This was a good book! I expected something different but it was a really emotional novel with serious topics. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it.

Our FMC, Cassie, is a lawyer that is consumed by her job. It’s not until a tragic accident turns her world upside down that she realizes that there’s more to life than being a lawyer who’s glued to her desk all day.

A once in a lifetime opportunity sends her to Europe under the guise of a food critic. It’s in this journey that Cassie uncovers a whole new side to her. One that she doesn’t want to let go of.

Eat Post Like takes you on a food journey unlike any other that starts in NYC, travels through Europe, and ends in Barcelona.

This was so unique and unlike any book that I’ve read before. I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it, because I definitely did, but it felt a tiny bit drawn out for me. The descriptions of the food were so interesting to me, as a foodie myself, but I felt that reading the FMC’s perspective and then rereading the reviews that she posted just felt repetitive. I often times found myself skimming that section.

I also felt that the book was a bit long - the repetitive, and long descriptions of each meal most likely contributed to that. I would say that this is the main reason for my 3 star rating. Also, the beginning of the book had me shook, I would have never guessed at how this story was going to be set up. The ending, however, felt more predictable to me.

I would recommend this to people who are extreme foodies, others may not find its appeal.

Thank you so much Net Galley, Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Eat Post Like is a love letter to world travel and fine dining, and it is based on the life experiences of the author. Who knew you could get paid to travel the world, stay in fancy hotels, and eat at fine restaurants? Sign me up, please. Although my palate isn't sophisticated enough for most of the gourmet food that is described—thoroughly—in this book. I would categorize this book as women’s fiction, deep and emotional, including romance. I really liked it. I loved the sense of visiting beautiful places in Europe and indulging in the best of those places—food, scenery, history, and people. All the locations, restaurants, and chefs in the book are real. It’s like a travel guide in a novel.

Cassie is a workaholic law associate in a wonderful relationship with James, an accountant. They share a love of the best food New York City has to offer. Through a surprising chain of events, Cassie finds herself on a team of food critics traveling together across Europe. Cassie knows she has no business posing as a top-tier food critic, yet she takes to it well, and knowing she is “up and coming,” her teammates help her along. I loved her traveling companions: Kind Kelly, the trip coordinator who knows some but not all of Cassie’s secrets; Ben, the social media influencer who reminds me of Cousin Oliver in Crazy Rich Asians; Classy and confident Rebecca, who has built her own food dynasty; and gorgeous Eamon, a winemaker and sommelier who is quickly smitten with Cassie. The sweet and swoony romance that plays out across Paris, Copenhagen, Rome, Venice, and Barcelona is beautifully cinematic.

I don’t love the lying that comes with the imposter trope, but the stress that comes with that part of the story was subtle enough that I was able to enjoy the book, and it especially works well with the themes of self-discovery and transformation. Reading this, it would be hard to not reflect on your own life and if your passions are a part of it. You definitely want to read this if you are a foodie, but there is certainly plenty for the non-foodie to enjoy. Like the pistachio gelato.

Some strong language

Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Cassie Brooks feels like she has it all: the high powered attorney job, the beautiful apartment in Manhattan, an adoring boyfriend (soon to be fiancé?) James... so why does she feel like she can never catch her breath? Constantly torn between climbing the corporate ladder and missing out on the moments that make life worth living, everything changes when James is devastatingly killed in a car accident. Now set adrift in her grief, Cassie discovers James lived a second life as @NewYorkSecretDiner-- an anonymous New York foodie account known for reviewing some of the most beautiful food in the city.

Searching for something new and exciting, and desperate for anything that makes her feel closer to James, Cassie begins posting as @NewYorkSecretDiner. However, things begin to snowball out of her control when she accepts a three-week review trip filled with unbelievable food and surprising connections on James' behalf-- someone is threatening to out her newfound identity, and Cassie isn't sure she's even qualified enough to be on the trip.

This was a fun book! I've recently been eating up (pun intended) travel/food books, and this fit the bill perfectly for me. I personally loved the descriptions of all Cassie's meals-- they were descriptive without being overwhelming, and I loved the creativity behind each dish.

A couple of things I wish were different though: Cassie's friendship with Ruby was a bit confusing. Ruby was initially described as a somewhat work friend-- but Cassie quickly trusted her with deep secrets and was her only consistent friend throughout the book. For me, it would have just made more sense to have their friendship well established from the get-go (even though, at the end of the day, it didn't really impact the story all that much).

I also wish the pacing of the ending was different. There was such a beautiful build up, great character development... and then it all falls apart and is fixed within four chapters. It felt rushed and so out of sync for the rest of the book to me.

However, all that said, I had a good time with this story and look forward to reading more by Wells!

Cassie has her NYC life figured out - make partner at her firm, spend as much time with her accountant boyfriend James before tying the knot. But then James dies tragically, leaving her to discover that he had been living a double life as a famous food critic. When Cassie unwittingly accepts a dinner reservation on behalf of James’s viral account, she embarks on a whirlwind journey filled with unforgettable meals and unexpected connections.

This story has similar vibes to Emily in Paris, except Cassie's adventure took her all over Europe. And if you're a food lover, then book will definitely satisfy your cravings.

I think the whole point was for Cassie to let go of her 9-5 plans and go with the flow in life, which kinda worked. There was a subtle, sweet romance involved as well.

Although this is a romcom, I expected a little more focus on the grief too, but that didn't end up happening. The pacing felt a bit off & the conflict was very obvious.
Overall this would be a nice travel read!

<i>Thank you publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.<i>

Eat Post Like by Emily Arden Wells is a book for anyone who loves good food! Thanks to Avon for my copy!

