Thank you to NetGalley and @AvonBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eat Post Like tells the story of Cassie, a passionate lawyer who’s juggling a brutal work schedule with dreams of making partner. Her boyfriend James is her rock, and together they love exploring NYC’s food scene whenever they get a chance. But everything changes in an instant when James dies unexpectedly.

Devastated and trying to make sense of her loss, Cassie stumbles on a surprising secret: James had this whole other life as a popular food critic on Instagram. On a whim (or maybe desperation), she decides to step into his shoes and accept an invitation to tour Europe as a restaurant critic for a prestigious food award.

As Cassie travels through Italy, France, and Spain, she’s swept up in the joy of incredible food, new friendships, and a chance to find happiness again maybe even rediscover who she really is.

Wells’ passion for food and wine shines through every page, making the descriptions of meals feel like a love letter to fine dining. That said, I found Cassie’s character a bit stiff at times. I wanted to know more about her and James’s relationship to fully feel the weight of her grief.

Also, the ending felt a bit rushed and left me wishing some storylines had a bit more closure

Eat Post Like is a cute and tasty read, but I think it needed a bit more profoundness. Still, a fun trip through food and healing worth taking.

3.75 rounded to 4 Stars!

#NetGalley, #AvonBooks, #EatPostLike, #EmilyArdenWells

This was *fine*, but not a fave! First and foremost, to any readers who are looking for a light read: this is not it. It's super heavy on the foodie side of things, which is fun, but I don't feel like the genre/book was necessarily marketed appropriately in terms of that. After reading, I did look up the author, and it totally makes sense why the book reads that way - she was a food writer! Some of the side character arcs felt a bit unfinished for me, and the ending definitely took me by surprise! That said, it was a smooth, easy read, and I’d still recommend it to anyone in the mood for a light, low-spice romance with a lot of heart.

DNF’d at 62%

There wasn’t anything wrong with this book, I enjoyed the writing & the overall story but it was just dragging a lot & I felt like it could’ve been a lot shorter. I might revisit it later down the line though

This cover is too cute ! So fun and colorful. This book is perfect for summer time reading. It was such a fun quick read. This book is a love letter to good food. The food descriptions were so detailed that it had my mouth watering and so hungry. I loved that Cassie was able to go on this food reviewing trip and live her life to the fullest after working so much at her under appreciated job and losing her boyfriend. I recommend giving this one a read if you are love great food and travels.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Harper and Voyager for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

In her debut novel, "Eat Post Like," Emily Arden Wells takes readers on a heartfelt journey through grief, healing, and the unexpected power of food.

When high-powered attorney Cassie Brooks tragically loses her boyfriend James, her world begins to unravel. But everything changes suddenly when she discovers James was secretly the creator behind the hit Instagram account @NewYorkSecretDiner. When Cassie receives an invitation for a European food tour meant for James, she decides to go in his place.

What follows isn’t just a "travelogue"; it’s a story of transformation as Cassie steps into James’ world and begins to rediscover herself, learning to let go of control and embrace the unknown. From the cafés of Paris to the markets of Barcelona, Wells is adept at bringing each setting to life with rich, mouthwatering detail, and the narrative pacing is thoughtful, allowing space for Cassie’s emotional growth.

And while "Eat Post Like" is a warm, sensory-rich read, it maintains the deeper themes of loss and reinvention throughout, reminding readers how stepping outside our comfort zones can lead to unexpected healing and joy.

3.75/5
Eat Post Like was a fun lit fic/romance with tons of talks of food and stunning scenery. Cassie experiences a big loss and is feeling confused in her corporate lifestyle. After she discovers her boyfriend’s secret food review account, she embarks on a journey to honor him and explore the culinary world.

At times, the writing felt a little choppy, but hopefully after editing it will flow just fine. Sometimes Cassie felt a little immature, which bothered me because I really liked her through most of the book. Once she gained some more confidence in her writing and in her self, she was able to learn that even if she wasn’t exactly like her late bf, she can still make an impact through food.

