I love Jayce Ellis' writing and this book was super cute and had a nice level of heat to it. I loved the different family dynamics in the book and the dogs just made me really happy. I don't know that many authors could get me to read a book with cancer in it, and I'm so glad the author had that in the blurb so that I was aware going in. The romance was sweet and spicy and I just generally really liked it.

DNF 40%

I've been dragging myself through this book for over a week, and never feel like picking it up. I'm just bored with the story and I'm unable to connect with the characters.

Things that bothered me :

• a lot of repetitions

• uncommon expressions that aren't explained

• inconsistencies, for example : Malik's family restaurant is struggling, but somehow he can afford a really fancy house

I'm really sad, because this book is so diverse, has so much LGBTQ+ rep, and the story sounded right up my alley!

I came across this while perusing NetGalley looking for new MM Romance authors to expand my repertoire and diversity reading.*

Not going to lie though, I mostly chose this one because of the illustrated cover's whimsical balloon and because I thought the author was a man! I've only read a few MM Romances by men, but when I finished the novel I found out Jayce was a woman, which didn't affect my opinions but was like DAMN.

I did love the quote in her bio though,

Jayce writes about people a bit like her, Black and queer and striving to find the good in a world fixated on the bad. She prefers her angst low and her characters hot—a term encompassing all shapes, sizes, and complexions.

I'm here for it and hope she continues to write! (This isn't her first novel, just the first I discovered.)

If You Love Something is the story of DeShawn and Malik. It's their second chance at love after believing to have gotten divorced seven years prior. DeShawn's grandmother is the puppeteer and she was a great character and every scene with her in it shone brighter than the rest.

Ellis did a great job of writing DeShawn and Malik as hopeful, yet guardedly cautious when it came to the other. They didn't divorce because of irreconcilable differences, but because Malik was closeted and DeShawn's star was rising rapidly in the cooking world and it nearly destroyed them individually because they only agreed to it to keep the other one happy/safe/successful.

Well a lot happens in seven years and DeShawn is even more famous, Malik is now out to his family, and grandma lets them know they're not actually divorced due to a technicality and they're going to have to play house to fend off her fool of a son, Robert, who wants her money and property to pay off gambling debts.

They move in and after walking on eggshells start to reach their stride. I loved the dogs forcing them to figure out their shit faster than they would have. And they slowly fall into a routine and back in love with each other. The sex scenes were slow, well-paced, and incredibly sensual. There was one that was heavier and hotter than the others, but boy did Ellis time that one perfectly in the work.

Overall, I felt Ellis wasn't lying when she said she liked her romance's low-angst. The main crisis was Robert suing Malik for the inheritance and DeShawn figuring out how to quit being a fool and give Malik the support and love he deserves. Other than that they fall back in love, renew their vows before grandma passes and live HEA.

I don't have any complaints about the story or Ellis, but If I do have one about the publisher's ARC copy uploaded to NetGalley. I'm used to the ARCs being a little further along in the process when it comes to editing and proofreading, but this one had SO MANY ERRORS. I truly hope there were a couple more rounds of proofreading before it got published because, I'm honestly not sure it'd even been through the proofreading process once, let alone for final publication.

Recommendation: I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Ellis did a great job of writing a low-angst steamy romance with characters I don't usually read in a distinct voice. She really excelled with all the minor characters (Sheila and Maribel, in addition to grandma stand out) and that always makes a novel better for me.

*I received a copy of If You Love Something via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

If You Love Something is a second chance romance featuring DeShawn, a popular chef, and Malik, his ex-husband. Or at least it was believed that Malik was his ex-husband until a phone call from DeShawn's grandmother changes everything. The divorce never finalized and after seven years they are back in each other's orbit again. Together, they are forced to play nice and pretend to have reconciled in order to help ensure DeShawn's grandmother's will is carried out exactly how she wrote it.

When DeShawn and Malik were first married they were young and very much in love. DeShawn's career was just getting started and Malik was not fully out as gay. The reason for their separation is a little murky but cane down to the fear of holding each other back. Now in present day, DeShawn has found his place as an executive chef and local celebrity. Malik returned to his family and is the accountant for the family restaurant Franklin's. He has come out as openly gay but neither he nor DeShawn have revealed anything about their marriage. Both characters have buried their feelings about each other and their marriage as a whole.

