I have read every book in the Wedding Date series that Jasmine Guillory has written, because I am a sucker for a cute, light-hearted rom-com. Like all of the other books in this series, Party of Two did not disappoint. If I am being completely honest, the synopsis got me at chocolate cake, regardless of who wrote the book!

One main thing I enjoyed about this book, just like all of Guillory's, is the fact that it is told from dual POVs. I feel like this adds so much more to a book, especially in a romance novel, so that you get the whole story from both perspectives.

I really enjoyed Olivia as a main character in this novel. You got a small glimpse at her in the first book, The Wedding Date, but this story shows you how strong and independent of a woman she is. She is risk adverse and spends most of her time strategically planning out her next move. In contrast, Max is a charming, spontaneous and intelligent senator.

As I have stated in a few of my other rom-com reviews, I tend to have a hard time if the male love interest comes off as controlling or overbearing. Luckily, Guillory seems to have it down and as always, Max was such a delightful male love interest and one that I found myself swooning over a time or two.

Lastly, the most surprising thing I loved most about this book was all the food talk. I am not sure you could go a single chapter without some sort of food being talked about. As mentioned before, the chocolate cake reeled me in from the synopsis and it made a few appearances throughout the book that made me want to run to the store and get one for myself!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Berkley Books and Jasmine Guillory for providing me with an ebook review copy in exchange for an honest review!

I think this may be my favorite Jasmine Guillory book yet! I really enjoyed Max and Olivia's developing relationship; and the many delectable dessert descriptions. Olivia's hesitation to get involved with a prominent white politician in spite of her attraction to him was understandable, and the way Guillory explored those hesitations was believable and enjoyable.

When I think of powerhouse authors the name Jasmine Guillory immediately comes to mind. It takes a special gift to produce a great read each time you publish, and this lady definitely does that. Her latest, Party of Two, is a warm, sexy, charming masterpiece, perfect for escaping the stressful world we live in today.

Olivia Monroe loved her years as a lawyer  in New York, but  when she got tired of white male associates getting far more respect, older partners yelling at her, people doubting her ideas and intelligence and having to trudge through a bitter winter just to get to work and experience all that fun, she moved back to California. While she waits to move into her new house, she spends her days setting up her office, and her evenings hanging out at the hotel bar. Which is how she winds up devoting the better part of one night to flirting with a man named Max, whom she bonds with over the importance of quality cake being the staple of any desert menu. She assumes Max is an actor; they are in L.A. after all and he’s totally gorgeous. She tells him she’s an accountant because she “can’t deal with one more stupid lawyer joke.” They don’t exchange last names or phone numbers but part amicably at the elevator. She discovers just what kind of celebrity she was sharing small talk with when she turns on her television as she gets ready for bed.

Senator Max Powell is used to people recognizing him and becoming instant sycophants so he is delighted when Olivia clearly doesn’t know who he is and makes him work to win her approval. His one regret is that he didn’t have the good sense to get any of her details, so he’s delighted when, a week later, he spots her in the audience as he gives a speech at a fundraiser. He makes a beeline for Olivia at the earliest possible moment and learns she’s actually a lawyer who has just opened a new firm in the area. They chat some more but the experience is cut short when his staff drags him away to meet other constituents.

Olivia is surprised when later that afternoon, a package arrives at her office with a card containing a sweet message and a phone number. Max had remembered her favorite type of cake and had a bakery deliver one. She goes through several different text drafts before she finally decides to just leave a thank you message on his phone. To her surprise, he answers the call, their amazing chemistry once more ignites and she finds herself agreeing to a first date. And then a second. Before she knows it she’s falling pretty hard for the handsome, sexy, sweet, funny, and noble Max. The question is, does she like him enough to stand beside him when their romance becomes a public spectacle?

From the moment they met, these two had me smiling and I didn’t stop until the end of the book. There was so much I loved about this novel I could easily write a top 100 list of reasons to buy it, but I will try to limit this review to the top five.

One thing the author gets all kinds of kudos for is the wonderful way she builds a relationship between two extremely driven people. Olivia is strong, independent, and opinionated. A lot of writers end up making alpha females bitchy and touchy, quick to respond nastily to the slightest offense, but that doesn’t happen here. Olivia is a kind, reasonable person who is as quick to stand up for others as she is to defend herself. She’s a great listener and a wonderful, supportive friend. She knows the difference between someone asking for a favor and someone taking advantage and that serves her really well in this relationship, where both parties have to compromise in order to make it work.