3.75⭐️ Foodies! This is the book for you! This is a sumptuous journey that spans from NYC, Italy, France, Denmark, and Spain. The descriptions of the food in this book are mouthwatering. You can smell and almost taste what the characters are eating. You can imagine the setting of these beautiful restaurants as you’re sitting in your own living room. What a fabulous debut journey. This book is about Cassie. She is a lawyer who unexpectedly loses her fiancée. As she’s going through his belongings, she finds fake IDs, disguises, and lots of cash. He had been living a double life in secret from her for years. He was secretly the world’s number one food critic and food reviewer. She accesses his instagram account and accepts on his behalf to go on a food journey in Europe. She works tirelessly trying to learn cuisine-where it’s from and how it’s made and she stumbles her way through content creation. This is where the book lost some points from me. At times it was slow, but it became slightly unrealistic how successful she was at the content creation and writing aspect. Also, dining at Michelin star restaurants and being about to write about all the nuances of the foods without prior knowledge is unrealistic. However, this is the perfect book for someone who loves food and travel!

This was sadly a book I DNF at 25%, while this book had a great synopsis and when I first saw this book I was like “wow I’m going to cry aren’t I?” I just couldn’t feel any authenticity for the FMC. It felt very distant to me and I couldn’t connect with her the way I wanted to. Also the writing was a little weird to me. I couldn’t get behind how clunky and awkward it came across to me, sadly.

*Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Emily Arden Wells, the author, for the ARC!*

2.5 stars.

This book was sadly not for me. I wanted to like it, and the premise was a good one, but I honestly felt like two different authors wrote this one. The details about the food and the tourist attractions were so vivid and well-written, but all the human interactions were written horribly. I know that’s harsh, and I feel guilty for saying that. However, there were a few moments that should have been emotionally charged that were not…at all. To the point, that the lack of emotion and depth made me feel uncomfortable. Examples: the phone call when Cassie found out her boyfriend had died, an altercation Cassie was in later in the book, and when Cassie said goodbye to another character at the book’s end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this book! Absolutely loved the unique premise, the characters and the details!
This is guaranteed to be a favorite for travel lovers and foodies enraptured by social media!

Career obsessed Cassie is blindsided by a life-twist, prompted by grief she steps out of her comfort zone seeking consolation and fulfillment. She wants more from life and bravely risks everything to search for it.

This debut novel has me looking forward to more from Emily Arden Wells! Well done!! This is a great read to kick off your summer reading and just might inspire you to search for more!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 rounded up. The book has an interesting concept, but in the end it just didn’t keep my interest very well.

The most interesting parts were probably the early deep dives into how James maintained his identity. I loved the idea that he went so far to keep his secret.

The biggest issue was the writing felt dense and lacked some needed spark to brighten it up. It was strangely formal, like a story from a bygone era. It just made the book a bit hard to get into.

Thank you to Avon for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

I just did not vibe with this book. The story telling was a bit underwhelming and over telling at the same time.
A bit too straight forward and also told in third point of view.
I've seen positive reviews, so I think it's just not my cup of tea.

This book was fun to read! It had a good storyline and great execution in the writing. This was a quick and easy read for me.

Influencing and influences must be the current trend in books now because I am seeing a lot of books with stories based on these things. This book has these subjects and they were written about in a very interesting and realistic way. I felt like I had a behind the scenes glimpse at the world of influencing.

I loved all of the descriptions of the places and food. It made me feel like I was on the trip with the group. I actually stopped reading to Google the restaurant that is in the Eiffel Tower. I love it when books make me want to research things.

This was a good book and one I would recommend to friends. I can see myself reading it again in the future. A well done debut novel!!

