Jake and Lexi were perfection!
While they did have some miscommunication, it was easily resolved.
I really enjoyed this book!!

This book is right up my alley as a fame-meets-regular-person romance. While at times the main character, Lexi Berman seems young, she is young and grows throughout the book. "Till There Was You" delivers something a story that recognizes her professional aspirations as well as her romantic ones.

The novel's strength lies in its commitment to Lexi's career aspirations. Her focus on becoming an executive chef never takes a backseat to the romance, and her decisions feel authentic to someone trying to establish themselves in a demanding industry. While the premise might be unlikely, Lexi's reactions and challenges remain grounded and relatable.

Hameroff's pacing makes this book hard to put down, striking a solid balance between the romance and professional storylines. It's an engaging read that doesn't sacrifice character development for drama, even when dealing with tabloids and celebrity gossip.

I am gonna start off this review by saying that I really enjoyed this book and oh boy does it have drama drama drama..
Main characters: Lexi and Jack. Lexi is working on being a chef and Jack is a drive bar musician turned famous and a popular song of his sounds very familiar to Lexie, is this song made from her encounter with him? Did he create a song for her?!?!?!
This is a sweet Insta-love type book. These 2 are adorable with each other but so many things happen that it keeps pushing them away from each other, just wait til you read all the drama.
I am not a fan of Lexi and her friends' conversations they are kinda immature and annoying but its all part of the story I guess. These characters are kinda young and this story def shows you that in so many aspects. I love how Lexi is connected to her family and that plays an important part in her life and life choices, and I love how she loves to cook and make people feel good with her food.
Now onto Jake, he is a bit more mature. He also has his immature actions, which are a bit funny. He is such a great guy and tries his best to do the right thing but he has a bit of anxiety I believe.
Still its a good book and I really enjoyed reading it.

This was an easy and cute read. Definitely predictable. I found myself not really reaching for it because it was a little cliche, but I still devoured it!

The characters felt cutesy and the storyline felt young and teenage dream like. Another one of those that you wish would happen to you.

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

2.5 Stars

I’ve been looking for a good foodie romance for a while and I was hoping this would be it. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I was the right demographic for it. It read a little young, and there’s a mix of insta-love and second chance romance, neither of which I’m a huge fan of. However, I can’t deny the chemistry that Lexi and Jake had and I would definitely read something by this author in the future. In the right hands, this is a five-star book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lindsay Hameroff for the opportunity to arc read this book!

It was a very cute palette cleanser but not necessarily one that will stick in my head for months to come. Overall, a fun time!

I love a foodie romance, and Till There Was You satisfied my every craving!

Lexi is a culinary student hoping to work in a Michelin star restaurant, when she ends up meeting Jake, after swearing off dating for good. I was interested to see how their relationship that started as a weekend of fun would turn out.

*many thanks to SMP Romance and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

[arc review]
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Till There Was You releases February 20, 2024

3.5

<i>“When I’m with you, I feel like who I am is enough.”</I>

After spending four years getting a college degree, Lexi is now pursuing her dream and attending culinary school.
A night out to drink with her friends at a bar leads to meeting a musician named Jake, and they end up spending the entire weekend together before he heads to LA to record his demo album.

What starts out as an all-in, soulmate connection between two strangers, soon becomes a distant memory once Jake gets his big break, becomes famous, and doesn’t reach out to Lexi again until fifteen months later when he shows up unannounced on her doorstep.

Can Lexi and Jake find the time to balance their demanding careers in order to make a relationship work with the person that makes them feel whole? Or will it be too much for them to handle?

Finally, a culinary romance that actually gets the culinary part right! I could’ve done without the OW drama, but it made sense for the story and the celebrity plotline.

I really hope Chloe and Mia get a book of their own!!

While I did enjoy this for the most part, it ended up feeling very middle of the road for me. In the end, it was all just perfectly fine. It was a quick read, but I often struggled to keep paying attention, because it just felt so average. I thought the romance, which was VERY instalove, lacked depth, even towards the end, and instead there was just a load of drama that I wasn't super interested in. I liked our main character and the way she spoke about her passion for cooking and her career, and the romance was very sweet initially, but in the end I wasn't the hugest fan of the romance.

Lexi and Jake hit it off immediately and once his music career took off, he ghosted her. Now he's back on her doorstep with a wounded puppy expression and wants her (and her pancakes) back.
I was really suckered into reading this by a friend and the adorable cover. Unfortunately, it just really missed the mark for me. I didn't connect with the characters or their problems, despite the fact that I adore a good celebrity romance and am generally such a sucker for books involving a good love of food.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Lindsay Hameroff wrote a compelling love story between two strangers who quickly become lovers. I loved Lexi and Jake's story and how sometimes love gives you second chances. This is the perfect fall weekend roadtrip book. I am excited to read more by Lindsay in the future.

