Chef Nina Lyon wants to inspire young women to become chefs. As co-host of The Next Cooking Champ!, she hopes to really make a name for herself in the culinary world. Unfortunately, her co-host, restauranteur Leo O'Donnell, tends to get under her skin when they're filming. When he takes a barb a bit too far, Nina quits on camera. Thrown in a paparazzi photo of what looks to be in a compromising position with Leo, and the fans are absolutely hooked. Leo and Nina now have to pretend to be dating in order to save their careers.

I love the fake dating, enemies to lovers, and mutual pining tropes. I especially enjoyed the use of Halloween and autumn as the backdrop of many of Nina and Leo's dates, and how it ties nicely int the epilogue.

I really enjoyed Jasmine and Gavin's relationships with Nina and Leo - the way that each pair supported each other through their challenges and the next steps of their careers was really nice to read. I enjoyed the way that Nina and Leo's careers evolved throughout the course of the story (although I do wish we got to hear about what Leo ended up doing in the epilogue!). Sometimes your dreams don't work out. Sometimes you get a second chance in a different way. Sometimes what you think is your next best step turns out to not be working for you in the present, and that's okay.

I thought that the portrayal of Leo's anxiety was really well done - his panic attacks, the discussion of treatment and therapy, and the way that he and his family work to address the stressors that were fueling the anxiety attacks.

I appreciated that while Leo apologizes for the way that he had treated Nina in the past (and works to improve his behavior), she does not forgive him for those past insults. It's refreshing to see that you don't have to forgive someone for the damage that they've done.

Unfortunately, something that really took me out of the story was Leo's dad and Vinny's backstory. The "I'm Irish but Italian at heart" story got weird when his dad ended up giving his own kids Italian names and shortended his own to make Vinny's seem more Italian. It honestly reminded me of Rachel Dolezal. A shame, since this was only briefly mentioned but was really off putting as a person of color.

Overall, a lighthearted, cute romance that I enjoyed reading.

A thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, HQN, and NetGalley for the ARC.

There was a lot of emotion to this book that made it very entertaining to read. The characters had a lot of depth, but I feel the plot wasn’t very original. I also felt like the characters personalities took huge turns that weren’t very believable. I was also just missing the chemistry between Nina and Leo. It’s just too hard to believe that Nina was bullied and belittled for three years, plus internet backlash, then so quickly felt a spark for her tormentor. There were loose ends that weren’t tied up and plot points that weren’t at all true to character and didn’t make any sense. Nothing really stood out, but it was a nice and easy read. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Nina and Leo are co-hosts on the reality cooking TV series called “The Next Cooking Champ” which sounds a lot like GBBO making it irresistible. They are rivals to the point of enemies. She accepted the hosting gig on tv to make name for herself among chefs, a very male-dominated industry. She is doing the job in part to prevent her first restaurant from closing. Unlike Nina, Leo is the CEO of a prospering restaurant chain. He wants to gain respect in the industry and takes the host job in hopes it will get him that.

Nina makes a choice to leave the series which is the plot twist needed to get this couple into a fake relationship and sparks fly between them. This book includes some of my very favorite tropes - enemies to lovers, fake dating, grumpy versus sunshine, and FOOD! I highly recommend you have a snack handy while reading it.

I just reviewed For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa. #ForButterorWorse #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Thank you so much to Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, this book. THIS BOOK! When I say FBoW is a meal, it's not just because it's a foodie's dream setting (but that, too!). Between the expert pairing of enemies to lovers and fake dating (that go together like a juicy steak and a Cabernet Sauvignon), and the chemistry that jumps off the page, there's a lot to love. La Rosa had me fully invested in Nina and Leo's story from the first chapter. I was all-in for Leo the second I learned about him stress-eating to manage his Nina-related stress. All in all, For Butter or Worse is well-written, funny, sexy, and full of heart. Bring a snack (and a drink for the spicy scenes!) 4.5/5, definitely add this one to your list!!

This story was just OK for me. I felt it dragged in the middle and changed story lines too often. The enemy to l0ver story between the main characters took too long to develop. The cooking scenes were interesting and yummy Nina's best friend was a great character and I would love to try her food! If you love stories about chefs and food mixed with romance, this may be the book for you.

