Party of Two is a delightful romance set against a very timely backdrop concerning interracial relationships and the political climate. Olivia Monroe has just moved to LA to start her own law firm, alongside her best friend and fellow attorney, Ellie. When she meets a random, really hot, white dude in the hotel bar and they have a conversation about pie and life, she is left feeling like the move to LA was the right decision. She never dreamed that she would see him again, but she enjoyed the short time she had with him, nonetheless. Then she is flipping channels on the tv and hears his unmistakable voice. Holy crap - the guy from the bar is Senator Max Powell. She can hardly believe 1) that he made time to talk to and flirt with her - just a regular middle aged Black woman in a power suit and 2) that she didn't recognize him right away. But then, she is completely blown away when Max sends a cake to her office the next day, followed by an invitation to a date. Sure, being the girlfriend of a hot, super rich Senator has its perks, but Olivia quickly finds out that being in the limelight and scrutinized by the media is not where she wants to be at all. But Max is so wonderful, and she finds herself falling for him. How can she keep the guy, but also keep her low-key lifestyle? You'll love this somewhat steamy and amazingly written romance by the wonderful Jasmine Guillory.

Party of Two is such a wholesome and mature book, it blew me away.

This is my first book by Jasmine Guillory and I have to say, I loved every second of it.

The writing is very good and Guillory can write very relatable and realistic characters and dialogue. This is very important for me because in romance, if I can’t relate or feel that the character is very generic, there’s a very high chance I won’t enjoy it.

Olivia and Max were super likeable characters with flaws and complex personalities. I think they complemented each other in very obvious ways, like when it comes to privacy and spontaneity in which they are polar opposites but try to meet each other in the middle, but also in subtle ways, like in the ways they ask each other for opinions/ give ideas in regards to their professional lives.

The romance in this book is so so cute and wholesome. This is probably the sweetest book I’ve ever read. Olivia and Max’s chemistry is undeniable and their flirty moments were super adorable. I just can’t stop gushing about how cute these two are.

They overcame their differences and worked together to make their relationship work. They learned from their mistakes and made up for it. I’m just in awe at how they handled everything without any unnecessary drama - that might be because the characters are older than I’m used to reading about, even in adult romance.

My favourite part, however, has to be all the cake talk. I don’t like chocolate but just thinking about cakes and pies made my mouth water 70% of the time!

I’m definitely reading more books by Jasmine Guillory in the future! I’m in love with how she writes her characters and I have a feeling I’ll love her other books just as much.

This is a mature, cute and funny romance and I recommend it to every romance lover out there!

**4.5-stars**

My favorite Guillory yet!!!

Party of Two follows Olivia Monroe, Alexa's older sister, just after she returns to California to open her own law firm with her long-time friend, Ellie. Olivia had been in NYC since law school and when the opportunity presented itself for her to get out of the big firm game, and all the negative aspects that came with it, and move closer to her family, she jumps on it.

Setting up temporary lodging at a L.A. hotel, she has a lot on her plate. In addition to all of the busy work starting a new business entails, she also needs to find a more permanent place to live, buy a car and get a lot of networking done. The last thing she is thinking about is starting a relationship. That is, until a very handsome man at the hotel bar starts chatting her up over one of her favorite topics: DESSERT!

She is polite and does enjoy talking to him, but seriously, the last thing she needs is to hook up with a stranger from her hotel bar. He was charming though. Those eyes...Saying their goodbyes, Olivia heads back to her room, exhausted. As she turns on the television, she can't believe her eyes. It's the man from the bar!

Senator Max Powell.

When the two accidentally run into each other again, the spark is still there and this time, there's no turning Max away. Y'all, this book was so much fun! As mentioned above, it's my favorite of The Wedding Date series thus far. I think as far as protagonists go, I related to Olivia the most. I love how analytically she views her world and the cautious way she has of interacting with others.

