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Destination Wedding Trilogy #1
One Cup of Chemistry
Grayson and Courtney are on a mission to save the world from cancer… if only they can figure out how to make time for love in their overbooked lives.
When Grayson, a charming yet slightly overworked college professor in cancer research, meets the brilliant and passionate researcher Courtney at his sister’s wedding, sparks fly brighter than a Bunsen burner. Their chemistry? Off the charts. But balancing groundbreaking science and a budding romance? Let’s just say it’s a bit of an experiment.
Between late-night lab work and juggling breakthroughs (Courtney’s cancer research might just be the cure the world’s been waiting for), they somehow learn to make time for piano lessons, cake baking, and the occasional romantic rendezvous. But when Courtney’s research becomes the target of a ruthless rival, their relationship hits the kind of plot twist they don’t teach in grad school.
As secrets surface and loyalties are tested, Grayson realizes he has to step up in ways he never anticipated—not just for Courtney, but for himself. With love, science, and a bit of detective work, they’ll navigate academic rivalries and personal challenges, discovering that life’s true magic lies in mixing passion with partnership.
Can Grayson and Courtney keep both their research and relationship intact? Or will love prove to be the most unpredictable formula of all?
Find out in One Cup of Chemistry—a smart, funny romance about finding your soulmate in the unlikeliest of places… a cancer lab.
One Cup of Chemistry is the first book in the Destination Wedding trilogy, part of The Way to a Woman's Heart series. This sexy, contemporary romance is packed with sharp humor, laughs, swoon-worthy moments, unshakable friendships, and a feel-good happily ever after. Enjoy it as a stand-alone delight or dive into the series for even more unforgettable love stories!
Destination Wedding trilogy
One Cup of Chemistry
Say Cheese
Kebabs and Kisses
When Grayson, a charming yet slightly overworked college professor in cancer research, meets the brilliant and passionate researcher Courtney at his sister’s wedding, sparks fly brighter than a Bunsen burner. Their chemistry? Off the charts. But balancing groundbreaking science and a budding romance? Let’s just say it’s a bit of an experiment.
Between late-night lab work and juggling breakthroughs (Courtney’s cancer research might just be the cure the world’s been waiting for), they somehow learn to make time for piano lessons, cake baking, and the occasional romantic rendezvous. But when Courtney’s research becomes the target of a ruthless rival, their relationship hits the kind of plot twist they don’t teach in grad school.
As secrets surface and loyalties are tested, Grayson realizes he has to step up in ways he never anticipated—not just for Courtney, but for himself. With love, science, and a bit of detective work, they’ll navigate academic rivalries and personal challenges, discovering that life’s true magic lies in mixing passion with partnership.
Can Grayson and Courtney keep both their research and relationship intact? Or will love prove to be the most unpredictable formula of all?
Find out in One Cup of Chemistry—a smart, funny romance about finding your soulmate in the unlikeliest of places… a cancer lab.
One Cup of Chemistry is the first book in the Destination Wedding trilogy, part of The Way to a Woman's Heart series. This sexy, contemporary romance is packed with sharp humor, laughs, swoon-worthy moments, unshakable friendships, and a feel-good happily ever after. Enjoy it as a stand-alone delight or dive into the series for even more unforgettable love stories!
Destination Wedding trilogy
One Cup of Chemistry
Say Cheese
Kebabs and Kisses
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2025
24 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Sheri Tyler
15 books3 followersSheri Tyler crafts romantic comedies that blend laugh-out-loud moments, heartfelt connections, and just the right amount of chaos. Her books whisk readers away to charming locales, creating swoon-worthy escapes filled with humor, love, and second chances.
Her newest series, the Destination Wedding trilogy, begins at a lavish double wedding in Turks and Caicos, where sparks fly and unforgettable love stories unfold. The journey kicks off with One Cup of Chemistry, a laugh-out-loud romance about a brilliant cancer researcher and a charming professor learning to balance groundbreaking science with an unexpected love story. Next up, dive into Say Cheese, where a daring stuntman and a resilient author discover the thrill of taking chances—in work, in life, and in love. Finally, savor the humor and heart of Kebabs and Kisses, where an underwater engineer and a neurosurgeon find themselves navigating an unlikely romance under the island sun.
Sheri’s The Way to a Woman’s Heart world also includes the Coming Home trilogy, which invites readers to experience love, laughter, and family in the cozy town of Sewickley. From Slow Simmer, a deliciously romantic debut, to Here’s the Scoop, a page-turner guaranteed to keep you hooked, and From Bitter to Sweet, a story of love’s sweetest second chances, this series has something for every romance fan.
