A Taste of Sage is an intensely emotional, character-driven romance with fantasy elements set in the competitive world of Manhattan restaurant ownership that explores following your dreams, facing and conquering your fears, and becoming the person you are meant to be because of love in spite of your parents. What sets the novel apart is the novel’s diverse and well-developed lead and secondary characters, who are allowed to be authentic, flawed, and at times, downright unlikeable and thoroughly frustrating, and Santos’ sumptuous description of food combinations, preparations, and meals that inspire visceral reactions in the reader. (This is most definitely not a novel to read when you are at all hungry.) Similarly, her vivid and detailed descriptions of the characters, their motivations, thoughts, and interactions bring them soaring to life off the pages and into your imagination, heart, and mind—whether you like it or not.

Lumi Santana loves food and cooking and becomes a chef. But unlike the rest of us she has the gift of being able to physically experience the emotions the person who cooked the food was experiencing will preparing it. While most books and movies mostly focus on the positives and romantic aspects of this, A Taste of Sage, also explores the darker side and effects of this gift. For example, how Lumi must diligently take precautions about whose food. she eats. Lumi’s childhood is influenced by a mother who does everything she can to disabuse her of any foolish notions of fairytales, happily ever after, love, romance etc. Nevertheless, Lumi follows her dreams against her mother’s advice and opens a fusion restaurant serving Dominican and world cuisine.

Julien Dax has a well-earned reputation for being a superb chef, but he is just as known for his arrogance, pickiness, rudeness, and mercurial nature. By planning everything and keeping things in their place he doesn’t have to deal with risk or the unexpected. Being a sous-chef in his kitchen is not for the faint-hearted. He expects his recipes to be followed exactly with no deviation. Unfortunately, because Lumi is so creative and eclectic with her cooking and menu choices, she is unable to expand beyond her dedicated regular customer base to financially sustain her dream and is forced to close her restaurant. Lumi gets a job as a sous-chef for the temperamental, prominent chef’s traditional French restaurant. It is far from her dream, as it’s very by the recipe, no frills cooking, but she doesn’t have much choice.

Lumi and Julien clash and generate sparks with fiery chemistry from the moment they first meet. Both are instantly attracted. However, Julien inadvertently insults her cooking within her hearing at his friend’s wedding reception for which she’s the caterer, thus setting their relationship off on the wrong foot. Lumi declares never to taste anything he ever cooks. The development of their relationship is bumpy not only because of their own emotional baggage – both fear being hurt – but also from Julien’s obsessed secretary’s interference. Despite themselves and all the things that stand between them, Julien and Lumi both are unable to resist the attraction that continues to grow deeper between them.

Lumi eventually does taste Julien’s food, which is like nothing she has ever tasted and affects her profoundly, opening her eyes to the fact that there is more to him than the arrogance and rudeness he shows the world. As Lumi settles into his restaurant and he begins to see her creativity and skill in action through her cooking, he longs to be closer to her and as important to her as she has become to him. But both hold back, Lumi puts all her energy into her food to stay protected and safe, Julien falls back on logic and control to avoid complications. For the first time he senses he can have intimacy in a relationship, and it scares him. The influence of their parents subconsciously affects their ability to be open to exploring what is between them.

The overall tone of the novel is somewhat melancholy, with moments of humor, angst, and suspense. However, midway through the tone shifts sharply, becoming intense and a little dark, ultimately returning to a lighter tone. Although the novel is an entertaining and enjoyable read for the most part, it has some intensely emotional, disturbing themes/content that sticks with you long after you finish reading. At times I found Lumi and Julien unlikeable, but they both were very relatable in their human self- involvement, self-interest, and blindness to the other’s needs and feelings for much of the novel. A Taste of Sage is an excellently written, deeply emotional, sensual, angsty, romantic, humorous, character-driven, and intense exploration of the intricacies of human imperfection, forgiveness, love, and acceptance.

Lumi Santana is forced to close her restaurant, which had been her dream since she learned to cook from her Dominican family. In order to pay her bills, she goes to work as a sous chef for the infamous Julien Dax at his traditional French restaurant DAX. To say he is controlling and difficult to work with is an understatement.
Lumi is a sweet, talented woman who has been afraid to fall in love or marry thanks to all the warnings her mother has given her about men. The author builds her character so Lumi comes off as likable and relatable. I loved the background concerning her Dominican heritage. It is always fascinating to learn more about other cultures.