I liked that she did fall all over herself just because a cute guy was paying attention to her. She had her own goals and wasn't letting anything distract her from reaching them. Max as a male lead was great. I loved how earnest he was with his feelings and how genuine his intentions were toward Olivia.

I would say in comparison to the earlier novels in the series, this one had more of a solid foundation to the relationship. There wasn't as much unnecessary drama, which I appreciated. I liked the open communication between Olivia and Max. They both exuded maturity which could be expected with two such successful people.

We saw a lot behind the scenes of Max's life as Senator, the travel required, the staff, the schmoozing. I love politics in books, so was definitely down for all that. In addition to the normal things you go through when starting a new relationship, Olivia and Max had to navigate surviving a long distance relationship and the paparazzi.

If there would have been a couple more sex scenes, this could have been a full five stars. However, in this installment, there was more dessert than sex and sometimes, that's okay. Overall, this is a great summer romance.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate it so much and would be more than happy to get more books in this series.

The perfect RomCom! I've read all of Jasmine's books and this is her best one yet. A delightful, sexy and charming read with well-rounded interesting characters and a believable conflict. Bonus - pie and cake play a starring role and who doesn't like that?

I had so much fun reading this book! Guillory's writing is easy to fly through with just enough fun and steam to keep things interesting. I really enjoyed Olivia's character. It was great to see Alexa again and see the Monroe sisters in action. Max was a refreshing male lead and while I'm not a huge fan of Insta-Love, I still found their relationship to be believable and sweet. A great addition to The Wedding Date universe.

I don’t know if it’s the stress of the pandemic or because it’s finally summer, but I have found myself craving romantic reads lately. I seriously just can’t get enough of them. I’ve been enjoying Jasmine Guillory’s series, The Wedding Date, so when I saw she had a new installment in the series coming out this month, Party of Two, I couldn’t resist requesting it.

Olivia Monroe is smart, sexy, and savvy, and she’s also a successful attorney who has recently moved to L.A. to start her own law firm with her best friend. The last thing Olivia has time for in her life right now is romance, but a chance encounter in a hotel bar with a handsome man has her thinking a little romance might not be a bad thing. That is, until she later learns that the handsome man is none other than Senator Max Powell. Olivia has absolutely no interest in dating a politician or in the pressure of being in the spotlight. She still can’t deny that Max is gorgeous though…

I wanted to cringe as much as Olivia did when I realized Max was a politician, but I’ll freely admit that he won me over right away. Max is smart and handsome, but he’s also just flat out adorable. He wears disguises so he can have privacy while he’s out and about, he’s very passionate about causes that are important to him, and perhaps the biggest selling point for me, he tries to woo Olivia with cake! This is a guy after my own heart, haha. He’s not perfect though and I think that’s actually what I liked most about him. Max tends to be a little impulsive, especially when it comes to matters of love and romance. His heart is always in the right place, but he can sometimes make a mess of things because he acts first and thinks second.

I really adored both Max and Olivia from that first encounter in the hotel bar. Their chemistry was off the charts and their flirty banter was truly giving me life! Even though I’m not really a believer in love at first sight, I was immediately rooting for the two of them to give it a go. I also thought the author did a wonderful job of making both characters and their evolving relationship feel so authentic. As with most relationships, there are lots of fun moments, but also some more dramatic and stressful moments. I was completely invested in both Max and Olivia as if I actually knew them and found myself glued to the book, finishing it in just a couple of sittings, because I just had to know if they were going to get a happy ending together or not.

If you’re in the mood for a smart, sexy romance, I highly recommend giving Party of Two a try. As much as I have enjoyed The Wedding Date series overall, I won’t hesitate to say that Party of Two is my new favorite book in the series. To quote Mary Poppins, it’s “practically perfect in every way.”

I said it once, and I’ll say it again…. I think this was my favorite so far. Jasmine Guillory touched on some things in this I hadn’t seen from her before and I can’t wait for you all to read and experience it too!..

