I received an advance copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love & Other Disasters is a queer romance centering two contestants on a cooking show (a clear MasterChef reference) who fall in lust, then love over the course of several weeks of filming the series. There were a lot of things that I loved about this novel. Dahlia is recently divorced, so she's navigating that emotionally tumultuous time of self-discovery after the death of a marriage (including some spectacular self-blame). London is navigating their own rough period of being out as non-binary on national television when there are members of their own family who refuse to use their correct pronouns. While transphobia against London is certainly present (in the form of another contestant and London's own less-than-accepting father), it's not given the page space to drag down the romance unfolding between these two lovebirds.

Love/lust-at-first-sight isn't usually one of my preferred romance setups, but I feel that the trope works a little better in the context of a high-intensity setting like a cooking competition. The contestants are spending the majority of each day filming together, they're all staying in the same hotel between filming days, and it feels natural for rivalries and romances to blossom quickly. As an avid fan of the MasterChef-style of cooking contest reality show (one of my guiltiest pleasures), I would have enjoyed seeing more of the behind-the-scenes antics - especially of the other competitors.

I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for LGBTQIA+ representation in romance fiction, especially those who don't see themselves represented in the existing M/M and F/F romance markets, and to romance readers who enjoy cooking shows. I really hope that Love & Other Disasters is successful enough that Kelly writes additional books, and other authors see NB/F, NB/M, or NB/NB as viable romantic pairings and not just a niche audience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC.

I really loved the idea of this story taking place in a reality cooking competition, as I am absolutely addicted to these types of shows and have yet to see it happen in a book that I’ve picked up.

I loved the LGBTQ+ representation in this book, but for me, the love between Dahlia and London was too instalove, and didn’t progress as it should have from enemies to lovers. Especially because that’s how I saw the plot unravelling.

I also felt the cooking show plot took a back seat, which was unfortunate Because that was a big part of what drew me to this story on top of its representation.

At times, the writing as a bit cheesy, especially the dialogue which didn’t really sound like real dialogue.

Overall though, if you’re looking for a fun, LGBTQ+ romcom, this might be for you.

3.5 stars

This was a really cute little romance. I have never read a book where one of the main characters is non binary and I was really curious about how Kelly would handle it. It was handled amazingly. It wasn't even treated as that big of a deal. This book definitely dealt with some heavy stuff but it was definitely a great book. Plus it has a cooking element! This book has a sort of Great British Bake Off secondary plot line and I loved it! I love baking so when books add it as a subplot. This whole book was overall adorable and definitely worth the read.

Love and Other Disasters is the most fun I've had while reading a romance in a little while. It's definitely my favorite cooking show romcom I've read, and I've read a lot of them in this past year. I love how Anita Kelly wrote Dahlia and London's relationship. I seek out books with the grumpy-sunshine trope more than any other. This book has a different take on it than most books, and it works so well. There were no throwaway characters in this book. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fast paced romance to get you out of a reading slump. I couldn't stop smiling while reading this. I've pre-ordered myself a copy and one for my best friend, and will be reading Anita Kelly's other books very soon.

SYNOPSIS: The first openly non-binary contestant on a famous cooking show, London, falls for their competitor, Dahlia, who has issues of her own.

REVIEW: Call me a glutton for punishment, but I am OBSESSED with cooking shows. Can I eat that? No. But I watch anyway, so when I saw this book featured a competitive reality cooking show, I said SIGN ME UP.

The good: I think we do not realize just how important representation matters in books and pop culture. While I can't speak to the queer community as I am straight, I can say it means the world to me to have people come out and talk about their illnesses and disabilities and to see these identities represented in books. Kudos to the author for writing a book with such a fantastic non-binary rep, because I know this will resonate with others. There was a beautiful scene in which London receives positive feedback from them being so open about their identity on national television and I was like THIS. THIS is why representation is SO important.

I really loved London's character and the way they were portrayed. I think that the content dealt with could be triggering for some, especially in relation to how they are accepted by the public, fellow competitors, and most heartbreakingly, their family, but this was executed well. I think it was important for the author to show just how hard it is for the queer population to come out and be accepted, even by those they love, and the difficult conversations they continue to have with family, friends, and strangers, despite KNOWING who they are and making that clear.

