monday mini’s

 The Opposite of You by Rachel Higgenson ~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

My thoughts: After Vera escapes an abusive realtionship, she returns home to take care of her sick father and try to salvage her culinary career by opening a food truck. Unfortunately, it’s across the street from the infamous, temperamental chef, Killian Quinn and his top rated restaurant. Killian sends over his sous chef to sneak him back her food to sample and then sends her critiques – always unkind - but of course…he’s hot so…

I thought this book was going to be a slam dunk for me. I LOVE foodie romances and warring chef's.

Unfortunately, Vera's non stop, repetitive inner monologue wore me down. If only there was more showing and less explaining and a pov from Killian would have been welcome to break things up.

I also didn't sense any passion with Vera's cooking, whereas, when Killian talks about cooking, I could feel his love of food, cooking and being a chef but we never get hear it directly from him.

Everyone else is loving it so it’s clearly a case of it’s not you – it’s me.



 Coffee Boy by Austin Chant ~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

“After graduation, Kieran expected to go straight into a career of flipping burgers—only to be offered the internship of his dreams at a political campaign. But the pressure of being an out trans man in the workplace quickly sucks the joy out of things, as does Seth, the humorless campaign strategist who watches his every move.”

My thoughts: I saw everyone raving about this own voices authored book so on impulse (look a that cover!) I picked it up. It did not disappoint.

Coffee boy was a delightful romance. Chant managed to pack quite the story with emotional punch into this novella. Highly recommend!
I will definitely be reading more from this author.



What Light by Jay Asher ~ Goodreads

Source:  Review copy provided via ALA16 in exchange for an honest review

“ From Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why - Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other. 

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.”

My thoughts: Everything about life on the Christmas tree lot was enchanting and very Hallmark movie-ish. The romance, drama between the friends a from her home in California vs her month in Oregon was fine but boring. This was a cute enough read – especially if you pick it up in December instead of April like me lol but didn’t stand out in anyway and lacked the emotional punch Asher was going for.