The Art of French Kissing

by Brianna R. Shrum

Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane has wanted to be a chef since she was old enough to ignore her mom’s warnings to stay away from the hot stove. And now she has the chance of a a prestigious scholarship competition in Savannah, where students compete all summer in Chopped style challenges for a full-ride to one of the best culinary schools in the country. The only impossible challenge ingredient in her Reid Yamada.

After Reid, her cute but unbearably cocky opponent, goes out of his way to screw her over on day one, Carter vows revenge, and soon they are involved in a full-fledged culinary war. Just as the tension between them reaches its boiling point, Carter and Reid are forced to work together if they want to win, and Carter begins to wonder if Reid’s constant presence in her brain is about more than rivalry. And if maybe her desire to smack his mouth doesn’t necessarily cancel out her desire to kiss it.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Food, Enemies To Lovers, Fiction, Realistic Fiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2018

Reviews

[••Camila Roy•• · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3.5/5

ARC provided by Edelweiss and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

You know what I love more than anything else in the world? Books! Among other things like writing, dancing, listening to music, eating....Okay eating is at the very top of the list. I love food more than people. And that is the reason I was drawned to this book.

We follow Carter Lane, a young girl who wants to become a chef. She gets the opportunity to compete for a prestigious scholarship in Savannah, in hopes of getting a full ride to one of the best culinary schools in the country. The only problem is Reid Yamada, her cute but irritating opponent. They engage in a culinary war and their relationship soon becomes about much more than rivalry.

This is a quick read. I liked the concept and it was entertaining. But the main character...oh my god. She was A LOT. Not saying I didn't like her but I had a hard time understanding her. She was very annoying for no apparent reason. Reid, however, was absolutely adorable and I loved him.❤️

Overall, a good book!

[♛ may · Rating 4 out of 5]

✔️ Book #5 done for the Contemporary-A-ThonBook for the challenge of: "read a contemporary from a new to you author"

this was so fricken cheesy (yes i deliberately chose that word) and i loved it, i dont even recognize myself anymore



- this book is like masterchef or chopped or any other cooking competition and my foodie soul was all here for it
- i LOVED the cooking and baking, i thought the author was able to capture the scenes really well. the havoc that usually arises in the kitchen, the hypnotizing smells, the fierce competitiveness that we all have deep down inside us
- this book made me really hungry so thats a warning
- dont read it at night when you cant go satisfy your cravings without your parents thinking you actually lost it
- the cover is fricken 12/10 i literally only picked it up bc of the cover
- this boy, reid MADE MACARONS FOR THE MC
- HE MADE HER MACARONS, IF THAT ISNT TRUE LOVE IDK WHAT IS
- marry him, sis
- lots of angst, its the whole enemies turned lovers, fantastic
- honestly this book is such a guilty pleasure read and i dont even care, objectively rating books is overrated anyways
- the friendships 😭😭😭
- i kinda wish we got to see more of carter's family and friends back home bc whatever little we saw of them was stellar and i wanted more
- also the romance was kinda served a little heavy-handed at times but by the end of the chapter when we were back in the kitchen cooking i was all 🙏🎈🙏🎊🎇🎉🙌🎊🙌🎉🎇🎈

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I am either super lucky to come across TWO romance novels in a row that I liked (never happens!), or I am currently just predisposed to consuming romance and can look past the genre limitations. What can I say - I liked The Kiss Quotient and I enjoyed The Art of French Kissing, although to a lesser degree.

The Art of French Kissing is a summery read, with cute banter, low stakes drama and yummy descriptions of food. The romance is set in a Savannah Culinary School where two dozen of junior high schoolers compete in a lengthy Top Chef-like contest for a scholarship. Carter and Reid start it off on a wrong foot (Reid is a Slytherin jerk), and their retaliation towards each other escalates rapidly and brutally. It's a competitor-to-lovers scenario, so you know what's what.

Like I said, this story doesn't break much new ground. Reid and Carter are very archetypal romance characters with a familiar romantic dynamic (she is blank good girl, he - a suave and cocky guy), and I do prefer more unique personalities in my books. But the novel has plenty good stuff to offer - food competitions! (Food channel junkies like me will enjoy the kitchen thrills), pop culture references, easy diversity of the characters, and macarons!

This book made me grin, made my heart pound during the challenges, it made me hungry. I had a great time reading it!

[✶Rachelle✶ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

**I received this eARC in exchange for my honest review**




A Chopped YA romance...yeah I can get behind this.

