I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book follows Jordan Plazas and Cindy Ortiz, two teenagers whose families both own food trucks that sell Philly cheesesteaks and are at “war”. Jordan’s family sells the traditional cheesesteak while Cindy’s sells cheesesteaks with healthier options. On social media they hate each other but in private a budding relationship between the teens is happening.

This was such a cute read. I loved all the time we get to read about when Jordan and Cindy spend time together. It was soooo cute. I loved that Jordan and Cindy’s families stories of past hardships that led the families to running food trucks was shared. It showed while they both had hard times they didn’t give up after one thing didn’t work for them.

Thank you Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Eric Smith and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Plazas and Ortiz families are in a food truck war! Many people will tell you from their public shouting matches that usually go viral. Why such the rivalry? The families both own cheesesteak trucks on the same street in Philadelphia.
The truth though? Cindy Ortiz and and Jordan Plazas are in love and it's all just an act.

Soon that act lands them a reality show pilot that have to decide what is most important. Will the possibility of money tear them apart?

A cute and fun YA read! It alternated between Jordan and Cindy's POV. I also loved the Romeo and Juliet vibe. I will definitely recommend this book to others!

This will be a short review!

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Jordan and Cindy. I thought they were decent characters and the plot covers the struggles they face with relationships and what happens next after high school. I thought that the author did a good job with these topics.

Their relationship was something that I struggled with. There wasn’t much backstory for it and it seemed that it was rushed through to get them to the point of dating. Hiding the relationship from others due to the rival they had at one point was fun at times but they did go to great lengths and it felt a bit too much at times. They had their cute moments together though so it wasn’t all bad, but definitely not a favorite part of the story.

All of the talk that dealt with food made me hungry! I love seeing what food trucks come up with so that part of the story really got my attention.

Overall, this was okay. It had its moments but wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.

I really wanted to like this book but the more chapters that went by I was slightly annoyed. the FMC was so unlikable. She as constantly judging Jordan and his food truck dreams while chasing a dream of successful podcast for a realty tv. The fake rivalry between lovers was an interesting addition but this book lacked execution.

I am a sucker for YA romances and when you add family rivalry with a secret love affair, it's the perfect recipe. Jordan and Cindy are the cutest couple and their dedication to each other is so sweet. I, also enjoyed the reality TV elements, sometimes it can be hard to use modern terms in story, but this is done so well. This is a fun, funny, and heartwarming YA.

Jordan and Cindy have the biggest foodtruck rivalry in Philadelphia. They run their parents food trucks on weekends and through the summerl and show . But they have a secret, they've been dating for a year and their families are actually best friends. However even friends can harbor secrets and maybe not all of their viral rivalry is for show only. When a production company reaches out to the family about a reality tv show featuring the trucks rivalry, it only takes a little prodding to convince them to shot a pilot, culminating to the food truck competition that Jordan wants to win so he can buy a food truck and take a cross country trip with Cindy before she goes off to college.

This book is so cute. Secret relationships, reality tv, and amazing food. It's the perfect combination. I absolutely love Jordan's character, he's so sweet and knows exactly what he wants and is willing to work hard to get it. I didn't love Cindy so much though, she actually really grated on my nerves as the story went on, I related to her a little at first, especially when she said she wasn't good at asking others to make space for her, but it went downhill from there and I can't really explain all of the why. She just seemed very wrapped up in herself and being in her hometown with her friends versus her relationship and her present life in Philadelphia. Though I did really enjoy her friendship with the girls, I love that they found something like the podcast to bring them together when they were so far apart. And I loved Jordan's friend Steve, he's a really great friend and I enjoyed every scene that he was in. I can't wait to see what Eric Smith comes out with next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.

With or Without You is the latest YA romance novel by Eric Smith, set in Philadelphia, PA. Two competing food trucks have a rivalry that’s newsworthy, both making cheesesteaks. Plazas Steaks is run by a purist family. All you need are steak, cheese, and onions. Asking for mushrooms earns customers the bell of shame. Across the square, Ortiz Steaks offers more choices and healthier options. The families fought over the plaza corner, but the rivalry really kicked in when Jordan Plazas and Cindy Ortiz started working at the food trucks. Their vocal animosity amuses customers and fuels social media. It brings business to both trucks, but it’s all fake. In fact, Jordan and Cindy are secretly dating.

Smith beautifully captures the feeling of being young, with your whole life ahead of you, dreams so close you can taste them, and being able to reach for the life you want. Jordan Plazas has a simple dream - one no one seems to appreciate but him: to buy his own food truck and spend a year traveling the country with his girlfriend. He’s been saving all his tip money toward this dream, but what will really fund his dream is winning Truck Off - a food truck competition coming up in ten days. That twenty-five-thousand-dollar prize will make all his dreams come true.

