I'm a sucker for a good rom-com, so I jumped at the chance to read Tacos for Two. Betsy St. Amant is a new author for me, but I will definitely be watching for more of her novels in the future. Her style is similar to some of my favourite authors like Sarah Monzon and Bethany Turner.

Tacos For Two tells us the story of Rory Perez and Jude Strong. Rory has recently inherited her late aunt's Mexican food truck. The only problem? Rory can't even boil water without burning it. Thank goodness her friend Grady is a fantastic cook and is happy to continue his rule as chef. Oh, and Rory hates cilantro. Loathes it, really. Jude, on the other hand, can't get enough of the stuff, and regularly orders lunch from the pretty girl at the Salsa Street truck. He's sick of being controlled by his family's law firm, and most of all, his father. After all, law isn't his true passion--cooking is. Especially tacos with mounds of cilantro. When he hears about the food truck contest at the local food festival, he embraces the chance to change his future. But Rory has been counting on the winnings from the contest keeping Salsa Street afloat and her new friend's news that he is also entering the contest leaves her hurt and angry. Did I mention her chef has suddenly gotten sick and Rory and Grady's wife, Nicole, are now responsible for cooking? Yep. Not to mention things have recently started to get a little more serious between Rory and her online mystery man, but she hasn't had time to meet him with everything that's been going on.

It's obvious from the very beginning that the author really, really likes You've Got Mail. Tacos for Two definitely had a lot of You've Got Mail vibes, but I definitely enjoyed this novel more than the movie. I actually quite liked Rory and found her struggles relatable. Her love for her friends and her cousin Hannah was easy to see, and she was willing to sacrifice if it meant they could be happy. I also enjoyed seeing her rise to the challenge of learning to cook despite her struggles. However, she definitely could have made things easier for herself, specifically with Jude, if she hadn't jumped to conclusions so easily. That said, I appreciated that both Rory and Jude showed a lot of growth as the story progressed. I'm a big fan of not doing something just because your family does, so I enjoyed seeing Jude step outside of his family's plans for him to find his own dreams. I also liked that he was quick to realize he hadn't been treating those around him with respect and worked on changing his behaviour. As for side characters, I absolutely loved Hannah. Her innocent childlike character was sweet and honest. I loved her faith in Jesus and how she always saw the best in everyone and every situation.

All in all, Tacos for Two was a fun, easy read. I was hooked from the first page and the fun banter between StrongerMan99 and ColorMeTurquoise kept me laughing. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a good rom-com.

*I received a complimentary copy of Tacos for Two through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

“Tacos For Two” by Betsy St. Amant is about two highly unlikely chefs in a life-changing contest, with only one winner. Rory Perez cannot cook but she owns a food truck. She also wants to save the family business. An upcoming contest during a food truck festival seems like the perfect solution. For Jude Strong, weary of working in his father’s law firm, the food truck festival is the perfect chance to dive head-on into his passion for cooking and regain control of his own life. To escape the law firm, Jude must win the contest, so failure is not an option. But as things get quite complicated, will Rory and Jude sacrifice their futures for the sake of love? “Tacos for Two” will delight the reader. Betsy St. Amant makes the story irresistible with endearing characters one would root for. This is an adorable book for rom-com lovers.

A surprise of a book!
Falling in love online and a food truck competition. St. Amant did a good job of creating likeable characters with such good banter. An updated retelling of "You've Got Mail" that was such a fun enemies to lovers story.

An easy breezy romance which delightfully mirrors You’ve Got Mail, Tacos for Two left me not only hungry for Mexican but completely invested in the romance between Rory and Jude, as this enemies to lovers story sizzles with chemistry and tacos. I especially enjoyed the secondary characters and the pace, but I hate to say it – Backstreet Boys didn’t sing Bye Bye Bye! It was N’Sync!

Thanks to the publishers, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The main character in this book, Rory, owns a Mexican food truck but she doesn't like to cook and she doesn't like spicy food. Reading that, I did not think I was going to like her.

She's a pretty prickly character, actually. And the way she handles her encounters with Jude (the guy who she is having an anonymous online relationship and a real-life food truck competition with) didn't endear her to me.

