Can we appreciate how beautifully the enemies-to-lovers trope was done? Like these two actually hated each other's gut!!! I absolutely loved this book. The plot was great. We see these two as enemies and not just some weird misunderstanding where one of them was secretly pining on the other. The fake dating was good. Them slowly becoming friends was great. I'm happy there wasn't any third-act breakup (ish).

Overall, great story with great characters. And it's about chefs too!!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Erin La Rosa for the arc!

People are saying this is "The Hating Game" meets The Great British Bake-Off, but it starts off a little more vicious than that (but the put-downs are hilarious). It's what kicks off the plot (Nina quitting on camera at the end of the season's final, and live, episode), but might be a deal-breaker for some. Leo may have never hated Nina, but he should've realized (if he did indeed follow his own social media) that his comments and chemistry with Nina on camera could lead to harassment, even death threats (because for misogynist trolls, death threats are a reflex, like Pavlov's Dog). Even if the show always edited the worst of it out, he should've learned some self control when it came to a live show, and definitely should've foreseen the long game of it all, that if she ultimately quits, he's gone from the show, too. (It's that too little too late epiphany that has him going to Nina's restaurant trying to make up, and instead botches it into a paparazzi moment.)

I liked how they were both deeply flawed characters--struggling with their own insecurities (over their respective restaurants and how they're viewed professionally), mental health, and fallout from past relationships. Despite Nina and Leo's ultimate growing chemistry (thankfully not-too-fast, as some lovers-to-enemies books do sometimes), both do ultimately acknowledge Leo's past behavior wasn't forgivable, try as he might to make amends. But all they could do is move forward, with Nina knowing that underneath it all Leo really is a good (and hot) guy. Nice steam factor. I felt like Sophie and Jasmine were being set up for their own books, and an author question confirmed it! I'm definitely there!

Deeper Than Usual Rom-Com. This is one of those rom-coms that starts out light and fluffy and fun - even in an "I'm gonna kill you for that!" way - and then hits on several more substantive issues along the way. And yet, it never feels overly weighed down by any of them, though as with the comedy itself it is very likely that your mileage will vary there. For me, I loved the "behind the scenes" look at the "real-life" stresses of being a TV food show host/ judge... while also running your own restaurant empire off camera. And the constant twitter / google/ other social media feeds were an interesting spin as well, particularly used how they were. Great for foodies or really anyone just looking for a good time - though on *that* note... maybe not so much for the "clean" / "sweet" romance crowd. Very much recommended.

The synopsis of this book sold me on requesting it but unfortunately this one just did not live up to what it promised. Billed as an enemies to lovers story the two main characters who have hosted a cooking competition show for several years and “despise” each other are forced into “fake dating” and honestly I never saw or felt their chemistry not at all. Perhaps that’s because I could not connect to either character, I just flat out didn’t like either one of them and because of that I really didn’t care about them or their situation or their “relationship.” The idea was good, so good that’s why this book gets two stars along with decent portrayal of anxiety issues, but the execution was off.
In addition to unlikeable characters, the story was boring it was over 50% before I felt like anything really happened that was somewhat interesting and even then it was just okay. The thing is Nina is a chef at her own restaurant and they talk about what a big deal that is and she laments many times over how her business is in trouble yet she is NEVER there. I mean seriously if you are having money issues you’d be there so you didn’t have to pay additional staff, it just made no sense. Leo was supposed to be this charming man but I saw an insecure mama’s boy. Their “banter” wasn’t funny or even smart, most of the time it was just mean which again is why I didn’t feel their supposed chemistry.
I should have DNF’d this one at 50% because it just wasn’t working for me but I kept slogging through it only to become more enraged when Nina violated Leo’s privacy and then tried to make it about her, ugh!
While others might find this book enjoyable, it wasn’t for me. Not at all, not one little bit.

A steamy enemies-to-lovers, fake dating romance between two celebrity restaurateurs. This one dived immediately into the banter, which I always appreciate!

When a conflict between Nina and Leo is broadcasted live during the filming of their reality TV cooking show, their PR team rushes in to save their image, convincing the two to fake a relationship. With sprinkles of orchestrated dates throughout, I loved the tension that builds between them, slowly shifting their connection from fake to real.

I really liked the contrast of their careers, with Nina the owner of an upscale restaurant and Leo the owner of a family restaurant chain. While Leo had an outward suave cockiness about him, it was endearing to see his confidence fumble at times, often due to his hidden anxiety.

There is some ex-boyfriend drama that added an irritating miscommunication to the story, but overall this was a fun read. Reginald the peacock was a definite highlight!

This was an entertaining foodie romance. I don’t recommend reading it on an empty stomach though because it will definitely make you hungry!

