Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
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Thank you so much to Forever, Netgalley and Hackett audio for a review copy of Love and Other Disasters! Swipe to read a synopsis!
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I really enjoyed this one! I listened to the audiobook and the narration was fantastic!
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Dahlia and London were so cute together. Dahlia is queer and London is nonbinary and pansexual. I felt like there was great growth and personal development for both characters. I also loved seeing the cooking show setting of this novel .
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Triggers: transphobia, questioning non-binary individual/thinking it’s a phase, divorce

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to author Anita Kelly all about their new book Love & Other Disasters, which is described as, “The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut that is both fantastically fun and crack your heart wide open vulnerable.”

To listen to the full author interview, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-love-other-disasters/

Romcoms with NonBinary rep and it takes place on a cooking show, sign me up!

Love & Other Disasters is Anita Kelly’s feel-good, delectable debut queer romance that actually takes place on a competitive cooking show. The characters are all disasters in their own sense, but in a good way. The stakes of the cooking show added an edge to this book that really fit and didn't overwhelm the romance.

Speaking of the romance, it was perfect. London and Dahlia were really fun to watch and see their story. The way that Dahlia loves London for who they are and how that’s reciprocated was really wonderful.

The importance of representation in books can be understated a lot. But this book did a great job showing some of the many struggles that LGBTQIA+ face. London’s relationship with Dad is more than a little complicated when he refuses to stop misgendering them. London fights for the love and respect they deserve, with Dahlia on their side.

This was a feel good romcom that I had the pleasure to enjoy, and hope that everyone loves it.

Genre : LGBTQ+ adult romance, humour, contemporary

TW : misgendering (mention of), transphobia, mental health, divorce

THINGS I LOVED :

• A NON-BINARY. MAIN. CHARACTER.

• that moment of queer understanding between London and Cath

• Dahlia and London's chemistry and bantering 🙌

• Dahlia's retorts are always on point

• inclusion of a queer character who never got to experience her queerness, because she was in a long-term seemingly heterosexual relationship

• parental reconciliation at the end

• when London is misgendered but the right pronouns are included to avoid additional triggers 👏

THINGS I ENJOYED LESS :

• I wish the author hadn't included London's assigned gender at birth

• there were so many sex scenes and so long 😂 I haven't been into sex scenes since I gave birth, which is weird, but anyways I ended up skipping over the scenes

• I felt like the book was dragging on for a bit

This book was so sweet and fun and warmed my heart. It also dealt with sensitive topics, like being misgendered and unaccepting family, really great. Couldn't recommend it more.

I loved the diversity of characters in Love & Other Disasters. It was pleasant and wonderful to see representation. London & Dahlia's chemistry was potent and I liked how not everything was cookie cutter perfect. The premise of a cooking show was fun and seeing them in their element added to the plot I think. I also found that the portrayal of family, other contestants, and the world (internet people) were accurate and real. London sticking up for themselves with their father was so hard to read, but so many people go through that and it was refreshing reading it.

One thing I didn't love was that there was no backstory really. We got glimpses here and there, but as readers we were just dropped into the setting of a cooking show.

Picked up on a whim and this proved to be the *perfect* contemporary romance read. Competitive cooking show delights that reminded me of Top Chef (in the best ways), excellent non-binary rep (with some alluded to transphobia that succeeds in never misgendering the character on page), will-they-won't-they romance that felt realistic and with tangible tension, sexual and otherwise. Just. Agh! Read this book!

Escape into Contemporary Romance - Shelf Awareness for Readers, February 8, 2022
Novels increasingly have been for me both escape from and heartbalm for the difficult realities that surround us right now. With Valentine's Day around the corner, these contemporary romance novels offer an escape into stories with guaranteed happy endings, even if the path to get there might be fraught.

Rachel Lynn Solomon managed to pack a full list of romance tropes into her hit novel, The Ex Talk; in her newest, Weather Girl (both Berkley, $16), she plays with the second-chances trope, as a meteorologist and a sports reporter at a local broadcast station hatch an unlikely plan to get their divorced bosses back together. Jasmine Guillory (The Wedding Party; Party of Two) plays with the "fake dating" trope in While We Were Dating (all Berkley, $16); movie star Anna Gardiner and colleague Ben Stephens really are sleeping together, after all, even though the relationship they agree to put on for the paparazzi is just for show--at least, until their feelings become all too real.

In Love and Other Disasters (Forever, $15.99), the first openly nonbinary contestant on a competitive cooking show develops unexpected (and inconvenient) feelings for another contestant. Exploring topics of identity and sexuality with heart, Anita Kelly's debut is a must for any romance reader with an interest in Top Chef-style shows (or vice versa).

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau (Berkley, $16) boasts a movie-star romance and a competitive cooking show, as hot-shot Ryan Kwok preps for his upcoming participation in a charity baking challenge by taking lessons in baking--and romance--from a local donut shop owner. The two hit it off as each navigates their respective grief over losing a parent, offering a heartwarming read for anyone who's ever thought about taking new chances in the wake of loss.