I love the Food Network. My favorite chef/show is Alton Brown's Good Eats. I even own several of his cookbooks, and all of his recipes I've tried have turned out fabulous (unlike another chef I know *coughGiadacough*). So hey...a YA about serious chef-ery? I'm on board.




Unfortunately....

I couldn't get on board with the main character




This book had a strong premise and a great start. However, there was a lot left unexplained for Carter's (our MC) actions, and I found her to be a very unlikable character. She was mad/furious/raging all the time, and for the most random and seemingly unneeded reasons. One thing I really didn't like is that she constantly took her anger out on the people around her without any negative repercussions and basically acted like a brat. She would lash out at her friends, but she especially lashed out at the love interest. Reid must really like this girl cause she dealt him a lot of crap and he took it like a champ. I know of zero teenage or adult guys who would put up with some of the stuff she put him through. She was always very stressed out and anxious (as I'm sure being in a serious Chopped-type competition would do to a person), but the stress and anxiety never were resolved, even after the competition was done. Between all the stress, anxiety, and rage, Carter's character was not very personable or relatable to the reader. I had a hard time caring about Carter, and actually found myself kind of rooting against her near the end of the book.


I kind of wanted to go all Alex Guarnaschelli on her ass.


If Carter's actions had been explained, or maybe if she wasn't so Rambo all the time, I feel like this would have been a much more cohesive story. Instead, I felt confused and like I was missing something because I couldn't understand why this MC had so much rage inside her.

On the other hand, Reid was absolutely adorable and can I order one of him with a side of bacon please?




-------------

A-freaking-dorable cover!

Yay a cooking romance =) *breaks out all the snack foods*

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued at a cover filled with macarons, but sold at the promise of hate to love.

I liked Carter and Reid. They have some excellent banter and the button pushing is perfection. Their chemistry is almost instantaneous and it was fun to read that play out. Especially when they stopped fighting and started flirting. There’s a fun and small, core group of characters and I liked most of them.

Plot wise, it was pretty good. I enjoyed the revenge-y parts {even though Carter WAY overstepped the boundaries and then acted like an ass when Reid called her out on it.} I was a little confused with the time span. There were a few mentions of it lasting a summer, but there wasn’t any concept of time, except for the timers in competition. For me, it could have been fleshed out just a bit more.

Overall, it was a quick and cute read with fantastic representation and diversity. I could have done with more at the ending {perhaps an epilogue?} as it did feel rushed, but I’m typing this up with a huge grin on my face.

**Huge thanks to Sky Pony Press for providing the arc free of charge**

[Amy Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know going into this book that I would adore it as much as I did! This story is about following your dreams no matter what comes up to make you feel less-than, even romance. I need this beauty in hardcover please! The cover is gorgeous and I can't wait to re-read this as soon as it comes out!

Carter Lane is seventeen and has been anxious ever since she sent in her application for a cooking competition where the prize is a full ride scholarship to Savannah's Culinary Institute. As soon as her acceptance letter arrives she is in an anxiety riddled frenzy. When she gets there it is like a dream until she meets Reid Yamada, her new number one nemesis. They both take turns sabotaging each other until the consequences are too much to bear.

Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Skyhorse Publishing for this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by the publishers for an honest review so thank you so much. Everything that is talked about is my own opinion

This book follows Lane as she enters a cooking competition against some of the best young chefs out there. She then becomes very competitive with her fellow contestant Reid. They start to sabotage each other's food and everything gets out of control. Lane is questioned if this is Hate or something more.

So I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. This book was freaking amazing! The friendship, romance and cooking aspect were all so amazing!

Lane is a very strong character, some of the things she done was very funny. She knew what she wanted and she got on with it. I also sometimes felt she was too stubborn at some times and really needed to just chill out.
Reid is our love interest and he was such a great character. He is from Japan and identifies as Bisexual talk about diversity. He is a really flirty but sensitive character and I love the fact we touched upon him crying because he was upset as we never really see males crying in books.

The relationship between these two charcters was very realistic. Things can pull you apart but it's about finding eachother again. There was a lot of chemistry between Reid and Lane throughout the whole story. I wouldn't say it was a slow burn romance but it's a contemporary so it was slow compared to other YA romance books.

I loved the cooking aspect of the novel. As a person that really likes to cook and bake I really appreciated the love of food expressed by the charcters.
I also really enjoyed the aspect of not getting something you want and losing, as this is mentioned a lot in the book.

