The two main characters, Jillian and Reagan, couldn't be more different. Jillian is always on the run, expects perfection from everyone and is rude to everyone. Reagan is very laid back and tries to be nice to everyone. This two women meet on a very unusual day in a restaurant that has only one table. Reagan, who arrives first, sees the situation and offers to share a table with Jillian. Jillian is not thrilled at the aspect of sharing a table with a stranger, but is hungry and accepts the offer. Reagan tries to make the best of the situation and Jillian is rude and nasty to Reagan. Thinking that is the last she will see of the other woman, Reagan brushes it off.
Of course, fate has other plans. Jillian's mother, wants her to handle all the plans for the catering of her step father's birthday party. The caterer is, of course, Reagan's company.
There are many twists and turns of this romance. Definitely a must read that I really enjoyed.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Kate Gavin and I must say I enjoyed it very much. Here Kate weaves a beautiful love story between Jillian an Ice Queen who seems to have been neglected as a child and received zero acknowledgement from her mother and stepdad for her accomplishments. Reagan a restaurant owner who is loved and supported by both her parent in everything she does.
The book was very engaging. well developed and written. The main characters were strong, compassionate, communicated well and bonded beautifully. They over came their adversaries by leaning on each other. I would definitely recommend this book. Well done! 5 stars..

I received An ARC copy from the publisher Bella Books via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

4 Stars
“Table for Two” was a very sweet romance featuring an ice queen with the lovable girl next door.

Reagan is going through a very difficult time in her life. Her father is in the last stages of pancreatic cancer and she’s taken some time off of work to help deal with that. On a break one day she goes out to eat at a crowded restaurant and ends up sharing a table with the frosty Jillian. It’s not a good time for either one and both are happy to see the lunch end. Sometime later Reagan decides to go back to work her first client back is none other than Jillian.

Jillian was an ice queen and she was my favorite kind of ice queen. She knows her personality is brusque and cold but it doesn’t bother her too much. She was raised by terrible parents and learned from them so it isn’t something she’s done on purpose. She admits she doesn’t know how to turn it off even when she wants to.

Reagan on the other hand, was very sweet and caring. She has a close family and a tight group of friends to support her in dealing with her father’s illness. She’s the co-owner of a restaurant group with her best friend and she is hired by Jillian to cater her step-father’s birthday bash.

The two have chemistry even when they aren’t getting a long and Jill is being her iciest. Jill and Reagan were a lot of fun while getting to know each other. I liked that Reagan would stand up for herself and tell Jill when she was being wrong. Reagan was sweet but she wasn’t going to let anyone treat her the wrong way either, no matter the reason. Reagan and I both fell for Jill the more we learned about her past and how her family treated her. It was easy to see why she was so frosty and understand it. It made so much fun when the frostiness disappeared and her caring and sweeter side came out.

The only part I didn’t enjoy and it sometimes took me out of the story was some of the dialogue. It seemed melodramatic and unnatural at times. There were at least two occasions where I thought to myself “people just don’t talk like this in real life” as I was reading. I know in one instance Reagan says “I felt adrift” and I just don’t know anyone who really says “adrift” in everyday language. Other than that, I really enjoyed “Table for Two” and as this was my first time reading from Gavin, I’ll be looking forward to more of her work.

This is a pretty low angst read but it does have some sadness in line with Reagan’s father’s illness. I recommend this to fans of ice queens and opposites-attract romance.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books in exchange for an honest review.

Table for Two by Kate Gavin is an absolutely lovely romance novel with everything I could ask for in a love story. The tale revolves around two women (Reagan Murphy and Jillian Jacobs) who meet accidentally when they have to share the last table in a café for lunch. That first meeting doesn’t go well. Things become even more awkward after the two are thrown together again when Reagan’s restaurant is hired to cater a party for Jill’s mother. If only the two could stop thinking about each other.

This book hits just about all of my “must haves” for a great romance. We have Jill, the prickly ice queen that you can’t help but fall in love with, especially after you get to know the person inside that sharp exterior. And there is Reagan who is going through a stressful family situation. Both characters are well-developed, and it’s easy to see the chemistry between the two grow as they interact with each other. The story has just the right amount of angst. The hurdles they face to become a couple will keep you reading until the very end.
I really can’t find anything bad to say about this book. This is the first novel I’ve read by Ms. Gavin, but it won’t be the last.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

A very good read, such warmth and that with an ice queen! I had not read anything by Gavin before, but this was a good introduction and I look forward to reading more by her. This was a sweet read with interesting main characters and nicely fleshed out secondary characters. There is not a lot of angst in the book, but there are a lot of emotions as one of the main storylines is about losing a loved one.

