First of all, a dude who's not perfect and has mental health issues. Thank you! I feel like it's always the woman is crazy and the guy is all perfect so this was a refreshing setup. Leo was still a great guy, super likeable and even though he was a beta, he wasn't at all unattractive as the male lead in any way.
Nina's backstory was amazing and totally understandable why other people didn't like her personality. I liked how she did become a better sister - that seemed worrisome at first but it all came together at the end.
My favorite trope ever is fake romance so I as already in love with this book from the beginning but it definitely didn't disappoint and who couldn't also love the food and the humor aspects thrown in. So overall A plus - loved this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin publishing for proving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A heart warming rom com with a cinnamon roll hero and strong leading lady.

Premise: A critically acclaimed chef, Nina Lyon, is hosting a food competition show with male co-host and restauranteur, Leo O’Donnell. They haven’t gotten along throughout the seasons of their show, and their conflict comes to an explosive climax during a live taping of a season finale. Now they are forced to work together to save their reputations, by FAKE DATING.

Plot: This book did grumpy sunshine romance so well. I especially love when the leading lady is the grumpy one and our hero is the sunshine. Leo was an absolute cinnamon roll of a guy, while her and Nina did have conflict this was totally due to miscommunication. They each made assumptions about the other then never bothered to get to know each other and just held onto those opinions and treated each other unkindly. Obviously as the story goes on and we follow them on their fake dating journey they open up to each other and question all their assumptions. Miscommunication is a major trope in this book, every conflict and bump in the road between Nina and Leo both before the events of the book as during is due to miscommunication. It was frustrating at times because we have dual POV, so as the reader we KNOW and it’s hard when they don’t talk. However, that being said the humor and fluff really sell this book.

Characters: I love the representation of a male lead with mental health issues. I also suffer from anxiety and we hardly see male characters in books with this issues, so I loved that. Leo was charming, caring and a hopeless romantic, but he was also a little obtuse. He didn’t realize when he was making a mistake or going too far until after he did. I appreciated that he owned up to and apologized, he had major growth there. I’m glad he became an ally. I just really wanted more from his character in the end, I felt like his arc wasn’t tied up as neatly as Nina’s. What happened to his chain? Did he ever get the prestige he was after? Did he have to close down more stores? Did he ever go back to work after his break, what was his career move? I just had more questions about his personal journey. Nina, she is a darling. Tragic backstory and loss that caused her to be a more reserved person. Unfortunately when a woman is reserved and also honest, she is labeled as a unapproachable bitch. I loved being in her head and seeing how big of a heart she has and her own struggles she goes through. I loved Nina’s story as she is trying to save her failing buisness. Her overall character arc was fantastic, she grew into a more attentive sister, a better friend, and better chef and woman throughout.

Romance: Fake dating and grump sunshine and food related rom com is a recipe for a hit. I loved their romance; there was so much humor, just enough fluff, jealousy, and steaminess. Leo and Nina have always found each other attractive but their assumptions about the others personality stopped them from ever giving each other a chance at even a friendship. Watching them get to know each other and being put into these ridiculous situations by their PR team setting up dates for them was absolutely hilarious. My only critique here is that the presence of Nina’s ex-boyfriend was a lot. He kept coming back up, while I get why he was important for Nina’s growth, it did get frustrating to keep having him show up. He was reason Leo flipped on Nina, again because they don’t communicate. Then Nina comparing Leo to her ex after certain of his actions, it just wasn’t my favorite thing to have included so much of the ex and I wish we could have used different plot devises to further the story. They both have my heart. Leo has some grand romantic gestures throughout the book and he made me fall in love with him too. There was no way Nina could have resisted. Leo did make some mistakes, but in the end he did what he could to win her back and apologize.

If you’re a foodie who liked cooking shows or reality TV and you’re a fan of books like The Fine Print, From Lukov With Love, The Love Hypothesis, and Take a Hint Dani Brown you’d like this book.

Loved this story! Both Nina and Leo grew so much throughout the story, and it felt like I was growing up alongside them.

4 stars

Enemies to lovers? Check!
Fake dating? Check!
Exposes sexism in media? Check!
Addresses mental health issues? Check!
Diverse cast of characters? Check!

On the surface, this seems like a typical romance novel - familiar tropes like enemies to lovers and fake dating. However, there's much more to this story.. The author exposes the rampant sexist treatment of women in the media. It delves into mental health issues such as panic attacks and anxiety disorders. My only frustration was that the main characters' were completely unable to communicate their feelings to each other. But, they both had issues that stood in the way. Thankfully, they were able to overcome them.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars. ARC received from Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nina and Leo, joint hosts of a cooking competition show, don't get along very well. They make jabs at each other both on and off screen. One of Leo's insults turns out to be Nina's last straw and she quits the show during the season's live finale. Leo, aware that the television network won't have one without the other, decides to visit Nina's restaurant to apologize, but the two are bombarded by paparazzi at an inopportune moment. For the sake of saving what remains of their careers, their publicist recommends that they go along with the tabloids narrative that they have secretly been dating the whole time.