Julien Dax is a taskmaster and harsh with his employees who have learned to deal with his need for perfection. His longtime workers are able to create masterpieces for the restaurant that caters to upscale diners. His ginger hair seems to match his temper.

Despite a shaky beginning, Julien begins to see Lumi in a new light. They are both afraid that a relationship will interfere with the restaurant. Can the sparks between them flourish or will they be extinguished?
Foodies will love the many recipes sprinkled thorough out the story. They add more flavor and atmosphere to a story about love and food. Lumi has the gift of knowing how a cook felt when they made something just by tasting the item. This plays a pivotal role in the tale.

Author Yaffa S. Santos is a new to me author, but I will surely be looking forward to anything she writes in the future.

Growing up, my grandma always told me her homemade cookies or dishes were “made with love”. That’s exactly what was going through my mind while reading this book about two chefs following their dreams and passions. Lumi has a special gift, the gift of “feeling” the emotions of whoever cooked the meal. So when she has to shutter her first attempt at restaurant and work for incorrigible Julien at his French restaurant Dax, she is put to the ultimate test. I loved the recipes shared at the end of each chapter and it was such a heartwarming story of two chefs learning about each other and using their talents. I will say as much as I loved their romance, Julien seemed to change his arrogance almost immediately and I wish there was a bit more character development. To sum it up: cute story, prepare for mouth watering recipes, not a reread for me, romance, quick read

3 Stars
The stars are for our gal who brought so much to this tale. She was strong, talented, had an excellent work ethic, and gave us everything we would want. The major hiccup of this story was the guy, not very likable and I had difficulty with him and his attitude.

Sweet and spicy! Yaffa S. Santos has cooked up a delectable tale bubbling with food and romance. Lumi is pretty bummed out when her Dominican restaurant goes out of business and she is forced to take a job as a sous chef at a traditional French restaurant. Even more irritating her new boss is a bit of an arrogant ass. He thinks he is gods gift to the kitchen and even though he is drop dead gorgeous Lumi is not impressed. That is... until she is. Lobsters, apples, tomatoes, tarts, kisses, turtles, misunderstandings, recipes, and charm.

This was a fun little treat. I really liked Lumi and all her sas. I also really liked the fact that she could feel the emotions of the person who prepared her food, that was a fun magical element to the story. Julian was hard to like, but I think deep down he was a good guy. The romance between Lumi and Julian didn’t always work for me. There was a turning point though where I got it, I just wish I had felt it earlier. I also wish we had got to know these characters a little better they weren’t quite as multi dimensional as I would’ve liked. The cooking in the book was great and I loved how they included the recipes. I would have definitely love to dine at Lumi’sie’s Dominican restaurant.

This book in emojis 👩🏻‍🍳👨🏻‍🍳 🍲 🦞 🐢 🍏 🍅

*** Big thank you to Harper for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

The writing is great and I enjoyed learning more about Dominican culture, but I really disliked the hero and that kind of ruined it for me. I kept waiting for him to get better, but he didn't.

A Taste of Sage is a romantic novel about two chefs that fall in love while working together. Iluminada Santana, or Lumi, is a Dominican Republican chef with a gift for tasting the emotions of others in the food they make. As you can imagine this has positive and negative connotations for her, while she tries to make a living as a chef. After she has to shut down her own restaurant due to lack of business, a disenchanted Lumi takes a job as a Sous Chef at a traditional French restaurant run by chef Julian Dax to make ends meet. The characters know each other from a previous negative interaction at a wedding and despite a mutual attraction, they try to keep things professional. This obviously does not happen and they develop professional respect and deeper personal feelings for each other. I appreciated that the main heroine was a woman of color and that really guided her as chef and her cooking. There were recipes included at the end of almost every chapter if you want to try your hand at some cooking. To be honest, the book was a solid effort by the author but left a lot to be desired. There were a lot of set ups for conflict within the story (Julian’s assistant, Julian’s best friend, Lumi’s issues with her family) but no real exploration of these issues and characters. The interactions between the main characters ran hot and cold a great deal of the time, that in the end I could not fully believe in their romance as a couple. I understand the need for conflict within a book the further progress the development of the characters and their journey but some things were not fully explored. This book was provided by the publisher from Netgalley in May 2020 for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a book by Yaffa, and I truly enjoyed it. Of course, I have also worked in the hospitality field so I understood all the nuances and complexities.

Lumi was a chef and owner of a cute little restaurant that unfortunately, had to close. Trying to pick herself up, with help from a friend, she finds a job as a soux chef from her school's alumni.