Overall it was a really good story and I recommend you go and read it!

[The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

The Art of French Kissing by Brianna R. Shrum is a fantastic contemporary. I cannot even begin to tell you how long I have been waiting for a book about a cooking competition. Honestly, this one is exactly what I wanted with a high-stakes competition, a rivalry, and some mouth-watering descriptions of food. I wasn’t so sure about the main character at first, but she really turned around. This story is original and cute, and I definitely enjoyed it.

Full review on The Candid Cover

[Laurence R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed by this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew that it would probably be cute, fun, and that it would involve cooking. It was all of those things, but also so much more. The characters seem real and they’re likeable, even when they’re acting like jerks. The competition is interesting, even for someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy cooking (I love eating though). There is also an undeniable chemistry between the two main characters and it gave me so. many. feelings. I do wish that there had been a bit more about Carter’s friends and family, because these parts seemed a bit rushed and I would have liked to know more about them. Carter and Reid are also a bit annoying at the end and I kind of wanted to slap them both, but I quickly got over it. I’d definitely recommend this novel!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[pagesandteastains · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75/5 stars

First thing's first.

I thought this was based in France? Or at least some sort of French culinary school? Where was the French cooking?!



But I suppose I shouldn't complain as cooking has already been slashed through.



Oh, man. So let's see. I actually liked this book. It was like watching Masterchef but with all the behind the scenes and high school kids. I loved all the stuff related to cooking. And I loved all the references. I mean, Carter and Reid meet by introducing their Hogwarts houses! I MEAN. GOALS.

But then, our protagonist stuck out like a sore thumb and didn't let me enjoy the cooking and Reid. Carter in the entirety of this book is either being an absolute brat or raging. Oh, my God. The raging. I mean, I get why she's stressed - the whole scholarship and all - but girl. Calm the fuck down. I never understood her mood swings and her motivations. She took out her anger and stress by lashing out at her friends and was just a jerk most of the time. I don't get why Reid is into her. I just don't.

Carter was no Butterfree. She was an effing Charizard.



That's the only reason this isn't a 3 star read. But it reads quickly and if you like a quick (and love/hate) high school summer romance amidst a (SUPER AWESOME) cooking competition then go for it. I won't judge you.

Now I shall quietly leave you with this:

[Roobie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3 stars⭐

"He's just this guy here who went out of his way to completely screw me on day one."

"How did he screw you?"

"In the kitchen," I say. Then immediately. "DON'T. DO NOT."

That was a cute book that actually made cooking seem fun (see, mom, that was the way to go) and made me crave macarons BUT our main girl Carter was such an annoying character. She'd get mad over..well..pretty much anything and she just acted like a brat I just couldn't like.

I liked Riya and most of the other characters even though the book was a bit short to really get to know them. And of course my adorable baby Reid. A cute Japanese dude cooking for you? Yes please!

Overall I enjoyed it even though I'm not much of a cooking person and I wanted to smack Carter half the time. If you're looking for an quick, fluffy, fun read give this book a chance. And make sure you have snacks.

★Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book★

[Scrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by Edelweiss for a fair review.

All Carter Lane wants is to be a chef. She gets the opportunity to a challenge that could win her a full ride scholarship at the culinary school of her choice. Unfortunately Reid Yamada tries to sabotage her from the first challenge, leading her to a cooking vendetta. But being thrown together has Carter confused about whether she hates the guy or if she has other budding feelings.

The Story-
I am going to just flat out tell you that I love Chef Ramsey and his shows. I especially love Hell’s Kitchen, so this book was so perfect for me. The Art of French kissing takes the competition in Hell’s Kitchen mixes in some YA contemporary, adds a dash of the hate to love trope to make your heart feeling like a perfect soufflé.

There were two main focuses of this book, the food challenge and her relationship with Reid. This made for a very light, quick and easy read that had me wanting to cook up my own food. I wouldn’t judge a YA contemporary on it’s lack of deeper subject because there is a time and place for all types of stories, and this book puts me in a place of sitting on my back deck sipping some iced tea (it’s set in Georgia).

The fact that there were continuous challenges help drive the story. There’s a start and an end to look forward to as you anticipate who will be winning that scholarship, and by the end, while you’re still rooting for Carter, you can easily be happy with the competition winning as well.

