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Love on the Menu
One takeaway dinner. Two lonely hearts. Did somebody order a rom com?
‘A really sweet, warm-hearted read – a winner for fans of Jasmine Guillory or Beth O'Leary!’ Niamh Hargan, author of Twelve Days in May
‘A delicious rom-com! ’ Kate Bromley, author of Talk Bookish to Me
Gia thrives on risks. Ben plays it safe.
She crossed continents to chase her London dream; he works the same job in the same restaurant, night after night.
Then fate steps in. When Gia’s takeout is delivered, her embarrassing list of New Year’s resolutions accidentally makes its way to Ben’s restaurant, stuck to the bottom of a delivery backpack.
With each delivery Gia orders, Ben slips in a note of his own and eagerly awaits her reply. One by one, these notes transform their lives in unexpected ways, and an unlikely love story is written.
A totally gorgeous and escapist rom com with a twist. Fans of Beth O’Leary, Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henrywill be totally hooked from the very first page.
‘A really sweet, warm-hearted read – a winner for fans of Jasmine Guillory or Beth O'Leary!’ Niamh Hargan, author of Twelve Days in May
‘A delicious rom-com! ’ Kate Bromley, author of Talk Bookish to Me
Gia thrives on risks. Ben plays it safe.
She crossed continents to chase her London dream; he works the same job in the same restaurant, night after night.
Then fate steps in. When Gia’s takeout is delivered, her embarrassing list of New Year’s resolutions accidentally makes its way to Ben’s restaurant, stuck to the bottom of a delivery backpack.
With each delivery Gia orders, Ben slips in a note of his own and eagerly awaits her reply. One by one, these notes transform their lives in unexpected ways, and an unlikely love story is written.
A totally gorgeous and escapist rom com with a twist. Fans of Beth O’Leary, Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henrywill be totally hooked from the very first page.
416 pages, Paperback
Published October 24, 2023
69 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
February 14, 2023
2.5 ⭐ rounded up.
“Mood is nothing but a state of mind.”
The idea of a fantastic foodie and romance novel to read coming up to Valentine’s Day was what initially had me excited to read this one! The premise of an Indian woman, an immigrant to London, trying to balance life, love and work and forging an unlikely bond with a restaurant manager over home deliveries sounded unique. I’m also a big supporter of debut authors.
Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me.
The writing style, pacing, and character development were the biggest disappointment and ultimately caused me to lose interest. To a lesser extent the extensive supporting cast, the need for editing, the lack of transition cues, and the lengthy epistolary pieces added to my frustration. I wanted to see more of Gia’s background and Indian family dynamics, less of their sexual escapades. I wanted more from Ben and Gia; give me a reason to root for them. I wanted a rom-com, not a depressed girl who ruins everything by getting drunk.
I applaud the author for the multiple POVs, Ben’s character, and a unique protagonist. I enjoyed the theme of dealing with the past in order to move on with the present, and I was curious to see how it all ended.
Unfortunately, these positives weren’t enough to make this a book I’d recommend to others.
❗ Please familiarize yourself with other reviews before using my opinion to decide if you want to read this book. This author won an award for this story.
I was gifted this copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
“Mood is nothing but a state of mind.”
The idea of a fantastic foodie and romance novel to read coming up to Valentine’s Day was what initially had me excited to read this one! The premise of an Indian woman, an immigrant to London, trying to balance life, love and work and forging an unlikely bond with a restaurant manager over home deliveries sounded unique. I’m also a big supporter of debut authors.
Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me.
The writing style, pacing, and character development were the biggest disappointment and ultimately caused me to lose interest. To a lesser extent the extensive supporting cast, the need for editing, the lack of transition cues, and the lengthy epistolary pieces added to my frustration. I wanted to see more of Gia’s background and Indian family dynamics, less of their sexual escapades. I wanted more from Ben and Gia; give me a reason to root for them. I wanted a rom-com, not a depressed girl who ruins everything by getting drunk.
I applaud the author for the multiple POVs, Ben’s character, and a unique protagonist. I enjoyed the theme of dealing with the past in order to move on with the present, and I was curious to see how it all ended.
Unfortunately, these positives weren’t enough to make this a book I’d recommend to others.
❗ Please familiarize yourself with other reviews before using my opinion to decide if you want to read this book. This author won an award for this story.
I was gifted this copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 19, 2023
What is your favorite takeout food?
Love on the Menu
by Mimi Deb
Pub Date 13 Apr 2023
Avon Books UK, Avon
Romance | Women's Fiction
Mimi Deb's Love on the Menu revolves around Gia, an insecure woman who makes a personal inventory of things she would like to do to improve herself. However, she loses the list when it sticks to the bottom of a takeout container that is returned to the restaurant. Ben (the restaurant's employee) begins communicating with Gia via notes whenever she places a takeout order. Will it lead to love?
There are a lot of cute, heartwarming moments in Love on the Menu. Several of the scenes are funny and relatable. The large number of characters makes it a bit challenging to keep up with, but the book has wonderful potential and I look forward to reading more from Mimi Deb.
Thank you NetGalley, and Avon Books U.K., for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#Love On The Menu #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #blogtour #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
Love on the Menu
by Mimi Deb
Pub Date 13 Apr 2023
Avon Books UK, Avon
Romance | Women's Fiction
Mimi Deb's Love on the Menu revolves around Gia, an insecure woman who makes a personal inventory of things she would like to do to improve herself. However, she loses the list when it sticks to the bottom of a takeout container that is returned to the restaurant. Ben (the restaurant's employee) begins communicating with Gia via notes whenever she places a takeout order. Will it lead to love?
There are a lot of cute, heartwarming moments in Love on the Menu. Several of the scenes are funny and relatable. The large number of characters makes it a bit challenging to keep up with, but the book has wonderful potential and I look forward to reading more from Mimi Deb.
Thank you NetGalley, and Avon Books U.K., for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#Love On The Menu #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #blogtour #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
dnf
February 1, 2023THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THIS REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
DNFed it after trying for a while. Title and Description promised me a cute rom-com ft food. But it gave me sullen environment, unlikeable characters and weird writing style.
DNFed it after trying for a while. Title and Description promised me a cute rom-com ft food. But it gave me sullen environment, unlikeable characters and weird writing style.
February 24, 2023
Honestly this has an eye catching cover that was an instant need to read for me. It was quite alright, the opposite attraction vibe was sweet and the characters were relatable. Overall a good story.
February 14, 2025
Les notes de services à emporter étaient vraiment top !! J’ai bien aimé ce concept 🩷
January 23, 2023
Big thanks to NetGalley & Avon for providing an ARC for free, in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, the e-book itself had some formatting issues that surely will be fixed prior to publication.
I was intrigued from the first moment I saw the cover and the title, they both seemed interesting and when I saw that the author's style is compared to Beth O'Leary, Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood then I really got excited as those three ladies are on my top-5 authors list when it comes to contemporary romance.
When I saw the book is over 400 pages I was worried, because it often means that the pacing is too slow and / or there are unnecessarily long descriptions of surroundings or there's prolonged contemplating.
Now, even though the pacing was okay (but got slower after the first few chapters), I'm afraid this book is just not for me therefore I had to put it down as a do-not-finish read. Here's broken down into bullet points why:
- The book starts with minor characters around our FMC who I think all have terrible personalities. Even the supporting characters aren't that supportive but hurting and raw with Gia, the FMC.
Jay, who is the appointed funny character with a stand-up comedy background, has absolutely no humor in my opinion and Gia and even Gia's mother are both funnier than Jay (not to mention how terribly rude the way he's speaking to Gia in almost all of their interactions.)
Gia's mother is trying to be the "Samantha of Sex And The City", but it is too overwrought and also she is more hurtful in her tone and in her saying toward Gia than supportive
there are the girls whose names I don't recall right now but Gia is referring to them as The Bitches so t should say all, I think,
Juliet who is Gia's boss is also too uptight and strange,
etc the other minor characters... and this is only from Gia's side, I did not mention our MMC, Ben's side. By the way Ben has 4 siblings so... why the heck do we have SO MANY minor characters??? There's absolutely no need for that. Creative writing 1-on-1, compress the supportive role into as few minor characters as possible, otherwise it will be confusing to follow the story, not to mention how unnecessary the characters will become.
- The introduction of the MMC is confusing. I thought for more than 100 pages that Ben is the delivery guy... It honestly never happened before that it wasn't clear who they are or what role they have.
- Because of this very reason, the whole delivery of the story feels disorganized and rambling.
- The male character is too similar to the female character in the way of thinking and speaking and behaving, this might sound strange but you can actually feel on the MMC alone that a woman wrote this book. Basically the MMC feels and thinks and acts like a lady.
- There were many inconsistencies that also bothered me. Just to mention one example, Gia said she is not an alcoholic but 5 sentences later she claims she couldn't take even 5 days without alcohol and then she asks Ben whether being sober is fun or not. I mean, what the heck? So you can imagine when the book is full of things like these.
- And so more and more I'm progressing in the book, more and more I feel like both main characters are acting like teenagers / adolescents instead of adults. After 60 pages in the book I still didn't feel a connection to either of the characters and just over page 120 I completely lost my interest in them as well. As I felt no character development whatsoever and the letters started to become more cringe-worthy than amusing, I sadly decided to put the story down as a do-not-finish read around page 200 which is 50% of the whole book.
But there were some cute ideas behind the main concept, that I generally liked:
+ The basic concept behind the story, too bad the execution is just not my cup of tea as it feels rushed and rambling
+ Loved the unusual approach of connecting the two main characters (accidental note change)
+ I liked that the FMC is not a typical "perfect and beautiful" character, but more realistic with realistic job and life background
I review this book for 2-star only as it's veeery unusual of me to not finish a book. There's a lot of room for improvement in the writing technique and in the general execution of otherwise great and interesting ideas (see the details above).
First of all, the e-book itself had some formatting issues that surely will be fixed prior to publication.
I was intrigued from the first moment I saw the cover and the title, they both seemed interesting and when I saw that the author's style is compared to Beth O'Leary, Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood then I really got excited as those three ladies are on my top-5 authors list when it comes to contemporary romance.
When I saw the book is over 400 pages I was worried, because it often means that the pacing is too slow and / or there are unnecessarily long descriptions of surroundings or there's prolonged contemplating.
Now, even though the pacing was okay (but got slower after the first few chapters), I'm afraid this book is just not for me therefore I had to put it down as a do-not-finish read. Here's broken down into bullet points why:
- The book starts with minor characters around our FMC who I think all have terrible personalities. Even the supporting characters aren't that supportive but hurting and raw with Gia, the FMC.
Jay, who is the appointed funny character with a stand-up comedy background, has absolutely no humor in my opinion and Gia and even Gia's mother are both funnier than Jay (not to mention how terribly rude the way he's speaking to Gia in almost all of their interactions.)
Gia's mother is trying to be the "Samantha of Sex And The City", but it is too overwrought and also she is more hurtful in her tone and in her saying toward Gia than supportive
there are the girls whose names I don't recall right now but Gia is referring to them as The Bitches so t should say all, I think,
Juliet who is Gia's boss is also too uptight and strange,
etc the other minor characters... and this is only from Gia's side, I did not mention our MMC, Ben's side. By the way Ben has 4 siblings so... why the heck do we have SO MANY minor characters??? There's absolutely no need for that. Creative writing 1-on-1, compress the supportive role into as few minor characters as possible, otherwise it will be confusing to follow the story, not to mention how unnecessary the characters will become.
- The introduction of the MMC is confusing. I thought for more than 100 pages that Ben is the delivery guy... It honestly never happened before that it wasn't clear who they are or what role they have.
- Because of this very reason, the whole delivery of the story feels disorganized and rambling.
- The male character is too similar to the female character in the way of thinking and speaking and behaving, this might sound strange but you can actually feel on the MMC alone that a woman wrote this book. Basically the MMC feels and thinks and acts like a lady.
- There were many inconsistencies that also bothered me. Just to mention one example, Gia said she is not an alcoholic but 5 sentences later she claims she couldn't take even 5 days without alcohol and then she asks Ben whether being sober is fun or not. I mean, what the heck? So you can imagine when the book is full of things like these.
- And so more and more I'm progressing in the book, more and more I feel like both main characters are acting like teenagers / adolescents instead of adults. After 60 pages in the book I still didn't feel a connection to either of the characters and just over page 120 I completely lost my interest in them as well. As I felt no character development whatsoever and the letters started to become more cringe-worthy than amusing, I sadly decided to put the story down as a do-not-finish read around page 200 which is 50% of the whole book.
But there were some cute ideas behind the main concept, that I generally liked:
+ The basic concept behind the story, too bad the execution is just not my cup of tea as it feels rushed and rambling
+ Loved the unusual approach of connecting the two main characters (accidental note change)
+ I liked that the FMC is not a typical "perfect and beautiful" character, but more realistic with realistic job and life background
I review this book for 2-star only as it's veeery unusual of me to not finish a book. There's a lot of room for improvement in the writing technique and in the general execution of otherwise great and interesting ideas (see the details above).
July 31, 2023
I have tried and tried to get into this book because I HATE leaving bad reviews. However, I just can’t get through it.
DNF
The characters are not fully developed and feel written, not real. (I hope that makes sense.) The pacing doesn’t exist and the story is lacking.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the idea of this story. The execution was just not there.
Thank you NetGallet and Avon Press for the ARC.
DNF
The characters are not fully developed and feel written, not real. (I hope that makes sense.) The pacing doesn’t exist and the story is lacking.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the idea of this story. The execution was just not there.
Thank you NetGallet and Avon Press for the ARC.
February 12, 2023
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Gia decided to live in London for a job. While in London, she orders from the restaurant where she learns more about Ben. This book lagged at times.
January 29, 2023
I was charmed by the premise, but the pacing was abismal.
July 16, 2024
Akh, I did NOT like this book. I loved the premise, was really looking forward to it. But I couldn’t for the life of me connect at all with Gia.
She was super unlikable and there’s only so much idiocy I can take before it gets frustrating. And when will she learn and stop being a doormat? I hated every single time she allowed someone to walk all over her. Including Jay, apparently her closest friend, who was really just one complete a**hole.
That horrible move he made at the end, during her big moment, when he decided to make it personal and play a reel that outed her crush instead of help his friend succeed at work? How did she not get angry at him? Why did she not confront it? Why was it never explained or discussed properly in the aftermath? She just lets people treat her like absolute rubbish, rants about it in her head, then moves on like nothing’s happened.
I’m sorry. This book was really unempowering to females. I did not like it one bit. And the chemistry between Gia and Ben? Nonexistent. At one point, their notes to each other were yawn-inducing rather than give you that butterflies-in-your-stomach effect.
Pass.
She was super unlikable and there’s only so much idiocy I can take before it gets frustrating. And when will she learn and stop being a doormat? I hated every single time she allowed someone to walk all over her. Including Jay, apparently her closest friend, who was really just one complete a**hole.
That horrible move he made at the end, during her big moment, when he decided to make it personal and play a reel that outed her crush instead of help his friend succeed at work? How did she not get angry at him? Why did she not confront it? Why was it never explained or discussed properly in the aftermath? She just lets people treat her like absolute rubbish, rants about it in her head, then moves on like nothing’s happened.
I’m sorry. This book was really unempowering to females. I did not like it one bit. And the chemistry between Gia and Ben? Nonexistent. At one point, their notes to each other were yawn-inducing rather than give you that butterflies-in-your-stomach effect.
Pass.
April 21, 2023
2.5 rounded up to 3
I’m not sure why I couldn’t get into this book. It just didn’t keep my interest as I had hoped it would. It was a struggle to get through to the end.
It seems like all I read about was the main character getting drunk, drinking, getting drunk and drinking…..repeatedly.
Others may like it but it really wasn’t a read I’d recommend to my friends.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I’m not sure why I couldn’t get into this book. It just didn’t keep my interest as I had hoped it would. It was a struggle to get through to the end.
It seems like all I read about was the main character getting drunk, drinking, getting drunk and drinking…..repeatedly.
Others may like it but it really wasn’t a read I’d recommend to my friends.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 3, 2023
Thank you for letting me read this arc. I had a hard time getting into this book. I wasn't a fan of the writing. I can see why others would enjoy this book but it just wasn't for me.
April 11, 2023
This book looked cute and it sounded right up my alley as a cute rom-com. Unfortunately, I did not finish. The writing style is not for me and it was really hard to follow along. I gave it a fair shot, but after several weeks of trying to get into it, I had to put it down. I think the idea is cute, but the writing style could use a revamp. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the FMC and I was confused with who exactly Ben was.
May 9, 2023
Not strictly a Rom-com, Mimi Deb's book is more contemporary fiction, looking at relationships between family, friends, and romantically.
Gia, the female MC, is on a work visa from India and is perilously close to losing the one job she has, which would keep her in the country due to some mishaps. One at the work Christmas party that she is convinced will be the final nail in her coffin. She has a close relationship with Ma, her mother, or MiMasa as she is entered in her phone, Probably more open than the average relationship between an Indian mother and daughter, but then, Ma isn't your average mother figure, either.
Gia writes a list of things she needs to do in the new year to make things better.
Somehow the list ends up travelling to her local Indian takeaway, of which she is a regular customer, and the list sparks the start of a note correspondence with someone who works at Namaste London - Ben.
Ben is the male MC, and he is struggling to find a place in the world that will fulfil his family's hopes, as well as his own.
They disapprove of his job at the takeaway, but given the struggles he has already faced in life, they don't say too much...
I enjoyed how the book was written, with the correspondences between the characters, as an end note to a chapter, or the beginning and the details of their lives, how they meet, and their lives intertwine as time progresses.
It is good to read of a heroine not cut from the same stereotypical cloth as many, with Gia being a woman of colour and not a lythe, tall, 'dusky' beauty, but someone with the beauty that shines from within.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC
Gia, the female MC, is on a work visa from India and is perilously close to losing the one job she has, which would keep her in the country due to some mishaps. One at the work Christmas party that she is convinced will be the final nail in her coffin. She has a close relationship with Ma, her mother, or MiMasa as she is entered in her phone, Probably more open than the average relationship between an Indian mother and daughter, but then, Ma isn't your average mother figure, either.
Gia writes a list of things she needs to do in the new year to make things better.
Somehow the list ends up travelling to her local Indian takeaway, of which she is a regular customer, and the list sparks the start of a note correspondence with someone who works at Namaste London - Ben.
Ben is the male MC, and he is struggling to find a place in the world that will fulfil his family's hopes, as well as his own.
They disapprove of his job at the takeaway, but given the struggles he has already faced in life, they don't say too much...
I enjoyed how the book was written, with the correspondences between the characters, as an end note to a chapter, or the beginning and the details of their lives, how they meet, and their lives intertwine as time progresses.
It is good to read of a heroine not cut from the same stereotypical cloth as many, with Gia being a woman of colour and not a lythe, tall, 'dusky' beauty, but someone with the beauty that shines from within.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC
June 7, 2023
This has such a cute cover and such a cute premise!
Sadly the pacing and writing style wasn't for me, I just felt like it didn't grip me and I didn't love the characters either. I was expecting more rom com less... drinking your problems away and creating MORE problems for yourself. I wanted to get to know the characters on a DEEPER level which with multiple POVS should have been possible but maybe there was just TOO MANY POVS to get to know every one.
I did enjoy the cute, funny moments and there were a fair few of relatable scenes! Overall its a fine book but not the next big romance i don't think!
Sadly the pacing and writing style wasn't for me, I just felt like it didn't grip me and I didn't love the characters either. I was expecting more rom com less... drinking your problems away and creating MORE problems for yourself. I wanted to get to know the characters on a DEEPER level which with multiple POVS should have been possible but maybe there was just TOO MANY POVS to get to know every one.
I did enjoy the cute, funny moments and there were a fair few of relatable scenes! Overall its a fine book but not the next big romance i don't think!
March 3, 2023
Sounded promising, but the eARC read like a very early draft. I often found myself lost as to which POV I was following.
The author won an award with this story, so there might be a pearl hidden here, I just didn't find it.
The author won an award with this story, so there might be a pearl hidden here, I just didn't find it.
May 3, 2023
Love on the Menu follows two main characters - Gia and Ben - in London. Gia's life is a mess, she accidentally kissed her boss on a drunk night out which means her job is in jeopardy, she wants to cut back on the drinking and get fitter. Ben is stuck in a job he has no passion for and his huge family is always causing trouble. Gia's very honest to-do list ends up in Ben's kitchen, and he sends her back a sweet and encouraging letter to lift her sprits. She replies, and so it begins...
I really wanted to like this book, especially because the plot seemed so similar to one of my all time favourites, The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary. But unfortunately, it just missed the mark on almost all fronts for me. I'm giving it two stars because the writing wasn't too bad and made it more bearable to read. It's safe to say that if the plot and characters had interested me then I would have enjoyed it quite a bit. But alas, they did not.
My main issue with the plot was the fact that the main characters didn't meet in person until 70% of the way through. Now, if this was labelled as anything other than a romance I would have been more forgiving. I do not want to read a romance where the main love interests aren't even in the same room until the end. I didn't find either Gia or Ben and their host of problems to be compelling enough to keep my attention throughout the book. Furthermore, when the two eventually did meet, it felt awkward and clunky and there was no palatable chemistry. It was quite disappointing after spending hours reading to get to that point.
I would say if you are looking for a slow-burn romance, this one exceeds the meaning of the word and are sure you are someone who can be invested in side stories and characters!
I really wanted to like this book, especially because the plot seemed so similar to one of my all time favourites, The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary. But unfortunately, it just missed the mark on almost all fronts for me. I'm giving it two stars because the writing wasn't too bad and made it more bearable to read. It's safe to say that if the plot and characters had interested me then I would have enjoyed it quite a bit. But alas, they did not.
My main issue with the plot was the fact that the main characters didn't meet in person until 70% of the way through. Now, if this was labelled as anything other than a romance I would have been more forgiving. I do not want to read a romance where the main love interests aren't even in the same room until the end. I didn't find either Gia or Ben and their host of problems to be compelling enough to keep my attention throughout the book. Furthermore, when the two eventually did meet, it felt awkward and clunky and there was no palatable chemistry. It was quite disappointing after spending hours reading to get to that point.
I would say if you are looking for a slow-burn romance, this one exceeds the meaning of the word and are sure you are someone who can be invested in side stories and characters!
April 4, 2023
Disclaimer - I received a free digital download of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book caught me unawares for several reasons, but the main one is the fact that the protagonist comes from a rich and vibrant culture. A culture which is mentioned and built upon throughout the whole book and really brought something special to the experience of reading love on the menu.
I loved the originality of the romance in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read or considered a plot quite like this and it made it such a joy to read and experience. It’s safe to say I got very much caught up in the love story (and the endless drama). I don’t feel like I was quite ready for the end of Gia’s story, I guess that is the way slow burning romance books tend to go.
This was definitely a fun and lighthearted read for me that I very much enjoyed
This book caught me unawares for several reasons, but the main one is the fact that the protagonist comes from a rich and vibrant culture. A culture which is mentioned and built upon throughout the whole book and really brought something special to the experience of reading love on the menu.
I loved the originality of the romance in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read or considered a plot quite like this and it made it such a joy to read and experience. It’s safe to say I got very much caught up in the love story (and the endless drama). I don’t feel like I was quite ready for the end of Gia’s story, I guess that is the way slow burning romance books tend to go.
This was definitely a fun and lighthearted read for me that I very much enjoyed
April 20, 2023
can’t decide whether to give this 2.5 or 3 ⭐️ so it’s rounded to 3
i absolutely love the concept of this book and it had many cute moments however i felt that it started to drag on, and i was disappointed that we didn’t get to see them actually together.
overall an okay read and would read from this author again!
i absolutely love the concept of this book and it had many cute moments however i felt that it started to drag on, and i was disappointed that we didn’t get to see them actually together.
overall an okay read and would read from this author again!
July 9, 2025
This book is not perfect and clunked in a few places, but it is sweet, and I enjoyed it from start to finish. As a chronic over-thinker and feeling-assumer (like the FMC), I loved the message of forgiveness, letting go, moving on, and how honest communication can save the day. An enjoyable, easy, and cosy read.
December 8, 2025
absolutely beautiful,at some point I wanted to send it but I kept reading and Reading and reading and it was awesome 🙂
August 13, 2023
I really loved the idea behind this book but I felt there wasn't enough of the wanting to know who the other person is. We see a lot about their lives separately but I wanted the mystery behind the notes to be much more apparent in their lives too.
Read
January 30, 2023This ended up being a DNF for me, so no rating. The writing and storytelling was disjointed and all the characters were kind of just plain old mean-spirited. I felt like I was dropped into the story with everyone but me knowing what was going on, and after struggling for a while, I just had it call it.
May 15, 2023
This is a book about two young people trying to find their way in the world. Gia and Ben are flawed and complex characters and their friendships, anxieties and lifestyles are all too familiar for any millennial reader. A great holiday read for anyone looking for a new take on modern relationships.
dnf
February 13, 2023DNF @ 10%
The start was boring. Gia, the main female protagonist was a b!tch. She was trying so hard to be the center of the attention of her colleagues by making them think that she was close with her boss and sharing personal details of her boss with her colleagues. Because that's the first time she was getting any attention from popular people🙄. She would snap at Jay without any apparent reason and would say hurtful things to him in front of other people. So, get this she was complaining about the office party but when her mom voiced it out to her, Gia snapped at her mother and then got annoyed because her mother was not offended by her snapping? What the hell? From what I gathered, Gia was pretentious, mean, judgmental, and too f*cking superficial and condescending. Rotten to the core. She would chew Ben if they were in a relationship. Excuse me for assuming. But Ben seemed like a pushover. I'm not trying to be mean but that's how the characters were. Anyway, the new year's resolution Gia wrote, was simple regular stuff. Nothing significant to remember or have any importance for the plot other than a bridge between the MCs. I wonder why on earth it even attracted Ben's attention in the first place.
Nope nope nope and definitely nope. I'm done. None of the characters are neither good or interesting. The writing style, characters, and world-building were not interesting or promising, or engaging. The cover was nice. I'm really disappointed. Because the synopsis was really intriguing. I wonder why this book has so many pages. Oh, well, I'm definitely not gonna force myself to read books I know I'm not going to enjoy.
⫷ The ARC copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review ⫸
The start was boring. Gia, the main female protagonist was a b!tch. She was trying so hard to be the center of the attention of her colleagues by making them think that she was close with her boss and sharing personal details of her boss with her colleagues. Because that's the first time she was getting any attention from popular people🙄. She would snap at Jay without any apparent reason and would say hurtful things to him in front of other people. So, get this she was complaining about the office party but when her mom voiced it out to her, Gia snapped at her mother and then got annoyed because her mother was not offended by her snapping? What the hell? From what I gathered, Gia was pretentious, mean, judgmental, and too f*cking superficial and condescending. Rotten to the core. She would chew Ben if they were in a relationship. Excuse me for assuming. But Ben seemed like a pushover. I'm not trying to be mean but that's how the characters were. Anyway, the new year's resolution Gia wrote, was simple regular stuff. Nothing significant to remember or have any importance for the plot other than a bridge between the MCs. I wonder why on earth it even attracted Ben's attention in the first place.
Nope nope nope and definitely nope. I'm done. None of the characters are neither good or interesting. The writing style, characters, and world-building were not interesting or promising, or engaging. The cover was nice. I'm really disappointed. Because the synopsis was really intriguing. I wonder why this book has so many pages. Oh, well, I'm definitely not gonna force myself to read books I know I'm not going to enjoy.
⫷ The ARC copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review ⫸
April 2, 2023
Love Love on the Menu
by Mimi Deb the Menu
by Mimi Deb
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: 13 April 2023
Genre : Romance Women's Fiction
Gia work life seems busy and a bit hectic
Ben a sibling of 7 children.
I really like this character and the notes he sends
This book has laugh out loud moments. I have enjoyed the note exchanges between Gia and Ben they have been a old fashioned way of communicating in this Morden age.
I love Gia and Ben Dynamic in this book and how there noted progressed as we progess through the book.
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview#goodreads #booktok #fyp #romance #avonbooks
Will Post on blog week of Realse
by Mimi Deb the Menu
by Mimi Deb
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: 13 April 2023
Genre : Romance Women's Fiction
Gia work life seems busy and a bit hectic
Ben a sibling of 7 children.
I really like this character and the notes he sends
This book has laugh out loud moments. I have enjoyed the note exchanges between Gia and Ben they have been a old fashioned way of communicating in this Morden age.
I love Gia and Ben Dynamic in this book and how there noted progressed as we progess through the book.
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview#goodreads #booktok #fyp #romance #avonbooks
Will Post on blog week of Realse
Read
January 24, 2023DNF at 50%.
Five years ago, Gia left her hometown in India and went to London to pursue her dreams. But a combination of alcohol and a giant faux pas during her company’s Christmas party leaves her dreams hanging by a thread. After ordering takeout, her list of new year’s resolutions mistakenly gets stuck to the bottom of the food delivery bag and ends up in the hands of Ben, who works in the takeout. Ben replies to the list of new year’s resolutions and encloses it with Gia’s next order, marking the beginning of their correspondence via food delivery.
I was very attracted by the story’s premise, which I felt had very good potential. I thought it was such an interesting way for two people to become friends through notes delivered with food takeout. However, the execution of the story was not quite there. I found the pacing of the story to be slow, and the events that occurred throughout the first half of the book to be not particularly engaging.
At the halfway mark, rather than a romance, this story reads more like a fiction book about 2 people struggling to get their lives together. The characters are not superbly likable and I didn’t feel very invested in their story.
There were also too many side characters and it took some effort to keep track of who’s who - on Gia’s side, we have her coworkers, her boss and her mother; on Ben’s side, we have his large family of 4 siblings, his coworker and boss, as well as the football kids he coaches.
The flow of the story did not feel very smooth and the scenes jumped from chapter to chapter and I had to re-orientate myself sometimes.
I appreciated the dual POV that gave us insights from both Gia and Ben, but unfortunately, this story was not quite for me.
Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
Five years ago, Gia left her hometown in India and went to London to pursue her dreams. But a combination of alcohol and a giant faux pas during her company’s Christmas party leaves her dreams hanging by a thread. After ordering takeout, her list of new year’s resolutions mistakenly gets stuck to the bottom of the food delivery bag and ends up in the hands of Ben, who works in the takeout. Ben replies to the list of new year’s resolutions and encloses it with Gia’s next order, marking the beginning of their correspondence via food delivery.
I was very attracted by the story’s premise, which I felt had very good potential. I thought it was such an interesting way for two people to become friends through notes delivered with food takeout. However, the execution of the story was not quite there. I found the pacing of the story to be slow, and the events that occurred throughout the first half of the book to be not particularly engaging.
At the halfway mark, rather than a romance, this story reads more like a fiction book about 2 people struggling to get their lives together. The characters are not superbly likable and I didn’t feel very invested in their story.
There were also too many side characters and it took some effort to keep track of who’s who - on Gia’s side, we have her coworkers, her boss and her mother; on Ben’s side, we have his large family of 4 siblings, his coworker and boss, as well as the football kids he coaches.
The flow of the story did not feel very smooth and the scenes jumped from chapter to chapter and I had to re-orientate myself sometimes.
I appreciated the dual POV that gave us insights from both Gia and Ben, but unfortunately, this story was not quite for me.
Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
April 13, 2023
Actual: 2.5 ⭐️
Gia has a list of bold moves to change her life. Ben is stuck in a rut, hiding his dreams away. Joined as accidental pen-pals by fate (or a takeaway order), these two slowly get to know each other as they navigate their problems and transform their lives.
Though the story is intriguing and overall pretty cute, I feel like there was a lot of distractions and jumping around. The focus is heavy on some side characters, like Jay or Matt, while also only sharing very little about said characters and then suddenly a lot shared all at once. Aside from Gia and Ben, I didn’t get the impression that I got to know anyone.
Speaking of the main characters, Ben is a good one. He’s a little indecisive but clearly striving for better and moving forward, albeit at his own pace. I love his interactions with the people at the takeaway and his football team. Gia, on the other hand, kind of feels like a bit of a mess. A sweet, semi-optimistic character, but despite her list she tends to make all the same choices and wonder why nothing changes. There’s also a lot of alcohol interplay - Ben is a recovering alcoholic while Gia is almost always drinking - and that contrast is striking and somewhat uncomfortable.
The writing and the concept are good, and I do love the letters back and forth and the inclusion of Gia’s receipts. There are several scenes that I felt were very well done and I wanted them to stretch out further, but on the other hand there were some I thought could have been excluded entirely. Overall, this was not my type of story.
~~
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book! The review above reflects my honest opinions.
Gia has a list of bold moves to change her life. Ben is stuck in a rut, hiding his dreams away. Joined as accidental pen-pals by fate (or a takeaway order), these two slowly get to know each other as they navigate their problems and transform their lives.
Though the story is intriguing and overall pretty cute, I feel like there was a lot of distractions and jumping around. The focus is heavy on some side characters, like Jay or Matt, while also only sharing very little about said characters and then suddenly a lot shared all at once. Aside from Gia and Ben, I didn’t get the impression that I got to know anyone.
Speaking of the main characters, Ben is a good one. He’s a little indecisive but clearly striving for better and moving forward, albeit at his own pace. I love his interactions with the people at the takeaway and his football team. Gia, on the other hand, kind of feels like a bit of a mess. A sweet, semi-optimistic character, but despite her list she tends to make all the same choices and wonder why nothing changes. There’s also a lot of alcohol interplay - Ben is a recovering alcoholic while Gia is almost always drinking - and that contrast is striking and somewhat uncomfortable.
The writing and the concept are good, and I do love the letters back and forth and the inclusion of Gia’s receipts. There are several scenes that I felt were very well done and I wanted them to stretch out further, but on the other hand there were some I thought could have been excluded entirely. Overall, this was not my type of story.
~~
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book! The review above reflects my honest opinions.
March 8, 2023
2.5 rounded to 3.
I was so excited to read this when I saw it compared to Emily Henry’s books. I’m usually not a fan of contemporary romance but Emily Henry has me in a chokehold. Couple that with Love on the Menu’s original storyline and striking cover - I had to read it.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t my cup of tea. The story was great but it was let down by poor execution. I love alternating first person chapters, but Gia and Ben didn’t have very distinctive voices… none of the characters really did, and there was a lot of them!
There were far too many different plots and subplots happening throughout that were connected together at the end in a way that wasn’t satisfactory and seemed rushed.
Gia and Ben were cute and their letters being sent through the takeaway was a really nice idea and a big part of what was drawing me to read it (along with Gia being a POC!) but their relationship just didn’t really go anywhere and it was pretty much just a friendship. It seemed like Gia didn’t really think of Ben at all and only thought of him while writing to him. Otherwise she was preoccupied with the million other things happening in her life. Whereas Ben’s chapters had more of a focus on Gia so the relationship didn’t really seem that romantic when Gia didn’t even really seem into him.
Overall, a good idea, a pretty cover, an easy read and obviously people like it as it’s won an award, but just not for me, sadly.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to read this when I saw it compared to Emily Henry’s books. I’m usually not a fan of contemporary romance but Emily Henry has me in a chokehold. Couple that with Love on the Menu’s original storyline and striking cover - I had to read it.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t my cup of tea. The story was great but it was let down by poor execution. I love alternating first person chapters, but Gia and Ben didn’t have very distinctive voices… none of the characters really did, and there was a lot of them!
There were far too many different plots and subplots happening throughout that were connected together at the end in a way that wasn’t satisfactory and seemed rushed.
Gia and Ben were cute and their letters being sent through the takeaway was a really nice idea and a big part of what was drawing me to read it (along with Gia being a POC!) but their relationship just didn’t really go anywhere and it was pretty much just a friendship. It seemed like Gia didn’t really think of Ben at all and only thought of him while writing to him. Otherwise she was preoccupied with the million other things happening in her life. Whereas Ben’s chapters had more of a focus on Gia so the relationship didn’t really seem that romantic when Gia didn’t even really seem into him.
Overall, a good idea, a pretty cover, an easy read and obviously people like it as it’s won an award, but just not for me, sadly.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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