I wanted to like this book so much; the premise of it sounded to cute, and it combined things that I'm interested in: food, travel, and the entertainment industry. But the book ended up falling very flat for me. I found the exposition of the characters to be a little clunky, especially in terms of telling and not showing; it constantly felt like I was being told things rather than being shown. I also found the relationship development to be too artificial and rushed.

I also found the conflicts to be kind of dumb and also never really resolved; the characters would tell us that the conflicts were resolved instead of showing up the resolution. Kasi also seemed to be creating all of her problems for herself, which was a little frustrating for me to read. It made her slightly unlikeable, which was disappointing to me.

I'm normally not fazed by steamy scenes if they're done well, but the ones in this scene came off as over the top, cheesy, and kind of cringy.

One good thing about this book was the narrator! I thought she did a great job bringing the story and characters to life, even though I ultimately never connected with them beyond the surface level.

A Tasty Dish by Kelly Cain is a great listen. I really enjoyed the imagery the author wrote and liked how the family drama from both sides was playing in the background. The multicultural aspect to the story added another level to the book. The premise of the book is very interesting to me, and
I thought the author did a very good job. I love cooking, so that aspect of the book really appealed to me as well. Deanna Anthony was fabulous bringing the characters to life with her voice. I so appreciate it when a narrator has distinguishable voices for the characters so I know exactly who is speaking. Thank you #NetGalley and #Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to an early copy of this book. It was great.

I really wanted there to be a bit more cooking in this story, considering the title and that the love interest was a chef. Even exploring more of the traveling they did for the show they were making together.

Instead, we got a lot of daddy issues and fighting with one another because of those daddy issues. The characters did redeem themselves by talking about their problems, but only after they said horrible things to one another. Definitely not my favourite kind of relationship to read about.

I received the audio version of this book! I thought it was very well narrated, clear and easy to listen too.

Kasi is a film producer looking to get her new flick up and running.

The new show is an Indie film highlighting cuisine across the globe, which brings her to needing a chef.

She meets Declan.

They have instant chemistry that's off the charts but he's tied to his family. Or his dad is very controlling over what his sons do.

Most of the book is based around their chemistry, the chemistry the brothers have and trying to all break away from their father.

This is book 2 in the series, and I didn't feel like I didn't know what was going on. I will go back and read book 1 now for sure and can't wait for book 3!

I just reviewed A Tasty Dish by Kelly Cain. #ATastyDish #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Tasty Dish, the second installment of The Everheart Brothers of Texas series, is a sweet and saucy romance starring Declan Everheart, a rich and talented chef, and Kasi Blythewood, an aspiring film producer and daughter of hollywood director. Kasi is a curvy black woman who will do anything to make her own way in the film business. She is desperately trying to secure funding for her pet project, a film series about cuisine from around the world. Enter Declan, a handsome (and loaded) chef who feels pressured by his family's success. As soon as Kasi and Declan meet sparks fly but so do stubborn opinions and a severe lack of tact.

I enjoyed the banter of the characters but at times both Kasi and Declan seemed rude and cold. The steamy parts of the book were definitely more adult with lots of descriptions and crude language. This book brought the spice several times but the sexy scenes didn't take away from the story. The descriptions of the locations and food were my favorite thing about A Tasty Dish. Every chapter made my mouth water and I really want a Cobb Salad now! I thought the family dynamics and push and pull of the characters kept the energy up and pushed the pace of the book well. Kelly Cain brought us characters that knew they had issues but still worked hard on their dreams and I liked that dose of reality. I really like the pacing and light and fresh vibes of this story and I'm interested in reading the other books in the series.

Deanna Anthony narrated this book beautifully, Her full voice was so nice and she brought the characters to life with ease. This is one of the first audio books I've listened to and I enjoyed the narration immensely.

I wanted to love this book more than I did. It had everything for me to love it, a hot chef, a badass independent woman, tons of food and smut, but in reality the female lead was extremely immature, she was rash and jumped into conclusions that led her to behave in the most childish way and it was just enough to take away from the story and she was the one creating all the conflicts that would resolve as fast as she got mad. I also felt the male MC didn’t have a defined personality, it went all over the place. But the story was fun, her lawyer friend was awesome and the smut good, so there’s that.

Thank you for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I am not one to DNF ARCs, because I would like to truly give each and everyone a chance. But the writing fell short and the banter was boring. I loved the idea of them falling for each other while also understanding and figuring out who they are without being in their parents footsteps. But it just really lacked for me. The meet cute was basic at that. And the backstory just felt like a quick remark rather than something that really made and shaped the characters. I love the representation. I will read anything about food. We need more food romcoms. I would love the writing to be a little less basic and a little more polished. I couldn’t relate to the characters at all. Sadly, this one was not a winner for me. The audiobook was great and the narrator was wonderful to listen to. Just couldn’t get into the story.

"A Tasty Dish" by Kelly Cain is a Multicultural-Romance story!

Kasi Blythwood is secretly heading to a film conference in Austin, TX without letting her overbearing boss-famous filmmaker father know where she's going or what she's doing. She's hoping to drum up financing for her Indie documentary series that highlights the different cuisines from around the globe.

