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A Dash of Salt and Pepper
Sometimes two cooks in the kitchen are better than one in this swoony romantic comedy from the author of I’m So (Not) Over You.
Xavier Gorman is doing less than stellar. He just got dumped, was passed over for a prestigious fellowship, and to top it all off he's right back home in Harpers Cove, Maine (population: 9,000). The last thing he wants to do is to work as a sous chef in the kitchen of the hip new restaurant in town, The Wharf. Especially since the hot, single-father chef who owns it can’t delegate to save his life.
Logan O’Hare doesn’t understand Xavier or why every word out of his mouth is dipped in sarcasm. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to hire him—he needs more help in the kitchen and his twin daughter, Anne, can only mince so many onions. It might be a recipe for disaster, but Logan doesn’t have many options besides Xavier.
Stuck between a stove and a hot place, Logan and Xavier discover an unexpected connection. But when the heat between them threatens to top the Scoville scale, they’ll have to decide if they can make their relationship work or if life has seasoned them too differently.
Xavier Gorman is doing less than stellar. He just got dumped, was passed over for a prestigious fellowship, and to top it all off he's right back home in Harpers Cove, Maine (population: 9,000). The last thing he wants to do is to work as a sous chef in the kitchen of the hip new restaurant in town, The Wharf. Especially since the hot, single-father chef who owns it can’t delegate to save his life.
Logan O’Hare doesn’t understand Xavier or why every word out of his mouth is dipped in sarcasm. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to hire him—he needs more help in the kitchen and his twin daughter, Anne, can only mince so many onions. It might be a recipe for disaster, but Logan doesn’t have many options besides Xavier.
Stuck between a stove and a hot place, Logan and Xavier discover an unexpected connection. But when the heat between them threatens to top the Scoville scale, they’ll have to decide if they can make their relationship work or if life has seasoned them too differently.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2022
136 people are currently reading
12365 people want to read
About the author
Kosoko Jackson
15 books781 followersBorn and raised in the DC Metro Area, Kosoko Jackson has worked in non-profit communications for the past four years. His debut, YESTERDAY IS HISTORY, comes out 2021 by SourcebooksFire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 730 reviews
August 27, 2024
I love Maine. I haven't been to Maine. But I know I'd love it. (Do not come back and remind me that I didn't love Paris.)
From the reviews, I didn't think I would enjoy this that much, but that just comes to show you can't trust everything you read. This was a hoot. I swear I'm not a boomer. I wanted more spice, but the one scene does get quite hot. This cover is everything.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
From the reviews, I didn't think I would enjoy this that much, but that just comes to show you can't trust everything you read. This was a hoot. I swear I'm not a boomer. I wanted more spice, but the one scene does get quite hot. This cover is everything.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
December 30, 2022
I'm pretty sure this is my first Kosoko Jackson book and I can already tell where his writing and method of storytelling will and will not work for me.
A Dash of Salt and Pepper is a LGBT romance set in a small town that follows the relationship between characters Xavier and Logan. Xavier has returned to the small town after being dumped and not getting selected for a prestigious fellowship. While there, he agrees to work for restaurant owner Logan. Eventually, the two find that they have more feelings beyond employer and employee.
What Worked: I'm a foodie. I love to eat. So naturally seeing the title of this book instantly caught my attention. I LOVE food based romance (if you have recommendations let me know) and saw this book as the opportunity to dive into something fun and exciting. The idea of the two cooking together and falling in love made my heart swoon. I really enjoyed both Logan and Xavier as characters. There was an age gap that really showed in their personalities, but it worked. Where Xavier was fun and compelling, I found Logan to be more mellow and structured (I definitely attributed this to Logan being a single father). I enjoyed the idea that Jackson played quite a bit with the characters having to find a balance in their relationship.
What Didn't Work: As so many readers have said before me, this could have benefited greatly from having a dual POV. The story lost it's ability to provide a robust narrative because readers only see everything from Xavier's point of view. I also had a very interesting experience with some of the inner monologue that occurred with Xavier. There were quite a few references to Black culture that felt a little forced. This could just be a "me thing," but there were moments where Jackson was trying hard to illustrate that Xavier was Black. I don't know, the references felt a little bit like caricatures. I wasn't sure if this was an attempt to explain Black culture to non-Black readers or a way to remind readers that Xavier was Black, but it read just a tad awkward for me.
Overall, this was a solid read. I'll have to see whether I'm interested in any other books by Jackson.
A Dash of Salt and Pepper is a LGBT romance set in a small town that follows the relationship between characters Xavier and Logan. Xavier has returned to the small town after being dumped and not getting selected for a prestigious fellowship. While there, he agrees to work for restaurant owner Logan. Eventually, the two find that they have more feelings beyond employer and employee.
What Worked: I'm a foodie. I love to eat. So naturally seeing the title of this book instantly caught my attention. I LOVE food based romance (if you have recommendations let me know) and saw this book as the opportunity to dive into something fun and exciting. The idea of the two cooking together and falling in love made my heart swoon. I really enjoyed both Logan and Xavier as characters. There was an age gap that really showed in their personalities, but it worked. Where Xavier was fun and compelling, I found Logan to be more mellow and structured (I definitely attributed this to Logan being a single father). I enjoyed the idea that Jackson played quite a bit with the characters having to find a balance in their relationship.
What Didn't Work: As so many readers have said before me, this could have benefited greatly from having a dual POV. The story lost it's ability to provide a robust narrative because readers only see everything from Xavier's point of view. I also had a very interesting experience with some of the inner monologue that occurred with Xavier. There were quite a few references to Black culture that felt a little forced. This could just be a "me thing," but there were moments where Jackson was trying hard to illustrate that Xavier was Black. I don't know, the references felt a little bit like caricatures. I wasn't sure if this was an attempt to explain Black culture to non-Black readers or a way to remind readers that Xavier was Black, but it read just a tad awkward for me.
Overall, this was a solid read. I'll have to see whether I'm interested in any other books by Jackson.
January 5, 2023
I always feel mean leaving one star reviews. Like, yes, I can't find anything about it that I honestly liked, but it couldn't have been that bad, 1/5 BAD. It had good grammar and punctuation, and I didn't see any typos. That counts for something, right? But two stars is almost passing grade, and I can't do that. I didn't like this, it isn't good. I kept eyeing that % marker on the corner of my Kindle like a hawk, praying for it to end.
I've been thinking about a book report I had to write when I was 9, 10 years old? I was at my grandparents, and my older cousing Marta was there too, and someone asked her to help me out with it. Being 13, she maliciously complied and wrote the book report for me, making no reference at all to the meat of the plot. In my report there was no middle, it was all beginning and end. Like if the book I'd read had a whole chunk of it missing and I hadn't even noticed. A Dash Of Salt And Pepper feels like that. There's a whole lot of building up to their relationship (with a kind of corny, half-assed enemies to lovers angle that makes no sense, it's barely a misunderstanding and they fucking can't stand each other for half the book), and then a weird couple of chapters of heavy handed sexual tension that comes out of nowhere, and then they're together? And nothing much happens? And they adore each other for some reason?? And then there's the usual third act break-up for no good reason and the big dramatic make-up, and the saccharine epilogue, blah blah. It's paint-by-numbers, it's boring, it fucking pisses me off. I don't even know what they like about each other! Why do they enjoy each other's company? Fuck me.
Other miscellaneous stuff I hated:
1. That's not how a restaurant works. "Which part?" you may ask. All of it.
2. Xavier is fucking unbearable. His internal monologue is so tedious. His constant pop culture references are so tired.
3. The witty banter, Jesus Christ. This book needed to cut approximately half of the dialogue, half of the back-and-forths and the sarcastic retorts and unfunny jokes and quips. Just get rid of it, chuck it into the Sun.