When she’s not penning contemporary romances, Sheri steps back in time as Sheridan Jeane, writing steamy historical romantic suspense filled with intrigue, passion, and adventure. No matter the era, her stories deliver sharp-witted banter, endearing characters, and plenty of romance to keep you turning the pages.
Growing up with an artist/art-therapist mother and an opera-loving engineer father, Sheri believed everyone had a kiln in their garage and nailed shingles on freshly built family projects. Turns out, not so much—but those experiences shaped her love for creating stories filled with humor, warmth, and the beauty of connection.
Her newest series, the Destination Wedding trilogy, begins at a lavish double wedding in Turks and Caicos, where sparks fly and unforgettable love stories unfold. The journey kicks off with One Cup of Chemistry, a laugh-out-loud romance about a brilliant cancer researcher and a charming professor learning to balance groundbreaking science with an unexpected love story. Next up, dive into Say Cheese, where a daring stuntman and a resilient author discover the thrill of taking chances—in work, in life, and in love. Finally, savor the humor and heart of Kebabs and Kisses, where an underwater engineer and a neurosurgeon find themselves navigating an unlikely romance under the island sun.
Sheri’s The Way to a Woman’s Heart world also includes the Coming Home trilogy, which invites readers to experience love, laughter, and family in the cozy town of Sewickley. From Slow Simmer, a deliciously romantic debut, to Here’s the Scoop, a page-turner guaranteed to keep you hooked, and From Bitter to Sweet, a story of love’s sweetest second chances, this series has something for every romance fan.
When she’s not penning contemporary romances, Sheri steps back in time as Sheridan Jeane, writing steamy historical romantic suspense filled with intrigue, passion, and adventure. No matter the era, her stories deliver sharp-witted banter, endearing characters, and plenty of romance to keep you turning the pages.
Growing up with an artist/art-therapist mother and an opera-loving engineer father, Sheri believed everyone had a kiln in their garage and nailed shingles on freshly built family projects. Turns out, not so much—but those experiences shaped her love for creating stories filled with humor, warmth, and the beauty of connection.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 5, 2025
It's a sweet romance with steamy spice, and the characters are charming. While it was a lot of fun reading Courtney and Grayson's story, I didn't find myself pulled into the story as much as I'd hoped. It's definitely more wordy than the romances I'm used to, which wasn't a terrible thing, but the pacing dragged a little too much. I found the dialog would actually start to slow parts of the book down because it would be dialog about things I didn't really care to know. I think it's a great idea and plot. I loved the characters. If it were just a little more tightened and sped up on some parts of the book, it would be perfect. Overall, I enjoyed reading about Courtney and Grayson falling in love. The writing is wonderful besides the pacing. Everything about a great love story is there. A lot of cute moments.
March 19, 2025
This was a really well written boook. This was done by a new to me author. I really cannot wait to read another book by this author. this book kept me laughing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 6, 2025
One Cup of Chemistry is the first book in Sheri Tyler’s Destination Weddings trilogy, which is part of the Way to a Woman's Heart series. Some of the side characters in One Cup of Chemistry were the main characters in stories in the Coming Home trilogy. However readers can absolutely enjoy this science-heavy romance as a standalone.
Grayson was introduced as Mara’s brother in Slow Simmer, a dedicated college professor in cancer research. Courtney was introduced in From Bitter to Sweet as Kincaid’s sister, a cancer researcher. When they meet at a wedding, they are attracted to each other but realize that they are also professional rivals. They have a lot in common: daddy issues, the same circle of friends, and cancer research. Neither has time in their overbooked schedules to socialize, but they can’t ignore their attraction. So they try to find work-life balance by scheduling piano lessons, baking cakes, and dating. Their budding relationship is tested when Courtney’s research is threatened and Grayson appears to be involved. He has to step up and prove his trustworthiness to Courtney while also helping her find the true culprit.
One Cup of Chemistry is my first book by this author. While I have read romances by other authors who are real-life scientists and engineers, their books don’t contain as much detail about the characters’ scientific activities. This author’s writing style is also different, but I can’t describe it except to say that the tone is different from every other romance I have read previously. This isn’t a negative; different isn’t bad, but the story is so much character development that it’s almost Women’s Fiction instead of romance. I plan to read the next books in this trilogy, Say Cheese and Kebabs and Kisses.