Cindy’s dream is a little different. She wants to move back to Boston where she grew up, where her best friends are, and go to Northeastern University for television production. And even though she’s agreed to take a gap year with her boyfriend, she applied to college for the fall and is saving her tips for college. When a reality show producer swings by Cindy's truck and says she wants to talk to her and her family about a reality show, Cindy is thrilled. All four parents love the idea, too, but not Jordan. Cindy has to talk him into the idea, reminding him that both their families could use the money.

The producers tell the Ortiz family they need to enter Truck Off, too, and things go downhill from there. The whole basis for the show is the rivalry between the two trucks, specifically between Jordan and Cindy. It means more lying, more hiding, and more chances of getting caught out. When Cindy is accepted into Northeastern with a scholarship, she has some major decisions to make, ones that could break their relationship.

Philadelphians and food lovers will love the details. All readers, will, actually. There’s a scene in a bookstore that's so beautifully written it's like slipping into a bookstore in real life. With food, music, romance, and more, it’s a delightful book. I love Smith’s previous book, You Can Go Your Own Way, and look forward to more.

Did Not Finish – 53% (150 pages)

While on my hunt to find the perfect rival chef romance, I stumbled upon With Or Without You by Eric Smith. Convinced solely from the cover that this book must be the book of my dreams, I requested an ARC, desperate to read Jordan and Cindy’s story.

It wasn’t as good as I hoped.

With Or Without You tells the story of two rival cheesesteak trucks and the teen owners who are in love behind the scenes. I thought the idea of this Romeo-and-Juliet-esque story would make for an interesting plot, expecting to see conflict come up time and time again while the characters hid their romance from the world, but I instead found a story where I was practically begging for these two to break up.

Let’s start with a little bit of an introduction to our characters. Jordan is a boy with dreams to travel the country in his food truck, setting up shop wherever he pleases to sell his cheesesteaks with his girlfriend, Cindy. He’s weirdly possessive about the way people enjoy their food, making for a character I wasn’t sure I could cheer on as he demands only the classics, with no substitutions and only the highest quality ingredients.

On the other hand, Cindy doesn’t care too much about food or policing the way people eat. Her hobbies mainly include watching reality TV and talking on the podcast she does with her best friends, and her biggest dream is to go to college in her hometown, returning to the friends she recently moved away from.

The red flags were already popping up in this story simply from the characters’ introductions, but I continued on.

As we get further into this story, we learn that the fake feud Jordan and Cindy put on in front of their cheesesteak customers is popular enough that the two get scouted for their own reality TV show. In this TV show, they have to do many things they don’t want to do (such as show personal, deep, emotional wounds for “drama” and compete in a cooking competition they don’t even want to join), all to appear in a show they don’t even particularly want to be a part of.

As I said, I really wasn’t a fan of the relationship between Jordan and Cindy, nor how they didn’t communicate their plans and wishes with each other. Throughout most of the book, I was questioning why these two were even together, and whether or not it was better for them to break up by the end.

But the event that ultimately got me to decide not to finish this book appeared about 53% of the way through (or 150 pages).

You see, there’s this boy. An assistant working on the TV show who is interested in Cindy. She thinks he’s cute, which is all fine and dandy to me so long as you’re just looking.

But then he asks “is there… a someone?” As in, are you dating anyone?

And Cindy responds “no,” fully aware that she is dating Jordan. Has been dating Jordan since before the book started. And has absolutely no reason to be lying to this new boy.

I will put up with a lot in books. I’ll keep reading an ARC, even if I hate it, just to tell my thoughts on the book as a whole and be truthful to my audience.

But even my standards are higher than what this book was giving me.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
With or Without You has a unique premise that flips a few common romance tropes on their head in a delightful way. I loved the idea of the family food-truck rivalry that isn’t as bitter as it initially seemed, with no outright enmity between them, and the children of the two families even being in love without having to hide it. The reality-show twist, meaning they have to play up the rivalry and that being the reason Jordan and Cindy actually have to hide their relationship is a nice twist, and is an interesting commentary on how the artificial nature of reality shows can impact people’s true reality, including relationships they treasure.
I did like both Jordan and Cindy, and rooted for them to figure things out. But there were a lot of complications due to the changes going on in their lives, and they didn’t always communicate, whether it be because the show kept them apart and required them to put on a pretense, or because they felt they couldn’t risk disappointing the other person. However, it felt realistic, and like how teens would act in this extreme situation.
The main issue I had with the book was the pacing. With Jordan and Cindy being together already, there was only so much that could keep me invested as they continued to keep secrets for the cameras. It felt very drawn out, and there wasn’t much that kept me invested, beyond the occasional hiccups from other issues, like Cindy getting into college when she didn’t think she would.
But this was otherwise a pretty solid execution of some subverted tropes. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy YA contemporaries, especially if you enjoy the reality-show backdrop.

Wanna book about food, relationships, angst and Philadelphia? With or Without You is a love letter to all of those things! Also, prepare yourself to be hungry while you read!