This reunion is such a slow burn. Neither DeShawn or Malik want to be the one to break first. With all the unresolved feelings, they have alot to work through. Each character gets their own time to heal and move forward. Neither pushes the other to forget and forgive. DeShawn and Malik have chemistry that jumps off the page. There is so much tension between them that needs to be worked through. And so much emotion. These characters felt so human because they were trying to figure out this relationship while also dealing with complications from their families.

In many ways, DeShawn's grandmother was the driving force behind these two men trying to figure things out. She has been diagnosed with cancer and is refusing treatment. She has also recently changed her will to include Malik as well as DeShawn. She and Malik have remained close even after the separation and it is her that can see past all the bluster both of them put up. I loved the way she would call them out.

Malik's family is visibly shocked to find out that he had been married...and not only married but to a local celebrity. DeShawn's status in society provides a boost for Franklin's restaurant especially as he starts to get more involved. Being involved in a small family restaurant reminds DeShawn of his passion for simple cooking and his love for soul food. Having him around also helps Malik heal parts of his fractured family. All of the moments in Franklin's really made me want to be able to go visit it.

If You Love Something kept me engaged from beginning to end. The characters are likeable and easy to for. I felt their love for each other and wanted them to succeed. I also enjoyed the culture aspects of two Black men and their families living in a large city. Plus there are two adorable dogs! If you are looking for a sweet queer second chance romance, I would definitely recommend this one to you.

I am soooo glad I found this book and a new favorite author, Jayce Ellis! It was mostly a light-hearted, easy to read book, but it didn't shy away from harder topics so I really appreciated that. It was sassy and cute!

I was off to a rough start with this book. Throughout the first half of the book, I found that most of the story revolved around the character's jobs, their grandma, and legal conflict. Because of that, there wasn't a lot of room to actually get to know the characters and for the romance to evolve. I felt like we were basically thrown into a secondchance romance without any kind of build-up, which is an aspect I really want in a romance novel. Because of this, I didn't feel invested in the story, which is why I didn't finish the book.

I’ve been meaning to read one of Jayce Ellis’ m/m romances for a while, so I was happy to pick up her latest – If You Love Something – for review. It’s an easy, sexy/sweet, low-angst read – nothing spectacular or outstanding, but the engaging writing and likeable characters kept me reading and were enough for me to be able to offer a recommendation.

Michelin-starred chef DeShawn Franklin is living his dream as Executive Chef at a trendy Washington DC restaurant. He’s something of a local celebrity and is at the top of his profession, although the fact that as EC, he doesn’t get to cook all that often isn’t something he’d banked on, and nor are the continual requests (read: orders) from management for him to film TV segments and make public appearances. It is what it is though, and he goes along with it with (mostly) good grace. But a call from his beloved grandmother telling him she isn’t going to seek treatment for her cancer suddenly turns his world upside down. He drops everything and rushes to her side – where she informs him that she’s leaving him her house – the home DeShawn grew up in – in her will, and all her liquid assets will go to Malik, DeShawn’s ex-husband. DeShawn knows his grandmother was very fond of Malik and has stayed in touch with him, but those bequests mean she’s leaving nothing to her son, DeShawn’s uncle Robert – which Robert isn’t going to be pleased about.

As if all this news isn’t enough of a bombshell, there’s one more important thing DeShawn needs to know in order to be prepared for the trouble Robert will inevitably stir up. Although he and Malik filed for divorce seven years before, there was a problem with the paperwork and the divorce never actually went through. He and Malik are still married.

After the (not)divorce, Malik Franklin returned home to help run his struggling family restaurant alongside his brother James and sister Sheila. He’s never told his family about his marriage to DeShawn, mostly because it was over before he came out to them as gay, and coming out was difficult enough, without having to explain his marriage – and why he wasn’t married any longer. He’s never really got over DeShawn and tells himself that letting him go all those years ago was the right thing to do. Back then, DeShawn was a talented sous chef with big ambitions and bigger dreams, and when things started to take off for him, Malik realised he could never be the husband DeShawn needed, especially as he wasn’t ready to come out.

“I couldn’t let him give up his future to deal with my present. He deserved so much more. And the only way I could give it to him was to let him go”.

