Anita Kelly’s writing is whip-smart and savory. A deeply felt romance that’s interested in quiet moments, big wins, and fruit during sex! Dahlia and London feel like sensitive fated misfits and old friends all at once. Queer and bold and beautiful and, yeah, just read it and thank me later. Also, maybe learn how to cook beforehand because you’ll…be…hungry!

One the best (and most unique) romcoms of 2022! I loved watching Dahlia and London's beautiful romance unfold in this foodie narrative.

Love and Other Disasters is swoony, funny, and perfectly paced look at what it's like to fall in love. The main character Dhalia must come to terms with herself, her own beliefs about the world, and her own want, all while cooking in front of a live audience. I especially love London. London is consistent, quiet, and knows exactly what they want. This book is excellent for those who are fans of messy rom-coms.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Queer non-binary romance meets high-stakes cooking show? Sign me up, please!

Love & Other Disasters follows two contestants as they compete on a reality cooking show! Dahlia, recently divorced and not sure what to do with her life, decides she has nothing to lose and heads to LA to compete in Chef's Special. London Parker makes history as the competition's first non-binary contestant and certainly does not expect to find themselves falling for Dahlia.

There are so many ingredients that go into making Love & Other Disasters an amazing book! For starters, it's dual POV so you get to experience the story from both London and Dahlia's perspectives. This worked especially well for the story as you get to see the different approaches each character brings to cooking and the competition as well as how they learn to manage their individual anxieties.

The story itself is filled with hilarious kitchen shenanigans, mutual pining, and even impromptu wedding crashing. It's super fun and cheerful to watch London and Dahlia's friendship develop into a sweet romance. Their relationship flourishes beautifully and is aided by sneaky producers and forced proximity! They also make sure to get up to some steamy delicious fun!

Most importantly Love & Other Disasters is a queer love story. With the reality TV setting, I was worried about how transphobia and misgendering would be addressed. Anita Kelly does a really wonderful job navigating London's journey on Chef's Special and their relationship with their father. My absolute favourite thing is that London is never directly misgendered on the page. Little details like that really made this book something special and such a joy to read.

If I had to make one complaint, I would wish there was a larger emphasis on the cooking aspect of the show. But that might just be my own personal love of reality cooking shows!

This book is a can't miss! If you love love, queer romances, and good food you need to read Anita Kelly's Love & Other Disasters!

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an early edition of the book in exchange for an honest review!

**Review is published to Goodreads and will an edited version will be posted to my Instagram within the week. Both linked below.**

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I absolutely adored this book! One of my fave queer romances of the year so far. Great rep, great setting, and my partner (a chef) says the dish references were kickass. Food makes everything better! (:

Dahlia is a recently divorced woman seeking direction in her life. She knows that she wants more, but can't seem to figure out how to take that first step. Just a little bit of a mess, but hey, we have all been there! Cooking is the one thing that gives her a feeling of contentment. She auditions for a reality show, Chef's Table, and makes it!

London is a reserved sound engineer with an upper middle-class upbringing and a real talent for cooking. They are also going to be the first non binary person to come out and compete on national television. Talk about added pressure! They're hoping to start a nonprofit for queer kids back home in Nashville if they win first prize on the show. Oh yeah, did I mention the winner comes out with $100,000? Yeah.

Both being competitors, the forced proximity has them realizing they actually enjoy one another's company. As time goes on feelings begin to blossom, but the competition is only getting more intense with people being sent home weekly. London and Dahlia have to decide if these feelings are the real deal, or just a fling for the duration of the show.

Both battle with self worth issues. Dahlia feels she's only able to let others down. London just wants to be themself and only asks for acceptance that many can't pull the stick out to give. It is so easy to love these characters and in my personal experience relate to them. Its a great story about being able to give love to yourself and receive love from others. Also of course all of the foodie stuffs! Highly recommend for some warm fuzzies (:

This was such a fun cooking show, heartfelt, emotional romance! Yay for non-binary character rep! I would have loved more cooking/show scenes, but the romance was lovely, so no real complaints.

I listened to this book and thought that was the perfect way to consume this book. This was a low conflict, really fun cooking competition romance.

I wanted to like this book so badly!! As a non-binary person, I CRAVE to see representation. Especially with romance books, but this was not what I was expecting.

Upon reading the first chapter, I was so excited because Dahlia was using they/them pronouns and I was HYPED. I usually don't read books about food or food contests but I didn't care about the plot as long as I saw some good rep!

