Rating: 3.5 Stars

Reese was determined to extend her summer internship at Friends of Food into the fall. Her biggest obstacle was Benny, the boy who was worming his way into her heart.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it in the way I expected. I feel like this was a case of expectations. From the cover and the summary, I expected a sweet and fluffy romance. Those aspects were present, and I adored all those parts, but the feminist agenda sort of hijacked the story at times for me.

I know there are many readers that will love that aspect of the story, it just was a bit much for me at times. There were threads early in the story which I appreciated. There's a lot of women supporting women, as well as more subtle sexist callouts. But it did get somewhat heavy handed at times, and that is off-putting for me.

With the negatives out of the way, I want to talk about the things I loved. I think I was as big a fan of Benny as his legions of on-line lovers. He had personality for days, was a sweetheart, and a rather punny guy. He had this tender side that he was not ashamed to display, and he was well in touch with his emotions. Soft unicorn boy for the win!

Benny+Reese stood out to me too. This was a great pairing. They had a great rapport, and the banter was divine. The chemistry was clear, but there was also something deeper than that between them. I was rooting for them the whole time.

This couple was well featured in their show, The Amateur Hour. Their on-camera exchanges were equally as wonderful as their private moments , plus food. Cooking shows are my jam, and I throughly enjoyed that aspect throughout the book.

Overall: I was a pleasure watching Benny and Reese chase their foodie dreams and find love. Though Reese personal journey was a bit bumpy for me, I still appreciate all she learned and the growth she achieved.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled with this book. The sexism really made the book hard to get through and I had a hard time connecting to the characters.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I seem to be in the minority but this book was not for me AT ALL and I ended up DNF'ing it pretty early on.

The concept sounded cute, two interns battling it out for a future at an online Food Network and falling in love, and I like to use romance novels as a palette cleanser in between other genres.

Unfortunately, in the first chapter alone there were info dumps, "not like other girls" syndrome from the main character (who stayed home watching cooking shows while other teens were out partying), and bits about both racist online comments and patronizing male figures at the Food Network. Keep in mind, the patronizing male figures weren't talking down to the MC (which would've still been dickish but would've been more realistic, as the MC is an intern) but to an older, senior member of the marketing team. So like, someone whose competence was well-established and who it was super weird to be condescending towards.

Basically, the writing for this just felt lazy. I know Hill is a new author and maybe she was just falling back on older ideas to support her debut effort, but I wish she would've not had the same boring "girl fights against establishment that needs fighting against because....reasons!"

I will try out the author's work though, in case these tropes fall away as she gains confidence and experience.

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: Sexism, Cyber-Bullying

All you rom-com foodies will enjoy this book! First the book cover already gives you a glimpse of what is going to come in the story. Two interns out of high school are competing for a spot on a food network. They are randomly thrown together for an amateur series but the big suits of the company want to make it competitive. Reese is from Kentucky, she’s a southern belle with food knowledge that she learned in her grandma’s kitchen. Whereas Benny is almost a cooking pro since his family owns a restaurant.

The banter between them is the cutest and you can feel the chemistry! Also – there are so many food puns. I liked how they have chemistry on screen and yet are rivals and also friends. I mean how can Reese resist Benny when he’s so good-looking, charming and can cook!

The challenges between them come because of the food network throwing them into a competition for the internship. They both have their reasons for wanting it but we see how Reese gets treated because she’s female in comparison to Benny. The story touches on sexism in the industry and of course the cyberbullying/trolling that comes with fame from something that goes viral. The men/bosses around Reese give her inappropriate looks and say things they shouldn’t and of course the online comments are the worst. The fans of the show peg Reese as a girl who’s bitchy, ugly, someone sleeping her way to the top and it really gets her down but I’m glad it doesn’t totally destroy her. She has her best friends on standby and they are her biggest cheerleaders.

Miscommunication comes between Reese and Benny so the conflict isn’t major but this is a very cute, light hearted rom-com so I think it works for the tone of the story. Also these two characters haven’t exactly had hard lives, they are just two regular teens out of high school trying to decide what the next step will be and hope they succeed.

