Side Order of Love

by Tracey Richardson

From the author of the runaway bestseller The Candidate comes the story of two women trying to find the right recipe for love.

Every week millions of viewers tune in to watch Grace Wellwood transform basic ingredients into delicious cuisine. Her latest cookbook is flying off bookstore shelves and her trendy Boston restaurant is booked months in advance. She knows how to cook up success, but she overlooks the basic ingredients to transform her private life into anything delicious--or even remotely satisfying.

During a long overdue vacation, determined to get her life into some kind of order, Grace retreats to a summer cottage in Maine. Cooking and contemplation are all she has on her mind.

Torrie Cannon has a great deal on her mind--by reputation, the pro golfer's focus off the green is on the ladies. One look at Grace promises a far more interesting summer than the Tour's young hotshot had anticipated. Torrie's bewitching charms are undeniably enticing. In spite of the sizzle between them, however, Grace is done with fast food relationships. What Grace wants is the one thing that has never been a specialty on Torrie's menu: love.

The glamorous worlds of haute cuisine and professional golf collide as Tracey Richardson explores the trust and sacrifice required before two women can choose more than a side order of love.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, LGBT, Lesbian Romance, Audiobook, Lesbian Fiction, Fiction

226 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 2009

About the author

I'm the author of several lesbian romance novels published by Bella Books, including the Lambda Literary Award finalists "Last Salute" and "No Rules of Engagement". I'm a voracious reader, even more so now that I've retired from a 27-year career as a daily newspaper journalist.

Reviews

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ Frankly i was bored with this audiobook. At the 75% mark nothing was happening and I gave up on it.
Perhaps it’s because it was an older book. My last two Richardson audios have been duds for me. I loved her newer books so I’m not giving up on her.

[Joc · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heart sank right in the beginning when I realised that Grace was involved with a married woman, less from an ethical point view and more from what it says about her self-worth. On one hand it gives Grace a strong realism as a character but on the other it diminishes my belief that there will be a happily ever after irrespective of the outcome of the book.

I carried on reading anyway and Grace, a celebrity chef, decides to get away from her life for a while and takes off to her friend's house on an island. While there she is asked to cater for a Women's Pro Golf event where she meets the organiser, Torrie. Torrie is a champion golfer who has a shoulder injury. Known as a player off the course, Torrie wastes no time in flirting outrageously with Grace.

There is a lot of angst and a lot of pushing and pulling between the characters, both main and secondary, but I found myself wanting to know what happens and not able to stop reading. I liked the way the characters were portrayed and how they developed even though I didn't always like them.

This is three and a half stars rounded up which is a good score considering that I don't really like books with infidelity, descriptions of food bore me (fortunately there weren't too many) and golf is like watching grass grow.

(Aside: it also fits into a number of bingo blocks. :-))

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't decide between 2 and 3 stars, so I'm going with 2.5 and rounding up.

My favourite interactions were between Grace and Trish, Grace and Aly, and anyone and Aunt Connie. Grace and Torrie just didn't work for me at all. Reasons in spoiler tag. And seriously, major, major spoilers there, so you've been warned.

This fell dangerously close to insta-love, and insta-love only works for me when both characters are feeling it. In this case, Torrie felt it, sort of (or after a few days, anyway), and acted like a child with a toy she's been told she can't have, shifting between wheedling and whining. I particularly didn't appreciate how she kept pushing when Grace kept telling her no, which trod dangerously close to the kind of behaviour from alpha males that drove me out of reading het romance.

But they have their night of passion, things are great, Torrie loves Grace even if Grace isn't ready to love her back. Except! The whole running away and licking her wounds when Aly baits her rather than believing Grace was just So. Damn. Frustrating. Yet another couple driven apart by something that could be solved with a single adult conversation. I may have found that easier to swallow in a New Adult book, but Torrie is 30, not 20, even if this is her first serious relationship. I have no idea why Grace took her back, and no idea why Grace loves her too. I like romances that build relationships so that we understand why they love each other. In this case, we just have to accept that it's because they say so.

This is one of those books where I recognize that it may just be an issue of it not being for me. The style is good, but the contents frustrated me so much that I whinged and whinged at one of you dear goodreads friends for three days (you know who you are) while I made myself read it all in the way to the end. I probably should have just stopped at the halfway mark instead. Live and learn.

[Angie Engles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Side Order Of Love is certainly okay and has likable enough characters, yet I can't quite give it four stars. There's something missing I can't put my finger on at this exact moment.

Still, there are some nice passages that jump out at me and have gone into my Kindle Highlights, more for the message than the writing:

-She couldn’t undo anything in her past now, but she could still make her own future. Or remake it into something different from the path she was on. (This attitude especially applies during the beginning of the New Year.)

-She just didn’t quite know how not to act like a jerk around Grace. She liked Grace. (Wow, do I get this!)

-She was ashamed to be carrying around this private pain for a woman who didn’t love her.