4. 'And maybe, just maybe...' This fucking phrase should be illegal.
I've been thinking about a book report I had to write when I was 9, 10 years old? I was at my grandparents, and my older cousing Marta was there too, and someone asked her to help me out with it. Being 13, she maliciously complied and wrote the book report for me, making no reference at all to the meat of the plot. In my report there was no middle, it was all beginning and end. Like if the book I'd read had a whole chunk of it missing and I hadn't even noticed. A Dash Of Salt And Pepper feels like that. There's a whole lot of building up to their relationship (with a kind of corny, half-assed enemies to lovers angle that makes no sense, it's barely a misunderstanding and they fucking can't stand each other for half the book), and then a weird couple of chapters of heavy handed sexual tension that comes out of nowhere, and then they're together? And nothing much happens? And they adore each other for some reason?? And then there's the usual third act break-up for no good reason and the big dramatic make-up, and the saccharine epilogue, blah blah. It's paint-by-numbers, it's boring, it fucking pisses me off. I don't even know what they like about each other! Why do they enjoy each other's company? Fuck me.
Other miscellaneous stuff I hated:
1. That's not how a restaurant works. "Which part?" you may ask. All of it.
2. Xavier is fucking unbearable. His internal monologue is so tedious. His constant pop culture references are so tired.
3. The witty banter, Jesus Christ. This book needed to cut approximately half of the dialogue, half of the back-and-forths and the sarcastic retorts and unfunny jokes and quips. Just get rid of it, chuck it into the Sun.
4. 'And maybe, just maybe...' This fucking phrase should be illegal.
March 1, 2023
To be perfectly candid, I kinda hated this one. For the first two thirds of the book (or three quarters? I listened to the audiobook and wasn't paying very close attention to how far in I was), most of my grievances were relatively minor. For example, the main character thinks about how ridiculous it is to talk to his dog, since she's "just a dog and can't understand him," so many times (at least three) that I half-expected the book to undergo a surprise genre change halfway in and make the dog talk, because why else would you emphasize that so much? Also, Logan the "amazing chef" made a bruschetta where the only spices seemed to be coriander, thyme, and nutmeg—no basil or garlic in sight—which is frankly sacrilegious!
Look, I'll be honest; I didn't love the "man will inevitably have to choose between smalltown love and the internship of his dreams" premise, but I was willing to entertain it because I hate capitalism as much as the next gay and thus couldn't bring myself to really care about Xavier's business career. All of that changed, however, in the novel's third act. To put things in the vaguest terms possible, Xavier oversteps in a well-meaning attempt to help Logan with a major problem that Logan hasn't told him about, and when Logan finds out his reaction is vitriolic. The romance, from this point on, was unsalvagable for me. Maybe, if Logan had taken a different approach to repairing their relationship, I would have been more willing to go along with it, but as it was the ending just made me viscerally angry. This book was already, in my opinion, not Kosoko Jackson's best writing; the plot issues were the nail in the coffin.
Look, I'll be honest; I didn't love the "man will inevitably have to choose between smalltown love and the internship of his dreams" premise, but I was willing to entertain it because I hate capitalism as much as the next gay and thus couldn't bring myself to really care about Xavier's business career. All of that changed, however, in the novel's third act. To put things in the vaguest terms possible, Xavier oversteps in a well-meaning attempt to help Logan with a major problem that Logan hasn't told him about, and when Logan finds out his reaction is vitriolic. The romance, from this point on, was unsalvagable for me. Maybe, if Logan had taken a different approach to repairing their relationship, I would have been more willing to go along with it, but as it was the ending just made me viscerally angry. This book was already, in my opinion, not Kosoko Jackson's best writing; the plot issues were the nail in the coffin.
February 4, 2023
I SO wanted to love A Dash of Salt and Pepper by new-to-me author, Kosoko Jackson, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. This book was rough to push through.
I have this thing about chef books- they never seem to work for me, even though I LOVE food and consider myself an amateur foodie. This book was just the latest victim of my culinary book doom streak...
I don't think that Kosoko Jackson's writing style works for me. Right off the bat, I could tell I wasn't going to mesh with the book. There was a lot of inner dialogue and a lot of angst against his parents and hometown, and none of it really made a whole lot of sense for me. I had to force myself to keep reading, and I ended up skimming quite a bit towards the end.
Not the book for me, but at least I tried.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I have this thing about chef books- they never seem to work for me, even though I LOVE food and consider myself an amateur foodie. This book was just the latest victim of my culinary book doom streak...
I don't think that Kosoko Jackson's writing style works for me. Right off the bat, I could tell I wasn't going to mesh with the book. There was a lot of inner dialogue and a lot of angst against his parents and hometown, and none of it really made a whole lot of sense for me. I had to force myself to keep reading, and I ended up skimming quite a bit towards the end.
Not the book for me, but at least I tried.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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March 8, 2023
I had a really good time with this book and I’d even reread it, but it made some pretty wild choices in execution towards the end. It’s single POV which I actually really like so I didn’t have much of an issue there like other reviewers. However, I do agree getting Logan’s thoughts would’ve added depth to the story where it was lacking at times.
The first 60% worked so well and I was like why are the ratings so bleh for this book?? But as I kept listening, it definitely fumbled the pass a bit right around the sex scene. At one point I thought they’d already had sex off page because it wasn’t clear at all?? And then they were fucking sans lube for the first time in Logan’s car??
After the scene, I was STILL questioning if they’d had sex before! I never even got a scene of them admiring each other naked or waking up next to each other. The sex scene happened after they’d been together for a month and had mentioned sharing a bed. I just needed a little clarity. Plus the language during the scene was open door, but the action verbs were lacking…so it felt a bit off. You knew what was happening but not where things were.
So while I thought their relationship progressed perfectly for the first half, something just felt a bit wonky as it kept chugging along. And then I realized there were other times the details were a bit fuzzy and a bit surface level. However, knowing that breakups are never my favorite, I actually didn’t mind this one. I liked how it wasn’t a perfectly perfect ending with perfect fixes. It felt very real because Logan still needed loans from the bank and they weren’t moving too fast.
A Dash of Salt and Pepper isn’t perfect, but the audiobook was a quick listen, I was never bored, and I really liked the writing! I was rooting for Xavier and Logan and I’m always available for a hot daddy chef.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️.75*/5
*I needed a few more scenes and for them to begin a bit earlier in the story. I know it’s a DASH of salt and pepper but mama needs the SPICE.
P.S. PLEASE no texting and driving??? Especially with cars actively honking at your reckless driving?? What?? That’s not a main character moment that’s a $50 ticket and shame!!
The first 60% worked so well and I was like why are the ratings so bleh for this book?? But as I kept listening, it definitely fumbled the pass a bit right around the sex scene. At one point I thought they’d already had sex off page because it wasn’t clear at all?? And then they were fucking sans lube for the first time in Logan’s car??
After the scene, I was STILL questioning if they’d had sex before! I never even got a scene of them admiring each other naked or waking up next to each other. The sex scene happened after they’d been together for a month and had mentioned sharing a bed. I just needed a little clarity. Plus the language during the scene was open door, but the action verbs were lacking…so it felt a bit off. You knew what was happening but not where things were.
