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Taste of Port Andrea #3
One Step at a Time
Remington Bennett starts her new life in a new city with a key resolution: do not fall for a woman. She doesn't even get out of the subway before she falls for one—literally.
Dana Gallagher's life is storybook-perfect, but she's never connected with anything deeply. But when the girl who saved her from an accident turns out to be her new apprentice at the bakery for the summer, sparks fly hard enough she might just be willing to risk her heart after all.
But with Remi trying her damnedest to act straight for fear of the powerful family she left behind, can they find their way to bind together, or are they destined to crumble?
One Step at a Time is a 90,000-word summertime bakery romance in the Taste of Port Andrea collection, an unordered collection of culinary romances set in the fictional city of Port Andrea. Features a bisexual lead who somehow thinks being bisexual means she can decide to only be attracted to men, a pansexual lead with a pansexual sister, Avery Lindt from Fake It trying her best to make Remi see reason, "there's more than one bed but they find excuses to have to share a bed anyway," and more mutual pining than you can shake a baguette at. Content warnings for open-door sex scenes, an overbearing mother, Emmanuel telling bad jokes, and a lot of food descriptions, because apparently I write books to make myself hungry.
Dana Gallagher's life is storybook-perfect, but she's never connected with anything deeply. But when the girl who saved her from an accident turns out to be her new apprentice at the bakery for the summer, sparks fly hard enough she might just be willing to risk her heart after all.
But with Remi trying her damnedest to act straight for fear of the powerful family she left behind, can they find their way to bind together, or are they destined to crumble?
One Step at a Time is a 90,000-word summertime bakery romance in the Taste of Port Andrea collection, an unordered collection of culinary romances set in the fictional city of Port Andrea. Features a bisexual lead who somehow thinks being bisexual means she can decide to only be attracted to men, a pansexual lead with a pansexual sister, Avery Lindt from Fake It trying her best to make Remi see reason, "there's more than one bed but they find excuses to have to share a bed anyway," and more mutual pining than you can shake a baguette at. Content warnings for open-door sex scenes, an overbearing mother, Emmanuel telling bad jokes, and a lot of food descriptions, because apparently I write books to make myself hungry.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2022
32 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Lily Seabrooke
37 books334 followersLily Seabrooke is a lesbian, trans woman, and author of sapphic romance that stars food, because odds are, at any given time, she's hungry.
Her interests include eating food, thinking about food, writing novels about food, and drinking coffee.
Her interests include eating food, thinking about food, writing novels about food, and drinking coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 26, 2022
I‘m a huge fan of Lily‘s writing because I don’t think there are many other authors with so much sweetness in their stories. I loved the other Port Andrea books and was excited for this one.
And what we get is a wonderful and sweet slow-burn romance. Remi is the one that is bisexual but does everything to be straight. And all because of her family. When she meets Dana for the first time at the subway station she is mesmerised. So much that she almost misses her falling down the stairs. But of course she is there in time to save her. Then I mean we wouldn’t have had a story otherwise. Or at least I think so. LOL
They have a moment right there. Both think it’s a one time thing and they won’t ever see each other again. When they realise that they also work together the moment they had is right back. But Dana believing Remi is straight and Remi doing everything she can pretending she is, leaves them both pining secretly after each other. While everyone around them already thinks and tells them all the time that they are dating. These scenes made me smile all over and over again. Besides that I would have loved to push Remi in the right direction several times. I mean how hard could it have been?! ☺️
When the pull is too strong we get to witness once more an incredibly sweet love story. Not that it wasn’t one from the beginning. That probably sounded totally wrong. What I meant is that I just love when the characters in a book get together for the first time. When everything is new. And like I already said Lily just knows how to write the most sweet romance stories without too much angst in it.
Oh before I forget we also get to see a lot of Avery again. One of my favourite characters from one of my favourite stories Fake It. And even her hot celebrity girlfriend Holly gifts us with her presence. Avery and Dana‘s sister Serafina actually play a very important part in the book to keep Remi and Dana together. Serafina is just amazing and hilarious. I loved her so much that I’m secretly hoping that she gets her own story. She would definitely make a great main character.
All in all this was another great and sweet read by Lily that I highly recommend.
I received an ARC of this book via booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
And what we get is a wonderful and sweet slow-burn romance. Remi is the one that is bisexual but does everything to be straight. And all because of her family. When she meets Dana for the first time at the subway station she is mesmerised. So much that she almost misses her falling down the stairs. But of course she is there in time to save her. Then I mean we wouldn’t have had a story otherwise. Or at least I think so. LOL
They have a moment right there. Both think it’s a one time thing and they won’t ever see each other again. When they realise that they also work together the moment they had is right back. But Dana believing Remi is straight and Remi doing everything she can pretending she is, leaves them both pining secretly after each other. While everyone around them already thinks and tells them all the time that they are dating. These scenes made me smile all over and over again. Besides that I would have loved to push Remi in the right direction several times. I mean how hard could it have been?! ☺️
When the pull is too strong we get to witness once more an incredibly sweet love story. Not that it wasn’t one from the beginning. That probably sounded totally wrong. What I meant is that I just love when the characters in a book get together for the first time. When everything is new. And like I already said Lily just knows how to write the most sweet romance stories without too much angst in it.
Oh before I forget we also get to see a lot of Avery again. One of my favourite characters from one of my favourite stories Fake It. And even her hot celebrity girlfriend Holly gifts us with her presence. Avery and Dana‘s sister Serafina actually play a very important part in the book to keep Remi and Dana together. Serafina is just amazing and hilarious. I loved her so much that I’m secretly hoping that she gets her own story. She would definitely make a great main character.
All in all this was another great and sweet read by Lily that I highly recommend.
I received an ARC of this book via booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 8, 2022
Remi and Dana run into each other at a subway station, literally. Remi is bisexual but it would be much more convenient to fall for a guy so she’s committed to only dating men after moving to Port Andrea. Unfortunately for both of them Remi turns out to be the new apprentice at the patisserie that Dana works at and they can’t seem to stay away from each other.
I have been reading Lily Seabrook novels since she started writing and have always loved them. Her writing is consistently good and I always love her characters. This one was no different and Remi and Dana drew me into the story right away. The side characters are hilarious, especially Monica and Serafina. Also loved getting a bit more of Avery and Holly in this one! Only thing I’d want to see changed in this one is to have Remi’s mom come up earlier in the book, Remi’s issues seem very vague in the beginning and it was hard to understand her reluctance. Overall great story though and I recommend reading the whole series in Port Andrea!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have been reading Lily Seabrook novels since she started writing and have always loved them. Her writing is consistently good and I always love her characters. This one was no different and Remi and Dana drew me into the story right away. The side characters are hilarious, especially Monica and Serafina. Also loved getting a bit more of Avery and Holly in this one! Only thing I’d want to see changed in this one is to have Remi’s mom come up earlier in the book, Remi’s issues seem very vague in the beginning and it was hard to understand her reluctance. Overall great story though and I recommend reading the whole series in Port Andrea!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 5, 2022
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lily's writing always makes me smile, and this book is no different!
I really enjoyed Dana's and Remi's meet cute in this one, it was, you guess it, cute. Remi saves Dana from injury, not realising that they'll meet again soon. Remi is the new assistant at the bakery Dana works at, and will be working under her. But while Remi is bisexual she tries her hardest to appear straight (it's easier, apparently) so que lots of mutual pining!
I'll always recommend Lily's books, she's a lovely person and author. Check this latest one out!
Lily's writing always makes me smile, and this book is no different!
I really enjoyed Dana's and Remi's meet cute in this one, it was, you guess it, cute. Remi saves Dana from injury, not realising that they'll meet again soon. Remi is the new assistant at the bakery Dana works at, and will be working under her. But while Remi is bisexual she tries her hardest to appear straight (it's easier, apparently) so que lots of mutual pining!
I'll always recommend Lily's books, she's a lovely person and author. Check this latest one out!
May 28, 2022
This was very sweet (and made me want some pastries). I liked both MCs and their dynamic was very fun to watch play out. Def rec.
February 7, 2022
Continuing the foodie saga in Port Andrea, we meet Remi and Dana. The two initially cross paths when a grabbed hand prevents an accident at the subway station then the two strangers continue on their way having unknowingly impacted one another. Remi turns out to be a new apprentice at the bakery where Dana works and what do you know, she'll be mentoring her. Are you better if you are a culinary school graduate or natural culinary innovator? Time passes with each learning from the other and a slow growing attraction but Remi is constricted, hiding her bisexuality from her family, wanting to stay "straight" for her witch of a mother. Don't count out the cupids pushing the women together in particular, Serafina, Monica and Avery. But who is Remi, really? Plus there are pastries, tarts, chocolate and daring all add to culinary drama.