If you are a fan of the hate to love trope like me then you might really enjoy this book. There were times when I thought Carter was taking it a bit too far, like, hey crazy, why don’t you change the focus of your attention back to the competition that is supposedly so important to you? But it worked, and it was cute. The dynamic of Carter and Reid went back and forth so much as they battled with the competition, miscommunication, and just teenage hormones. Speaking of those hormones, I appreciated how Shrum portrayed the characters (not specifying who, because that would be spoilers) to be respectful about sex and responsible enough to talk about prophylactics.

The Characters-
I loved that this book had these quirky characters that were young, talented, and driven but not in any sort of ridiculous way. Sure, to someone who doesn’t like cooking some of the competitions seemed a little extreme for someone who hasn’t gone through any technical training. But that’s just it, the whole premise is supposed to be a competition for a scholarship for dedicated kids who already have a talent for the cooking. So, in the end, I didn’t really find it too far fetched.

Sometimes I find it annoying that authors portray certain characters because they like a certain genre or have certain extra curricular activities that may classify them as “dork” “geek” etc. While our characters loved cooking, they did love some other aspects that may put them there. However, Shrum, left the classification completely out, as if hey, it’s totally normal for someone to like anime, Star Wars, books, Avatar, etc. The fact is, that when it was mentioned it piqued the characters interests, it did not classify them.

If you’re looking for some LGBTQIA+ rep, this book has it, not only is the Reid canon queer, but several other characters are described to have LBTQIA+ relationships. It’s all cute, and all the feels.

Soundtrack-
Hailee Steinfeld feat DNCE- Rock Bottom


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[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was some excellent writing. Such a fun read!

[The Holy Lyre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Umm so it went a little like this:
Pretty-cute cover
Annoying Female lead
Not-so-special Male lead
Petty fights
Cringy nicknames
Slow-burn romance

This was a quick read and quite likable too but the writing was so amateurish that I was close to losing interest in the beginning.

[Shorouk A · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was enjoyable . I liked it . It had tons of cooking and made me hungry 😀 but that's it . I couldn't find any thing else in it . The romance was good enough but I hated the fight between the two main characters.

For the characters, I loved Reid with all his adorableness . I didn't like Carter , she wasn't doing any thing right . The only thing I liked about her was her determination.The other characters were beautiful.I loved them and thier interactions. I wished there was more of the family aspects.

[mith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5ish stars! Was not a fan of the drama at the end but overall, AHHH, this was so refreshing! Really adored this one and I'm so glad bc it was one of my anticipated reads of the year. Review to come closer to release date!

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my review or rating.

Well the book started off promising and then faltered for me pretty early on. And even when the book tries to right-side itself it goes back down again due to the actions of the main character (Carter Lane). I did read the book synopsis so the author/publisher is up front about the fact that Carter is going to get revenge on a boy that screwed her over in a culinary competition she is competing in. The issue is for me, what the boy did was minor, he apologized repeatedly, and the actions that Carter took could have gotten him sent home so I was not on her side. But the words he used when talking to her were sexist so they pretty much cancelled each other out. There was also very little discussion of food to be had. I didn't get a sense the author was a cook. I wanted more descriptions of what the food they were making was and the ingredients they were using.

"The Art of French Kissing" has 17 year old Carter Lane going to Savannah, Georgia to compete in a culinary competition. Carter wants the win so bad she can taste it (pun intended). However, the first day of the competition, a rival, Reid Yamada lies about cheese she needs for a grilled cheese sandwich and she vows to get revenge on him. The revenge consists of Carter tripping the guy in a kitchen and I was not down for that. All I could think of was how he could have been hurt and injured someone else.

So most of this book is Carter hating Reid and doing things to get back at him and bah. It was not that interesting to me. Besides the big issue I really had is that they both like each other and you are supposed to be rooting for two people who acted like a couple of assholes towards each other when they first met and afterwards.

The competition is mentioned, but the author doesn't even bother describing the secondary characters beyond a few. And for me, I was more interested in two secondary characters (Will and Riya) than I was in Carter and Reid. I wish we had gotten a chance to know more than just four characters. We also have a bigoted ass in the competition which I think we are supposed to be happy gets taken down a peg by Carter, but she actually shoves this guy at one point and I just rolled my eyes. She goes around shoving and grabbing to the point I wanted to say "just because you are a teen girl does not mean you don't respect others spaces."

The writing is just okay. I wanted more description of the food, the recipes, I wanted to see why Carter was supposedly so good at cooking cause I didn't get that at all. I said in one of my updates, that a good idea would have been to end each chapter with a recipe of the food that Carter was cooking in the competition or something she mentions so that way there is a nice linkage there.