So while I thought their relationship progressed perfectly for the first half, something just felt a bit wonky as it kept chugging along. And then I realized there were other times the details were a bit fuzzy and a bit surface level. However, knowing that breakups are never my favorite, I actually didn’t mind this one. I liked how it wasn’t a perfectly perfect ending with perfect fixes. It felt very real because Logan still needed loans from the bank and they weren’t moving too fast.
A Dash of Salt and Pepper isn’t perfect, but the audiobook was a quick listen, I was never bored, and I really liked the writing! I was rooting for Xavier and Logan and I’m always available for a hot daddy chef.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️.75*/5
*I needed a few more scenes and for them to begin a bit earlier in the story. I know it’s a DASH of salt and pepper but mama needs the SPICE.
P.S. PLEASE no texting and driving??? Especially with cars actively honking at your reckless driving?? What?? That’s not a main character moment that’s a $50 ticket and shame!!
July 24, 2022
Sizzling, hilarious, and oh-so-satisfying! A Dash of Salt and Pepper has all the best romance ingredients: a charming small-town setting, a savvy and relatable hero on the precipice of change, and a sexy, gruff love interest who’s good with his hands (and not just in the kitchen). Kosoko Jackson writes delectable rom-coms you can’t help but savor.
February 2, 2023
I was just a little, little bored by this book.
January 17, 2023
I read this for a book club and I did not enjoy myself. Xavier was basically the internet incarnate and it annoyed me. The relationship started with hatred towards each other based on the dumbest misunderstanding and then the 39 year old love interest gets Xavier to give up on a life dream that he had been working toward for YEARS...after knowing each other six weeks. I don't feel like that is a romantic gesture, it made me uncomfortable. I would have enjoyed the epilogue so much more if it was them reuniting after a year of long distance.
I also need to rage share that allowing an new employee (whose only kitchen experience is the three weeks they have worked for you) to take over and run your kitchen (over people who have worked there 5 years!!!) is insane. AND apparently the critic was the only customer that night??? This book made me so mad that I skipped the book club.
I also need to rage share that allowing an new employee (whose only kitchen experience is the three weeks they have worked for you) to take over and run your kitchen (over people who have worked there 5 years!!!) is insane. AND apparently the critic was the only customer that night??? This book made me so mad that I skipped the book club.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2023
This was bad. When I first finished it I thought that it was not great but as I have actively sat with this book I realize just it is not a good book. There's very little redeeming qualities about it and that's super unfortunate because the cover is awesome. Justice for books with beautiful covers but shitty stories.
Okay, first things first, as someone who works in professional kitchens and has done so for many years, I am always on the lookout for quality food and baking representation in books. This book has the opposite of that. Not a single thing that happened in this kitchen would happen in a professional kitchen. You have a head chef/owner who doesn't even have a kitchen staff and pulls in a server who can filet a fish but isn't a kitchen employee. He hires a prep cook and pays him $20 an hour even though he has not a single ounce of kitchen experience. Said head chef then disappears for something I don't even remember what, but basically leaves this really important food critic review situation in the hands of his brand new inexperienced prep cook. In what world? There's a couple scenes that are just sexual harassment. I don't care if it's a romance novel, there is nowhere in the world but you can get away with going up behind someone and physically showing them how to chop something by putting your hand on top of theirs. Are you kidding me? I had to pause after that because I could not. I do not care if you think that someone's attractive or if you're dating, which they were not at the point, that is so inappropriate and irresponsible and honestly really unsafe.
Honestly just throw all of the food representation out the window. It all sucks. Then there's a stupid line where the main character who is a prep cook mind you, has the audacity to make a claim that bakery and cake supply shops are not busy or stressful and that he actually preps and cooks at his job. As a professional baker who works their fucking ass off and goes in at 3:00 in the morning only to have asshole savory chefs come in at 1:00 p.m. acting like they are God's gift to the world, this is where the book really lost me. It happens at about 75% of the way through and I was already pretty much done but after that I was ready to chuck the book in the bin.
So if you just forget all of the food stuff in the book, you'd think well maybe there has to be something good about this book right? I mean we have a cool love interest who's a single dad and we have a main character trying to find out where he belongs. No they're both assholes. I've seen a lot of reviews and agree that this book would have benefited from dual POV but I don't think that it would have saved it. I'm more curious to get that POV of the chef who thinks that leaving his restaurant in the hands of a prep cook because I genuinely don't understand, but I don't think it would have helped at all. This book is a disaster. The timing is off the pacing is off they go from complete enemies to dating very quickly with no explanations and no details surrounding it. The ending is super rushed and confusing. There's a conflict that is so stupid it made me want to scream. The only redeeming character in this entire book is the love interest daughter and that's all I've got.
Okay, first things first, as someone who works in professional kitchens and has done so for many years, I am always on the lookout for quality food and baking representation in books. This book has the opposite of that. Not a single thing that happened in this kitchen would happen in a professional kitchen. You have a head chef/owner who doesn't even have a kitchen staff and pulls in a server who can filet a fish but isn't a kitchen employee. He hires a prep cook and pays him $20 an hour even though he has not a single ounce of kitchen experience. Said head chef then disappears for something I don't even remember what, but basically leaves this really important food critic review situation in the hands of his brand new inexperienced prep cook. In what world? There's a couple scenes that are just sexual harassment. I don't care if it's a romance novel, there is nowhere in the world but you can get away with going up behind someone and physically showing them how to chop something by putting your hand on top of theirs. Are you kidding me? I had to pause after that because I could not. I do not care if you think that someone's attractive or if you're dating, which they were not at the point, that is so inappropriate and irresponsible and honestly really unsafe.
Honestly just throw all of the food representation out the window. It all sucks. Then there's a stupid line where the main character who is a prep cook mind you, has the audacity to make a claim that bakery and cake supply shops are not busy or stressful and that he actually preps and cooks at his job. As a professional baker who works their fucking ass off and goes in at 3:00 in the morning only to have asshole savory chefs come in at 1:00 p.m. acting like they are God's gift to the world, this is where the book really lost me. It happens at about 75% of the way through and I was already pretty much done but after that I was ready to chuck the book in the bin.
So if you just forget all of the food stuff in the book, you'd think well maybe there has to be something good about this book right? I mean we have a cool love interest who's a single dad and we have a main character trying to find out where he belongs. No they're both assholes. I've seen a lot of reviews and agree that this book would have benefited from dual POV but I don't think that it would have saved it. I'm more curious to get that POV of the chef who thinks that leaving his restaurant in the hands of a prep cook because I genuinely don't understand, but I don't think it would have helped at all. This book is a disaster. The timing is off the pacing is off they go from complete enemies to dating very quickly with no explanations and no details surrounding it. The ending is super rushed and confusing. There's a conflict that is so stupid it made me want to scream. The only redeeming character in this entire book is the love interest daughter and that's all I've got.
December 31, 2023
It's been a disastrous two months for Xavier Reynolds. In that short period of time, he is sure that the "Gods of the Universe" must hate him, or he has really done something to tick them off. He has lost his job, lost his fellowship opportunity with the Carey Foundation, and has even lost his boyfriend. He has now moved back into his childhood bedroom, no less, in Harper's Cove, Maine. His parents and his longtime best friend, Mya, are very happy to have him around...almost "too happy"... and for some reason they think that they can meddle in both his professional and his personal life. Xavier has already made a disastrous first impression on Logan O'Hare, an older local restaurant owner who is friends with his parents. Word travels fast, after all it is a small town. The Carey Foundation calls to offer Xavier another spot in their program, and he agrees, knowing that the cost to attend is going to be really steep, so he needs a job, fast. The Wharf, Logan's restaurant, is in desperate need of a sous chef, and Xavier's family legacy in the kitchen seems like a perfect match for a temporary solution. Not at all a smooth start. Can you say, "Immediate attraction"? Sounds good but this situation is like putting a bull up against a brick wall. The two stubborn men dance around their attraction...their banter over delectable New England fare seems to be their idea of foreplay. Xavier's point of view is charming and snappy; but unfortunately, Logan's falls short. With his smarmy attitude and frequent undermining, Logan often treats Xavier more like his preteen child than a grown man with his own wants and needs. Sadly, the romance element of the book feels unnecessary and even, at times, detrimental to Xavier's growth. Logan and Xavier eventually resolve their communication issues, but this is a romance in which the main character deserves so much more. Though the author is right-on with the tone of the story and the humor, the romance parts seemed to get short changed. It was still a delightfully good read and well deserving of the 4.5★ rating.