THE BAD: The writing was awful. Just awful. This author did not believe in a conjunction or a comma. At first, I thought, "maybe they're trying to hit a word count?"; but no - this book clocks in at almost 400 pages, so it's already long. I texted a friend to say "would this style of writing be considered YA?" but then I realized what it was as I was reading my son his book last night - it's straight up children's book writing style, as if the reader can't understand. Some of the dialogue was painful to get through, and if I didn't love London so much, and the representation, I would have DNFd just because of that.

The cooking was also just thrown in there as an afterthought. It was not woven into the storyline well. I couldn't tell you who left when, the competitions were rushed, and even when they announced the winner I had to go back and re-read it three times to see who actually won. This was really disappointing.

VERDICT: 3 STARS

SONG REC: "Stupid Love" - Lady Gaga

Thank you Netgalley for sending me a digital ARC!
This book was very cute but it had some moments that made me cringe. I also didn’t love how Londons entire personality was based on other people and if they accepted them or not.

A divorced woman. A nonbinary. A cooking competition. And the love story begins.
Dahlia feels so lost after her divorce- cooking saved her, giving her purpose and energy to face the day.
London bonded with their nanny over food- cooking a way to build a lasting bond.
Dahlia literally runs into London her first time on the set. London is assinged the station behind Dahlia, her hair lending them courage.
While winning competitions, Dahlia and London build a friendship.
I loved these characters, their honesty and vulnerability.

OMG excuse me as I melt into the floor. This was the romance I needed to start my holiday. And I think I saw it on the botm January picks. Yay I hope so!

This is a fun cooking show competition book, an 8 week highly competitive show. So it has some of that drama but the two mc don't get sucked into the production drama right away or were just too caught up in their crush.

Dahlia who is a self taught cook from YouTube tutorials is trying her hand after a devastating divorce.

London the shows first non-binary contestant who has had all the training money can buy. Their family is accepting except their father sadly.

The comments once they told their pronouns were either very uplifting or very intolerant. One of the other contestants is one of the ones that doesn't understand and production creates a vs hashtag or the fans do. Ugh I don't get the binary completely. I feel I've been conditioned to see it as the norm but it still confuses me. We are variations in everything in the human body and condition but nope only 2 options for gender identity and that's it! Ugh 

I loved this book! It was so sweet and steamy! I loved all the blushing and just memorizing someone's mannerisms and falling for all the imperfections. There is no right time to start a relationship if you find a good person don't let them get away.

Thank you readforeverpub and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

“There was only ever freedom in continuing to find new names for who we were, who we could be.”

Dahlia and London meet on the set of a cooking competition show and instantly hit it off. Dahlia, newly divorced and unsure about her future, is drawn to London’s steady presence and understated and intensity. I loved both of these characters - I loved their backstories, how they pushed each other, how they loved each other. The writing is stunningly beautiful - I found myself revisiting passages constantly including the quote at the beginning of my review. I look forward to catching up on Anita Kelly’s backlist and seeing what she writes in the future.

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my

i really liked the premise for love & other disasters but well, it fell short. i didn't feel the connection or the romance between the characters, it almost felt like instalove, the hate converting to love quickly. i would've loved the cooking competition, tv show and other participants to be highlighted more given the stakes but they just seemed to be fillers. switching between the emotionally heavy parts of dahlia and london's life and their romance was abrupt, with the latter overshadowing a lot of the story.

that being said, i really like the honest queer, nb and trans rep in the book! the conversations around gender were handled quiet well and i loved how it portrayed london coming out as non binary. so this book wasn't for me, but if you do like a fun romance, then it might be for you.

This was a really cute romance!! I haven't read a book with a nb love interest before and it was really interesting!! I'm not nb myself so I can't really say if it was accurate or not, but from my point of view I do feel it was done pretty well. I do think towards the end it was a bit odd because there was this big sort of fight and it got resolved sort of idk too quick?? or with not enough talking im not sure.. aside from that really cute romance!

