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How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business
When Lola moved back home to help manage her family's restaurant, Southern Charm, she didn't expect things to go downhill so quickly. But after a bad breakup, some questionable business decisions, and months of self-doubt, she's starting to think she's not cut out for this. If Lola wants her family restaurant to make it, she needs a miracle. Or, at the very least, some out-of-this-world luck.
Kal is smart, kind, and a complete outcast on his planet. As an expert in human studies, he's worked his way onto the team that sends terranauts to Earth...as a part of the admin pool. But when Kal accidentally launches a solo pod to Earth, with him as the only passenger, he has to put his knowledge of humans to the test in real time. Starting at a small family-run restaurant in Eastern Tennessee.
As Lola and Kal team up to save Southern Charm, they learn about love, taking chances, and what it means to be human.
Kal is smart, kind, and a complete outcast on his planet. As an expert in human studies, he's worked his way onto the team that sends terranauts to Earth...as a part of the admin pool. But when Kal accidentally launches a solo pod to Earth, with him as the only passenger, he has to put his knowledge of humans to the test in real time. Starting at a small family-run restaurant in Eastern Tennessee.
As Lola and Kal team up to save Southern Charm, they learn about love, taking chances, and what it means to be human.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
August 4, 2026
I first got to know of this book via Threads, where the author announced it as a response to really shitty AI generated art fart (let's call it fart, guys, come on, it's a disservice to actual artists to label it art 😭) where a grown ass man was holding a whisk upside-down. now, even if you've never seen a whisk before, it is quite obvious which part is the handle. what sort of person would get confused about that?
the answer is obviously, an alien who had landed on earth by accident!
tbh, I respect the level of spite required to look at a gen AI image and go, "you know what? I'm going to write an entire book about this." and this was, thankfully, a DELIGHT.
we follow Lola, who is trying to save her family's struggling restaurant in a small town and the aftermath of her making a wish on a shooting star (because what else can you do when you're broke asf?) luckily, her wish is fulfilled and the universe sends her an ✨ alien ✨
Kal accidentally ends up on earth after a job-related mishap, and he was such a cutie omg. he's literally cinnamon roll x golden retriever. I loved the two of them together. Lola is stubborn and so determined to solve everything herself. Kal, meanwhile, is sweet, optimistic, curious, and constantly finding joy in things.
Kal's whole arc was so sweet are you kidding?? 🥹😭 he's spent so much of his life feeling like a misfit on his own planet, and he lands on earth and his life changes for good!
BTW: this book needed MORE ALIEN BOYFRIEND NONSENSE!! you cannot give me this beautiful title and then only give me two major fake-boyfriend situations?? I wanted some more crazy alien bf shenanigans.
then everything wrapped up so quickly that I was sitting there like ?? that's it? how I wish we got an epilogue, because there are still some pretty big questions:
also... I think a sequel's in the works 👀 and I'm so ready for it.
── .✦ pre-read 𖹭.ᐟ
I've never got a book from netgalley faster than this... plus bad ai art and SPITE being the reason this book came into existence?? @author, you're a queen for this 👑
the answer is obviously, an alien who had landed on earth by accident!
tbh, I respect the level of spite required to look at a gen AI image and go, "you know what? I'm going to write an entire book about this." and this was, thankfully, a DELIGHT.
we follow Lola, who is trying to save her family's struggling restaurant in a small town and the aftermath of her making a wish on a shooting star (because what else can you do when you're broke asf?) luckily, her wish is fulfilled and the universe sends her an ✨ alien ✨
Kal accidentally ends up on earth after a job-related mishap, and he was such a cutie omg. he's literally cinnamon roll x golden retriever. I loved the two of them together. Lola is stubborn and so determined to solve everything herself. Kal, meanwhile, is sweet, optimistic, curious, and constantly finding joy in things.
Kal's whole arc was so sweet are you kidding?? 🥹😭 he's spent so much of his life feeling like a misfit on his own planet, and he lands on earth and his life changes for good!
BTW: this book needed MORE ALIEN BOYFRIEND NONSENSE!! you cannot give me this beautiful title and then only give me two major fake-boyfriend situations?? I wanted some more crazy alien bf shenanigans.
then everything wrapped up so quickly that I was sitting there like ?? that's it? how I wish we got an epilogue, because there are still some pretty big questions:
also... I think a sequel's in the works 👀 and I'm so ready for it.
── .✦ pre-read 𖹭.ᐟ
I've never got a book from netgalley faster than this... plus bad ai art and SPITE being the reason this book came into existence?? @author, you're a queen for this 👑
August 26, 2026
How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business, or HMFABLTCASTFB as I lovingly refer to it, is such a treat! This is a sweet, closed door romance that came about after the author saw a terrible AI image of a cook holding a whisk upside down. I’ve been following this journey on Threads from the beginning bra she there’s nothing I love more than spite and anti-genAI stance 😂
HMFABLTCASTFB is like if a Hallmark movie went sci-fi and really leaned into the emotions! Kal is an alien who accidentally finds himself working at Lola's failing family restaurant after an unexpected trip to Earth. Lola needs the help to keep her family's business afloat, and a fake boyfriend to keep her ex away. Kal needs a huge hug, a cinnamon roll, and to feel like he belongs somewhere in the universe. This book is so tender and lovely. The thing I loved the most was how willing kal was to Keep trying, even after he messes up. 🥺 This green guy had so much going on in his brain, but he kept fighting. I thought the romance was very cute, if a little insta-lovey. But I liked that Lola kept her priorities straight and her focus up, even with a hot tentacle man in her kitchen!
Honestly this was just a fun summer read! If I had a beach to read it on, it would’ve been perfect. There’s just nothing better than romance and keeping our robot overlords down another day. 💅
••••••••••••
I’m a simple girl—I see anti-AI and spite fueled alien romance and I simply must have it 😂💜 Thank you to the author for a review copy! I can’t wait 🤭
HMFABLTCASTFB is like if a Hallmark movie went sci-fi and really leaned into the emotions! Kal is an alien who accidentally finds himself working at Lola's failing family restaurant after an unexpected trip to Earth. Lola needs the help to keep her family's business afloat, and a fake boyfriend to keep her ex away. Kal needs a huge hug, a cinnamon roll, and to feel like he belongs somewhere in the universe. This book is so tender and lovely. The thing I loved the most was how willing kal was to Keep trying, even after he messes up. 🥺 This green guy had so much going on in his brain, but he kept fighting. I thought the romance was very cute, if a little insta-lovey. But I liked that Lola kept her priorities straight and her focus up, even with a hot tentacle man in her kitchen!
Honestly this was just a fun summer read! If I had a beach to read it on, it would’ve been perfect. There’s just nothing better than romance and keeping our robot overlords down another day. 💅
••••••••••••
I’m a simple girl—I see anti-AI and spite fueled alien romance and I simply must have it 😂💜 Thank you to the author for a review copy! I can’t wait 🤭
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ever since Hot Frosty, I've been looking for another story that has the same "doofy himbo with the heart of gold rescues sad and slightly uptight woman dealing with her trauma and they love each other a lot" vibes, and I'm happy to say that after all this time, I think I've finally found that story in HOW MY FAKE ALIEN BOYFRIEND LEARNED TO COOK AND SAVED THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
This is a cozy closed-door romance revolving around Lola and Kal. Lola is an overburdened eldest daughter who has returned home to run the family restaurant because of her father's cognitive decline. When she's not (unsuccessfully) trying to extend loans and grease the ever-rusting wheels of the place, she's taking care of her younger high school-aged brother.
Kal, on the other hand, is a neurodivergent alien who is often mocked by his people for being a fuck-up. When he comes to Earth, it's by accident, and while trying to course correct, he ends up in Roswell Falls, Tennessee instead of, well, Roswell, New Mexico.
I really appreciated how Kal's ADHD was handled, and I liked how Hawthorne showed how family responsibilities shift when a parent or guardian becomes ill. It made me think a lot about how many additional tasks I had to shoulder, in addition to my own day job, when my father got a terminal cancer diagnosis. Both characters brought something to the relationship: Kal gave Lola unconditional love and support, and showed her it is okay to be whimsical and goofy; and Lola gave Kal a sense of purpose and showed him that he can be successful at things (but that he also has inherent value as a person, successful or not).
My only qualm is that I wanted Kal to punch horrible Walter in the face with a tentacle and I did not get that. But I'm excited about the open-ending that paves the way for a sequel with Sel. Fingers crossed!
Thanks to the author for a review copy!
3.5 stars
This is a cozy closed-door romance revolving around Lola and Kal. Lola is an overburdened eldest daughter who has returned home to run the family restaurant because of her father's cognitive decline. When she's not (unsuccessfully) trying to extend loans and grease the ever-rusting wheels of the place, she's taking care of her younger high school-aged brother.
Kal, on the other hand, is a neurodivergent alien who is often mocked by his people for being a fuck-up. When he comes to Earth, it's by accident, and while trying to course correct, he ends up in Roswell Falls, Tennessee instead of, well, Roswell, New Mexico.
I really appreciated how Kal's ADHD was handled, and I liked how Hawthorne showed how family responsibilities shift when a parent or guardian becomes ill. It made me think a lot about how many additional tasks I had to shoulder, in addition to my own day job, when my father got a terminal cancer diagnosis. Both characters brought something to the relationship: Kal gave Lola unconditional love and support, and showed her it is okay to be whimsical and goofy; and Lola gave Kal a sense of purpose and showed him that he can be successful at things (but that he also has inherent value as a person, successful or not).
My only qualm is that I wanted Kal to punch horrible Walter in the face with a tentacle and I did not get that. But I'm excited about the open-ending that paves the way for a sequel with Sel. Fingers crossed!
Thanks to the author for a review copy!
3.5 stars
Want to Read
May 31, 2026Writing a book out of spite inspired by bad Ai art is amazing 🤌🤌! I cannot wait to read it!
August 6, 2026
☆ 4 stars
“As long as Lola was on Earth, I knew my home would always be there, too.”
I immediately knew that How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business by author Lacey Hawthorne was going to be a ‘must read’ book after learning that its existence comes from spite surrounding terrible Gen-AI garbage (referring to it as art is a great insult imo) book covers. I came into this story expecting a sweet, goofy time (which it was) and was immediately surprised at how tender and emotional it also felt. I was endeared from beginning to end at the heartfelt inner monologue and the many moments of reflection that will settle into your chest with its intended impact. The tone managed to perfectly balance its charm and wit alongside the despair and insecurity that comes with feeling like a failure. A lot of heart and intent has clearly went into crafting this heartwarming tale surrounding two characters who are opposites in every way, and yet are equally struggling to find where they truly belong in the world. This packs an emotional punch in just over 200 pages with the romance feeling warm and cosy in a homely setting that just adds to the environment. The emphasis on family and surrounding yourself within a community of people that believe in you even when you’re failing was such a lovely touch to be reminded of. I greatly enjoyed the descriptive moments of cooking and food which often found my mouth salivating and yearning to try the many delicious dishes being served on-page. This is such a great and fast-paced romcom for anybody that is new or familiar to the alien romance genre which I highly recommend picking up whenever the mood strikes. Plus… it’s never a bad thing to support human art in its many forms and give the finger to Gen-AI.
