Salty, spice, and a little bit nice

This debut romantic comedy was deliciously good. The first 30 minutes of listening to this I was invested. Deeply and uncontrollably invested and needed to know what happened next. This was an easy read. I was slowly going through life as a new mom and trying to figure out how to get back into reading and finding myself again. This book helped me get back into my love of listening and reading again.
Ellie is a bright and witty and trying to prove herself and she is easily to root for. Her family always wants to put her down and use her diabetes as an excuse for basically anything. Which is so wrong. After a huge fight with her mother and had enough of her controlling family. She flees, starting over and chasing her dreams. Opening up a bakery with sugar free options. Making magic into baked goods. But as she made it to her new life things didn’t turn out how she would think. Things were falling apart and not going right until she makes a call to her bother. Her bother helps her but she isn’t going to like it. And boy she didn’t. The man who broke her heart 10 years ago waltzing back into her life. Trying to save the day. As things progress Alec the man she always had been in love now also needs help. They agree to work together then after be done. But as things go on their feelings for one another grow.
I won’t say more, but I need to say this was delicious, sizzling and the tension goodness it was just so good! Just oh my goodness this was so delightful. The family, the friendships. I truly enjoyed. I was screaming at this audiobook, my emotions were with Ellie. Ellie you are amazing, strong and oh so awesome. You I will always root for. Thank you NetGalley for this! A new mom appreciates you so much!

Ellie Pang has finally had it with her mother controlling her life. This time it is the last straw. Ellie decides to move away and start living the life she wants. After moving across country Ellie thinks everything will go just as she planed, Ellie finds herself devistated after seeing her the place she is going to make her new bakery has been damaged by a recent storm. When the real estate agent told her that she would have to foot the bill for the repairs Ellie panics. She may have to live in the building for the unseeable future. In walks Alec Mackenzie, her brother's best friend and her childhood crush. He offers her a place to stay and all she has to do is to pretend that they are couple until his deal goes through. This was a cute and funny book that has a bit of spice along the way. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for letting me have an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Cynthia Timoti's debut novel is a vibrant, heartwarming romantic comedy that blends humour, heartache, and healing with a refreshingly original twist. Salty, Spiced and a Little Bit Nice follows Ellie, a determined young woman breaking away from the clutches of her high-powered, overbearing family while navigating life with a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Seeking a fresh start, she moves across the country to pursue her dream of opening a sugar-free bakery — only to find her plans derailed in the most unexpected way.

Enter Alec Mackenzie: her brother’s best friend, her childhood crush, and her newest complication. When Alec proposes a fake dating arrangement in exchange for helping Ellie get her business off the ground, sparks inevitably fly. What starts as a reluctant partnership quickly evolves into something deeper, fueled by snappy banter, genuine chemistry, and one of the most satisfying “it’s always been you” dynamics I’ve read in a while.

Ellie is a standout protagonist - fierce, funny, and incredibly relatable. Her journey toward self-reliance, confidence, and love is as sweet (and occasionally salty) as the confections she dreams of creating. Alec’s quiet care and the growing tenderness between them add depth to their story, making their romance feel both earned and endearing.

Timoti does a wonderful job weaving in Ellie’s health challenges in a way that’s honest but never heavy-handed. For readers unfamiliar with Type 1 diabetes, this book offers both insight and empathy without reducing Ellie to her diagnosis.

Narratively, the pacing starts slow, but once the story hits its stride, it's hard to put down. The audiobook, in particular, read by Eunice Wong, shines with lively narration and distinct character voices, adding a layer of energy that makes the story even more engaging.

Secondary characters like Ellie’s friends and family round out the story, too.

It’s sweet, spicy, a little dramatic, and completely charming. I’ll be watching whatever Cynthia Timoti writes next.

Thanks to netGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the advanced copy.

A debut fake dating, second chance, forced proximity, Pride & Prejudice retelling romance that has fantastic disability rep (she has type 1 diabetes) and tons of secret mutual pining. I loved this on audio narrated by Eunice Wong and highly recommend it for fans of books like Only and forever by Chloe Liese or Drive me home by Carly Robyn. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was a cute book. I would give it 3.5 stars. It’s a fun read and a good debut for the author. The mother is truly awful in this book. If you have family trauma, this could trigger you. I did get frustrated that the brother and the protagonist’s best friend were so passive with how disrespectful the mother was. It was a wonderful depiction of a strong female character with T1D, which I was grateful for. I got the audiobook arc for this story. The narrator was great, but could not do an Australian accent. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story though. This was a cute book.