Jude seemed like a nice character and, at times, I could see the attraction between the two of them.

There seemed to be a very strong alignment to the plot of 'You've Got Mail', which I like but obviously not as much as this author.

It's a sweet book, but for me, not enough spice.

The cover of this book drew me in when I first saw it on Netgalley. I will be honest I didn't even read the description. In all reality I almost never read the description of a rom-com book before I start them.

Rory is a food truck owner who cannot cook. She has inherited a food truck from her aunt who recently passed away and the business is barely getting by. Her local community has a festival every year that supports the truck enough to carry it through every year. However, this year there is a contest that would more than cover the trucks expenses. If she can win the price money than maybe she could finally meet the anonymous man she has been talking to online.

Jude is a soon to be lawyer, when he takes the bar, that is getting tired of being used by his family and his father's law firm. He wants to start his own business and use his childhood housekeepers' taco recipe to make his own way in life and the festivals contest could just be his way out from under his father's thumb.

However, when Rory's cook gets sick, she must step up to the plate and learn to cook and her and Jude become each other's competition. When Jude discovers that Rory is also the women he has been falling in love with, what will he do?

I loved the "You've Got Mail" references. This was such a good twist on that kind of story. Jude was such a good character who seemed to just get stereotyped. The Idea of an anonymous dating service sounds like such a good way to get to know someone (if they are being honest). I loved the letter that Rory received it was very heartfelt. This was a very good be yourself follow your dreams rom-com. I had to give it a 3-stars though. I felt like I had just read better rom-coms.

* I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Revell publishing in exchange for my honest review

#romcom#netgalley#tacosfortwo

St. Amant's newest book is a cute and innocent romance. What it lacks in steam, it makes up for with a solid plot filled with diverse characters and lots of family drama. While reading this one, I found myself craving Mexican food - especially tacos. My one issue with Tacos For Two was that the storyline was a little predictable. If you are looking for a fast-paced, lighthearted read, you should consider adding this title to your reading list!

Fans of the popular rom-com You’ve Got Mail will definitely appreciate this retelling. This enemies to lovers troupe is full of drama and plenty of tempting food chatter.

What I loved:
- Setting. It takes place in a small North East Texas town.
- Movie References. I love YGM and smiled throughout the entire story every time the love interest traded banter full of movie quotes and sweet gestures.
- Food Truck. Beware, you will continuously crave tacos while reading this story. The descriptions of the food and cooking process will appease any foodie fanatic. Question is: are you pro or con cilantro??
- Secondary Cast. They were all so good. It was easy to despise the deceitful actions of one family and adore the endless support of the other. Cousin Hannah will be your favorite!!!
- Texts. The main characters are enemies after the same prize, but also unknowingly sweet on one another through an anonymous dating app. I looked forward to their flirty texts where they ultimately complained about and sought advice on how to handle the other.

There are plenty of sweet and even several humorous encounters. However, there is also a very serious side to this entire storyline. Both characters are struggling with several, deep issues they must learn to work through in order to embrace their HEA.

Rory Perez owns and operates Modest's most famous Mexican Food Truck, but she can't cook. When a cooking contest comes along that could secure the future of her niece, she knows that she needs to win, but could a new online romance and a rival food truck foil her plans?

A charming rom-com, with You've Got Mail vibes updated for the modern day and plenty of delicious food, you just can't go wrong with this delightful small town romance. I loved the secondary characters just as much as the main characters, especially Hannah, Grady, and Nicole. I loved how the author pulled me into the community of Modest, with how well developed the non-main characters were.

Jude is a man with a passion for cooking and an identity beyond his powerhouse law firm family. His heart is in the right place, though his actions are often misinterpreted, I loved his genuineness and how he takes time to befriend Alton. There is a lot going on in this small town, and I loved that there were other things going on in the background.

Overall, a completely enjoyable read, feel-good, with great humor, a smile wasn't far from my lips whenever I was reading this book. I love, love, loved the characters, and fun food filled plot. Definitely perfect for fans of rom-coms and tacos!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The colorful cover art initially captured my attention...however, the delightful banter between the main characters sustained my interest in this rom/com novel. It was fresh, sweet, savory and a fun read. Five stars.