One night Olivia meets a stranger at a bar. They talk about everything under the sun and then go their seperate ways. Max can’t get Olivia off his mind and Olivia can’t believe her eyes when she figures out who Max actually is… A United States Senator. When the two find each other again, they talk a little more and then one thing leads to another. But is Olivia really ready to be a Senator’s girlfriend with her many secrets?

The reason I said this one was my favorite one, was I felt like Guillory was branching out. She tackled some tough things that came along with interracial dating. I remember them talking about it in The Wedding Date, but it was more laid back. In this one, Olivia is very passionate about how she can't be perceived as angry and why he can do certain things and she can't. I won't go into why she was so adamant about it, but it was because of something with the plot. And I was glad to see that she didn't gloss over that. Interracial relationships are hard. (Although I married a Black man, I had my fair share of interracial relationships before him, so I do have some experience in the dating aspect of this.)


I also really liked the characters. I related SO. HARD. to Olivia. She was very quiet, keep her head down, determined to get things done, work hard, and takes a long time to make a decision. And then there was Max who was the complete opposite. He was loud and fly off the handle and a little flighty. So of course, they find each other. I haven't read an opposites attract troupe in a long time, so this was definitely welcome.
The romance is what I had a bit of an issue with. I liked their romance and felt that the relationship was natural. Especially for a long distance relationship. BUT, I did not feel the chemistry. Maybe it was the fact that they were gone from each other so much, or maybe I thought they were also so different? Idk. But something felt off about them. I wasn't sure, but I just did not feel it.

The smexy in this book was just like her others. I would rate it on a scale of a 3 for romance. There were some smexy times, but it was attached to a romantic time. There are a few "parts" named, but not that many, and it didn't go too in depth. And for the most part, they get to the smexy times and she kinda glosses over them, so if someone is looking for a romance with not too much detail, I would give them this and the other Guilllory books.

The Wedding Date is still my favorite, but this one was a close second. I felt like I knew this was some new Guillory, but it felt a lot like her old stuff. And I really enjoyed that. I hope there's more like this to come in the future from her!

Review posted to Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The writing in this book is very well grounded, with great dialogue and a great blend of some humor, and plenty of depth and drama. This book takes place in L.A., following a character who has just moved back to California from NYC. While I could do without the NYC bashing (kidding!), I really enjoyed seeing L.A. from the perspective of someone new to the city, and not there for Hollywood. It shows a different side of a city I would love to visit one day.

Normally, romance books revolve around the “will they/won’t they” dynamic, except we all know they will so it’s more of us just racing to get to that point. While there are a few seconds of that, the rest of this book is really about the characters deciding if the relationship is worth it, and fighting to keep their relationship strong despite the world. It was honestly, really refreshing to read a book dealing with the actual struggles of a relationship, and not just the struggles of trying to get in one. The plot also includes some political aspects, and some aspects you typically see in books dealing with fame, and I loved how they were included.

These two characters might be one of my favorite Jasmine Guillory couples. They are such well-developed characters on their own, and together they work together so beautifully. But let’s talk about them individually. Olivia is driven, dedicated, and private. She plans things in advance and is never one to make a quick decision. Max is equally driven and dedicated, but he’s fine with living a public life, and is just a hint impulsive. Okay, maybe a lot impulsive. Honestly, he reminds me of a golden retriever and I love him.

We also have a good set of side characters, with a couple of familiar faces if you’ve read previous books. I can definitely see one of the side characters being the lead in Jasmine’s next book, but that’s all I’ll say about that.

Do not miss this book. If you’re looking for a fun romance with all the drama and actual healthy relationships, please pick it up!

I honestly don’t think there is any thing better than a Jasmine Guillory novel to fill my day with. That’s the probable though, I devour them. Lol

Party of Two is just what I would expect from her. Strong female and strong male main characters with fun secondary characters.