Seabrooke's storyline flows with clear descriptions, characters popping in from other books, food, competition, humor, romance, heat and best of all a HEA. Another one for my re-read shelf which I easily recommend.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this a completely unbiased and voluntary review.
Seabrooke's storyline flows with clear descriptions, characters popping in from other books, food, competition, humor, romance, heat and best of all a HEA. Another one for my re-read shelf which I easily recommend.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this a completely unbiased and voluntary review.
February 7, 2022
I absolutely loved this story! Any story where one or more character is in the culinary career, I'm always ready to read it!
The characters and their backgrounds has so much depth. I felt like I knew them. Their meet-cute was one of the best ones I've read in a while. The family and friends of Remi & Dana were hilarious and also easy to relate to.
The depth of the environment and the bakery were a great addition. The love story between them and the tension kept me from putting the book down.
I always love the drama that comes with LGBTQ romance novels and this story is no exception. The drama of Remi's family and the tension of not knowing what would happen next kept me reading.
I would definitely recommend this story to all those who love reading Lily Seabrooke & WLW stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The characters and their backgrounds has so much depth. I felt like I knew them. Their meet-cute was one of the best ones I've read in a while. The family and friends of Remi & Dana were hilarious and also easy to relate to.
The depth of the environment and the bakery were a great addition. The love story between them and the tension kept me from putting the book down.
I always love the drama that comes with LGBTQ romance novels and this story is no exception. The drama of Remi's family and the tension of not knowing what would happen next kept me reading.
I would definitely recommend this story to all those who love reading Lily Seabrooke & WLW stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 5, 2022
Remington Bennett comes to Port Andrea to be an apprentice at a bakery for the summer in hopes of getting a permanent position. She is bisexual but is determined not to fall for a woman. That plan is tested as soon as she arrives in town and saves Dana Gallagher from falling at the train station. The next day Remi arrives for her first day of work and discovers the beautiful woman from the train station is her mentor. The more time the two spend together, the stronger their connection becomes, and Remi has to decide if she will stick to her plan or follow her heart.
Lily Seabrooke's books make me happy. And what do we need more right now than something that brings a little happiness. Her characters are so likable you can't help but want the very best for them. Dana is devoted to her career and isn't looking to meet someone, which of course, is when the perfect person comes along. Where Dana is innovative as a chef, Remi is technical, where Dana is more serious, Remi is playful. They balance each other out and that makes the best partnership, in love and in the kitchen. Their path to happiness isn't without complications to overcome, most of which comes from Remi's fear of her family and their control over her life.
While I love Remi and Dana, my favorite thing about this book is I get more Avery Lindt from my favorite of Lily's books, Fake It. Avery is not only one of my book crushes, she is Remi's good friend and also her lesbian fairy god mother, doling out sage advice that she hopes will lead Remi to follow her heart straight to Dana. Avery is still loved up with her "hot celebrity girlfriend" Holly and wants her friend to find the same happiness. There are many memorable lines in this book but one of my favorites is Avery talking to Remi, "You like her, she likes you. Why not? We humans overcomplicate everything we do. The key to being happier is usually to do less, to stop questioning." I think we could all stand to heed Avery's advice. She is a wise woman with a hot celebrity girlfriend. ;-)
Lily Seabrooke writes from her heart and it shows on every page. That is one of the things I love most about her writing, along with her ability to write witty banter. A sense of humor is a vital way to deal with lifes ups and downs and it has gotten me through some very difficult times. Lily is so skilled at writing characters who deal with serious issues with humor. The supporting cast also bring a lot of humor and heart into the story. Along with Avery, Dana's sister, Serefina and Monica and Emmanuel from the bakery, you will have plenty of reasons to smile while reading this book.
I adore Lily Seabrooke and I adore this book. I highly recommend escaping life for a few hours by reading One Step at a Time.
An ARC was provided by the author via Booksprout for an honest review.
https://sapphicbookreview.com/review/...
Lily Seabrooke's books make me happy. And what do we need more right now than something that brings a little happiness. Her characters are so likable you can't help but want the very best for them. Dana is devoted to her career and isn't looking to meet someone, which of course, is when the perfect person comes along. Where Dana is innovative as a chef, Remi is technical, where Dana is more serious, Remi is playful. They balance each other out and that makes the best partnership, in love and in the kitchen. Their path to happiness isn't without complications to overcome, most of which comes from Remi's fear of her family and their control over her life.
While I love Remi and Dana, my favorite thing about this book is I get more Avery Lindt from my favorite of Lily's books, Fake It. Avery is not only one of my book crushes, she is Remi's good friend and also her lesbian fairy god mother, doling out sage advice that she hopes will lead Remi to follow her heart straight to Dana. Avery is still loved up with her "hot celebrity girlfriend" Holly and wants her friend to find the same happiness. There are many memorable lines in this book but one of my favorites is Avery talking to Remi, "You like her, she likes you. Why not? We humans overcomplicate everything we do. The key to being happier is usually to do less, to stop questioning." I think we could all stand to heed Avery's advice. She is a wise woman with a hot celebrity girlfriend. ;-)
Lily Seabrooke writes from her heart and it shows on every page. That is one of the things I love most about her writing, along with her ability to write witty banter. A sense of humor is a vital way to deal with lifes ups and downs and it has gotten me through some very difficult times. Lily is so skilled at writing characters who deal with serious issues with humor. The supporting cast also bring a lot of humor and heart into the story. Along with Avery, Dana's sister, Serefina and Monica and Emmanuel from the bakery, you will have plenty of reasons to smile while reading this book.
I adore Lily Seabrooke and I adore this book. I highly recommend escaping life for a few hours by reading One Step at a Time.
An ARC was provided by the author via Booksprout for an honest review.
https://sapphicbookreview.com/review/...
February 2, 2022
The comfort... THE COMFORT!
You all should know by now that I am a huge fan of Lily Seabrooke's writing. When that delightful email hit my inbox, asking me if I'd like to snag an eARC of Seabrooke's newest up and coming release, One Step at a Time, I jumped at it. This author's brand of romance is always welcome in my reading lineup. Seabrooke balances steam and sweetness with enough tension to keep the reader hooked, but never enough to add to the daily stresses of a reader's life. We become invested in the stories, in the characters, and the real world slips away in favor of the delightful (and delicious) world of Port Andrea.
Remi Bennett is trying to strike out on her own path in life, much to the annoyance of her family, who think her better off where she is. She knows what she wants: she wants to work at the White Rose. She has the apprenticeship there, and if she can impress them, it might mean a job and an escape from a life that brings her unhappiness.
Dana Gallagher practically falls into Remi's lap, or is rather tugged into it, to avoid a particularly nasty fall down some subway stairs. Little does Dana, baker AT the White Rose, know that the woman who saved her from certain injury is also the newest apprentice at the bakery, and will be working directly under her (in more ways than one). What follows is a sweet, sometimes stressful romance between two people trying to find how they can fit and grow together despite the challenges they face.
I had a bit of a revelation when reading this particular book, and I think it's what makes Seabrooke's books so incredibly enjoyable for me. The characters are approachable, they're knowable in a way that not everyone can write. These aren't an author writing a paragon of a person to put on a pedestal, to tell the reader, "STAND BACK AND WATCH THIS STORY UNFOLD." No, Seabrooke's characters are like the friends you have over for dinner or the family you can rely on. They're the people who will be there for you, who you can meet in your everyday life. It's all so relatable AND comfortable, and honestly, I can't praise the author enough for it. I definitely recommend this, and pretty much EVERY book that Lily puts out. They're all amazing, and hold special places in my heart.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book via BookSprout and am leaving a voluntary review.
You all should know by now that I am a huge fan of Lily Seabrooke's writing. When that delightful email hit my inbox, asking me if I'd like to snag an eARC of Seabrooke's newest up and coming release, One Step at a Time, I jumped at it. This author's brand of romance is always welcome in my reading lineup. Seabrooke balances steam and sweetness with enough tension to keep the reader hooked, but never enough to add to the daily stresses of a reader's life. We become invested in the stories, in the characters, and the real world slips away in favor of the delightful (and delicious) world of Port Andrea.
Remi Bennett is trying to strike out on her own path in life, much to the annoyance of her family, who think her better off where she is. She knows what she wants: she wants to work at the White Rose. She has the apprenticeship there, and if she can impress them, it might mean a job and an escape from a life that brings her unhappiness.
Dana Gallagher practically falls into Remi's lap, or is rather tugged into it, to avoid a particularly nasty fall down some subway stairs. Little does Dana, baker AT the White Rose, know that the woman who saved her from certain injury is also the newest apprentice at the bakery, and will be working directly under her (in more ways than one). What follows is a sweet, sometimes stressful romance between two people trying to find how they can fit and grow together despite the challenges they face.
