e-ARC provided by NetGalley
Author: Kate McMurray
Brad Marks is the talk of the town as the pastry chef at the Whitman Street Cat Cafe in Brooklyn. He not only makes sinful treats humans but also for the feline patrons. Everyone seems to love him and he’s easy on the eyes too.
Lindsay Somers understands the appeal. After all, five years ago he was the love of her life – until he broke her heart. She was in the same class as him in culinary school and she blames him for her quitting cooking and heading towards just writing about it. She’s happy at her job as a food critic, but now she has to interview him. That’s an interview she can’t say no to, as it not will really boost the cafe. To make things worse, the cafe is run by her best friend – the “traitor” who hired Brad in the first place.
I really thought I was going to love this one. It’s about chefs, it’s set in NYC, it’s a about a cat cafe and it’s a second chance romance. Alas, that didn’t happen. The whole book feels like a third act conflict for a book I didn’t read and was supposed to. I totally didn’t buy the “strong” reason for the break-up and after a while Lindsay was just repetitive and annoying.
As the reason for the break-up was not that horrible, there was also no reason for any groveling, which is the staple of a good second chance romance. You kinda root for Brad to be honest.
The way everything is magically resolved in the end felt a little forced too, especially after so many chapters of this “I can neither forgive nor forget” song and dance.
It had amazing potential as a romance, but as it is, it’s just a good book for foodies.
Rep and possible triggers: several secondary characters are queer. Homophobic comments towards main character due to his choice of profession, toxic family relationships, mentions of cheating
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you @NetGalley for the advance copy.