I loved Olivia and I loved Max but them together was fire!! I loved revisiting some characters from her other book and can’t wait who she writes about next. I have my eye on 2 characters.

In typical Jasmine fashion, she has created another strong yet relatable heroine. Olivia is a badass lawyer, but you got to see her soft spots, which made her character perfection for me! And speaking of perfection, Max. A Freshman Senator from California with a platform I can get behind. Wowzer. NEW BOOK BF ALERT! I’m not sure if I want to date him or vote for him (both)! The romance happens seamlessly here, and the story really focuses on the actual struggles of their relationship-long distance, busy jobs, making time for each other. I thought this was super refreshing!
As always, I adored the food references and I will tell you, be prepared to eat a cake or pie (both) and gain a couple of pounds while reading.
I feel like I could go on and on. This one is perfect for the election year. It is definitely my new fave of the series! You totally don’t have to read these books in order.

Thank you to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the eARC of this incredible book ♥️

•link to review on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBxvzp7Amiu/?igshid=1wjmgwcrxo13h

Moving cross country to start her own law firm, the last thing on Olivia Monroe's mind is getting into a relationship. But when she meets a guy at a bar and they spend an entire night flirting, Olivia decides she's certainly up for some fun. Then it turns out that the mysterious man is actually State Senator Max Powell and Olivia's idea of keeping things casual flies right out the window. But is Olivia ready for life in the spotlight next to a politician?

I've loved each of Jasmine Guillory's books since her debut with [book:The Wedding Date|33815781], and I almost feel like Party of Two brings readers full circle as Olivia (Alexa's sister) now gets her own story. Although I'm far from ready to be done expanding the world Jasmine Guillory created just yet.

I really felt like the story itself, especially the dynamic between Max and Olivia was very timely. Max a white man born of privilege, and Olivia a black woman who has had to fight for every success in her career. I loved that Olivia is unapologetically proud of her success and the career she's built for herself without having to bow down to a man who came before. I think Jasmine Guillory does a great job of clearly drawing the lines between privilege and race and gender but instead of keeping the divide gives a hopeful look at how to lift up weaknesses with each other's strengths.

I think the biggest problem I faced with the story is that I felt like a never got a good bead on Max. It's pretty much because Olivia steals the show 100% which I'm perfectly fine with, but seeing as how this is a romance I wanted to feel more for him than I did. I didn't outright dislike his character, he seems like a genuinely nice guy, but there was something missing for me. I wasn't eager to get his perspectives like I was Olivia's. Maybe it's because over the course of the story Olivia is the one who has to go through the biggest change. Max has been a Senator for about two years, he's a little more seasoned in the media and public reactions - even at times seemingly aloof to the whole thing - whereas it's completely new territory for Olivia.

Regardless, Party of Two continues Jasmine Guillory's excellent record of entertaining reads with romance and heart. There were a few secondary characters that I'm hoping will get their own story. It's happened before so finger crossed!

3.5. The sappy instalove (without a more exciting undercurrent) didn't work super well for me, but Max is very sweet (even though exudes ignorant white man vibes). I did love Olivia--I've been wanting to read her story since she was introduced in The Wedding Date, and she's such a strong, independent character. Admittedly, I think her inflexible ways also resonated with me...

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for this arc! This was my first Jasmine Guillory novel!
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There were things that I liked and things I didn't like...
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Like:
- Olivia! Olivia is our protagonist and I really enjoyed reading a strong, smart woman. Olivia is measured, secure in herself, and accomplished and I always find it refreshing to read strong women. In addition, as Olivia is black, her character offers a lot of perspective. Being a white female, I often do not grasp the depth of my privilege, and Guillory does a really nice job of pointing out white privilege through Olivia.
- All the cake. There is a lotta cake in this book and I am 100 percent okay with that. If a man wants to send me cake every time he is apologizing for something, I say bring it on!
- The ending! It was way too cute!
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Dislike:
- Insta love. It just isn't my thang. I don't believe that you can love someone as deeply as the characters claimed they did in only a short matter of time.
- Sappy! Man I can't with sappy romance. This isn't specific to this book, this is honestly a lot of rom-coms, and I think this is JUST a thing for me.
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I think it would be helpful to read the other books that come before this one in the series. While this book can stand alone, building a connection with the characters may endear this one, further, to the reader!

