Emily Christopher's Reviews > Chef's Choice

Chef’s Choice
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Author: T.J. Alexander

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This was a very cute RomCom. I really appreciated the author’s take on T4T romance and it was represented well. Our two MCs are both Tran and also both have very different interpretations on what being tran means to them, as well as different views on queerness. To have this expressed in a respectable, graceful way is not only a huge feat but quite impressive. The message of the book is clear, we can have different opinions of each other, no matter the gender, and can express it in a way that is both beneficial and respectful. If the world was just an ounce of this, it would be a much happier place. Luna and Jean-Pierre embark on a fake dating relationship and cooking relationship so that Jean-Pierre would not be written out of the will and so Luna can get back on track. This follows the tropes of fake dating and grumpy v sunshine.

This is book number two in the Chef’s Kiss series. The story is narrated by Luna, in her POV. Luna is a bad ass woman who is independent, confident and positive. Jean-Pierre is grumpy, set in his ways, and feels like he needs to prove himself to his family. We also get some follow up with Simone and Ray, which was delightful. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, refreshing, spicy, humorous, and just brilliant.

I was looking forward to this second installment and it did not disappoint. Just a refreshing, heartwarming read. I highly recommend picking this up from the bookstore or your local library.