I had such high hopes for this book, especially as a foodie and a fine dining enthusiast! I was eager to dive into a romance that intertwined culinary delights with heartfelt emotions. Unfortunately, it just didn’t ignite a spark for me. While the story touched on romance, it wasn’t in the way I had envisioned.

I appreciated how Cassie discovered a new passion for food while navigating her grief over James—that was a beautiful aspect of the narrative. However, the almost-romance with Eamon fell flat for me; I was really craving a more traditional happily ever after.

In the end, I wouldn’t truly categorize this as a romance—it feels more like women’s fiction to me. A huge thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really wanted to like this one but it fell pretty flat for me. The writing felt pretty stiff and over complicated with unnecessary details.

The whole secret food blogger is such an interesting concept to me but the way our FMC Cassie fell into it just kind of felt wrong. They wanted us to believe that Cassie was carrying on her bow deceased boyfriend’s legacy but there relationship wasn’t even that strong of a connection in the first place? Cassie and James seemed to almost be on the rocks and not even able to agree on a trip after multiple years in a relationship ship. I think the book would’ve benefitted greatly from some relationship development between the two. That way it would’ve provoked some emotion and really made us feel for Cassie her navigating post James’ death.

I loved the trip and the other characters she ran into along the way. That being said, I thought the details were a little overdone and I just wasn’t into it. It also seemed a little far fetched that she was able to suddenly pull all of this culinary knowledge and perfectly crafted reviews out of nowhere. It would’ve been more authentic had she maybe made mistakes along the way or she had some previous background though James?

Overall, it was just okay for me. It would probably be a pretty fun read while traveling abroad for something light. Thanks a bunch to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

Eat Post Like is a tender, uplifting debut that blends grief, love, and the sensory magic of food into a journey of rediscovery. When Cassie loses her boyfriend James, her carefully structured life crumbles—until she finds his hidden foodie diary and learns he ran a secret viral food account. What begins as a tentative step into James’s world soon transforms into a personal voyage across cities, cuisines, and a reawakening of self.

Cassie’s emotional evolution is handled with care, her grief is never rushed, and her healing feels authentic. The descriptions of food are mouthwatering, but it’s the quiet reflections, grappling with loss, redefining ambition, and choosing joy, that truly shine. With warmth, wit, and a generous helping of heart, Eat Post Like is perfect for fans of One Italian Summer or The Hundred-Foot Journey. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected detours serve up the richest flavors of life.

Following her boyfriend's death, Cassie reflects on her life and searches for her own passion.

First and foremost, I found Eat Post Like to be a lovely exploration of grief. James' sudden death erased the future Cassie saw for herself, one spent by his side. It also exposed a whole side of James she never knew existed. Cassie was shocked when she discovered James had been living a double life as a food critic. Feeling a bit betrayed, she also wanted to learn more about this other world he inhabited which pushed her on her own path of self-discovery and search for her passion. With that, I am warning non-foodies, that there is a LOT of food talk.

Cassie's personal journey was accomplished via a physical journey when she accepted an invitation to be part of a tour reviewing starred restaurants in Europe. I loved all the descriptions of where she was and what she ate. These passages were vivid, making my mouth water while transporting me to Rome, Copenhagen, Venice, and Paris. I am a foodie with wanderlust, and therefore, enjoyed this part of the story immensely.

Filled with amazing locals, incredible food descriptions, and interesting characters, Eat Post Like was an entertaining grief, healing, and finding your passion.

Hmmm, I don't know this one, just missed the mark majorly with me. From the blurb, I was expecting more. I thought going into it, I would get a great story of self-discovery through healing and grief. What I got instead was an annoying travel and food blogging book. I was disappointed.

I really loved the premise of this but struggled to get into the writing. It felt like the author dumped a lot of back story at the beginning. The characters seemed a little flat and I struggled to really get into it. The food descriptions were amazing but didn’t love the execution of this particular story. Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick easy read with many heartfelt moments. I thought the writing style was nice and the author did a great job of developing the characters. Overall I would recommend.