Love & Other Disasters

The first openly nonbinary contestant on America's favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut that USA Today hailed as "an essential read."

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef's Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying--not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.

After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They're there to prove the trolls--including a fellow contestant and their dad--wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan.

As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London's steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen--and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.
  • Booklist's Best Romance Debuts of the Year
  • Women's Health's Best Romance Novels of the Year
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384 pages

Average rating: 7.53

15 RATINGS

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1 REVIEW

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Community Reviews

Maddieholmes
Aug 28, 2023
8/10 stars
Content warning for transphobia, discrimination, manipulation and other related topics. I think this is one of my favorite romances that I've ever read. I liked both of the main characters, which is often not the case. It was important, I think, that I liked the main characters because I didn't think any of the secondary characters were compelling. They all felt a little one-dimensional, like they were just filling in roles. This romance is somewhere between instalove and slow burn, which felt like it would be more realistic than either of the two options. I loved the premise and the nonbinary representation in this book, and I liked the reality/cooking show set-up.

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