This debut novel written by an award winning cocktail influencer and spirits photographer (as well as architect) was a fun book to read.

Cassie's goal is to make partner at her law firm and she spends her life working. Her boyfriend is an accountant but loves food and trying it the newest restaurants. When he tragically dies she finds out he was the person behind the anonymous hit NYC food Instagram. She starts reading his journals and visiting restaurants to feel closer to him when she decides to accept a trip to Europe to judge from a restaurant awards brand. She knows it's wrong but is ready to take dinner time away from her life...

I loved the food descriptions and seeing Cassie experience the restaurant critic experiences and try to work through her grief, figure out what she wants to do in life and just live.

While maybe the premise wasn't the most realistic but I enjoyed this book for the food, travel and it made me want to hop on a plane and try some great food so that's a win!

3.5/5 ☆

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

I enjoyed following Cassie’s journey though Europe. The descriptions of the food were rich and extremely descriptive. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall it was a quick and light read!

“Eat Post Like” by Emily Arden Wells is an excellent new edition to women’s fiction genre. Cassie, New York City attorney, was a strong protagonist. This book is for all food lovers. The descriptions of food in this book made my mouth water. Similar to “Promise me Sunshine” and “Passion Project”, two excellent books that also dealt with similar topics such as grief, friendship, self-discovery, and romance. Although there were parts of the book that could have been better, overall, the book was well written and I had a good time reading it.
Thank you to NetGallery and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Publish to Goodreads on 6/1/25

This is an ARC review thanks to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager.

My biggest issue with this book is that is not continuously told/written from the main character’s POV. There are bits of narration in between the story which throws me off because you think the “she” the narration is referring to is a different character and not the main one. Come to find out, the “she” is the main character. I wish the author would have kept it from her POV and omitted the narrations. I almost DNF’d this book. I am glad I didn’t as it was a cute read. This book had lots of potential. The story line is unique and I enjoyed it. The writing did get better at the end but it was already too late by then. I wouldn’t mind a continuation of Cassie’s story, in her view.

While Eat Post Like serves up a feast when it comes to the vivid descriptions of food and the cities explored, the rest of the story left me underwhelmed. The rich, sensory details made me want to book a flight and try every dish mentioned—but getting through the novel felt like slogging through a seven-course meal when all you wanted was a quick bite.

The pacing dragged, making it hard to stay engaged, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. Characters often spoke in ways that didn’t quite match their personalities or situations, which pulled me out of the story repeatedly. For a book so full of flavor in setting, it was disappointing that the narrative didn’t have the same spark.

The way I've wanted to eat all the things in this book! When Cassie's beau dies unexpectedly, she happens upon his nom de plume, a secret/anonymous restaurant reviewer Instagram.

Taking it upon herself to continue the legacy, she takes a sabbatical from her fledging career as a lawyer to a whirlwind dining trip across a handful of big name European restaurants. Between the food, the culture, the adventure of it all, Cassie starts to rediscover who she is and what she wants out of life in this eat pray love esque adventure, emphasis on the EAT!

I loved getting to travel through meals with Cassie, I loved the friends that she made along the way (who wouldn't want to go shopping with Ben in Paris?!) And that accidental meat cute with Eamon?! I mean.....

I did expect a bit more more romance. This was definitely more women's fiction. But the thing that just riled me up on this book was the beyond unsatisfying ending! I mean come on. There was *no* resolution. Like, things didn't feel resolved with David, her life in NY, where to next, and the romance blossoming with Eamon, not to mention the new job possibilities...I wanted SO much more from the ending. That being said, this was an enjoyable one sitting read and I'd absolutely pick up another book by this author.



Thank you Netgalley, and Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Unfortunately, I did not connect with this book. I am not sure what it was but I think possibly the writing style. I am hoping to try this book again on audio when it is released and see if I like it better then.

I ATE this book up and left no crumbs.

What a beautiful and light book, it was absolutely un put downable. I finished this within 24 hours.

Cassie is a very relatable honestly. The life crisis, is this job really the job for me, is this person really the right person for me, dealing with grief and loss. I think a lot of people can relate to a character like this.

She took a giant leap of faith and discovered there is so much more to life than work, gym, sleep repeat and I absolutely think that is a positive message to spread! This is similar to Eat, Pray and Love but I would add with a modern twist.

I don't know why I assumed the restaurants were made up but was extremely pleased these are ALL real places and chefs. I obssessivly googled every restaurant and chef mentioned and went down a little rabbit hole. I know some people mentioned they don't like how dense the food descriptions were... SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! I loved the descriptions, I felt like I was right there experiencing new flavors with Cassie. My mouth was watering for most of this book.

I also enjoyed the romance so swoon worthy! That day in Rome?? To die for! I also have to call out how tasteful the intimacy was written. That boosted it up another star just for that. I like how the romance aspect is also obscure at the ending, who knows where the road will take you and how much you will grow and change. A delight to read from start to finish.

A solid debut women's fiction type story about a NYC lawyer who is trying to Eat Pray Love her way across Europe after her boyfriend dies suddenly in a taxicab accident and she learns he had been secretly living a life as an anonymous food critic influencer. Shocked, she assumes his persona and gets invited to a European food influencer getaway where she gets to indulge in all the best food and wine and finds both herself and new love along the way. This was good on audio and highly entertaining. Recommended for fans of foodies, wine lovers and fans of books like The pairing by Casey McQuiston. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a book that foodies might love! It's heavily focused on descriptions of the food in all the places Cassie experiences.
However, the writing was very clunky to me. It felt so stilted and detached. For example, there was a complete lack of emotion/connection/feeling for the main character when she got the call about her boyfriend. I just couldn't get into the writing style.

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.