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April 28, 2023A feel-good queer romance with food, an age difference, and small town vibes. I liked this!
When the main character said that he felt pressure to escape his small town and to prove to everyone that he could make something big for himself, believing that starting a Fortune 500 company with also afford him happiness? I felt that.
When the main character said that he felt pressure to escape his small town and to prove to everyone that he could make something big for himself, believing that starting a Fortune 500 company with also afford him happiness? I felt that.
January 11, 2023
Me gustó como me gusta todo lo que tenga que ver con la cocina, el respeto y dedicación que se muestra a la hora de preparar la comida como si fuera para tu familia, fue algo que amé porque creo que es algo que representa o debería de representar a todas las personas (cocineros/chefs) que se dedican al mundo gastronómico. Para mí siempre es un gusto leer/ver desde el punto de vista donde la pasión y amor por la cocina tiene más peso que el mundo competitivo en dicha área.
Por otro lado, no quedé tan satisfecha con ese final para Xavier. Después de todo su esfuerzo para lograr lo que quería, o al menos para salir de su país y encontrar las respuestas que necesitaba, me molestó que decidiera quedarse aún después de la pelea. Así como si nada, dejó sus planes tan a la ligera, pero quién es una para juzgar las cosas que hacen los demás por amor.
Pero bueno, rescato muchísimo y quiero señalar y aplaudir, el hecho de que Logan no forzó nada y fue muy claro al final, el detalle de la carta de recomendación fue muy bonita y sobre todo lo escrito ahí. Que el haya decidido dejar su orgullo a un lado e ir a terapia, fue algo que le sumó puntos. También el hecho de que se notaba que era una persona más grande que Xavier, no fue un prota treintañero con comportamiento de un adolescente, tenía muy claro cuáles eran sus prioridades y siempre se las hizo saber a Xavier. De igual manera cuando le pidió que reconsiderara el irse a Berlín, le fue claro en el hecho de que el iba a dar todo y que lo iba a intentar lo más que podía porque lo hace muy feliz y le alegra sus días, pero no le prometió un final feliz porque todo puede pasar y hay momentos malos en una relación al igual que buenos, lo que para mí demuestra la madurez de una persona adulta y creo que Xavier bien podría aprender de él.
Dicho esto, es otro libro cliché de portada bonita que puedes encontrar, pero creo que vale mucho la pena y es muy rescatable, siento que de todas las historias de este tipo, está es una de las pocas que he disfrutado casi de principio a fin.
Por otro lado, no quedé tan satisfecha con ese final para Xavier. Después de todo su esfuerzo para lograr lo que quería, o al menos para salir de su país y encontrar las respuestas que necesitaba, me molestó que decidiera quedarse aún después de la pelea. Así como si nada, dejó sus planes tan a la ligera, pero quién es una para juzgar las cosas que hacen los demás por amor.
Pero bueno, rescato muchísimo y quiero señalar y aplaudir, el hecho de que Logan no forzó nada y fue muy claro al final, el detalle de la carta de recomendación fue muy bonita y sobre todo lo escrito ahí. Que el haya decidido dejar su orgullo a un lado e ir a terapia, fue algo que le sumó puntos. También el hecho de que se notaba que era una persona más grande que Xavier, no fue un prota treintañero con comportamiento de un adolescente, tenía muy claro cuáles eran sus prioridades y siempre se las hizo saber a Xavier. De igual manera cuando le pidió que reconsiderara el irse a Berlín, le fue claro en el hecho de que el iba a dar todo y que lo iba a intentar lo más que podía porque lo hace muy feliz y le alegra sus días, pero no le prometió un final feliz porque todo puede pasar y hay momentos malos en una relación al igual que buenos, lo que para mí demuestra la madurez de una persona adulta y creo que Xavier bien podría aprender de él.
Dicho esto, es otro libro cliché de portada bonita que puedes encontrar, pero creo que vale mucho la pena y es muy rescatable, siento que de todas las historias de este tipo, está es una de las pocas que he disfrutado casi de principio a fin.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2024
This is my first Kosoko Jackson read! At first I wasn't a fan of the main character, I thought he really beat to death the fact that he didn't belong in the small town. I almost put the book down and didn't finish. I thought there were almost too many pop culture references and internal monologue about cities vs small towns. It did ease up a bit once I got past 100 pages.
I did push through and once the love story really started I got into the story a bit more. It was a fun read, although at the end Xavier still annoyed me a little bit.
Some of the conflict I didn't understand the hate- like sure he didn't feel like he belonged in the town. But why? It seemed like he had a difficult relationship with his parents but I also didn't understand why. His best friend was very important to him but he also mentioned that he didn't come to visit for 8 years?! It didn't make sense to me - and I understand wanting to get out of a small town but I didn't see where this motivation came from.
Xavier and Logan had a cute relationship- I do think this story could have benefited from dual perspectives because we didn't see Logan's side about the working relationship.
Mya talks about her husband a lot but we never saw him which I thought was odd.
I did enjoy the story, I don't think I would reread it.
I did push through and once the love story really started I got into the story a bit more. It was a fun read, although at the end Xavier still annoyed me a little bit.
Some of the conflict I didn't understand the hate- like sure he didn't feel like he belonged in the town. But why? It seemed like he had a difficult relationship with his parents but I also didn't understand why. His best friend was very important to him but he also mentioned that he didn't come to visit for 8 years?! It didn't make sense to me - and I understand wanting to get out of a small town but I didn't see where this motivation came from.
Xavier and Logan had a cute relationship- I do think this story could have benefited from dual perspectives because we didn't see Logan's side about the working relationship.
Mya talks about her husband a lot but we never saw him which I thought was odd.
I did enjoy the story, I don't think I would reread it.
December 29, 2022
Beautiful cover!💜
The small town vibes were small towning! Xavier and Logan were cute together. The timeline is linear but skips all the things that happen inbetween the major moments. I for sure thought they had already slept together before that scene. I enjoyed so many little things, consent talks, sexual protection, the restaurant vibes. Cute, and perfect as an escapist queer romance book, plus it’s own voices written! The third act breakup felt pretty serious and scary honestly, but it’s a small town so maybe not? Xavier and Logan felt like real people to me, you get to know them but also not every detail of their lives. Like passing strangers/ acquaintances. Appreciate that. 💜 Some downsides: his best friend was a little one dimensional. Also, Xavier had the tendency to go on some long ass tangents mid conversation that by the time he's saying something I'd already forgotten what the other person said.