Kal was such a delight to follow with his inner-monologue resonating very deeply with me from the very beginning. Scorned and belittled by his peers in his home planet has left Kal yearning to find a home that will love and accept him without ridicule. I really felt for this sweet, kind-hearted alien who only ever wanted to be wanted and respected despite being prone to making mistakes. His clumsy tendencies made him all the more endearing to me and it was beautiful to see how bright and uplifting Kal continued to be in the face of his own struggles. His almost childlike wonder and joy at the simplicity of human life and all that planet Earth has to offer wonderfully highlighted how easy it is to take the beauty we have around us for granted. It broke my heart to see how deeply Kal internalised every negative opinion that has been ever directed towards him and the way this affected his own self worth. Getting to see him progression towards realising that being different doesn’t mean being unworthy or undeserving of love was everything that I yearned to see and more. Kal learning to be kinder to himself in all of his authenticity was beautiful to witness, and overall I loved getting to see this sweet soul feeling wanted and finding a home worth fighting for.
Lola was an equally wonderful character to follow whom I believe many readers will greatly relate to in one way or another. Being the eldest sister in her early 30s with a teenage brother, a father struggling with a life changing illness and a failing family business is a lot of weight for anybody to carry upon their shoulders. It definitely hurt to see how deeply she carried her burdens whilst feeling like she wasn’t in a position to ask for help or support. Lola is unknowingly (for a time) unaware of just how loved and encouraged she is by her peers and I loved getting to witness her realisation evolve as the story progressed. Family legacy and the connection that she has to her late-grandmother means the world to her and I definitely understood where many of her worries derived from as a result of those bonds. Getting to see her fall in love with her passion all over again and recognise that her lifelong dreams were in her grasp felt rewarding to experience after the uncertainty she endured within her inner monologue. Lola is a kind, empathetic and hard-working woman who deserves nothing but all of the good things that she stubbornly refuses to give up on. The compassion she extends to Kal as a complete stranger who is clearly in need of some support despite his oddities made her an instantly likeable character to root for. I loved getting to experience Lola’s progression and she comes to realise that everything she has ever wanted could be found in the home she initially tried to run far away from. Getting to see the business slowly begin to flourish as she’s surrounded by the people that she loves and who love her in return felt like the perfect way to conclude her story, and I was cheering in the moments that she made sure to secure her sweet alien man into that happy ending too.
My one complaint is the story did feel wrapped up a bit too quickly and conveniently to really feel its impact after all of the emotional developments that we undergo from beginning to end. I would’ve loved to have at least seen an epilogue to see what happens next for Lola and Kal as an unlikely (yet undeniable) pairing striving to make their connection work without revealing Kal’s true identity. Does he now live on Earth temporarily or permanently, reporting his findings back to the Exploratory Unit on Xaerea? Does the community of Roswell Falls ever discover Kal’s secret and accept him or does he forever stay in hiding? Does he at least reveal himself to Lola’s family and best friend so that she doesn’t need to lie to them for the rest of their lives?
Overall, How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business was the perfect palette cleanser that I wholly needed between two very long reads. There are some questions that I would love to see answered… however I’m also hoping that the ending suggests we may get another book centring around a different character/couple which I will absolutely pick up should that be the case.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.
“As long as Lola was on Earth, I knew my home would always be there, too.”
I immediately knew that How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business by author Lacey Hawthorne was going to be a ‘must read’ book after learning that its existence comes from spite surrounding terrible Gen-AI garbage (referring to it as art is a great insult imo) book covers. I came into this story expecting a sweet, goofy time (which it was) and was immediately surprised at how tender and emotional it also felt. I was endeared from beginning to end at the heartfelt inner monologue and the many moments of reflection that will settle into your chest with its intended impact. The tone managed to perfectly balance its charm and wit alongside the despair and insecurity that comes with feeling like a failure. A lot of heart and intent has clearly went into crafting this heartwarming tale surrounding two characters who are opposites in every way, and yet are equally struggling to find where they truly belong in the world. This packs an emotional punch in just over 200 pages with the romance feeling warm and cosy in a homely setting that just adds to the environment. The emphasis on family and surrounding yourself within a community of people that believe in you even when you’re failing was such a lovely touch to be reminded of. I greatly enjoyed the descriptive moments of cooking and food which often found my mouth salivating and yearning to try the many delicious dishes being served on-page. This is such a great and fast-paced romcom for anybody that is new or familiar to the alien romance genre which I highly recommend picking up whenever the mood strikes. Plus… it’s never a bad thing to support human art in its many forms and give the finger to Gen-AI.
Kal was such a delight to follow with his inner-monologue resonating very deeply with me from the very beginning. Scorned and belittled by his peers in his home planet has left Kal yearning to find a home that will love and accept him without ridicule. I really felt for this sweet, kind-hearted alien who only ever wanted to be wanted and respected despite being prone to making mistakes. His clumsy tendencies made him all the more endearing to me and it was beautiful to see how bright and uplifting Kal continued to be in the face of his own struggles. His almost childlike wonder and joy at the simplicity of human life and all that planet Earth has to offer wonderfully highlighted how easy it is to take the beauty we have around us for granted. It broke my heart to see how deeply Kal internalised every negative opinion that has been ever directed towards him and the way this affected his own self worth. Getting to see him progression towards realising that being different doesn’t mean being unworthy or undeserving of love was everything that I yearned to see and more. Kal learning to be kinder to himself in all of his authenticity was beautiful to witness, and overall I loved getting to see this sweet soul feeling wanted and finding a home worth fighting for.
Lola was an equally wonderful character to follow whom I believe many readers will greatly relate to in one way or another. Being the eldest sister in her early 30s with a teenage brother, a father struggling with a life changing illness and a failing family business is a lot of weight for anybody to carry upon their shoulders. It definitely hurt to see how deeply she carried her burdens whilst feeling like she wasn’t in a position to ask for help or support. Lola is unknowingly (for a time) unaware of just how loved and encouraged she is by her peers and I loved getting to witness her realisation evolve as the story progressed. Family legacy and the connection that she has to her late-grandmother means the world to her and I definitely understood where many of her worries derived from as a result of those bonds. Getting to see her fall in love with her passion all over again and recognise that her lifelong dreams were in her grasp felt rewarding to experience after the uncertainty she endured within her inner monologue. Lola is a kind, empathetic and hard-working woman who deserves nothing but all of the good things that she stubbornly refuses to give up on. The compassion she extends to Kal as a complete stranger who is clearly in need of some support despite his oddities made her an instantly likeable character to root for. I loved getting to experience Lola’s progression and she comes to realise that everything she has ever wanted could be found in the home she initially tried to run far away from. Getting to see the business slowly begin to flourish as she’s surrounded by the people that she loves and who love her in return felt like the perfect way to conclude her story, and I was cheering in the moments that she made sure to secure her sweet alien man into that happy ending too.
My one complaint is the story did feel wrapped up a bit too quickly and conveniently to really feel its impact after all of the emotional developments that we undergo from beginning to end. I would’ve loved to have at least seen an epilogue to see what happens next for Lola and Kal as an unlikely (yet undeniable) pairing striving to make their connection work without revealing Kal’s true identity. Does he now live on Earth temporarily or permanently, reporting his findings back to the Exploratory Unit on Xaerea? Does the community of Roswell Falls ever discover Kal’s secret and accept him or does he forever stay in hiding? Does he at least reveal himself to Lola’s family and best friend so that she doesn’t need to lie to them for the rest of their lives?
Overall, How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business was the perfect palette cleanser that I wholly needed between two very long reads. There are some questions that I would love to see answered… however I’m also hoping that the ending suggests we may get another book centring around a different character/couple which I will absolutely pick up should that be the case.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.
September 10, 2026
Rating~ 3.5 rounded up
This novella was such a wholesome read!
Kal stole my heart! I hated that he never quite felt like he fit in on his planet! The human suit sounded equally interesting and disturbing. I’m curious about how he fit into it. How he found himself not only on Earth but also at Lola’s restaurant was so humorous to me. I think he did a great job appearing normal!
Lola has so much on her shoulders! Trying to keep her family’s restaurant afloat is no easy task! I liked how she was confused by Kal at times but was always so kind to him!
The scene where she found out he was an alien was epic! The way they still found a way to work together while navigating their growing feelings was so sweet and endearing.
Thank you to NetGalley and L. Hawthorne Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This novella was such a wholesome read!
Kal stole my heart! I hated that he never quite felt like he fit in on his planet! The human suit sounded equally interesting and disturbing. I’m curious about how he fit into it. How he found himself not only on Earth but also at Lola’s restaurant was so humorous to me. I think he did a great job appearing normal!
Lola has so much on her shoulders! Trying to keep her family’s restaurant afloat is no easy task! I liked how she was confused by Kal at times but was always so kind to him!
The scene where she found out he was an alien was epic! The way they still found a way to work together while navigating their growing feelings was so sweet and endearing.
Thank you to NetGalley and L. Hawthorne Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2026
This was absolutely adorable!
As soon as I saw Lacey’s pitch for this book (against AI), I signed up immediately. And then I read the tropes and blurb and was sold even more.
An innocent, unknowing alien with no idea what the heck he is doing half of the time, who is always down on himself.
A woman in her early thirties who is trying to find her way back to herself.
This is sweet, emotionally driven, and such a lovely quick story! I loved the side characters just as much as the main characters as well! Jacob was adorable and reminded me of my sister who is 12 years younger than me.
I wish I got a TINY bit more out of the ending, as it was a bit abrupt, but other than that it was lovely!
Overall
4⭐️
🫑
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lacey for an advanced copy!
As soon as I saw Lacey’s pitch for this book (against AI), I signed up immediately. And then I read the tropes and blurb and was sold even more.
An innocent, unknowing alien with no idea what the heck he is doing half of the time, who is always down on himself.
A woman in her early thirties who is trying to find her way back to herself.
This is sweet, emotionally driven, and such a lovely quick story! I loved the side characters just as much as the main characters as well! Jacob was adorable and reminded me of my sister who is 12 years younger than me.
I wish I got a TINY bit more out of the ending, as it was a bit abrupt, but other than that it was lovely!
Overall
4⭐️
🫑
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lacey for an advanced copy!
Review of advance copy received from Author
How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business was a sweet, funny ride. I kept finding myself giggling at phrases used or circumstances that occurred. I will say, though, that there was a depth to the characters relationship progression missing in my opinion. It felt like we moved through things quickly and, if not skimmed across things, they were resolved more quickly than I was hoping for. I still had a great time reading this one, though! Definitely a good summer read!
August 25, 2026
3.75🌟 rounded. This book, which I’ve abbreviated to HMFABLTCASMFB, is pure comfort and felt like a warm, cozy hug! First off, I love the inspiration behind this book—written in response to some shoddy AI art featuring a backwards whisk. Kal’s lovable "himbo" energy was so cute, and watching him explore the human world and feel genuinely accepted was so heartwarming. Lola was sweet, driven, and changed how Kal thought of himself.. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a low-spice, easy-reading, and positive HEA that brightens your day. It also handles deeper, more grounded themes, like Lola’s dad navigating Parkinson’s and how their family adapts together. The ending leaves things open for more, making it such a sweet book to dive into!
August 9, 2026
A crash-landed, tentacled alien in a human disguise tries to “help” a thirty-year-old woman save her family business, a declining restaurant specializing in traditional southern US comfort food. While it’s quite cute, there’s no spice whatsoever, (which is a huge missed opportunity, imho, as it’s often those wild differences between species that make for the most interesting reads, but maybe this is a sci-fi romance gateway for the spice-averse.)
It’s heavy on family dynamic, expectations, and finding one’s place in the universe, but light on the romance aspect. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I received an advance reader copy from the author and Bookfunnel, and I’m sharing my honest impressions.
It’s heavy on family dynamic, expectations, and finding one’s place in the universe, but light on the romance aspect. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I received an advance reader copy from the author and Bookfunnel, and I’m sharing my honest impressions.
August 19, 2026
I found out about this book through a post on Threads way back, and I honestly wasn’t prepared for how emotional I would get while reading it!