I had a bit of a revelation when reading this particular book, and I think it's what makes Seabrooke's books so incredibly enjoyable for me. The characters are approachable, they're knowable in a way that not everyone can write. These aren't an author writing a paragon of a person to put on a pedestal, to tell the reader, "STAND BACK AND WATCH THIS STORY UNFOLD." No, Seabrooke's characters are like the friends you have over for dinner or the family you can rely on. They're the people who will be there for you, who you can meet in your everyday life. It's all so relatable AND comfortable, and honestly, I can't praise the author enough for it. I definitely recommend this, and pretty much EVERY book that Lily puts out. They're all amazing, and hold special places in my heart.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book via BookSprout and am leaving a voluntary review.
February 6, 2022
A workplace romance taking place inside a bakery certainly made for one super sweet romance.
The last thing Remi wants to do is fall for a woman, but sometimes a special woman falls into you and the mischievous universe cannot be ignored.
I adored Remi’s attempts to resist the thoroughly irresistible Dana.
This book has some top shelf secondary characters. I can’t even pick a favorite.
Oh and although this book is very sapphic, I loved loved loved the pansexual representation. This is another home run from Lily Seabrooke.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The last thing Remi wants to do is fall for a woman, but sometimes a special woman falls into you and the mischievous universe cannot be ignored.
I adored Remi’s attempts to resist the thoroughly irresistible Dana.
This book has some top shelf secondary characters. I can’t even pick a favorite.
Oh and although this book is very sapphic, I loved loved loved the pansexual representation. This is another home run from Lily Seabrooke.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 17, 2022
No surprise, another Lily Seabrooke book that I completely enjoyed!! I've been reading a lot of novellas lately for the faster pace, but even at full novel length, the plot never dragged.
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I really enjoy characters that know each other fully, and there's a section where each of the MCs is thinking about all the little quirks and details about the other...swoon. And the banter is top notch.
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One thing I found odd is that Remi’s family is presented as mysteriously dangerous and it’s not clear why. It turns out they are only dangerous in the way of rich and vengeful people, so the threats are harassment and bad publicity. But I was expecting a big reveal of crime family or drug running or something. I mention it since if you go in knowing what the risk is, you can settle into the delightful story.
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DID I MENTION THE BANTER? These two are so cute.
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Highly recommended.
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I got an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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I really enjoy characters that know each other fully, and there's a section where each of the MCs is thinking about all the little quirks and details about the other...swoon. And the banter is top notch.
.
One thing I found odd is that Remi’s family is presented as mysteriously dangerous and it’s not clear why. It turns out they are only dangerous in the way of rich and vengeful people, so the threats are harassment and bad publicity. But I was expecting a big reveal of crime family or drug running or something. I mention it since if you go in knowing what the risk is, you can settle into the delightful story.
.
DID I MENTION THE BANTER? These two are so cute.
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Highly recommended.
.
I got an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2022
Another good one by Lily
Lily writes books with wonderful character that I sometimes relate but always ends cheering for them. This time is no different, with the exception that I found Emmanuel abusive, not respecting other people's names and I have a strong issue with that because my name is not an ease one and people het it wrong all the time, if I were there I would send him to that place. I thought the book a little bit too long, some pages describe the environment too much breaking the pace a little bit. I loved seen Avery again, Dana's sister deserves her own book and I really wish Remi were a little bit more mature. Overall I loved the book and can't wait to see what Lily will write next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lily writes books with wonderful character that I sometimes relate but always ends cheering for them. This time is no different, with the exception that I found Emmanuel abusive, not respecting other people's names and I have a strong issue with that because my name is not an ease one and people het it wrong all the time, if I were there I would send him to that place. I thought the book a little bit too long, some pages describe the environment too much breaking the pace a little bit. I loved seen Avery again, Dana's sister deserves her own book and I really wish Remi were a little bit more mature. Overall I loved the book and can't wait to see what Lily will write next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 27, 2023
~ Reading Only Lily Seabrooke Novels Until I Remember How To Enjoy Things, #4 ~
Dana: "[...]And what use is there in even keeping up the deal? What happens if you break it?"
Remi: Something firey surged up in me, and it felt like the heat of it stung my eyes and made them water. "Well then I guess I forsake my whole family," I rasped. "Is it that easy?"
Dana Gallagher says 'no of course not' in reply, but actually, it really is. Mother said that Remington Bennett could stay in Port Andrea and work as a pastry chef if she got the full-time position herself; mother lied, obviously. So, attack it from multiple angles; if it just means cutting contact with all blood relatives and staying in Port Andrea with Dana--the woman you love--and your close friends? Yes, absolutely. Literally live your best life, these people are evil. If it means that your mother and father will go bankrupt without your illicit art trading they set up for you and profit off of? Yes, absolutely. Fuck them, their fault for leaning on their child they're abusing to make their riches. There is no angle in which "I forsake my whole family" is not the solution here. This family is a bunch of rich, tax-dodging, fake-charity-ing, illegal-art-dealing, narcissistic control freaks with no respect for human life, or anything outside of profit. They had a child as an extension of their rotten little upper-class empire, and they're mad when said child is revealed to be an autonomous person with independent thought.
Isn't this supposed to be a Lily Seabrooke novel? What the fuck is all of this about, why is this here?
Folks, (anyone cursed enough to read this) One Step At A Time isn't good and that shocks me to say. I mean, the lowest I've rated any of her books is a three outta five, and that was for entirely personal, quibbly reasons. Seabrooke is a good and generally reliable author, and there are shades of that here; little places where I enjoyed Dana and Remington's morbid-back-and-forth about grim subjects, spots where I could actually sympathise with Remington about the situation. But goddamn, what a misstep.
Remington fucking Bennett. Is that like an electric razor or a firearm? She's really where all of the book's problems radiate out from, though. Avery Lindt has to play problem solver and move the plot along because of her, Dana has no room to be a character and does nothing because of her, the entire plot progression has a sense of dread because of her. Let's tackle those in reverse order.
This one really feels like I stepped into bad, old-school gay YA or something. Remington outright states at one point "I hate it. I don't want to be bisexual" and I was pretty much annoyed from then on. It's bad in terms of vibes, a heavy blow to the usual Port Andrea atmosphere of chill and relaxing. It's fucking grim and depressing and I hate it so much. Several characters(Avery?, Dana, that Matthew guy) talk about how cool and brave and whatever Remington is for striking out away from her parents to build a new life, instead of living the one they wanted. Given Remington's hopelessly depressed, defeatist self-hatred and cowtowing, though, it's hard to take seriously. Weird dissonance.
It's not actually core to Remington anyway, though; while you have to spend the entire first half of the book with her inner monologue and sometimes spoken words bitching about how much she can't and won't like women, and all of the compulsive heterosexuality garbage, it basically gets handwaved after the first kiss. Turns out being gay(per the text) was just the actual solution, cause she wants to be a girl-kisser, lmao. It seems like her queer self-loathing is caused primarily by mummy dearest, but as an element of the text it just exits the book and does not return. I'm thankful, don't get me wrong, but the lack of follow-up is weird.
Dana Gallagher is our other lead, been working at the White Rose bakery for a while and such, but aside from her being tall(ish) and "toned muscles" I legitimately could not describe her in detail. She's described offhandedly at various points as having never been truly invested in or loving anything, being too stressed out to be social lately, hiding her heart, and being a perfectionist... but this bullet-point list is literally the extent to which any of it is explored. It's shocking how lightweight a character Dana is: in Last Chance, Athena has her old Silver Thread stuff, her line cook Misha, the evil boss; Jen has her job at Foodie, the evil boss, and her arc about choosing what's right. In What Makes a Moment, Sage has her screenwriter job, as well as her bartending gig, her thing with Clara and Jason, plus turning straights less so; Liv has her longterm friendship with Avery, a writing hobby and her whole sexuality thing. In Fake It, Holly has Mark Wallace as an evil badguy ex and the dispassion she feels for her show; Avery has Cecilia as an evil ex and trying to run Paramour properly, with Liv as a semi partner in crime. Even Remington has her hateful shitty parents, endless self loathing, casual art-dealer vibe(it's weird but not that relevant) and ties with Avery. What does Dana have? The White Rose's baking competition?
Generally, Dana's main job is to react in wildly different ways to Remington's ongoing bullshit. When Remington says that the consequences of her mother being angry at White Rose if she stayed would be dire, Dana is bold and devil-may-care, saying that no consequences are too great for their love. By contrast, a chapter or two later, Dana is silently dreading the return of Remington's mother into proceedings, moping around and refusing to talk to Remintgon about it, even though her sister says it's literally the best idea, because it is. This is also one of those books in which the secondary cast mainly exists so that the leads have people who can jump-start the plot if it stalls, which is often. I fucking hate that - the leads end up totally lacking in autonomy and independence.