Strong 5 ⭐️

NB and queer rep!

Reading a book about a NB lead was really nice and hopefully NB people read this book to feel even more seen because this book was so cute and ugh i loved every second of if. I was sent this arc a day before publish date so i couldnt write my review before it was published however im glad i got this book because the plot was so good. It was a romance but it was not your typical romance so many ups and downs. and the romance was not forced from the start like alot of romance novels i loved the build up and i LOVED that it was also during filming a reality show because im a sucker for reality competition one thing i will say i wish there was more plot on the competition regarding other cast members and like building up eliminations because i feel like it would have gave a suspense aspect because honestly one of my favorite parts was seeing who went home every few chapters. But just because of that i wont take down ratings because this book was AMAZING. Such a good page turner. Such great leads and side characters. Also tasty food being cooked throughout the whole book. This was such a good book for romance fans honestly if you love romance novels this book is for you. Also the REP was amazing in this book so great to see novels like this being published ❤️ And i will say it was not predictable there was one part that i did not expect to happen regarding the competition aspect which i like that this book wasn't predictable and the ending was great! Great job! Great book be proud of your work ❤️

First off, I wanted to say how excited I was for this one.

I'd heard nothing but excitement for it, and I was super eager to jump in.

And then, from the start, I just couldn't get into it.

I didn't like Dahlia, at all, and the descriptions plus the dialogue just was cheesy to me. Maybe I'm just used to less descriptions and commentary from characters but everyone was "blank colored hair that was fading and her hips made her look blah blah" and it got old fast.

Their relationship wasn't much better, it felt forced and stiff.

I ended up really liking London way more than Dahlia over all, and I just...yeah this wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars — I really enjoyed this one! Anita Kelly is a new writer for me, but I’ll definitely check out their backlist titles. Love and Other Disasters is an adorable rom-com starring two cooking show contestants, London Parker (26, nonbinary, pansexual) and Dahlia Woodson (28, queer). Kelly’s writing style is warm, open, and funny, and her characters feel like people I’d know in real life.

This book shows (presumably) what it’s like behind the scenes of a cooking show, which was really fun to read about! There are also several yummy food descriptions, as well as the characters having fun with food *insert eyes emoji.*

After going through a divorce, Dahlia quits her job to join Chef’s Special, hoping to win the cash prize and get a new lease on life. I found Dahlia extremely relatable in that she doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life, but she has a hobby — cooking — that keeps her going. Dahlia is messy and chaotic and is one of the biggest disaster bis to ever disaster bi (right up there with August Landry), and I found myself totally rooting for her to win Chef’s Special and get a confidence boost. London is the opposite of Dahlia in that most of the time, they’re cool, calm, and collected. But underneath their stoic surface is a vulnerable, tender heart and someone who isn’t afraid to have fun.

I think London and Dahlia have great chemistry and make an adorable couple. Watching them fall for each other was ridiculously cute and I felt the depths of their feelings for each other. The image of tiny, chaotic Dahlia wanting to fight the world for London is just too sweet! What I liked most about their relationship was how real it felt. Kelly doesn’t shy away from showing how you can love a person and want them close, but at the same time be annoyed with their actions or just prefer doing certain things alone. Kelly also writes some great intimate scenes — they feel complete and real and a little bit awkward and completely adorable.

London is the first openly nonbinary contestant on Chef’s Special, and Kelly dives into the good and bad regarding London’s publicity. London has to deal with a transphobic fellow contestant and a father who won’t use their pronouns, as well as the knowledge that trolls are bombarding their social media. But they also become a role model for trans kids and receive lots of beautiful comments, all of which was wonderful to read.

Several amazing side characters added to this book’s charm, most notably Dahlia’s trans older brother Hank, London’s twin Julie, and fellow contestants Cath and Barbara. The support systems just warmed my heart so much!

As for things I didn’t like as much, I did think the characters realized they loved each other too fast — not within the span of the book, but within the span of filming. Secondly, I think some of the things the characters said could have been discussed more — specifically relating to the difference in class/income between London, who’s rich, and Dahlia, who’s not.

I’d recommend this book to those looking for an adorable queer rom-com that doesn’t shy away from the realities of life.

content warnings: transphobia, misgendering, graphic sex, divorce (past, off-page), alcohol (recreational)

I received an ARC from Forever Press via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is my first non-binary romcom and I actually enjoyed it for the most part. It took some time getting used to the "they/them" pronouns as I was listening to the audiobook but the story as a whole as enjoyable. I started it for the baking show aspect and got invested in the characters and the growing love story. I liked the behind the scenes aspect of how baking shows likely are to get the ratings needed. The writing was well done and it felt respectful of everyone. I didn't expect things to get so steamy and as often as it did but London and Dahlia built a relationship around trust and acceptance. Both of them were able to learn about each other as the days went on and I enjoyed their adventures outside of the cooking show. I'm happy with how it ended and it was a really cute story.