I think it had some really beautiful moments and inspiring themes for being a shorter alien romance, which I definitely didn't expect going in. I also didn't expect it to make me reflect so much on myself. The plot is fairly simple, but the way it explores self-worth and the difficulty of asking others for help when you need it, even when it feels hard, really made it stand out to me.
That being said, I really wish the setting had been described more because it just felt like the world-building was a bit underdeveloped. I honestly think this could have been twice as long, just to give more room to explore the relationship between the main characters. Both the romance between the main characters and the relationships with the side characters was passed by so quickly that I didn't really have enough time to really become invested in them. I think I connected more with the main characters as individuals than I did with them as a couple, which isn't necessarily bad I just would have liked to see more chemistry between them because I thought the parts we did get were very cute and had a lot of potential to become something truly dazzling.
Kal is definitely one of the cutest alien MMCs I've encountered, and I really enjoyed how refreshing his character felt within the alien romance genre! Lola was lovely as well, but Kal totally stole the show for me. Would have loved to see them navigate their differences more and his alien side because the scenes when he is out of his hu-suit were very sweet 👽
If you’re looking for something cutesy and easygoing that will still make you feel and reflect on the little things in everyday life, add this to your tbr! :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Lacey Hawthorne for this eARC 🤍
I think it had some really beautiful moments and inspiring themes for being a shorter alien romance, which I definitely didn't expect going in. I also didn't expect it to make me reflect so much on myself. The plot is fairly simple, but the way it explores self-worth and the difficulty of asking others for help when you need it, even when it feels hard, really made it stand out to me.
That being said, I really wish the setting had been described more because it just felt like the world-building was a bit underdeveloped. I honestly think this could have been twice as long, just to give more room to explore the relationship between the main characters. Both the romance between the main characters and the relationships with the side characters was passed by so quickly that I didn't really have enough time to really become invested in them. I think I connected more with the main characters as individuals than I did with them as a couple, which isn't necessarily bad I just would have liked to see more chemistry between them because I thought the parts we did get were very cute and had a lot of potential to become something truly dazzling.
Kal is definitely one of the cutest alien MMCs I've encountered, and I really enjoyed how refreshing his character felt within the alien romance genre! Lola was lovely as well, but Kal totally stole the show for me. Would have loved to see them navigate their differences more and his alien side because the scenes when he is out of his hu-suit were very sweet 👽
If you’re looking for something cutesy and easygoing that will still make you feel and reflect on the little things in everyday life, add this to your tbr! :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Lacey Hawthorne for this eARC 🤍
September 7, 2026
This was a fun and cozy read! I’ve been following the writing journey on threads since the beginning and I’m glad I got to read an arc of it (even if I finished it after the release 🤣)
August 18, 2026
I swear I'm not a cold-hearted monster.
Yes, I don't read contemporary romance but I do enjoy romance in many forms of media, including in books. Yes, when I went into this book I knew it was going to be a light romance read, and I was ALL IN. This book has a fun premise that matches its respectively fun (and self-explanatory) title: Kal is an alien that by his own mistake lands on Earth. He immediately meets Lola - a woman struggling to manage her family's restaurant - and then love... happens?
Does this sound cute? Yeah, sure. My problem is... I can't stand incompetent men. With risk of sounding sexist, I can handle, and even find charming, when a female character is aloof and clumsy. Undoubtedly, it can cross the line to annoying quickly, but I usually give them more grace. Now... a grown 'man', boldly showcasing his ineptitude to function normally... please sir, get out of my sight.
Look, I understand that a quirky character can be rather fun to follow, even a stupid one can be (like Sadie, from the infamous series Cruel Shiftverse). What bothers me is Kal being stupid all around, touching stuff he should not be touching, having 0 spatial awareness, and then accusing his coworkers for giving him the stinky eye/disliking him. Geez, I wonder why?! (I wonder if all of my rant is PTSD from incompetent men on my college group works..? 💔)
I don't know if I found him more annoying being a complete mess on his planet:
"And, of course, I ignored the subsequent beeping that sounded a lot like a warning. I'm sure those things were unrelated. Purely a coincindence."
"Well, back to Plan A - slapping buttons and turning knobs until something happens." (this is how he got into this mess btw, but sure)
Or, after self-proclaiming being an expert (supposedly knowing more than all of his colleagues) on Earth, and then being absolutely clueless about its customs! Look, I think Kal being lost about 'earthling things' led to some undeniable fun moments with Lola, which I relatively enjoyed, but come on. IT DOESN'T ADD UP. He supposedly consumed a huge amount of human content (movies, series, read about it, etc), which led to him being a big fan of Earth, therefore dreaming of visiting it! And then I have to read that he doesn't know what cracking an egg is? OR WHAT IS A KISS??? Or other basic stuff that easily appears in such media? I guess because he is such an idiot on his planet, I don't have to suspend my disbelief that much to believe that he'd be an idiot on Earth, too.
Regardless, that's not just the issue. The biggest problem is why is he so admired about what is a kiss and affection in general...? They don't have that in his planet?? There's so little explained about where he comes from and their customs in order to make she-has-to-teach-him-simple-stuff moments, but if you spend more than 2sec thinking about it... it doesn't really work. Does it? He has a face like a human, arms, legs and body like a human too. The only difference is his skin color and that he has tentacles. You're telling me they don't know/or just don't kiss...? What... WAIT. Maybe they do, but they have been excluding Kal from such things because no one would like to do it with him 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺.
Would it be more ridiculous if I added that even though he didn't know what a kiss was, he always wanted to do a "pinky promise". Anyway... weird ass research Kal did in his planet.
I'm aware it's the book humor (it's a romcom afterall), but for the WHOLE book he is like this. I would innocently swipe to a Kal chapter and the first sentence would be: "I was doing everything wrong". GET OUT THEN. YOU ARE LIKE 30 YEARS OLD. It could have worked, but it gets so TIRING so soon. And no, I'm not sure what Kal's age is supposed to be (very few things are pondered on, if you are a picky reader I'll have a list at the end), but he full on acts like a 12y old:
"Be cool about it, though. Don't let Sel sense your desperation. She hates desperation.
- Can I please, please, please, pretty please put on one of the hu-suits?
I asked, immediately showing my cards as my hands and tentacles clasped together in a plea."
#freeSel
Not only is he a self-proclaimed walking disaster, but he has self-pitying contests with himself that are eye-rolling to read about. Again... his whole chapters sounded like this:
"Things seemed to work out best when I was hidden away." #damnright
"Whether on Xaerea or on Earth, it was the same. Always the same."
"Clumisness, carelness. Kal, the screwup, impossibly hopeless." #stinkymentality
"And even though she didn't know it yet , she would be right not to trust me - the perpetual screwup."
"You're a screwup and you always will be. You're an imposter, a fake."
Maybe I'm being too harsh on our MMC. This is just a fluff, cozy romance after all. And I'm sure there must be a considerable amount of people that love this type of love interest, but it doesn't work for me, individually wise. He's not a cute 'golden-retrivier-type'; he's more of 'I'm-a-clueless-lost-cause-that-at-least-is-still-willing-to-try'.
And this is where I start to compliment Kal. Yes, after viciously picking Kal apart and probably becoming something of an honorary Xaerean for it, I won't be blind to his good aspects. One of them is his willingness to try again. I feel like this characteristic is supposed to make up for all the incompetence he perpetually shows, but that's the attitude one should have if they find themselves being a Kal. I just think he should try harder. He made Lola happy, that will be the other one good thing about him.
Now... The romance. This section will be quick because there isn't a great deal to say about it. It's insta-love from both of their parts. Lola falls for him because in her words Kal is "incredibly kind and sweet and funny. (...) gorgeous and caring (...)", and because he contrasts drastically with her ex that treated her so poorly. But Kal's insta-love... it really feels like he fell for the first human he landed his eyes on.
I'm more than aware the book tell us that he fell for her because contrary to EVERYONE on his planet (really makes you wonder if the issue is a WHOLE planet and not just him, huh), Lola is actually a good person (aka is patient with him and doesn't put him down for his ingenuity and overall personality)... However, if the book lacks a serious development of their relationship that - oh man - feels so shallow and built on rainbow bridges that can't hold any weight, it will be doomed to make the reader wonder: "if Kal had met any other decent human being, wouldn't he have felt the exactly same for them?".
The final part was the worst - the pacing was bad. It was all so fast by the end - and yet, not fast enough. I was BORED. This book is short and is supposed to be a light read, but it was feeling like a chore at the end. The culinary contest is completely brushed over. Him helping her... what did he exactly do again? LOL. I understand that it's more about the emotional impact, the journey, the messages, etc etc, but it felt like the book build up to NOTHING. I'm tired.
My biggest compliments will go for the writing, that despite the pacing issues was GOOD. For Lola, because she was a realistic and a likable character to follow (and putting up with Kal's antics truly showed her good heart). And lastly, to Jacob, her teenage brother because he was the only sane one:
"And finally, that Kal soecialized in human studies, which explained why he was able to fit in among humans so well as he had.
- Not that well - Jacob said under his breath."
#clockhim
This may bother picky readers:
● There's no mention of how Kal understands our language (in this case english) and much less how he speaks it;
● We don't know Kal's age. He can be 10y as much as he can be 40y, I don't know how aliens age work, it's not really explained. I think we are supposed to assume it's the same as on Earth, or that it is equivalent to an appropriate age on Earth. One of his alien coworkers (Sel) says that she will be on Earth in seven "Earth" days... so time DOES work differently. How? Yawn. Doesn't matter. It's not the point;
● The reason why he (obvious?spoiler) stays at the end makes no sense. It's pretty much an open ending, which made me question what was the point, how would their relationship even endure... he is an alien after all... and... ugh. There are too many complications to think about that were not even brushed over.
Well... this is it. I won't part into a quest of finding a good (or at least) a well-fitting romance book for me to read, but... yeah. I survived it. I can go back into my cool heartless-monster-cavern now, so that's good.
Read it if you like:
♡ insta-love
♡ fake dating
♡ clueless, disaster of a man x strong, independent woman
♡ cozy romance with culinary contest
♡ no spice
Thank you NetGalley for giving me this e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
Yes, I don't read contemporary romance but I do enjoy romance in many forms of media, including in books. Yes, when I went into this book I knew it was going to be a light romance read, and I was ALL IN. This book has a fun premise that matches its respectively fun (and self-explanatory) title: Kal is an alien that by his own mistake lands on Earth. He immediately meets Lola - a woman struggling to manage her family's restaurant - and then love... happens?
Does this sound cute? Yeah, sure. My problem is... I can't stand incompetent men. With risk of sounding sexist, I can handle, and even find charming, when a female character is aloof and clumsy. Undoubtedly, it can cross the line to annoying quickly, but I usually give them more grace. Now... a grown 'man', boldly showcasing his ineptitude to function normally... please sir, get out of my sight.
Look, I understand that a quirky character can be rather fun to follow, even a stupid one can be (like Sadie, from the infamous series Cruel Shiftverse). What bothers me is Kal being stupid all around, touching stuff he should not be touching, having 0 spatial awareness, and then accusing his coworkers for giving him the stinky eye/disliking him. Geez, I wonder why?! (I wonder if all of my rant is PTSD from incompetent men on my college group works..? 💔)
I don't know if I found him more annoying being a complete mess on his planet:
"And, of course, I ignored the subsequent beeping that sounded a lot like a warning. I'm sure those things were unrelated. Purely a coincindence."