Nobody typifies that problem better than Avery Lindt herself; she has a nice role in What Makes A Moment because that's a direct continuation of Fake It, but in Last Chance she's only really referenced, which is fine I suppose. Sometimes I feel like Taste of Port Andrea is wasting its interconnected-ness, but it's more about shared themes, style and ideas than characters or locations, which is fine too I suppose. Still, at one point here it's referenced that Remington met with Avery and Liv and also Sage and also Holly at the Kommodo's Den one day, but wouldn't this be better as an actual scene, instead of an offpage random namedrop?
Here is Avery, though. I figured she might just be back because she's the author's favourite or something, which would be fine again, but it turns out her job is to kick both Remington and Dana in the ass when they get too maudlin about things. Avery plays love guru again, this time bashing Remington over the head with the idea that being bisexual is fine and that forcing yourself into liking one gender when your heart pulls you other ways isn't good. Could have been a pretty effective subplot of a sort, but again just gets dropped once Remington and Dana kiss, which was Avery's doing as she basically forced them onto a date; she had to, or nothing would have happened. When Remington makes noises about having to leave because mommy dearest said so(she is 27, remember), it's AVERY who concocts the sneaky plan to get her to stay, and asks Dana to help.
This whole story basically uses Avery as a crutch.
The result of this crutch-leaning is that Avery has now been boiled down to her most core elements, her arc being complete. In this case, that means having a hot girlfriend, and being trans. I didn't think I'd be ragging on a Lily Seabrooke for this, but it seems like all the reader gets from Avery for actual character building anymore is bits about her being trans, really. If she's not bouncing off the current protagonist(Liv, Remington) about their problems, she's talking about how her family was when she began transition, or how haha hormones delete muscle teehee! What Makes A Moment had touches of this too, but it's worse when the main plot requires Avery to pull all the weight so much. It would be nice to see previous characters actually do anything in these books, but if it's not a one-lime cameo, it's Avery, who is the only lead to appear either onpage or by reference in every Port Andrea thus far.
The big final move by Avery, at around 85%, is to basically tell Remington that she doesn't seem to want to fight for what she cares about, which is true. Her argument is more or less that if Remington makes her parents' job of taking her back harder than hiring someone else for the stupid art-dealer charity-whatever position they have her in, they'll give up and go hire someone else, leave her alone. Plus, Remington is WANTED here, by Dana, which Avery knows is what she wants to be. It's a very strange and weirdly pragmatic conversation for the big dramatic turning point in a romance.
Of course Remington doesn't take it on board, though. All the effort in the world, from everyone, right down to Dana handing over newfound ownership of the White Rose Bakery, doesn't keep Remington in Port Andrea. She is simply unable to say no to mummy dearest, and Dana has suddenly lost her damn-the-consequences will. What finally sorts it seems to be simply the reality that it's HAPPENING, since Remington just has a Jen-style epiphany on the stairs up to the airport. Simply realises, in an instant, all of the logical solutions and how, indeed, staying is the only choice that makes sense. It's better than having Avery swing in and solve the plot again, (although Dana requires an ass-kick from her sister to go after Remington in this final scene) but leaves me with this question: Why did it take her (in this case mainly Remington but also Dana) so long to reach this conclusion? Why did it require her harming herself and her girlfriend emotionally for weeks, when everyone and their dog was telling her this verbatim?
I sighed deeply when Remington observes, "If I'd known standing up for us like this would be so easy, would come so naturally if I admitted the truth then I'd have done it ages ago." As if I were not yelling about that into the book, since the 40% mark.
The truth is, I felt more or less this way about Spellbound by Ophelia Silk as well. I was pretty fucking rude to that book, but let's examine it in a bit more detail here, because both novels have a similar structure. POV: You are you. After years of toiling under the oppressive heel of shitty, narcissistic, heteronormative, controlling parents who basically had a child for appearances, as an extension of themselves, you get free. You manage to slip away, and discover that there's a world out there, beyond ugly rich-people royalty and marriages for political alliances. It has people who care about you, self love, cool hobbies and lots, LOTS of homosexuality. Any variety of sapphic or wlw you can picture, the place is RIFE with queers. It's awesome; in this POV, are you going to willingly leave this place? I'm fucking not. Certainly not to return to shitty parents, I'd rather die than go back. The parents are horrible people, queerphobes to boot, and I'd literally engage in physical violence than experience that pain again. This is both a theoretical POV, the setup to these books, and in some fashion, my actual life.
But in Spellbound's case, and indeed in One Step At A Time's case with Remington, the shitty parents waggle a finger, say *no, come back* and the protagonist collapses into a ball of depressive, defeatist self-hatred and self-blame. They slink off, tail between their legs about it. The thing is that in both of these cases, there isn't any actual, solid reason to. In Spellbound, there's nothing the arranged-husband could do about it that wouldn't be solved with "gay witch magic, get fucked lmao". Remington, too, is not bound to her parents by financial support or medical supply or anything of the kind; in the city she has prospects for reliable, good-paying work, a place to live, people who care about her that she can fall back on if anything goes wrong. Compared to life being a corporate charity slave for her parents, Port Andrea is a Remington paradise. The idea that her parents would "tear up Port Andrea" with their big money to try to get her back seems self-invented, in that mummy dearest never suggests it. If there is any internal, emotional reason for Remington's bowing to her parents, they aren't well explored; there's a one-off line here or there near the end about "years of programming" that do not help. Plus, Avery and Dana and everyone else are not at all worried about it. Damn the consequences, live your best life, is basically both Dana and Avery's thesis.
But no, the whole book has to be about how totally doom and gloom it is that Remington HAS to go back to mommy, or whatever. Do you understand why I can't sympathise with this? If you wanted to be funny, you could say that this autist lacks empathy, (wouldn't be the first time) but there is close to literally nothing holding Remington back from her beautiful, amazing life in Port Andrea, and yet she treats it like a statistical impossibility. I found myself ranging from annoyed to furious at Remington's total refusal to fight for the new life she's built; I was not pleased.
Oh, and that's all without going into how rage-inducingly hateful this book's blackened sludge of a mother character is. If you've met controlling narcissists more concerned with appearance than autonomy or basic human decency, the "JUST BE GRATEFUL I WORKED SO HARD FOR YOU TO HAVE BLAH" people, you know the type. Between her, Genevieve in Last Chance and Mike Wallace in Fake It, I think Lily Seabrooke might actually be too good at crafting disgusting, hateful villains (and they are villains) for her stories. Mummy dearest's presence onpage is intolerable, both because of how Remington's will collapses around her and how she herself ardently ignores Remington being a person.
This is all shockingly vibe-harshing in what's thus far been a relaxed, light, fluffy, and generally very chill-happy romance series. I'm not sure the content warnings are accurate enough for this one; neglect/abuse by blood relatives and queer self-loathing, probably. Am I wrong for not wanting this awful shit to seep its way into my romances? I'm by no stretch fundamentally against heavy topics in romance lit, but this was a dread-inducing drag. I think there's potentially a really strong story about escaping abuse and moving on with your life in here, I can see what it's theoretically going for, but I happen to think that the execution was fumbled, terribly. I'm supposed to be reading these things to remember how to enjoy things. This one didn't even have the decency to be fun.
(I don't usually mention Thank You/Acknowledgement sections, but this one makes me feel like a complete asshole. This book is personal to the author, yet here I am pretty much eviscerating it. Still, the same section does ask for a review containing whether or not you liked it, though, so here I am. Sorry?)
Dana: "[...]And what use is there in even keeping up the deal? What happens if you break it?"
Remi: Something firey surged up in me, and it felt like the heat of it stung my eyes and made them water. "Well then I guess I forsake my whole family," I rasped. "Is it that easy?"
Dana Gallagher says 'no of course not' in reply, but actually, it really is. Mother said that Remington Bennett could stay in Port Andrea and work as a pastry chef if she got the full-time position herself; mother lied, obviously. So, attack it from multiple angles; if it just means cutting contact with all blood relatives and staying in Port Andrea with Dana--the woman you love--and your close friends? Yes, absolutely. Literally live your best life, these people are evil. If it means that your mother and father will go bankrupt without your illicit art trading they set up for you and profit off of? Yes, absolutely. Fuck them, their fault for leaning on their child they're abusing to make their riches. There is no angle in which "I forsake my whole family" is not the solution here. This family is a bunch of rich, tax-dodging, fake-charity-ing, illegal-art-dealing, narcissistic control freaks with no respect for human life, or anything outside of profit. They had a child as an extension of their rotten little upper-class empire, and they're mad when said child is revealed to be an autonomous person with independent thought.