I also had a huge issue with most of the story reading about Carter's feelings of doubt, insecurity, and immaturity. I just was over it by the end of this book. You find out she's lashing out at Reid because even though he never said anything, she feels inadequate and like she shouldn't be at the competition. This comes out of nowhere by the way. I think it was just a justification for once again why Carter is an ass to Reid. It also doesn't work for me that it would be Reid making her feel this way since bigoted ass character flat out tells her repeatedly she's not good enough to be there, so her ire should really be focused on him.

The flow was not great. I thought things got better once Carter and Reid came to their "truce" and actually seemed to be working together and were not being jerks. Of course that all comes to an end due to Carter being an ass again. I was so happy to be done with this book.

This takes place in Savannah, but besides the author talking about how hot and humid it is, she didn't work a lot of the city in this book which is disappointing. Savannah is a great place to eat some Low Country food. I would have thought a culinary competition taking place in the south would have at least thrown a soul food or country challenge at the teens. Also speaking of the competition, it was not interesting at all. Probably because we only follow four (well five if you count bigot and okay six because the author does mention another female competitor by name) and you don't get a chance to really hear how others cook. I love Top Chef and other food shows like that so I was thinking this book would be up my alley. Instead I was just bored and really annoyed you had people hiding food and sabotaging recipes and the "judges" not saying anything about it.

The ending was okay, I just was glad to be done with this book when I finished.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Carter's shot at her future. If she won the competition, she would have a full ride to culinary school, which was an important step towards achieving her dream. The only problem came in the form of an extremely handsome teen chef, who was bent on challenging her every step of the way.

I am a fan of hate-to-love romances, and the pranks were sort of funny. However, I will admit that the story really picked up for me when Reid and Carter were forced to work together, and the angst was turned down a notch.

I actually loved Reid and Carter together. They shared a great dynamic, and I enjoyed the way they played off each other. There was one moment in the book, which stood out to me. It was depicting a sexual encounter, and there were so many things done well. We are starting to see more and more explicit consent in books, and I was glad to see it here, however, there was also this point, where the character checked herself, and made sure she wasn't getting caught up in the moment. There was something about the way it was done, which made a real impression upon me, and I think it's great for teens to see examples like this.

Now let's talk about Reid. He kept winning me over again and again. He would do these little things to show Carter that he cared, and I may have swooned or let out an audible "awww" here and there. He didn't just shower her with affection though, he supported her, and built her up, when she really needed it. Carter wasn't the most confident about her skills, and felt like she didn't belong in the competition, but Reid reminded her, that she earned her spot and deserved to be there. This helped her with her self-growth, and who wouldn't want a guy who not only makes you swoon, but also builds you up?

This was a pretty intense competition, and Shrum threw in a mix of challenges along with all the signature drama commonly found on any cooking reality show. That's why I loved the group of friends she assembled for Carter. Her core group was quite diverse, and they formed a bond over their love for food, never letting the competition sully their friendship.

It was great that Carter was able to find her "people" at school, but she was also lucky to have such an awesome family waiting for her at home. We only get bits and pieces of her family via phone calls, memories, and messages, but they are definitely a good bunch of people, who I would have liked to get to know better.

Oh! It was so hard reading the food scenes, because I just wanted to taste it all. Shrum paints a rich picture, and describes each dish in such detail, that my saliva glands were working overtime. I don't even like to cook, and I was sort of inspired to go make something.

And the ending! It left me in a really elated state. I mean, with an ending like that, it doesn't even matter what happened at any other point in the book. But seriously, this was a fun teen Top Chef, which made me hungry and left me with a smile.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Eileen (BookCatPin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there's one thing I can't resist hearing about it's the mention of food. The synopsis of The Art of French Kissing promises food galore and my favourite type of romance trope: hate-to-love. I had to see if it's as sweet as the cover suggest ;)

The story was simple and fast with plenty of food and romance. The writing was a bit bumpy at times but surprisingly it fit well inside the storyline. Even the characters' immaturities worked out.

Hands down my favourite part of The Art of French Kissing is the cooking. I loved watching the competition unfold. The tension in each challenge was palpable. I'm no chef but the techniques employed sounded precise and professional. I couldn't get enough of seeing the competitors create dishes from mismatched ingredients. The food seriously sounds beautiful and flavourful. I wish I could shove them all into my mouth!!