This was a cute rom com - honestly it was a little slow for me but that could be because I was coming off a fantasy high. Would recommend to anyone who loves traditional rom com/romance novels

first of all a female chef, I LOVE! when combined with Leo, the restaurateur and a fake relationship this book has all the makings for a perfect enemies to lovers. the book doesn't disappoint either.

I was initially interested in FOR BUTTER OR WORSE (isn't this such a great title!?) because Helen Hoang's blurb: “With great tension, simmering heat, and clever banter, FOR BUTTER OR WORSE is a mouthwateringly delicious enemies-to-lovers romance.” This blurb does not mislead in any way. This is exactly what FOR BUTTER OR WORSE is. Such a great enemies-to-lovers romance. Perfect tension throughout. I read this in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. And the food! So much mouth-watering food. Well done, Erin La Rosa! I cannot wait to read whatever she publishes next.

I enjoyed this book. The plot was well paced and the characters were enjoyable to read. I would recommend this book to friends and would enjoy reading additional books from this author.

Oh my!! This was so much fun, included with lots of angst and banter, and one of the best and exciting fake dating tropes played out. This is a very well written romance too, i felt completely immersed into this one too!

**Review will be published July 28th with a blog tour!**

DELECTABLE.

I didn’t have any wild expectations going in for this and found myself completely wrapped up this story. I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers, but more a rival angle. There’s fantastic banter that made me laugh and were such great quips. The spark definitely ignited as Leo and Nina got to know one another.

And how did they get to know one another? FAKE DATING Y’ALL. Another beloved trope that I loved the execution of. I thought all of the dates dove deeper into each layer of their budding relationship. I liked how they got to know one another, apologize for past grievances and work together to save their restaurants.

I did find the last 10/15% a little slow. I liked that Leo’s anxiety was addressed and he was able to work on that for himself and that Nina found a new path for her career to move to. I don’t mind some time away, but it did go on just long enough that I was wondering where the grand finale was finally going to take place.

Different from a lot of books recently, this one focused on cooking over baking. I loved that and it made me continually hungry and in need of a personal chef to make some of these grand meals for me. I loved the outside plot that didn’t overtake the romance but helped push it forward. The side characters (family and friends) were wonderful and added a perfect touch too. A seriously great read and I look forward to more!

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: multiple open; med/high explicit
- Trigger/Content Warnings: anxiety, panic attacks (on page), sexism, bullying (including cyber)

3.75⭐️

When I started this book I was not expecting to like it that much considering Leo’s comment and the Mother Theresa comment made in the beginning, however, it did grow on me.

It’s very obvious how insecure Leo and Nina are from the get go. The book explores insecurities and self-doubt in different ways with both characters it was a big part of their past and their growth throughout the novel. These insecurities led to purposeful miscommunication, which is understandable plot wise. But after the first couple times it happened, it began to feel like it was there to help create angst between the characters.

Leo is what ‘nice guys’ think they are. In his inner monologue it is very obvious how he feels as though he would be everyone’s last choice and that no one truly understands him, however, unlike ‘nice guys’ he doesn’t weaponize it and use it to make women like him. I liked that he didn’t have to grow to learn what misogyny was and that Nina didn’t have to educate him on that, but he was still able to recognize and admit publicly that the comment he made was wrong on his social media.

I liked the social media aspect of when they were together because it was a publicity relationship, I just wish that during a certain point of conflict resolution between Nina and Leo social media was not brought into it as a way of separating the fake public perception of them versus how they truly feel. I also just REALLLY dislike public things like this. Leo apologizing for the comment he made was one thing because the fans of the show play a role in the spread of ‘Nasty Nina’, but at other times where it was only between them, I did not like the public declarations. I feel like even towards the end when they finally got together, there was still some lack of communication between them.

I liked the way he and Nina grew to slowly like each other. The guy falls first trope>>>> The romance aspect of it was cute. Watching them go on cute dates whether it be dinner, pumpkins, movies, etc. Their banter was adorable.

📖 For Butter or Worse
✍️ Erin La Rosa
💕 Romance
#️⃣ 368 pages
🗓️ 07/26/22

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley + Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Nina and Leo, co-hosts of a reality food competition in their professional lives, and sworn enemies in their personal lives, finally hit their boiling point during the finale of the show’s latest season. When Nina walks off-set after quitting on live TV, both of their brands + businesses take a nose-dive. To get their careers back on track, Nina’s publicist recommends a public reconciliation - preferably one that includes a little romance.