Isn't this supposed to be a Lily Seabrooke novel? What the fuck is all of this about, why is this here?
Folks, (anyone cursed enough to read this) One Step At A Time isn't good and that shocks me to say. I mean, the lowest I've rated any of her books is a three outta five, and that was for entirely personal, quibbly reasons. Seabrooke is a good and generally reliable author, and there are shades of that here; little places where I enjoyed Dana and Remington's morbid-back-and-forth about grim subjects, spots where I could actually sympathise with Remington about the situation. But goddamn, what a misstep.
Remington fucking Bennett. Is that like an electric razor or a firearm? She's really where all of the book's problems radiate out from, though. Avery Lindt has to play problem solver and move the plot along because of her, Dana has no room to be a character and does nothing because of her, the entire plot progression has a sense of dread because of her. Let's tackle those in reverse order.
This one really feels like I stepped into bad, old-school gay YA or something. Remington outright states at one point "I hate it. I don't want to be bisexual" and I was pretty much annoyed from then on. It's bad in terms of vibes, a heavy blow to the usual Port Andrea atmosphere of chill and relaxing. It's fucking grim and depressing and I hate it so much. Several characters(Avery?, Dana, that Matthew guy) talk about how cool and brave and whatever Remington is for striking out away from her parents to build a new life, instead of living the one they wanted. Given Remington's hopelessly depressed, defeatist self-hatred and cowtowing, though, it's hard to take seriously. Weird dissonance.
It's not actually core to Remington anyway, though; while you have to spend the entire first half of the book with her inner monologue and sometimes spoken words bitching about how much she can't and won't like women, and all of the compulsive heterosexuality garbage, it basically gets handwaved after the first kiss. Turns out being gay(per the text) was just the actual solution, cause she wants to be a girl-kisser, lmao. It seems like her queer self-loathing is caused primarily by mummy dearest, but as an element of the text it just exits the book and does not return. I'm thankful, don't get me wrong, but the lack of follow-up is weird.
Dana Gallagher is our other lead, been working at the White Rose bakery for a while and such, but aside from her being tall(ish) and "toned muscles" I legitimately could not describe her in detail. She's described offhandedly at various points as having never been truly invested in or loving anything, being too stressed out to be social lately, hiding her heart, and being a perfectionist... but this bullet-point list is literally the extent to which any of it is explored. It's shocking how lightweight a character Dana is: in Last Chance, Athena has her old Silver Thread stuff, her line cook Misha, the evil boss; Jen has her job at Foodie, the evil boss, and her arc about choosing what's right. In What Makes a Moment, Sage has her screenwriter job, as well as her bartending gig, her thing with Clara and Jason, plus turning straights less so; Liv has her longterm friendship with Avery, a writing hobby and her whole sexuality thing. In Fake It, Holly has Mark Wallace as an evil badguy ex and the dispassion she feels for her show; Avery has Cecilia as an evil ex and trying to run Paramour properly, with Liv as a semi partner in crime. Even Remington has her hateful shitty parents, endless self loathing, casual art-dealer vibe(it's weird but not that relevant) and ties with Avery. What does Dana have? The White Rose's baking competition?
Generally, Dana's main job is to react in wildly different ways to Remington's ongoing bullshit. When Remington says that the consequences of her mother being angry at White Rose if she stayed would be dire, Dana is bold and devil-may-care, saying that no consequences are too great for their love. By contrast, a chapter or two later, Dana is silently dreading the return of Remington's mother into proceedings, moping around and refusing to talk to Remintgon about it, even though her sister says it's literally the best idea, because it is. This is also one of those books in which the secondary cast mainly exists so that the leads have people who can jump-start the plot if it stalls, which is often. I fucking hate that - the leads end up totally lacking in autonomy and independence.
Nobody typifies that problem better than Avery Lindt herself; she has a nice role in What Makes A Moment because that's a direct continuation of Fake It, but in Last Chance she's only really referenced, which is fine I suppose. Sometimes I feel like Taste of Port Andrea is wasting its interconnected-ness, but it's more about shared themes, style and ideas than characters or locations, which is fine too I suppose. Still, at one point here it's referenced that Remington met with Avery and Liv and also Sage and also Holly at the Kommodo's Den one day, but wouldn't this be better as an actual scene, instead of an offpage random namedrop?
Here is Avery, though. I figured she might just be back because she's the author's favourite or something, which would be fine again, but it turns out her job is to kick both Remington and Dana in the ass when they get too maudlin about things. Avery plays love guru again, this time bashing Remington over the head with the idea that being bisexual is fine and that forcing yourself into liking one gender when your heart pulls you other ways isn't good. Could have been a pretty effective subplot of a sort, but again just gets dropped once Remington and Dana kiss, which was Avery's doing as she basically forced them onto a date; she had to, or nothing would have happened. When Remington makes noises about having to leave because mommy dearest said so(she is 27, remember), it's AVERY who concocts the sneaky plan to get her to stay, and asks Dana to help.
This whole story basically uses Avery as a crutch.
The result of this crutch-leaning is that Avery has now been boiled down to her most core elements, her arc being complete. In this case, that means having a hot girlfriend, and being trans. I didn't think I'd be ragging on a Lily Seabrooke for this, but it seems like all the reader gets from Avery for actual character building anymore is bits about her being trans, really. If she's not bouncing off the current protagonist(Liv, Remington) about their problems, she's talking about how her family was when she began transition, or how haha hormones delete muscle teehee! What Makes A Moment had touches of this too, but it's worse when the main plot requires Avery to pull all the weight so much. It would be nice to see previous characters actually do anything in these books, but if it's not a one-lime cameo, it's Avery, who is the only lead to appear either onpage or by reference in every Port Andrea thus far.
The big final move by Avery, at around 85%, is to basically tell Remington that she doesn't seem to want to fight for what she cares about, which is true. Her argument is more or less that if Remington makes her parents' job of taking her back harder than hiring someone else for the stupid art-dealer charity-whatever position they have her in, they'll give up and go hire someone else, leave her alone. Plus, Remington is WANTED here, by Dana, which Avery knows is what she wants to be. It's a very strange and weirdly pragmatic conversation for the big dramatic turning point in a romance.
Of course Remington doesn't take it on board, though. All the effort in the world, from everyone, right down to Dana handing over newfound ownership of the White Rose Bakery, doesn't keep Remington in Port Andrea. She is simply unable to say no to mummy dearest, and Dana has suddenly lost her damn-the-consequences will. What finally sorts it seems to be simply the reality that it's HAPPENING, since Remington just has a Jen-style epiphany on the stairs up to the airport. Simply realises, in an instant, all of the logical solutions and how, indeed, staying is the only choice that makes sense. It's better than having Avery swing in and solve the plot again, (although Dana requires an ass-kick from her sister to go after Remington in this final scene) but leaves me with this question: Why did it take her (in this case mainly Remington but also Dana) so long to reach this conclusion? Why did it require her harming herself and her girlfriend emotionally for weeks, when everyone and their dog was telling her this verbatim?
I sighed deeply when Remington observes, "If I'd known standing up for us like this would be so easy, would come so naturally if I admitted the truth then I'd have done it ages ago." As if I were not yelling about that into the book, since the 40% mark.
The truth is, I felt more or less this way about Spellbound by Ophelia Silk as well. I was pretty fucking rude to that book, but let's examine it in a bit more detail here, because both novels have a similar structure. POV: You are you. After years of toiling under the oppressive heel of shitty, narcissistic, heteronormative, controlling parents who basically had a child for appearances, as an extension of themselves, you get free. You manage to slip away, and discover that there's a world out there, beyond ugly rich-people royalty and marriages for political alliances. It has people who care about you, self love, cool hobbies and lots, LOTS of homosexuality. Any variety of sapphic or wlw you can picture, the place is RIFE with queers. It's awesome; in this POV, are you going to willingly leave this place? I'm fucking not. Certainly not to return to shitty parents, I'd rather die than go back. The parents are horrible people, queerphobes to boot, and I'd literally engage in physical violence than experience that pain again. This is both a theoretical POV, the setup to these books, and in some fashion, my actual life.
But in Spellbound's case, and indeed in One Step At A Time's case with Remington, the shitty parents waggle a finger, say *no, come back* and the protagonist collapses into a ball of depressive, defeatist self-hatred and self-blame. They slink off, tail between their legs about it. The thing is that in both of these cases, there isn't any actual, solid reason to. In Spellbound, there's nothing the arranged-husband could do about it that wouldn't be solved with "gay witch magic, get fucked lmao". Remington, too, is not bound to her parents by financial support or medical supply or anything of the kind; in the city she has prospects for reliable, good-paying work, a place to live, people who care about her that she can fall back on if anything goes wrong. Compared to life being a corporate charity slave for her parents, Port Andrea is a Remington paradise. The idea that her parents would "tear up Port Andrea" with their big money to try to get her back seems self-invented, in that mummy dearest never suggests it. If there is any internal, emotional reason for Remington's bowing to her parents, they aren't well explored; there's a one-off line here or there near the end about "years of programming" that do not help. Plus, Avery and Dana and everyone else are not at all worried about it. Damn the consequences, live your best life, is basically both Dana and Avery's thesis.