Till There Was You has an absolutely adorable cover and a premise that reeled me in like catnip, but the plot felt a little flat and the characters read extremely young. Lexi and Jake have a weekend together where they build up this insane chemistry before Jake left to pursue his musical dreams. When they are reunited, it felt like the situation was forced. I was not a fan of their romance or the conflict in this novel.

Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff is a heartwarming and emotional novel that delves into love, loss, and the complexities of starting over. The story follows the protagonist as she navigates the aftermath of a broken engagement, embarking on a journey of self-discovery and new beginnings. Hameroff beautifully captures the internal struggles of finding oneself again after heartbreak, weaving in tender moments of hope and personal growth.

The novel stands out for its relatable characters and authentic portrayal of the healing process. The relationships — both romantic and platonic — are well-crafted, and Hameroff’s writing is filled with raw emotion and wit. Till There Was You is a moving exploration of second chances, perfect for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with depth and emotional resonance. It's a touching reminder that love, in all its forms, can be rediscovered when you least expect it.

This was an interesting read. It definitely delivered on the celebrity dating trope with insights into Jake's life as a world famous musician. There's everything from Jake working on new songs and preparing for his upcoming tour to dealing with the overbearing media. Lexi's culinary background and job at her restaurant were interesting to read about. However, I wish we got to see more of this side of her life. Additionally, I enjoyed Lexi's overall character growth and her journey towards prioritizing her dreams. In terms of the romance it was cute but I found it to be a bit too much like insta-love which took away from my enjoyment. Unfortunately, the pacing also felt a bit off in terms of plot points and how fast their relationship progressed. All in all, I enjoyed my time reading this book but would have liked the relationship and plot to be a bit more developed.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book? I know it took me a while to read and review it compared to its release date, but it's one of those books I'm glad I waited because if I were in a different mood my feelings on it would probably shift a decent amount. So read this if you're looking not to think too hard and just have a feel good reading afternoon! And also, make sure you have brunch plans for the next day because it's going to make you hungry! 😂

I started and finished this in one day, and it was a perfect Saturday afternoon easy read. Was it predictable? Sure. Like painfully so at times, but listen sometimes it's nice to read a romance where you know exactly how things will go and how characters will act. Despite this, was it still funny and heartfelt with good characters and a solid storyline? Yes! There was even a part that made me tear up a bit, and that is not an easy thing to make me do!

This is a really solid debut, the kind that makes me really excited to see how the author is going to grow in their writing and get better with each book!

Culinary student Lexi Berman wants to make her late mother proud, but she isn’t a hundred percent sure her dreams of working her way up to being executive chef at a Michelin star restaurant are what she wants. One night when she’s out getting drinks, she meets a cute guy at the bar, Jake Taylor, who turns out to be the musical entertainment for the night. They have one steamy weekend together before he goes out of town to record a demo. He’s supposed to be back in a couple of weeks, but when he hits it big, he ghosts Lexi. She doesn’t tell anyone about her time with Jake or that his breakout single is most certainly about her blueberry pancake recipe. And she gets on with her life, graduates, gets a job, and maybe even has a new romance on the horizon. But then Jake shows back up and makes Lexi question everything.

I read a lot of good reviews of this one and I can totally see why people would enjoy it. If you’re looking for a book with a perfect, swoony love interest (outside of the ghosting thing which was never really explained to my liking), some behind-the-scenes in the restaurant industry intel, and love a celebrity/not celebrity romance, this might be the book for you. Lexi is also dealing with the loss of her mom and anger at how quickly her dad moved on after her mom’s death so there are some family dynamics in the story I think people will enjoy.

Sadly, this one just wasn’t a fit for me. I just wasn’t super invested in their relationship. I think I like characters with more flaws.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Insta-love is not my favorite trope but this book was cute and interesting. Always love a celeb/normy angle.

I really enjoyed this book! It's a story about a culinary student with no interest in dating who happens to meet a handsome stranger at a bar and awakens her heart. However it's so much more than a love story that'll make you want blueberry pancakes. I love stories where the characters find themselves or access a more true and authentic version of themselves through their experience with their romantic counterpart and this book absolutely has that. We get to see Lexi (our culinary student) grow so much through this novel and it was really compelling. I cried a bunch of times because it was so cute, and also because it was so real. There are so many authentic feelings to resonate with this book, and it's ultimately a fun story that was a joy to read.

I just finished a contemporary romance set in NYC, and it was such a ride! The story is told by Lexi, a twenty-something chef, which I loved—culinary jobs always add a fun twist. It gets pretty deep with her thoughts about her late mom, adding some real depth to her character.

There are cool nods to her Jewish heritage, like making matzah ball soup and sitting shiva, but it’s not the main focus. The romance is super engaging, especially with her love interest being a rockstar—definitely adds some celebrity flair!

The last few chapters really picked up the pace, and while the resolution was satisfying, I’m left wanting more! Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you like heartfelt romances with a touch of family dynamics.