I read this last June and remember thinking, "What a sweet and sincere book." But...that's about it.

[Diana P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A romance with high doses of drama and angst that lacked of passion, love and intensity (at least mutual).

It’s been a while since a read a romance that felt so unbalanced. It was almost painful to get thru this “love story” that for the most part of the book seemed to portray an unrequited love with characters that didn’t have many likable features.

The best moment they had was their first interaction which was interesting and engaging but after that, the development of their relationship along with the chemistry that they were supposed to have seemed too weak.

I couldn’t sympathize with any of the lead characters for different reasons. Their personalities and attitudes were unnerving and I just couldn’t make myself like them for more than a couple of seconds. I’ll try to point out a few things that may explain my discomfort.

Grace. This character was supposed (I think) to create sympathy due to a bad experience she had with a married woman in the past and even though she had some reasons that explained her fears to be with someone else again, I think her attitude bordered on arrogance and even self-victimization, although I got the feeling that her attraction to the other lead was never strong enough and that was the biggest reason.

This character was also quite contradictory for me. Her reasons for not wanting to be with the other lead were understandable at some point but then confusing and unnerving. First one, she was hurt and almost traumatized by her previous relationship, however, she says that she realized it wasn’t love, so it was more about her vulnerability with that person but to me, it felt like she not only loved but was also still in love with her according to her thoughts/dialogues (contradicting) and finally her reluctance to give her heart. And second, she didn’t want to get involved with someone who was similar to her ex, however, when the other lead declared her love for her and acted like she was a queen (I’m serious), she didn’t want to hear those three words from her nor she wanted that kind of treatment from her because she couldn’t love her back, at least that’s what her internal dialogue proclaimed a thousand times (okay, I’m exaggerating but still more than enough times).

Torrie. She’s the womanizer who can have whoever she wants but the one she falls in love with (after 1 week) doesn’t want her. This character was meant to be a player but apparently she had stopped that behavior a while before she met the other lead, so her reputation was basically her weakness in the other leads’ eyes. Her attitude to me was interesting at first but then it was quite unnerving seeing her almost begging to be loved in return. I personally can’t sympathize with a character that acts so weak (even foolish) and lacks of self-worth. It was hard for me to like her.

The dynamic in this relationship for the most part of the book felt to me like a “please-love-me and I-can’t-love-you-back-but-I-wish-I-could thing”. It was quite distressful to read those parts. In fact, I think I went thru a cycle of pitifulness, irritation and sadness. (Ugh)

A couple of examples:

1. Grace: “I want to give you everything, but I can’t right now. I can’t give you my heart.” It’s too soon. But I would like to. Some day.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to.”
And then:
“I can’t go slow, Grace. I want you now. However much of you I can have.” (Pitiful)

2. “Torrie,” Grace began slowly. “I can’t make you any promises.”
“I know.” Torrie stroked Grace’s face, and her touch was both electrifying and reassuring. “I don’t know what happens next.” Grace swallowed. “If anything.”
Torrie’s smile was wistful, an indication that she was resigned to Grace’s reticence. “I know. But I love you, Grace. And I’ll wait for you for as long as you need.”
(It may sound romantic but… Idk)
Next:
Grace’s heart skipped at least two beats. “But I don’t—”
Torrie placed a finger over Grace’s lips. “I know, Grace. Just love me now. Tonight. With your body.” (Ooookay….)

There are several more dialogues and even internal ones that reassured the unrequited feelings or the intensity thereof in this story. Whether it was because it was too soon for Grace to embark herself in another relationship or because she felt Torrie wasn’t enough understanding, the lack of feelings she had for Torrie and Torrie’s needing attitude was just pitiful and unnerving to me.

Near to the 80% of the story things change a bit, they split and focus on their jobs (a lot of descriptions), almost a standby in the development of their relationship. While apart, Grace thinks Torrie never loved her because she wasn’t patient and supportive, so as a result she was a mistake she made, besides she wasn’t ready anyway. Later on, she admits she misses her but not enough to go after her. And Torrie, misses her and daydream about her while playing golf, again the same pattern in the emotional department. For a little while I thought (wishful thinking) maybe, just maybe there would be a plot twist and Grace would be the one who would go after Torrie, realizing that what she felt was much more than what she initially thought. Again, nope. So as predicted, Torrie couldn’t stand it anymore and had to go after her so they could be together. This time when they talked, Torrie once again proclaims her love and after a while Grace says she feels the same. That was quite hard to believe since I didn’t see any real development of her feelings for Torrie nor when that transition took place, so I’m guessing that it was meant to be understood from the couple of moments when she thought she missed her and that maybe she’d made a mistake letting her go? (only that she decided to leave things like that). Oh, well… Anyway, the end was rather sweet and nice and they finally get their happily-ever-after ending.

About the writing style; it was a third-person narrative, nothing remarkable but okay overall. Maybe the plot itself didn’t allow me to appreciate it more, I guess.