We see where this is going, right? This was a very cute and fun romcom- a perfect palette cleanser, if you will. As someone who considers themself a Top Chef and Food Network Star super-fan, I always enjoy a romance novel with foodie vibes! The first half of this book was a slowww burn, but the second half really saw their chemistry flourish and the spice level heat up! A little miscommunication/lack of communication, which is not really my favorite trope, but all-in-all, a fun foodie romcom!

🧈 Dual POV
🧈 Enemies to lovers
🧈 Open door romance
🧈 Fake dating
🧈 Slow burn
🧈 Mental health rep
🧈 Foodie vibes
🧈 Epilogue

#caitsquietplace #caitsquietplacereviews #cqpromance #forbutterorworse #netgalley #harlequintradepublishing

I really enjoyed this book, Nina and Leo were real characters and I appreciated that they had depth and were able to talk about grief and mental health issues. I do think their fake dating reasoning was a little weak, I just didn't really buy the reasoning behind Leo agreeing to do it. Definitely a great summer read with a little more depth.

2.5 stars


For Butter or Worse is an enemy to loves story which a cute premise. I think a lot of people will love this. It's steamy and has an it deals with grief and anxiety which was nice to see but other than that there's not much to love. It's full of so many cheesy and overused romance phrases that I was so uninterested in anything else. I can't even explain how tired I am of the phase "let out a breath they didn't know they were holding." It's so over used and makes the book feel lazy. I did enjoy the food of theme of the story but the story itself was just okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

For Butter or For Worse follows sworn enemies Nina and Leo who are co-hosts of a reality cooking show and prominent figures in the LA food industry as they enter into a fake relationship plot in order to save their restaurants after a string of bad press.

I will start by noting that I absolutely love the cover of this book, A+ award to the illustrator because everything about it is perfect. What is good about this book is that it is a legit enemies-to-lovers story with extremely well-written banter and entirely believable animosity between the two main characters. The fake relationship plot came across as more believable than I anticipated which is due to La Rosa's pacing and writing. Additionally, the pressure of expectation that Nina and Leo face, both internally and externally, as well as the ways that La Rosa portrays mental health (particularly Leo's anxiety) are dealt with thoughtfully and realistically. For me, the real strength of the book lies in those aspects of Nina and Leo's character arcs. I think the issue this book faces will be readers' appetite for Leo being largely responsible for the online sexist/misogynist harassment that Nina deals with which significantly underlies the entire plot of the book (aka the reason they are enemies). That's not an easy thing for the usual "hero grovels" beat to fix, and as someone who has dealt with that type of harassment (as most women who are online have), at moments it felt deeply strange to root for him. It's complicated folks and I'm undecided on where I fully stand!!!

Overall, For Butter or For Worse is a very well written, bantery, steamy read, that will be perfect for a day at the beach. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy Lucy Parker, Emma Hart, and Angie Hockman.

Nina, a chef/owner, and Leo, the business partner in his family’s restaurant business, are cohosts on a popular cooking competition. Who can’t stand each other and for three years have had an antagonistic relationship. In the final episode, Nina announces live that she’s done being part of the show.

Leo needs the hosting gig to boost his business profile. And Nina’s restaurant takes a hit when she’s no longer high profile. With both of their businesses floundering, their teams suggest a fake relationship to boost their images and their respective restaurants. The heat turns from anger into something spicier.

I appreciated that among the witty banter and increasing romantic tension, the characters dealt with online bullying, misogyny in the restaurant world, and anxiety/mental health. Both MCs were likable and relatable.

I loved the supporting cast who all got their moments to shine. And partook of the clever banter. The moments at a botanical garden fundraiser with an aggressive peacock had me laughing out loud.

The slow burn of Nina and Leo moving from loathing each other to realizing that their perceptions were wrong to catching feels was perfect.

This is a spicy-sweet contemporary romance with delicious twists and turns as two restaurant contest judges find out that maybe they don’t hate each other after all.