3.75⭐️
The small town vibes were small towning! Xavier and Logan were cute together. The timeline is linear but skips all the things that happen inbetween the major moments. I for sure thought they had already slept together before that scene. I enjoyed so many little things, consent talks, sexual protection, the restaurant vibes. Cute, and perfect as an escapist queer romance book, plus it’s own voices written! The third act breakup felt pretty serious and scary honestly, but it’s a small town so maybe not? Xavier and Logan felt like real people to me, you get to know them but also not every detail of their lives. Like passing strangers/ acquaintances. Appreciate that. 💜 Some downsides: his best friend was a little one dimensional. Also, Xavier had the tendency to go on some long ass tangents mid conversation that by the time he's saying something I'd already forgotten what the other person said.
3.75⭐️
Read
January 1, 2023DNF
Was not into the writing style at all, read like wattpad fan fiction but not the good kind
Was not into the writing style at all, read like wattpad fan fiction but not the good kind
March 3, 2023
the amount of pop culture references in this was insane in a bad way
December 1, 2022
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson is a small-town romance with a surprising amount of emotional depth. I adored these main characters and loved the small-town Maine setting.
Story Recap:
Xavier Reynolds just returned home from Chicago after a failed relationship and a failed job, and he was passed over for the fellowship he applied for. Now, he has to live with his parents again in the small town in Maine, Harpers Cove, where he grew up. Once he gets home, he gets a call from the fellowship offering him the position in Germany, and he has the summer to save up the money to be able to go. Jobs are not abundant in Harpers Cove, so when a position opens up at a local restaurant, he knows it’s his only hope of raising enough money. But, the chef/owner of the local restaurant is old and cranky.
Logan O'Hare needs help in his restaurant. His tween daughter Anne is helpful, but he needs full-time help, and Harpers Cove, Maine, doesn’t have a lot of options for skilled restaurant work. He meets and hires Xavier, but he doesn’t like his attitude, even if he can dice onions with the best of them. They decide on a truce, but working side by side brings them together and the attraction is strong. But, Xavier is leaving for Germany at the end of the summer, and Logan has to stay in Harpers Cove for his daughter and his restaurant.
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this very much. I loved the little town of Harpers Cove, and Xavier’s parents, and his best friend Mya. But it was Logan’s daughter Anne that stole the show for me. She’s cute, funny, and adorable.
The romance was also a lot of fun. Young, and sarcastic, Xavier was a perfect match for older (but not old), grumpy Logan, and their chemistry was strong. Logan was a bit grumpy at first, but when he eventually opened up, he was a lot of fun and was a perfect foil to Xavier’s sarcasm.
Both Xavier and Logan have some baggage and self-doubt. However, we learned a lot more about Xavier because the entire book was told from his POV. I loved Xavier and his inner thoughts were both funny and vulnerable. I just wish I could have learned more about Logan, and a dual POV would have told me more about him.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend A Dash of Salt and Pepper to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson is a small-town romance with a surprising amount of emotional depth. I adored these main characters and loved the small-town Maine setting.
Story Recap:
Xavier Reynolds just returned home from Chicago after a failed relationship and a failed job, and he was passed over for the fellowship he applied for. Now, he has to live with his parents again in the small town in Maine, Harpers Cove, where he grew up. Once he gets home, he gets a call from the fellowship offering him the position in Germany, and he has the summer to save up the money to be able to go. Jobs are not abundant in Harpers Cove, so when a position opens up at a local restaurant, he knows it’s his only hope of raising enough money. But, the chef/owner of the local restaurant is old and cranky.
Logan O'Hare needs help in his restaurant. His tween daughter Anne is helpful, but he needs full-time help, and Harpers Cove, Maine, doesn’t have a lot of options for skilled restaurant work. He meets and hires Xavier, but he doesn’t like his attitude, even if he can dice onions with the best of them. They decide on a truce, but working side by side brings them together and the attraction is strong. But, Xavier is leaving for Germany at the end of the summer, and Logan has to stay in Harpers Cove for his daughter and his restaurant.
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this very much. I loved the little town of Harpers Cove, and Xavier’s parents, and his best friend Mya. But it was Logan’s daughter Anne that stole the show for me. She’s cute, funny, and adorable.
The romance was also a lot of fun. Young, and sarcastic, Xavier was a perfect match for older (but not old), grumpy Logan, and their chemistry was strong. Logan was a bit grumpy at first, but when he eventually opened up, he was a lot of fun and was a perfect foil to Xavier’s sarcasm.
Both Xavier and Logan have some baggage and self-doubt. However, we learned a lot more about Xavier because the entire book was told from his POV. I loved Xavier and his inner thoughts were both funny and vulnerable. I just wish I could have learned more about Logan, and a dual POV would have told me more about him.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend A Dash of Salt and Pepper to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 1, 2024
Sigh. I did not like this book. It read like one big internal monologue, which isn't far from what it is, really, because Xavier never fucking shut up about himself. He was so self centered and conceited and annoyed and frustrating and so childish!! 26 and acting like a 12 year old, quite pathetic. Logan was quite boring actually. Other than the way he kept treating Xavier like his child, there's not much else that angers me about him.
I have a serious issue with the plot and plot progression. These two spend more than half the book not liking each other and then suddenly Xavier goes, "I think I'm falling in love with Logan" and BOOM! Sexual tension falls straight from the sky and in between Logan and Xavier. From then on the book is ridiculously fast paced until we get to the fight/third act break up and the resolution that also ridiculous. It's just a whole mess.
Reading this was a waste of time tbh. I should have dropped it when I realized how often I was page-watching my progress.
I have a serious issue with the plot and plot progression. These two spend more than half the book not liking each other and then suddenly Xavier goes, "I think I'm falling in love with Logan" and BOOM! Sexual tension falls straight from the sky and in between Logan and Xavier. From then on the book is ridiculously fast paced until we get to the fight/third act break up and the resolution that also ridiculous. It's just a whole mess.
Reading this was a waste of time tbh. I should have dropped it when I realized how often I was page-watching my progress.
November 29, 2023
1.5 stars.
I really, really, really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I had a lot of trouble with it. Honestly, I nearly DNF'd quite a few times - and thinking back, I probably should have just put it down.
Let's start with the biggest issue I had: neither member of the main couple of the book was particularly likeable - which is kind of a problem when you're reading a romance novel. The main character - Xavier - is incredibly immature throughout the book. I get it - he's gone through a major life change in losing his job, breaking up with a long-term boyfriend, having to move in with his parents within a short time span. But the way he acts and the way his internal monologue comes through is the kind of thing I would expect in a YA novel where the main character is in his late-teens/early 20s - not someone who is in his mid to late-20s and has graduated from a top MBA program. Seriously, Mya (Xavier's best friend) is an absolute saint throughout the book for taking care of him and putting up with him the way he belittles/judges (internally and externally) her own life choices.
Logan, meanwhile, seems to be the definition of "mediocre middle-aged white man" On the surface, he seems like a nice enough person - he owns his own business (that is in financial trouble), he's friendly with his employees, he's a great dad to his daughter. But throughout the book, his pride and handling of people disagreeing with him made him quite unlikeable. When Xavier is first brought on, for example, Logan asks him to taste a dish and give honest feedback. Xavier responds with something akin to "I don't understand why this is on the menu" and Logan goes off on him. Towards the end - when Xavier oversteps for the purpose of helping Logan's business - Logan breaks up with him in an absolutely horrendous and immature manner. Honestly, during the "third act breakup" (I don't think that's a spoiler, given that its a standard trope of the romance genre), it kind of became clear that Logan is the kind of person who is perfectly great to be around if you agree with him, but the moment you start to challenge him, he lashes out. Seriously, the two big boons that Logan's business gets are because of Xavier (serving the Salmon burger to the critic and getting his grad school friend to do a news story on Logan's restaurant) - what is it, exactly, that Logan actually does with his restaurant that works? I'm still not sure.