Things to look forward to:
- I’m always a fan of foodie romances and this one was extra special because it takes place in Los Angeles. I’ve visited/eaten at some of the locations mentioned and that added another layer to the story for me.
- This book was filled with tropes galore - enemies to lovers, fake dating, celebrity romance, workplace-ish romance, friends with benefits, slow burn, etc. I thought the transition from enemies to more was really well done. It’s a slow burn with a stop at friends with benefits, but I liked that they had time to get there and reconcile their feelings. Leo and Nina are both dealing with different stressors and their shared history is a lot to overcome.
- A great cast of secondary characters. I loved Leo’s twin brother Gavin. He brought a lot of comic relief to the story and the 98 Degrees song had me laughing so hard!
- I both read and listened to the audiobook and the narration by Mela Lee was fantastic! She conveyed so much emotion in her performance and I had no problem differentiating between characters.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the ex drama and the miscommunication/misunderstanding trope, but I appreciated that the characters both took the time they needed to take care of their mental health and figure out what they truly wanted. The epilogue was so perfectly Nina and Leo and it made my heart so happy to see them come full circle.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 4.5 stars
Story 3.5 stars

CW: death of parent (past), grief, abusive and manipulative ex, anxiety, panic attacks (on page), online bullying, FMC is kissed by ex

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

As a diehard lover of cooking shows, For Butter or Worse was a delight to read! Nina and Leo had fiery banter and chemistry from the very beginning, and this was one of the best executed enemies to lovers / fake dating books I've read in a while.

Nina and Leo are both from opposite ends of the restaurant world - Nina's an accomplished chef of a fancy French restaurant, while Leo owns a chain of family-friendly Italian restaurants - but both are struggling to keep their restaurants alive. Through the book, they fall into a fake dating situation, which soon becomes more, and it was gratifying to see them begin to lean on each other when they'd been so positive that they hated one another! Their dynamic is so fun and both had some great one-liners. The side-characters in this were also a blast!

(There's also great anxiety rep in this, which I appreciated!)

This book was a sweet little snack!

Nina and Leo are co-hosts on a popular reality cooking show who come together as both of their careers are hitting a make-or-break moment. As with any good fake dating trope, these enemies to lovers catch feelings and things heat up.

As the title suggests, there were lots of food metaphors and analogies, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It wasn't the best start for me - the immaturity and insecurity was almost too cringe-y - but the second half redeemed it for sure. The book also deals a bit with grieving the loss of a parent, which grounds the characters and makes you wonder why they bothered with the immature nonsense at the beginning.

Overall, this is a sweet and spicy book that's a perfect summery beach read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance reader copy!

An enemies to lovers story about two former hosts of a cooking show? Sign me up. There’s something gratifying about watching two people who used to hate each other fall in love.

I always love when enemies to lovers stories switch perspectives between the two main characters, and From Butter to Worse does just that. This ensures that the reader doesn’t write either of them as unlikeable. In Leo’s case, it could have been easy to see him that way at the beginning when he perpetuates calling Nina by a sexist nickname.

Nina and Leo’s story is sweet. Early in their fake relationship, Nina is able to open up to Leo about her mom, and Nina is one of few people Leo feels comfortable telling Nina about his anxiety. The third act break up was expected, of course, but the reasoing felt a little thin. I did appreciate that the reconciliation didn’t feel rushed.

I also appreciated the celebration of Nina’s curves by Leo through the story. It was lovely to see a woman who is not stick thin whose partner is eager to make her feel desired. It was also nice to see that Nina is comfortable in her body.

I value mental health rep in romance novels a lot, and For Butter or Worse handled Leo’s anxiety and panic beautifully. Sadly, Leo’s hesitation to share the truth of his mental health struggles felt very realistic to me. It is important that those around him remain there for him when he ends up in the hospital after a panic attack and that he ends up getting the help he needs.

La Rosa also addresses the sexism and villification that women on TV can face. It is important to remind people to think before they post on social media. Leo gained even more respect from me when he stands up for Nina against online bullies.

For Butter or Worse is a fun and compelling romance that also addresses important and serious issues.

What I Liked: I was hoping a book that combines two of my favorite tropes, enemies-to-lovers and fake dating, would be good and I wasn’t let down by this clever and entertaining romance. I love a romance with great banter and this book, while not having the best banter I’ve ever read, has a lot of cute back and forth that I enjoyed. Nina and Leo both have reasons to not like each other but neither are willing to admit that the reasons may not be real or that a simple conversation would clear up any issues they’ve had over 3 years of co-hosting. That’s not to say this is a book with conflicts that would quickly be resolved if they sat down and talked to each other; on the contrary, there are so many things they don’t understand about each other that a lot of the joy in this book comes from finding out how wrong they are. I loved how this book handled Leo’s anxiety and panic attacks and his struggles with opening up to his family about his mental health. This book also addressed the very real issue of sexism in the entertainment business and the restaurant world. It was so easy for the world to view Nina as “Nasty Nina” and so hard for them to see her as anything else once the nickname went viral. Leo’s obliviousness to the difficulties women face in the industry was authentic and his turn around from going along with the “Nasty Nina” trend to taking a stand against it was wonderful.

What I Didn’t Like: The problems Leo and Nina face towards the end of the book seem to have been written just to give the book some angst and a reason for them to have conflict in their relationship. THIS is where one simple conversation would change everything; instead, a small miscommunication becomes a huge mess. I also had an issue with what seemed to be a last minute attempt to add diversity to a book that probably didn’t have much (or any) to begin with. When a non-white, non-cis character was introduced, it was in a clunky manner.

