Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Well, this is definitely somehow what I expected and nothing like I expected all at the same time.

I have to say, it was action packed from the start. When the book basically starts with someone asphyxiating, you know it’s going to be interesting.

I thought this to be like one of those book on Amazon that are 150 pages or less about an out there item (anyone else read that door book?), but this is a full length novel about the out there item and the mafia.

I enjoyed the mafia aspects, albeit, they were still weird. The romance and smut, however, was too much.

Anyway, if anything this book made me laugh (from the strangeness).

I tried so hard to make it through this book because I love a good shifter romantasy. But I just couldn't get past the writing on this one.

Thank you to Ellen Mint and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and give my opinion!

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this book aside from there being a lot of eggplant. Which of course was true - there WERE a lot of eggplants. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. The puns and eggplant jokes were fun. The world building of the vegetable mafia was unique.

The spice was spicy - how about that scene with the piano. *fans self*

DNF im so sorry I just couldn't get past the concept. I really wanted to like This as it was super intriguing but I just couldn't continue I got 15%, I would give this author another go In the future.

I am all for weird romances and erotica (and weird shifter romances), but I didn't really enjoy this. It was fine but the worst parts of this book was the romance & sex. It definitely felt more like "crack fic" kind of sex scenes in that it was extremely over the top and I just didn't enjoy it. I did like most of the mafia parts and I enjoyed most of the shifter aspect of things. Just the sex & romance was where it fell flat. It did read incredibly fast though and that was a large part of why I didn't DNF it even when it wasn't grabbing me until we got further in the mafia plot.

This book was giving Veggie Tales… if Veggie Tales had sex, mafia drama, and allergy emergencies!

Sadie is a curvy Indian food photographer with a deadly eggplant allergy. So obviously she falls for Audry — a literal eggplant shifter (yes, really). What starts as a spicy fling quickly turns chaotic when Sadie ends up in the hospital after ingesting some of his “juice.” Oh — and there’s also a veggie mafia war happening in the background. Because of course there is.

The spice? Chef’s kiss.
The humor? On point.
Audry’s obsession with Sadie’s thick body? It’s giving “he’s a munch”

I was living for Sadie’s chaotic energy and the steamy scenes (I may or may not have taken notes ), but I wish we’d gotten more romance and backstory. Like… how does one become an eggplant shifter? Is there a veggie family tree?

Some of the writing was a bit clunky, especially during action scenes, and I really wish Sadie had gotten a moment to own her worth — she was funny and lovable, but her self-esteem arc felt unfinished.

Still, this was a wild, spicy, laugh-out-loud ride that I’d absolutely recommend as a fun little palate cleanser between heavier reads. Just maybe don’t read it while eating baba ganoush

She’s allergic to eggplant, he is an eggplant. I’m going to let you think about that for a minute.
I don’t think anything could’ve prepared me for what I was going to read in this book. An underground mafia entirely made up of people who shapeshift into vegetables? Sounds weird, I’m into it. This book had me giggling and kicking my feet for the romance, and cackling at the vegetable puns for names.
Ellen Mint manages to balance romance and tension, hilarity and occasional morbidity, all in one unique package.
Was this book one of the most ridiculous I have ever read? Yes, and I say that with the utmost respect because I had a great time reading.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

I hoped this would be a cheesy “cr*ck fic” style book. Unfortunately I think it took itself too seriously. Even with shapeshifting veggie-humans.

I think this was one of my most iconic reads this year; not only is he an eggplant shifter and she's deathly allergic to eggplants, but there's a whole vegetable mafia plot?! Honestly that's all one needs to know before adding this to their tbr.

thanks to Ellen Mint and NetGalley for gifting me this eARC, and also, thanks to my friend who sent me this link 🤣

2.5 rounded up??

I dont remember this episode of veggie tales???

In all honestly it wasn’t weird enough? Super spicy I guess (idk I skipped through a lot of it). The story was interesting enough and had a lot of modern romance tropes so I’m sure other readers will enjoy it. I wanted to be the target audience because I have an orange cat and a husband allergic to eggplant but unfortunately that was not a strong enough connection.

Kind of fun, idk?

DNF at 15%
I wanted to like this one cuz it was my first arc I just couldn't get behind the idea
Plot - I think the idea was creative and out of the box which could be a good thing for some but this one was just too radical for me
Characters - never heard of a mmc named Aubry but hey, the more you know
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc all thoughts are my own <3