I can’t really recommend it since I didn’t enjoy it as I expected. So if the synopsis grabs your attention give it a try and judge for yourself, after all this book has nice reviews from other readers. :)

2.8

[Kylie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simply written, simple story line. Not sure what fictional world the author lives in where everyone is gay...

The whole plot felt predictable, like the author really wanted to stick to the Chick Lit format but with lesbians. Especially that ending, I just wanted to cringe. The story had no real depth.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this one. I was looking for some mild escapism and a combination of sports and cooking fit the bill. While the subjects didn’t go into too much depth, the main characters were fully versed in their respective subjects. Interesting age gap romance, a bit of unrealistic and predictable angst and loving but I enjoyed the read. One of the scenarios rang true for me so that helped. Good read.

[Maria Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy bueno

Me encanto la historia, muy bien contada. Los personajes te enamoran y te dejan querer saber más de ellos.. felicidades a la autora.

[Gayer Than Fiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again with the babbling in bed... I cannot rate this better than three stars if all of the rest of the ladies' characterizations is thrown out of the window between the sheets.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skimmed pages, got bored reading it, not realistic. Next!

[Xiaoqing · Rating 4 out of 5]

A celebrity friends to lovers story, with age gap, butch and femme, plenty of drama and angsts. Pro golfer Tori fell hopelessly and instantly in love with celebrity chef Grace, who was still suffering from her recent painful breakup from a three years relationship with a married lawyer. The couple met in a golf tournament, and the chemistry was undeniable. They later spent two weeks in a peaceful tiny island and were just about to start a romantic relationship when Grace's ex unexpected shown up and misunderstanding, anger, jealousy kept the MCs from meaningful communication, each longing for the other without reaching out. With the help of their best friends, the couple finally reconciled and expressed their mutual love. I love the flow of the story, but I would like to see more of the direct interactions between the MCs, how they overcame their fear and insecurities and gave love a chance. The romance feels a little rushed, and there are more physical attraction than actual everyday love.

[Nancy Lochmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profundo y divertido

Una novela bastante agradable. No buscamos todo tener una estabilidad en la vida y compartir todo los momentos con alguien.
Torrie y Trace se encuentran en un punto en su vida, cual de momento no es el más oportuno. Pero entre ellos hay algo más, pero grace no quiere dar el paso...
La novela se lee bastante bien, se te hace muy a menudo y a veces es muy graciosa. De verdad es muy recomendable

[Chelles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Side Order of Love ❤️

This was very cute. Grace and Torrie were just super fun to read! Their playful banter back and forth was very entertaining. It also added to the sexual tension that kept building up whenever they spent time together. Chef and pro-golfer...quite the matchup!! It was a wonderful story. I've only read a few of Tracey Richardson's books, but they were all enjoyable! I'm looking forward to reading more ☺️

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning to Love

Chef Grace Wellwood needs a vacation. Her stay on a Maine island is interrupted by an unscheduled catering of an LPGA golf tournament. Torrie Cannon is last years champion who is sidelined by shoulder surgery and serves as host. Can they find their way to trust and love.

[SUTTON (Kade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was sweet. I like the author. I appreciate character development. I like sports more than food but you can’t have it all. I liked the side characters (except the obvious). It was nice. And it includes a pet and a nice older person. Nice all around. And people eat more than just salad! Yay!

[Olivia Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the LPGA backdrop to this book, though it was very loosely tied to the story. I am a sucker for those syrupy sweet endings and I liked both of these women. Well done.

[Ilse Maury · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think is very predictable but it is so well written that I couldn't stop reading it. I just wanted to know what was going to happened next.

[Rey Hawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Donna Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I would connect with this better. The dialogue was weak for the potential it could have had.

[Alena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was a reread, but it it wasn’t the book I thought it was. Kind of meh, kind of unlikeable characters.

Now to try and find the book I was thinking of.

[Ayse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly traditional romance but I really lost interest part of the way through when Torrie said that Grace wasn't worth fighting for. What kind of romance has such a statement. I had no real interest in seeing them together after that, which was a shame because I liked the character of Grace. And the epilogue was ridiculous.

[J M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked the characters and the plot, but there is something that is holding me back from giving it another star. I was really pulling for the main characters to get together and have their happily ever after.

The supporting characters were well developed. I think that everything ended up "fitting" too perfectly.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay

I skipped pages with this one to me it just dragged on and I couldn't wait for it to end. I did like parts of the story but I really like was Aunt Connie reminds me of one of my relative.

[Tempe Luvs Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A celebrity chef and a professional golfer change their ways to find and fight for love. Some parts were a little sappy, but hey, it’s just fiction! This was fun, sexy and definitely romantic. I loved it. The audiobook narrator, Parker Everly, was awesome.

[Ulla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked "The Candidate" and some other of Tracey Richardson's novels but this, I'm sorry to say, was SO BORING from the beginning to the end!

[Ada · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was entertaining. Reading about all the food was probably the best part! The writing was not very good...