This book is a queer nb/f story between Dahlia and London, who are two of the most fleshed out characters I've read in a long time. The author seamlessly wove in vital character details in a delicate way that helped me feel immediately attached to their story. The premise of a reality cooking show was so enthralling I felt like I was watching it play out on screen. And the steam- oh my! I loved every second. I am an Anita Kelly fan for life!

This is the first novel that I read with a non-binary main character and I liked that it opened my eyes a bit to some of the struggles of non-binary and queer people. It was heartbreaking to me that London had to distance themselves from their father because he wouldn't use their preferred pronouns. It warmed my heart that London received lots of support from the viewership of the cooking competition show that they were in.

Although I loved London and Dahlia's characters and liked them for each other, I wanted a bit more chemistry building in the beginning of the story. I felt like the development of their relationship was a bit rushed. Once they started to dive into a romantic relationship, it was very steamy and fun!

I am not a cooking competition fan (nor do I like cooking itself) so I feel like this book wasn't really in my wheelhouse. This novel told an important story that needs to be told and there were parts that I really liked, but I think the backdrop of the cooking competition lost me at times.

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: enbyphobia (non-binary phobia)

A queer romance with a non-binary mc?? AND A COOKING COMPETITION!! I felt like this book was meant for me. This book was so fluffy and I couldn’t stop smiling and rooting for these two characters to end up together. Honestly want to tell everyone I know about this book. London, our non-binary mc was deeply relatable and I loved their character so much along with the development they had to go through to finally be with Dahlia. The 3rd act was really well written and Im overall looking forward to more from this author and more in this series. Thank you so much to netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

a fun, relatively quick read about a food competition show and all the fun (and chaos) that comes with it. i really enjoyed kelly’s writing of london, as well as the way they depicted the personal identity struggles of both london and dahlia. though i did not feel fully invested in their romance (mainly because of the pacing being sort of fast though this is the nature of books revolving around competition shows), i enjoyed it for what it was worth. however, i would have loved to see more exposition on their relationship being a first for both of them—it was dahlia’s first queer relationship and london’s first since coming out (?). the focus being more on this and less on them being “disappointments” would’ve moved me more. i also think it’s a bit lacking in the sense that london’s identity is used for the tv show’s ratings and they never seem to be fully aware of it, or take advantage of it/say anything outwardly on it. i would’ve liked to see more on that sort of realization when dahlia is gone, or at least know why they chose not to do anything even if it boils down to them just not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to themself. overall though, i enjoyed this book and its relatively uncommon narrative, and hope to see more like it in the future.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

MY RATING: 3.5/5 Stars

Down-on-her-luck, Dahlia, is trying to reinvent herself as a contestant on a popular reality-tv cooking show. She's focussed until she inadvertently falls in love with her competitor, London, and has to decide if they're worth more than the prize money. A f/nb queer rom-com exploring important issues such as coming out, gender identity, acceptance, and finding yourself. I'd recommend this book to any fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall or Abby Jimenez. LGBTQIA+ voices in a quick-witted, reality-tv setting.

This is the first book I've read by this author. She is set to release two more queer rom-coms in February 2022 and February 2023.

Check out Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly wherever you buy books!

✦ Goodreads ➜ https://bit.ly/3EqH99I
✦ Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/3CrdOtZ
✦ Apple ➜ https://apple.co/3nN37Ol
✦ Google ➜ https://bit.ly/3nOFncS
✦ Kobo ➜ https://bit.ly/3Cs6JcJ
✦ Nook ➜ https://bit.ly/3Ey4fv3

TAGS: fiction, contemporary romance, LGBTQIA+, rom-com, f/nb, queer, non-binary

*Thanks to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & Anita Kelly for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review #LoveandOtherDisasters #LoveOtherDisasters #NetGalley @NetGalley #ReadForeverPub #ForeverPublishing @readforeverpub #AnitaKellyWrites #AnitaKelly @anitakellywrites @daffodilly

“I don’t want to be perfect, because I know I’m not. I want this”—she touched London’s chest—“to be real.”