Thanks to Revell for the free book.
I was drawn into this story by the cover. It is bright and fun. Also the title - who doesn't love a good taco? Unfortunately, the rest of the book was a miss for me. I am not a You've Got Mail fan, so I should've thought twice before requesting this one. I loved the vulnerability and openness in the chats, but I felt this didn't translate between the in person interactions between Rory and Jude. My least favorite romance trope is the miscommunication one, and that's another reason this wasn't for me. I wish adults in books could just have adult conversations and avoid all the mishaps that come with not communicating.
I think if you're a fan of what I mentioned above, you'll definitely enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.

The bright cover of Tacos for Two is was first drew me to this book. I had not read Betsy St. Amant before but will be reading more of her books.
I loved how the book began with chats between StrongerMan99 and ColorMeTurquoise. It drew me into the book and had me wondering how it would turn out. The banter was great, a mix of humor and depth.

I had mixed feelings for Rory. I understood her stress with the food truck and her obligations with her cousin, Hannah (the sweetest character). I loved her friendship with Grady and Nicole. I enjoyed how she interacted with all three of them. However, I did not get her interactions with Jude. She was the queen of jumping to conclusions and assuming he was exactly like the guy she had previously dated.

Technically, she owned the Salsa Street food truck. And technically, she couldn't cook to save her life.

Jude was also a character that was hard to define. I could understand his feelings of not wanting to follow in his family's footsteps, and wanting to go on his own path. That is an admirable quality. I appreciated that once he realized he didn't know Alton's name he made an effort to essentially be a better person.

The food truck, however, served as a frequent reminder of the pressures riding Rory's shoulders like a pageant queen on a hometown parade float.

The amount of time Rory spent jumping to conclusions and the miscommunications with Jude seemed over the top. Other than that, I enjoyed the book as a whole. It was mostly a quick, light read with doses of humor. I loved all the diversity in the book, including a character with special needs, as it was beautifully done.

I am not sure if I have ever seen You've Got Mail all the way through, but those who have will appreciate the nods to the movie. It made me think I might want to take the time to watch the movie all the way through.

Thank you to Net Galley and Revell for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a cute enough little book. It definitely was not subtle with the Sleepless in Seattle quotes, references and storyline, but it was enjoyable in the exact same way that all Hallmark movies and rom-com are. You know from page one how it is going to go (boy and girl meet online and have instant connection, boy and girl meet in real life and loathe each other, boy and girl have NO IDEA they are also the online people!!!…) you know good and well how it is going to end, but that doesn’t stop it from being an enjoyable chick read for when you want a break from doing real work or watching scary movies and need to take a break or whatever. At least there wasn’t a Christmas theme to round out the whole Hallmark cliche because that would be really chees…

I received an ARC, but my opinions are all mine.

"You've Got Mail" is a movie I watch regularly as there is so much to like about it. 'Tacos' borrows from it in many ways including a romance that starts via online messaging (as against AOL email), the two lead characters duelling over similar career paths (this one Mexican food trucks), Rory Perez inspired by her great aunt and Jude Worthington coming from a rich pompous family, the patriarch of which is not a very nice fellow.

It was an easy fun read with two well crafted lead characters in Rory and Jude plus a supporting cast that had plenty of likeable people especially on Rory's side. Like Rory and Jude looked forward to their 'night time messaging date' I looked forward to the next instalment in their cooking adventures and the will she/he, won't she/he combative nature of their initial in-person connection.

One of the great aspects of the movie is that after initially sparring and hurting each other, the two characters: Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox, spent time getting to know each other as regular friends do. This didn't really happen in this story and St. Amant relied on the online connection to initiate healing in Rory and Jude's relationship. Hence, it wasn't as believable and tended to rely on the electricity of physical touch and passionate kisses.

Overall, I enjoyed Tacos for Two and if you're someone who loves 'You've Got Mail' you'll certainly enjoy whiling away some hours reading this enjoyable romance.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from Revell via NetGalley as part of the former's 'Revell Read's" bloggers program with no expectation of a positive review.

