Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it. It was a sweet romance, but not predictable enough to be boring. Lizzy Dent is a good author and similar in style to other authors that I enjoy. I will likely read other books by her!

Olive, the main character, has unexpectedly inherited her somewhat estranged father's restaurant after his death. She has not desire to be a part of the restaurant as she feels that it destroyed her parents relationship. That being said, she has been tasked with finishing her father's cookbook, which involves going to Italy to come up with recipe ideas accompanied by her father's sous chef, Leo. She thinks that it will be a quick trip and then she will sell the restaurant and benefit from the profits. Of course, she gets more than she bargained for when she begins to have feelings for Leo. She also navigates some complicated emotions/grief related to the death of her father. This was a good book. Readers of people such as Emily Henry, Emily Giffin, Abby Jimenez, etc would enjoy it. Thanks for the opportunity to read it and review it!

LIKE: *the setting *so much yummy food talk *the main character dealing with her daddy issues made me cry (in a good way) *there was some enjoyable banter between the two main characters

DISLIKE: Everything about the story felt rushed. I wish we could have slowed down and seen more of the blossoming romance. They liked each other because they were both hot and knew how to cook. But... What else?

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

What a sweet book. So light and easy to read. It’s such a pleasure to be able to follow a story without needing to go back and check/ remind yourself what is going on. Not too many characters to follow. No annoying and unnecessary drama. Just a simple and happy story. If you are a foodie than this is definitely for you. I feel like I gained 10 lbs. just reading about all,of the delicious Italian delicacies. There is a twist (isn’t there always) and I did shed a tear or two at one point. It’s a love story in many different ways. A love story with Italy. A father/daughter love story and a man/woman love story. This book was such a treat in so many ways (no pun intended ;)..

This was sweet and charming. I loved meeting Olive and Leo and seeing Italy through the lens of their life story. Highly recommended.

I read the first 7 chapters of this book and could not finish it. Detailed explanation on why with suggestions on how to improve is listed below.

Things I Liked:

• The story concept about redeeming the relationship between a daughter and her late father.
• The setting is captivating, with vivid descriptions of the culinary delights and the picturesque Italian coastline. The premise itself is intriguing and rich in cultural detail.

Things I Didn’t Like:

• The file download suffers from poor formatting, along with numerous grammar and spelling errors.
• The romantic dynamics lack clarity. The protagonist’s simultaneous attraction and hatred towards the male lead create conflicting emotions, resulting in a lack of tangible chemistry.
• The use of the term “Sicilian Cava” in Chapter 6 is geographically inaccurate, as ‘Cava’ is specific to Spain, not Italy.

Suggestions for Improvement:

• A prologue could significantly enhance the narrative by shedding light on the origins of the characters’ mutual disdain and the backstory of the estranged father-daughter relationship. Simply stating “things were good until they were bad” falls short in creating an emotional connection with Olive and her father. And just by stating Olive hates Leo in the beginning is not enough to believe it.
• The book might best appeal to readers with a culinary background. However, the use of specific culinary terms, such as ‘Semolina Bread’, could be alienating for those less familiar. Describing the texture and taste of such items instead of just naming them would make the content more accessible.
• The reference to ‘White Lotus’ (chapter 6) feels misplaced and does little to enhance the setting’s description. A more immersive approach would be to liken Olive’s experience to Daphne, a character from ‘White Lotus’, illustrating how the breathtaking scenery momentarily makes her oblivious to her troubles.

Overall Review:
The novel offers a promising blend of familial redemption and culinary escapism set against the backdrop of the Italian coast. However, refinements in character development, geographical accuracy, and approachable culinary descriptions could elevate the reader’s experience, making the story resonate more profoundly with a wider audience.


Would love to do a re-read in later iterations of this story if available, the concept appeals to my taste in books (romance, travel, food, wine, etc).

Leaving five stars. Didn’t read, as the formatting for the kindle was broken.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me an advance copy of Lizzy Dent’s latest #fiction novel, Just One Taste, in exchange for an honest review.

#JustOneTaste is Lizzy Dent’s fourth standalone novel. After having read and reviewed all four, it is evident her books exhibit two commonalities: first, the stories are #romcoms, and second, the author has a knack for writing descriptions that readers can envision as movie scenes. Given the renewed interest in restaurant plotlines thanks to #TheBear and the alluring Italian backdrop, I would not be surprised if this #beachread was repurposed for streaming.

Despite the stellar opening and a book blurb that contained the seemingly perfect ingredients, neither the execution nor the characters resonated with me. I typically do not enjoy reading character backstories and tend to appreciate when the action begins immediately, however, the manner in which this particular plot was constructed requires some backstory to ensure readers grasp the circumstances and are invested in the characters—especially, if the audience is supposed to feel the tension and root for the characters’ romantic relationship.

Not until the book is nearly finished can the reader understand why Olive Stone would have such an aversion to Leo Ricci. The setup of the strained relationship is not convincing because it lacks support. They barely know each other. The same can be said about the familial connections to Rocco and Luca. Additionally, Olive’s best friends, Kate and Ginny, appeared to be vehicles to move the story along and provide slight comic relief. Yet, there was no tonal balance between something as serious as grieving over an estranged father and a throwaway sex joke.

It was also difficult to orient the characters’ individual professional status. For instance, Olive is so despised as a restaurant critic that she has gained a reputation, pejorative nicknames, and even conceals her face when she frequents a bar in chapter one. Then the reader discovers she is a critic for TripAdvisor, which is not an esteemed publication, but rather a site similar to Yelp! Assuming this fact can be ignored, the façade completely crumbles after she causes a scene and assigns a five-star rating to a restaurant, which we are just told is something she never does and is the reason for her reputation.

Leo’s career was also puzzling. On one hand, the opening leads us to believe this a hot shot chef on the London dining scene who is as talented as he is attractive. On the other hand, it is revealed he was only a sous chef, has no references, and Olive initially did not know if he possessed impressive let alone any cooking skills. Confusing, to say the least.

Finally, the chemistry between the characters in a romcom should be sizzling. At bare minimum, witty banter should carry the interactions. The infatuation felt one-sided for most of the novel and it was done more through telling than showing. It was hard to believe they wanted to rip each other’s clothes off until it actually happened.

The story might work for other readers and fans of the author, so I would not discount the book entirely. It just didn’t work for me personally. Though I still consider the author’s debut novel to be her best when other reviewers disagreed. Use that metric as a guide.

Cute and tasty rom-com touring Italy and all the lush scenery and foods while reconciling the past and discovering the present. And yes, rivals to lovers simmers along with the variety of food. Wouldn't have minded recipes at the end, LOL! A fun read anytime.

Olive Stone's journey in Just One Taste is not just a love story. It is a story of letting go of what's weighing you down and becoming a version of yourself that embraces family, food, and yes, love.

I have enjoyed Den't books in the past, but this one was particularly enjoyable to me. While it was fun to explore the MTB love story of Olive & Leo, it was more fun to see how Olive rediscovered her childhood passions and reconnected with an estranged, and now deceased, father.

One thought - this is a July release, and I could see this causing a few misty eyes while poolside.