This book plays off enemies to lovers and miscommunication tropes. I must admit that I wasn't a fan of the first three chapters, but I'm glad I pressed on to finish the book. I didn't particularly like the intimate scenes and found I preferred to skip over them after the second one. Leo suffers from anxiety, and sometimes his POV made my heart ache to the point that I had to take breaks. That aside, the book is amusing and overall enjoyable. It was fun to read about Nina and Leo. I also didn't mind the side-plots within.

I enjoyed this one, but I didn’t love it. I felt that the MCs were a little immature at times and came off as pompous. Other than that, it was a cute enemies-to-lovers/fake relationship romance. I particularly enjoyed the food aspect. I would recommend this to anyone who has a love for food and romance, because what could be a more perfect mix?!

This book was good but for me I feel as though it was missing something. I think part of the problem was I genuinely didn't like like Leo for the first part of the book. He obviously got better and I did end up liking him. The romance between Nina and Leo was cute and I really liked the use of the miscommunication trope. I loved that there was a three month break at the end that really let them grow as people before getting back together.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Nina and Leo are co-hosts of a popular cooking show. Attractive, successful, and charming, there's only one problem: they just happen to hate each other's guts. After a live broadcast of the show goes horribly wrong, they're thrown into a fake-dating situation to smooth over the rabid fanbase. However, the facade soon begins to slip, and for the first time, they begin to really listen to each other and form a connection despite years of broiling conflict.

3/5: For Butter or Worse is a pretty typical enemies-to-lovers romance with some fun culinary vibes thrown in. It would definitely appeal to fans of The Hating Game, The Unhoneymooners, and anyone who really loves Paul Hollywood. I devoured (ha) this book, but it didn't leave a huge impression on me afterwards. I don't often read romance novels, though, so I'd still call it a solid read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The story was written exactly to formula, which is fine, but the main character had more chemistry with every single person, including her sister, than she did with the male lead (who, btw, was...passable but a smidge smarmy). Further, the intimate parts were more vulgar than erotic - not my thing.

What a fun book! It's got romance, enemy-to-friends, meddling family, a fake relationship and amazing food.

Nina and Leo both own restaurants that are having problems. They're also both co-hosts of a national cooking show on TV - and enemies. However, after being caught in a compromising situation, they decide to have a "relationship" to save both their restaurants and possibly careers. It's fun to follow along with the texts from Nina's sister and friend and Leo's family - they're all great and supporting characters. And realize how much shows up on the internet and social media that appears one way, but is actually another thing all together. This could totally be a cute Hallmark movie. It does also have a bit of a heavy theme with anxiety/panic attacks mentioned.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Are those endless breadsticks in my pocket or am I just excited to have read this book??? This is one of those books I just knew I was going to love based on the description, author, and cover. The full package. A very full package indeed *winky wink*. Banter was incredible and genuinely funny. Sometimes I find the "com" part of a "rom-com" a little lacking, but NOT TODAY, MY FRIENDS. Leo is my new book crush. One of my top contemporary romances for 2022!!!!!

About a month ago, I stumbled on Erin’s Tiktok page and saw this video advertising her debut novel. Fake dating, enemies to lovers, food, essentially I felt this book calling to me and even jokingly left a comment saying “Gimme!” I quickly jumped on the PC, headed over to Netgalley to see if an ARC was listed, and hit that request button as fast as I could.

Luck was on my side and about a week ago I received an email saying I was approved, through Netgalley, to download the ARC. As I was already 1/3 of the way through “Lies We Bury”, by Elle Marr, I quickly devoured that thriller/mystery so I could crack this new ARC open. As the book doesn’t release until the end of July I always waited to read it closer to release but it just had too many tropes I love to put aside and wait. Patience has never been one of my virtues *insert nervous laugh here*.

When this book is described as enemies to lover…Erin wasn’t joking. For the last three years, Nina and Leo have worked as co-hosts to the reality show “The Next Cooking Champ!” and for all three of those years, they’ve disliked one another. Jabs and rude comments lobbed back and forth between each other, both assuming the other looks down on them. One interaction even created a hashtag when Leo essentially named her “nasty Nina.” From season one Nina has been seen as the villain and Leo as the sweetheart and comic relief, which has just fueled the dislike further and further along.

If you hate the miscommunication trope…you may get a little frustrated as there were quite a few times where I was yelling at the book “JUST TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL!” I don’t feel that the miscommunication/lack of communication lasted as long as some romances drag it out and when all the cards are out there it is so sweet, in my opinion, it was worth the wait.

Leo is aware he has issues with anxiety and has struggled for a while with preventing, or getting through, panic attacks that can hit out of nowhere. Although aware of what he faces he chooses not to share his struggles with anyone, not even his close family. I really appreciated how we were able to be there on Leo’s journey of self-acceptance as he start to take necessary steps towards improving his mental health and overall life in general. That might seem a bit spoilery but I feel like a lot of times when mental health is brought up in romance it’s either something the characters have already completely addressed or it’s something they’re just now recognizing. For a lot of us, we can be aware of our battle with anxiety/depression/etc, for a long time before we’re finally at the point where we feel like we can reach out for help. It can take time for you to realize you aren’t a burden if you ask for help.