"Well, back to Plan A - slapping buttons and turning knobs until something happens." (this is how he got into this mess btw, but sure)
Or, after self-proclaiming being an expert (supposedly knowing more than all of his colleagues) on Earth, and then being absolutely clueless about its customs! Look, I think Kal being lost about 'earthling things' led to some undeniable fun moments with Lola, which I relatively enjoyed, but come on. IT DOESN'T ADD UP. He supposedly consumed a huge amount of human content (movies, series, read about it, etc), which led to him being a big fan of Earth, therefore dreaming of visiting it! And then I have to read that he doesn't know what cracking an egg is? OR WHAT IS A KISS??? Or other basic stuff that easily appears in such media? I guess because he is such an idiot on his planet, I don't have to suspend my disbelief that much to believe that he'd be an idiot on Earth, too.
Regardless, that's not just the issue. The biggest problem is why is he so admired about what is a kiss and affection in general...? They don't have that in his planet?? There's so little explained about where he comes from and their customs in order to make she-has-to-teach-him-simple-stuff moments, but if you spend more than 2sec thinking about it... it doesn't really work. Does it? He has a face like a human, arms, legs and body like a human too. The only difference is his skin color and that he has tentacles. You're telling me they don't know/or just don't kiss...? What... WAIT. Maybe they do, but they have been excluding Kal from such things because no one would like to do it with him 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺.
Would it be more ridiculous if I added that even though he didn't know what a kiss was, he always wanted to do a "pinky promise". Anyway... weird ass research Kal did in his planet.
I'm aware it's the book humor (it's a romcom afterall), but for the WHOLE book he is like this. I would innocently swipe to a Kal chapter and the first sentence would be: "I was doing everything wrong". GET OUT THEN. YOU ARE LIKE 30 YEARS OLD. It could have worked, but it gets so TIRING so soon. And no, I'm not sure what Kal's age is supposed to be (very few things are pondered on, if you are a picky reader I'll have a list at the end), but he full on acts like a 12y old:
"Be cool about it, though. Don't let Sel sense your desperation. She hates desperation.
- Can I please, please, please, pretty please put on one of the hu-suits?
I asked, immediately showing my cards as my hands and tentacles clasped together in a plea."
#freeSel
Not only is he a self-proclaimed walking disaster, but he has self-pitying contests with himself that are eye-rolling to read about. Again... his whole chapters sounded like this:
"Things seemed to work out best when I was hidden away." #damnright
"Whether on Xaerea or on Earth, it was the same. Always the same."
"Clumisness, carelness. Kal, the screwup, impossibly hopeless." #stinkymentality
"And even though she didn't know it yet , she would be right not to trust me - the perpetual screwup."
"You're a screwup and you always will be. You're an imposter, a fake."
Maybe I'm being too harsh on our MMC. This is just a fluff, cozy romance after all. And I'm sure there must be a considerable amount of people that love this type of love interest, but it doesn't work for me, individually wise. He's not a cute 'golden-retrivier-type'; he's more of 'I'm-a-clueless-lost-cause-that-at-least-is-still-willing-to-try'.
And this is where I start to compliment Kal. Yes, after viciously picking Kal apart and probably becoming something of an honorary Xaerean for it, I won't be blind to his good aspects. One of them is his willingness to try again. I feel like this characteristic is supposed to make up for all the incompetence he perpetually shows, but that's the attitude one should have if they find themselves being a Kal. I just think he should try harder. He made Lola happy, that will be the other one good thing about him.
Now... The romance. This section will be quick because there isn't a great deal to say about it. It's insta-love from both of their parts. Lola falls for him because in her words Kal is "incredibly kind and sweet and funny. (...) gorgeous and caring (...)", and because he contrasts drastically with her ex that treated her so poorly. But Kal's insta-love... it really feels like he fell for the first human he landed his eyes on.
I'm more than aware the book tell us that he fell for her because contrary to EVERYONE on his planet (really makes you wonder if the issue is a WHOLE planet and not just him, huh), Lola is actually a good person (aka is patient with him and doesn't put him down for his ingenuity and overall personality)... However, if the book lacks a serious development of their relationship that - oh man - feels so shallow and built on rainbow bridges that can't hold any weight, it will be doomed to make the reader wonder: "if Kal had met any other decent human being, wouldn't he have felt the exactly same for them?".
The final part was the worst - the pacing was bad. It was all so fast by the end - and yet, not fast enough. I was BORED. This book is short and is supposed to be a light read, but it was feeling like a chore at the end. The culinary contest is completely brushed over. Him helping her... what did he exactly do again? LOL. I understand that it's more about the emotional impact, the journey, the messages, etc etc, but it felt like the book build up to NOTHING. I'm tired.
My biggest compliments will go for the writing, that despite the pacing issues was GOOD. For Lola, because she was a realistic and a likable character to follow (and putting up with Kal's antics truly showed her good heart). And lastly, to Jacob, her teenage brother because he was the only sane one:
"And finally, that Kal soecialized in human studies, which explained why he was able to fit in among humans so well as he had.
- Not that well - Jacob said under his breath."
#clockhim
This may bother picky readers:
● There's no mention of how Kal understands our language (in this case english) and much less how he speaks it;
● We don't know Kal's age. He can be 10y as much as he can be 40y, I don't know how aliens age work, it's not really explained. I think we are supposed to assume it's the same as on Earth, or that it is equivalent to an appropriate age on Earth. One of his alien coworkers (Sel) says that she will be on Earth in seven "Earth" days... so time DOES work differently. How? Yawn. Doesn't matter. It's not the point;
● The reason why he (obvious?spoiler) stays at the end makes no sense. It's pretty much an open ending, which made me question what was the point, how would their relationship even endure... he is an alien after all... and... ugh. There are too many complications to think about that were not even brushed over.
Well... this is it. I won't part into a quest of finding a good (or at least) a well-fitting romance book for me to read, but... yeah. I survived it. I can go back into my cool heartless-monster-cavern now, so that's good.
Read it if you like:
♡ insta-love
♡ fake dating
♡ clueless, disaster of a man x strong, independent woman
♡ cozy romance with culinary contest
♡ no spice
Thank you NetGalley for giving me this e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
August 31, 2026
If this book hasn’t popped up on your radar yet, consider this your sign to give it a chance, especially because the story behind its creation is honestly too good not to support. Long story short: an AI-generated cover started circulating, an indie author basically went, “F*ck it, let me get it,” and voilà! So if you’re against AI-generated content and want to support an indie author instead, this is definitely a great opportunity to do so.
This story was sweet and cute! I really liked the idea of an alien suddenly dropping into your life and, somehow, helping you deal with your everyday life crisis without even realising he’s doing it. I liked both Lola and Kal, and I especially enjoyed their interactions. Lola is at a point in her life where, as the eldest, she feels like she has to take on a lot of responsibilities and somehow keep everything together. With the restaurant struggling and so much depending on her, it’s easy to see why she feels like she can’t afford to fail or let herself fall apart. What I appreciated most about her was that, despite feeling completely overwhelmed, she never stopped trying. She’s kind, empathetic, hardworking, and incredibly determined, and I really admired that side of her.
I also liked seeing her gradually realise that she doesn’t have to carry everything on her own and that she actually has a whole community of people who care about her and are willing to support her. Watching her slowly recognise that—and reconnect with the things she genuinely loves—was probably the sweetest part of her story. It felt like an important turning point for her, especially after seeing how much pressure she had been putting on herself.
And then there’s Kal, the wonderfully awkward alien who somehow manages to survive his journey to Earth and navigate human life without immediately giving himself away. I loved his curiosity, but there’s also a more vulnerable side to him that I really appreciated. Having spent much of his life feeling ridiculed and belittled for being different, Kal carries a lot of those experiences with him and struggles with his own self-worth. His clumsiness and almost childlike wonder made him incredibly endearing, and I loved seeing him slowly realise that being different doesn’t make him unworthy of love or of finding a place where he belongs. His presence also brings some life back into Lola’s world and gives her a new way of looking at things. Their interactions were sweet, and I enjoyed watching them become more comfortable and familiar with each other.
That said, while I thought their relationship was cute, I personally found it harder to see them as romantic partners. Even though they clearly became important to each other, their relationship felt more like a friendship slowly developing into attraction rather than something that had fully reached the "we’re in love" stage. There were moments for them to get to know each other, but I still wanted more time and emotional development between them. The relatively short amount of time they spent together also made it difficult for me to fully buy into how quickly their feelings progressed.
I knew going in that this was a cozy romance, so I wasn’t expecting a super detailed or complex sci-fi world. But… wow, this part was definitely very light. For example, we’re told that Kal has studied human knowledge and consumed quite a lot of human material, so I found it a little strange that he seems to know so much about humans and yet discovers some fairly basic things only when he experiences them firsthand. There’s a bit of a gap between the knowledge he’s supposed to have and the things he ends up learning along the way. The whole situation with kissing is a good example: I can understand him not knowing what it’s like to actually experience a kiss, but it feels strange that he wouldn’t even know what a kiss is in the first place, considering how much human knowledge he supposedly consumed.
I understand that keeping things light and simple works well for this kind of cozy romance, and I wasn’t expecting a super detailed sci-fi element. But at times, I found myself wondering if it was too simple. I think the story could have kept its cozy, uncomplicated narrative while still giving us a little more consistency and depth in this aspect.
Overall, this was a cute, cozy, and easy read, and I enjoyed spending time with Lola and Kal. I just wish the romance had been given more time to develop and that we’d gotten a little more substance from the sci-fi side, but especially from Kal as a character. I would have loved to see more depth and development from him throughout the story. Still, it was a wholesome read, and the story behind how this book came to exist makes supporting it even more worthwhile!
Thank you to NetGalley and L. Hawthorne for providing me with an eARC of this book.
This story was sweet and cute! I really liked the idea of an alien suddenly dropping into your life and, somehow, helping you deal with your everyday life crisis without even realising he’s doing it. I liked both Lola and Kal, and I especially enjoyed their interactions. Lola is at a point in her life where, as the eldest, she feels like she has to take on a lot of responsibilities and somehow keep everything together. With the restaurant struggling and so much depending on her, it’s easy to see why she feels like she can’t afford to fail or let herself fall apart. What I appreciated most about her was that, despite feeling completely overwhelmed, she never stopped trying. She’s kind, empathetic, hardworking, and incredibly determined, and I really admired that side of her.
I also liked seeing her gradually realise that she doesn’t have to carry everything on her own and that she actually has a whole community of people who care about her and are willing to support her. Watching her slowly recognise that—and reconnect with the things she genuinely loves—was probably the sweetest part of her story. It felt like an important turning point for her, especially after seeing how much pressure she had been putting on herself.
And then there’s Kal, the wonderfully awkward alien who somehow manages to survive his journey to Earth and navigate human life without immediately giving himself away. I loved his curiosity, but there’s also a more vulnerable side to him that I really appreciated. Having spent much of his life feeling ridiculed and belittled for being different, Kal carries a lot of those experiences with him and struggles with his own self-worth. His clumsiness and almost childlike wonder made him incredibly endearing, and I loved seeing him slowly realise that being different doesn’t make him unworthy of love or of finding a place where he belongs. His presence also brings some life back into Lola’s world and gives her a new way of looking at things. Their interactions were sweet, and I enjoyed watching them become more comfortable and familiar with each other.
That said, while I thought their relationship was cute, I personally found it harder to see them as romantic partners. Even though they clearly became important to each other, their relationship felt more like a friendship slowly developing into attraction rather than something that had fully reached the "we’re in love" stage. There were moments for them to get to know each other, but I still wanted more time and emotional development between them. The relatively short amount of time they spent together also made it difficult for me to fully buy into how quickly their feelings progressed.