The year is coming to the close and I am so glad I squeezed in this read from Forever. Featuring a non-binary MC, a cooking competition, and a romance for the ages, there's a lot to appreciate here. It feels a bit like Rosaline Palmer walked so Love & Other Disasters could run.

When Dahlia finds herself competing on the hit reality show, Chef's Special, she doesn't expect to start catching the feels for her fellow competitor, London. Dahlia is dealing with her own issues, namely getting over her divorce and figuring out what she wants from life, and really needs the prize money to pay off her debt--and make rent. London, meanwhile, is worried about coming out as nonbinary on the show, and wants to use the money to start an LGBTQ nonprofit. Neither of them fit the standard mold of wanting to open a bakery or restaurant, but both have valid reasons for wanting the money. But when the two can't deny their attraction to each other, it becomes hard to talk about what happens after the show.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Romance novels set around reality tv, whether it be fake versions of The Bachlor, or fake cooking or baking shows, are my weakness. I love the fictional peak behind the curtain and seeing how the characters react to these pressure cooker type situations. This is only the second book I've read with a non-binary MC, but this one felt much more real. I think it was incredibly well-done. I also somehow related to Dahlia despite having absolutely nothing in common with her--and that's a true accomplishment for an author.

Thanks to Forever for my eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advance review copy—all opinions on my own!

Love & Other Disasters was a comforting, emotional, tender story set in the world of a competitive cooking show. Watching Dahlia and London fall for each other, I appreciated how the stress of this setting, the looming worry of possibly being eliminated, created strong stakes but never overshadowed the joy of their romance.

The way London loves Dahlia for exactly who she is—her chaos and energy; the way Dahlia loves London for exactly who they are—their dry humor & practical nature—was so affirming and romantic. I also loved how fiercely Dahlia felt protective of London in how their father treated them, and witnessing London stand up for themself in front of their father and demand he stop misgendering them was deeply moving. My heart ached that London needed to give their father that ultimatum, but God was I proud of them for holding strong to what they deserved: to be seen and loved for exactly who they are.

Love & Other Disasters is a feel-good, affirming, delectable debut queer romance that I’m beyond delighted I had the chance to read. I can’t wait for this to be out in the world!

This was such an enjoyable read.

Not only was this well written, but the romance was fun and believable. While I cannot talk about how accurate the representation was in this story, it felt very real. This is going to be a book I recommend to many of my new adult customers. Plus, the food! I would not recommend reading this book without a snack handy, as it will leave you hungry for food and more. :)

Anita Kelly’s stories are like the best hugs. I simply did not want to put this down and I was both satisfied (because it was perfect) and sad (because it was over) when it ended.

I adored Dahlia and London to pieces. There were parts of Dahlia’s emotional arc that super resonated with me as she’s figuring out next steps in a life that hasn’t turned out as planned. I also loved her even more for not wanting to have children. I’m always here for more child-free couples. London is the first openly nonbinary contestant on Chef’s Special and has to navigate the public stage, as well as their father’s rejection. This also made for some moving, sometimes heartbreaking, scenes and I was glad London had other familial support, as well as Dahlia by their side. Dahlia and London had such great chemistry, making for some great steamy scenes. It wasn’t always smooth sailing between them (one of them could get sent home at any moment! social anxiety! words are hard!), which was so relatable. Their sheer appreciation of and belief in each other had me rooting for them the whole way.

I’m a fan of reality TV food competitions, particularly Top Chef, and I’ve read a few different romances set in this world. Love & Other Disasters is by far my favorite. It had all this great behind-the-scenes and the different challenges were fun to visualize. It made for great banter between Dahlia and London. Chef’s Special highlights amateur chefs and I liked hearing what the different contestants thought they’d do with the money, especially London’s idea. It’s not all sunshine and roses—there’s a transphobic contestant—but there’s nary an abusive producer or cheating contestant. It was truly enjoyable to be in that world. Dahlia and London are still competing against each other so there are high stakes, as well as navigating what happens if one of them gets cut. I was utterly invested as everything unfolded.

It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me hungry. Absolute perfection. I’m excited to read the next book in the series!

Character notes: Dahlia is a 28 year old white queer newspaper copyeditor, amateur chef, and total klutz. London is a 26 year old white pansexual nonbinary podcast audio engineer; they also play the trumpet. This is set in LA and Maryland. London is from Nashville.