But no, the whole book has to be about how totally doom and gloom it is that Remington HAS to go back to mommy, or whatever. Do you understand why I can't sympathise with this? If you wanted to be funny, you could say that this autist lacks empathy, (wouldn't be the first time) but there is close to literally nothing holding Remington back from her beautiful, amazing life in Port Andrea, and yet she treats it like a statistical impossibility. I found myself ranging from annoyed to furious at Remington's total refusal to fight for the new life she's built; I was not pleased.
Oh, and that's all without going into how rage-inducingly hateful this book's blackened sludge of a mother character is. If you've met controlling narcissists more concerned with appearance than autonomy or basic human decency, the "JUST BE GRATEFUL I WORKED SO HARD FOR YOU TO HAVE BLAH" people, you know the type. Between her, Genevieve in Last Chance and Mike Wallace in Fake It, I think Lily Seabrooke might actually be too good at crafting disgusting, hateful villains (and they are villains) for her stories. Mummy dearest's presence onpage is intolerable, both because of how Remington's will collapses around her and how she herself ardently ignores Remington being a person.
This is all shockingly vibe-harshing in what's thus far been a relaxed, light, fluffy, and generally very chill-happy romance series. I'm not sure the content warnings are accurate enough for this one; neglect/abuse by blood relatives and queer self-loathing, probably. Am I wrong for not wanting this awful shit to seep its way into my romances? I'm by no stretch fundamentally against heavy topics in romance lit, but this was a dread-inducing drag. I think there's potentially a really strong story about escaping abuse and moving on with your life in here, I can see what it's theoretically going for, but I happen to think that the execution was fumbled, terribly. I'm supposed to be reading these things to remember how to enjoy things. This one didn't even have the decency to be fun.
(I don't usually mention Thank You/Acknowledgement sections, but this one makes me feel like a complete asshole. This book is personal to the author, yet here I am pretty much eviscerating it. Still, the same section does ask for a review containing whether or not you liked it, though, so here I am. Sorry?)
January 24, 2022
Lily was kind enough to share an advanced reader copy of One Step At A Time for me to review, but this review isn’t influenced by that.
Dana and Remi are two bakers in the food universe capital of Port Andrea. In theory Dana is Remi’s mentor but there’s far more to their relationship than this, as you’d expect. Remi has a very ‘complex’ family and can’t be out in terms of her sexuality.
As you have probably come to expect from Seabrooke’s Port Andrea series, this book is part culinary experience and part romantic love journey. How anyone in the city of Port Andrea stays less than 500 stone in weight I don’t understand - such is the level of amazing food on offer. Seabrooke brings back our favourite restaurant owner, Avery, to be Remi’s best friend. (Avery is the one with the ‘hot celebrity girlfriend’ – just in case you had forgotten… a fact you certainly won’t after reading this.)
Dana and Remi come alive as their hangups and concerns become unwrapped for us, particularly with the aid of our local foodie philosopher, Avery. Their foil comes in the form of the seemingly evil mother, Mrs Barrett - hellbent on seemingly ruining Remi’s live through exerting her control. Every time the woman walked in, I could mentally see Cruella De Ville. (I didn’t like her… can you tell?). My stomach physically sank as she made her move and from that point to the end, I could simply not put the story down.
However, through adversity - some of their own making, some of others (such as the DeVille-Barrett woman) - Dana and Remi build their love and discover their conviction for each other is true and solid.
Seabrooke brings us so many amazing characters and describes the city and it’s food (mainly it’s food, to be true) so vividly I think you’ll put on calories just reading this book. Hopefully Lily will bring out a fat-free version alongside the eBook!
If you love sweet romances with a journey of “will they / won’t they” then, as for all of Seabrook’s stories, this will be one you will love.
Dana and Remi are two bakers in the food universe capital of Port Andrea. In theory Dana is Remi’s mentor but there’s far more to their relationship than this, as you’d expect. Remi has a very ‘complex’ family and can’t be out in terms of her sexuality.
As you have probably come to expect from Seabrooke’s Port Andrea series, this book is part culinary experience and part romantic love journey. How anyone in the city of Port Andrea stays less than 500 stone in weight I don’t understand - such is the level of amazing food on offer. Seabrooke brings back our favourite restaurant owner, Avery, to be Remi’s best friend. (Avery is the one with the ‘hot celebrity girlfriend’ – just in case you had forgotten… a fact you certainly won’t after reading this.)
Dana and Remi come alive as their hangups and concerns become unwrapped for us, particularly with the aid of our local foodie philosopher, Avery. Their foil comes in the form of the seemingly evil mother, Mrs Barrett - hellbent on seemingly ruining Remi’s live through exerting her control. Every time the woman walked in, I could mentally see Cruella De Ville. (I didn’t like her… can you tell?). My stomach physically sank as she made her move and from that point to the end, I could simply not put the story down.
However, through adversity - some of their own making, some of others (such as the DeVille-Barrett woman) - Dana and Remi build their love and discover their conviction for each other is true and solid.
Seabrooke brings us so many amazing characters and describes the city and it’s food (mainly it’s food, to be true) so vividly I think you’ll put on calories just reading this book. Hopefully Lily will bring out a fat-free version alongside the eBook!
If you love sweet romances with a journey of “will they / won’t they” then, as for all of Seabrook’s stories, this will be one you will love.
February 14, 2022
So well done!
I've been a fan of this author for awhile now, and I pretty much instantly download anything she publishes, rarely bothering to read the synopsis because I already know I'm interested.
Her books are cute, funny, and hold an intriguing depth without being overly angsty. Her characters and plotlines never fall into that too basic trap of creating unnecessary conflict using poor communication as a vehicle for cheap drama, so for conflict to exist in these books, the characters have to be well developed enough to have realistic flaws and then actually overcome by learning and evolving as people. So, my standards for a Seabrooke book are high, and I went into this expecting them to be met.
And they were; met and exceeded. But what really stood out to me here was how much the quality of writing improved. The quality was excellent before, don't get me wrong, but this book was definitely an improvement on the usual excellence. I wasn't just hooked, I was engaged all the way through and literally couldn't put it down until it was done. I laughed way more than I expected to, and I loved the analogies, simalies, and metaphors that were sprinkled in like seasoning, creating personality and giving unique voice to the narrative style.
This book is a great example of really quality writing in the romance genre. I've read romances with more drama and more depth, but rarely with more flair. One Step at a Time has all the hallmarks of a great romantic comedy.
If I had to pick something to improve here, it's that Remi's character could have been given a little more darkness. She's portrayed as having a sort of classy but edgy/goth vibe, and being a bit of a defeatist. I thought her character was well developed and well expressed, but she could have been a little more unique and distinctive if her emo side had emerged a little more here and there...but in that endearing way her character was already unfolding.
Okay, stop reading Thai review and go read the book. It's well worth it.
I've been a fan of this author for awhile now, and I pretty much instantly download anything she publishes, rarely bothering to read the synopsis because I already know I'm interested.
Her books are cute, funny, and hold an intriguing depth without being overly angsty. Her characters and plotlines never fall into that too basic trap of creating unnecessary conflict using poor communication as a vehicle for cheap drama, so for conflict to exist in these books, the characters have to be well developed enough to have realistic flaws and then actually overcome by learning and evolving as people. So, my standards for a Seabrooke book are high, and I went into this expecting them to be met.
And they were; met and exceeded. But what really stood out to me here was how much the quality of writing improved. The quality was excellent before, don't get me wrong, but this book was definitely an improvement on the usual excellence. I wasn't just hooked, I was engaged all the way through and literally couldn't put it down until it was done. I laughed way more than I expected to, and I loved the analogies, simalies, and metaphors that were sprinkled in like seasoning, creating personality and giving unique voice to the narrative style.
This book is a great example of really quality writing in the romance genre. I've read romances with more drama and more depth, but rarely with more flair. One Step at a Time has all the hallmarks of a great romantic comedy.
If I had to pick something to improve here, it's that Remi's character could have been given a little more darkness. She's portrayed as having a sort of classy but edgy/goth vibe, and being a bit of a defeatist. I thought her character was well developed and well expressed, but she could have been a little more unique and distinctive if her emo side had emerged a little more here and there...but in that endearing way her character was already unfolding.
