The story centers on Olive Stone, a sharp-tongued food critic estranged from her celebrity chef father. When he passes away, she inherits his struggling restaurant—and a final wish that she complete his unfinished cookbook with Leo Ricci, his charming sous-chef and Olive’s longtime rival.

While some noted that Olive’s emotional shift toward Leo felt a bit rushed, others appreciated the nuanced portrayal of grief, family legacy, and self-discover. I saw both and ultimately didn't mind.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the arc.

“Food, flirting, and feelings? Yes chef!” But let’s just say this one was more lukewarm leftovers than five-star feast.

The FMC had her moments relatable, messy, craving connection but sometimes she felt stuck in a recipe rut. The love interest? Cute, but felt a little under-seasoned. Like, sir, where is the charisma??

The writing is charming and there are some genuinely sweet bites throughout. If you’re into cozy romances with foodie flair and low-stakes drama, this one might still hit the spot.

I am not a die hard romance novel reader. Generally, there has to be more to the story than just sex and romance. In this particular book, the romance between Olive and Leo was very lackluster. However, the love affair that the reader was embarking upon with Italy and all of its regional foods was what made me continue reading. I found the romance part to be a bit boring but I as a foodie, I was lusting after the food descriptions and the vibrancy of color, taste and smells. Really really gorgeous . An enjoyable and delicious read but still a fairly forgettable one too.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

3.5 ⭐️ rounded down!

I had a hard time getting really into this one — the romance between the FMC and MMC felt a little weak. It was majority forced proximity and felt like one day she just looked up and realized he was hot. I didn't actually think there was any significant spark between them. Also thought that the character development was too much too soon. I can't believe that Olive would change her mind so significantly in such a short period of time but 🤷🏼‍♀️

That being said, it was still a great story for foodies, and the characters had a lot more depth to them than in many other romances.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review!!

Get swept away on an Italian adventure of discovery. This is a love letter to food, family, and Italy.

✨ Book Review: JUST ONE TASTE by Lizzy Dent ✨

📚 Book Synopsis (from the publisher): When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and sous-chef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.

🧐 My Take: This story goes way deeper than the romantic cover and blurb implies. While JUST ONE TASTE does feature a romance between Olive and Leo, the book is more about family dynamics and grief, written alongside a beautiful love letter to all the nuances of Italian cuisine. The focus on food permeates the full story, as does Olive’s grief and confusion at the loss of her dad, a loved, though not especially business-savvy, chef and restaurant owner.

This is definitely one for the foodies and/or for anyone looking to steal away to the sun-drenched streets of Italy.

Read JUST ONE TASTE for
🍊Italian countryside & cuisine
🥊 Enemies to lovers
👨‍🍳 Hot chef x food critic
🍝 Cookbook creativity
🛏️ Forced proximity
🤫 Family secrets
😢 Grief and familial reconciliation

Thanks to @PutnamBooks for the gifted eARC and to my library for the borrowed audiobook. All opinions my own.

Lighthearted romance that made me feel like I need an Italian vacation. And some Italian food. I always love a book that can take you places, and this one delivered. It wasn't the most original or even the best romance I've read this year, but it got the job done. I'll definitely recommend to readers who like their romance with a side of snacking.

I actually really enjoyed this. I found the characters likeable and the story engaging and gripping. This was easy to read and I found myself thinking about it for long after putting it down. My only qualm was that they kissed and did the deed and suddenly they were in love, which is just not realistic. I wished a little more time was spent on developing the relationship so that I could understand why they were suddenly in love with each other.

The best part of Just One Taste was the food! This book will have you craving so many delicious Italian foods as Olive and Leo travel to finish Olive's dad and Leo's mentor's cookbook, which is inspired by the various regions of Italy. I loved the discussions about what to include as they traveled and how the journey naturally brought them closer together.

Just One Taste balanced lighter and heavier moments, and I thought the writing was really enjoyable. This didn't quite live up t9 The Sweetest Revenge for me, but I think it's a great pick for when you're in the mood for a food-centric travel romance.

Thank you to Putnam for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I had a hard time reading Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent because the two main characters were annoying to me. I also didn't feel they had chemistry. I won't be reviewing this book on my social media accounts.

Rating: 3/5

Spice: 1

Primary Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction/Romance

Plot: 4/5

The Good:

* Lizzy is able to capture the raw emotion associated with losing a parent, a broken family and growing up without a father as part of a subplot which is quite a feat. And she does it well, in a real way.

* Olive comes off as a spicy girl but this book is decidedly un-spicy. Now, that could be good or bad depending on what you’re in the mood for. There is one open door scene that isn’t very descriptive at all but the remainder of the book is somehow written in such a sensual way that you don’t really miss it. Lizzy is also very good at sexualizing food in her writing.

The Meh:

* The beginning of the book feels slightly irksome. Olive’s grudge seems unwarranted and maybe even a little pathetic. Her mother clearly made some bad parenting choices after the split that influenced Olive’s view of her father. That’s a big no-no. I get that her father made mistakes but she was 15. How is she still holding a grudge against a father who loves her and wants to be around her? Makes no sense to me.

