The recipe for love is the boy next door plus the hometown girl who has just returned after seven years away....and a pesky ex-husband, an overbearing mother, two rambunctious six-year-old girls, and a family restaurant on the brink of total disaster. Rosalie and Nick each find themselves at a crossroads in life and need each other to discover their past passions anew again. In this Kitchen Nightmares meets small town romance novel, our protagonists are able to find love and save this Louisiana town's pride and joy, Ady's Creole Cafe! They encounter bumps along the road, but what romance doesn't? This is a great read, fun for food lovers and chick lit readers alike. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this adorable ARC!

I loved this book! It was a sweet romance that puts you in a good moodd and has you rooting for the mains. I loved the romance between them and the sweetness between the daughters. A really short and fun read if you're looking for a sweet romance

DId not finish this book. There were problems with the basic research of the place that took me out of the story.

This book was sweet and wholesome and was just as much about the family dynamic as it was a romance. Rosalie and Nick both have a lot of growth they need to go through to be the best parents they can be in the face of the new challenges their lives present to them. So when they fall into each other's paths, naturally they find themselves orbiting one another. Rosalie notices Nick is unmotivated and after overhearing a conversation between her and her mom, Nick is all too aware of her early opinion of him. Dedicated to changing the way she sees him, but also the way he's turned his life in the wrong direction, Nick agrees to work with Rosalie to make things better.

It was cute. I liked it well enough. Was it the greatest read? No. Would I read it a second time? Probably not. Do I regret reading it? No way.

It is an even 3/5 stars. Good but not great.

Rosalie Underwood hasn't been back to St. Aster in seven years, after leaving the town with her boyfriend Clyde in favor of a new start in Baltimore. After a sudden divorce after Clyde leaves her and their young daughter Remi, she finds herself back in the town she swore she'd never return to and the mother she turned her back on.

I really enjoyed this story, especially the romance between Rosalie and Nick. It felt realistic that Nick fell first, given what Rosalie's been through. The author takes the time to build up their relationship slowly, through the use of the upcoming cooking competition and the lessons between Nick and Rosalie. Their teamwork really shines through in the book. They both bring something unique to the table and what Nick lacks, Rosalie makes up for and vice versa. I just really appreciated the slow burn journey because it allows you to get to know the characters as well as their relationship and it feels more realistic as well. I wish we would have learned more about Nick and Desiree, his ex and what happened there. There were some mentions here and there but it would have been nice to see Nick's side of things. It was great to have Clyde play a little more of a role than expected. He's not just "the ex". We see him interact with both Rosalie and Remi and gain insight into the relationship dynamics between Clyde and Rosalie. He definitely came off as a shitty guy and you can see why it didn't work out.

I pretty much hated Rosalie's mother throughout the entirety of the story. <spoiler>Rosalie forgives "Ma" at the end of the book and they resolve to slowly work on their relationship. Good for Rosalie but it's going to take me a little longer</spoiler> The author had the passive-aggression down pat. Rosalie's mother has the nerve to judge Rosalie on everything from her parenting to her cooking skills, insinuating the latter is why Rosalie wasn't able to keep her husband when the mother herself had a string of men coming and going since Rosalie was a little girl! She even goes as far as to <spoiler>Call Clyde's mother who calls him and encourages him to come down to St. Aster to win back Rosalie. Chile please.</spoiler> I know so many like Rosalie's mother and I know so many with Ma and Rosalie's dynamic so bravo to Ms. Nicks for capturing that.

The kids were adorable and I loved that they weren't just ornaments to the story. Remi worked her mother's nerve (and mine sometimes, when she would throw those tantrums...in the store of all places!) as children often do. Even with that, she was an adorable girly-girl and I loved how Maxie, Nick's kid, offset that by being a tomboy. Their friendship was too cute.

All in all, this was a lovely book and a great debut!

Nick's novel touches on themes of grief, divorce, love and single parenting and does so in a sweet yet heartbreaking manner; I definitely recommend it if you need something short and sweet.

This was a super cute read and exactly what I needed at this moment! Nick is the perfect male character for me. I love the relationship and the connection that the two daughters have with one another. There is nothing that I would have changed about this book, except making it a bit longer! Would highly recommend.