Party of Two is the fifth installment in The Wedding Date series. While you can read Party of Two as a stand-alone, if you have read The Wedding Date, you’ll recognize the main character, Olivia Monroe, as the sister of Alexa.

When Olivia Monroe has a chance meeting with Max Powell at a hotel bar, her only priorities are setting up her new law firm and finding a proper dessert in LA. However, after an evening of flirting with this handsome stranger, she finds out shortly after that she just spent the evening with hotshot junior senator. Olivia definitely has no interest in dating a politician, but when a surprise chocolate cake shows up at her practice, like the cake, she begins to find Max hard to resist. With a high-profile job like Max’s though, Olivia finds herself under a spotlight that she’s not sure she’s ready to face.

This book had everything I needed for a sweet summer romance: a strong female lead with her very own law practice, a brilliant and romantic love interest, a little steam, and a ton of food! Seriously, these characters were eating or discussing food throughout the whole novel, it seemed. Pro tip: Have some cake stocked in the fridge before starting this book or at least don’t go into this hungry. If you need a light-read romcom, look no further—Party of Two is out today!

If you liked this review, find more of my reviews on Instagram @fullybookedforever!

I had something that felt like the energy you get from the first day of school when I started Party of Two. I'd heard so many great things about Jasmine's books so my expectations were high and she came through tremendously! 

First, I finished this in one sitting which pretty much tells you everything you need to know about how this story made me feel! I have to admit I spent a good amount of time smiling like a damn fool at the interactions between Olivia and Matt. 

Olivia, the sharp, beautiful lawyer who just moved back to California and has a strong sweet tooth for cakes and pies and Matt, the self assured, go getter Senator that's charming and incredibly kind. I appreciated the way Gillory didn't shy away from the complexities of the issues that interracial couples face, she handled it realistically and with grace. 


Matt and Olivia are 110% a couple you'll want to root for, the love they have for each other is beautiful and pure, they do have some bumps along the way and face some issues that they need to handle both individually and as a couple. There were certain things Matt did that upset me and Olivia's seemingly unwillingness to yield or should I say compromise got on my nerves a bit but as a whole I found Party of Two to be an amazing story, a story I would definitely recommend and I can't wait to read Jasmine again!

Jasmine Guillory delivers some of the best meet-cutes and Olivia and Max’s in Party of Two is no exception. Olivia has just moved from New York to L.A. to start her own law firm when she meets a handsome stranger in a hotel bar. After a night of cocktails, cookies, and flirting/dessert debates, she’s surprised to discover that the vaguely familiar-looking hottie is none other than Senator Max Powell. And when they run into each other again a few weeks later and he sends her a cake… Well, despite not wanting to get involved with a politician, how can she resist?

Olivia is an intelligent, hardworking, and driven heroine who is easy to like. She doesn’t like to jump into things, which makes her the polar opposite of the impetuous Max. Max is a sweetheart who is thoughtful and kind, and is also mostly aware of his privileged status as a wealthy, white, male senator. Max’s heart is always in the right place, but he does screw up. He can sometimes be selfish without realizing it and he jumps headfirst into things over and over. For that reason alone, he and Olivia shouldn’t work. And yet they balance one another and they’re not complete opposites. Both want to make the world a better place in their own way and they’re willing to fight for it.