I knew going in that this was a cozy romance, so I wasn’t expecting a super detailed or complex sci-fi world. But… wow, this part was definitely very light. For example, we’re told that Kal has studied human knowledge and consumed quite a lot of human material, so I found it a little strange that he seems to know so much about humans and yet discovers some fairly basic things only when he experiences them firsthand. There’s a bit of a gap between the knowledge he’s supposed to have and the things he ends up learning along the way. The whole situation with kissing is a good example: I can understand him not knowing what it’s like to actually experience a kiss, but it feels strange that he wouldn’t even know what a kiss is in the first place, considering how much human knowledge he supposedly consumed.
I understand that keeping things light and simple works well for this kind of cozy romance, and I wasn’t expecting a super detailed sci-fi element. But at times, I found myself wondering if it was too simple. I think the story could have kept its cozy, uncomplicated narrative while still giving us a little more consistency and depth in this aspect.
Overall, this was a cute, cozy, and easy read, and I enjoyed spending time with Lola and Kal. I just wish the romance had been given more time to develop and that we’d gotten a little more substance from the sci-fi side, but especially from Kal as a character. I would have loved to see more depth and development from him throughout the story. Still, it was a wholesome read, and the story behind how this book came to exist makes supporting it even more worthwhile!
Thank you to NetGalley and L. Hawthorne for providing me with an eARC of this book.
September 1, 2026
First of all, happy publication date! I wanted to get this title read sooner than I actually did; however, school came first. As soon as I was done with my last assignment, I was ready to start this book. As always, I am drawn in by a fun title, and this was no exception. Some may say they are cheesy and too long, but I personally love these long titles that set up everything thoroughly. It works especially well for a romance, as most of the time the book focuses on the relationship and not necessarily the actual plot. This book, surprisingly, actually did stay true to the title! It was about the budding romance between Kal and Lola, but more importantly, it was about Lola saving her grandmother's restaurant. Overall, this book was very sweet and an easy read. Kal doesn't mean to come to Earth, but an accidental ship launch sends him to Roswell Falls, Tennessee, where Lola happens to be. He is lucky enough that there are hu-suits, which can make him blend in as a human and not a green alien with tentacles. Kal then stumbles into her restaurant, where there just so happens to be a "now hiring" sign, and Lola puts him to work because he doesn't know what else to do. A small side note: for being such a human expert, Kal severely lacks knowledge of how humans behave and act. I feel like he should have at least known what cooking is!
As he continues to work for Lola, sparks begin to fly, with both of them helping each other in ways they don't expect. Both characters have a lot on their hands, with Lola and the failing restaurant and Kal with the fact that he is an alien on Earth, but they help each other get what they emotionally need. Kal shows Lola that it is okay to ask for help and that you don't have to do everything alone, while Lola shows Kal that it is okay to make mistakes and not be too hard on yourself. Everything is going well until they kiss and Lola accidentally reveals Kal's true form. She is clearly confused and scared because instead of a normal guy, she is greeted by a tentacled guy, but she still remains attracted to him. They continue to figure out how to save Lola's restaurant and prepare for a cooking competition for restaurants in her hometown, but at the same time, Kal is starting to retreat because his time is almost up. Another side note: I wasn't a fan of how the author didn't really show Lola and Kal talking through his departure. Once finding out Kal is an alien, he and Lola have an easier time communicating and understanding each other; however, that just stops once his communication device starts up again and he finds out he'll be leaving Earth. He just goes back to self-loathing and thinking that Lola doesn't deserve him, so he just leaves without saying goodbye. Luckily, that's not actually how it ends, but it just felt frustrating for him to fall back into that self-loathing. All in all, this book was what I expected it to be - a cute, straight alien romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
PS: Don't go into this book thinking you'll be getting any alien tentacle smut because, sadly, there is none at all. Just a few kisses here or there. It's still cute, though!!
As he continues to work for Lola, sparks begin to fly, with both of them helping each other in ways they don't expect. Both characters have a lot on their hands, with Lola and the failing restaurant and Kal with the fact that he is an alien on Earth, but they help each other get what they emotionally need. Kal shows Lola that it is okay to ask for help and that you don't have to do everything alone, while Lola shows Kal that it is okay to make mistakes and not be too hard on yourself. Everything is going well until they kiss and Lola accidentally reveals Kal's true form. She is clearly confused and scared because instead of a normal guy, she is greeted by a tentacled guy, but she still remains attracted to him. They continue to figure out how to save Lola's restaurant and prepare for a cooking competition for restaurants in her hometown, but at the same time, Kal is starting to retreat because his time is almost up. Another side note: I wasn't a fan of how the author didn't really show Lola and Kal talking through his departure. Once finding out Kal is an alien, he and Lola have an easier time communicating and understanding each other; however, that just stops once his communication device starts up again and he finds out he'll be leaving Earth. He just goes back to self-loathing and thinking that Lola doesn't deserve him, so he just leaves without saying goodbye. Luckily, that's not actually how it ends, but it just felt frustrating for him to fall back into that self-loathing. All in all, this book was what I expected it to be - a cute, straight alien romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
PS: Don't go into this book thinking you'll be getting any alien tentacle smut because, sadly, there is none at all. Just a few kisses here or there. It's still cute, though!!
August 4, 2026
I went in expecting just a fun romance and while I got that I also got to follow two characters going through their own emotional journeys of trying to figure out what they want their futures to look like and where exactly they belong. I really liked watching both Lola and Karl grow on their own and together throughout this book and found myself relating a lot to both of them in different ways. Kal’s self esteem struggles and clumsiness made him feel very real and gave depth to a silly little alien man. This was fun and had all the perfect amount of kitchen shenanigans and romance. Would definitely recommend this one to all the alien romance lovers out there!
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2026
Thank you to the author for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review!
I discovered this book, as many did, via an anti-AI post on Threads. I signed up for the ARC expecting just a silly little romcom that would be a light, fun read. Nothing too serious.
Instead I found the exact book I needed in this moment. This book is so human. Both main characters have relatable internal struggles. Lola has the weight of her family business on her shoulders, and Kal, sweet Kal, is constantly beating himself up.
I devoured this book in a day- it’s the exact kind of weird that really resonates with me.
I discovered this book, as many did, via an anti-AI post on Threads. I signed up for the ARC expecting just a silly little romcom that would be a light, fun read. Nothing too serious.
Instead I found the exact book I needed in this moment. This book is so human. Both main characters have relatable internal struggles. Lola has the weight of her family business on her shoulders, and Kal, sweet Kal, is constantly beating himself up.
I devoured this book in a day- it’s the exact kind of weird that really resonates with me.
August 19, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lacey Hawthorne for the ARC!!!🩷✨
4/5⭐️
Reading this felt like a warm hug in the best way possible! The story follows our wonderful characters Lola and Kal as they try to find a way to save her family’s restaurant, and I very much enjoyed seeing them grow together as they realise that they deserve love and it’s okay to accept help when you need it.🩷
The pacing felt just a little bit off to me, but I absolutely love that the idea for this story was born out of spite for bad AI art! I’m very excited to see what future books from the author will bring.🥰
4/5⭐️
Reading this felt like a warm hug in the best way possible! The story follows our wonderful characters Lola and Kal as they try to find a way to save her family’s restaurant, and I very much enjoyed seeing them grow together as they realise that they deserve love and it’s okay to accept help when you need it.🩷
The pacing felt just a little bit off to me, but I absolutely love that the idea for this story was born out of spite for bad AI art! I’m very excited to see what future books from the author will bring.🥰
September 1, 2026
I’ve been waiting for this book since the author first commented on a Threads post about a stupid AI cover, and it was so worth it!! Plus the cover is actually human made and beautiful 😍 The book itself is so cozy, sweet, and low stakes. No big scary bad guys, just a brief annoying ex. It would be the perfect palate cleanser for any romance reader but I think especially if you read monster/alien romances a lot (some of them can be a little heavy). Anyways, Kal and Lola are both such fun characters and I enjoyed reading about them and their individual growth. I’d love to read more about their future, and I’m kind of very hopeful for a book two after that ending…
August 31, 2026
Thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for my honest review!
👽 🚀
Okay I found this after the author posted on Threads about an appalling AI cover of a romance novel where the man was holding the whisk upside down 😂
•plot•
Then this story came about! And although Kal does not know what he is doing, he is doing his best! He crashed landed on Earth by accident and meets Lola, local chef. They are instantly crushing on each other, but something definitely feels off about Kal. Like his movements and skin? (He’s a tentacled alien in a human suit hahaha)
•thoughts•
This was truly darling. Fluffy and fun! Kal was just Ariel and wanted to be where the people are! Lola was in need of someone who would dote on her and be her cheerleader. My only tiny wondering is if it could’ve been longer? The entire plot was a tad rushed. Still a good time!
👽 🚀
Okay I found this after the author posted on Threads about an appalling AI cover of a romance novel where the man was holding the whisk upside down 😂
•plot•
Then this story came about! And although Kal does not know what he is doing, he is doing his best! He crashed landed on Earth by accident and meets Lola, local chef. They are instantly crushing on each other, but something definitely feels off about Kal. Like his movements and skin? (He’s a tentacled alien in a human suit hahaha)
•thoughts•
This was truly darling. Fluffy and fun! Kal was just Ariel and wanted to be where the people are! Lola was in need of someone who would dote on her and be her cheerleader. My only tiny wondering is if it could’ve been longer? The entire plot was a tad rushed. Still a good time!
August 8, 2026
I love that this book was created from spite and hatred of AI book covers. Also, love that this is set in the Smoky Mountains. That being said, I probably should have looked at the author’s other books to see if this was for me.
The story was cute, but it felt like the romance was an afterthought. The MMCs don’t actually have a lot of scenes talking and getting to know each other. There’s very little flirting and I have a hard time with books where they say “I love you” after just a few kisses.
If you want a story of personal growth and finding a place that accepts you, that’s what this book is really about. The majority of the plot revolves around saving the FMC’s family restaurant after her dad gets sick and her feeling like she’s disappointing her late grandmother.
The story also barely touches on the promised fake boyfriend in the title. It’s just two small scenes.
So, while not for me, this is great for people who want a sweet, no spice story and could be a good entry point for alien romance.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
The story was cute, but it felt like the romance was an afterthought. The MMCs don’t actually have a lot of scenes talking and getting to know each other. There’s very little flirting and I have a hard time with books where they say “I love you” after just a few kisses.
If you want a story of personal growth and finding a place that accepts you, that’s what this book is really about. The majority of the plot revolves around saving the FMC’s family restaurant after her dad gets sick and her feeling like she’s disappointing her late grandmother.
The story also barely touches on the promised fake boyfriend in the title. It’s just two small scenes.
So, while not for me, this is great for people who want a sweet, no spice story and could be a good entry point for alien romance.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
September 1, 2026
Oh my goodness, this book is so cute!
Knowing the origin story of this book, I was expecting it to be a bit like a gag gift, something fun but flawed because the story behind it was interesting.
I was wrong. The story was great, super cute. I had moments of literally laughing out loud. I felt both Kal and Lola's pain and insecurities so acutely. I read parts of it really, really fast because the anticipation was too much to bear.
Thank you for letting me ARC read this tiny masterpiece.
Knowing the origin story of this book, I was expecting it to be a bit like a gag gift, something fun but flawed because the story behind it was interesting.
I was wrong. The story was great, super cute. I had moments of literally laughing out loud. I felt both Kal and Lola's pain and insecurities so acutely. I read parts of it really, really fast because the anticipation was too much to bear.
Thank you for letting me ARC read this tiny masterpiece.
September 5, 2026
Spice rating: 1 (There's kissing and the MCs sleep in the same bed, but no sex on page or off)
I've been following the progress of HMFABLTCASTFB, aka the "hot alien chef book", for months, from concept to completion. I stayed up until midnight on the day it released just so I could download it immediately. I have zero regrets about it.