I adored this book. I started reading this shortly after finish the last season of Great British Bake Off, and it fulfilled all my baking competition desires and then some! I was drawn to both of the main characters, and am so excited to see some nonbinary representation in a romance novel.

Adorable. I seemed to have developed a love for books involving reality tv. This one was heartwarming up until a point and. then I had to DNF. I just was not feeling connected anymore to the story. 3 stars for an easy writing style and great premise. Just not for me though.

This was an absolute delight, and I loved reading a third-person non-binary perspective with they/them pronouns.

CW: transphobia

This book has it all: a cooking competition, adorable queer characters that you can’t help but love, a nonbinary character (yay for representation), steamy scenes, family drama, and dual POVs. What more could you ask for? This book is wonderful and my first book with the use of they/them pronouns - so glad we have a romance with representation. Can’t wait for more!

Seriously though, if you love the Great British Baking Show or any cooking competition, you will love this book. I hope you love it as much as I did!! I also need to more books from Anita Kelly!!

This was such an excellent story. So many heartwarming moments with characters that I was rooting for from start to finish. It follows main characters, Dahlia and London who manage to find love on the set of a cooking show (Think Master Chef). I loved the mix of romance and food. The cooking show was a really fun backdrop to the story.

As if the pressure of the competition wasn't enough, Dahlia is newly divorced, on the verge of bankruptcy and queer. And London is about to come out on national television as non binary. I believe this is the first romance I've read featuring a non binary character, and while I am not in a position to determine if the representation was handled well, it certainly seemed like it was! Both characters were extremely likeable and their attraction to each other is very genuine.

I loved their journeys to self discovery and I felt that while they learned, we as readers also learned. For those who love some steamy scenes, this book definitely had them! It also had some humorous moments and some heartwarming moments as well. Basically, it had everything that I want in a romance.

Readers should be aware that in some scenes there are moments of misgendering and transphobia. Overall, it was a great read that I recommend adding to your list and picking up!

Why is it that romances set in the kitchen are always a good time? Cooking up mischeif might just be my thing?

Dahlia goes on a reality TV show. As a klutz, she was definitively entertaining for me as I'm sure anyone watching the show would agree.

London, announcing their pronoun on TV is more worried about other things than the woman falling on her face in front of them.

Of course, this dynamic is sure to stir up a frenzy in the hearts of television watchers everywhere. I love these characters and the plot, but I felt like it may have been done before (think Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake..) Alas, I loved it before and I loved it this time.

Food-themed romantic stories and rom-coms seem to be taking off within the literary world, and I have to admit, as someone who loves to cook and bake, these are right up my alley. "Love & Other Disasters" did not disappoint. Dahlia Woodson, who has recently discovered the culinary arts after going through a divorce is set to be a contestant on the hit reality TV, food competition show Chef's Special. She is there to prove herself, and needing the money awarded to the winner, she knows she probably has way less experience than many of her fellow contestants. What she doesn't expect to find there is falling in love with fellow chef London Parker, the show's first openly non-binary contestant. While her relationship with London does not start off the best, as London is there to prove themself not only as a top cook,. but one who is setting a positive role in the LGBTQ+ community, they soon find themselves experiencing quite a bit of chemistry both in and out of the kitchen. As the show continues on, with both Dahlia and London making it to the final rounds, they must figure out whether their feelings for each other can survive the stresses that they are dealing with all around them.

This is a feel-good romance, and I love the inclusion of a non-binary main character as a love interest (I see kids who identify as LGBTQ+ in my line of work, so know the importance of positive relationships in the media not being only straight ones). Despite the fault's experienced by both Dahlia and London, it does not take away from loving them, and rooting for their relatiosnhip to work. My only complaint, as noted in several other reviews- the toe-sucking was just a bit awkward, lol.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with a review of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is the first romance book I've read with a gender non binary character.

What I liked:
Anita Kelly did a wonderful job with the representation here. I liked that they kept London's birth assigned gender from the reader until London's character was well established. How and when it was mentioned seemed anti climactic but was also important for the strength of the intimate scenes that followed.

What I found lacking:
The characters. I'm not a huge fan of insta-romance and London & Dahlia go from awkward to in love without any chemistry build. I also was super intrigued by the setting of a reality cooking competition show, but it fell into the backdrop. Where these scenes could have provided drama, suspense, or comedy, they instead fell flat. London and Dahlia spend most of the time kissing and talking about how attractive they find each other without building any kind of deeper connection.

The last 10 percent of the book was likely the best part because the characters were tackling real issues.

While I liked the representation aspect of this book it was unfortunately a bit bland.

I am not sure what's up with all the books in reading with food in them lately but I'm here for it.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved the cooking competition background. Me and my girls love watching baking competition shows. I loved the characters. And this is only my second book with a non binary character so I was excited to read this and learn more about being non binary.

The romance was sooooooo sweet. Honestly I just really enjoyed this one, obviously. I think if you are looking for a romance then this is one you should pick up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for this eARC.