Nina and Leo co-host a cooking show together, and to say they don't get along would be an understatement. When Leo uses a nasty nickname for Nina while filming a live episode, she quits. But both her restaurant and Leo's have been struggling lately, so when Nina's publicist suggests they fake a relationship to gain publicity-- and diners-- they agree. While pretending they don't hate each other, Nina and Leo discover they have more in common than they thought, and develop an actual friendship-- and feelings for each other.

For Butter or Worse is the enemies-to-lovers fake dating book of my dreams.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book!

This book was super cute and enjoyable the whole way through. I loved the FMC, Nina- she was strong, passionate, and always stood up for herself and women in the cooking industry. Leo, although I didn't like him at first, grew on me and redeemed himself. The author did a great job with diversity, especially in race, sexuality, and mental health awareness. The interactions between the MC's were humorous but also showed they had a deeper connection. The plot was strong throughout and didn't feel rushed or too slow to me. I would recommend this to everyone once it comes out- definitely worth a read!

great romance that starts as fake dating but turns into love. Loved the families and friends. I loved that they started hating each other but really loved each other. loved that her favorite holiday was Halloween. loved her friends and his brother.

CUUUUUTE.

I’m probably never not going to like a romance set in the reality cooking realm.

Nina & Leo are judges/hosts of “The Next Cooking Champ”, a Master Chef-esque cooking competition. Too bad they can’t stand each other, and now the world knows it, since they let things slip on a live recording of the show.

Nina, tired of Leo’s, the internet’s, and the industry’s sh!t, walks out. Effectively quitting. This is bad news for Leo since his family’s restaurant chain is struggling. Nina’s on her last restaurant and fighting closure as well.

When Leo tries to beg Nina to come back to the show (since the producers told him if she was out, so was he) he ends up falling on her and accidentally giving the paparazzi a romantic looking shot.

Surprisingly, they are well received as a couple. This leads to them faking a relationship as a last-ditch effort to save their restaurants.

There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like, except maybe there was a bit too much focus on some of the side character’s issues. It pulled too much focus from Nina and Leo’s relationship.
I would’ve liked a little more drama with the show and their potential return.
Also, I would’ve liked to see the spicy scene that was off the page (there are other spicy scenes that are on the page, don’t worry).

I enjoyed the snippets with the internet response of the fans. It was funny, but also showed the difference in how people responded to Nina as opposed to Leo. It pointed out the blatant sexism that Nina (and many others, unfortunately) face in their professions.

I loved Nina’s refusal to alter herself to fit into the expected/accepted ideal of a female chef in the industry. There were no simpering or apologies for who she was. There was also some great anxiety/mental health rep within the story.

Their relationship worked well, their personalities complimented each other, they understood the pressures of their line of work, and opened up to each other. I know many don’t like the miscommunication trope, but this made so much sense. The set up and the anxiety was very believable, and I don’t think it should be docked for this.

Check it out, when it hits shelves, 7/26/22!
A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Erin La Rosa's for Butter or Worse was a sweet contemporary romance. If you like determined women, men who adore them, and colorful supporting characters, then I think you'll like this book. I did enjoy it--the characters are well-written and the author's depiction of anxiety was sensitive and quite true-to-life. The banter and quippy dialogue was particularly fun as well!

But. (isn't there always a "but" with me?) But a few things are holding me back from doing more than mildly liking it. I suspect I will be a minority on being bothered by these things, but I can't NOT mention them, in good faith reviewing. First, for a novel about a chef...she didn't do a lot of cooking, and the food descriptions were lack-luster. SPOILERS AHEAD! I get part of the plot was the MC being burned out from cooking...but for a novel so firmly entrenched in the food industry, I expected my mouth to be watering. Also, the third act breakup was the most frustrating, drawn-out, immature affair of miscommunication. I don't mind the third act breakup as a plot device, but I expect a better take on it, especially in 2022. Finally, my sense of place was always similarly lackluster. The author tried, but I never felt as though I was living in the characters' lives...just observing it.

Thanks to Goodreads and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the free ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

I ended up not enjoying this book, and I do not post reviews on my social media unless they are glowing. I did however include it as my "current read" in my newsletter. Thank you!

For Butter or Worse was such a well-written romance! It had all of my favorite tropes - workplace romance, fake dating, and the classic enemies-to-lovers. If you're a romance lover like me, you'll really appreciate how the author executed all of these tropes in one book and created a masterpiece! Ohhh, and let's not forget! The book is foodie-themed, so make sure you have a snack by your side while reading this book. (Trust me, you'll thank me later) 

The enemies-to-lovers romances that I have been reading don't have that "I hate you' feeling between the main characters, and they always leave me with the feeling that the hate-to-love theme was for show only. But, boy oh boy, for Butter or Worse DELIVERED the BEST enemies-to-lovers vibes. Nina and Leo are co-hosts of a reality food competition show, and they really couldn't stand each other. This made reading about the changes in their relationship so much better for me. I could clearly see when the dynamic between them shifted.