* Some of the Italy travel comes off as annoyingly pretentious and in the beginning Leo is an incredibly annoying jerk.

Bottom Line:

This plot is incredibly original and went places I definitely did not expect. Lizzy weaves a lyrical spell that any foodie can appreciate. There is an incredible amount of discussion about Italian food that will make you hungry. The plot just moved a little slow for my taste. The last quarter of the plot goes wild, though. If you’re in the mood for a tour of Italy, a little romance, and don’t mind eating some pasta while you read this book is a great choice.

One thing to know about me is that I love a foodie book. I had never read Lizzy Dent before, and unfortunately, this one wasn't super memorable for me. This was a classic enemies to lovers story with Olive and Leo. I did quite enjoy the travel aspect of the book and the unique connections to the food in the region was super fun! Overall, I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I found Olive to be a bit annoying overall, but the characters did develop decently well. I would recommend this to people who love food and rom coms, but unfortunately for me, it just faded into the background in my reading life.

I really enjoyed this book! It was an engaging read from start to finish, and I found it incredibly accessible. The writing was easy to follow, and I appreciated how the story kept me hooked without feeling overwhelming. Overall, it was a great experience, and I definitely recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an eARC of Just One Taste in exchange for my honest review!

This is one of those rom-coms where it's perfectly engaging, where it can summon up some charm to win me over as I breeze through the ride, but it's also not reaching higher levels of love for me. It's strange, because the ingredients are right there for something great, including the banter and the dysfunctional family tension. But they ultimately don't stand out to me as being executed well enough to expand beyond their cliches, meaning that I'm not going to think much about this book in spite of the fact that it kept me turning the page. I do admire how much nuance it brings in to flesh out all the cuisine, though. It really does feel like I could gobble it all down with a genuine Italian backdrop wrapping around me.

Overall, I'm officially rating Just One Taste three out of five stars. I may not be one of the biggest fans of this book, but I remain glad to have given it a shot.

This was fun and flirty with worthy banter. It was my second book by this author and I would read more.

A cute love story. Did not hold my attention unfortunately so I kept putting it down. The main characters at times also irked me. All in all it was cute but lacked some of the emotion/humor that keeps me drawn into these kind of books.

This book had all of the right ingredients for me to love it: enemies to lovers, food, Italy, road trip. And I definitely did enjoy it!

Olive starts out seeming a little cold, at least towards her father’s restaurant. But as the story progresses, you get to know her more and her true motivations come out. Of course a lot of her interpretation of events were caused by misunderstandings, but she opens herself to possibilities and eventually everything is revealed.

The story is told from Olive’s POV, so we don’t get a deep dive into Leo’s motivations. But Leo is a really good guy who respected her father and tried to save the restaurant.

Once Olive and Leo get over their resentments of each other, they are amazing together. While Olive is still torn about what to do, Leo supports her choice either way; even when it means he may have to give up or delay his dreams. And when the twist comes (and it’s a doozy I did not expect- which is rare), Leo is there to support Olive, even when it means giving her space.

Overall this was a story full of fun, food and family.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC for review consideration through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lizzy Dent's Just One Taste is a delectable blend of romance, personal growth, and culinary adventure set against the picturesque backdrop of Italy. The narrative follows Olive Stone, a food journalist and restaurant critic who inherits her estranged father's Italian restaurant, Nicky's, along with the building it occupies. To honor his dying wish, Olive embarks on a journey with Leo Ricci, her father's protégé and the restaurant's sous-chef, to complete his unfinished cookbook. This quest takes them through various Italian regions, allowing them to explore their shared past and confront unresolved emotions. Desire for more depth in character development and a stronger focus on the romantic tension between Olive and Leo. Despite these critiques, Just One Taste offers a satisfying escape into a world where love and food intertwine, leaving readers both hungry for Italian delicacies and appreciative of the journey toward personal healing.

In summary, Just One Taste is a heartwarming exploration of love, loss, and the restorative power of food, set amidst the enchanting scenery of Italy. Dent's storytelling invites readers to savor each moment, making it a perfect read for those seeking a romantic escape with a culinary twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent!

A delightful blend of romance and culinary adventures that will leave you wanting more. The writing is witty and engaging and brings the vivid world of food to life. The romance is heartwarming and sizzling with well crafted characters.
Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Lizzy Dent. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Food critic Olive Stone and her chef father have been estranged. So she was shocked to discover that he willed her his beloved restaurant. His dying wish was for Olive and Leo, the sous-chef at the restaurant, complete his cookbook. But Olive is determined to sell the restaurant as much as Leo is determined to convince her not to. They do agree to work on the cookbook, and begin a 4-week food tour in Italy.

I always enjoy Lizzy Dent's books and how wonderfully she writes about food along with romance! And this book will certainly have you salivating for real Italian food. But it goes deeper - Olive has to come to a better understanding of her relationship with her father and how her feelings have shaped her life and personality. A book that will have you dreaming of travel, food, and love!