Max is also good at compromising but his real strength lies in knowing how privileged he is and being happy to be called on it. One of the first things that draws him to Olivia is that she doesn’t treat him as though he is special; when she meets him, “She barely even smiled at him, and the one time she had, he felt like he had won a prize.” He finds it “Weirdly nice to have to fight for a smile for the first time in a long time”.  The two quickly establish a rapport and they laugh as they have deep intellectual conversations about desserts. This is another of Max’s strengths; his ability to be easy-going and attentive (he remembers Olivia’s favorite cakes and even what order they come in.)  He is willing to let others set the pace on some things but asserts himself when he needs to. He’s okay with being vulnerable to hurt in order to further a relationship, and isn’t afraid to do the heavy lifting in the romance department; he’s not aggressive but he does pursue the relationship. I loved everything about him; even his flaws and mistakes are endearing.

That’s because the author uses both characters’ mistakes and differences to help them grow, and bring out the best in each other. Insert fangirl squeal here - that is so awesome! I love it when two great people become even better together. I loved how fun their encounters are, how well they get along, how they are able to talk through simple problems, and I loved the solution they came to for the big issues between them.

The secondary characters are handled beautifully. They lend the exact right amount of balance to the growing romance between Olivia and Max and help add depth to them as individuals. Olivia and her work partner Ellie complement each other nicely and I loved Jamila, whom she meets while volunteering at the food pantry. Wes is both a wonderful friend to Max and a man of great wisdom. I sincerely hope his romance is the one this author pens next.

I was thoroughly delighted with how the politics of the story are handled. The primary issue discussed is social justice, specifically the school to prison pipeline. The author doesn’t speak to partisanship but shows how and why this is something about which Max and Olivia both feel deeply. Ms. Guillory also does a great job of showing the actual work of a senator, from meetings, to town halls, to press events to the endless travel - and the effect that work has on the relationship. Not just the intense added pressure of public scrutiny but the difficulty of actually scheduling time to be together.

Funny, warm and romantic, Party of Two is a fantastic, not to be missed romance. I recommend it to anyone who loves – or even just likes – contemporary romance novels.

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Another lovely, thoughtful romance by Guillory! I love her characters. They are always so rich and vibrant. Her stories are so engaging. Love this series!!

Jasmine Guillory strikes again with another charmer! This novel is engaging and moving. Both leads are fun to spend time with and their foibles and hang-ups, together and apart, are familiar and believably worked through. I am very happy to have had this ARC for some quarantine escapism.

I am in love with Jasmine Guillory's books, and she never lets me down. I love the multiracial cast of characters, and how they're interwoven throughout each book in the series. They eat delicious food and drinks (sometimes debate about said food & drinks), flirt very skillfully with each other, and have awesome sex. In traditional rom-com fashion, there is always some misunderstanding that pushes the two leads away from each other, and their respective best buddies talk sense into them, leading to a satisfying happily ever after.

This fifth offering in the series is no different, but has a much closer focus on desserts and social justice than its predecessors. YUMMY!

Thank you #NetGalley & #BerkleyPublishing for an advanced copy of Party of Two in exchange for a review. Jasmine Guillory the Rom-Com Queen does it again! This is the perfect summer, quarantine read. Olivia and Max are the cutest yin & yang couple. Once again food plays a central role in the relationships of the characters, which for a foodie is great, so thank you Ms. Guillory. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did, I'm already looking forward to the next book.

Goodness knows I love a good tropey romance, but sometimes you don't want to read about enemies falling in love or people having a one night stand and then realizing that they slept with the new boss or whatever. Sometimes you just want to read about two people meeting and liking each other and falling in love and building a relationship, and this is the perfect book for that.

I really appreciated how the conflict was internal, foreshadowed, and not overblown - it was realistic and in a lot of ways mature instead of contrived and overdramatic - and managed an equally realistic HEA ending. I also liked how Max and Olivia were passionate people with shared interests and values as a basis for a relationship rather than pure chemistry.