Who Should Read It: Fans of enemies-to-lovers romances will like this book; I would compare it to “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne and “Meet Cute” by Helena Hunting.

Review Wrap Up: Is this the greatest fake dating, enemies-to-lovers romance I’ve ever read? No. But was it a fun, witty, romance that handled some serious topics well? Absolutely. This isn’t one I would recommend you HAVE to buy on release day but if you find yourself needing an escape from the world for a day or two, this book will help you do that.

Favorite Quote: “He felt like at any moment a record would scratch to a halt, and the dramatic movie voice over of his life would start. I bet you’re wondering how I got here…. Because he’d been on a TV show with someone who hated him, only to then fall in love with that person, and subsequently push them away. And now? He was in a onesie, about to binge-eat malt balls and cry his eyes out to Bridget Jones’s Diary.”

So…

What I couldn’t get past is that Leo inspired viewers to give his co-host the nickname Nasty Nina and three years later he still doesn’t understand how that harmed her. For Butter or Worse is one of those rare books where I think the dual point of view made me dislike the character more. I dislike Leo when we first see him from Nina’s perspective, and then I grew to dislike him even more when we get his perspective. It bothered me a lot that he felt like they had been equally bad to each other. It seemed like Nina’s crime was not being charmed by him. I don’t think that’s as bad as making her work life hell and encouraging online harassment.

Leo does apologize and he does, eventually, make a statement against the misogynist online bullying. But, it wasn’t enough for me to want Nina and Leo to work things out. Leo reminded me too much of the men I’ve worked with who thought it was ok to harass and bad mouth women because we – didn’t laugh at their jokes? Wanted to do our jobs? Leo tries to provoke Nina, and Nina lashes out, making the dynamic between them more toxic than tense and sexy. At one point early in the book, Nina realizes that she doesn’t like the person she is around Leo, and I didn’t either. Does it get better? Yes. Does it get better enough – that’s going to vary a lot from reader to reader. It wasn’t enough for me.

What I did like was Nina’s friendships with her best friend and her sister. The Nina we see around Jasmine and Sophie is the Nina I wanted to spend the book with.

CW: Off page deaths of parents, grief, anxiety, on page anxiety attack, misogyny, internet harassment.

I received an advance reader copy via NetGalley. My opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

This pun is fully intended because I ate this book UP.

Banter. Banter. Banter.

I think it takes a special skill to hit the perfect balance of snarky and sincere, but not outright mean. Erin La Rosa achieves this with flying colors.

This is delectable, delicious, and I’m ready to read it again.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I totally feel for Nina. She's misrepresented and attacked by social media while her co-host, Leo, seemingly blithely goes on. Their banter is quite fun, but going to the sexist comments made it an uphill battle for me to like Leo.

Nina grows to trust herself. Yay! I was truly rooting for her.
Leo has a longer journey to figure out what he did wrong. Once he became repentant, I could cheer for him too.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for adult romance readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enemies to lovers and fake dating? Two of my favorite troupes both done really well in this book. I got supper invested and could not put this book down. Loved it!

This review will be published in Goodreads and NetGalley, on July 12th, 2022.
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me this ARC. This does not influence my review. This was a great read! This book consisted of: fake dating trope, slow burn, hate to love, and rivals to lovers, all in the chef/cooking field. These are some of my favorite tropes. The best part of this book was the <spoiler> popular google news search and IG comments, it was so different from other books and genuinely made me laugh! Additionally, her manager Tom was so hilarious </spoiler>. This book was hilarious and melting, and I loved the family bonds of both MCs. This book was told in both perspectives, which I don't like.

This is a great enemies to lovers romance and I think anyone who loves a good romcom will enjoy this!

Nina and Leo hate one another but they also need each other. Co-hosts of an LA based baking competition, they've built their reputation on their spirited back and forth. But Nina's had enough. She's tired, her restaurant needs an infusion of cash,. and Leo's just been mean. So, what does she do - she walks out and right into a storm because their fans think they're dating. Can they sustain a fake romance that might save both their restaurants? Leo might be hot and he might have a smart mouth but he's also dealing with anxiety. Fans of this genre know that these two will fight their way to love in, in this case, quite a steamy fashion. They're good characters, as are their friends and families, and the whole scenario made for a fun read. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A guilty pleasure.

I wanted to get into this book so badly, but I couldn't connect with the characters! I didn't love Nina as a protagonist and definitely didn't love Leo. Every time I picked it back up to read I felt like something was missing--I honestly didn't realize Leo even was the protagonist at the beginning, because he got under my skin too much. I guess that's kinda part of the book, because enemies to lovers etc, but even while they're being enemies there has to be something redeemable with the characters, for me.

This was a very cute Rom-com! Leo and Nina were very loveable and you find yourself rooting for them to work out. This is a very good enemies to lovers trope.

Enemies to lovers?? reality show? fake dating ?? sign me up any time!!! It was such a fun and quick read perfect to get you out of a reading slump, it has amazing humor great chemistry and some good spice that will have you turning the pages on a rainy day.