I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) e-book from NetGalley and Flowers and Fullerton, LLC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily
Grayson was introduced as Mara’s brother in Slow Simmer, a dedicated college professor in cancer research. Courtney was introduced in From Bitter to Sweet as Kincaid’s sister, a cancer researcher. When they meet at a wedding, they are attracted to each other but realize that they are also professional rivals. They have a lot in common: daddy issues, the same circle of friends, and cancer research. Neither has time in their overbooked schedules to socialize, but they can’t ignore their attraction. So they try to find work-life balance by scheduling piano lessons, baking cakes, and dating. Their budding relationship is tested when Courtney’s research is threatened and Grayson appears to be involved. He has to step up and prove his trustworthiness to Courtney while also helping her find the true culprit.
One Cup of Chemistry is my first book by this author. While I have read romances by other authors who are real-life scientists and engineers, their books don’t contain as much detail about the characters’ scientific activities. This author’s writing style is also different, but I can’t describe it except to say that the tone is different from every other romance I have read previously. This isn’t a negative; different isn’t bad, but the story is so much character development that it’s almost Women’s Fiction instead of romance. I plan to read the next books in this trilogy, Say Cheese and Kebabs and Kisses.
I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) e-book from NetGalley and Flowers and Fullerton, LLC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily
February 2, 2025
Courtney and Grayson, 2 prestige scientists, are intertwined at Grayson’s sister’s wedding. Both being competitive in the field of science have realized they both pushed off their hobbies to the side and solely focuses on their career. Things start to heat up between Courtney and Grayson during the wedding festivities that they agreed to try a “relationship experiment” once they return to their busy lives. Making another pact, they both agreed to make time for their hobbies, Courtney enjoys baking and Grayson enjoys playing the piano. Both are juggling a lot in their life with work, hobbies, family and friends, and this new found relationship that they wonder if they can be happy and have it all. It shows the perspective on how 2 career driven individuals realize other things in life are just as important as their job. It takes a while for both Courtney and Grayson to realize that they are allowed and deserve to be happy. Courtney and Grayson both find a balance which many of us including myself have a difficult time doing. I loved the Holmes and Watson references since I’m a big fan of Sherlock Holmes!! I do think this book could have been shorter as some parts felt like it was dragging on. I didn’t realize One Cup of Chemistry was the first book of a series so I definitely plan on reading the next 2!!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC for an honest review.
May 12, 2025
One Cup of Chemistry is the perfect mix of science, sass, and swoon. Grayson and Courtney are more than just your average academic power couple—they’re two brilliant minds falling in love amidst the high-stakes world of cancer research. From their first electric meeting at a wedding to late nights in the lab (and even later nights over cake and piano keys), their chemistry is undeniable.
Courtney is a standout heroine—driven, passionate, and refreshingly real. Grayson’s equal parts charming and sincere, a professor who’s more than just a pretty face with a PhD. The banter is sharp, the romance deliciously slow-burn, and the stakes feel personal as Courtney’s research comes under fire from a bitter rival.
The author does a great job of balancing emotional depth with humor—academic politics, ethical dilemmas, and emotional growth, all without losing that warm, fuzzy rom-com glow. And yes, there’s a happily ever after that’ll leave you smiling like you just aced your thesis defense.
Whether you’re here for the steamy tension, the science, or the strong female friendships, this one’s a total win. Can’t wait to read the next in the Destination Wedding trilogy!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Courtney is a standout heroine—driven, passionate, and refreshingly real. Grayson’s equal parts charming and sincere, a professor who’s more than just a pretty face with a PhD. The banter is sharp, the romance deliciously slow-burn, and the stakes feel personal as Courtney’s research comes under fire from a bitter rival.
The author does a great job of balancing emotional depth with humor—academic politics, ethical dilemmas, and emotional growth, all without losing that warm, fuzzy rom-com glow. And yes, there’s a happily ever after that’ll leave you smiling like you just aced your thesis defense.
Whether you’re here for the steamy tension, the science, or the strong female friendships, this one’s a total win. Can’t wait to read the next in the Destination Wedding trilogy!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
January 20, 2025
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
One cup of chemistry follows Grayson and Courtney who are two scientists that struggle with a work/life balance which has left them not a lot of time for relationships. While attending a wedding as the maid of honour and best man they find themselves repeatedly drawn to each other and this leads them into a dating "experiment".
This STEM romance had everything I love in it - banter, some spice and a strong FMC. I found the chemistry on the page to be strong and believable, the way they could easily fit together even after spending some weeks apart.
I am a big fan of STEM romances and really appreciated how the author included us in the characters work without making it too complicated. This was a little longer than I usually like and the pacing in the middle was a little slow but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be continuing the series.
One cup of chemistry follows Grayson and Courtney who are two scientists that struggle with a work/life balance which has left them not a lot of time for relationships. While attending a wedding as the maid of honour and best man they find themselves repeatedly drawn to each other and this leads them into a dating "experiment".