Some of the dialogue felt a little stilted and awkward (and, in the latter half, a little heavy on the "I love you"s), and the secondary characters felt almost entirely written to focus on the relationship rather than having strong personalities of their own (surprising considering Guillory's use of great friend and family characters to springboard to new books). I also felt as if the relationship building was a little slow, and the plot didn't really get propelled forward until probably half/two-thirds of the way through.

(Also, this entirely doesn't bother me either way, but worth mentioning for the genre: there are a few sex scenes, all pretty quick and sweet and generally not overly descriptive.)

A definite recommend for those who've enjoyed Guillory's books in the past, those who are looking into diving into the growing world of more socially/politically conscious romances, or someone just looking for a solid love story.

What a wonderful, fun, and flirty romance. Jasmine Guillory expertly crafts charismatic and compatible characters whose chemistry leaps off the page. Even though you don't get much detail in the budding relationship, you get plenty of highlights, more than enough for you to cheer for this hopeful couple.

Olivia Monroe has finally left New York city to move back to her home state of California and start up her own law practice with her best friend Ellie Spencer. Her first night in LA, she's at her hotel's bar and meets a funny, gorgeous man who she enjoys flirting with. Even after going back to her hotel room she can't stop thinking about this man. Imagine her surprise when Olivia later realizes that he is actually Maxwell Stewart Powell III, the junior US Senator from California. Olivia is even more surprised when she runs into Max three weeks later at a fundraiser. Max is determined not to let Olivia get away from him this time so he makes his move by sending her a cake with a cute note attached and this begins their whirlwind romance.

As Olivia and Max spend more time together, they both are falling pretty hard but they have to keep their relationship on the down low because of Max's notoriety. Just when it looks like Olivia and Max are getting their perfect ending, many factors try to stop this from happening. It will take a lot of soul searching and changes in the way they both live their lives for these two to find their happy ever after.

I really enjoyed this sweet, fun romance. I loved seeing how a strong, vibrant, introverted black woman was paired with an easy going, white privileged, extrovert. They say opposites attract and these two proved that point. They complimented each other so well you just couldn't help but root for them to be together. I just adored Olivia. She was such a great, kick butt female. These two together reminded me somewhat of Olivia and Fritz from the TV show Scandal and I really enjoyed going on their journey to happiness.

Go to Author for rom coms, meet cutes and book boyfriends. Ive loved every book Guillory has written and Party of Two is no exception. With each story Jasmine has raised the bar. Perfect book to put in your beach bag and prep for a summer love!

I'll be reviewing this in conjunction with Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material for a feature on romance in the public eye for the July issue of BookPage. Here are my initial thoughts:

Party of Two is a sweet and gently funny interracial romance about an African American lawyer who unwittingly chats up a wealthy white liberal United States Senator and their struggle to get to know each other and have a normal romantic relationship on their own terms outside of the public scrutiny.

Strangely enough, given that the plot involves a famous person (not usually my cup of tea), I actually found this to be the most interesting and relatable of Jasmine Guillory's novels so far. I related to the conundrum of meeting the man of your dreams but finding that he comes with a lot of baggage and constraints that make being in a relationship with him far from ideal. That's the kind of thing that realistically could really be a dealbreaker no matter how dreamy the guy may seem.

Guillory also does a fair job of addressing how race exacerbates this issue of being in the public spotlight. I also liked how Olivia researched Max's political positions before agreeing to go out with him. That's certainly what i would do. His stance on Black Lives Matter for example was a deal breaker. That totally tracks for me. Their connection also worked well. Olivia is an attractive, idealistic, Harvard educated lawyer. She and Max have a lot in common in terms of values. But as a black woman, Olivia is subject to more critical scrutiny than she would be if she were white.

All of that said, Party of Two does this thing a lot of books seeming to be doing. Despite describing these political issues, it only alludes to Max's political party. It's obvious that he's a Democrat but for some reason Guillory avoids using the word. It's distracting and comes off as a bit cowardly, especially in the current political climate. The internal monologues these characters have going on can also be a bit awkward a times. Those issues aside, I was happy to spend time in this world, the issues and conflicts the couple have to navigate were relevant, and I thought it was the author's best book to date.