This tells the story of Cindy and Jordan's foray into reality TV, a food truck competition and plans for after high school. It will make you smile, grimace, sigh, and smile again. Check it out. It's worth your time.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Well, I read it. It was a really cute concept but it was not executed well at all. Cindy is supposed to love reality tv and literally has a podcast about it but is still somehow surprised at how it all works. Jordan and Cindy just didn't talk to each other at all and I don't think they should have ended up together. Maybe they can be together after she graduates but right now they just don't fit.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This had a good mix of details about running food trucks, family dynamics, and planning for a post high school future that will still appeal to readers who are not quite ready to think about leaving home. The representation of families dealing with financial difficulties is good to see, and there's a lot of vivid local flavor and descriptions of cheesesteaks. This put a nice twist on the enemies to lovers trope. There were plenty of things going on with the competition, family finances, and plans for the coming year to keep readers turning the pages.
This wasn't that much of a romance book. There's a nice date in a book store, but most of the time is spent arguing and worrying about the future instead of enjoying the moment. This book felt very scripted, as a reality show would. It didn't lend itself to being very likable, through its dialogue or its characters.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In With or Without You the legendary rivalry between cheesesteak trucks Plaza Steaks and Ortiz Steaks is fueled by high schoolers Jordan Plaza and Cindy Ortiz, whose escalating insults go viral. What spectating customers don't realize is the bickering is a marketing ploy. Jordan and Cindy have been secretly in love for years. Hoping to put the antics behind them when they graduate, they are conflicted when TV executives propose a reality show based on the rivalry. The two families are scheduled to compete in a "Truck Off!" food fair and as competition heats up, real grievances begin to arise. Jordan wants to buy his own food truck and set off across the country with Cindy, whereas she would rather attend college to study the television industry The story is told in alternating perspectives with reality TV-style confessionals. Will Cindy and Jordan find a way to make their relationship work, yet keep their families and TV executives happy, especially when their dreams are diverging?

This was a cute story about two teens who each run their family's food truck. Coincidentally, they both sell the same thing, leading to a rivalry between the trucks. When their friends start taking videos and posting them on social media, the rivalry grows and so do the sales of their food trucks. We come to find out that the teens are actually dating and have to keep their romance a secret to maintain the rivalry.

This rivalry attracts the attention of a TV producer who convinces the families to do a pilot for the show.

I liked this story. The chapters were alternating point of views between Jordan and Cindy. It was nice to see both of their views on the situation and how they were coping with the rivalry coming between their relationship. I would have liked more feelings from the characters to connect with them more.

Overall, this was a cute book that I'd recommend to my junior high students who like a touch of romance without it being the entire theme of the book.

Philly! Food trucks! Cheesesteaks! Camden! Imaginary reality TV shows!

What more could you ask for?? How about: teens that act like real teens, parents who act like real parents, and emotional moments that hit hard despite the book being a fast and fun read?

Amazing.

There were several unexpected twists in this clever YA food truck romance. Jordan & Cindy have just graduated high school and each run their family's food truck on the same block in Philadelphia. They each have a reason they need the money they make -- Jordan to buy a food truck of his own and set off on a cross-country roadtrip with it, Cindy to buy the equipment she needs for the podcast she hosts with her friends, analyzing a reality TV show. They play up the feud between their families because it brings in more customers and better tips even though they are secretly dating. When they are given the opportunity to be featured on a reality TV show about this "feud," the money is so good that they can't say no. The deep delve into their past brings to light more than anyone expected. Will it destroy the future that they had planned? Recommended for grades 8 & up.

This was such a fun reversal on the enemies to lovers trope set against the exciting backdrop of the Truck Off! The beauty of this book lies in its ability to mix the sweet and the savory, much like a perfect Philly cheesesteak. It combines love, family, and post-secondary ambitions in a narrative as engaging as it is thought-provoking. Whether you're a fan of rom-coms or looking to explore the complexities of young love, this book is a must-read.

All is fair in family and food!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read an ARC.

I found this story reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet with a reality show twist. Having never experienced food truck communities or been to Philadelphia, I had to look up a few things about the spaces. Since I have Celiac Disease, I lived through all the mouthwatering descriptions made throughout the story. I could almost smell the cheesesteak!
This is a fun read for those fans of Reality Bites, Pretty Woman and more. I almost expected The Edge to make a cameo.

I can't wait for more from this author.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet book, but there were places where my attention started to wander.

With or Without You" is an endearing young adult contemporary novel that delves into the lives of Jordan and Cindy, both operating their family's food trucks and sharing a mutual dislike for each other. But is their animosity a façade? In reality, their fiery exchanges conceal a budding romance. As a fan of "The Great Food Truck Race," this book was a delightful reminder of the show's excitement. The characters, particularly Jordan and Cindy, were engaging both as a couple and as individuals. It's like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, set against the backdrop of the food truck industry, and I couldn't get enough!