Julien Dax is know to be specific and hot tempered. He expects the best. So when Lumi comes to work for Dax, they often butt heads, but shimmering just below the surface is smoldering heat and admiration.

Lumi has Dax loosening up in ways he never thought he would and Dax has Lumi seeing the rationale for consistency.

I really loved watching these two play out among the pages. This book is definitely worth picking up - one click now.

Ooo, this is tough to rate for me. Well first, I will say that this book will definitely make you hungry, so know that when you pick your timing to read it. The writing in this one overall is really strong- I very much enjoyed the authorial voice and would read something else from the author. I also liked the premise & the overall direction the story went. I think what trips this book up is that it doesn't fully work as a genre romance due to it's pacing. It's just a bit all over the place in terms of when different story elements were introduced, which made the flow of the book just feel off. I think there were also issues with the hero's characterization in terms of him being a genre romance hero.

I feel like I keep saying the same things in several reviews. I think my mood and inability to pay attention to anything for a long period of time had an effect on me while reading this. Maybe just a case of wrong book at the wrong time. It just didn’t really do it for me.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Lumi tried to open up her own restaurant, one steeped in her Dominican heritage. Sadly, as with most new restaurants, her endeavor did not succeed. Reeling from failure and disappointment, Lumi takes a job in a French kitchen run by a man named Julien. What Julien doesn't know is that Lumi has a secret, special gift. When she eats cooked food, she can taste the emotions of the person who created the dish. Julien and Lumi get off on the wrong foot, and she wants nothing more than to leave as soon as finances allow. Yet, one day, Lumi tastes something Julien has created, and her whole world does a headspin. Now craving more of Julien, Lumi finds new passion in her work, yet there is danger lurking in this kitchen that neither of them is prepared for.

I liked the concept of a person being able to taste the emotions of their food's chef. I think that's a really interesting idea, and I think it hews closely to the idea that food made with love tastes better than food made with disinterest or for mere subsistence. The love story here is cute in some ways, though I feel perhaps the dark turn in the latter part of the book may leave a bad taste in some readers' mouths. Still, if you're looking for something that has some sweet and sour in it, A Taste of Sage could be for you.

i'm always excited to see some real latinx rep, and a taste of sage has that in spades. not just with lumi santana, our intrepid heroine who can taste the emotions of the cook when she eats their food. but also in the food and recipes that are a key component to the text of this story.

when lumi begins working for julien, they find themselves at odds. he's got a bit of a reputation, and she can taste that there is something more to the man beyond his ferocious temper.

this makes for a great set up, the issue is that i'm not 100% sure the book delivered. as much as i wanted to root for julien and lumi's relationship, it felt as if there were perhaps one too many moving pieces to the plot and not everything connected. the magical realism, in this case, didn't quite work for me, especially since it felt like an extra element added to the plot without really impacting the way the story works out.

**a taste of sage will publish on may 19, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/harper collins in exchange for my honest review.

Strong start, lackluster finish. This was fine and cute, and more than anything else made me very very hungry! The writing was decent enough, the lead-up pretty good, but the actual romance and sexy time writing lacked chemistry and felt clunky - for lack of a better word. I was also distracted by the lack of condom-usage. If you’re looking for a quick, enjoyable-enough romp to pass the time... have at it, but there’s better out there than this.

3.5 Stars

Lumi Santana is hitting a rough patch. Her dreams of owning her restaurant has finally closed on her. With little money coming and no patrons, she has to shut the door of her restaurant. Bills still have to get paid so she takes a job at Dax as a sous chef. The only issue is the owner, Julien Dax, doesn’t step out of the box and he is a bit of a jerk. It also doesn’t help that Lumi finds his attractive.

Warning! Please do not read this book while hungry. The author really dives into the culinary world with actual recipes, vivid and mouth watering descriptions of the food. Of course, I’m a big foodie so this is up my alley. In fact, I wanted some of those dishes that Lumi created.

The book picks up in the second half where more secrets are exposed. The characters feel good with one another. Julien is a character you have to warm up to but he is a bit guarded and he has his own issues. Once you get past it, he is sensual, deep and actually likeable.

There is minor drama with another character from the restaurant which threatens to compromise Julien and Lumi’s newfound relationship. The author kind of drop the ball with this one as I think it could have been developed more. Even though readers will see what is going on a mile ahead of the actual events it could have been tighter.