This STEM romance had everything I love in it - banter, some spice and a strong FMC. I found the chemistry on the page to be strong and believable, the way they could easily fit together even after spending some weeks apart.
I am a big fan of STEM romances and really appreciated how the author included us in the characters work without making it too complicated. This was a little longer than I usually like and the pacing in the middle was a little slow but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be continuing the series.
Read
January 27, 2025I had to DNF One Cup of Chemistry at 10%, but honestly, that’s not because it was a bad book—it was too accurate for me, in a good way. As a grad student who constantly feels the weight of “publish or perish,” I really connected with the characters’ struggles and emotions. The author does an amazing job of writing believable, relatable characters, but unfortunately, the MMC reminded me way too much of an ex. Like... exactly like him. I couldn’t keep reading because it was just hitting too close to home.
If you’re not carrying emotional baggage about someone who’s basically this MMC, I think you’d really enjoy the book. It’s well-written, the characters are so realistic, and the premise is compelling. I might come back to it someday, but for now, it wasn’t the right time for me.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
If you’re not carrying emotional baggage about someone who’s basically this MMC, I think you’d really enjoy the book. It’s well-written, the characters are so realistic, and the premise is compelling. I might come back to it someday, but for now, it wasn’t the right time for me.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
February 4, 2025
Balancing Life . . .
Grayson and Courtney have very important work to focus on that consumes their energies. College professor Grayson has his cancer research to focus on, often putting in more time on it than he probably should. But is it to the exclusion of making time to enjoy his own life and take a break now and then? Meeting Courtney, an equally passionate researcher, the two are instantly drawn to each other. But with both of them so strongly devoted to their work, will they be able to find a balance between work and relaxation to create the time for a personal relationship? And if they can, how will the intrusion of a rival affect them when their concentration must be focused elsewhere? And will it be distracting enough to destroy their relationship? Or will it make their love even stronger as they come together to face this together?
Grayson and Courtney have very important work to focus on that consumes their energies. College professor Grayson has his cancer research to focus on, often putting in more time on it than he probably should. But is it to the exclusion of making time to enjoy his own life and take a break now and then? Meeting Courtney, an equally passionate researcher, the two are instantly drawn to each other. But with both of them so strongly devoted to their work, will they be able to find a balance between work and relaxation to create the time for a personal relationship? And if they can, how will the intrusion of a rival affect them when their concentration must be focused elsewhere? And will it be distracting enough to destroy their relationship? Or will it make their love even stronger as they come together to face this together?
Read
February 26, 2025I had to DNF One Cup of Chemistry at 10%, but honestly, that’s not because it was a bad book—it was too accurate for me, in a good way. As a grad student who constantly feels the weight of “publish or perish,” I really connected with the characters’ struggles and emotions. The author does an amazing job of writing believable, relatable characters, but unfortunately, the MMC reminded me way too much of an ex. Like... exactly like him. I couldn’t keep reading because it was just hitting too close to home.
If you’re not carrying emotional baggage about someone who’s basically this MMC, I think you’d really enjoy the book. It’s well-written, the characters are so realistic, and the premise is compelling. I might come back to it someday, but for now, it wasn’t the right time for me.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
If you’re not carrying emotional baggage about someone who’s basically this MMC, I think you’d really enjoy the book. It’s well-written, the characters are so realistic, and the premise is compelling. I might come back to it someday, but for now, it wasn’t the right time for me.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
January 26, 2025
Ok I hate not finishing something that I start, so not saying I'm going to DNF this book but so far I'm at chapter 14 and just am not feeling it. I don't know if It's the pacing of the story and the plot just not fitting into it, or that it's that I'm not really feeling the chemistry of the main characters. They go from having this mild connection to we should just be friends, to let's try, to a night together the same day. Their interactions, other than when they're in a playful flirt, doesn't feel genuine. While all this is going on there's the conversation about their jobs which doesn't really flow well to me.
I received this ARC from publishers and Netgalley.
#OneCupofChemistrySheriTylerAuthor #NetGalley.
I received this ARC from publishers and Netgalley.
#OneCupofChemistrySheriTylerAuthor #NetGalley.
March 2, 2025
One cup of Chemistry by Sheri Tyler is book 1 of a destination wedding trilogy. This book takes place in Turks and Caicos and follows the dual point of view of Grayson and Courtney.
The story begins with Grayson's point of view, where everyone is getting ready for Grayson's sisters wedding. But Grayson's focus is often on his sister's friend, Courtney instead. Both Courtney and Grayson's are cancer researchers who are going after the same grant money for their research.