Reagan is the co-owner of several restaurants with her best friend, but she is temporarily cutting down her hours to care for her terminally ill father. I immediately liked her, she’s a gentle and warm soul, but does not let people walk all over her. Jill on the other hand, is an ice queen and beyond. In fact, she is plain rude and contemptuous. They say first impressions are everything. In that case, there is not much hope for Reagan and Jill as they meet when being forced to share the last table during lunch and it is not a pleasant experience. Later, it turns out that Reagan has to work for Jill to organize a catering job, you can imagine her joy…

Obviously, Jill is hard to like at first, but I thought Gavin did a really good job in bringing her around. With some ice queen characters, it is immediately clear that they are in fact a bit of marshmallow on the inside, secretly hoping to find love and a connection, so basically, they’re not really ice queens. This was not the case with Jill, she’s cold and it takes quite some time for her to realize that perhaps she wants/needs more in life than work. When we get to meet the family it is clear why, her family is just as emotionally unavailable as Jill is and I slowly began to understand Jill and started liking her and rooting for her.

Where Jill’s family is cold and detached, Reagan’s family is warm and inviting and you understand the differences in their personalities. As I already mentioned, Jill is dealing with her father’s illness and impending death and there is a lot of emotion and sadness, but I didn’t find it very depressing to read. It plays an important role in the book and also in the relationship of Reagan and Jill. You easily see a conflict coming, but it worked well for me, it had some good angst and, most importantly, I understood the actions of both mains.

All in all, an excellent romance. It is not the most surprising story, and I’m not sure whether I will remember the details in time to come, but that is not necessary to enjoy a book, and yes, I liked this a lot as it just left me feeling warm and fuzzy. I easily recommend this to anyone looking for a good romance.

An endearing f/f romance featuring the standoffish, work-obsessed, and emotionally-neglected-since-childhood Jill and restaurant owner Reagan reeling from the cancer diagnosis and quick loss of her beloved father. This deals quite beautifully with different relationship styles, how mental health affects relationships, and how two people can overcome that. This was a sweet story with a good emotional element. I strongly recommend it.

This was a sweet book and while the premise was not original, the author put enough pieces together to make this plot stand out from others in the genre.

I liked the characters, despite Jillian being intrinsically unlikable. I also loved Reagan's parents and the love that was evident among the entire family - night and day compared with Jill's family. The father's sickness and death were covered well. While sad, it didn't overtake the book or cast a shadow over the story.

Some of the dialogue felt forced and artificial to me, which is maybe why I couldn't get into this more than I did. Overall though, it's a good book that should satisfy those who like to read lesbian fiction.

Reagan Murphy is going through the most stressful time of her life and all she wants is a little time for herself and a nice lunch and beer. However, after finding the last available table in the restaurant, she decides to share it with a very rude, but very hot woman. Jillian Jacobs is rude, a workaholic and was taught to keep her feeling deep deep inside. Climbing to the top is hard and that is her mission. After getting a new project and a tight deadline all she wants is a quiet lunch, but instead she is forced to accept the invitation to share a table with a stranger. Jill is thankful when she leaves the restaurant and glad she would never have to see that good-looking stranger again. that is, until Jill hires Reagan to cater her step-father's birthday party.

This book was sweet and sexy. The author did a great job with both main characters. They were both complex and very well developed. You cant help but to love them both and their relationship. It was a very good story and I really enjoyed reading. it. Moreover, the supporting characters were also great and interesting.

I will be recommending this book and cant wait to read what this author will have for us next.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Jillian and Reagan meet in a chance encounter over lunch. They DO NOT hit it off initially. Jillian can’t seem to accept genuine kindness and turns up her nose at Reagan. Reagan is just trying to make it through her days the best she can. They soon meet again and are forced to work together when Jillian’s mother hires Reagan’s company to cater a party. Initially, Jillian continues to treat Raegan in a brusque, better than thou manner, but overtime they get to know each other, and Jillian slowly lets her guard down. As they encounter family heartache, work struggles and uncomfortable situations they learn to prioritize each other and navigate a lasting relationship based on trust and patience.

I really enjoyed this book! This is how adult relationships are supposed to work. Neither Jillian nor Reagan are perfect, but they form a bond through trust, communication, mutual admiration and understanding. It’s a breath of fresh air to just watch something come together so seamlessly. Cheers to Kate Gavin. Well done.

4.5/5

I had originally intended to break up the book into two or three days so that I wouldn’t burn myself out of the story. However, I was hooked about 20% of the way through the book.