Carter is a very typical teenage girl with a big dream. She has the usual fears. While I didn't love how often her insecurities popped up it was sweet to see her grow to realize she can do it. "Because when you finally get what you've let yourself be desperate for, it makes the terror of wanting so. So. Worth it." (p. 222). She is capable if she set her mind to things and that includes her love life.

Reid Yamada is dreamy. Who doesn't love a boy that acts aloof but secretly makes you macaroons? I had some good laughs and heart flutters watching his rivalry with Carter turn into bantering and then something more. I wanted a little more background on Reid to get to know his motivations but overall he was a worthy opponent for our young chef.

I'd say The Art of French Kissing does live up to its cover. It's a cute and quick story that'll have you drooling. Don't read it on an empty stomach though as the detailed dishes will only make your stomach growl louder ;)

[Zoë ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so adorable, funny and unique!!

It was really fun to read about the cooking contest, it was like 'watching' a cooking show while also having the 'behind the scenes' which is very cool. The characters were also very cute and I definitely recommend if you like contemporaries and food! =D

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

♦ Video Review ♦

The Art of French Kissing was so delightful and adorable. A quick and short read that will absolutely make you smile.

I felt drawn to this book as I love Brianna Shrum's Never Never so much and I especially love the way she writes romance. That mixed with a hate-to-love trope and cooking? I wouldn't miss it for the world.
And I ended up loving this even more than I anticipated. I thought it would just be fun, fluffy romance but it was a truly emotional ride for me.

Before I go into my thoughts on this book I quickly wanna mention the diverse characters. Carter's love interest, Reid, is a queer biracial Japanese guy, who also has social anxiety. There's also some other queer minor and side characters. Carter's roommate and friend, Riya, and her love interest, Will, are both Indian. Carter coming from a poor family is also a big topic throughout the novel.

I was a little bit worried that the competitive nature between Carter and Reid would get old too quickly but there was a great balance between that and the actual falling for each other. I loved the way this relationship developed and was on board the whole time. I especially liked how there was a distinction between Carter's immediate physical attraction towards Reid and the feelings that later develop.

I do have to say Carter could be a little bit of an insufferable main character at time. She's not always likeable but it just offered a great opportunity for some drama, so I didn't really mind (I was here for the drama OK). Also Carter goes through some great character development and in the end really learns from her mistakes and unfair behaviour.

As someone who has made her hobby her job, I always really enjoy stories about someone going a similar way and so I was able to relate to so many of Carter's thoughts. Especially when she struggles so much with thinking she doesn't belong there and is not worthy of the opportunity that's been given to her. I think everyone who has pursued some kind of dream and needed several steps to get there, will be able to relate so much to Carter's thoughts and feelings throughout this book.
I'm glad that there was some emphasis on being friends with your competition and wanting them to win, while at the same time having conflicting feeling for them doing so. It was so realistic and very well portrayed and something I'd wish much more author's would be willing to let their protagonists feel. It's ok to sometimes be jealous of your friends!

I also truly loved the sex scene in this book. I'm always pretty vocal about wanting a overall better representation of sex in YA and this book nailed it. When Reid and Carter have sex, it is so consensual, every step of the way. There was even a line about Carter finding Reid even sexier after he asked if it's ok if he unbuttons her pants. LOVE IT!
Contraception is also a topic and it was overall written in a way that's very YA appropriate but not one of those “we make out -fade into black-” kind of scenes.

I'm feeling like I'm forgetting lots of things I loved about this book but that's because there were so many. This book was a combination of so many wonderful small moments that made me feel a range of emotion. There especially was an awful lot of smiling, giggling and squealing throughout this. Big warning though, prepare snacks going into this. I guarantee you, you WILL BE HUNGRY!

I received an ARC of this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

All Carter Lane has wanted was to be accepted to a summer school at a culinary college in Savannah, with the hope of winning, and being awarded a scholarship for college. She thought being accepted was the difficult part, but in reality, it was simple. Arriving in Savannah, she accidentally makes an enemy of another student, Reid Yamada, and it soon turns into a full blown battle to the end. It doesn't help, either, that Reid is cute, and her feelings for him might not be all negative. will Carter be able to survive in the competition, or will she be chopped from the running?