ColorMeTurqoise and StrongerMan99 have a good thing going in their dating app DM world. A mutual affinity for You’ve Got Mail spurs soul searching conversations about balancing responsibility to family with pursuing your dreams. Both are encouraged by the encouragement and support found in each other through their online relationship. If only real life was as free and easy, Rory Perez wouldn’t be struggling to save her beloved aunt’s food truck in spite of the fact she can’t even cook. And Jude Worthington wouldn’t be trying so hard to stay one step ahead of his father’s antics after declaring that he wants to leave the family law firm and open a food truck. If only Jude’s dream taco truck wasn’t a direct competitor to Rory’s Salsa Street truck, especially when everything for both trucks is riding on victory in their town’s annual food truck competition.

Betsy St. Amant serves up Tacos for Two with plenty of spice, turning up the heat on the food truck competitors’ feud and igniting both pork loins and romance in turn. While Rory and Jude both want to find their own identity, they also struggle to reconcile the online connection with the face-to-face disconnect. How can they succeed in romance when they are also working so hard to reconcile individual and family obligations, and while learning difficult truths about forgiveness.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

“Sort of like Rory. All spicy—but probably sweet underneath if she’d ever let anyone get there.”

If you are an “You’ve Got Mail” fan, you’ll enjoy this foodie story set in East Texas. All of the food talk had me wishing for some yummy tacos. The texting and messaging between Jude and Rory was sweet and funny. In fact, I found that to be the funniest part of the book. The secondary characters were interesting and really added to the storyline.

Their real life meeting had a different feel that was laced with ups and downs, but overall made for an interesting story. It ran a little slow for me, but the theme of family, commitment, and following your dreams was lovely. Another thing I appreciated was the flawed romance filled with miscommunication, snark, and flirtation. I think this is a good novel on being honest, not only with others but ourselves.

“He didn’t know which was worse—her being rude to him because he was the competition or her letting down that hostile guard and being vulnerable. One was frustrating, but the other felt downright dangerous.”

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and are given honestly.

A tasty treat of a romance! 😋
Rory and Jude are chatting anonymously online and then happen to enter the same food truck competition serving tacos and quesadillas 🌮
This was a fun romantic story! I loved the online chat convos between Rory and Jude. Their banter was perfect!
I especially liked that the characters were both mature enough to apologize when they were in the wrong for assuming the worst about each other. Very refreshing.
I’m definitely going to check out more from this author!
Thank you Revell for providing my copy!

Tacos for Two

by Betsy St. Amant

Rating: 4/5

“Taco grease is thicker than water”

Who doesn’t love tacos and books surrounding food? If you are a fan of Rom-Coms, especially You’ve Got Mail, you will absolutely devour this story! (The author’s dedication to her husband is so sweet!) It is so cute and funny yet still full of deep hurts and regrets. I fell in love with the main characters and you will too! The writing is well done as always and is full of fun characters and fantastic antics. I am such a foodie that my mouth was watering whenever they talked about the food. I really wish they’d offered a free recipe at the end of the book too – you can never have too many delicious recipes. My only concerns for the book were that there wasn’t a faith thread woven throughout the story which is fine but I usually expect that with books from Revell. Some of the characters’ past hurts could easily have been addressed with some faith aspect but the author did not choose to go there. This story is still a fun story though and deserves to be read.

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean romantic comedy with strong You’ve Got Mail vibes.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Rory had been hurt and disappointed. In addition, she inherited a food truck from her aunt and she doesn't like to cook. One of the few bright spots in her life comes from the man she communicates with through a dating app. StrongerMan99 really understands her and he feels she gets him. At first, no pictures were exchanged nor were real names revealed. Before they actually meet, their lives become stressful. After they meet, under less than ideal circumstances, things really get complicated.
Even though much of the dialogue is witty, this is a serious story. It deals with complex family relationships and their serious long lasting effects. The characters face serious challenges and there is much miscommunication and misunderstanding. Humorous moments and meaningful relationships come together in this well told story. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this cute, diverse and witty story of two people who fall in love online who don’t realized they actually hate each other in real life. If you are a fan of You’ve Got Mail and delicious sounding food this is a book you will want to pick up. It is a clean, fun and an entertaining read. Make sure to go out afterwards for tacos because you will definitely be hungry.

I want to thank NetGalley, Betsy St. Amant and Revell for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.