Can Courtney and Grayson's make their Chemistry last at work and beyond? Or will their join love of science be the thing that drives them apart?
Thank you Sheri Tyler and Flowers and Fullerton for working with NetGalley. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The story begins with Grayson's point of view, where everyone is getting ready for Grayson's sisters wedding. But Grayson's focus is often on his sister's friend, Courtney instead. Both Courtney and Grayson's are cancer researchers who are going after the same grant money for their research.
Can Courtney and Grayson's make their Chemistry last at work and beyond? Or will their join love of science be the thing that drives them apart?
Thank you Sheri Tyler and Flowers and Fullerton for working with NetGalley. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
January 31, 2025
This is book 1 of Tyler's The Way to a Woman's Heart series. This is the first book by this author I've read and while this wasn't a 5-star read for me, I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to more in the series. Our main characters are Courtney and Grayson. Tyler delivers a sweet with some heat romance with some laughs as well. While I enjoyed the characters and the overall storyline, I found the pacing to be a bit slow and at times. Well written, good characters and a good storyline so definitely looking forward to more!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 3, 2025
This was my first book by Sheri Tyler and I mostly enjoyed it. The first few chapters threw a lot of character names around, I guess from previous books the author has written. And since, as I mentioned, this is my first book by Tyler I felt like I was missing out on something. It was a little confusing, honestly. Otherwise I liked the main characters, Grayson and Courtney, and the writing was fine. Will I be reading more from this author? Maybe, but there wasn’t anything really engaging or different about the writing that will have me adding her name to my favorites list. It was a pleasant romance.
January 17, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Sheri Tyler for giving me an advanced digital copy to review.
This was a light read, and had a bit of spice. The banter between the characters was solid, and I enjoyed getting to know Courtney and Grayson. However, some of the storyline/pacing didn't feel authentic to me., It got a bit slow and some of the dialog was about things that didn't draw me into the story further, but made me want to speed up to get back to their connection again.
Overall it was a quick and enjoyable read.
This was a light read, and had a bit of spice. The banter between the characters was solid, and I enjoyed getting to know Courtney and Grayson. However, some of the storyline/pacing didn't feel authentic to me., It got a bit slow and some of the dialog was about things that didn't draw me into the story further, but made me want to speed up to get back to their connection again.
Overall it was a quick and enjoyable read.
February 1, 2025
This was a super cute and quick read. It had lots of great banter that kept me intrigued. The story was so fun and fast paced.
The chemistry (no pun intended) between the characters was super well written and made me actually feel for the characters and their circumstances. They were so well written I felt like I was getting to know them!
Being a chemist myself, it was interesting to see how that would translate onto the page and I feel like Sheri nailed it! It was cool to see how research could be incorporated into their romance!
Definitely give this a read if you get the chance!
The chemistry (no pun intended) between the characters was super well written and made me actually feel for the characters and their circumstances. They were so well written I felt like I was getting to know them!
Being a chemist myself, it was interesting to see how that would translate onto the page and I feel like Sheri nailed it! It was cool to see how research could be incorporated into their romance!
Definitely give this a read if you get the chance!
January 24, 2025
*This review is revised*
After my first review, the author reached out and took into account what myself and other readers were saying. The author actually made incredible changes to the first few chapters to make the book easier to follow.
This speaks VOLUMES to me as a reader and reviewer. With the changes made, this book is just amazing and I have a new author to follow!
SO GO ON AND READ THIS BOOK
The banter and spice were amazing, the writing itself was easy to follow
Overall I would recommend reading this!
After my first review, the author reached out and took into account what myself and other readers were saying. The author actually made incredible changes to the first few chapters to make the book easier to follow.
This speaks VOLUMES to me as a reader and reviewer. With the changes made, this book is just amazing and I have a new author to follow!
SO GO ON AND READ THIS BOOK
The banter and spice were amazing, the writing itself was easy to follow
Overall I would recommend reading this!
January 30, 2025
This was a decent read. Both characters are scientist so their humor is definitely science specific. This story is unique because both Courtney and Grayson are treating their relationship like an experiment.
This is for anyone who wants low angst and mild drama. Even with the storyline it felt light hearted. I would rate this about a 3.75 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is for anyone who wants low angst and mild drama. Even with the storyline it felt light hearted. I would rate this about a 3.75 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 2, 2025
This was a really cute and spicy romance. The writing was well done and the characters are fun. I did struggle really getting into this book. Something about it just didn’t speak to me. But I know it is absolutely someone else’s cup of tea so do check it out if it sounds like something you would like! I am a mood reader so that may have been part of the problem too.