While in Austin, Kasi meets Chef Declan Everheart and the attraction is real! It also sounds like his father, who is a Michelin star chef and his boss, might be a possibility as the investor Kasi is looking for.

When the offer comes through though, there's a catch. As part of the agreement, Declan must be a producer and Kasi's not sure that mixing business with pleasure is the right way to go!

Kasi soon discovers Declan is a great fit as a producer and just as comfortable in front of the camera as the host of the series. She's convinced that being in front of the camera is his true calling. Will Kasi be able to convince Declan of this truth without coming between him and his family?

There are two specific reasons why this was not the book for me:

First of all, it was definitely too 'New Adult', and although there are times when it works for me, this time it didn't. The sex talk was OTT and a distraction to the story line with far too many 'c' words and 'd' words thrown in. Where was the romance?

Secondly, I thought this was a series about the 'Everheart Brothers of Texas'. When the brothers did appear, it was brief, otherwise they were only mentioned within conversation between Kasi and Declan. The brothers all take a backseat to Kasi, including Declan, which seems odd and like a miss by the author.

The narrator, Deanna Anthony, made Kasi, as the protagonist, come to life and her genre voicing throughout the audiobook was believable.

Like all books, I went in wanting to love this one but found it wasn't one for me. I seem to be an outlier, so please check out other reviews before you cross this one off your list!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Kelly Cain for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

I read the book and really loved it. But this audiobook version. There was something about the narrator that didn't feel "soulful" or connected to the character. Not to mention, I swear I detected mispronounciaitons of certain words. This isnt to slight the author as she prob has no control on the narrator (again, the book itself is GREAT as a second installment in this series)

Food, travel, romance.. how can you go wrong? I found the beginning to be a bit slow and choppy, and the level of detail throughout a bit inconsistent - I think I would have enjoyed this more had I read it myself, rather than listening to the audio. The narrator was fine, but I just don't think it was the right fit? I am not quite sure! I will say, I look forward to reading the books about the other brothers! I think for Kasi and Declan, while hot and steamy..had too many obstacles thrown their way and it took away from the romance. The romance was there, but just not swoon worthy for me!
Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Cain and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC!

Sexy, travel, food, filming, Daddy issues.

This was a fun and sexy read. I found the beginning to be a bit choppy and took a while to get into the grove, however, I really enjoy Kasi and Declan’s meet-cute. Kasi is a film director trying to make an adventure food documentary out of the thumb of her famous father and runs into Declan who is one of three chef brothers working for his controlling father who decides to fund Kasi’s movie. A lot is going on and I absolutely adored all of the scenes where Kasi and Declan were travelling and making the movie, they were fun and hot. Kasi was so over the top all the time and Declan has the patience of a saint and I would have liked a bit more out of their make-up conversation from Declan’s side I think he forgave her far too easily. This was a good read/listen but for me, I couldn’t quite get into some of the writing as some parts were too detailed while others were not enough. I do want to read the books about the other 2 brothers and look forward to the book about Weston in particular. The narrator Deanna Anthony did great with all the voices but Declan’s which I was able to get over after a while. This is a 3.5 for me.

Special thank you to #NetGalley, #KellyCain and #DreamscapeMedia for sharing this digital copy for my honest thoughts on #ATastyDish also, a thank you to narrator #DeannaAnthony.

this novel combined three of my favorite things: food, travel, and a great romance! i listened to the audio version of “a tasty dish” and the narrator was absolutely amazing! their voice brought all the characters to life! this is the second installment of the three everheart brothers of texas and although all the brothers made an appearance, kaci and declan are the stars of this show! however, i had a hard time connecting to them as a couple because of all the drama going on amongst their (many) friends and family. the story would have still been a swoon-worthy romance without some of the obstacles in the way of their relationship. with all the additional characters and their storylines, i felt like there were lots of untied ends by the final chapters of the novel.

the fact that declan was often traveling between his work with kasi and the restaurant didn’t help much because for most of the novel, their reunions were between traveling plans or through video chats. the times when the two of them were together made up for it though - their chemistry and love towards each other is certainly undeniable - and with all things said, i would love to eventually read about knox and weston’s journey towards love!

thank you to net galley and dreamscape media for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kasi is an aspiring black female movie producer, freaking awesome. Love this. She comes from a rich family but they make her work for what she’s got.

So, this being said she needs to find funding for her new documentary that doesn’t involve her parents wealth.

Kasi heads to a conference in Austin to try and seek some funding. While here, she meets the one and only Declan (who is hot as hell), who’s father happens to be rich and willing to fund her movie. With many many exceptions.

For example some issues are:
1. His son must also direct the movie with her, which she is totally against.
2. She wants to have sexual relations with Declan but also refuses to if they work together.
3. Drama could definitely ensue.

This smutty romance of an audiobook will take you on a freaking mad adventure of travel and food as the main characters go around the world cooking and adventuring for Kasi’s documentary.

They will fall in love and lose sight of it all. Families will be tested and ultimately see how strong family bonds can be.

