Pretty stellar for a debut, that’s for sure. With Tis the Season for Revenge, The Hating Game, and You’ve Got Mail vibes, this lighthearted romance is such an interesting mix of tropes. Our sweetheart of a heroine gets herself in quite the sticky situation, and she’s most certainly not always in the right. I’m don’t think many established authors could pull off a storyline as chaotic and messy as this one, and that’s a compliment. Our heroine weaves herself a tangled web, and it was so much fun watching it all play out. I love it when books surprise me, and I was constantly kept on my toes. It was sweet one minute, swoony the next, and deliciously soapy the rest of the time. I’m sure the complicated situation will rub some readers the wrong way, but I sincerely enjoyed this, and I’m excited to see what’s next from the author.
The story follows Heaven, a woman who has just discovered that her live-in boyfriend is cheating on her. When one of Heaven’s friends reveals her boyfriend’s profile on a hookup app, she’s understandably upset. Not so much that the relationship is over – it’s been feeling off for awhile – but that he would cheat on her, and so brazenly. As much as Heaven would love to break up with him immediately, it’s her name on the apartment’s lease, and she can’t afford to pay his half of the rent. Deciding to stick it out for a couple of months until the lease ends, Heaven makes the ill-advised decision to catfish her boyfriend on that dating app, hoping to play the long game and catch him in the act. When she kinda/sorta accidentally strikes up a conversation with one of her matches, Heaven develops a text-based friendship. And when Heaven discovers that her new online friend is the grumpy boss she’ll be working with for the next few months… well, things get a whole lot more complicated.
I’ll say right now that you have to be comfortable with some level of emotional cheating in this messy situation, or the book won’t work for you at all. While Heaven knows her boyfriend is cheating and she’s already mourned the loss of their relationship (he’s also no prize), he has no idea she feels that way. So talking to a guy on a dating app and developing feelings for her boss is not 100% okay, if you know what I mean. Not sure why I was cool with that, but I was 90% of the time. There’s no physical cheating on her end, as the romance is a slow burn that goes from strangers to online friends to grumpy boss to more. I loved the unpredictability. I also loved getting to know Shane better, and it was fun to see the very different sides to his personality – grumpy boss vs. sweets-obsessed cinnamon roll. We only get Heaven’s perspective, so I liked unraveling Shane a little bit at a time. Heaven also makes a great character, and I’m still kind of surprised that I liked her, lol. She’s not quite as innocent in everything as she might like to believe, but she’s such a nice combination of sweetheart and spitfire that I couldn’t stay mad at her. This just felt so fresh and slightly unhinged, while still giving sweet, swoony vibes. So a fantastic job from this debut author, and an entirely engaging read.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FA91KW
Blurb:
Nothing brings stressed people together like desserts.
Revenge is a dish best served scorching hot. That’s why professionally stressed and dessert loving Heaven Wilson creates a fake profile on the app her cheating boyfriend is using to find hookups.
But when she unexpectedly matches with Shane H, a man who seems as sweet as the baked treats he tempts her with, revenge becomes the least of her problems.
A more pressing issue? Not falling for the man she’s catfishing until she can ditch her unfaithful boyfriend. More pressing still? Shane turns out to be the professionally stressed, intimidating new boss she’s sent to work with.
And he has no idea she’s the girl whose messages leave him craving more every night.
With a boyfriend who could doom her to enormous financial debt, a hot and cold, irresistible boss complicating her work life, and the intricate web of lies she’s designed for herself, this is the perfect recipe for disaster.
When it turns out Heaven isn’t the only one keeping secrets, will the cookie finally crumble?
Desserts for Stressed People is a steamy, slow burn, laugh out loud story about love, friendship, and sweet treats. It features two stressed workaholics who, relying on each other’s strength, find the courage to chase the happily ever after they deserve.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FA91KW
About the Author:
Letizia Lorini is the author of Desserts for Stressed People, first book in the Love & Other Recipes series. She’s an Italian writer who’s passionate about heart-warming books with high cackling potential. Currently based in a quaint town with pretty canals in southern Sweden: Malmö, she inhabits the Scandinavian country with her partner and their fluffy Japanese Spitz. When she’s not writing or reading romance, she’s cooking up some new story, researching the indie business, or wishing she was better at marketing or graphic design. She also has a degree in sociology and one in criminology, speaks three languages and drinks the daily recommended dose of coffee before breakfast. Letizia LOLs about pretty much everything and takes nothing seriously enough, as proved by her own ridiculous author bio. To subscribe to her newsletter and receive VIP cut scenes, special offers, and exclusive news go to her website: www.letizialorini.com or her instagram @letizialorini.writes
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