January 12, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! It was perfect with so much sweetness and it had so many parts that were more of a slow burn. It was a great read especially for those who like slow burn style books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sheri Tyler for giving me a digital copy to review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sheri Tyler for giving me a digital copy to review.
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January 13, 2025Normally I love a book that’s STEM setting but I just found these characters really hard to relate to. Maybe it’s the writing style, idk but it really didn’t hook me the way I would have liked it to. I didn’t finish this one unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into it.
February 15, 2025
I loved this romance. Courtney and Grayson were both working on a cure for cancer together. And long hours in the lab end up making things heat up between these two! I can't wait for more!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 17, 2025
The story of Grayson and Courtney. Both researchers and together when they are at the same destination wedding. A fun read, and I liked the setting and how it is told from both points of view. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
August 25, 2025
With way too many characters, One Cup of Chemistry by Sheri Tyler is about two cancer researchers who take an interest in each other after meeting at a wedding and decide to date.
Summary: Courtney Gillette and Grayson Stellar both work in cancer research and happen to have daddy issues. They meet at his sister's wedding and decide to experiment with being in a relationship.
Tropes/Genres:
• best friend's brother
• daddy issues
• cancer research
• contemporary rom-com
• set in Turks and Caicos
Review: To put it simply, Grayson and Courtney do not have chemistry. This feels more like a book for mass-introducing the characters in this universe, with the romance as bait. The plot also lacks proper direction. There are way too many characters to keep track of, which makes it harder to read.
Courtney is a hypocrite. Her daddy issues could’ve been written with less annoyance. I really disliked how she treated Grayson and never let him have the chance to speak. Her anger during the third-act almost-breakup was illogical, and I disliked how she made everything about herself. Her guilt and apology after her reaction were so eye-rolling – why is it all about her daddy issues? What's with the excuses? She acted like she was sorry for how she reacted, yet she actually took no accountability for her actions and blamed it on her father. Apart from her daddy issues and cancer research, she really lacks personality.
Grayson is a college professor, on top of being a cancer researcher. Well, there’s nothing special about him. He’s just a typical male lead who is too nice. He also has close to zero personality apart from being a reserved and logical guy who does everything in Courtney's interest. He also happens to have daddy issues! Wow! Whatever.
The two of them, paired together, lack chemistry. I don't see any sparks flying during the wedding, contrary to the book description. It doesn’t feel like they care about each other beyond sexual interests, apart from the narrative that they supposedly love each other. I also heavily dislike how they resolve their conflicts. The smut was also insanely bad.
My biggest issues with this story are the overload of characters with too little context and how uninteresting the main characters are. That’s it. The plot is kind of bland, but that's not the main problem. A bland plot can still be supported by strong characters, creating a nice story. The issue is that this book has both a bland plot and weak characters. It's neither plot-driven nor character-driven. It's just... bland and lacks a clear direction.
You see, the author had a trilogy published two years prior that is set in the same town as this one. Many characters that appeared here were there, but the author introduced all these characters with a severe lack of context. For example, who the heck is Chance? This feels like poor writing. It didn’t help that so many characters were related to each other in many different ways. There were so many names to remember. It’s quite a struggle. It makes it difficult to read this book without having recently read the other series.
In conclusion, I recommend this book to those who are interested in the best friend’s brother trope. It’s honestly not that bad, but it could’ve been better. I suppose one may call this book average, so that's how I'm rating it. I highly suggest reading the Coming Home trilogy first for less confusion.
Thank you to the author for the read.
Summary: Courtney Gillette and Grayson Stellar both work in cancer research and happen to have daddy issues. They meet at his sister's wedding and decide to experiment with being in a relationship.
Tropes/Genres:
• best friend's brother
• daddy issues
• cancer research
• contemporary rom-com
• set in Turks and Caicos
Review: To put it simply, Grayson and Courtney do not have chemistry. This feels more like a book for mass-introducing the characters in this universe, with the romance as bait. The plot also lacks proper direction. There are way too many characters to keep track of, which makes it harder to read.
Courtney is a hypocrite. Her daddy issues could’ve been written with less annoyance. I really disliked how she treated Grayson and never let him have the chance to speak. Her anger during the third-act almost-breakup was illogical, and I disliked how she made everything about herself. Her guilt and apology after her reaction were so eye-rolling – why is it all about her daddy issues? What's with the excuses? She acted like she was sorry for how she reacted, yet she actually took no accountability for her actions and blamed it on her father. Apart from her daddy issues and cancer research, she really lacks personality.