DeShawn and Malik haven’t seen each other since they split, but now, if they’re going to honour the terms of Grandma’s will, they’re going to have to work together to fight Robert’s legal challenge. He’s claiming that Grandma is of unsound mind and that Malik has exerted undue influence on her to get her to get her to put him in the will. The two men are going to have to resume their marriage and behave like a couple in order to present a united front and strengthen their defence against Robert’s claims.

It’s clear from the start that DeShawn and Malik never really fell out of love with each other. DeShawn wants to make the best of the chance they’ve been given to spend time together and hopes to win Malik back, while Malik is determined to hold himself apart, believing he and DeShawn still want different things from life and that if he lets him in, he’s in for another world of hurt when DeShawn leaves to go back to his big city life. But their intense attraction to one another has never gone away, and slowly but surely, they reconnect as they begin to get to know the people they are now, and rediscover just how good a fit they are.

There are many things about this story that work really well, not least of which is the strong chemistry between the leads, and the fact that they act and think like adults and – after a bit of a rocky start – approach their problems in a mature and considered manner. I appreciated the way the author shows so clearly how they’ve grown into themselves during the time they’ve been apart, leaving the reader with the impression that they were always meant to be together, but met each other before they were ready to be what they needed to be for one another. The family dynamics are well done; the love between the two men and Grandma is just lovely and the relationships between Malik and his siblings is well-portrayed.

With that said, however, I had some issues. Firstly, a personal bugbear; I really dislike that whole I’m-not-worthy-so-I’m-letting-you-go storyline, and it rarely – if ever – works for me as the reason for a failed relationship because it’s so one-sided, and is tantamount to one partner telling the other that they don’t know their own mind. I’m also taking at face value the reasons given for the fact that the divorce didn’t go through; I’m not a legal expert and these things are different on my side of the Pond… but I can’t deny I gave it the side-eye. The pacing flags a bit here and there, and then there’s the role in the story played by the media – the tabloids, paparazzi and TV news – and the way they’re so completely preoccupied with DeShawn and Malik and their marriage. DeShawn is a celebrity chef, not an A list actor or rock star, and the level of scrutiny afforded the couple is over the top and unbelievable.

But despite those reservations, I enjoyed If You Love Something and would recommend it to anyone looking for a warm and heartfelt second-chance romance.

Grade - B- / 3,5 stars

This is a charming romance featuring a well-known chef and his partner, who runs a restaurant.

DeShawn Franklin is a famous chef at a DC restaurant. One day, his nana shocks him when she tells him that 1) she’s dying of cancer 2) she’s leaving her money to his ex husband, Malik and 3) He and Malik are still married. When his uncle Robert files suit against Malik, DeShawn knows he and Malik must pretend to be married to beat it, and that’s ok, he’s never gotten over Malik.

Malik is the accountant for his family’s restaurant, and he knows that business hasn’t been good. His brother won’t listen to his ideas to increase lunch traffic. He’s never gotten over DeShawn, but his family doesn’t know he was married. Nana has been like his own grandmother for years. Malik knows that having DeShawn at the restaurant could make a big difference.

When Malik finds out about the lawsuit, and that they’re not really divorced, he has DeShawn and his dog move in. Can the emotions that tied them together before reignite? Will they be able to have the lawsuit dismissed?

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this, but it was a quick read with strong main and side characters. 3 stars.
Warning, if you are sensitive to sex scenes, there are some graphic ones between the main characters.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

CW: cancer
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IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING follows local celebrity chef DeShawn Franklin and his ex husband, Malik Franklin. The pair got divorced 7 years ago, or so they thought. Though they never stopped loving each other, they chose to separate so that DeShawn could follow his culinary dreams. When DeShawns grandmother names him and Malik as beneficiaries in her will, it comes out that their divorce papers were filed incorrectly. DeShawns shady uncle contests the will, and they need to reunite to insure that Grandma’s will plays out as she wishes.
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I enjoyed this book; it was a nice, light and touching read to end 2021 and begin 2022 with. It features Black love, a second chance marriage, and fake “dating” for the cameras except neither of them is faking it. I enjoyed their love for each other— it was clear that these two were meant to be. Grandma knows best. Her meddling was a fun touch.
My only critique is that I think the big gesture from DeShawn at the end would have been more impactful if he had come to that conclusion himself rather than having a costar lay it out for him.
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3.5 stars, IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING by Jayce Ellis is available now!
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Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.