The author, Lacey Hawthorn, initially posted a screenshot of an AI-slop monstrosity of a book cover on the Threads social media platform with the caption "But why is he f*cking stupid?" The image depicted a man and a woman standing at a kitchen counter. The man was stirring something in a mixing bowl with a whisk, but the whisk was upside down. (There were also a suspiciously odd number of fingers on the woman's left hand).
The answer to the question is that the man in the image was f*cking stupid because generative AI (ChatGPT, Midjourney, etc.) is also f*cking stupid. Later, Ms. Hawthorne stated that the image made her want to write a romance about an alien who got dropped off at the back of a restaurant and was mistaken for the new line cook.
And that's exactly what she did, giving the middle finger to AI in the process.
The story takes place in the small town of Roswell Falls, Tennessee. Our FMC, Lola, is the quentessential Eldest Daughter who feels compelled to carry the weight of saving the failing family restaurant on her shoulders. Like many eldest daughters, she also feels pressure to do everything by herself in an effort to avoid burdening her family. When her grumpy jerk of a line cook quits in the middle of a shift, Lola has to put the skills she learned over the course of a lifetime--first cooking alongside her grandmother and, later, in culinary school--to the test.
Kal, our alien MMC, might be a cinnamon roll, but he's also a walking disaster. In a culture that demands perfection and values following rules over individuality, Kal is as out of place as it's possible to be. Clumsy and a bit scatterbrained, Kal is very nerodivergent-coded, but his determination to maintain a cheerful demeanor, even in the face of constant criticism from his coworkers, makes him endearing rather than pathetic.
Kal's accidental space flight and subsequent crash landing on Earth is the result of a comedy of errors. And when I say it's a comedy, I mean I was genuinely laughing out loud, especially during the scene where he accidentally gets stuck in the space pod. So. Many. OSHA violations. 😂
When the pod enters Earth's atmosphere one night, Lola and her younger brother are among the few to notice the flickering lights and other strange phenomena that go with it. But as anyone from Appalachia will tell you--If you hear or see it, no you didn't. Lola and her brother studiously ignore the creepy weirdness and go about their business.
The next day, Kal shows up in front of the restaurant and Lola assumes he's there about the Help Wanted sign posted on the door. More hilarity ensues as Kal tries to navigate his way around a human kitchen and cooking human food. It does not go well.
Over the course of the book, Lola learns that it's okay to ask for help and that accepting it doesn't mean she's a burden or a failure. Meanwhile, Kal experiences genuine acceptance with Lola and her family. For the first time in his life, his mistakes are treated as mistakes that can be corrected instead of evidence that he's a failure.
Despite following the development of this book from concept to final product, I was completely unprepared for the emotional roller-coaster that is How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business. I expected a fun, light-hearted alien romance. What I got was deep in my feelings for a green, tentacled alien with anxiety who desperately wants to find a place where he fits in, and a burned-out, pink-haired chef finding herself and rediscovering her passion for cooking.
The "hot alien chef book" is a sweet, tender, cozy story about two people who are trying their best to handle everything life throws at them and finding love along the way. I rarely give five-star reviews and the books that earn one have to be potentially life-changing in some way. How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business is a must-read for everyone who's ever felt out of step with the rest of the world or felt the pressure of living up to their family's expectations. If you've ever felt like an alien stuck in a human suit, this book is for you. How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business will make you feel seen, validated and maybe a littled called out, but in the best possible way.
HMFABLTCASTFB is also evidence of why it's so important to support the arts and why generative AI can never be anything but a poor, shallow substitute for human-created stories. The HFN ending leaves the door open for Lacey Hawthorne to give us a sequel or a series of interconnected stand-alone novels. I hope we get to see Kal, Lola, and the other residents of Roswell Falls again in the future.
I've been following the progress of HMFABLTCASTFB, aka the "hot alien chef book", for months, from concept to completion. I stayed up until midnight on the day it released just so I could download it immediately. I have zero regrets about it.
The author, Lacey Hawthorn, initially posted a screenshot of an AI-slop monstrosity of a book cover on the Threads social media platform with the caption "But why is he f*cking stupid?" The image depicted a man and a woman standing at a kitchen counter. The man was stirring something in a mixing bowl with a whisk, but the whisk was upside down. (There were also a suspiciously odd number of fingers on the woman's left hand).
The answer to the question is that the man in the image was f*cking stupid because generative AI (ChatGPT, Midjourney, etc.) is also f*cking stupid. Later, Ms. Hawthorne stated that the image made her want to write a romance about an alien who got dropped off at the back of a restaurant and was mistaken for the new line cook.
And that's exactly what she did, giving the middle finger to AI in the process.
The story takes place in the small town of Roswell Falls, Tennessee. Our FMC, Lola, is the quentessential Eldest Daughter who feels compelled to carry the weight of saving the failing family restaurant on her shoulders. Like many eldest daughters, she also feels pressure to do everything by herself in an effort to avoid burdening her family. When her grumpy jerk of a line cook quits in the middle of a shift, Lola has to put the skills she learned over the course of a lifetime--first cooking alongside her grandmother and, later, in culinary school--to the test.
Kal, our alien MMC, might be a cinnamon roll, but he's also a walking disaster. In a culture that demands perfection and values following rules over individuality, Kal is as out of place as it's possible to be. Clumsy and a bit scatterbrained, Kal is very nerodivergent-coded, but his determination to maintain a cheerful demeanor, even in the face of constant criticism from his coworkers, makes him endearing rather than pathetic.
Kal's accidental space flight and subsequent crash landing on Earth is the result of a comedy of errors. And when I say it's a comedy, I mean I was genuinely laughing out loud, especially during the scene where he accidentally gets stuck in the space pod. So. Many. OSHA violations. 😂
When the pod enters Earth's atmosphere one night, Lola and her younger brother are among the few to notice the flickering lights and other strange phenomena that go with it. But as anyone from Appalachia will tell you--If you hear or see it, no you didn't. Lola and her brother studiously ignore the creepy weirdness and go about their business.
The next day, Kal shows up in front of the restaurant and Lola assumes he's there about the Help Wanted sign posted on the door. More hilarity ensues as Kal tries to navigate his way around a human kitchen and cooking human food. It does not go well.
Over the course of the book, Lola learns that it's okay to ask for help and that accepting it doesn't mean she's a burden or a failure. Meanwhile, Kal experiences genuine acceptance with Lola and her family. For the first time in his life, his mistakes are treated as mistakes that can be corrected instead of evidence that he's a failure.
Despite following the development of this book from concept to final product, I was completely unprepared for the emotional roller-coaster that is How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business. I expected a fun, light-hearted alien romance. What I got was deep in my feelings for a green, tentacled alien with anxiety who desperately wants to find a place where he fits in, and a burned-out, pink-haired chef finding herself and rediscovering her passion for cooking.
The "hot alien chef book" is a sweet, tender, cozy story about two people who are trying their best to handle everything life throws at them and finding love along the way. I rarely give five-star reviews and the books that earn one have to be potentially life-changing in some way. How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business is a must-read for everyone who's ever felt out of step with the rest of the world or felt the pressure of living up to their family's expectations. If you've ever felt like an alien stuck in a human suit, this book is for you. How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business will make you feel seen, validated and maybe a littled called out, but in the best possible way.
HMFABLTCASTFB is also evidence of why it's so important to support the arts and why generative AI can never be anything but a poor, shallow substitute for human-created stories. The HFN ending leaves the door open for Lacey Hawthorne to give us a sequel or a series of interconnected stand-alone novels. I hope we get to see Kal, Lola, and the other residents of Roswell Falls again in the future.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned To Cook And Saved The Family Business by Lacey Hawthorne
This book was such an unexpectedly adorable little gem. I went in because the title alone made me curious, but I ended up completely charmed by Lola, Kal, and the wonderfully ridiculous situation they find themselves in. It has that cozy small-town rom-com feeling mixed with aliens, family drama, food, and plenty of humor, and somehow all of those things work together beautifully.
Lola has returned to Roswell Falls, Tennessee, putting her own dreams of becoming a chef in Nashville on hold because her family needs her. Her dad is dealing with Parkinson's, her mom is difficult even on the best days, her seventeen-year-old brother Jacob still needs looking after, and the family restaurant, Southern Charms, is struggling badly. Things become even more stressful when the chef walks out, leaving Lola with one more problem she absolutely doesn't need.
Enter Kal.
And honestly, Kal might be one of the most lovable aliens I've come across.
Kalexdyorn is an alien who has finally earned his chance to join an exploratory team after making more than a few mistakes along the way. He's clumsy, optimistic, endlessly curious, and basically has the sweetest golden-retriever energy. During his first opportunity to explore, an unfortunate accident involving a space pod sends him to Earth. To make matters even funnier, he means to travel to Roswell, New Mexico, but the computer interprets his destination as Roswell Falls, Tennessee.
So that's how a green alien with four tentacles ends up wandering around a small Tennessee town while wearing a human disguise.
I absolutely loved Kal's perspective. Everything on Earth is fascinating to him, and the way he tries to understand ordinary human things had me laughing constantly. His reactions to food, people, cooking, and everyday life were hilarious without making him feel stupid. He's genuinely fascinated by the world around him, and I loved how much joy he finds in things that everyone else takes for granted.
Then he literally walks into Lola's life because her Help Wanted sign blows into his face.
Of course, Lola's cousin assumes Kal is there to apply for the restaurant's chef position, and because Lola is exhausted, desperate, and running on fumes, she hires him.
What could possibly go wrong?
Pretty much everything—and that's what makes this story so much fun.
Watching Kal attempt to figure out cooking while Lola tries to keep her family's restaurant afloat was ridiculously entertaining. Their partnership slowly turns into something much more meaningful, and I really enjoyed the way their feelings developed. This isn't an instant, overwhelming romance. It's a gradual connection built through working together, learning about each other, laughing, and becoming increasingly important to one another.
Lola and Kal also complement each other incredibly well. Lola is stubborn, passionate, fiercely loyal, and willing to fight for the people she loves. Kal is almost the opposite in some ways. He assumes the best of people, embraces every new experience, and approaches life with an optimism that Lola desperately needs.
I especially liked how their relationship affected more than just their romance. Kal helps Lola see her family and friends in a slightly different way, while Lola gives Kal a place where he feels useful and accepted. Even the scenes involving Jacob added some great family humor. The sibling teasing felt especially believable and gave the story some lovely everyday moments amid all the alien craziness.
The whole thing has such a warm, feel-good quality. If you took a Hallmark small-town romance and added an accidentally stranded alien, a struggling family restaurant, and a ridiculous amount of cooking chaos, you'd probably end up with something very close to this.
And yes, Kal is absolutely the kind of character who makes you wonder what his next adventure would look like. While the story works on its own, I wouldn't complain at all if Lacey Hawthorne decided to continue with another book set in Roswell Falls. I could happily spend more time watching Kal navigate Earth, cooking disasters and all, while Lola and the rest of the family get pulled into whatever chaos comes next.
I had such a good time with this one. It made me laugh, it gave me characters I genuinely cared about, and the combination of family, food, romance, and alien absurdity was impossible not to enjoy.
Lola and Kal were an absolute delight, and I was genuinely disappointed when I reached the end because I wasn't ready to leave them behind yet. If you're looking for something sweet, quirky, funny, romantic, and completely different from the usual small-town romance, How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned To Cook And Saved The Family Business is definitely worth picking up.
This book was such an unexpectedly adorable little gem. I went in because the title alone made me curious, but I ended up completely charmed by Lola, Kal, and the wonderfully ridiculous situation they find themselves in. It has that cozy small-town rom-com feeling mixed with aliens, family drama, food, and plenty of humor, and somehow all of those things work together beautifully.