Once again Jasmine Guillory delivers a fun, entertaining contemporary romance novel with two well-developed characters. Olivia and Max have busy, fulfilling careers and complicated lives, and they need to find a way to fit into each other's future plans. Their chemistry is not in question, but can two very different people who think and act differently find a place to come together? Recommended.

Another delightful installment in the Wedding Date series. This book is the romance of Olivia (Alexa’s sister) and Max a U.S Senator. Their attraction was instant and the banter game was strong. Max’s high profile job which meant constant public scrutiny of their relationship was the main obstacle in the book. Olivia wanted Max the person but had to make up her mind about Max the senator.

As with Guillory’s other novels there was plenty of steaminess to enjoy! Also, there was so much delicious food being consumed constantly. I now need an amazing local bakery that delivers.

Great little romance, loved the female empowerment feel!! If you liked the wedding date & the proposal you will definitely like this one! A fun, quick, feel good book!!

Olivia is a lawyer who just moved to L.A. to start her own firm. Max is a hotshot junior senator getting a lot of media attention. But when they meet at a hotel bar, they don't know anything about each other's careers. They only know they've got chemistry. Is that chemistry enough to make things work as they both pursue their own professional goals - and once the media gets involved?

I love love love Jasmine Guillory. Her characters are so smart and driven and lovable, and the way she writes about food is even better than the romance! I really like Olivia and Max's dynamic in this book, but I wish we'd gotten a little more of a meet-cute or more drama early on to give it a little tension. There wasn't really much standing in the way of Max and Olivia's relationship for most of the book, which made it a very pleasant read in a stressful world, but it could have done with a little more conflict. But I'll follow Jasmine Guillory anywhere!

I always enjoy Jasmine Guillory’s books because I know I'll be treated to fun story with diverse, complicated characters paired with sweet, chemistry-laden romance. I inhaled this book in a day- PARTY OF TWO could possibly be my favorite book of hers so far. (But don't make me choose.)

WHAT I LOVED:
- A romance with adults who actually talk to each other. What a concept.
- It wasn't a question of "would they won't they" but more of how they could embrace their careers and vastly different personalities to make their relationship work.
-Max is a junior Senator and he is genuine and so sweet. It was refreshing to see a politician portrayed as a good guy.
-Plus- he was so adorable wooing Olivia. Thoughtful and intentional. I loved that.
-All the baked goods. Cakes, pies . . . plus burgers, fries. I love how food brought them together.

I seriously love Guillory's books. With that being said, I requested this book as soon as it was available so I could read it, but once it was accepted I couldn't get myself to read it until now. Why? Because I don't want to have to wait for the next one!\

I love that we got to meet Olivia. Olivia is sisters with Alexa from Guillory's first novel "The Wedding Date".

After moving from New York to LA, Olivia is sitting at a hotel bar when a man starts talking to her. She thinks he's pretty cute but is pretty sure he's an actor and she wants nothing to do with that. After a friendly and flirty conversation and a shared elevator ride Olivia suddenly finds herself wanting to get stuck in the elevator with him. Once she gets back to her room with the "actor" she turns on the TV to find Senator Max Powell, the same man from the bar.

This sweet story follows a compromise with two people with a coming of age story even though the main characters are in their 30s.

Newly arrived in LA, lawyer Olivia seems to have found the perfect man, until she realizes he's a US Senator. Although they have a wonderful time dating in secret, can they survive the media scrutiny after they take their relationship public? In Party of Two, Guillory had plenty of opportunities to take the plot deeper but decided to stick with surface-level problems instead. If you are looking for a bubblegum story with some steam, you'll be fine with this book. However, if you some substance, then I'd skip this one.

I don't know if I have ever related more to a couple in a book before this one. Not in their jobs, but in their internal motivations and how they go about their lives. This made an already cute story even better.

Olivia is a lawyer who just moved to LA to start her own firm. Max is a senator (the HOT senator) who always speaks his mind and is always on the go. A chance meeting in a hotel bar turns into a relationship, but when they go public and the media starts to become involved, Olivia wonders if it is really worth it at all?

Jasmine Guillory always seems to write such realistic and true characters which makes it so easy to fall in love and get sucked into the book. I was truly rooting for Olivia and Max the whole time and love how they both grew and changed throughout the book. I also love the focus on food and how that was a way that they showed their love for each other.

Overall this was fun, cute, sexy, and a book that I loved being a part of.