This was such a cute and enjoyable read. Really quick, and kept me hooked from the get go. I loved Carter, and how invested she was in cooking. When she was younger, she used to cook all the time with her grandpa, and after his death, she sort of took over the responsibility of cooking at home, partially because her parents were rubbish cooks, and also because money was tight, and it was a way for her to help out while her parents were working. She knows that the only hope she has of going to a culinary college like the one in Savannah is to win the competition and gain a scholarship, so she puts everything into it. Meeting Reid, the chemistry was clear straight away, but they start as enemies, with him hiding ingredients from her, and she causing him to drop food, and so on. It nearly results in them being kicked out of the competition, but at night, when they can't sleep, they meet up in the common room, and a friendship soon forms, which later becomes a true relationship. I also loved the interactions between them, and between the other competitions. Some were rude, and annoying, but others, like Riya and Will, were funny, and loyal, and really helped to make the book as good as it was. A great YA Contemporary story, perfect to read on a Sunday morning.

[Cimone Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars.

I'm SO disappointed. The concept of this book sounded great. I was really looking forward to this book, even before it had a cover, and I love the cover. But I CANNOT root for the main character, Carter. How can I like the book when I don't like her?

Y'all, this character does so much mean, vindictive, immature stuff to other people and blames it on everyone else. The love interest lies to her about cheese at the beginning, causing her to have to use muenster instead of mozzarella or something, so she sets out to ruin him. In the process, she does things that hurt other people, too. And her reasoning for not apologizing is "He looked at me angrily, so I didn't apologize." I'm like....HE LOOKED AT YOU ANGRILY BECAUSE YOU DID SOMETHING THAT HURT HIM AND OTHERS. YOU KNOW YOU'RE WRONG. JUST APOLOGIZE. She repeatedly says and does bad things, says in the narration that she knows she's wrong, and then just keeps right on doing and saying the things. And I don't see any growth in her as a character by the end.

I'm sorry. I tried to be patient. The plot was okay, but not super compelling. (And toward the end, I wasn't a fan of the plot.) The side characters were people I didn't know well and didn't care much about. The love interest, Reid, was a mixed bag. He was cocky and a bit tool-ish at the beginning, did some bad crap, and then he was sort of nice? Idk. And then the romance part lacked depth, and I'm thinking "Why do these two like each other? I seriously don't understand." It was just too contrived and easy, and again, I couldn't root for them. They did things in the competition that really shouldn't be condoned, but had no consequences. I really want to put a spoiler here, but I can't find the spoiler button, dang it.

If you watch CinemaSins, you'll understand when I say, this book is the perfect example of "because...PROTAGONIST" and "because...PLOT". In other words, things were happening in a way that wasn't necessarily logical or good, but were put there just to serve the plot. And to make our protagonist happy, in spite of her having a bad attitude. We're supposed to feel bad for her because she's insecure, but it's honestly just because she's the protagonist. There's no other reason to root for her or, in my opinion, to feel any sympathy for her. And I really don't feel much sympathy, so the "because protagonist" was not successful. (In fact, it really never is. Your character needs to be compelling, point-blank.)

Also, Carter accuses Reid of having feelings. As if him feeling a certain way is a personal affront to her.

The last 10% or so of the book=what? It made me roll my eyes so much. I can't see the characters learning from their mistakes. If the end had been better, this might have been 2 or 2.5 stars for me.

I wanted to like this book, but I didn't, and I'm sorry. I usually don't feel guilty about my opinions, but dang, how I wanted to like this one.

Thank you NetGalley, for the review copy.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 3 out of 5]

✔️ Great descriptions of food and cooking. I spent most of the book starving

✔️ Brilliant snarky hero

✔️ Who happens to be queer and half-Japanese

✔️ In fact there's great diversity throughout

❌ INCREDIBLY IRRITATING HEROINE WHO DESERVES TO FALL OFF A CLIFF, IS SELFISH, AND IS THE REASON WHY THIS BOOK LOST TWO STARS

[Blog] - [Bookstagram]

[PB · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I bet they all write sonnets to butter and caramelized onions in their sleep. They all get heart eyes for macarons and flutters in their stomachs for a perfectly braised lamb shank. These are my people."

LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL COVER. I adore that cover so much with all the pastel and the macarons! It’s making me droooooool.

With that kind of cover, I didn’t expect much. But let met tell you, The Art of French Kissing is as good as it looks. It’s funny, witty, and infuriating (at times), swoonworthy, and droolworthy all at once – and it’s filled with several well-advised pop references (think Harry Styles, Loki, Star Wars, and Harry Potter).

It’s super interesting and really enjoyable to read about the cooking competition blended with the central and secondary romantic plots!

Carter Lane is a love-hate protagonist – there are moments when you really like her because she’s funny and she’s passionate, but there are just as much moments when you hate her because she overthinks or annoyingly in denial.