I don't know what was more flawed... the writing style or the romance itself. The two point of views were written in third person, which caused for a lot of she/her/hers or they/them/theirs. I found myself reading sentences with 3 or more pronouns and it was a headache to read through. I initially noticed this with London's first chapter and later realized that the author did the same thing in Dahlia's chapters. I found myself wondering why the author wrote the sentences in the way that they did. There were a lot of times where it could have been rewritten to reduce the amount of pronouns needed.

As someone who has been through a VERY toxic relationship, I cannot STAND to see this dynamic in books. People deal with enough toxicity in their lives, not only through partners, but family and friends too. We don't need more toxic relationships in our books. All of this to say, I could not make it past 10% of this book. Dahlia was so rude and entitled. And I found London also was rude in their actions and dialogue. Why are these two a couple???? It makes no sense. There is no chemistry and their interactions were very toxic.

I was really sad I didn't enjoy this one but I am very particular about how romances are portrayed in books. If people see these toxic behaviors, they are going to think it's okay in real life and it isn't! I can't really comment much on the representation of this book because I couldn't make it past the 10% mark.

I adored this book. It was adorable and I was able to read it in a few sittings. I loved the character development and romance.

I really liked this book a lot, especially with it's non binary representation but I felt it got pretty repetitive towards the end. The angst is light and the sex scenes are hot so if you want a quick read this might be perfect for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book. Ooof this book! I think the best way I could describe it and some of my friends have found it hilarious is if When There's a Whisk by Sarah J Schmitt and Rosaline Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall (both great books by the way) had a Queer baby with deep as well as sexual undertones it would be this book. There is a lot of intense discussion about identity and finding your way but also accomplishing a cooking show that has a lot of challenges and behind the scenes banter and excitement. There is a lot of sexual scenes even involving food at some point that were very fascinating to me but may not be for everyone else. I learned a lot about what it is like to be non-binary but also what it is like for someone who has only been in one relationship for so long and then stopping because of not wanting children (it was refreshing really). I think my only issue with this novel was the ending. I liked it, but I feel like I wanted a more flushed out ending as far as the show went such as the contestants that the main characters liked etc. Overall, though, I really loved this story and highly recommend it. 4 of 5 stars.

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is a romance with intense feels and humor. Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money. After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan. As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Love & Other Disasters had my attention from the very first page. The characters and their personal challenges and emotions were complex and multifaceted even before the romance came into play. Dahlia is still reeling from divorce and trying to figure out what she wants from life. London is still trying to figure out how to handle, well everything, as they work to figure out who they are and what they want. Friendship and more develops, and I enjoyed going along for the ride. I like that they had open communication about consent and intimacy. I love that their connection was slow growing and built mostly on friendship, respect, and trust. I also like that they each had a support system, and the story did tackle the intolerance of some but focused more of the relationship and growth of the main characters rather than focusing on hardships from outside their connection. I really enjoyed the read and felt for London and Dahlia as they got in their own way more often than not.

Love & Other Disasters is a funny and emotional romance.

The book revolves around a cooking competition show. Winning the competition could mean live changing things for the newly divorced Dahlia. Then there is London who announces her pronouns on live tv. The friendship and evolving relationship between Dahlia and London was so well written. A very entertaining enjoyable romantic read.

LOVE & OTHER DISASTERS was everything I love in one neat, book-shaped package. Opposites attract? Fresh starts? Cooking competitions? Yes, please! It was such a joy to meet both Dahlia and London, read about their pasts, and how it got them to where they are today. And of course, their love story was one that I absolutely adored. There’s something so sweet about finding the right person when and where you least expect it, and that was exactly how Dahlia and London’s relationship came to be.

This is such a special story for so many reasons. Not only is Dahlia and London’s journey to each other a great one—filled with lots of growth for them both—but it’s so great to see the representation of a nonbinary main character in this book. Reading London’s point-of-view gave me insight into their story, and one that I imagine shares similarities with other nonbinary folks in the world. I’m so grateful that this story is out in the world. And I would be remiss if I didn’t give Dahlia some love as well! I loved that she took a chance, going on the cooking show; that she didn’t have everything figured out; that she tripped on national television; that she was the complete opposite of London but turned out to be exactly what they needed. *insert fluttery feelings here*

LOVE & OTHER DISASTERS was sweet, swoony, sexy, and such a fun read. Grab a snack and settle in because I know you’ll fall in love with these characters and story just like I did. A big thank you to the author, Forever, and NetGalley for the digital copy!

