including the unfortunate reality of cyber bullying.
I liked how the author tackled the topic of cyber bullying in a real and emotional way. Also, the food puns in this book were fun and added to the cooking theme in the story.
While there were many good aspects to this book, there were two parts that made this book fall flat for me.
The first being Reese as a character. The author had the opportunity to use Reese to show how a strong woman can handle the realities of sexism in the workplace. While I think this is what the author was trying to do, I felt that she made Reese too dislikable to make any sort of good impact.
Reese was so terrible to Benny, and she was constantly jumping to conclusions about what was happening in her life and what other people thought of her. It was so frustrating watching her push Benny away over and over again when he did nothing wrong to her. He was so good to her, and she treated him like trash.
The other aspect that bothered me in this story was how the author used her characters to push her views when it didn’t fit naturally in the story. Reese mentioned several times her disagreements with her church growing up, but it had no relevance to the story.
Also, how am I supposed to believe that Benny didn’t have any girls that liked him in high school when he is a complete cupcake? Honestly, he was respectful, a good listener, kind, and good looking. It was not believable that Reese was the first person to show interest in him.
Overall, this was a good book but not great.
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the cute cover, but then I read the synopsis and was hooked!
While this book had a lot of good qualities, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I would rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars (not bad but not awesome).
What I loved most about this book was Benny. He’s so wholesome and sweet, and I just wanted to give him a huge hug. He treated Reese so well even when she didn’t deserve it (which was most of the time…).
I also found the premise of this story to be very interesting, unique, and relevant. The whole social media and video series elements were done very well including the unfortunate reality of cyber bullying.
I liked how the author tackled the topic of cyber bullying in a real and emotional way. Also, the food puns in this book were fun and added to the cooking theme in the story.
While there were many good aspects to this book, there were two parts that made this book fall flat for me.
The first being Reese as a character. The author had the opportunity to use Reese to show how a strong woman can handle the realities of sexism in the workplace. While I think this is what the author was trying to do, I felt that she made Reese too dislikable to make any sort of good impact.
Reese was so terrible to Benny, and she was constantly jumping to conclusions about what was happening in her life and what other people thought of her. It was so frustrating watching her push Benny away over and over again when he did nothing wrong to her. He was so good to her, and she treated him like trash.
The other aspect that bothered me in this story was how the author used her characters to push her views when it didn’t fit naturally in the story. Reese mentioned several times her disagreements with her church growing up, but it had no relevance to the story.
Also, how am I supposed to believe that Benny didn’t have any girls that liked him in high school when he is a complete cupcake? Honestly, he was respectful, a good listener, kind, and good looking. It was not believable that Reese was the first person to show interest in him.
Overall, this was a good book but not great.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol
brittanyisbooked's review
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Reese and Benny are both summer interns at Friends of Flavor when they are presented with the opportunity to team up on their own series.
🎂
If you’ve ever read a romance ever you know how that goes. What you don’t know is that Reese is a vocal feminist and Benny is so supportive of her. It was refreshing to see a woman portrayed this way, and even more importantly a woman portrayed this way in a YA romance.
🎂
Reese’s best friends also have their own backstories shared through the novel. The author does a great job of making it clear how these stories feed into Reese’s sense of self, but what I particularly liked was the pushing boundaries of a perfect, Christian, Southern Belle.
🎂
While romance, there are also many times that Reese faces her own challenges. Benny does too, but I would say that Reese is definitely the star of the show.
🎂
My only mistake with this book was that I wasn’t fully in the mindset that it was YA. I knew the characters’ ages and situation, but for some reason I just couldn’t get my mind fully there. I feel like I lost out on some of the impact from the novel because of this. Nonetheless, good book, go check it out!
🎂
Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Bullying and Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia
paxyshia's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.75 stars! It was very cute!
Definitely for you if you enjoy:
- Enemies to lovers
- Fun, flirty banter
- Feminism! Yeah!
Reese Camden is polite southern hospitality and has landed her dream internship in marketing for Friends of Flavor, her favorite food channel. She just needs to kill it this summer and land the fall internship but the only thing standing in her way is Benny, the culinary intern who’s all dimpled smiles and backward caps.
When Reese and Benny are thrown together for an impromptu video, the fans of the channel instantly fall in love with them, all their banter and all of their chemistry on screen too. After going viral, the higher ups decide to give them a small series competing against one another making food. Denying their chemistry gets harder and harder for Reese but landing that fall internship is her endgame. She has to decide what she can handle and what needs to be set aside.
📚
This one was cute! I liked it and I didn’t find myself being bored like I do with some YA books. It was romance-y but not in a weird off putting way. The book gave me The Ex Talk (by Rachel Lynn Solomon) vibes but if it were a Disney movie. It was fun and the banter was cute and flirty too.
I feel happy knowing books like this will exist for current and future teens where they’re talking about things like feminism and what falls under that topic. I think it’s important to show characters who are open to talking about things like that within relationships.
Definitely for you if you enjoy:
- Enemies to lovers
- Fun, flirty banter
- Feminism! Yeah!
Reese Camden is polite southern hospitality and has landed her dream internship in marketing for Friends of Flavor, her favorite food channel. She just needs to kill it this summer and land the fall internship but the only thing standing in her way is Benny, the culinary intern who’s all dimpled smiles and backward caps.
When Reese and Benny are thrown together for an impromptu video, the fans of the channel instantly fall in love with them, all their banter and all of their chemistry on screen too. After going viral, the higher ups decide to give them a small series competing against one another making food. Denying their chemistry gets harder and harder for Reese but landing that fall internship is her endgame. She has to decide what she can handle and what needs to be set aside.
📚
This one was cute! I liked it and I didn’t find myself being bored like I do with some YA books. It was romance-y but not in a weird off putting way. The book gave me The Ex Talk (by Rachel Lynn Solomon) vibes but if it were a Disney movie. It was fun and the banter was cute and flirty too.
I feel happy knowing books like this will exist for current and future teens where they’re talking about things like feminism and what falls under that topic. I think it’s important to show characters who are open to talking about things like that within relationships.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Sexism