Grayson is a college professor, on top of being a cancer researcher. Well, there’s nothing special about him. He’s just a typical male lead who is too nice. He also has close to zero personality apart from being a reserved and logical guy who does everything in Courtney's interest. He also happens to have daddy issues! Wow! Whatever.
The two of them, paired together, lack chemistry. I don't see any sparks flying during the wedding, contrary to the book description. It doesn’t feel like they care about each other beyond sexual interests, apart from the narrative that they supposedly love each other. I also heavily dislike how they resolve their conflicts. The smut was also insanely bad.
My biggest issues with this story are the overload of characters with too little context and how uninteresting the main characters are. That’s it. The plot is kind of bland, but that's not the main problem. A bland plot can still be supported by strong characters, creating a nice story. The issue is that this book has both a bland plot and weak characters. It's neither plot-driven nor character-driven. It's just... bland and lacks a clear direction.
You see, the author had a trilogy published two years prior that is set in the same town as this one. Many characters that appeared here were there, but the author introduced all these characters with a severe lack of context. For example, who the heck is Chance? This feels like poor writing. It didn’t help that so many characters were related to each other in many different ways. There were so many names to remember. It’s quite a struggle. It makes it difficult to read this book without having recently read the other series.
In conclusion, I recommend this book to those who are interested in the best friend’s brother trope. It’s honestly not that bad, but it could’ve been better. I suppose one may call this book average, so that's how I'm rating it. I highly suggest reading the Coming Home trilogy first for less confusion.
Thank you to the author for the read.
February 17, 2025
I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I DNF'ed this at around the 20% mark. The pace was slower than I would normally like and the story just wasn't holding my attention in a way that made me able to power through the pace.
I DNF'ed this at around the 20% mark. The pace was slower than I would normally like and the story just wasn't holding my attention in a way that made me able to power through the pace.
January 1, 2026
Two intelligent scientist, best man and maid of honor, and throw in a destination wedding and sparks will fly! Welcome to the new Destination Wedding series by Sheri Tyler.
We jump into this novel with new main characters but we get the double wedding of Mara and Ford from Slow Simmer and Sonya and Max from Here’s the Scoop plus a few glances of Lianna and Kincaid from From Bitter to Sweet. All of them from Tyler’s Coming Home Trilogy. In this new series, we are introduced to Kincaid’s sister, Courtney, and Mara’s brother, Grayson. They are two cancer researchers working at different institutions looking for the same thing. A cure.
I went into this novel with only one expectation, the science part would be over my head. In the end, it wasn’t. I ended up enjoying that side immensely. Courtney and Grayson are two extremely intelligent people with intricate feelings. Both have their own set of problems, Grayson’s career pressure from his father and Courtney’s trust issues due to her father’s abandonment. While they do have crazy chemistry, the will they/won’t they vibe is thick in the beginning. Once they play a few interesting games of chess, the will they question is answered.
Once back home and thrust into day to day life, Courtney and Grayson slip into each other’s lives with a flourish. While they make room for each other, they also make decisions on their work/life balance. Grayson is drawn back into his love of music by picking up playing the piano again while Courtney makes an effort to bake something every weekend. I love that Tyler exposed all aspects of these characters lives. While their waking hours were full of work, hobbies, family, friends, and love, the pair was able to bring forth versions of themselves they never knew they could be. Some novels don’t delve into huge character development, but Tyler’s isn’t one of them. The way Tyler wrote Courtney and Grayson’s story in such a way that they were able to truly go through a metamorphosis was astonishing.
This is my first read from Sheri Tyler, but I will absolutely reading more from her. There are two other novels planned in this series, Say Cheese and Kebabs and Kisses. I can’t wait for more from this world Tyler has created.
I received One Cup of Chemistry for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
We jump into this novel with new main characters but we get the double wedding of Mara and Ford from Slow Simmer and Sonya and Max from Here’s the Scoop plus a few glances of Lianna and Kincaid from From Bitter to Sweet. All of them from Tyler’s Coming Home Trilogy. In this new series, we are introduced to Kincaid’s sister, Courtney, and Mara’s brother, Grayson. They are two cancer researchers working at different institutions looking for the same thing. A cure.
I went into this novel with only one expectation, the science part would be over my head. In the end, it wasn’t. I ended up enjoying that side immensely. Courtney and Grayson are two extremely intelligent people with intricate feelings. Both have their own set of problems, Grayson’s career pressure from his father and Courtney’s trust issues due to her father’s abandonment. While they do have crazy chemistry, the will they/won’t they vibe is thick in the beginning. Once they play a few interesting games of chess, the will they question is answered.