Okay, stop reading Thai review and go read the book. It's well worth it.
February 6, 2022
One Step at a Time (full-length novel, bi mc, pan mc, EPIC meetcute, coming out story, workplace romance), 3rd in the Port Andrea series and I think it is the best one yet. There were some mentions of characters that I believe are the groundwork for the next novel(s) in the series. Maybe it's just wishful thinking... The realm of Port Andrea seems larger and more mature in this book, I love to see the development from each book to the next, how the world-building gets more intricate and the details add credibility and make it more realistic and relatable.
Now, about the story:
Two pastry chefs meet in one of the best meetcute I read in a long time (!) and realize they really like each other but each of them thinks the other is straight. Well, until they find out they're not. When they do, they really really wanna do something about it but they can’t because reasons (closet, family, mafioso). So they try to hold it in but we all know how that ends, right? They bake together and come up with innovative recipes and all the while trying to reconcile themselves with the fact that their time together may be cut short (because above-mentioned reasons). I think I gained a few pounds just from reading the book. Not even gonna mention the amount of cookies/cakes I consumed during the read… This book is full of sugar and yummy descriptions of flavors, textures, and aromas. Lots of sugar in the plot as well, warm-hearted and comforting. Just like a warm pastry, straight from the oven :)
The book has Avery, from Fake It, as a supporting character, and her friends and GF are also mentioned.
Content warning: overbearing mother (an understatement) and lots of sugary baked goods descriptions that will make you want to eat all the time…
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Now, about the story:
Two pastry chefs meet in one of the best meetcute I read in a long time (!) and realize they really like each other but each of them thinks the other is straight. Well, until they find out they're not. When they do, they really really wanna do something about it but they can’t because reasons (closet, family, mafioso). So they try to hold it in but we all know how that ends, right? They bake together and come up with innovative recipes and all the while trying to reconcile themselves with the fact that their time together may be cut short (because above-mentioned reasons). I think I gained a few pounds just from reading the book. Not even gonna mention the amount of cookies/cakes I consumed during the read… This book is full of sugar and yummy descriptions of flavors, textures, and aromas. Lots of sugar in the plot as well, warm-hearted and comforting. Just like a warm pastry, straight from the oven :)
The book has Avery, from Fake It, as a supporting character, and her friends and GF are also mentioned.
Content warning: overbearing mother (an understatement) and lots of sugary baked goods descriptions that will make you want to eat all the time…
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 9, 2022
The Taste of Port Andrea series is simply amazing. Seabrooke delivers mouthwatering food descriptions, friendship, family, romance, humor, and love in abundance. One Step at a Time is a wonderfully delicious addition to the series bringing familiar faces and new. This summertime romance is briming with mutual pinning and attraction and is a fun romantic read.
From the very first meet cute life saving moment I was hooked. That one fated meeting was all it took for me to become completely invested in these characters and this romance. The banter and teasing between Remi and Dana is so fun and cute. They have a great and instant connection.
I love all of the characters of this series. I was really happy to see Avery again, being her usual wise, matchmaking, queer fairy godmother self. Serafina and Emmanuel were both fantastic additions to the series. Seabrooke does an amazing job creating characters you instantly fall in love with and want to see more of.
Remi is a such a sweetie. Suave and cool on the outside yet raging gay panic on the inside. As a bisexual Remi is desperately trying to stay firmly in the closet to appease her powerful, wealthy, controlling family, a task made immensely more difficult when she meets kind, beautiful, and fun-loving Dana. Dana is creative, sweet, and oh so into Remi. The two make great friends and even better lovers. Swoon.
I enjoyed the pacing and plot of this story. The will they wont they and building attraction was wonderful. I also enjoyed how things unfolded both for the characters and the overall story.
This sweet bakery romance will make you believe in fate and is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. These characters and this romance will capture your heart and make you laugh. A fun, adorable, and steamy read that is a perfect addition to the series.
From the very first meet cute life saving moment I was hooked. That one fated meeting was all it took for me to become completely invested in these characters and this romance. The banter and teasing between Remi and Dana is so fun and cute. They have a great and instant connection.
I love all of the characters of this series. I was really happy to see Avery again, being her usual wise, matchmaking, queer fairy godmother self. Serafina and Emmanuel were both fantastic additions to the series. Seabrooke does an amazing job creating characters you instantly fall in love with and want to see more of.
Remi is a such a sweetie. Suave and cool on the outside yet raging gay panic on the inside. As a bisexual Remi is desperately trying to stay firmly in the closet to appease her powerful, wealthy, controlling family, a task made immensely more difficult when she meets kind, beautiful, and fun-loving Dana. Dana is creative, sweet, and oh so into Remi. The two make great friends and even better lovers. Swoon.
I enjoyed the pacing and plot of this story. The will they wont they and building attraction was wonderful. I also enjoyed how things unfolded both for the characters and the overall story.
This sweet bakery romance will make you believe in fate and is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. These characters and this romance will capture your heart and make you laugh. A fun, adorable, and steamy read that is a perfect addition to the series.
February 1, 2022
One Step at a Time is the third in Lily Seabrooke’s A Taste of Port Andrea series. It can be read as a standalone, although the other books are also incredibly enjoyable and worth checking out. Like much of what I’ve read so far from Lily Seabrooke, this story is charming and sweet, with relatively low angst, balanced with compassion for some of the serious issues the characters are going through.
I really felt for Remi as the details of her family life came to light, and it highlights the pressures of being in the closet, trying to deny one’s queerness because you know your family won’t approve. However, circumstances surrounding this weren’t super clear at first, so I’d have liked a bit more of an early indicator that was the issue.
Dana is incredibly sweet as well, and I also felt for her being a bit confused by Remi’s front at first. But once Dana got to know Remi and her situation, I loved how Dana provided support for Remi in that regard.
And then there’s the food porn. Dana and Remi work together in a bakery in town, so there‘s ample opportunities for mouth-watering descriptions of food. This is definitely a book where you need to have at least a snack handy, as you will be hungry.
This book is super cute and fun, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves lighthearted queer contemporary romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really felt for Remi as the details of her family life came to light, and it highlights the pressures of being in the closet, trying to deny one’s queerness because you know your family won’t approve. However, circumstances surrounding this weren’t super clear at first, so I’d have liked a bit more of an early indicator that was the issue.
Dana is incredibly sweet as well, and I also felt for her being a bit confused by Remi’s front at first. But once Dana got to know Remi and her situation, I loved how Dana provided support for Remi in that regard.
And then there’s the food porn. Dana and Remi work together in a bakery in town, so there‘s ample opportunities for mouth-watering descriptions of food. This is definitely a book where you need to have at least a snack handy, as you will be hungry.
This book is super cute and fun, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves lighthearted queer contemporary romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 7, 2022
"One Step at Time" is the third book in the Taste of Port Andrea series but you need not have read the previous two to enjoy reading it. (Although I do highly recommend that you do read them, not just to add background to this book because they are wonderful reads on their own.) If there were ever a fictional town in which I would want to live, it is Port Andrea. Its motto should be: Come for the Food - Stay for the Romance!
I will not give a recap of the plot, because it is summarized elsewhere. What I will do is grab my pom-poms and cheer on the main characters. Both Dana and Remi are bright, funny, and engaging characters. I loved them both, as individuals, as friends, and (spoiler) as a couple. The surrounding cast of characters is filled with some lovely Port Andreans, a couple of whom we've met before, and some welcome new additions. They are a wonderfully diverse group and the kind of friends we all wish we had - except when they drink all your liquor. We even get an evil villain to boo and root against.
I love this book and highly recommend it. I've loved everything I have read from Lily Seabrooke. I always look forward to reading her work and always finish satisfied - I feel like it's been time well-spent. You really should visit Port Andrea, you'll get a vacation and you won't have to wash laundry when you get back.
I gratefully received an ARC from the publisher via Booksprout in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I will not give a recap of the plot, because it is summarized elsewhere. What I will do is grab my pom-poms and cheer on the main characters. Both Dana and Remi are bright, funny, and engaging characters. I loved them both, as individuals, as friends, and (spoiler) as a couple. The surrounding cast of characters is filled with some lovely Port Andreans, a couple of whom we've met before, and some welcome new additions. They are a wonderfully diverse group and the kind of friends we all wish we had - except when they drink all your liquor. We even get an evil villain to boo and root against.
I love this book and highly recommend it. I've loved everything I have read from Lily Seabrooke. I always look forward to reading her work and always finish satisfied - I feel like it's been time well-spent. You really should visit Port Andrea, you'll get a vacation and you won't have to wash laundry when you get back.
I gratefully received an ARC from the publisher via Booksprout in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 6, 2022
I don't know how Lily does it, but this was MAGNIFICENT.