Jillian is a marketing executive whose main focus is on getting a promotion. Reagan is a co-owner of multiple restaurants with her close friend where she manages the money side of everything. The two have an unlikely encounter at a tavern where only one table is available for the lunch service and the two have to share. Jillian’s cold persona immediately clashes with Reagan’s cheerfulness. The two get off to a rough start but eventually they manage to find their rhythm with each other.

Reagan is a sweet character and I adore her family. She loves her job and her family and she’s very open about her emotions for the most part. Jillian is the opposite, but I still loved her as a character. The author did an amazing job at writing the emotions of the two characters that at points drove me to tears. The attraction between the two was obvious at the beginning, but it grew and developed through the story to be something amazing.

There are a few side characters in the book and I love most of them. The characters that I don’t love weren’t written to be likeable characters in the first place. Also, I really liked that Ash uses they/them pronouns.

My only issue with this book was that I wish it were longer. I wish there had been more time for the ending to truly develop rather than three or so chapters. I was bothered by it, but it’s nothing new and the author wrote it in such a way where I didn’t need it. It would have been nice, but the work is amazing even without it being longer.

Reagan Murphy is having a late lunch at a downtown Indianapolis restaurant which just happens to be packed due to a comic con event. Jillian Jacobs walks in right behind Reagan and is offered the same table as Reagan by a different hostess. Reagan offers to share her table with Jillian. Reagan quickly regrets that offer when Jillian's behavior and manner turns out to be very rude. They both return to their daily lives, but meet again when Jillian and her mother hire the catering arm of Reagan restaurant group for her step-father's birthday celebration. From that point forward their attraction begins to grow.

This was a complex, multi-layered story with the relationship that developed between Reagan and Jill. It had several layers due to the reasons behind Jill's behavior that Reagan ultimately discovers, the terminal illness of Reagan's father, and the deep-seated hurt that threatens to tear apart Reagan and Jill's relationship. The writing was excellent, the characters were believable, and some of their actions were justified. 4.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bella Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

A sweet les romance with two brilliant, successful leading ladies, both of whom find healing & the motivation to grow in each other.

[What I liked:]

•Reagan’s parents are the best! Reagan’s care for her dad was so touching and meaningful. The way her parents both supported her & loved her was beautiful.

•Reagan & Jill make a great couple! It’s not quite a slow burn romance, but the pace of their relationship development is very satisfying & well developed.

•The ending is great! The way the final conflict was resolved was convincing & felt natural & meaningful.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•It took me a long time to like Jill. She was so mean, entitled, classist, condescending, & rude for 20% of the book. Eventually I warmed up to her, but it was hard to get behind their romance at first because she was so awful.

•For the most part the prose is fine, but some of the dialogue was clunky. During heart-to-heart conversations it tends to get very melodramatic & didn’t feel realistic to me.

CW: terminal illness

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

Cute, fun read! The characters were likeable and the romance was believable, for the most part. I especially appreciated the little things - Jillian volunteers at a shelter, Reagan wears shoes from Tomboy Toes (just a little plug for a great shoe company!), etc. The story wasn't overdramatic or sappy - the perfect weekend read.

Did I already say that I loved this book? Because I did. Jillian and Regan were perfect for each other. I thought that the book was engaging. I read it in one day because I didn’t want to put it down. I love ice Queen’s and just how bitc@y they are but I love even more finding out what makes that woman tick or be so closed off. Jillian was the perfect character, she was so rude in the beginning that sometimes I would cringe or giggle, depending on the situation. But I read more about her and my heart just broke for her. Regan’s spirit, capacity to love, and her positive energy was everything that Jillian needed. They were perfect for each other, the writing was brilliant, and I have found a new author to follow.

sweet story, likable characters "including the side ones" no one was annoying or unfit . the writing is very mature and well developed. tho tbh I dont think her father death got enough processing but i guess the writer wanted a lighter read.
I have a feeling the next book would be for caly " if i remember her name correctly " . but her nerd friend whose I enjoyed a lot.

Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.

My first book by Kate Gavin and it it left me feeling warm and comfortable. The best way to describe this story is as a wearing a pair of comfy sweats and curling up on the couch with a soft blanket.

Jillian is a hard as nails and not too friendly marketing exec, at the office she is nicknamed the ogre. Not the best of nicknames and it isn’t based on looks but on behaviour. Jill goes out for lunch on a bad that at the office only to find no tables available at her favourite spot. A kind starter, Reagan, offers to share her table. She agrees but Jill is her usual grumpy self and even the unflappable Reagan is put off by her attitude, but still attracted to her. Reagan is the co-owner of a successful restaurant business, but the most important thing in her life now is spending time with her dying father. Jill mostly is just socially awkward and hides this behind a very icy and snarky mask and her emotions are stored away in vault behind a thick wall. Growing up in a household where love isn’t shared and prestige is everything will make a person be like Jill. But she doesn’t want to be this person, she just doesn’t know how tot run it off. Reagan is sweet and caring and a charmer. When the women are basically thrown together to work on Jill’s stepfathers birthday party both their feelings and resolves are put to the test.