Y’all, this book is SO GOOD. I’ve been excited to read this for months and the anticipation completely paid off. LOVE & OTHER DISASTERS is a tender and compelling romance about a queer woman and a nonbinary person who fall in love on the set of a reality cooking show. While the food and the competition are fun aspects of the story, the true heart is the love between London and Dahlia. Both of them feel so achingly real and the chemistry between them is simmering right from the beginning. There’s a bit of a sunshine/grump dynamic - Dahlia is creative, talkative, goofy, and drawn to adventure, while London is skillful, precise, a bit more controlled. London’s also dealing with so much bullshit - both as the first openly nonbinary person on Chef’s Special and generally - and the reader is privy to how that shows up for them in their daily life and in their relationships, and how they go about being who they are and celebrating where they’ve landed with their gender. I absolutely loved seeing a recently divorced queer woman in this story and I could relate intensely to Dahlia’s experiences - making the hard decision to choose her own happiness, struggling to find her footing financially and otherwise post-divorce, dealing with disappointment from family members, learning from her mistakes, and that complex feeling of being completely unmoored and gloriously free at the same time. This book is delightfully steamy, and the sex scenes have so much depth - the characters feel insecure and vulnerable, they laugh and care for and validate each other, they communicate about what they want and get consent. It’s so ridiculously soft and authentic and sexy. And sometimes the food aspect of the novel makes its way into the bedroom as well, if you catch my drift. I loved how the characters maintain their independence and resist the urge to completely subsume themselves in each other - it’s just so goddamned healthy! This queer romance is an utter blessing and I can’t wait for it to be out in the world next year. Thank you so much Forever Books for sending this queer an ARC!

“Do your worst, Woodson. Let’s be scared together.”

Content warnings: misgendering, lack of family acceptance, transphobia

Finding love on a cooking competition? Yes please. Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson wants to change her life and finds herself on a popular reality cooking competition show called Chef’s Special. Too bad her first impression is falling face first and sending her fish tacos flying on the first episode, and the first person she bumps into is a super attractive person who might be the first person she actually might have a crush on ever since her divorce. Dahlia wants to win the prize money to help pay off her debts and possibly just be able to afford a living space in the future... but this competition might give her something she never even expected... or rather someone. London Parker has officially come out on national television and has laid out their pronouns, now all they have to worry about is winning the competition, the super cute klutzy girl who has stolen their attention, and getting their dad to accept their pronouns. Neither London or Dahlia expected to fall in love, but soon both of them can’t help but fall for the other... but what will their future hold as the competition draws closer and closer to the end. Do both of them have the right ingredients to make this relationship last or will they lose their happily ever after. This was a super great read! It’s sweet, romantic, relatable, and just an overall fun read! The chemistry between Dahlia and London was gorgeous and both of them had relatable struggles and I just adored them. The story is told from alternating POVs between Dahlia and London and it just works so well.

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I loved this female/nonbinary romance between two contestants on a cooking competition show! I am here for all the food-related books and I loved all the descriptions throughout, definitely had me craving everything!

Love & Other Disasters is a great love story, but I fell more for the character development throughout this book, which is just incredibly well-done. I appreciated that Dahlia's biggest obstacle is herself. I really got how lost she felt in the world and the crossroads she faces. I absolutely loved the scene with her mother, I think Anita Kelly really nailed the complexities of their mother/daughter dynamic, even if it wasn't a huge part of the plot.

I appreciated seeing the challenges London faces. They are sensitive but strong while navigating a world that is unkind, for no reason at all. The empathetic reader in me loved their journey most of all.

Thank you to NetGalley & Forever for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

This book follows Dahlia who is recently divorced and is competing on a reality show titled Chef’s Special. A competitor named London starts to become more than just a competitor. The banter between them made me laugh, and their love and relationship made me feel the feels. I really enjoyed this book and getting to know the characters along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

London and Dahlia fall for each other as they compete against each other in television’s Chef’s Special. It is an utterly delightful debut, complete with two queer individuals mooning over each other as they hope to make the finale of their cooking show.

Dahlia is a recent divorcee, trying to adjust to her new life of living alone in a city she doesn’t love and a job that doesn’t make her happy. Cooking, she finds, helps her feel calm and peaceful and she dives all in, learning enough that she ultimately lands a spot on Chef’s Special. her qualified enough to land a spot on the show.

London is out as nonbinary, and trying to figure out how to live a well-adjusted life, even as their dad is struggling to fully accept them and they’re not sure what life holds for them after the show. They fall head over heels for Dahlia, even as they’re not sure if Dahlia is all in or what it means to be in a relationship for the first time after coming out.

This steamy romance is fully grounded in real life; Dahlia is broke, has no real path forward, and is having to face some real consequences of the fallout of her marriage. London faces harassment, trolling, and apathy as they come out (both to their family and to the viewing audience), and the family dynamics are both heartbreaking and joyous. These are two extremely well drawn, well rounded characters who have an amazing adventure, both on screen and off. I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: transphobia, misgendering (the actual events are mostly off-page, but they are discussed and challenged on-page)

I don't typically pick up adult romances, (nothing against the genre, it's just not what I gravitate towards) but I was very interested in this book when I saw that it featured a nonbinary character. I have not read a lot of books that feature nonbinary characters, and I am glad to see more are being published!