The question of whether or not love is enough when you’re involved with someone in the public eye in the current political climate is a logical one. I loved watching Olivia and Max work through things in between numerous scenes featuring cakes and pies. Sometimes it’s a rocky road for them, especially once their relationship goes public and the press gets involved. As a Black woman, Olivia deals with enough racism and sexism in her normal field of work without adding on the media violating her privacy and digging into her past, shading what they find with more racism and blasting it out to the world. My heart broke for her, and as much as I wanted to see her and Max together I liked that the internal and external problems they faced as a couple weren’t easily brushed aside.

Party of Two is the fifth book in the Wedding Date series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Fans of the first book in the series will be happy they get to visit Olivia’s sister, Alexa. And if you’re familiar with Ms. Guillory’s work then you know to expect copious amounts of food. It’s a bit over the top and can get repetitive, but after five books I’ve grown used to it so whether this will be a positive or a negative is really up to personal preference. And it would be remiss of me to talk about Party of Two and not mention some of my favorite things about the book: that both Olivia and Max are in their later thirties, are in high-pressure careers that demand long hours, and both unequivocally support one another. Neither even thinks of asking the other to slow down or cut back, which I really appreciated. This is just as much a signature of Ms. Guillory’s work as the enormous amounts of food and I absolutely love it. I finished Party of Two a happily satisfied reader and I’m looking forward to seeing what Ms. Guillory comes up with next.

Steam Rating: 🍆🍆🍆 /5

I love a good romance, and this book didn’t disappoint. Olivia Monroe is a lawyer who has just moved from NYC to LA to start her own firm. She is NOT looking for a relationship, but she bumps into Senator Max Powell III in her hotel bar and the sparks start to fly.

This story is sweet and fun, and I liked both characters a lot. In addition to the fun and steamy sections, there are more serious topics touched on in the book too. Olivia volunteers at a local food bank and Max is trying to get his Criminal Justice Reform Bill passed, and is confronted with the damage he’s done to young lives in the past, as a Prosecutor. There are also discussions about how much harder it is for a Black woman to make it in her field, and both her and Max talk about privilege a few times throughout the book too.

I really liked how respectful both characters were to each other, and that they go out of their way to ask for consent and show genuine concern for each other’s feelings and emotions. Olivia and Max’s relationship is not without some challenges though, and I won’t spoil any of the surprises for you, but I loved the two of them together and the book overall.

This book fits into the author’s world of characters (also known as The Wedding Date series)...and I may have drawn myself a little character map to remind myself where everyone fits in together. If you’ve read The Wedding Date you’ll remember Alexa Monroe, who is Olivia’s sister. She also makes an appearance in this book.

I was so excited to read a romance about Olivia Monroe who meets a handsome U.S. Senator at a hotel bar in L.A. I love how the relationship takes place over time and feels very realistic, even if one of the characters is a Senator. The ups and downs of their relationship feel like real relationships and I loved how it happened over time since it was a long distance relationship. It's another fantastic romance by Jasmine Guillory.

I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You know how when you are on a roller coaster and you’re just coasting along while eyeing that hill, and know there will be a thrill at the other end of it? While reading this book, I found myself wishing for that hill. This was a slow read, with the focus on the volunteer experiences, cake and pie discussions, and quite a bit of inner monologue.

Also, I did not like Olivia in this book. All of Guillory’s female characters have been such strong women, but Olivia’s inner monologue and actions didn’t portray a strong woman. Yes, she was a lawyer with her own firm, but her thoughts and some of her decisions were that of an insecure person, someone who is not worthy of nice things or attention.

❝but what if he sends cakes like this to every woman he had the slightest interest in?❞

Why do women in romance books question if a man does XYZ with/to/for other women, besides them? Are we women as a whole really that insecure and believe we don’t deserve XYZ, and/or are we this untrusting of the men we meet?

I have loved all the previous books in this series, so I’m gutted that this one didn’t work for me.

This was a smart, fun romance read. I loved how likable Olivia and Max are and I really enjoyed rooting for them throughout the entire book. A perfect summer read for a particularly difficult summer. The interracial romance is also particularly topical in 2020.