Every Port Andrea book is brimming with colour and is a feast for the senses. All the food description makes me desperately want to visit, but when I googled it I can't find it... Lily is it a made up place? I wish it existed!!
I loved everything about this book, just like I loved everything about the other 2 Port Andrea books I read. The characters are so loveable, there's a lot of intrigue, the sex is SEXY and divine. It's just amazing. If you love romance and character development and food and a beautiful world that you wish you could step in to and super hot sex then you will LOVE this book.
Thank you so much for the ARC Lily, I feel so lucky to have been able to read this and I absolutely can't wait for more Port Andrea goodness... I'd love to know more about Matthew and Emmanuel and Monica and their romances... Can we just have a book for every single excellent character please?!
5* without a doubt.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Every Port Andrea book is brimming with colour and is a feast for the senses. All the food description makes me desperately want to visit, but when I googled it I can't find it... Lily is it a made up place? I wish it existed!!
I loved everything about this book, just like I loved everything about the other 2 Port Andrea books I read. The characters are so loveable, there's a lot of intrigue, the sex is SEXY and divine. It's just amazing. If you love romance and character development and food and a beautiful world that you wish you could step in to and super hot sex then you will LOVE this book.
Thank you so much for the ARC Lily, I feel so lucky to have been able to read this and I absolutely can't wait for more Port Andrea goodness... I'd love to know more about Matthew and Emmanuel and Monica and their romances... Can we just have a book for every single excellent character please?!
5* without a doubt.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 7, 2022
If you’re looking for a book with angst with a capital A, this is the book for you. I tend to lean more towards a medium scale angst-wise, which is the only reason this book is a 4 for me. The characters are well developed. Seabrooke quickly lets you get to know the characters, and during the book you’re also given understanding of how they turned into the women you’re introduced to in the beginning of the book.
Dana is a cinnamon roll. She’s a sweet character that you immediately want to wrap into a warm blanket and keep hugging. She’s a great yin to Remis yang. Remi has a more complicated back story which has shaped her into a person who’s more insecure in herself.
Bonus plus points:
+ Pansexual MC
+ Bisexual MC
+ BAKING
+ Cameo from Avery who were a MC in a previous Port Andrea book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dana is a cinnamon roll. She’s a sweet character that you immediately want to wrap into a warm blanket and keep hugging. She’s a great yin to Remis yang. Remi has a more complicated back story which has shaped her into a person who’s more insecure in herself.
Bonus plus points:
+ Pansexual MC
+ Bisexual MC
+ BAKING
+ Cameo from Avery who were a MC in a previous Port Andrea book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 1, 2022
The connection between Remi and Dana was strong and well formed. I loved the view on sexuality, where Remi tried to exert control over who she fell for, gender included. The character development in seeing someone who so clearly needs control over her life due to being so heavily controlled, and then still falling for who she said she wasn’t, and then being able to use this love as a strength to get in the driver’s seat of her own life was remarkable. The care they have for each other was evident from the beginning. I realize that I love Port Andrea now, and Lily Seabrooke does an amazing job at making this a vibrant, living place.
I thought the power Remi’s parents have over her felt a little exaggerated at times, though it definitely added drama.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thought the power Remi’s parents have over her felt a little exaggerated at times, though it definitely added drama.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 6, 2022
Worldbuilding:
Port Andrea is vividly portrayed. You could say that food description is a large part of the worldbuilding (at least I do) and they too are well done. In fact, they are so magnificently done that you might find yourself impulse-ordering a baked good from your nearest bakery.
Characters:
The main characters were both quite well developed in their own right, they had distinctive personalities. As usual, the side characters are brightly distinctive from each other. We got to see Avery and Holly from Fake It quite a lot but not in a way where it is necessary to have read the first book, which was quite neat.
Relationship:
Honestly, Dana and Remi's dynamic may be my favourite so far in the series. They were so fully supportive of each other and hesitant that it was just a gift to be able to see their relationship develop.
Plot:
Unlike the first two books, there wasn't really one ultimate villain that is getting in the way, which I quite enjoyed. Plot progression was steady and on par with the development of the characters and their relationship.
Downsides:
Despite there being a character called Remi who a) spoke fluent French and b) lived in France for a bit there wasn't a single Ratatouille joke. However, I'm willing to let it slide as they might not have Ratatouille in Port Andrea.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 8, 2022
This book was sweet. Yep it’s set in a pastry kitchen and leaves you wishing free samples were given with everything ebook. Dana falls for her co-worker who also saved her from a tumble down some steps Remi. Unfortunately Remi is determined to be straight despite being bisexual as if it’s a choice. Lily always delivers on topics, feelings, realisations and characters which here again combine to give us a wonderful romance. If you don’t shout at Remi more than once in this book you’re not paying attention.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 9, 2022
Seeing as this is one of Lily's Port Andrea Romances of course I absolutely loved it! The main characters Remi and Dana have instant magnetic attraction from the first moment they meet. This story really is a great look into how sometimes the biggest barriers to your own happiness are the barriers you've given yourself and just how hard those barriers are to break. Not to mention amazing food descriptions and some cameos from past MCs. It made me want to relax on a beach with amazing food and drink and fall in love all over again. As usual, buy this book and eagerly await the next like I am!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 8, 2022
Port Andrea Feels Like Home ❤️
This was the third iteration of the Port Andrea series that I have read, and quite frankly, each one seems to get better.
Lily Seabrook has become one of a handful of my favorite F/F rom com authors.
Sadly, that category can be both trite and predictable. Words that do not apply here.
I adore not only her main characters but each member of the supporting caste in each book.
But what amazes most is the humorous repartee between all the characters as well as their well developed personalities and quirks.
My simple request is that you keep bringing me back to Port Andrea and it’s legions of delightful residents.
This was the third iteration of the Port Andrea series that I have read, and quite frankly, each one seems to get better.
Lily Seabrook has become one of a handful of my favorite F/F rom com authors.
Sadly, that category can be both trite and predictable. Words that do not apply here.
I adore not only her main characters but each member of the supporting caste in each book.
But what amazes most is the humorous repartee between all the characters as well as their well developed personalities and quirks.
My simple request is that you keep bringing me back to Port Andrea and it’s legions of delightful residents.
May 6, 2022
White Rose Pastries
Dana Gallagher’s dream is to make pastries in every kind and variety some of which she makes up. Remi Barrington had dreamed of working at White Rose for years. Finally after culinary school she gets an apprenticeship for the summer and perhaps a job. Just one problem her family run a money laundering charity that she’s the Director of the Fine Arts Division. Will her dreams of Port Andrea survive the summer and can love give her a new life? Great series and marvelous stories.
Dana Gallagher’s dream is to make pastries in every kind and variety some of which she makes up. Remi Barrington had dreamed of working at White Rose for years. Finally after culinary school she gets an apprenticeship for the summer and perhaps a job. Just one problem her family run a money laundering charity that she’s the Director of the Fine Arts Division. Will her dreams of Port Andrea survive the summer and can love give her a new life? Great series and marvelous stories.
February 6, 2022
This was yet another amazingly sweet read from Lily. The characters are as lovable as all the others. I loved seeing characters from previous books make appearances in this story as well. The main characters were absolutely lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions. I'm a huge fan of the representation in Lily's books, so this is definitely yet another book you should be reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 21, 2022
Another Great “A Taste of Port Andrea” Story!
I am a big fan and have read every book Lily Seabrooke has published. This one was just as good. I think the chemistry between Dana and Remi was written so well. Loved the bakery set. The overall feel of the story was positive although Remi’s situation kept her from being fully happy. Understanding the cause, I think this ended perfectly. I love the “Taste of Port Andrea” stories.
I am a big fan and have read every book Lily Seabrooke has published. This one was just as good. I think the chemistry between Dana and Remi was written so well. Loved the bakery set. The overall feel of the story was positive although Remi’s situation kept her from being fully happy. Understanding the cause, I think this ended perfectly. I love the “Taste of Port Andrea” stories.
Read
January 28, 2022This was a sweet and loving read. I loved the growth of Remi throughout the book and the love between her and Dana allowing her to grow. Remi also helped Dana with her baking by helping her be constructive. I really wanted to slap Remi’s mom.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 5, 2022
This is one of the Port Andrea collection, but certainly can be read alone.
Remi has come to Port Andrea to train as a pastry chef. As she leaves the train station she stops a woman from falling down some steps and this woman turns out to be the person training her.
This is a lovely, well written book, with an interesting story line and a HEA.
Remi has come to Port Andrea to train as a pastry chef. As she leaves the train station she stops a woman from falling down some steps and this woman turns out to be the person training her.
This is a lovely, well written book, with an interesting story line and a HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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