Lola has returned to Roswell Falls, Tennessee, putting her own dreams of becoming a chef in Nashville on hold because her family needs her. Her dad is dealing with Parkinson's, her mom is difficult even on the best days, her seventeen-year-old brother Jacob still needs looking after, and the family restaurant, Southern Charms, is struggling badly. Things become even more stressful when the chef walks out, leaving Lola with one more problem she absolutely doesn't need.
Enter Kal.
And honestly, Kal might be one of the most lovable aliens I've come across.
Kalexdyorn is an alien who has finally earned his chance to join an exploratory team after making more than a few mistakes along the way. He's clumsy, optimistic, endlessly curious, and basically has the sweetest golden-retriever energy. During his first opportunity to explore, an unfortunate accident involving a space pod sends him to Earth. To make matters even funnier, he means to travel to Roswell, New Mexico, but the computer interprets his destination as Roswell Falls, Tennessee.
So that's how a green alien with four tentacles ends up wandering around a small Tennessee town while wearing a human disguise.
I absolutely loved Kal's perspective. Everything on Earth is fascinating to him, and the way he tries to understand ordinary human things had me laughing constantly. His reactions to food, people, cooking, and everyday life were hilarious without making him feel stupid. He's genuinely fascinated by the world around him, and I loved how much joy he finds in things that everyone else takes for granted.
Then he literally walks into Lola's life because her Help Wanted sign blows into his face.
Of course, Lola's cousin assumes Kal is there to apply for the restaurant's chef position, and because Lola is exhausted, desperate, and running on fumes, she hires him.
What could possibly go wrong?
Pretty much everything—and that's what makes this story so much fun.
Watching Kal attempt to figure out cooking while Lola tries to keep her family's restaurant afloat was ridiculously entertaining. Their partnership slowly turns into something much more meaningful, and I really enjoyed the way their feelings developed. This isn't an instant, overwhelming romance. It's a gradual connection built through working together, learning about each other, laughing, and becoming increasingly important to one another.
Lola and Kal also complement each other incredibly well. Lola is stubborn, passionate, fiercely loyal, and willing to fight for the people she loves. Kal is almost the opposite in some ways. He assumes the best of people, embraces every new experience, and approaches life with an optimism that Lola desperately needs.
I especially liked how their relationship affected more than just their romance. Kal helps Lola see her family and friends in a slightly different way, while Lola gives Kal a place where he feels useful and accepted. Even the scenes involving Jacob added some great family humor. The sibling teasing felt especially believable and gave the story some lovely everyday moments amid all the alien craziness.
The whole thing has such a warm, feel-good quality. If you took a Hallmark small-town romance and added an accidentally stranded alien, a struggling family restaurant, and a ridiculous amount of cooking chaos, you'd probably end up with something very close to this.
And yes, Kal is absolutely the kind of character who makes you wonder what his next adventure would look like. While the story works on its own, I wouldn't complain at all if Lacey Hawthorne decided to continue with another book set in Roswell Falls. I could happily spend more time watching Kal navigate Earth, cooking disasters and all, while Lola and the rest of the family get pulled into whatever chaos comes next.
I had such a good time with this one. It made me laugh, it gave me characters I genuinely cared about, and the combination of family, food, romance, and alien absurdity was impossible not to enjoy.
Lola and Kal were an absolute delight, and I was genuinely disappointed when I reached the end because I wasn't ready to leave them behind yet. If you're looking for something sweet, quirky, funny, romantic, and completely different from the usual small-town romance, How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned To Cook And Saved The Family Business is definitely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Welcome to Roswell Falls, Tennessee, the friendliest place in the universe! Come for the food, stay for the friends and family you’ll make. In Lacey Hawthorne’s How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Save the Family Business, an intergalactic mistake crash landed in a small town and helped save someone’s family restaurant.
Lola needs help. She came back to run her family’s restaurant in a small town nestled in the Tennessee mountains, but is in desperate need of some life changing miracle from the cosmos if she’s ever to succeed. Kal feels like a misfit, and is a bit of a klutz. Everything he does, others look at him with disdain, and it doesn’t help that chaos follows him. When he accidentally got locked in a space pod, he has no choice but to go to its final destination: Earth. But even then, the place he wanted to go to was misinterpreted for another place, leading him to Roswell Falls. Together, Lola and Kal team up together, one cinnamon bun and upside down whisk at a time to help save her family’s business, and maybe cook up something else along the way.
This story felt like a Hallmark romcom movie. You get that sense of our main female character has to come back home after living her life in the city to help her family. She struggles to balance everything and doesn’t know what to do, but then all of a sudden some mysterious stranger, an alien of you will, drops by, and though they have their differences, they relate to each other on a level that transcends the cosmos. Together, they work together and help save her family business.
Lola is determined, passionate, loves to no ends, and is stubborn. Kal is optimistic, sees the best in everyone, and enjoys the little things in life that most of us tend to ignore. Who doesn’t love a golden retriever personality? Reading from their perspectives and having a glimpse at their inner monologues is hilarious, especially Kal's since he's looking at everything on Earth for the first time and everything is new to him. Together, they bring out the best in each other, and this relationship helps further cement a new appreciation in Lola’s relationship with her friends and family. Even her conversations with her much younger brother show that despite an age gap, we still resort to taunting one another, which is quite relatable if you have siblings.
Now the reason I chose to read this story was because the author saw an AI photo online of two people in a kitchen making something where the guy was holding a whisk the wrong way. The amount of spite to be so inspired to write an anti-AI story based on such an egregious photo is hilarious to me. We are living in a time where generative AI is taking over, and slowly eschewing those humans who have created something, whether it be a story, art, etc. in favor of something generic and lacking heart. The story that this author produced was something AI wish they could do, but they can never replicate what the human mind and heart are capable of.
While this may be a standalone, I could see the potential for it being a series in the daily adventures of an alien stuck in a small town working in a family restaurant. All in all, I enjoyed reading this story.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from Lacey Hawthorne and L. Hawthorne Books via NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.
Lola needs help. She came back to run her family’s restaurant in a small town nestled in the Tennessee mountains, but is in desperate need of some life changing miracle from the cosmos if she’s ever to succeed. Kal feels like a misfit, and is a bit of a klutz. Everything he does, others look at him with disdain, and it doesn’t help that chaos follows him. When he accidentally got locked in a space pod, he has no choice but to go to its final destination: Earth. But even then, the place he wanted to go to was misinterpreted for another place, leading him to Roswell Falls. Together, Lola and Kal team up together, one cinnamon bun and upside down whisk at a time to help save her family’s business, and maybe cook up something else along the way.
This story felt like a Hallmark romcom movie. You get that sense of our main female character has to come back home after living her life in the city to help her family. She struggles to balance everything and doesn’t know what to do, but then all of a sudden some mysterious stranger, an alien of you will, drops by, and though they have their differences, they relate to each other on a level that transcends the cosmos. Together, they work together and help save her family business.
Lola is determined, passionate, loves to no ends, and is stubborn. Kal is optimistic, sees the best in everyone, and enjoys the little things in life that most of us tend to ignore. Who doesn’t love a golden retriever personality? Reading from their perspectives and having a glimpse at their inner monologues is hilarious, especially Kal's since he's looking at everything on Earth for the first time and everything is new to him. Together, they bring out the best in each other, and this relationship helps further cement a new appreciation in Lola’s relationship with her friends and family. Even her conversations with her much younger brother show that despite an age gap, we still resort to taunting one another, which is quite relatable if you have siblings.
Now the reason I chose to read this story was because the author saw an AI photo online of two people in a kitchen making something where the guy was holding a whisk the wrong way. The amount of spite to be so inspired to write an anti-AI story based on such an egregious photo is hilarious to me. We are living in a time where generative AI is taking over, and slowly eschewing those humans who have created something, whether it be a story, art, etc. in favor of something generic and lacking heart. The story that this author produced was something AI wish they could do, but they can never replicate what the human mind and heart are capable of.
While this may be a standalone, I could see the potential for it being a series in the daily adventures of an alien stuck in a small town working in a family restaurant. All in all, I enjoyed reading this story.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from Lacey Hawthorne and L. Hawthorne Books via NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The song that I kept looping while reading this book was "homesafe" by VIBI. It just gave me the same happy vibes as reading the story. Plus, there's freckles!
Okay so, I really enjoyed this light-hearted romcom book a lot. There were some things that I thought could be better but overall it's still a fun story to read. It made me laugh, kick my feet up in joy, and also tear up a little. Super cute and perfect for a palate cleanser.
Premise:
Lola, the FL is struggling to keep her family business afloat. She has the eldest daughter syndrome, thinking she has to do her best and only her best and doesn't ask for help at all. She has her occasional moments of self-doubt but mostly, she's just so tied up in her own thoughts that she's boxed herself in problems. Then comes Kal, the ML who's seriously such a cutie! He's a ray of sunshine, a cinnamon roll and he's here to brighten up Lola's day. They then work together to save the family business, duh. Haha.
What I liked:
Lola and Kal were very cute together and I could see how much they complemented one another. Lola needed someone who reminded her of her beautiful things in life, to prevent her from closing off her true self to others. Kal with his sweet nature and gentle bumbling self is just perfect! Honestly I loveeee the two of them. Even if they were just platonic friends it would still be a 10/10 from me.
The characters were just so lovable and it made the story a fun read.
The story flowed nicely together up to a certain point. I was really invested in Lola reviving her restaurant and in Kal's Earth adventure. The emotional pull was there and I was rooting for them.
What I thought could be better:
Honestly, this story just needed MORE. More of everything! Despite it having a fake relationship trope, there wasn't enough fake alien bf shenanigans. There were only two big occasions whereby Kal and Lola had to pretend to be together and I wanted more fun mishaps in that nature.
There was also not enough of Kal exploring the weird customs of Earth. I wish there was more scenes of him looking at everything through rose-tinted glasses. I didn't feel there was enough moments of Kal's alienness. And on the same note, there wasn't enough of Kal's POV towards the latter half of the novel! It was mostly Lola's POV and her increasing fondness of Kal. I thought we'd see more of Kal's determination and growth into his own self but it was mostly a short chapter at the end.
Lola's backstory and struggles were repeated far too often imo. It was often a key point that the restaurant is struggling because she didn't want to change too much, and this point was repeated throughout. I suppose it's to reinforce the stakes involved to the readers.
The ending was abrupt and I thought the farewell could've been sadder haha. I smell a sequel though with Sel. Hmmmm.
All in all, a fun light-hearted read that I recommend! I would also like to thank the author for creating this story in pettiness after seeing that awfully generated AI story cause wow, this is way better.
--
Thank you to the publishers for sending me the eARC in return for an honest review via Netgalley.
Okay so, I really enjoyed this light-hearted romcom book a lot. There were some things that I thought could be better but overall it's still a fun story to read. It made me laugh, kick my feet up in joy, and also tear up a little. Super cute and perfect for a palate cleanser.
Premise:
Lola, the FL is struggling to keep her family business afloat. She has the eldest daughter syndrome, thinking she has to do her best and only her best and doesn't ask for help at all. She has her occasional moments of self-doubt but mostly, she's just so tied up in her own thoughts that she's boxed herself in problems. Then comes Kal, the ML who's seriously such a cutie! He's a ray of sunshine, a cinnamon roll and he's here to brighten up Lola's day. They then work together to save the family business, duh. Haha.
