Well written, engaging characters. Felt an awful lot like an extended edition of Chopped for teens. I can see enjoying the Chef school setting, but as an adult I felt like the premise was ridiculous.

Carter and Reid have come from different states and socio-economic levels with their eyes the same prize, to win a full-ride scholarship to cooking school. When Reid steals Carter’s cheese, the battle is on. Carter is determined to beat Reid, no matter the cost. However, they soon become frenemies, and eventually are teamed together during some of the cooking challenges. But can each trust the other? This is a cute story and I’m appreciative to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to be an early reader in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I spend way too much time watching Chopped and reading YA fiction. They're two of my favorite things. So when I read the description for The Art of French Kissing, I really hoped I was in for something wonderful.

And I was. This book married two things I love that I never knew I needed combined until I read it.

Sometimes I found the female main character, Carter, frustrating. But she was frustrating in such a realistic, insecure teenager way. She reminded me a lot of me at that age, and adult me is often frustrated by teenage-me's actions, so it was completely relatable.

I only wish some of the characters had been developed more. We get such a small glimpse into Will, Riya, and — honestly — Reid (his life outside the competition, at least) that it just left me wanting more.

A brilliant, funny recipe filled with friendship, first love, and fighting for your dreams.

First thing's first.

I thought this was based in France? Or at least some sort of French culinary school? Where was the French cooking? But I suppose I shouldn't complain as cooking has already been slashed through.

Oh, man. So let's see. I actually liked this book. It was like watching Masterchef but with all the behind the scenes and high school kids. I loved all the stuff related to cooking. And I loved all the references. I mean, Carter and Reid meet by introducing their Hogwarts houses! I MEAN. GOALS.

But then, our protagonist stuck out like a sore thumb and didn't let me enjoy the cooking and Reid. Carter in the entirety of this book is either being an absolute brat or raging. Oh, my God. The raging. I mean, I get why she's stressed - the whole scholarship and all - but girl. Calm down. I never understood her mood swings and her motivations. She took out her anger and stress by lashing out at her friends and was just a jerk most of the time. I don't get why Reid is into her. I just don't.

That's the only reason this isn't a 3 star read. But it reads quickly and I would recommend if you like a quick (and love/hate) high school summer romance amidst a (SUPER AWESOME) cooking competition then go for it.

Well the book started off promising and then faltered for me pretty early on. And even when the book tries to right-side itself it goes back down again due to the actions of the main character (Carter). I did read the book synopsis so the author/publisher is up front about the fact that Carter is going to get revenge on a boy that screwed her over in a culinary competition she is competing in. The issue is for me, what the boy did was minor, he apologized repeatedly, and the actions that Carter took could have gotten him sent home so I was not on her side. But the words he used when talking to her were sexist so they pretty much cancelled each other out. There was also very little discussion of food to be had. I didn't get a sense the author was a cook. I wanted more descriptions of what the food they were making was and the ingredients there were using.

"The Art of French Kissing" has 17 year old Carter going to Savannah, Georgia to compete in a culinary competition. Carter wants the win so bad she can taste it (pun intended). However, the first day of the competition, a rival, Reid Yamada lies about cheese she needs for a grilled cheese sandwich and she vows to get revenge on him. The revenge consists of Carter tripping the guy in a kitchen and I was not down for that. All I could think of was how he could have been hurt and injured someone else.

So most of this book is Carter hating Reid and doing things to get back at him and bah. It was not that interesting to me. Besides the big issue I really had is that they both like each other and you are supposed to be rooting for two people who acted like a couple of assholes towards each other when they first met and afterwards.

The competition is mentioned, but the author doesn't even bother describing the secondary characters beyond a few. And for me, I was more interested in two secondary characters (Will and Riya) than I was in Carter and Reid. I wish we had gotten a chance to know more than just four characters. We also have a bigoted ass in the competition which I think we are supposed to be happy gets taken down a peg by Carter, but she actually shoves this guy at one point and I just rolled my eyes. She goes around shoving and grabbing to the point I wanted to say "just because you are a teen girl does not mean you don't respect others spaces."

The writing is just okay. I wanted more description of the food, the recipes, I wanted to see why Carter was supposedly so good at cooking cause I didn't get that at all. I said in one of my updates, that a good idea would have been to end each chapter with a recipe of the food that Carter was cooking in the competition or something she mentions so that way there is a nice linkage there.

I also had a huge issue with most of the story reading about Carter's feelings of doubt, insecurity, and immaturity. I just was over it by the end of this book. You find out she's lashing out at Reid because even though he never said anything, she feels inadequate and like she shouldn't be at the competition. This comes out of nowhere by the way. I think it was just a justification for once again why Carter is an ass to Reid. It also doesn't work for me that it would be Reid making her feel this way since bigoted ass character flat out tells her repeatedly she's not good enough to be there, so her ire should really be focused on him.