Reagan is a character almost everyone will instantly like, but for me a character like Jill is what I like best. A tad misunderstood, hiding behind icy facade but such a marshmallow once the walls are broken, or just coming down a little. The big event happens too late in this book, you see it coming, I was even surprised it didn’t happen sooner, but when it did happen it was a real sad moment. Whit it happening so late it got resolved quickly as well, so that s a plus...
The supporting characters are very strong as well in this story and diverse! My favourite supporting character is Reagan’s mother, she has a smaller “part” but she is hilarious (unless she is your mom, than it’s embarrassing), a close second is Ash, Jill’s non-binary assistant.
This book should be read if you are looking for a good romance with a (reluctant) ice queen and a very loveable cast in general.

4.5⭐️ – The way my brain works, I rarely remember stories, and never in details. Sometimes I’ll remember characters, usually not their names. What I remember are emotions and feelings. When I saw Kate Gavin’s name, I knew I had read a book by her and the emotion her name evoked was something like “why not”. I’ll be honest, even after rereading the review I wrote of that book, Full of Promise, I don’t remember it (which really doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, my memory sucks). But the last sentence of the review (“There’s nothing groundbreaking about it but it’s heartwarming and totally worth reading”) plus that feeling in my head were enough for me to want to give Table for Two a try. I am so glad I did! Sure, it made me cry and I don’t like crying but if a book must make me cry, that’s the way to do it.

Jillian is an ice queen (a euphemism for what she really is) but she doesn’t want to be. She says it herself, she doesn’t know how to turn it off. Growing up with an excruciatingly demanding mother and a stepfather who didn’t notice her most of the time, Jill is as closed off as can be. She hides her social awkwardness behind an icy and at times downright rude facade. Meeting Reagan, who is kind and patient but won’t take shit from anyone, will change everything. Reagan is living one of the most difficult moments of her life, her father is dying of pancreatic cancer and she’s trying not to waste a second of the time he has left. One of her two best friends is also her business partner and picks up the slack when Reagan needs more time for her family. When her parents insist she goes back to work, Reagan is determined to be at her best, even when dealing with the oh-so-attractive yet oh-so-difficult Jillian.

I have to say, Reagan charmed me immediately but I have a soft spot for misunderstood characters who learn to show vulnerability. My heart broke for Jill more than once and when the dreaded breakup occurred, I could understand Reagan’s reaction but I was crushed on Jill’s behalf anyhow. Gavin pushed the angst to the max (for a mercifully short time) and I loved every second of it.

Besides Jill and Reagan, I loved Reagan’s parents, hated Jill’s family, and I wish everyone had friends (I include Ash, Jill’s non-binary assistant) like both have to support and love them.

If you couldn’t tell already, I enjoyed this book very much. I’m pretty sure the next time I come across Kate Gavin’s name, I won’t need to check my reviews to confirm that yes, I want to read her books.

ARC provided to LeZReviewBooks for an honest review.

This was a enjoyable read the romance flow effortlessly that I was rooting for HEA!

Jillian and Reagan meet and it doesn’t go so well but they both think they won’t see each other again so they let that encounter go. They meet again when Jillian mother basically force her into helping plan her stepfather birthday party something she doesn’t want to do especially since she doesn’t really care for the man.

I love that Reagan saw behind who Jillian is not what people see her as and Jillian gave Reagan the peace she needed. The supporting characters were great.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Jillian Jacobs is a tough as nails advertising executive. She is a workaholic wanting the next promotion without much time for a personal life. One day she shares a table in a crowded restaurant with another woman being her crusty self. Reagan Murphy owns and runs three restaurants. A family situation is taking an emotional toll on her. When Jill hires Reagan to cater an elaborate dinner she remembers their shared lunch with embarrassment.

One of my favorite things about lesbian romances is that women talk to each. This book is full of wonderful conversations, fights and apologies. Reagan brings out a softer side of Jillian that people never see. Jillian brings happiness and contentment to Reagan until other things interfere. I could not put this book down and slowed down my reading to enjoy it longer. It is steamy, moving and thoughtful. Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. If you’re looking for a cute casual read with not too much angst or drama then I highly recommend.

We mean Jillian, a not so nice business woman and Reagan, maybe too nice of a business woman. Reagan brings out the good in Jillian and we see a whole 180 turn in her social behavior. They make the perfect couple and though I would’ve hope for more fiery tension filled encounters between them I still loved the pairing. Five stars!