FINAL THOUGHTS::
Why you should read it:
*you love a foodie romance story, lots of food puns
*light hearted, cute and sweet romance
*Benny and Reese’s banter and chemistry

Why you might not want to read it:
*not into food and romance

My Thoughts:

This was a cute read and if you love food and romance, you will definitely enjoy Love From Scratch.

I LOVED everything about Love from Scratch! It was sweet and funny and also tackled serious topics with care and thought. The respect Reese and Benny had for one another, the food puns, the cute nicknames, the banter, everything about their relationship was so wholesome and adorable! The take on misogyny at work, in school and online and how demoralising and gross it is, was well executed. Love from Scratch is the kind of book I needed to read as a teenager and I am so glad young adults have books like this now!

This is the perfect YA summer romance and I highly recommend it.

Beware this book will make you VERY hungry (the food descriptions are *chef’s kiss* perfect.) But there’s more than just great food between these pages. Not only are Reese & Benny great characters, they are so adorable together (the food puns alone are worth it), Hill tackles some tough topics (feminism & misogyny) while still delivering a fun and fluffy romcom and a killer happy ending. If you’re looking for a modern low angsty, rivals-to-lovers YA romance be sure to pick up this book!

Reese Camden is spending her summer after graduation working for Friends of Flavor, her favorite cooking show network. She's no chef, her real talent is in design and advertising, so she's working as the marketing intern. No matter what, she can't believe her luck; this internship could turn into a real job once college starts. The only thing in her way is the OTHER intern, Benny Beneventi, the culinary intern. When one of the hosts can't make a taping, their boss comes up with a great idea: Amateur Hour, featuring the two interns. Reese is hesitant at first, but the chemistry between her and Benny is not only undeniable, it's obvious to everyone watching, too. Soon, they're pretty much the talk of the network, and Amateur Hour gains major popularity. No matter how comfortable and natural it feels to be with Benny, it's still a competition for the job in the fall, and only one can win.

This book really is the cutest! I loved the banter between Reese and Benny, and that Benny is so careful and patient with Reese. You really grow to love them, and even though the underlying tension never really goes away, it keeps you on the edge of your seat for the whole book, always in the will-they-won't-they stage. I also really appreciated the clean romance, because it's perfect for high school and even older middle schoolers, but can be appreciated by adults too.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book was not for me at all. I skimmed most of it, if I am being honest. Reese....Reese was a lot. She is that feminist that ruins it for all other feminists. And I hate saying that because A) angry feminists rants are kind of my thing and B) that is the whole point of this book but she goes about it all wrong and never does anything about the sexism she experiences except to rant more and cry. She is a weak character because she chooses to be not because of Benny. She spends the majority of the book attacking Benny for things that aren't his fault or just being a bitch to him because he is the competition. I feel the author was trying to go about this enemies to lover trope everyone loves these days, but making one of the characters be rude just to make that trope work, is not how the trope works.

i quite enjoyed this book. it’s a fluffy contemporary and i recommend you not reading while hungry because this will make you 10x hungrier.
read it if you enjoy:
- feminist romance
- lots of cooking!
- rivals to lovers romance

Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC. This book will be published in April 2022. All opinions are my own.

Reese has landed her dream internship in the marketing department of Friends of Flavor, a wildly popular cooking channel. She’s excited to apply for their fall position and knows that the internship will give her edge. Everything seems to be on her side until she meets Benny, the culinary intern, and the two have to sub in for one of the channel’s shows. This leads to the two getting their own show called Amateur Hour where they compete to show off their qualifications for the fall job. Reese is determined to keep her eye on the prize and keep things feelings free. But, as the summer progress, things between Benny and Reese begin to heat up causing her to wonder if just maybe she can have the guy and the job.