For Butter or Worse gives you:
Dual POV
Delicious food descriptions
Giggles
Fake dating
Enemies to lovers
Perils of owning a restaurant
Impact of social media on careers/mental health
Slow burn
Sexy consent
LGBTQIA+ rep
Great friends group
Found family
Randy peacock who wants to fight Nina

CW: Dead parents, mental health issues, online bullying, fat-shaming,

3.5 Stars Rounded Up

Thank you to Net Galley for providing this ARC - all opinions are my own.

This was a solid read from start to finish. It’s a classic tale of enemies to lovers, fake dating, redemption, and falling in love.

Here’s what I liked:
- I really enjoyed Nina’s character and how driven she was to succeed, but how she also knew when to quit when her mental health was in peril.
- The focus on cooking wasn’t too overwhelming but was present in a good way.
- Nina is a chef but Leo is just a restauranteur, which was nice. So there wasn’t too much of a focus on food, but there was an emphasis on actually running a restaurant.
- Not everything succeeds for these characters. They fail and succeed which was nice; not everything was perfect/happily ever after.
- The novel addresses sexism and mental health which I appreciated.
- The ending is the reason this book gets 3.5 stars. It brought everything home and rounded out the story in a way that made the novel less formulaic than I had previously thought.

Here’s what I struggled with:
- Leo: While generally likable as the hero, the fact that he continues to overlook how Nina is demonized and bullied in the press made me dislike him. **SPOILER*** he figures it out in the end and apologizes and tries to make up for it, but I wish that had happened way earlier in the novel. Then he would have been more redeemed in my eyes.
- The middle of the book dragged. ***SPOILER*** The whole structure was also very formulaic: they’re enemies, then they’re friends, then lovers, then they break up, then they get together, then happily ever after. I wish there had been something a bit different, or no breakup, or a breakup for a different reason. She doesn’t even break up with him because of the sexism, but rather because of another confusion. Then he posts one Instagram post and it’s all ok? I think not. I needed way more groveling on that front.

Trigger warnings include, but are not limited to: panic attacks, mental health, anxiety, failed business/loss of a job, bullying, sexism, online bullying, stalking, manipulative/toxic ex.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It’s a solid, good read and it’s well-done. I wish there had been more of a focus on addressing the sexism and bullying Nina experiences (and that Leo contributes to) and redeeming Leo.

When you mix two scorching hot tv hosts with years of angsty banter, and a fake dating scenario to try and save their careers… you get this delicious, enemies to lovers story.

Nina Lyon and Leo O’Donnell have been cohosting The Next Cooking Champ, tv show for years together. Over the years of snide comments, bad dad jokes, harsh nicknames, sexism, anxiety, internet trolls, and self doubt, they’ve become sworn enemies. After a rough live recorded season finale, one of their publicists suggests they pretend they’re dating, for some great publicity. So you can imagine how absolutely dreadful their first arranged date is. But the problem is they’re both on the verge of losing their beloved restaurants and suffering financially. Can they suck it up and smile for the cameras?

I loved the way the author made this feel REAL, with media headlines, emails, texts, social media posts, and pop culture references. The depth of these characters was so much more than I expected. From Nina standing up to sexism in the culinary industry and her protective walls she’s built around herself, to Leo’s anxiety, self doubt, and constantly trying to prove himself. Not to mention their amazing friends and family.

This was such a hilarious and heartfelt novel. With all of the food and Italian family references, I felt like this was one giant hug. The banter was top tier. And I adored the sex scenes, although I wouldn’t have been upset if there were a few more… I grinned like an idiot, squealed with excitement, and possibly shed a couple tears while reading this. Please make a film adaptation. This is romcom GOLD.

Thank you to Erin La Rosa and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Leo’s struggle with anxiety along with Nina and her battle against sexism in her career are just chef’s kiss (pun intended)

Co-host and work place enemies, Nina and Leo, must work out a way to save both of their failing restaurants and her reputation.

My favorite things about the book:
- Leo’s battle with anxiety/panic attacks and how therapy was presented to help him with his mental health!
- Nina dealing with the sexism that is always apparent in Hollywood and how even when someone acknowledges and pushes against the sexism it doesn’t just go away or stop.

My least favorite things about the book:
- Third person books are just so hard to focus on.