I am sad, I am disappointed, I am... confused? And I DNFed at 53%.

I picked this book up because I wanted Greek vibes - as a celebration of the anniversary of when I traveled to Greece myself - only to discover that by the time I gave up on this book, there was not even a plan to go to Greece yet, despite the cover suggesting the country itself would come into play in a major way.

Bas is a hot Greek chef - that's essentially his whole personality. Chelsea is a complicated, (understandably) trauma-ridden woman who struggles to healthily process her experiences in an abusive household - so she self-sabotages as a result. Together, they are a hot mess - hot, yes, but the relationship is so convoluted and I slowly stopped caring. Greek food, though? Yeah, I am down for that.

Evan and Elizabeth are the two best friends who also get together so we have a fun double dating kind of vibe for a while - but around halfway, they start fighting and there was an entire chapter that was so confusing on who was mad at who and why - this is where the book lost me. I am not kidding when I say I do not know what anyone was talking about for a solid 5-6 pages because the plot was lost for a while.

I think this had a lot of promise, but there was a lot of repetitive conversation regarding Chelsea's mental health and counseling - which was valid and good, but ultimately no progress was made and she kept sabotaging her own happiness as well as pretty much everyone else around her. Bas was down BAD for her, but he also didn't want to accept that she did tell him up front that she didn't do long term relationships. He managed to wiggle his way into her heart, but then continued to be upset by her constant whiplash of emotions. Valid, but he shouldn't have been surprised.

Overall, my expectations for this were VERY far from what I got out of it and I eventually just realized that this was not for me - I ended up not liking any of the characters, and the wishy washy emotions were giving ME whiplash too. And on top of that, characters felt so flat and stilted.

A best friend dare, a one-night stand of soul-baring confessions (seriously, who does this??), and a Greek hero who’s hotter than a fresh pita straight out of the oven. Oh, and guess what? He’s also the chef who’s been feeding her foodie soul for months. The tension? Chef’s kiss.

If you’re into witty banter, swoony kisses in the kitchen, and a heroine who’s basically trying (and failing) to sabotage her own happiness, you’re in for a treat. It’s fast-paced and steamy but with heart — a Greek romance that’s more than just feta and fun.

Let’s just say there’s enough heat here to make the kitchen scenes downright delicious. From accidental run-ins to those “oh no, he’s actually perfect” moments, this book is a messy, heartfelt whirlwind.

This book was a little difficult to get into for me, because the FMC was super frustrating but I did love the way the romance develops in this book and it was extremely sweet! I also loved how the MMC cared for her and how dreamy he was! Overall a good read!

This was cute, and definitely made me hungry reading it because all the meals sounded awesome. But it didn't really captivate me and started dragging somewhat in the middle. I also think that the more interesting relationship in the book was the friendship between Chelsea and Elizabeth, rather than the A-plot romance between Chelsea and Basil. I did enjoy all the funny dad jokes and puns, though, always good for a chuckle.

I enjoyed the characters, and story but it wasn’t my cup of tea. Idk I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it,

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I initially thought I would like this, but it didn’t hold my attention and I didn’t feel a connection to the characters.

If you're into witty humor, clever banter, and some serious steam, this book is for you. Chelsea, struggling with family baggage, is urged by her therapist to tackle a list of challenges for the year. Along with her best friend, Elizabeth, they make it a fun competition—with some serious consequences for the loser. When Chelsea meets two strangers at a bar, she sees the perfect opportunity to check something off her list: being brutally honest with a stranger, while Elizabeth lies to hers.

What starts as a simple challenge turns into a deep connection between Chelsea and Bas, but her trust issues from a painful past make things complicated. Can she overcome her fears and trust Bas, or will she fall into the trap of her own self-doubt?