The flow was not great. I thought things got better once Carter and Reid came to their "truce" and actually seemed to be working together and were not being jerks. Of course that all comes to an end due to Carter being an ass again. I was so happy to be done with this book.

This takes place in Savannah, but besides the author talking about how hot and humid it is, she didn't work a lot of the city in this book which is disappointing. Savannah is a great place to eat some Low Country food. I would have thought a culinary competition taking place in the south would have at least thrown a soul food or country challenge at the teens. Also speaking of the competition, it was not interesting at all. Probably because we only follow four (well five if you count bigot and okay six because the author does mention another female competitor by name) and you don't get a chance to really hear how others cook. I love Top Chef and other food shows like that so I was thinking this book would be up my alley. Instead I was just bored and really annoyed you had people hiding food and sabotaging recipes and the "judges" not saying anything about it.

The ending was okay, I just was glad to be done with this book when I finished.

I didn't know going into this book that I would adore it as much as I did! This story is about following your dreams no matter what comes up to make you feel less-than, even romance. I need this beauty in hardcover please! The cover is gorgeous and I can't wait to re-read this as soon as it comes out!

Carter Lane is seventeen and has been anxious ever since she sent in her application for a cooking competition where the prize is a full ride scholarship to Savannah's Culinary Institute. As soon as her acceptance letter arrives she is in an anxiety riddled frenzy. When she gets there it is like a dream until she meets Reid Yamada, her new number one nemesis. They both take turns sabotaging each other until the consequences are too much to bear.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book hit on all of the things I love, relationships, romance, and cooking competitions! Really loved the back and forth between the main character and her love interest, although, her attitude and reluctance to give in eventually made me annoyed at her. However, some of the sweet interactions (like cooking together) did give me butterflies. Overall, very enjoyable read! I could see my teen patrons identifying with this book and liking it!

I found the story to be too basic and not enough much of anything for me to connect with beside the book cover. The main character Carter was so annoying and selfish from beginning to the end that she didn’t change. None of the other characters were flush out enough either for me to latch onto for sake of the story. I think one my biggest struggles with this story is the timeline it just bounced too fast for me believe anything progressed.

I loved how nerdy this was... but Carter's inner monologue got old really fast.

Feisty protagonist, fierce cookery contest, queer Japanese rival . . . what's not to love? This was a great YA read, a real page-turner full of mouth-watering kitchen scenes!

This is a real case of "don't judge a book by its cover." Ordinarily, I would look right past this cover but I happened to click on it and I liked the sound of the summary. I'm a sucker for a YA contest-based story, and food is always a bonus, so I loved the notion of a teen cooking contest. The book had great diversity and though there were times I rolled my eyes (the unexplained start of Carter and Reid's rivalry; Carter's moments of pushing it too far), it was a thoroughly readable YA book with an interesting plot!

It was very fun to follow Carter and her friends on their journey to win a scholarship to an elite culinary school. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fun read. I am naturally competitive and I wanted to see who would win the competition. The challenges were creative, although I would never try any of them myself. Reid, Carter's rival, and Carter sabotaging each other may not sound like a start to a sweet romance, but it really is. However, the main character was unreasonably stubborn and angry at times, which was frustrating.

Final star rating: 4 stars

I received a copy of THE ART OF FRENCH KISSING on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

Brianna R. Shrum had me by the cover. I LOVE MACAROONS! But seriously, she wrote a hella-hot, cooking story with just the right amount of steam and sass and diversity to keep me turning the pages for more. I never ate so much in one sitting until I started reading this book!

When Reid and Carter spend the summer competing for a cooking scholarship, sparks fly, inhibitions crumble, and what’s left is me with a major book hangover. Simply devoured this story in one day. If you love sexy guys, savvy girls, and a sassy romance, then this book is for you! Highly recommend!

2,5 stars

I went into this book with the hopes that it would be a cute and light love story revolving around food, and it kind of was, but I didn't think it was that cute and, at times, the characters really annoyed me.
Carter, the protagonist, went on a cooking competition in order to win a scholarship in a prestigious cooking school, but as soon as she got there. she met Reid Yamada.

Reid is as cliché as they come. He's the cocky, jock-type guy who starts out as a douchebag but, as we get to know him, he turns out to have a heart of gold (shocker!). And, to make things even worst, he kept calling Reid the lamest nicknames after speaking to her for .2 seconds. No one in real life calls a girl "princess" after just meeting her!!!!

Another thing that annoyed me right from the start was all the name-dropping. I don't know if it was an attempt to make the characters seem cool and relatable or something, but it felt very unrealistic. People don't need to be always making Doctor Who and Star Wars references!

The only refreshing thing about him was that he had anxiety (not that I'm saying, in any way, that it's good to have anxiety), and that was something I can relate with (but I'll talk about that later on in this review).

