Foodies this one's for you
If you like food scenes aplenty in your lesfic reading and an age gap romance set in the entertainment world, give this one a shot. Heads up though that it's set during the beginning of C0Vid so there are continuous references to masking, testing, vaccines and so on to where it's more of a character than the NYC setting is; so if that's not your jam or is triggering for you, keep that in mind when considering this book.
The chapters are numbered but also indicate a month and year or 'later that day' time indication so you can follow the timeline; within a couple of chapters the scene would shift between paragraphs without any gap/break on the page which was momentarily jarring to read a character in one place then somewhere else without the filler of travel narration in between. It's a minor issue but did distract me from the flow of the story when it happened. Also, the chemistry between main characters Helena and Piper seemed more 'tell' than 'show' so I knew they each were attracted to the other but the sizzle on the page between them didn't really become apparent until the story shifted to more 'show' than 'tell' focus; it was flat on the page then later magnetic. The secondary characters often felt like they're there for plot reasons more than any other, and one sub plot involving an ex is prolonged to the point of annoyance before finally resolving.
There's lots of food information so if you're a foodie, you'll love those scenes; the flirting and foreplay that goes on around food is entertaining reading. The industry look at TV shows and the general manipulation that takes place in the workplace and for contract negotiations is interesting to be aware of for real life interactions elsewhere. Piper is likable early on when she's not being a doormat while Helena is a bit of an ice queen for a while (for good reason). I rooted for them eventually but was more interested in seeing how their careers worked out than the romance although they do have some hot sexxy times.
There's plenty of humor in the story and drama but the pandemic references were tiresome for me. The ending is fitting for a TV show with a sense of all will be well with the characters. Overall the book read like a debut though I'm not sure if this is the author's first book. I would like to see and read whatever she publishes next though to see what other stories are in her imagination, ideally without involving C0vid.

Piper and Helena had great chemistry and the spice (no pun intended) was a little spicy. At first, I wasn’t sure about reading a rom-com that COVID played a significant role in, but it worked without being insensitive. I loved the character development and the mystery surrounding Helena. It definitely kept me on my toes and guessing. I will say that I wasn’t a big fan of the chapter titles. I felt like the author could’ve pointed out how much time had passed in a paragraph or written exact dates as titles. The book had age gap, grumpy/sunshine, and workplace romance tropes, which are some of my favorite ones. All in all, it was a good read, and I’d recommend it if you enjoy those tropes.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Ylva for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For any fans of ice queen, age gap sapphic relationships, this one is for you! The story, the writing, and main characters are all engaging, and although this is a story set during COVID lockdown, it doesn’t take focus away from the plot. A very enjoyable romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Yvla for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for this ARC.

This story opens in October 2020 when the world is in the grip of the COVID pandemic. Piper Halliday, 30, is an actress in New York whose show has closed and she scratches a living by being a waitress in Ed's Diner. Helena Chatfield, 45 is a cooking legend with many cooking shows under her belt for The Yum Channel but she became unpopular during her last solo show so now the channel suggest a show in which she teaches a younger person how to cook. They give it the catchy title "I’m a Millennial and I Don’t Know How to Cook!" and recruit Piper to be that millennial.

Piper and Helena slowly but surely fall for each other, despite the age gap and the strange situation of being queer presenters of a cooking show that doesn't prove too popular at first. After Piper offers a room to her ex Sharla and then can't get rid of her again, she moves in with Helena, which makes the commute to work easier too as the show is filmed in Helena's enormous kitchen.

I don't think this can be described as an enemies to lovers romance - it is more the grumpy / sunshine trope that comes into play. Helena suffers from a chronic illness that she doesn't want to disclose to anyone and which caused the cancellation of her last show. It also makes her feel unloveable, so the romance is slow-burn. The word "yearning" is used a couple of times, and it fits the situation perfectly.

I have to admit that the middle with all the cooking and talking about knife skills dragged a little for me. I also could have cheerfully yeeted Sharla into next week for her general sense of entitlement but also for endangering Sutton the cat! This book takes place in the US and obviously I have no idea what their COVID regulations were at any given point but it strikes me as risky to move in with other people during a pandemic. I liked the frequent mentions of masks and the upcoming vaccine though. The several mentions of shotgun possessions were however really alien to me and should maybe be taken out for the international market. Altogether, this is a sweet queer romance that is well-written, has some spice and that I read within a day.

3.5 stars

Intentionally setting this during 2020 and then handling Covid so weirdly (like 0 characters wearing masks) was such a choice. It felt more like an excuse for Piper to be out of work, when having her show close — like many broadway shows! — would have worked much better. That just completely took me out of the rest of the book and I couldn’t enjoy it

Sweet, Spicy, Delicate is a charming queer romance set during a high-stakes cooking show. Told through dual POVs, it follows Piper, who feels an immediate spark, and Helena, who takes her time realising her own feelings. The slow-burn tension, combined with the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, adds depth to the story. With adorable moments, sizzling chemistry, and just the right touch of spice, this is a heartfelt and enjoyable read.