The one thing I liked about this book was the friendship between the two best friends. I love the idea of a list to get yourself out of your comfort zone. But the romantic relationship in this book screamed toxic relationship- so much hot and cold, touch and go energy from the main characters. She wanted him but didn't want him and half of the book was just her being indecisive and him trying to convince her that he was good for her. The other half of the book was sex- which wasn't bad. Also, the epilogue had me ticked off- they hadn't been together long enough for that next step!!

"Holding Out for a Gyro" by Mary Ann Marlowe is a delightful romantic comedy that brings humor and heart to the forefront. The story follows the journey of a quirky protagonist navigating love, friendship, and self-discovery in a vibrant setting.

Marlowe's writing is witty and engaging, filled with charming dialogue and relatable situations. The characters are well-developed, each bringing their own unique quirks and challenges to the narrative, making their interactions both entertaining and genuine. The exploration of love in unexpected places adds a light-hearted yet meaningful touch to the plot.

Overall, "Holding Out for a Gyro" is a fun and uplifting read, perfect for those looking for a heartwarming romance infused with humor. Marlowe's talent for storytelling shines through, making it a delightful escape for readers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Holding Out For a Gyro by Mary Ann Marlowe!

Chelsea and Elizabeth are best friends who keep each other on their toes with what is basically a best friend bucket list. For every crazy thing one person adds, the other adds a safer version. But either way, they are trying to get each other out of into the dating world.

Their relationship is a perfect Galentine’s read, and we end up getting to watch two couples fall in love, although the majority of the story focuses on Chelsea and Basil— and I highly dislike the nickname Bas so I refuse to use it.

This contemporary romance has fun and friendly banter, but not really a romcom. I’d label it more of just a romance or a women’s contemporary.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amara/Entangled publishing for the #giftedcopy. All views are my own.

This was a fast read by a new to me author. The title is what made me pick this one!

Thanks so much for the digital copy of this one in exchange for an honest review!

It was cute! For a light and fun read, this is the one. I loved the atmosphere and vibes and wanted so much more. Still a fun time.

This gave me major sisterhood vibes, and while I absolutely loved Chelsea and Elizabeth and their friendship, the ending of this novel fell flat.

The emotional growth was there and very well written but this book just simply did not do it for me. It unfortunately did not hook me in and I ended up DNFing it. This book looked really promising and heck — that’s disappointing even for myself who loves, lives and breathes romance novels.

Hoping to give this author a second chance with a new release later on.

This had a lot of potential and I liked the leads mostly but it sort of petered out in the end and lost me.

I was really excited to read this book, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I loved the friendship between Chelsea and Elizabeth and how they both pushed each other to be the best versions of themselves. The chemistry between Chelsea and Basil just didn't feel genuine to me. It made it difficult to continue reading.

The synopsis of this book reminded me of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 and the vibes were definitely there. I had such a fun time reading this I will definitely be adding it to my physical shelves soon.

Mary Ann Marlow writes fabulous and unexpected romances. This I've is no exception. I adore her writing style and this another wonderful treat. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

From the cover to the characters, I just had a good time with this one. The lemons on the cover were perfect, I found it endearing to learn the symbolism behind them in the story.

The concept of the yearly challenge created by Chelsea (FMC) and Elizabeth (BF) was so fun! Marlowe’s integration of each activity/goal into the story was so clever. I was eager to see how the character’s experiences changed as the book progressed shenanigans and all. Overall, it was zesty, spicy, funny…it had all the ingredients of an entertaining romcom!

I spent most of this book trying to decide how I felt about it. lt took me a few tries to really get into it, but I am glad that I stuck with it!
Chelsea is such a complicated FMC, and one that I related to on her personal level, so a lot of her issues and insecurities I understood, even if they frustrated me.
Basil was such a delicious (he would appreciate the pun) MMC, and I loved that he was flawed too. He had become stagnant and unhappy and had to figure out how to move forward and get what wanted.
What really solidified this book for me was the emotional growth that both characters have, and that everything was completely perfect.
Also, I adore cooking and loved reading all the food descriptions! And the spice that was in here(it wasn’t a ton, some would say just right) was great.