This was a very fun book and I enjoyed it a lot. Love & Other Disasters follows two contestants on a cooking reality show: London, the show's first nonbinary contestant, and Dahlia, one of their competitors. It's a fun premise and it delivered what I expected it too.

This book is first and foremost a beautiful queer love story. I absolutely adored this book and both London & Dahlia with my whole heart ♥️ From the moment I read the premise of Love & Other Disasters, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it so thank you to NetGalley for the early review copy! This book lived up to all my expectations and greatly exceeded them as well. It was funny and cute and emotional and spicy and just such a joy to read!
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I love reading stories about people that are different than me, it’s always helped me understand the world a little better. I’ve only read a few books with non binary main characters and I can’t wait to read more in the future and I hope so many more get published in the next few years! I loved getting to be in both London and Dahlia’s heads throughout the book and being able to get to know both of them, their struggles and their joys!
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Also, as a 27 year old that has no idea what I’m doing with my life and with no clue of what the future holds, Dahlia’s struggle with anxiety about the future was so relevant to me. While Dahlia is very different than me in almost every other way, this part of her story and her journey of finding herself throughout the book really spoke to me. Anyway, I really loved this book and I hope everyone picks up it up when it’s released next year! ♥️

This book is like top chef for rom-coms. It is a cute book even if it has a similar plot to most romances. I like that it is set on a cooking show and deals with the topic of divorce. It approaches divorce and finding yourself after a divorce. It was cute but reminded me of One Last Stop.

I went in to this book excited for a nonbinary romance lead and some delicious bakes. This book delivered that and more - Dahlia and London's romance was full of heart, vulnerability, and most delightful of all- earnest and playful silliness, with a setting and background characters that felt just as real as London's fascination with Dahlia's hair.

love & other disasters started off wonderfully. it seemed like all my cooking show loving self could hope for in a romcom. it all went downhill after one mc sucked on the toes of the other mc. i think i might be scarred for life.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4308537548

I loved this book. Romances featuring nonbinary characters are all-too-rare but Anita Kelly’s work would stand out even in a more crowded field. Dahlia and Lomdon are both a delight and I look forward to recommending this to fans of The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun.

this one was just very sweet. i’m warm and soft and giving it a 4.5! I loved it!

Dahlia’s life hasn’t been going the way she thought it would. She’s recently divorced at a job she hates but she’s hoping to win $100,000 while competing on Chef’s Special. There, she meets London. London is also competing and will be announcing that they use they/them pronouns on national TV. Through it all, Dahlia and London find they can lean on each other and try to figure out if love is worth it even with the chances of being sent home.

I was actually pretty nervous just because sometimes authors don’t diverse characters justice. I’ve read plenty of books where it hurt the character /community more than did them good so I was nervous not knowing if London would be painted in some backhanded way but they weren’t. Dahlia and London’s characters were lovable and they were just very sweet. There’s just something about lgbt pining that makes it all feel so personal and it had me yearning so much throughout the book.

I’m excited to see the author will write in the future! Thanks to netgalley and the oublisher for sending me an ARC!

Love and Other Disasters is a perfectly sweet book for people who love watching cooking shows and enjoy their romance novels on the healthy, adorable, and supportive end of the spectrum.

Dahlia is a young divorcee who found her happy place in cooking. London is an anxious perfectionist who wants to use their platform for good. They both meet as contestants on a cooking competition show and sparks- as well as some baked goods- fly.

On the surface, this is nice, competently crafted romance, but what made this book extra special for me was the inclusion of a non-binary protagonist. I didn’t realize how much I needed to read about someone like London until I saw some of my own worries about intimacy related to my gender identity reflected back on the page. It was so affirming and wonderful to see Dahlia and London navigate past these worries and into a very lovely relationship.

Some of the details about how the reality show worked (especially the degree of freedom allowed to the contestants) didn’t match up with what I’ve heard from ex-contestants of certain programs, but my idea of what is ‘accurate’ may be totally faulty. It wasn’t hard to ignore my slight internal eyebrow raise in a few moments.

I keep calling this book sweet, but that really is the perfect word. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a little steamy, a lot of adorable story about queer people falling in love and making each other better (while also making cupcakes).

This book is a must read. Not only was this a fantastic romance, but had so much more. Characters that found themselves, stood up for themselves, found acceptance, and found love.

“That each person could choose what brought them closest to belonging, the power in that. Knowing that one day, people might discover even better words for it. That there was only ever freedom in continuing to find new names for who we were, who we could be.”

Dahlia and London take the reader along their ride as cooking show competitors, and they easily fall for each other. This book does an amazing job of sharing their struggles of finding their partner under the microscope of reality tv. Dahlia is bi, and London is non-binary, and I loved how much I learned as I read this.

This book is so relevant and absolutely refreshing. I highly recommend it.