I think a lot of my issues, really, boil down to the fact that the book doesn't really show us anything. We spend so much time in Xavier's head that its hard to get a read on what's happening outside of it. For much of the first 60% of the book, it feels like we can't get through two lines of dialogue without having a multi-page internal monologue that includes a flashback half the time, which really breaks up the flow of the conversations and makes them hard to follow. Whenever something big is about to happen, it feels like there's a jump cut to after it's occurred (like when they decide to serve the restaurant critic the Salmon burger, and it jumps to a few weeks later with them eagerly awaiting the review - was there no immediate discussion with the critic?) Furthermore, how does the restaurant operate? It's never really clear, and the brief amounts we do get are completely unlike how any restaurant I've ever heard of operates. Why, exactly, does everyone find Logan irresistible? We're told so often that he's great, but I honestly didn't see it come through.
In a lot of ways, this felt likes a YA novel that had put on a new adult novel's clothing. I'd skip this one.
I really, really, really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I had a lot of trouble with it. Honestly, I nearly DNF'd quite a few times - and thinking back, I probably should have just put it down.
Let's start with the biggest issue I had: neither member of the main couple of the book was particularly likeable - which is kind of a problem when you're reading a romance novel. The main character - Xavier - is incredibly immature throughout the book. I get it - he's gone through a major life change in losing his job, breaking up with a long-term boyfriend, having to move in with his parents within a short time span. But the way he acts and the way his internal monologue comes through is the kind of thing I would expect in a YA novel where the main character is in his late-teens/early 20s - not someone who is in his mid to late-20s and has graduated from a top MBA program. Seriously, Mya (Xavier's best friend) is an absolute saint throughout the book for taking care of him and putting up with him the way he belittles/judges (internally and externally) her own life choices.
Logan, meanwhile, seems to be the definition of "mediocre middle-aged white man" On the surface, he seems like a nice enough person - he owns his own business (that is in financial trouble), he's friendly with his employees, he's a great dad to his daughter. But throughout the book, his pride and handling of people disagreeing with him made him quite unlikeable. When Xavier is first brought on, for example, Logan asks him to taste a dish and give honest feedback. Xavier responds with something akin to "I don't understand why this is on the menu" and Logan goes off on him. Towards the end - when Xavier oversteps for the purpose of helping Logan's business - Logan breaks up with him in an absolutely horrendous and immature manner. Honestly, during the "third act breakup" (I don't think that's a spoiler, given that its a standard trope of the romance genre), it kind of became clear that Logan is the kind of person who is perfectly great to be around if you agree with him, but the moment you start to challenge him, he lashes out. Seriously, the two big boons that Logan's business gets are because of Xavier (serving the Salmon burger to the critic and getting his grad school friend to do a news story on Logan's restaurant) - what is it, exactly, that Logan actually does with his restaurant that works? I'm still not sure.
I think a lot of my issues, really, boil down to the fact that the book doesn't really show us anything. We spend so much time in Xavier's head that its hard to get a read on what's happening outside of it. For much of the first 60% of the book, it feels like we can't get through two lines of dialogue without having a multi-page internal monologue that includes a flashback half the time, which really breaks up the flow of the conversations and makes them hard to follow. Whenever something big is about to happen, it feels like there's a jump cut to after it's occurred (like when they decide to serve the restaurant critic the Salmon burger, and it jumps to a few weeks later with them eagerly awaiting the review - was there no immediate discussion with the critic?) Furthermore, how does the restaurant operate? It's never really clear, and the brief amounts we do get are completely unlike how any restaurant I've ever heard of operates. Why, exactly, does everyone find Logan irresistible? We're told so often that he's great, but I honestly didn't see it come through.
In a lot of ways, this felt likes a YA novel that had put on a new adult novel's clothing. I'd skip this one.
January 2, 2023
You know, I really wanted to like this book. I love an own voices queer narrative and the premise sounded great. Unfortunately, the execution just did not work for me. First of all, and most importantly, the editor for this book needed to do another pass or two. The timeline was completely off and there were a plethora of mistakes and grammatical errors. Xavier only had two months to come up with the money for the fellowship, but chapter 23 says it’s been 3 months since his first date with Logan? But then later they’ve only been dating six weeks? Make it make sense. Secondly, the time jumps fail to provide any kind of useful narrative pacing and don’t expound on the scenes that they’re jumping from. Letting us see the beginning of their relationship post-first date would make the seemingly sudden change of heart Xavier has about Harper’s Cove much easier to accept. Seeing his interaction with the critic and Logan’s discovery of that would have been vital in understanding Logan’s balance of family and work as well as his growing trust in Xavier paying off. I feel like we only get snippets of growth before jumping into another scene with far too many pop culture references.
Speaking of which, the overabundance of pop culture references hurt this book, at least for me. Sprinkling one or two here and there is fine, but the overuse of them made it seem like Xavier’s whole brain is either that or random statistics (which was used in a much more sparingly amount and very random at times). No one’s entire internal monologue is that, sorry. I also felt like every time the author decided to make a poignant and important commentary about race, classism, sexism, the realities of being gay and BIPOC, etc, it was undermined by a quip or a reductive statement by Xavier or another character. Even the conversation with Logan about the pressure of individuals in a minority group becoming the representatives for the entire group was watered down by a quick statement and then moving on to flirting/other topics. The author sometimes doesn’t know what to focus on and for me, the story suffers from that. I didn’t hate this book but I was sorely disappointed in the execution. I know all the BIPOC queer stories can’t be winners and we have to be allowed to have some misses, but this was a huge miss in what could have been a great story.
Speaking of which, the overabundance of pop culture references hurt this book, at least for me. Sprinkling one or two here and there is fine, but the overuse of them made it seem like Xavier’s whole brain is either that or random statistics (which was used in a much more sparingly amount and very random at times). No one’s entire internal monologue is that, sorry. I also felt like every time the author decided to make a poignant and important commentary about race, classism, sexism, the realities of being gay and BIPOC, etc, it was undermined by a quip or a reductive statement by Xavier or another character. Even the conversation with Logan about the pressure of individuals in a minority group becoming the representatives for the entire group was watered down by a quick statement and then moving on to flirting/other topics. The author sometimes doesn’t know what to focus on and for me, the story suffers from that. I didn’t hate this book but I was sorely disappointed in the execution. I know all the BIPOC queer stories can’t be winners and we have to be allowed to have some misses, but this was a huge miss in what could have been a great story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 18, 2023DNF @ 11%
Since I’m stopping so soon - I’m not rating this. This is just for my reference.
Especially since I think the biggest issue is this author’s style isn’t for me. The blurb is a bit misleading as it seemed this was going to be dual POV. Unfortunately, it is entirely from Xavier’s perspective and he gets going on these internal monologues. I completely lose the original point or the convo that was happening. For romance I want to get to know both characters. Four chapters and over an hour into the audio and I know very little about Logan other than “chef” and “single dad”.
At first I was delighted by the OTT humor, but it became tedious. It had strong “new adult” vibes. And I was starting to feel like I could completely understand why Xavier’s boyfriend dumped him.
I skimmed some other reviews to see if it would get better - but the things I’m looking for don’t happen, so I’m stopping here.
Narration:
I did enjoy Joshua David Scarlett’s performance. I’d definitely check him out again in the future.
Since I’m stopping so soon - I’m not rating this. This is just for my reference.