Content notes: transphobia, misgendering, rejection by father, FMC got divorced one year ago, social anxiety, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, cigarettes (secondary character), ableist language, past death of nanny/friend, discussion of parents’ divorce, reference to past marijuana

What happens when a nonbinary person and a recently divorced woman compete against each other for a $100,000 prize on a televised cooking contest? Anita Kelly’s “Love & Other Disasters” is a story full of love, heartache, and even a few disasters. I was caught off guard at how often my heart clenched – sometimes full of joy and at other times full of compassion. While there are plenty of chuckles and funny moments in this book, there are also moments so profound that I had to take a breath and just feel them.

The two main characters London and Dahlia are presented as fully rounded and unique. London is the first nonbinary contestant on ‘Chef’s Special’ and has decided that they are going to be out and open with the production team and more importantly, the audience. They are not being militant; they are just being themselves. Dahlia is just a whirlwind. From her messy bun at the top of her head to her Chucks-adorned feet, she speaks her mind and tries to live in each moment. London is smitten with Dahlia the moment Dahlia runs smack into them. Dahlia thinks London is cute if a little too buttoned-up. They both have important reasons for competing in this contest for amateur chefs. Even early on, they have each other’s back in a way that feels simple and organic. As they grow closer and reveal their true selves to one another, they realize they have something special and maybe worth fighting for.

I cannot believe that this is Anita Kelly’s first book. It certainly reads like the work of an established writer. The writing is crisp and straightforward - even the sexy scenes wear handled adeptly. I look forward to many more of their books. I highly recommend this funny, heartfelt, and charming book.

I really loved this one. I’m a big fan of baking/cooking shows so this romance just hit all the right spots for me. Dahlia is my favorite type of character: absolute queer disaster. I loved seeing her and London learning about each other and slowly letting their connection grow. I was very emotionally invested in their romance and seeing them figure out their relationship pretty early on in the book. I’m an advocate for messy queer characters and I really appreciated this book giving them both room to work through their traumas with each other.

Also! The steam levels!! I was not expecting that while reading but it was a wonderful surprise. Highly, highly recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I loved this!!!!! This was a top tier romance-- it had baking, it had queer representation, it had dual POV and it had banter! Not to mention the slow burn tension and steam! What more could you possibly need. The characters and their development throughout this book was excellent. They were both distinct people with their own voices and storylines which made the romance aspect all the better.

There were so many good things about this book, but the two main character arcs outside of the romance were really incredible. I don't know that I've read a ton of romances that have a divorced MC and I really appreciated the way Dahlia's divorce (and stigma around divorce in general) was discussed. London's journey with their gender was also wonderful to read, but what I really loved was the care with which the author took to write London's story. Though much of London's conflict is around being misgendered by people in their lives, they are never actually misgendered in the writing-- AT ALL. The way Kelly handled this was just so thoughtful and I know will have a great impact on readers.

My only small complaints were that the pacing got a little muddy in the middle and I wish that the POVs had been first person instead of third, but honestly-- minor issues. Definitely recommend!

The intersection of queer books and feel-good iterations of cooking competitions is vanishingly small, but this is a fantastic entry into that or any other genre. Dahlia and London's anxieties and talents are presented with equal frankness, and both have the chance to shine as the book runs its course.

Their romance starts at the obligatory meet-cute and carries on, secure and confident in its own premise, never stopping to awkwardly attempt to identify the wherefores or why nots of London's blissfully complete existence. They just ARE and, except for a few notable exceptions, their right to be goes unquestioned and without the need to be continuously justified. It's nice, is what I'm saying.

As a final note; time is a bit wonky in this, with the competition that is our main method of keeping track falling further and further to the wayside as Dahlia and London grow closer, but I can't quite get upset about it.

This was an adorable romance to read in what was close to being one sitting. The representation in this is some of the best I've seen in the majority of mainstream romances. This was such a heartwarming romance that has you begging for more and seriously not wanting to put it down. I can't wait for everyone to meet Dahlia and London because y'all are going to fall in love! Also let's not forget the cooking show element that just added something special to the whole thing.