As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the recipes shared throughout the book. The fact that the heroine is Dominican and not ashamed to dish out flavor and diversity in her work setting makes me happy to experience in romance where diversity can be lacking. The hero being French is a nice compliment as well.

Overall this is a delightful romantic story with a few minor issues. You can really get absorb in the story from start to end. I look forward to more by the author.

~ Samantha

2.5 🌟🌟

This is a light-hearted steamy romance for those needing a good distraction.

The red-headed hot chef is a hot head and the curvy Dominican down on her luck chef is looking for a sous-chef position. Their worlds and bodies collide.

The character development feel rushed, but even this novel covers almost a full calendar year. This is one of those whirlwind relationships a la Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson. The best thing about this book is the sexual chemistry, but the characters only get to know the surface level of each other before deciding to commit. This is evident through Julien caring for Lumi (which is hella intimate and cute) but not realizing how she was raised and her romantic history would play into how she approaches marriage.

One of the biggest strengths of this novel is the use of food in the text. The descriptions and recipes were cute. And the descriptions of the characters cooking and diction in describing flavors are immersive. The magical realism element is another fun and unexpected. It's refreshing to see in an otherwise contemporary romance.

The first two-thirds of the book was fun, but I had too many questions and doubt during the last third. It’s still an overall enjoyable read if one is in the mood for a steamy albeit predictable romance.

Thank you, Harper Collins, for providing a reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cute, quick and easy read. I did not feel like there was much build up between the two main characters and I would have liked a more in depth look at each of them!

This one sits solidly between 2 and 3 stars for me. It definitely had potential and there was nothing explicitly "wrong" with it, but there just wasn't enough to compel me to keep reading. It's got some great food descriptions that will make you hungry, characters who are interesting but share no real chemistry, and a setup that seems like it should be intriguing but just kind of falls flat. There's certainly an audience for it, but it didn't really work for me as a whole.

Essentially, the story follows Lumi, a chef whose restaurant is forced to close. She takes a job working as a sous chef for a temperamental French restauranteur, Julien, who likes things done in a certain way. The two share a love of food and a mutual attraction, but their working relationship is volatile and sometimes tense. When feelings come out into the open, it complicates a relationship that's already strained.

There was actually a lot that I liked about this, which is why I feel bad rating it so low. I don't mind a lovable jerk hero, so I didn't really have a problem with Julien. I also love enemies to lovers romance so that worked for me to a certain extent. The author did a great job talking about food and giving this an authentic feel in regards to that. Unfortunately, most of my problems lie with the relationship itself. The writing style is not my favorite, giving this a subdued, detached feel when all I really wanted was to feel the tension between these two. There aren't any real sparks of chemistry to speak of, and I think that would've gone a long way to making this read better. I was still planning on rating this as 3 stars until an incident in the back half, which seemed like an unnecessary obstacle to a relationship that was just starting to develop. All in all, the book definitely has potential but I think it could've used further development to enhance the story. I received an ARC via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this foodie romance.

This is a solidly meh romance. If it wasn't a book from NetGalley, I would have quit at 20%. The premise is interesting, the female protagonist can feel the emotions of the person who prepared a food item, just by tasing it. Desperate for a job, she goes to work for a chef with a nasty reputation. When she eats his cooking, she discovers he's more than he appears on the surface. Sounds fascinating and emotional, right? Nope. I felt no emotional connection to the story or characters. What could have been a stunning plot line, falls flat here. The romance portion felt forced, there wasn't the usual build and anticipation between the characters. The characters' recipes are given between chapters, which would have been a nice touch if I cared about them.

I say skip this one, there are too many other great romances out there.

Prepare to be hungry. All the descriptions of the food made me want to eat. I am a huge fan of food-centric books, especially romance novels. This book was fun and cute. I especially loved all the recipes at the end of the chapters. I like the relationships that Lumi had with her friends and co-workers. Her relationship with Julien was rather flat until midway through the book book. There could have been more development to their story. I wish there was more about her "power", I feel like it was barely touched until halfway into the book.
Overall, it was fun and a good book to escape into.

I hate to say this but I was so confuse with A Taste of Sage story line. I do not know how else I can say it.
Reading the book was completely different from what the book summary has mention. Very briefly was her special gift was mention in the book. It was a bit back and forth about the two characters about their food opinions. Pus, there was very little interaction until the end of the book. Relationship seem very rush toward the end. I don’t want to critique but it need to be more chemistry between the characters. If there was more attraction and chemistry, then this book would have been better. It had potential with rival chef with different taste. That’s all I am saying.