Especially since I think the biggest issue is this author’s style isn’t for me. The blurb is a bit misleading as it seemed this was going to be dual POV. Unfortunately, it is entirely from Xavier’s perspective and he gets going on these internal monologues. I completely lose the original point or the convo that was happening. For romance I want to get to know both characters. Four chapters and over an hour into the audio and I know very little about Logan other than “chef” and “single dad”.
At first I was delighted by the OTT humor, but it became tedious. It had strong “new adult” vibes. And I was starting to feel like I could completely understand why Xavier’s boyfriend dumped him.
I skimmed some other reviews to see if it would get better - but the things I’m looking for don’t happen, so I’m stopping here.
Narration:
I did enjoy Joshua David Scarlett’s performance. I’d definitely check him out again in the future.
August 17, 2025
finished this over two hours ago and im still livid. caffeine and my unadulterated hatred for this book fueled my 10 hour drive today.
first of all, i never understood why people (kayla) said romances are better when they are dual pov, and maybe that's because i can count on one hand the amount of romances i've read, but this showed me why that is the case. we only ever get to see what xavier is thinking and unfortunately, he is SO unlikable and insufferable. like we get it bro you hate small towns and want to live in chicago or nyc or whatever, get over it.
but guess what! magically he does get over it and actually gives up his chance to pursue what he's always wanted to do (though at this point he has randomly decided that was never his dream and he actually loves small towns bc of this one hot 39 year old dad chef who is also his boss??) for the guy who broke up with him (for a valid reason, which i predicted within the first 5% of the book) and yelled at him (not for a valid reason) then begged him to try again ON THE DAY HE WAS LEAVING FOR BERLIN. veryyyy rachel "i got off the plane" and i hated it. like i was on logan's (the chef) side the whole time until he had to go crazy and overreact and yell for no reason. just for him to come crawling back and be like "im going to therapy we should try again you dont even know if youre gonna like berlin why not just stay with me and do nothing with your life". like shut up
in the end, i just was NOT rooting for the couple. in fact, i so desperately hoped xavier would go to berlin despite the protests from logan so that he could figure things out for himself considering he is still only 26. and mind you, xavier is closer in age to logan's 14 year old daughter than logan himself. crazy. and the witty banter tried so hard but just came off as corny and dumb, so i really did not care about them as a couple.
final big issue is the pop culture references. like it was just way too much and it took me out everytime. im okay with a book referencing modern pop culture but this felt like every sentence was just another ploy to mention some celebrity for no real reason, and most of the times it was such a big leap that the reference didnt even make sense. not to mention the fact that the epilogue ended with the ENTIRE cerulean monologue by miranda from the devil wears prada. i wish i was kidding.
anyway dont read unless you want to be shaking with rage for a majority of the book like me!
first of all, i never understood why people (kayla) said romances are better when they are dual pov, and maybe that's because i can count on one hand the amount of romances i've read, but this showed me why that is the case. we only ever get to see what xavier is thinking and unfortunately, he is SO unlikable and insufferable. like we get it bro you hate small towns and want to live in chicago or nyc or whatever, get over it.
but guess what! magically he does get over it and actually gives up his chance to pursue what he's always wanted to do (though at this point he has randomly decided that was never his dream and he actually loves small towns bc of this one hot 39 year old dad chef who is also his boss??) for the guy who broke up with him (for a valid reason, which i predicted within the first 5% of the book) and yelled at him (not for a valid reason) then begged him to try again ON THE DAY HE WAS LEAVING FOR BERLIN. veryyyy rachel "i got off the plane" and i hated it. like i was on logan's (the chef) side the whole time until he had to go crazy and overreact and yell for no reason. just for him to come crawling back and be like "im going to therapy we should try again you dont even know if youre gonna like berlin why not just stay with me and do nothing with your life". like shut up
in the end, i just was NOT rooting for the couple. in fact, i so desperately hoped xavier would go to berlin despite the protests from logan so that he could figure things out for himself considering he is still only 26. and mind you, xavier is closer in age to logan's 14 year old daughter than logan himself. crazy. and the witty banter tried so hard but just came off as corny and dumb, so i really did not care about them as a couple.
final big issue is the pop culture references. like it was just way too much and it took me out everytime. im okay with a book referencing modern pop culture but this felt like every sentence was just another ploy to mention some celebrity for no real reason, and most of the times it was such a big leap that the reference didnt even make sense. not to mention the fact that the epilogue ended with the ENTIRE cerulean monologue by miranda from the devil wears prada. i wish i was kidding.
anyway dont read unless you want to be shaking with rage for a majority of the book like me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
April 9, 2024I promise I tried. It's just pandering so hard to "millennial humor" i cant
February 14, 2023
I have a lot of thoughts on this book. Honestly, I enjoyed the Author's "voice". There was a good flow to his writing and it was fairly witty. I thought it might be pretty good even though I almost didnt pick it up because the cover is just no.
Then I got to reading a few chapters and just...had thoughts. The enemies to lovers trope is a bit oddly handled. I'm not sure why. They werent really enemies but decided they "didn't like each other" after and incident that they could have just been like, "oops misunderstanding"/"understandable reaction, we're good" about. But instead they are like "Ugh, you again". It's a bit forced.
The Author tries to do Age Gap but not really because they don't do anything with it, you just know Logan is about 13 or so years older than Xavier. It's only mentioned like once or twice.
There really wasn't too much on page build up of the relationship. We kind of went from "I don't like you/not that nice to you" to "I'm going to grind on you in public in a small town bar and elude to the possibility of sex" pretty quickly. I think a dual perspective could have helped a lot because we don't really get to know Logan so the relationship feels forced.
They kiss once about 50% thru the book. It's their first kiss at the end of the chapter then suddenly the beginning of the next chapter it's a month later. They've been together nearly every day and Xavier is all, "I'm not sure I can even call us boyfriends yet..." and isn't sure if Logans daughter knows about them...um she's 14 and her dad is spending nearly every day (and night) for a month with this man. She knows.
Other thoughts:
I found the best friend, Mya, a bit annoying. She's is all "you should definitely go for it with Logan for sure, do it now" through out the book until he actually goes for it and then she's like...well actually be careful because he's looking for a commitment and you aren't planning on sticking around so maybe this isn't a good idea.
Which is a weird assumption based solely on the fact that Logan is a father but we dont know his character that well. Logan to this point in the story doesn't seem like commitment is what he has in mind. He's the one who seems like he's looking for a hook up more than a date. A second point of view would be helpful.
Or some character development. Character development would be helpful. We get to know Xavier and that's about it. Xavier's parents are sort of introduced but then fall away. Mya falls away when Xavier starts dating Logan and we dont see her again until the end. Logans daughter is just sort of a bag when you see her now and then but we never really get to know her or why she is like she is. It's kinda like, "oh she's a teenager that's how they are" but not really if you happen to know any teenagers.
Other things that caused me to start skimming by the end:
Logans "I'm just a guy who likes another guy" speech is a bit too Notting Hill...
Logan: "If I can trust you with my kitchen, I can trust you with my heart" ugh.
Xavier is a little offended that Logan didn't tell him the restaurant was in financial trouble "he doesn't trust me" but Xavier did not tell Logan he was planning to go to Berlin...so...
Logan gets preachy a lot...
Logan ridiculously overreact to Xavier trying to help him. What an ass. Him firing Xavier after they break up is actually illegal if we want to get picky and by this point I do.
I was 100% rooting for Xavier to just go to Berlin at the end. I really didn't want these two to be together.
Honestly most of that was from my notes app as I was ranting to myself while reading. But, it was good enough that finished it and I didn't put it in DNF pile...you might enjoy it. Just not for me.