As you can guess by now, I didn't love Reid, but I think I disliked Carter even more. She was always the one who took the disagreements between them to the next level, and she was sometimes unnecessarily mean Reid when he never treated her badly. She loved blaming other people for everything, and she was always irrationally mad at someone.

Now for the parts I did like! I really liked the romance going on between the secondary characters, and I'd love to hear more about their story. The cooking part was also fun, and also one of the strongest points of this book. I'd never read a book about a cooking competition before, but I think that part of the book was well written, and it kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know who the winner would be.

Also, one thing that I really appreciated was the fact that this was a diverse book in several different ways, but one where the diversity wasn't the focal point of the whole story, if you know what I mean. Besides that, I also loved the conversations that the characters had about gender and consent. They are very important things to talk about with teenagers, and I think the author approached those themes correctly.

And that's it! Overall, I think it was an okay book and I probably won't read it again, but it might be interesting if you like cooking shows and/or are interested in reading more diverse books (as you should!).

I really really loved this book! It was so much fun reading and I enjoyed myself a lot. The story itself is a bit predictable, but that didn't bother me. I loved Carter and Reid and they were so much fun. And I had a lot of hunger reading this book ;)
It was a cute and quick YA, and I loved it!

I really liked this author writing style. It grabbed my attention and held it through the whole book. I like that there was an openness with all relationship styles. I would most def read more from this author.

Cute YA romcom with a food network-like competition twist. MC was a bit annoying though, due to self doubt she kept lashing out at her romantic interest, even close to the end when she should have evolved a bit more by that point. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Carter dreams of being a chef and applies to a competition for a scholarship in Savannah where she meets a group of talented young cooks and the cocky Reid Yamada. The problem is, Reid's good looks and wise cracks make Carter want to punch him. Or kiss him. During the first competition, Reid hides an essential ingredient from her, starting a game of sabotage and revenge. Just as things are going too far, the nature of the competition changes and Carter and Reid are forced to work together as partners.    

The conflict and romance are tightly woven together and while they come to an obvious conclusion, it is still a fun ride. The dialogue is realistic and will appeal to teens. While the pop culture references could be dated in a few years, they will still appeal to fans of this type of book. 

Carter is a flawed heroine and sometimes does or says things that are monumentally stupid that would not fly in real life. But the heightened nature of this genre allows for some dramatics. Overall, I enjoyed this YA romance as a nerd and a foodie.

That was a cute book that actually made cooking seem fun (see, mom, that was the way to go) and made me crave macarons BUT our main girl Carter was such an annoying character. She'd get mad over..well..pretty much anything and she just acted like a brat I just couldn't like.

I liked Riya and most of the other characters even though the book was a bit short to really get to know them. And of course my adorable baby Reid. A cute Japanese dude cooking for you? Yes please!

Overall I enjoyed it even though I'm not much of a cooking person and I wanted to smack Carter half the time. If you're looking for an quick, fluffy, fun read give this book a chance. And make sure you have snacks.

Um, food? Hell yes, sign me up for that.
First of all, that cover is so cute and lovely. It seems to hold a super cute story inside and guess what? It does!
We get thrown right into the story, with Carter getting her acceptance letter. Without further ado, she flies into another state. There, drama starts as soon as she arrives on campus and drops her suitcase on a woman's foot. Carter is such a fun character, she makes mistakes and is sassy but she is incredibly passionate about what she loves. Following her character, the book is written incredibly funny, with hilarious but also very real situations. And all the food? I had just eaten but all the descriptions made my mouth water. I want Reid's macarons and Carter's chicken. I want Baked Alaska. I want all of the delicious food described in this book. The story itself was also very interesting to read about. I love reading about competitions and this was no exception. I love all the friendships that are built during the story.

But not only the story was great. So were the characters.
Reid seems to be so nice but then, because of what he does to Carter, the reader automatically turns against him. The two of them manipulate each other all the time, but then they get paired off and have to work together and Reid finally shows his real character. And oh, he is such a cutie. And also he defines as queer.
Then there is Riya, Carter's Indian roommate and new friend. Because Carter is not really much of a social person, she kind of clings to Riya at first. But Riya is also the nicest and sweetest person. She is understanding and loveable and an incredibly cook, especially when it comes to dessert. Plus she doesn't take shit from racists.
Aside from Carter, those two are the most important characters.
Unfortunately, the reader doesn't get to know the other characters as well. Carter's parents exist for only two sentences, her sister texts her every 50 pages or something like that. And there are so many other contestants, where we only scratch the surface.

But I guess the book was just too short to get to know other, less important characters better. Because it really was short. I wish it was longer because it was so much fun to read.

Apart from the length of the book, or lack thereof, I enjoyed the book a lot. It was a light, very cute and summer-y contemporary about teenagers who all share the same passion and dream. Plus, there is a Japanese queer boy, an Indian girl and three lesbians.