Once back home and thrust into day to day life, Courtney and Grayson slip into each other’s lives with a flourish. While they make room for each other, they also make decisions on their work/life balance. Grayson is drawn back into his love of music by picking up playing the piano again while Courtney makes an effort to bake something every weekend. I love that Tyler exposed all aspects of these characters lives. While their waking hours were full of work, hobbies, family, friends, and love, the pair was able to bring forth versions of themselves they never knew they could be. Some novels don’t delve into huge character development, but Tyler’s isn’t one of them. The way Tyler wrote Courtney and Grayson’s story in such a way that they were able to truly go through a metamorphosis was astonishing.
This is my first read from Sheri Tyler, but I will absolutely reading more from her. There are two other novels planned in this series, Say Cheese and Kebabs and Kisses. I can’t wait for more from this world Tyler has created.
I received One Cup of Chemistry for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 17, 2025
Another fantastic RomCom from Sheri Tyler (AKA Sheridan Jeane), an author I thoroughly enjoy reading. Her “The Way to a Woman’s Heart” series is excellent, and I like how she’s split this into a couple of trilogies, in the same small town with crossover characters.
One Cup of Chemistry is the first in the new Destination Wedding trilogy, introducing us to some new characters, Grayson and Courtney. They are chemists, on a mission to discover the cure to cancer. He’s a college professor, also doing research, and she’s working in a very important lab. When they cross paths at his sister’s wedding, she discovers he might not just be a hot love interest, but the third party scientist who could come into her lab to discover who is trying to sabotage Courtney and her team’s groundbreaking and life saving cancer cure… (seriously sabotaging and stealing)
Another great example of why I love Tyler (Jeane)’s writing so much. She’s able to combine the RomCom, steam, and the mysterious plot together to make such a fantastic read. I highly recommend picking up not just this one, which could be read as a standalone, but the whole previous trilogy (the rest of The Way to a Woman’s Heart series). They’re all so darn good!
Thanks to NetGalley and Flowers and Fullerton for the early copy. This is my honest feedback.
One Cup of Chemistry is the first in the new Destination Wedding trilogy, introducing us to some new characters, Grayson and Courtney. They are chemists, on a mission to discover the cure to cancer. He’s a college professor, also doing research, and she’s working in a very important lab. When they cross paths at his sister’s wedding, she discovers he might not just be a hot love interest, but the third party scientist who could come into her lab to discover who is trying to sabotage Courtney and her team’s groundbreaking and life saving cancer cure… (seriously sabotaging and stealing)
Another great example of why I love Tyler (Jeane)’s writing so much. She’s able to combine the RomCom, steam, and the mysterious plot together to make such a fantastic read. I highly recommend picking up not just this one, which could be read as a standalone, but the whole previous trilogy (the rest of The Way to a Woman’s Heart series). They’re all so darn good!
Thanks to NetGalley and Flowers and Fullerton for the early copy. This is my honest feedback.
dnf
May 22, 2025I went back and forth a lot on this book, and ultimately decided to DNF it at 45%.
During the first read, I had written a lot of notes about how confusing the plot was, who the characters were, missing backstory and how I was having a hard time getting into it.
When I went to look up reviews I saw that this was a common theme and that the author had rewritten the beginning to be more clear, and I could redownload the ARC. I did, and skimmed the changes but honestly it was still missing that "spark" to draw me in. I genuinely don't think I can start rereading from the beginning and give this an accurate review and I can't stay focused to keep reading
During the first read, I had written a lot of notes about how confusing the plot was, who the characters were, missing backstory and how I was having a hard time getting into it.
When I went to look up reviews I saw that this was a common theme and that the author had rewritten the beginning to be more clear, and I could redownload the ARC. I did, and skimmed the changes but honestly it was still missing that "spark" to draw me in. I genuinely don't think I can start rereading from the beginning and give this an accurate review and I can't stay focused to keep reading
May 11, 2025
Thank you, Flowers and Fullerton LLC and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of One Cup of Chemistry.
Unfortunately, this was not my cup of tea. It just read so so slow. The pace wasn't there, the plot wasn't there. I can't think of much that really held my attention. I finished the book reluctantly, but I found myself asking if I should just put it to rest throughout pretty much the entire read. It's a no from me, but I'm sure there's an audience out there for it... somewhere.
Unfortunately, this was not my cup of tea. It just read so so slow. The pace wasn't there, the plot wasn't there. I can't think of much that really held my attention. I finished the book reluctantly, but I found myself asking if I should just put it to rest throughout pretty much the entire read. It's a no from me, but I'm sure there's an audience out there for it... somewhere.
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