What I liked:
Lola and Kal were very cute together and I could see how much they complemented one another. Lola needed someone who reminded her of her beautiful things in life, to prevent her from closing off her true self to others. Kal with his sweet nature and gentle bumbling self is just perfect! Honestly I loveeee the two of them. Even if they were just platonic friends it would still be a 10/10 from me.
The characters were just so lovable and it made the story a fun read.
The story flowed nicely together up to a certain point. I was really invested in Lola reviving her restaurant and in Kal's Earth adventure. The emotional pull was there and I was rooting for them.
What I thought could be better:
Honestly, this story just needed MORE. More of everything! Despite it having a fake relationship trope, there wasn't enough fake alien bf shenanigans. There were only two big occasions whereby Kal and Lola had to pretend to be together and I wanted more fun mishaps in that nature.
There was also not enough of Kal exploring the weird customs of Earth. I wish there was more scenes of him looking at everything through rose-tinted glasses. I didn't feel there was enough moments of Kal's alienness. And on the same note, there wasn't enough of Kal's POV towards the latter half of the novel! It was mostly Lola's POV and her increasing fondness of Kal. I thought we'd see more of Kal's determination and growth into his own self but it was mostly a short chapter at the end.
Lola's backstory and struggles were repeated far too often imo. It was often a key point that the restaurant is struggling because she didn't want to change too much, and this point was repeated throughout. I suppose it's to reinforce the stakes involved to the readers.
The ending was abrupt and I thought the farewell could've been sadder haha. I smell a sequel though with Sel. Hmmmm.
All in all, a fun light-hearted read that I recommend! I would also like to thank the author for creating this story in pettiness after seeing that awfully generated AI story cause wow, this is way better.
--
Thank you to the publishers for sending me the eARC in return for an honest review via Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had so much fun reading How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned to Cook and Saved the Family Business. I knew right away from the cover that this was going to be a cute and lighthearted read - and I was absolutely right! Thank you, NetGalley, L. Hawthorne Books, and Lacey Hawthorne for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and with joy in my heart!
This book tells the story of Lola, a young woman in her thirties with a deep passion for Southern cooking. When her father becomes too ill to carry on in the family restaurant, Lola has to abandon her city-girl dreams to take care of the business. A bit downtrodden after a string of bad relationships, Lola wishes on a shooting star. What the universe gives her is much more than she originally bargained for - an alien boyfriend!
Kal is an alien from a planet unlike ours. He is a misfit there and feels that he has never truly had a place to call home. An accident on the job places him in direct orbit of Roswell Falls in the beautiful state of Tennessee.
This story is perfect for anyone who wants a lighthearted, wholesome, no-spice romance filled with baked goods and genuine comedic moments. One of my favorite aspects of this story was the well-crafted family moments. From discovering familial artifacts to family dinner, several moments made me emotional! Being from the South, I could genuinely feel a connection to Roswell Falls and its scenic, slow-moving pace. Moreover, the food! This author knows how to write about food! Southern food in particular has unique qualities as well as a history of a certain aesthetic - all of which were perfectly captured here! I genuinely felt like I was reading a story from the same small area I grew up in.
In critique, I would have to highlight the overall pacing. The middle section of the story dragged quite a bit, with re-hashing of the central themes of family, therapy through self-discovery, and fixing the family restaurant. Therein, it felt as if the balance between the romance and the central story with the restaurant were fighting. So much of the exposition was about the character’s romance that the new focus on the restaurant felt abrupt and rocky. The transition between the two felt as if one aspect was forgotten to focus on another. Moreover, the third act felt rushed and too easy. The story practically wrapped itself up within ten pages and didn’t feel satisfying after all the characters’ anxieties and build-up towards the final moment.
Overall, I would recommend this book based on its cozy atmosphere, wonderful descriptions of the South, and its wholesome romance. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to dive into monster romance, but doesn’t want to read anything too jarring or potentially uncomfortable! Plus, there are absolutely delectable descriptions of cinnamon rolls!
This book tells the story of Lola, a young woman in her thirties with a deep passion for Southern cooking. When her father becomes too ill to carry on in the family restaurant, Lola has to abandon her city-girl dreams to take care of the business. A bit downtrodden after a string of bad relationships, Lola wishes on a shooting star. What the universe gives her is much more than she originally bargained for - an alien boyfriend!
Kal is an alien from a planet unlike ours. He is a misfit there and feels that he has never truly had a place to call home. An accident on the job places him in direct orbit of Roswell Falls in the beautiful state of Tennessee.
This story is perfect for anyone who wants a lighthearted, wholesome, no-spice romance filled with baked goods and genuine comedic moments. One of my favorite aspects of this story was the well-crafted family moments. From discovering familial artifacts to family dinner, several moments made me emotional! Being from the South, I could genuinely feel a connection to Roswell Falls and its scenic, slow-moving pace. Moreover, the food! This author knows how to write about food! Southern food in particular has unique qualities as well as a history of a certain aesthetic - all of which were perfectly captured here! I genuinely felt like I was reading a story from the same small area I grew up in.
In critique, I would have to highlight the overall pacing. The middle section of the story dragged quite a bit, with re-hashing of the central themes of family, therapy through self-discovery, and fixing the family restaurant. Therein, it felt as if the balance between the romance and the central story with the restaurant were fighting. So much of the exposition was about the character’s romance that the new focus on the restaurant felt abrupt and rocky. The transition between the two felt as if one aspect was forgotten to focus on another. Moreover, the third act felt rushed and too easy. The story practically wrapped itself up within ten pages and didn’t feel satisfying after all the characters’ anxieties and build-up towards the final moment.
Overall, I would recommend this book based on its cozy atmosphere, wonderful descriptions of the South, and its wholesome romance. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to dive into monster romance, but doesn’t want to read anything too jarring or potentially uncomfortable! Plus, there are absolutely delectable descriptions of cinnamon rolls!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How My Fake Alien Boyfriend Learned To Cook And Saved The Family Business by Lacey Hawthorne, 30-year-old Lola is back in Roswell Falls Tennessee instead of being in Nashville trying to become a chef because her dad has Parkinson’s and her mom is a lot of work on a normal day and they need help with the restaurant and her 17-year-old little brother Jacob. since her dad‘s prognosis the restaurant has been going downhill ever since and it doesn’t help matters when the cranky chef up and quits. This is why she puts a help sign on the door and how it leads to her meeting Kal. Kalexdyorn is so excited because he has paid his dues for his past mistakes which there were a few, because Kal is a bit of a clutz but either way he is now on the exploratory team which he hopes will turn into him being an astronaut for his planet he is also an expert in humans and while on the tour his first day his nemesis cell agrees he can try on one of the HU suit which is a suit made to look like a human he picks an average guy suit and that’s exactly what he looks like he’s cute but in a forgettable kind of way so imagine his surprise when he trips hits a button on the pod that sends him out into space a pod that is computerized to go straight to earth when the computer ask him where does he want to go he cannot remember Roswell New Mexico and the computer thinks he says Roswell Falls and bang bam boom he lands smack dab in the woods in Tennessee. He is a green alien with four tentacles but the rest of him looks human just green so thankfully he still had on the suit and taking advantage of being on earth a place he only dreamed of going to he walks around the little town of Roswell Falls and smell something really delicious this is when the wind blows and Lola‘s Help wanted sign flies right into his face he keeps the paper but doesn’t read it and when he walks in to Southern Charms, Lola‘s family restaurant that has been in her family ever since her grandmother and it’s Lola‘s cousin who thinks he’s there for the chef job. Lola being overworked and stressed out talk to him for a few minutes thinks he’s very kind although a bit odd and hires him this is the beginning of what turns out to be a quirky slow burn sweet laugh out loud funny alien romance. I started this book yesterday and every time I put it down had to keep going back to read more of it I was so bummed when it was over but I’m hoping the ending is setting up for a second book I love a book with a bunch of lovable characters although her ex leaves a lot to be desired so I think that was the point of him being her ex. well this review is long enough I hope you read it if you did thank you so much. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sometimes, you’re in the right place at exactly the right time: ie me happening to be on Threads on the day that Lacey Hawthorne decided to let spite fuel the fire of her creativity, resulting in me signing up for the ARC and getting to experience this absolutely delightful story 🩵
From the very beginning, I knew these were characters I wound fall deeply in love with. Lola, our FMC, moved home to Roswell Falls to take over the family restaurant after her father begins to struggle with his Parkinson’s. She, like many of us I think, is struggling with the reality that her life isn’t what she thought it would be and truly at a loss as to get it back on the right path. She wishes on a star, and wouldn’t you know it? That star brings change…though maybe not in the way she expected.
Kal is the universes most adorable himbo and I will die on this hill. Sweet, kind, genuine Kal is our alien MMC, and I love him. From the beginning, he’s mired in anxiety and self hatred brought on by a lifetime of his peers telling him what a screw up he is. Then, he manages to accidentally launch himself into orbit and crash lands in Roswell Falls, and all of a sudden he’s got the chance to begin anew and immerse himself in the human culture he’s always loved. He is so freaking adorable and he made me want to stop and really begin enjoying the world around me the way he would, with genuine wonder and joy.
He and Lola meet entirely by accident when he comes into the restaurant and is mistaken for someone who wants a job. Luckily for him (and the plot), Lola is desperate and despite her initial misgivings, hires him on the spot. What transpires is a hilarious comedy of errors until they eventually find their rhythm and begin to grow together. Their relationship evolves from just boss/coworker when Lola runs into her terrible ex and claims Kal as her boyfriend. Eventually, Lola find out Kal isn’t exactly human, and despite everything, their relationship actually grows stronger. It was so so sweet to see the way they grew both as a unit and individually when they allowed themselves to let love buoy them.
This book was so much more than just a funny little romcom about aliens. It was full of excellent humor and incredible heart, and now all I need is for Hawthorne to either give me an extended epilogue (I NEED to know if they won the contest!) and/or a sequel where we find out if Sel is really the jerk she pretends to be. I’m so incredibly happy with this story and genuinely can’t wait for more.
From the very beginning, I knew these were characters I wound fall deeply in love with. Lola, our FMC, moved home to Roswell Falls to take over the family restaurant after her father begins to struggle with his Parkinson’s. She, like many of us I think, is struggling with the reality that her life isn’t what she thought it would be and truly at a loss as to get it back on the right path. She wishes on a star, and wouldn’t you know it? That star brings change…though maybe not in the way she expected.
Kal is the universes most adorable himbo and I will die on this hill. Sweet, kind, genuine Kal is our alien MMC, and I love him. From the beginning, he’s mired in anxiety and self hatred brought on by a lifetime of his peers telling him what a screw up he is. Then, he manages to accidentally launch himself into orbit and crash lands in Roswell Falls, and all of a sudden he’s got the chance to begin anew and immerse himself in the human culture he’s always loved. He is so freaking adorable and he made me want to stop and really begin enjoying the world around me the way he would, with genuine wonder and joy.
He and Lola meet entirely by accident when he comes into the restaurant and is mistaken for someone who wants a job. Luckily for him (and the plot), Lola is desperate and despite her initial misgivings, hires him on the spot. What transpires is a hilarious comedy of errors until they eventually find their rhythm and begin to grow together. Their relationship evolves from just boss/coworker when Lola runs into her terrible ex and claims Kal as her boyfriend. Eventually, Lola find out Kal isn’t exactly human, and despite everything, their relationship actually grows stronger. It was so so sweet to see the way they grew both as a unit and individually when they allowed themselves to let love buoy them.
This book was so much more than just a funny little romcom about aliens. It was full of excellent humor and incredible heart, and now all I need is for Hawthorne to either give me an extended epilogue (I NEED to know if they won the contest!) and/or a sequel where we find out if Sel is really the jerk she pretends to be. I’m so incredibly happy with this story and genuinely can’t wait for more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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