Leo’s struggle with anxiety along with Nina and her battle against sexism in her career are just chef’s kiss (pun intended)

Co-host and work place enemies, Nina and Leo, must work out a way to save both of their failing restaurants and her reputation.

My favorite things about the book:
- Leo’s battle with anxiety/panic attacks and how therapy was presented to help him with his mental health!
- Nina dealing with the sexism that is always apparent in Hollywood and how even when someone acknowledges and pushes against the sexism it doesn’t just go away or stop.

My least favorite things about the book:
- Third person books are just so hard to focus on.

If you're looking for a book with fake dating and are a foodie, then look no further.

This book was enjoyable for me for the most part. However, the miscommunication and the poor portrayal of mental health briefly mentioned just made me not want to continue reading. Also, the book was dragging, I felt that it was way too long. I thought it was almost the end about 20 chapters ago. I was able to power through, my favorite character made this journey bearable, Nina's best friend Jasmine. Not only is she funny, she is fiercely loyal and always there for Nina.

The spice rating for this book in my opinion is 3/5. A bit of open door, but nothing too descriptive to the point where you cringe.

I'd recommend this book for people who love the fake dating trope and are willing to stick through to the end.

3.5 stars

I think the banter was really fun and Nina and Leo had a lot of great chemistry, but the lack of communication was a real turn-off for me. It's my least favorite trope, and sometimes it works, but I didn't find that to be the case in this novel. I also think that while the supporting characters tried to be interesting, they weren't given enough space to actually read like real people.

There was also a lot more mature scenes than I'm used to. This is a personal preference, but I'm more of a one romantic scene to skim or skip type of person, but if you're a fan of the spice it is definitely there 😅

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa is a fun, food-centric contemporary romance that was a delight to read. La Rosa does the "enemies to lovers" trope quite well, thanks to fleshed-out main characters and a well-paced plot. I really enjoyed reading about the main characters, Nina and Leo, and meeting the people who populate their inner circles. At several points, this book read like a fizzy romantic comedy and made me smile or laugh aloud. This would be a perfect book to read while traveling or hanging by a pool...highly recommend!

I am conflicted. I think I equal parts enjoyed while also being 100 percent over the whole competitive reality show thing. The authors writing was incredible though. I think this is a case of it's not the book it's me.

Nina Lyon is a badass. I think this is a case of "it's me, not you." For some reason, every romance that features a main character who is a chef or a baker or a restaurant owner, I just never love, and I can't tell if it's because food descriptions and descriptions of the character's passion for their work just always feel word for word recycled between books, or if it's because my gluten intolerance simply won't allow me to like books that feature food I WISH I COULD EAT!!

Whatever is the case, I thought this was a good romance, but it's probably not one I would return to and probably wouldn't be at the very top of my list of recommendations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3 stars

For Butter or Worse was a very good book but I sadly couldn’t connect with it enough to give it a higher rating. I expected a lot more from it considering that it consisted of such great tropes like enemies to lovers and fake dating but it really fell flat for me at key points of the story.

What ended up being the biggest problem for me is not being able to connect with the main characters. I didn’t like Leo and Nina and since the book is mainly about them it was obviously not going to work for me. The whole time that I was reading the book I couldn’t find anything interesting about them and I was so freaking bored. The romance was good, that I have to admit but other than that it was very mid.

The book does deal with some important topics like anxiety for example. I absolutely loved how it was incorporated into the story and how Leo learns to live with it and try to control it.

There were also mentions of stuff not relevant to the story which dragged out more than was needed.

In conclusion, if you’re a fan of the tropes I mentioned and if you like watching cooking/food related TV shows, you should definitely give this book a try!

This book had enemies-to-lovers and fake dating which primed me to like it from the get-go. Told in dual perspectives, we can see exactly how both Nina and Leo go from love to hate -- and their complicated relationship in between. As much as I was intrigued by the summer and delicious tropes, something just didn't quite vibe with me. It was well-written with dynamic characters yet, for me, it just didn't click. Also: Don't read this book if you are not interested in spicy scenes, fair warning.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are entirely my own.
I really enjoyed that we got to know the characters before they gave in to their feelings. It was cool to be in the restaurant world with these two, and also learn about their lives, losses and motivators.
The book was well written, easy to read and had good pacing.
One thing I would've liked to have seen was the moment when Nina and Leo had first met, but that's just my personal preference.