Lovely little mm romance. Not the best thing I’ve read this year, but not nearly the worst either. Three stars.

5 out of 5 stars

If You Love Something has to be my favorite book written by Jayce Ellis. DeShawn and Malik are very much meant to be.

I started this story expecting an enemies-to-lovers trope' after all, the MCs parted ways years before and believe they are divorced.. Instead, I got a beautiful second chance romance between two people who are destined to be together. Complicated family dynamics and demanding careers drive the story, but it is the growth and maturity of DeShawn and Malik (along with supportive family and friends) that make If You Love Something an excellent read.

If you are a Jayce Ellis fan, you won't miss the cameos from her High Rise and Higher Education series.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***

This book had me laughing from the very beginning when DeShawn asks his grandma if he and Malik will lose the house/money if they don’t reconcile in six months because that has been the setup in a whole bunch of romance novels over the years.

Even though there isn’t such a contingency in place, DeShawn and Malik do have to move in together to keep up appearances. I wouldn’t go so far to far as to call their situation forced proximity since they aren’t snowed in or anything, but being in close proximity does help with the reunification process.

The second chance trope is fairly lowkey. There was a specific reason that they split up, but there’s not really much of a need for groveling apologies like there are in other second chance romances. Rather, we’re treated to awkward uncertainty as these two men—who have been apart for almost a decade—have to figure out what to do about this new situation. There’s a bit of a slow burn due to several almost-hookups, which heightens the anticipation for both the reader and the two protagonists. Speaking of which, the chemistry is off the charts hot—because of their history together, they already know what the other one likes, and rediscovering each other is quite satisfying indeed.

Since both men work in the restaurant industry, there were tons of scenes involving food and I want to complain that this book left me hungry and craving short ribs.

I would absolutely recommend If You Love Something. This is a sweet and tender second chance romance. It is overwhelmingly positive and upbeat, and even though there is an antagonistic character, he doesn’t get much time on the page, which is fine by me—the book did not need a negative scammer coming around and chewing up the scenery. Finally, Bruno and Corey, the two dogs, stole the show. They didn’t even do anything particularly outlandish—they were just so cute together.




I received a digital ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley.

If you're in an everything is awful mood, If You Love Something may cheer you back up. Heartwarming, honest, and real this is truly a second chance romance that works. No one is awful, but they are both stubborn. Add in a meddling grandma and this could either be the worst or the best thing to happen to DeShawn and Malik since they met. It's just going to take some growth and communication.

I've loved Ellis's previous works but this one is something special and I honestly a book I can't wait to own on my shelf.

A great second chance story.

Second chance stories are one of my favorite romance tropes and this is a good one. The main focus of the story is DeShawn and Malik’s relationship but there’s so much more to it than that.

I loved DeShawn’s grandmother. She is a lady who knows her own mind and wants to have things tidied up when she leaves her mortal body. Her son, DeShawn’s Uncle Robert, has a gambling problem and she doesn’t want to leave him money only to have him gamble it away. Instead, she leaves it to Malik, DeShawn’s ex-husband – only they find out that their divorce seven years earlier never went through.

This is a romance so we already know that DeShawn and Malik will end up together. What makes this story interesting is the journey they go on to find their way back to each other. This includes pretending to be together again so that Uncle Robert has little chance of winning the lawsuit he files against Malik

One of my favorite parts of this story is the two dogs. Corey is a bulldog and he belongs to DeShawn. Bruno is a mastiff and he belongs to Malik. These two quickly become fast friends and the antics that they get up to are adorable.

I was a little disappointed that Malik’s wonderful, but kind of secret, desert making didn’t get woven into the story any more than it did. It seemed like the story was being set up to make more of this side of Malik but then nothing more really came up about it later in the book. That wasn’t enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book; it was just something that I felt was a bit unresolved.

All-in-all I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

Celebrity chef DeShawn and accountant Malik thought they divorced years ago. As it turns out, the paperwork was never properly filed. To help resolve a family squabble, they pretend to reconcile. Hounded by the press and their interfering relatives, can they find their way back to love?