There is so much to love about this book. To start, it’s hilarious, cheesy, and super cute. At the same time, it tackles some big issues related to feminism, anxiety, workplace inequality, and double standards. On the surface, it’s a cute little love story between two summer interns but once you look below that you realize it is so much more. Reese had to deal with a lot of misogyny and internet trolls. I liked that her anxiety and struggles were at the forefront and not swept over. I loved all of the cute nicknames the two called each other and the fun related puns. There was some really Gouda ones. 🤣 This was a fun and quick YA read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read "Love From Scratch" in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, how I loved this book. This is an adorable YA contemporary romance featuring two summer interns at Friends of Flavor, a quite popular cooking channel. When Reese and Benny have to compete for the coveted fall Internship, they realize that perhaps they are more than just friends. Okay, first, I absolutely loved the banter between characters. The characters were extremely likable and just perfect. Second: This book brings up important points about feminism as well as social media culture. For a younger audience, I think these are great things to have in a YA book, with an emphasis on women's empowerment. Overall, this book was a fun filled adventure featuring some delicious savory food, and a sweet romance.

This lived up to all I hoped it would be. Super cute, sweet, amazing strong female lead. I loved it from start to finish. Highly recommend

This book was a combination of two of my favourite things: cooking shows and a good old fashioned rivalry (that’s not actually a rivalry?)

Reading this took me back to a time when I used to be obsessed with binging cooking shows on the YouTube. I really connected with Reese as a fellow super fan that doesn’t entirely know her way around the kitchen but loves cooking anyway. Throughout the course of the book, Reese struggles with staying true to herself in a workplace environment that holds a lot of double standards. I loved the very empowering discussions about feminism throughout the book. My favourite part of the book however was the banter between Benny & Reese. They play off each other’s energy so well and I loved the adorably cheesy food puns. Overall, it was a super fun read and I cant wait for everyone to read it !!

What’s not to love about a light hearted and cheesy enemies to lovers story about summer interns staring in a cooking show together while competing for the coveted fall internship? Reese and Benny have great banter and chemistry which is clearly evident in their cooking show and it translates off camera. Throughout the story, Reese and Benny have several eye opening conversations as well as a few miscommunications but ultimately everything gets cleared up and moved forward in a positive direction. A lot can be taken away from this book about workplace issues, online bullying, mental health and the treatment of others. It costs nothing to be kind to people and should be everyone’s default status. Overall, I really liked Reese and Benny individually and together and their adorable food puns.


Thank you @netgalley and publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Cute romance book about a food competition and the main characters Benny and Reese. I enjoyed the way it brought out the hypocrisy and the double standards professional women go through on a daily basis in the work place.

I received this ARC through #netgalley and I am voluntarily reviewing this book

This was such a cute book! I've read a lot of romances about cooking shows lately, but this one was different as the main character was not actually a chef. Reese and Benny are both interns at a popular online cooking show, and end up getting thrown together to film a video at the last minute. Due to the positive reaction the show gets from fans, Reese and Benny continue making videos together and end up competing for an internship. This book was very fast-paced, and it was a quick read for me. I think this will probably be enjoyed most by younger audiences. I also loved the feminist theme of the book and the ending. Overall, it was a good read!

Love from Scratch is exactly what I'd hoped it would be. Delightful baking banter and puns. Sweet romance. Strong female characters kicking ass. Everything I love rolled into one.

SO. I was recommended this book by a friend and started it thinking it would be another cliche predictable rom-com, but boy was I wrong. This book has unique obstacles in the plot and adorable romance that rendered me unable to put the book down. The feminist themes were STRONG and showed up in a lovely way through Reese's character development, through which she learns to stand up for herself when she's treated in a sexist manner. I had no idea what I was in for with this book but it had a unique way of hooking my attention and dragging me out of the reading slump that I'd been in. If you're looking for something light and cute, LOVE FROM SCRATCH is the way to go.

This was a very good book. Enjoyed the plot. The characters were unique.

Thank you NetGalley for and advanced copy.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! Such a cute, relatable YA read! Reese is the quintessential southern darling and her experiences in Seattle are simply so endearing I couldn't help but fall in love with charming Benny and his backwards hat. I especially loved all the references to his family and all of Reese's southern euphemisms. The stage of life this book takes place in, in between the main characters' senior years of high school and freshman years of college, is such a tumultuous time and was the perfect place to set this book. Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the puns, which were plentiful and outstanding. The food was amazing, the side characters were wonderful, and I truly cannot sing my praises about this book enough. I absolutely loved. I have all intentions of buying a copy once it releases and I am so happy one of my most anticipated releases of the year came through!