<i>*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review*</i>

This foodie romance had enemies to lovers and fake dating, troupes I absolutely love. But what I loved the most was the mental health rep, that storyline was written so well. Looking forward to what this author writes next!

FOR BUTTER OR WORSE is about two co-hosts on a cooking show who (supposedly) can't stand each other. But their stubbornness and cutting banter hide a sexual tension the pair has felt since the beginning of filming. Neither will admit it though. When Nina quits during a live shoot, Leo panics. He tries to convince her to stay behind-the-scenes, but a clumsy moment turns into a candid paparazzi moment. Now they're caught in a situation they should totally take advantage of. Fake date to push for success in their careers? Couldn't hurt, right?
This was an absolutely fun romance! Nina and Leo had some suppressed tension that was so enticing to read. The foodie readers will go nuts for the food tour the pair go on. There's extra depth behind the characters as well, and I especially enjoyed reading about Leo's character and his living with mental illness. I think my favorite character would have to be Nina's publicist, Tom, who ups the ante and tells the pair to make their fake relationship convincing!

Can you say enemies to lovers?! WOW. This book NAILED the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes.

Nina is a sorta celebrity chef and Leo is a chef at his family's smaller restaurant/business, which I thought made for a super interesting dynamic between the two. After judging a cooking show together (and coming across as mortal enemies), they are caught in a compromising situation of sorts and are pushed into a fake dating situation.

Nina + Leo are true enemies and you can feel the seething attitudes toward each other in every single line... until you can't. Nina was a go-getter and I really appreciated her tenacity and commitment to her passion. Leo was such a swoon-worthy hero, and the way he fell for Nina was so pure and cute to read.

And the spice was... 10/10. Think about the two numbers that go together like the yin and yang and... you get the picture.

My hang up with this one was just that the ending felt slightly rushed and I would have liked a little bit more of their relationship and future plans. However, overall, I really enjoyed this book for a quick, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, spicy romance!

Thank you to NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you @NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc of For Butter or Worse in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this read. I am a sucker for the fake dating trope. What I especially liked about this book was how there wasn't an easy, quick to close relationship story. The author did spotlights on both of the MCs and their personal and individual journeys. I loved the restaurant and food settings. Also, who doesn't like a show down with a peacock read from time-to-time? The epilogue in this book was perfect...not overdone and very fitting to the characters' personalities.

If you enjoy rom-coms with spice that also address personal growth, then For Butter or Worse is for you!

If you're a fan of modern romance, the Food Network, enemies-to-lovers, or the fake dating trope, For Butter or Worse will be right up your alley. I have a slight obsession with each of these things individually and when I saw this on NetGalley, I was so excited to read it! Everything between Nina and Leo, co-hosts of The Next Cooking Champ, was perfection: the way they portrayed sexism in the media, Leo's anxiety, dealing with the manipulative ex, and the build-up of their feelings actually seemed realistic. There were a couple of kind of spicy sections, so if that's not for you skip them/the book. It was a great read, but the end didn't have quite the closure I wanted. I think the last bit of the book had so many things to wrap up so quickly that it just felt a little rushed.

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes the vibe of culinary cozy mysteries but is in the mood for romance, people who like books about famous people and their struggles, or if you grew up obsessed with the Food Network/Cooking channel/etc. It was a super cute read that I could totally see myself recommending/gifting to others once it's published.

Thank you to NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Publishing for an advanced copy.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review the digital ARC of For Butter or Worse.

As a home chef this title sounded amazing so I know I had to read this book (and the cover too caught my eye).
For Butter or Worse uses the fake relationship trope to spotlight social media and how it can affect your mental health. Erin La Rosa has created great characters in Leo and Nina that develop slowly in a believable way. The supporting characters are also strong.