Then I got to reading a few chapters and just...had thoughts. The enemies to lovers trope is a bit oddly handled. I'm not sure why. They werent really enemies but decided they "didn't like each other" after and incident that they could have just been like, "oops misunderstanding"/"understandable reaction, we're good" about. But instead they are like "Ugh, you again". It's a bit forced.
The Author tries to do Age Gap but not really because they don't do anything with it, you just know Logan is about 13 or so years older than Xavier. It's only mentioned like once or twice.
There really wasn't too much on page build up of the relationship. We kind of went from "I don't like you/not that nice to you" to "I'm going to grind on you in public in a small town bar and elude to the possibility of sex" pretty quickly. I think a dual perspective could have helped a lot because we don't really get to know Logan so the relationship feels forced.
They kiss once about 50% thru the book. It's their first kiss at the end of the chapter then suddenly the beginning of the next chapter it's a month later. They've been together nearly every day and Xavier is all, "I'm not sure I can even call us boyfriends yet..." and isn't sure if Logans daughter knows about them...um she's 14 and her dad is spending nearly every day (and night) for a month with this man. She knows.
Other thoughts:
I found the best friend, Mya, a bit annoying. She's is all "you should definitely go for it with Logan for sure, do it now" through out the book until he actually goes for it and then she's like...well actually be careful because he's looking for a commitment and you aren't planning on sticking around so maybe this isn't a good idea.
Which is a weird assumption based solely on the fact that Logan is a father but we dont know his character that well. Logan to this point in the story doesn't seem like commitment is what he has in mind. He's the one who seems like he's looking for a hook up more than a date. A second point of view would be helpful.
Or some character development. Character development would be helpful. We get to know Xavier and that's about it. Xavier's parents are sort of introduced but then fall away. Mya falls away when Xavier starts dating Logan and we dont see her again until the end. Logans daughter is just sort of a bag when you see her now and then but we never really get to know her or why she is like she is. It's kinda like, "oh she's a teenager that's how they are" but not really if you happen to know any teenagers.
Other things that caused me to start skimming by the end:
Logans "I'm just a guy who likes another guy" speech is a bit too Notting Hill...
Logan: "If I can trust you with my kitchen, I can trust you with my heart" ugh.
Xavier is a little offended that Logan didn't tell him the restaurant was in financial trouble "he doesn't trust me" but Xavier did not tell Logan he was planning to go to Berlin...so...
Logan gets preachy a lot...
Logan ridiculously overreact to Xavier trying to help him. What an ass. Him firing Xavier after they break up is actually illegal if we want to get picky and by this point I do.
I was 100% rooting for Xavier to just go to Berlin at the end. I really didn't want these two to be together.
Honestly most of that was from my notes app as I was ranting to myself while reading. But, it was good enough that finished it and I didn't put it in DNF pile...you might enjoy it. Just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
April 26, 2023DNF @ 8%. life is much too short to suffer through prose like this. I'd call it amateurish, but clearly kosoko jackson was paid for this, and a publisher signed off on it, and as you can see from other reviews a good many people liked it!
I, however, simply cannot and will not be doing it. the juvenile first-person present (and let me be clear that not all first-person present is juvenile, but this is) was bad enough, but I cannot stand the unpracticed, sophomoric writing convention in which a pov character has an internal thought that gets put onto the page only for the character to then tell themself "focus!" or "snap back into the present!" or "stop getting distracted!" or whatever, like, I promise you don't need to do that. you really don't need to do that! with exceptions, that's not how thoughts work in real life! it is possible even for me with my scattered ADHD brain to follow a thought while simultaneously tracking what is going on in my surroundings! we humans are amazing, I know! so yeah, that was what pushed me over the edge, I'm done.
I, however, simply cannot and will not be doing it. the juvenile first-person present (and let me be clear that not all first-person present is juvenile, but this is) was bad enough, but I cannot stand the unpracticed, sophomoric writing convention in which a pov character has an internal thought that gets put onto the page only for the character to then tell themself "focus!" or "snap back into the present!" or "stop getting distracted!" or whatever, like, I promise you don't need to do that. you really don't need to do that! with exceptions, that's not how thoughts work in real life! it is possible even for me with my scattered ADHD brain to follow a thought while simultaneously tracking what is going on in my surroundings! we humans are amazing, I know! so yeah, that was what pushed me over the edge, I'm done.
February 24, 2023
Ew I don’t like Logan. Him yelling at Xavier after asking for his opinion is ew to me.
I don’t like how Xavier spent the entire book shitting on his small town and calling the people who stayed flops and losers. Then his opinions suddenly change bc he was getting good dick??? Be serious
The break up reason was bs. Why should Xavier have to leave his dreams for Logan??? Like he wants to go to Berlin he said No then that’s it. Logan overreacted and took his trauma out on him and fuck that.
I like fixing things. And if my partner starts a fight bc I’m trying to do something nice to help them and breack up with me over it?? They can fuck off.
His business is failing bc he lets a random people run his shit at with no experience. Like Xavier doesn’t know how to run a restaurant.
I just didn’t like Logan or some of the writing style.
I don’t like how Xavier spent the entire book shitting on his small town and calling the people who stayed flops and losers. Then his opinions suddenly change bc he was getting good dick??? Be serious
The break up reason was bs. Why should Xavier have to leave his dreams for Logan??? Like he wants to go to Berlin he said No then that’s it. Logan overreacted and took his trauma out on him and fuck that.
I like fixing things. And if my partner starts a fight bc I’m trying to do something nice to help them and breack up with me over it?? They can fuck off.
His business is failing bc he lets a random people run his shit at with no experience. Like Xavier doesn’t know how to run a restaurant.
I just didn’t like Logan or some of the writing style.
September 25, 2022
I like this one. But it was just like. Xavier was fun and compelling but I was hoping for a split pov with Logan. I felt like we only got half the story here. Especially where his ex and daughter were concerned. I loved Mya but what was the deal with always mention Her husband yet we never saw him? Not even when Xavier was staying at her house. I liked the premise. the age gap, and their personalities that were very evident. Especially in the kitchen. Angelica! 😍 I hated all the pop culture references. It’s ok for some things, but I kinda feel like it will date this book in a few years. 3.4/7
This review is partnered with NetGalley. Thank you for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review is partnered with NetGalley. Thank you for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 8, 2023
Read 100 pages and decided it wasn't my thing. Life is too short for books I'm not loving.
Xavier has a lot of internal dialog that feels kind of forced. Sure, we all have thoughts about capitalism, but it feels like the character is internally trying to prove to the reader that he's on the right side of issues like racism and economic issues and feminism, and it's not necessary and kind of knocks me out of the flow of the story.
Also Logan is kind of a jackass. I mean I get that rude chefs is a trope, but ugh. Did not like him.
Xavier has a lot of internal dialog that feels kind of forced. Sure, we all have thoughts about capitalism, but it feels like the character is internally trying to prove to the reader that he's on the right side of issues like racism and economic issues and feminism, and it's not necessary and kind of knocks me out of the flow of the story.
Also Logan is kind of a jackass. I mean I get that rude chefs is a trope, but ugh. Did not like him.
June 4, 2023
This book was pretty darn delightful and I’m happy to say this is the first book I finished for pride month! Xavier, Logan, and company all had unique voices that shone through this novel. My two main qualms with this book were that I wanted more spice (me problem) and the way that Logan fought with Xavier and also was being a total hypocrite about what they were fighting and broke up about annoyed me, but Logan did apologize so I will give him credit. Ultimately, I don’t see this couple lasting forever so I couldn’t give this book a 5 stars!
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