Rosalie eloped at seventeen and left town. Seven years later, she’s come home. She’s not exactly welcomed with open arms by her mother. Her mom always said Rosalie would come back. And Rosalie probably never would have come home if her divorce hadn’t left her completely broke and unable to support her young daughter Remi.

Trying to prolong her arrival at her mom’s house, Rosalie stops at a restaurant on the way in. She remembers Ady’s Creole restaurant from a few special meals out as a child.
She’s shocked by what she sees when she steps in. The restaurant is empty, it’s messy, everything is dated, the employees are disinterested and the food is disappointing. What could have changed so drastically? The owner passed away and her son Nick is now running the restaurant.

Nick’s mom passed away about a year ago. He’s grieving. He’s putting in the bare minimum effort to keep the place running.

Rosalie noticed the “help wanted” sign in the door. She needs a job and Nick needs a waitress. He hires her on the spot.

When she starts working, she realizes the depth of Nick’s laziness at the restaurant. It turns out, Nick used to be the head chef. The food used to be beloved.

Rosalie jumps into “fixer up” mode, she encourages Nick to start making things better. She also talks him into entering a local restaurant competition, the only catch is that she has to do the cooking.
Poor Rosalie grew up with a mom who wasn’t patient enough to teach her to cook, then married a man who considered it as failing as a wife that she did not cook well.

The cooking lessons Nick gives Rosalie and the fixer up project bring the two closer together. Their daughters meet at school and become instant best friends.

I like how they brought out the best in each other. They have the ability to actually improve each other’s lives and have an instant connection.

I thought this was sweet and I thought the food sounded delicious.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. Thanks!

I really liked this book.
This book follows Nick and Rosalie our main characters. They are both dealing with different issues when they find each other. I always said Love and good have a way of fixing things.

This novel touches on things like grief, divorce, love and trying to raise children as single parents. It’s sweet yet heartbreaking.


I really enjoyed the writing, I loved the main characters. The author did a great job on making you feel the chemistry.
It was a quick read for me. And I definitely recommend it if you need something short and sweet.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book.

This was such a cute romance! I always love a good single parent(s) romance and this one was so good. The characters are so relate able and you feel so much for them. This was a little slow in the beginning and is a slow burn romance but, the reading experience was enjoyable.

I admitt that I thought I'd go crazy for this book. The plot sounded so appealing that when I found myself thinking if I should dnf it I was sad. The story is still good— poc main characters which are also grown up with divorces/break up behind and single parents rep— but there are so many imbalances that at once halfway through you're bored.
More telling prose than showing and almost zero feelings. You know there's sexual tension between Rosalie and Nick, and you know Nick loves cooking but you don't see it or feel it.
Even if it narrated by both pov there is always more Rosalie than Nick, which it create plot holes in Nick characterization and you can barely see the development in him.
I would totally recommend it because the romance is good and the message is important but not a big deal.

A lovely book about finding your footing after dealing with divorce (heroine) and death (hero). Both the main characters have made mistakes in the past and are figuring out how to mend fences and move on. I loved how the children were portrayed in this book. They weren't just there to prop up the main characters but there to add elements to the story. The romance was sweet and satisfying and enjoyed how the book ended.

Ok, I LOVE a good romance. Actually, I'm a sucker for it. This book. This freakin book has it all. POC rep, family drama, cute swoon worthy moments and amazing characters. Rosalie is definitely my favorite and I absolutely love her.

I loved everything about this book. Such a gem.

This one was really enjoyable. I loved Rosalie and Nick and how close their daughters were <3 definitely looking forward to read more from this author.

A cute romance with POC as the lead. It will definitely have you in your feels. There are many cute romantic moments as well as a little family drama. A perfect combination.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
The cover is awesome.

A short sweet romance is close to what I think of this book, however, it's not just about love and kisses and happy endings. It's about hurt, seeking refuge, making mistakes and healing from them. Rosalie does struggle to keep her head above water and her relationship with her Mom is one of the sour points in her life, and as she comes back home 7 years after walking out swearing never to return, she's fierce in making a better life for her daughter, Remi. Nick is just the bonus and it takes her a while to learn to love and approve of herself.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
I absolutely love the cover!