Love, drama and sex…what more could we need in a great audiobook?

I was really surprised by this one. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Quick and engaging romcom. I felt like I wanted more the more it got into it. I wish the characters were a little more developed along with the story lines but other than that I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Tasty Dish, the second installment of The Everheart Brothers of Texas series, focuses on Declan Everheart (of the Everheart restaurant dynasty) and Kasi Blythewood (daughter of a famous Hollywood film producer). Kasi is planning a culinary film series showcasing cuisine around the world, and her world collides with Declan while she hustles to get her series financed. Kasi and Declan connect over their shared desire to carve their own path to success in the shadow of successful family members, and Declan ends up signing on as producer of Kasi’s film series.

Kasi’s personality was unapologetically strong and overbearing, and honestly a bit off-putting at times. I understand that she was under a lot of pressure to reach her goals and prove herself (and pay her friend Tariq back), but her self-centeredness and dismissal of Declan was cruel and made me cringe. Despite her self-awareness, I had trouble connecting with her because of this. I honestly didn’t think her and Declan came across as compatible. Yes, they could relate on family drama and they are working towards a shared goal of getting the series filmed, but their interactions and personalities didn’t add up to the chemistry described in my opinion. If we had the opportunity to hear Declan’s POV it would have been great and given him more dimension and probably shed more light on their compatibility. He was likeable but we didn’t get to learn much about him as an individual because so much time was spent on his family dynamics, overshadowing him as an individual for most of the book.

I was super intrigued by the premise going into the book, and loved the descriptions of their on-location shoots, worldly cuisines and adventures, and would have liked more of that.

Deanna Anthony was the narrator and her voice was like a hug. I am so glad I listened to this on audio. All in all, I did enjoy the book! It wasn’t what I expected but it was fun, light and entertaining, it just wasn’t an all-time favorite for me.

Fathers interfering with relationships and careers. Kasi was just trying to create her own fame and fortune that is until her father went out of his way to make sure it did not happen unless it was for his company. Kasi’s father was always trying to control her what she ate, and most importantly her career. Kasi was fed up and decided she was going to make it on her own. That’s when she meets Declan a chef that has a compelling business opportunity that she could not possibly turn down. She did, however, have to change her original plans to ensure her new investors son was the producer of the show rather than just the chef. This would be Declan’s first production and Kasi was only excited about it since she now had a newly found fling with Declan. After some pushing and some distance Declan decided to come back to Kasi break from his father’s spell and continue production on his own with Kasi by his side.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book for my honest feedback.

This was my first book from Kelly Cain and I did find it entertaining. I love rom-com books, but this one did have a spicier side to it.

Kasi is trying to get financing for her film and pave her way without the use of her family name. While she is trying to get that finance down in Austin, TX she meets Declan and sparks fly. The development of their relationship seemed more sexual than on a mental level. It left a little more to be desired on the mental level.

Kasi at times came across as stubborn and bratty to me. I wish that she would have been more open to having the conversation with her father and also with Declan about her true feelings towards him. I do understand them both trying to make it on their own and not riding the coattails of their fathers. However, I felt that Kasi came across harsh in her judgement with Declan and how he handled his father.

I will definitely read the 1st book since I started with the second.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Cain, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The premise of this one sounded really good & different! I loved that both of our main characters were trying to get out from behind their fathers fame and make their own name. I struggled with the relationship aspect at parts because it was so all or nothing in terms of emotions. I felt like this flowed well and the steam was great.
3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGallery and Dreamscape Media for giving a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved the narrator that was chosen for this book, I think they really added to it and made me like the story even more. I also appreciate how well Deanna Anthony was able to switch accents and voices between characters, even minor ones.

I really enjoyed the main story itself. The development Kasi went through was amazing and I do like how Kelly Cain showed Kasi’s realizations when she was wrong. It was also interesting to see how Kasi and Declan were in similar situations with their fathers, but how differently they both viewed and dealt with them.

Though I don’t usually mind spicy scenes, I personally found some of the descriptions used too much for me. It could be the fact I was listening to it more than reading, so for lack of better words, it hit differently. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, they aren’t perfect, but they’re both willing to eventually come back around and work on their issues, though it sometimes takes a while for them to actually *talk* it through.

Despite everything, I didn’t really connect with the characters too much. I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but after skimming others reviews on this story, it seems like I’m not the only one. I do agree with others that maybe having Delcan’s POV would’ve helped the story way more rather than it just being Kasi’s.

I enjoyed the ride of this book, but I don’t think it will stick with me too much, which I hate to admit because I had high hopes for this.

I really enjoyed the premise of A Tasty Dish and some of the tropes, such as all the pining from the male lead, however I never grew to love the characters. They had some really strong characteristics, such as the main character's body positivity and feminist beliefs, but in combination with the writing style the characters sometimes got on my nerve. For example, the main character's sass and confidence on their own were good, but then being written in the first person perspective often came across as self-congradulatory. Overall this is a really good story and I know other people will love it, my preferences just didn't mesh with the writing style.