I do wish there would have been a conversation between Nina and Leo where they both opened up about their misconceptions from the start which lead them to be enemies those first three years. Although they fall for each other and open up in other ways, I feel like this kind of conversation would heal all, or at least a lot of, the wounds from the past so they really are starting fresh. Granted I feel like this is a conversation that definitely happened between these two characters, I just wish it wouldn’t have happened …what’s the book way of saying “off-screen?”

This was a great debut to read and I look forward to seeing more of Erin’s work in the future! I’m also really hoping she writes more books set in this universe so we can get to know more about all the awesome friends and family we met in this book!

This was a snarky, emotional, and hilarious read that had me laughing, crying, and feeling hungry at 1am. This foodie heart was in heaven while reading this food filled enemies to lovers rom-com. The relationship I felt developed nicely throughout the story.. and it just felt right. I loved how they still had their witty banter even when their hate started to dissipate.

I absolutely adored Nina’s best friend. i was so excited for her developments in this story as welk. She was the oerfect companion and would love a story based off of her as well.

All chef Nina Lyon wants is to make a name for herself in the culinary world. For too long, she’s been held back and underestimated by the male-dominated sphere of professional kitchens. Now, as co-host of the competitive reality TV series The Next Cooking Champ!, she finally has a real shot at being top tier in the foodie scene.

Restaurateur Leo O’Donnell never means to get under Nina’s skin. It's part of the anxiety and stress he has come to know all too well in this line of work. So nothing prepares him for the fallout after he takes one joke a smidge too far and Nina up and quits—on live TV.

To make matters worse, the two are caught in what looks like a compromising situation by the paparazzi…and fans of the show go absolutely nuts. Turns out, a “secret romance” between Nina and Leo may just be what their careers need most.

Enemies- to-lovers story is my favorite trope and this book is a great example of it. I love the banter and the sarcasm. I love the crazy antics and the over-the-top shennigans. :) I especially love the heroine and the things that she has to overcome in her career. Great entertaining read.

Thanks the publisher for the arc.

Enemies to lovers, fake dating fun! If you loved The Hating Game, or The Unhoneymooners, then this book is for you. Also tackles mental health, anxiety, and sexism in the food industry (as well as sexism from being a female celebrity).

*I’d like to begin by saying thank you to Harlequin Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but there needed to be an extra push of some kind. I really enjoy romances that involve food like Jasmine Guillory’s novels, and I was reeled in this one with the two main characters’ love of food. I think the story could have gone more into the food aspect both in their pasts and presents. I liked the dual POV because I always think romance novels should include the other person in the main love story’s perspective. I’m sure when the book is published and formatted, I will take the opportunity to read it again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy!

I really enjoyed this novel! The cover art is absolutely gorgeous.

I liked the banter between Leo and Nina, and thought the relationship progressed at a good pace. In a lot of romance novels, you can sense what the conflict is going to be, but the author does a pretty good job of concealing what the “shoe that is going to drop” is going to be.

I enjoyed the elements of the novel that addressed the real world issues of sexism in the restaurant industry and the difference in online treatment/harassment of celebrities based on sex. I would have liked for the show to have played more of a role in the story—either from introducing past contestants who would comment in articles about Nina and Leo’s dynamic (as article titles are littered throughout the chapters), or more memories/recounts of what it was actually like to be on the show together, I thought that might have been a good way for their former dynamic to be displayed. I especially loved the scenes where Nina wouldn’t give Leo an inch or let him BS her about his motivations for going along with things.

I do feel the ending dragged on with multiple time skips, when one time skip could have sufficed where the POV character could recap what happened in the time skip. Likewise, I found the ending a little underwhelming because it kept dragging on.

If you liked Battle Royal by Lucy Parker, or fake dating in the public eye plot lines—this would be a good next read for you.

The premise of For Butter or Worse was so adorable and I really wanted to love it, however the execution fell short. At first, I liked the banter between Nina and Leo but after a while it became quite overdone and stopped being witty and became whiny instead. These two simply lacked the chemistry I was looking for in a rom-com. There was nothing light and funny in this story for me and it left me wanting. I am however only one reader and I urge others to look at different reviews as this is probably just a case of my being the wrong reader for this novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this enemies-to-lovers story. I thought the characters were great - they each had their own story and the end was just about what they could each live with. Falling in love wasn't easy or smooth and they didn't have happily-ever-after, life-is-perfect, lives. I laughed out loud and had to force myself not to skip ahead at certain parts because I really did like the plot, character development, and my happy, if unorthodox, ending.

The title is adorable and cheesy. Leo doesn’t mean to but he gets under Nina’s skin pretty often.Leo and Nina end up being co-stars for a reality TV series. I adored the shenanigans that they got into.