I enjoyed the family dynamics in this book. DeShawn and Malik are both strong characters with a ton of chemistry, but seeing them in the context of their families provides a richer experience. The plot is interesting and well-paced to keep the pages turning.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Having read a previous book by this author, Jeremiah, I was looking forward to reading another book by this author who portrays her Black MC's with great depth and clearly uses her #ownvoice. This book did not disappoint at all.There was so much going on in this book, and I loved every second of it. The story just worked so well.DeShawn seemed to have it all, executive chef at a starred restaurant, famous, does a weekly television, men on his arm for all the events, and a dog he adores. However, when his grandmother calls, his entire world changes. Meanwhile, Malik is at the opposite end of the spectrum, working in his family's restaurant that is just a short time from having to close due to changes beyond his control. Unhappy in his life, with his brother, with the bright spot being his dog.DeShawn's dying grandmother, while she didn't intend to keep any secrets about DeShawn and Malik's divorce, or lack thereof, she did try to use it to bring them back together. All of these things were so very indicative of real world issues. DeShawn not calling Malik to tell him, because he put it off. Malik not calling DeShawn for the same reason. Avoiding a problem as long as possible. A restaurant that is all old school, with no carry out, no quick foods, dying while the world goes on around them. Even gambling issues.Through it all, it wasn't an instant fix. There was a lot of hurt, anger and loss, from years past, thrown in that needed to be dealt with in the present. Then they could deal with the rest of their issues, from the divorce that wasn't, to the uncle who was determined to get all of his mother's money, to saving Malik's family restaurant. All of this, while trying to pretend they found each other again, and fell right back in love.Also, the fact that the dogs were instantly buddies...warmed my heart so much.I absolutely loved this book, beginning to end.5 pieces of eye candy

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC on this one!

What a fun, easy romance!

DeShawn and Malik are relatable characters who you want to succeed especially give the heavy topics and trials they are going through. Everything you want in a romance with black LGBT+ representation that feels realistic and supportive. A quick read that I couldn't put down.

4.5 stars

It has to be said, a good majority of new-to-me authors that I end up loving have come to my attention through Carina Press blog tours. Yes, I got an ARC of this story. No, that didn’t make me say this. It’s just the plain truth. I really loved this book. It is heartwarming and sweet with a bit of sexy thrown into the mix.

I really expected one of the main characters to be the sweet, good-natured one with the other being a bit of a heavy. Not so. Not so at all. Both Malik and DeShawn are very caring and warmhearted. Their breakup was an amicable as a breakup can be when a couple is still very much in love. The moment they see each other face to face, seven years after they thought they got a divorce, their chemistry comes off the page. It’s obvious they were meant to be.

There were many times in this story where one of the other of the characters could have had that classic misunderstanding because they weren’t talking out their feelings. The author does a beautiful job of keeping things from spiraling in that direction while also keeping a bit of angst and uncertainty. It’s the right amount, not over the top or anything that made me anxious. I love that the characters even acknowledge to themselves that it would be best to talk and figure out where they stand. But, as Malik reasoned to himself, ignorance is bliss. If you don’t talk about it, you won’t risk getting an answer you don’t want.

Not only do DeShawn and Malik have off the chart chemistry, but their dogs are just too cute together. Two peas in a pod. I’m not a big dog person, but these two are hard to resist. They bring a bit of playfulness and an extra dose of joy to this book.

I’ll most definitely be adding some of this author’s past work to my TBR.

This engaging, well written second-chance romance features well rounded main characters. If you want gay male characters who have fully fleshed out lives outside their romantic and sexual pursuits, you will probably like this novel.

My big issue is that some of the secondary characters are one-dimensional and either too good or too villainous to be true. I'd especially have preferred more nuanced characterization for Robert.

Have you ever heard that saying if you love someone you let them go, and if it's meant to be they will come back to you? DeShawn and Malik are the perfect example and this book didn't disappoint. DeShawn is a well-known chef and his grandmother has summoned him to discuss her will after she's diagnosed with a terminal illness. She has few surprises for him and one being that he's didn't divorce from his husband, Malik. Malik is struggling to keep his family's restaurant and is surprised when he gets a phone call from his favorite person in the world. The two must come together in order to keep a family member from taking everything from them. The book is sweet, romantic, funny, some angst, great characters, and their sexy times are hot. Jayce Ellis did a great job with this book and I enjoyed it.