During the first couple of chapters, I felt like the love-hate concept was overdone – but I’m completely convinced otherwise by the next several chapters until the end.

FINAL VERDICT. YES, I 100% recommend it to YA contemporary romance lovers out there – it’s a great addition to the genre!

See full review on my blog here: https://goo.gl/k8XoYV

[Colleen Oakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one writes kissing like Brianna Shrum, no one. The heat of the kitchen meets the heat of our characters, The Art of French Kissing is BEGGING to be made into a TV series. Not only does Shrum really understand teens, she doesn't talk down to them in her writing. Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane is a character to be reckoned with; she's strong willed, passionate and unflinching, and I feel like I've been waiting for this character for a long time. She is only matched by Reid, who is as vulnerable as he is cocky, as hot blooded as he is evasive. Together, they are one of the best enemies to lover YA couples that I have ever read. The plot, a culinary war fueled by lust, hurtles along, as Shrum's writing is as tightly wound as her lead character.

As for the kissing? Well, let's just say it's an art. No one writes kissing like Shrum.

[Marieke | Marieke's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.*

Dit is zo'n heerlijk boek! Het deed me een beetje denken aan The Hating Game van Sally Thorne. Daar haten de hoofdpersonen elkaar namelijk aan het begin ook. Dat vond ik een heel erg tof verhaal, net als dit boek. Hoe verder je komt, hoe leuker het lezen wordt! Uiteindelijk vloog ik door dit boek heen. Ik wilde enorm graag weten hoe het af zou lopen.

Ik vond Carter soms wel een beetje moeilijk doen. Waarom heeft ze zoveel bevestiging nodig? Maar Reid was wel echt een geweldig personage. En de interactie tussen Carter en Reid was ook leuk. En de overige vriendschappen in dit boek vond ik heel goed beschreven. Ik hou ervan als vriendschappen ook goed uitgewerkt zijn.

[JJ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book gave me a slew of wholesome, fuzzy feelings. And an appetite for dessert.

The cast of characters is effortlessly diverse, and I love, love, love that. I grew up reading books where all the characters were some white, cis, and straight--I am so glad that now, just about a decade later, young adults can read books with characters that actually look like them. Whether it's Reid Yamada's Japanese heritage or sexuality or personal struggles, or those of the supporting characters, they get their proper respect and then we move on. It's not a token thing and it's not a Big Deal--it just is.

Carter might be a dense little ball of rage for most of the story but, who cares, I enjoyed the heck out of this book.

[Kathy]

Not for me.

Content: Lots of language including multiple uses of the f-word.

[Ryley (Ryley Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, you guys. THIS. BOOK. I adored it. Probably too much, but I don't really care because it was cute and chef-y (yup, that's a word now) and just ADORABLE. GAH. Ahem, I will try to control myself for the remainder of this review - but I make no promises!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and SkyPony Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.

The story follows 17-year-old Carter, who has wanted to be a chef since she could work an oven. It is her dream, and when she gets accepted into a prestigious culinary scholarship program in Savannah, she is thrilled. When she arrives, however, she soon sees that her competition is fierce. Especially Reid, the guy who sabotages her first competition and soon becomes a thorn in her side. As the competition dwindles, Carter spends more time thinking about Reid - how to get revenge that is. But perhaps that rivalry is more than just some not-so-friendly competition.

Ok, I'm going to try to get through this review without gushing about this book and the romance, so bear with me. I think this was just the book I needed right now. I haven't read such a good book, especially a romance in such a long time. The whole book was really well done, but the romance was really spectacular in this one.

First of all, you give me a good enemies-to-lovers story and I'm basically hooked from the very beginning. And that's exactly what happened here. But not only that, the characters were great. Carter has a lot of self-doubts and anxiety about whether or not she belongs in this competition and I really connected with that. Reid was also a great love interest, he's snarky and funny and the chemistry between the two was great. They made a bunch of pop culture references which I loved (mostly because a lot of them were Star Wars related) and just really seemed to connect with each other.

We also see some great diversity in the book. Reid is part Japanese and identifies as bi/queer and one of Carter's friends is a lesbian. Most of the other competitors also come from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well, and one of the competitors is also a lesbian. There are a couple of instances where the characters talk about these things and they really help add to the story.

Overall, I don't know if other people will connect as well to the story and Carter as I did, but I would still highly recommend you give it a shot, if for nothing else, the amazing descriptions of food!