This book is funny, heartfelt, and steamy. Quick read and really enjoyable

My favorite features of the book:
★mental health awareness (the main male character's, Leo's anxiety)
★enemies-to-lovers trope (Leo x Nina)
★TV personality vs. reality
★mature behaviors from the protagonists
★realistic romantic relationship development

For Butter or Worse shows the readers what it's like to be under the spotlight and close scrutiny when you're a TV personality, a.k.a. highly recognizable celebrity, and what it's really like behind the scene of all the glamorous façade. The main characters, Leo and Nina, cohost a national cooking TV show and they both own their own restaurants.

As the most notorious nemeses they are to each other, they have their character flaws and secrets to hide from the mass public. So when they get to know more about each other by faking their on-again, off-again relationship in front of the TV, well, you know what they say, "Fake it till you make it," and voilà, they eventually manage to get past their bias towards one another and live happily ever after!

In addition, with the help of Leo and Nina's TV crew, they not only discover more of themselves, but also learn how to be a better person for each other. Everything in this book indicates that life itself is full of mysteries and surprises, but whatever it has to offer, it'll be worth all the sacrifices and hard work. However complicated things seem, there's always light at the end of the tunnel.

All in all, I'd recommend For Butter or Worse to everyone. If you're looking for something light-hearted and meaningful, this book is for you. Erin La Rosa is a newly-discovered author to me and I'm excited to read her future works.

***Thanks to the publisher and the author for kindly providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers trope!!

Let's break it down:
Nina and Leo are rival cohosts of a cooking show. After a blow up between the two of them on the season finale, their public images and respective restaurants are in danger of going out of business. Cue the start of a fake relationship.

The Good:
- the ENIMIES part was not underestimated - I very much felt the hate seething from both characters
- the hate eventually transitioned into fun banter
- I loved Nina's competitiveness with Leo and her supportive friendship with her best friend
- I loved Leo's character development in the end
- Highlights of anxiety, panic attacks and sexism in the public eye
- A few spicy scenes!

The OK:
- I found the book a bit slow and I didn't feel particularly invested until around 40%
- the ending felt a bit rushed

Overall, this was a good book and it definitely grew on me more after the 40% mark. Not my favorite romance but also not my least favorite! 3.75 starts rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Clearly I'm on a food-centered romance kick lately, but the cover and title drew me to this enemies to lovers romance. As co-hosts of "The Next Cooking Champ" Nina, a self-made chef & Leo, a business manager of his chain of Italian family restaurants get along like oil and water. Everything changes when the straw breaks the camel's back and she quits on air. (YES, QUEEN. DON'T TAKE THE BULLSHIT.)

🅷🅾🆃. 🅳🅰🅼🅽.
69s and HAIR SWOOPS.
FUCKING IN PUBLIC.
𝘿𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙜?
YOU BETCHA.
UP AGAINST WALLS AND IN KITCHENS, ETC.

This was one of the hottest fake dating books that I've ever read and it was like a cornucopia of my favorite things: Hair swoops, grand gestures, great banter, fights at an auction, and 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥chemistry. There's also quality anxiety rep IN MEN for a change!

I'd strongly recommend this for fans of Lucy Parker books who enjoy open door romances and strong banter.

As it is the debut romance novel for Erin LaRosa, I did not know what to expect. What I discovered is a story that yes, is a romantic comedy, but it is not what I would call a “quick read.” Many books are based around the heroine working in a bakery or restaurant, but the authors gloss over the overwhelming discrimination women face in this field.
LaRosa also leaned in to a hero that struggles with self worth and mental health, both of which are not “typical” characteristics of romcom heroes.
Nina and Leo both had preconceived notions about the other- never bothering to get to know one another despite working for three years as co-hosts. The fans of the show also played in to what they “assumed” to be the stars’ characteristics- naturally painting Nina as the enemy and Leo as the charming one.
I loved the character growth of both characters as they found their way to acceptance of themselves and eventually to their happily ever after!
I cannot wait to see what comes next- perhaps Jasmine’s story?!

I was drawn by this cover / title and excited to dive in. However, I struggled to get into the story and I did not finish the book. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review