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Sameera's Kitchen
The trope-smashing story about love, lard-crust pies, and a couple of half-baked lesbians.
Nikki, just out of Catholic school, is enjoying her first taste of freedom as a college freshman in New York City. Sameera, an Army medic, is struggling to reclaim her life, her family, and her dream of going to medical school now that her service is done. A walk in the park, and strangers become friends.
Time flies, and Nikki can’t believe that she’s falling in love with a woman. Battered, broken Sameera doesn’t want to love or be loved by anyone at all—until she realizes how much she loves and needs Nikki. Now they must grapple with the consequences of their impossible romance.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 10, 2019
22 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 11, 2020
Unique characters drive this unusual love story offering a superhero subplot as a casual aside. Kovacs doesn't clean up his characters, but instead offers them to their reader with all their immaturities, insecurities, and prejudices intact and dares us to understand them anyway. Not unlike the plot of the Netflix series "Feel Good," I often found myself seriously irritated with a character and then rooting them on later. Although any superhero tale will offer more than a nod to the damsel-in-distress storyline, the real theme of the book is about how we save ourselves. Something about the simplistic style of the text leaves the reader with a visceral sense of the author's presence, as if he's standing over your shoulder and waiting to see events unfold as you do. Very curious to see what the author's next work will entail, as this one managed to incorporate mystery, adventure, romance, magical realism, and face down topics like faith and survivor's guilt and PTSD.
May 12, 2020
Sameera's Kitchen is a book that's full of warmth and passion. The story is written very simply, and it's not hard to follow what's happening or to understand what a character is thinking or doing, but human complexity saturates every bit of it. I had strong feelings about some of the characters. They are the kind in which you may invest your heart with no regrets.
I think it's a love story, yes, but it also feels like a coming-of-age story with growth, courage, the importance of (and sometimes the challenges of) family, the terrifying experience of breaking from what you've always believed, and the power of both good and poor communication.
4 stars isn't about the book's quality (I feel the need to express that more in my reviews, because I think many don't always remember that's what the stars are meant to represent here on goodreads). 4 stars is based on my enjoyment. I really liked it.
I think it's a love story, yes, but it also feels like a coming-of-age story with growth, courage, the importance of (and sometimes the challenges of) family, the terrifying experience of breaking from what you've always believed, and the power of both good and poor communication.
4 stars isn't about the book's quality (I feel the need to express that more in my reviews, because I think many don't always remember that's what the stars are meant to represent here on goodreads). 4 stars is based on my enjoyment. I really liked it.
October 4, 2024
Engaging characters and an amazing storyline
I first read a spin-off of this book and enjoyed the writer's style enough to want to come back and read his first book. I'm so glad I did. This one has many engaging themes: a slow-burn gay romance, family opposition to their relationship, ex-soldier dealing with PTSD, and the author even threw in a crime mystery. The reader gets to know the characters organically and embrace them slowly as one would in a real-life relationship. For those who love character development I recommend 100%. The author has published a second book in the spin-off series that I have added to my TBR.
I first read a spin-off of this book and enjoyed the writer's style enough to want to come back and read his first book. I'm so glad I did. This one has many engaging themes: a slow-burn gay romance, family opposition to their relationship, ex-soldier dealing with PTSD, and the author even threw in a crime mystery. The reader gets to know the characters organically and embrace them slowly as one would in a real-life relationship. For those who love character development I recommend 100%. The author has published a second book in the spin-off series that I have added to my TBR.
March 6, 2020
Love conquers all.
This is a romance with a difference. First it is a gay couple which I liked. Second it dealt with a family that tried to break up the couple out of
prejudice. It also showed a very strong female lead. But also showed that she could be broken. I think we all need to read this and remember that love knows no boundaries.
This is a romance with a difference. First it is a gay couple which I liked. Second it dealt with a family that tried to break up the couple out of
prejudice. It also showed a very strong female lead. But also showed that she could be broken. I think we all need to read this and remember that love knows no boundaries.
July 5, 2020
Its a page turner for sure. I usually read murder mysteries/ true crimes and this book held my attention without the gory intensity that I am used to. This book is really easy to read, 2 sittings and done. Flows well and the writing is so vivid. The storyline is light, easy to follow and feels very real. 5 stars!
January 9, 2020
Meh
Too long, and drawn out for a book that is written in such a simplistic style. It reads on a fourth grade level. I had to force myself to finish reading this book.
Too long, and drawn out for a book that is written in such a simplistic style. It reads on a fourth grade level. I had to force myself to finish reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews