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One of the 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now by Time
"Urgent and intimate." —The New York Times Book Review
A fake dating arrangement turns to real love in this deliciously delightful queer rom-com from the author of the sweetly satisfying Chef's Kiss.
When Luna O'Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating office job, she tries to count her blessings: she's a proud trans woman who has plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York City. But blessings don't pay the bills.
Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinary empire—which he'll only inherit if he can jump through all the hoops his celebrity chef grandfather has placed in his path. First hoop: he needs a girlfriend, a role that Luna is happy to play...for the right price. She's got rent to pay, after all! Second hoop: they both need to learn how to cook a series of elaborate, world-renowned family recipes to prove that Jean-Pierre is a worthy heir. Admittedly, Luna doesn't even know how to crack an egg, but she's not going to let that—or any pesky feelings for Jean-Pierre—stop her.
Another swoon-worthy and heartwarming queer love story from a charming new voice in romance.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
May 30, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797160870
- File size: 346675 KB
- Duration: 12:02:14
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 27, 2023
Alexander’s swoony sequel to Chef’s Kiss follows Luna O’Shea, a trans woman who finds herself suddenly jobless and scrambling to pay rent in New York City. To make ends meet, she accepts a precarious position fake-dating laconic trans man Jean-Pierre Dominique Gabriel Aubert-Treffle, reluctant heir to his grandfather’s culinary fortune. To claim his birthright as a male heir, per his transphobic grandfather’s outrageous list of demands, Jean-Pierre must successfully prepare “The Menu” (the Aubert-Treffle family’s signature dishes) on camera for an audience of millions with a girlfriend at his side. To fill this role, Luna must figure out fast both how to cook and how to feel about the blunt and stubborn but also charming Jean-Pierre. The banter between leads is addictive with Alexander balancing fish-out-of-water linguistic comedy with achingly sincere emotional beats to excellent effect. The plot itself occasionally needs nudging along, but the exploration of the characters’ gender identities makes many well-trod romance beats feel fresh. As long as Jean-Pierre and Luna are on the page together, readers will be delighted by their odd couple dynamic. Agent: Larissa Melo Pienkowski, Jill Grinberg Literary. -
The setup of Alexander's newest queer romance is utterly absurd. To secure his inheritance, the son of a famous French chef needs a woman to pretend to be his girlfriend and help him in a cooking competition. While that aspect of the plot doesn't make sense, it doesn't matter because everything about this audiobook is delightful, including Nicky Endres's narration. They create wonderfully unique voices for the two trans protagonists. John-Pierre's French intonations somehow capture his charm, cluelessness, loneliness, and quirky humor all at once. Luna, who's just been fired from her job and is ready for something new and fabulous, sounds exactly like she should--confident, a bit sarcastic, and passionate about food. This exuberant romp is full of trans joy (and lots of cheese). L.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine -
September 1, 2023
Alexander's follow-up to Chef's Kiss features Luna O'Shea, a trans woman who has just lost her job, and Jean-Pierre Dominique Gabriel Aubert-Treffle, a French trans man due to inherit a fortune from his culinary mogul grandfather. In order for Jean-Pierre to inherit, he must cook an elaborate meal with his girlfriend; the only problem is that he doesn't have a significant other. Thus, a fake-dating arrangement ensues, with Luna agreeing to act as Jean-Pierre's girlfriend--for a price. Alexander skillfully navigates Luna and Jean-Pierre's developing relationship, capturing the wonderful chemistry between the two. Listeners will likely enjoy Luna's tight-knit community of friends and her supportive, eccentric mother, who pops in for a surprise visit. Narrator Nicky Endres gives an exuberant, heartwarming performance, capturing Luna's and Jean-Pierre's personalities as they argue, smolder, and fall in love. Endres also provides outstanding character voices, seamlessly flowing between Jean-Pierre's French accent and various Midwestern and New York accents. VERDICT This queer fake-dating rom-com is recommended for all romance audio collections. Share with fans of Elena Armas's The American Roommate Experiment or Taleen Voskuni's Sorry, Bro.--Danielle Arpin
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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