Things i loved:

• the representation!!!! Non binary, Queer, divorcée, pansexual… it simply existed in the plot and didn’t feel forced at all!
• a bit of a sunshine/grump dynamic & im a sucker for it! 🥺✨
• the spicy romance!! Spicy as in the bedroom, but also as in food because they meet on a cooking competition. (p.s. if you like food in the bedroom.. this book is for u 🔥😮‍💨) It also had so much queer yearning, I found myself screaming at the pages “JUST KISS ALREADY” 😩
• It also touches on falling in love with yourself & learning to love and find yourself & it entwined that with falling in love with someone else too & it wasn’t complicated. Kelly executed it pretty well!!

i slightly wish we got a little more backstory and character arcs for each of the MC’s but i’m still very satisfied with the book & will recommend it to all my queer babies who love a good spicy(food & otherwise) romance read.

Romance + foodie fun = a definite reason to read a book for sure! Add in a reality show setting with two main characters discovering themselves and refreshingly sharing their sexuality to the world and I was hooked. LOVE & OTHER DISASTERS was such a unique take on the reality television aspect, and what made me love it even more was the ages of the characters, and how they weren't just 20 somethings with perfect lives. It was so refreshing to read about life after divorce, and have two main characters who were in it to win it, not just for themselves but for those watching them.

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆.

Love all, ya'll, I hope you read this book and feel just as excited for Dahlia and London to find love like I did. Thank you to Forever Publishing for the advance reader copy, I cannot wait to read more from Anita Kelly this debut romance was full of charm and complex characters I couldn't get enough of.

I really wanted to love this book, but it was so hard to get through. If it wasn’t for the fact that this was an ARC, I would’ve DNF this book by Chapter 5.

I did love the nonbinary representation in this book as well as the mention of Dahlia’s Trans Brother. The nonbinary representation felt very deliberate and was really the focus of the story, and I appreciated that component. But that’s literally the only thing that tried to even save this book.

The dialogue is very cringey and at times unbearable. The cooking show aspect of the story didn’t seem to fit at all. I didn’t enjoy reading anything about the food they were cooking. It also felt like the cooking show was the plot saver. When there wasn’t anything else to talk about, let’s remind everyone that there was a competition happening.

The chemistry felt very forced between Dahlia and London, and I honestly didn’t care how it ended. The pacing felt very wonky. There were times the story wanted to be a slow burn then they would talk about an identity piece then magically they’re in love. I think this is also because of how the characters are written. Everything was very high or very low, and it made everything feel unnecessarily urgent. It almost felt like mocking of emotions until I realized that it lasted for the entire book. The characters felt underbaked for me. There were a lot of factions that were introduced, but only one felt fully flushed out. London is nonbinary, and Dahlia is divorced.

Overall, this book just didn’t do it for me. The entire story felt forced from the cooking competition to that of the romance.

Rating: 3.5

I love romcoms but the best ones are when food competitions are involved. I love that this was a non-binary love story and easily fell in love with the main characters. The story also discussed some heavy topics which included self love/acceptance/identity. Overall I would recommend this one to my friends.

Rainbows and Sunshine
Feb 17, 2021
I had so much fun reading this book!! I have always loved watching cooking reality shows since I was a kid and I loved that this f/nb romance took place in a set of one. It was fascinating to see how different it is when you are behind the scenes.

London and Dahlia have amazing chemistry together and I really loved them both. The side characters were fleshed out and especially loved Barbara.

I loved London being grumpy and cute while Dahlia was a ray of sunshine, always making them laugh. I adored them together. Also sexy af!

This is written in dual POV and both London and Dahlia had very distinct voices. Really enjoyed it and highly recommend it for anyone looking for sweet and hot romance with pan and queer MCs.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

It’s the wlnb romcom of my dreams, and the first of a slew of queer (and specifically nonbinary) cooking and baking romances to come in 2022. Is it my new fave genre? Perhaps.

This one will always be elite though, because it’s my first. I’m fully invested in London and Dahlia’s love story, and I was salivating over every recipe. One very important note: even though London faces discrimination and hate, they are NEVER misgendered on the page. The breath of relief I let out when I saw the way Anita Kelly handled it….friends, it’s perfect. A lesson to all other queer writers writing about harmful toxic people and microaggressions against the queer community. We know what those look like, and what they feel like, we don’t need to see them on the page to understand, or to feel for the characters.

I just. It’s emotional, it’s steamy, it depicts the work that goes into actually building a healthy queer relationship….Phew. It’s just SO GOOD! It’s been making the rounds on queer booksta and I just needed to chime in and continue to sing its praises.