Nina and Leo started fake-dating for their fans because it would boost their public image and in turn bring in more profits for their respective restaurants. The banter between them was "chef's kiss", and it was so fun to see them bickering all the time 😂😂😂 I wish I could come up with comebacks like them omg. Seeing Nina and Leo open up to each other made me feel a lot more better though. I loved seeing little fragments of their blooming friendship. They realized that they could be vulnerable with each other without any sort of judgment involved - WE LOVE TO SEE THAT.

One of the main themes of For Butter or Worse is sexism. I really admired how the author wrote about the differences between how the public treated Leo and Nina. Nina faced a lot of criticism because of her outspoken nature (Patriarchy and Misogyny 101), while Leo was adored by everyone because of his comedic side, even though he made some very questionable comments. CUE Leo's character development. Everyone makes mistakes, so it's important to learn from our mistakes, and to (physically) show that you've changed. That's exactly what I got to see from Leo's character. I won't spoil the plot for you, but seeing Leo understand how tough the food world was for Nina as a woman was my favorite thing ever.

FBOW also has an amazing mental health representation! Grief is one of the main things that connected Leo and Nina. Anxiety was one of the driving forces behind the last few chapters of the book  and the representation was accurate. The author didn't sugar-coat how difficult living with anxiety is, and made Leo a better character because of it. ALSO OMG, the female friendships!! LOVE LOVE LOVE. Nina's relationship with her best friend, Jasmine, and her sister, Sophie gave me life. Literally. The way they cheered Nina up and supported her melted my heart!!! I also adored Leo's brother and mom. The supporting cast in this book >>>> Everything. The book is dual POV too (YUSSS) and has a lot of text and Twitter interactions  that made reading the book so joyful!

I honestly can't stop talking about my love for For Butter or Worse, and I am going to keep screaming about in the months to come! Please go and make me the happiest person ever by pre-ordering the book!

Adorable! I loved the story as well as the emphasis on the importance of mental health and the long term effects of grief. Definitely recommend!

Such an adorable book! I love when contemporaries bring light to some real life issues, so the discussion of sexism and misogyny within this book really sold it for me. I wish there was just a ~little~ more groveling on Leo's part but I really enjoyed his grand gesture. I had so much fun reading this!

For Butter or Worse is a contemporary romance following workplace rivals who fake a relationship for public relations reasons, only to find themselves actually enjoying the charade.

Nina is a female chef in a fairly male-dominated industry, and the last thing she needs is her coworker throwing her under the bus on live TV. Nina knows Leo hated her on sight, and she has no interest in placating his ego, especially given that he isn't even a chef.

Leo is a businessman trying to keep his family's restaurant legacy afloat. He's proud of what his father built, and wants to keep its foundation strong, but he fears he'll never be respected in the food world. Being on a cooking show was supposed to help the brand, but Leo can't help sniping back when Nina needles him. Unfortunately, this clash only escalates, culminating in an on-air fight that makes Nina look really, really bad.

When the paparazzi mistakenly believe the caustic coworkers to be a couple, Leo and Nina decide it will be mutually beneficial to fake a relationship to generate good publicity. Their plan just might work, as long as they can keep their mutual loathing under control.

I loved this book, which contains so many of my favorite things: mental health representation, rivals to lovers, reality television and well-written secondary characters. In particular, the depiction of anxiety is poignant and important and I found the families of the main characters to be very real; they add to the narrative without drawing too much attention away from the plot.

The workplace animosity works really well here. It’s sometimes difficult to pull off a realistic antagonism without assigning too much blame to one character, but I really enjoyed the way the characters’ conflict plays out. Both of the main characters experience a lot of growth, though Leo probably takes center stage at times. I really loved him, though, he’s deeply complex, and it’s easy to like him when reading from his perspective. Nina is also really special; she goes through a lot but never fails to advocate for herself. I loved that she’s unapologetic about her ambition and her desire to succeed. Her frustration with how she is perceived is super relatable, even if you’re not a reality television host.

For Butter or Worse is a delightful read with both humorous moments and serious notes that make the happily ever after all the sweeter.

Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent retailer
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@erinlarosalit
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This romance read like a cute rom com movie. The theme was enemies to lovers and pretend dating, and author did a great job with both. I especially loved the pretend dating in this story, because of the social media bits.
Thank you #netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the advance copy in return for my honest feedback.

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First of all thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an early copy of this book!

Honestly I don’t have much to say other than I loved this novel. I love slowburn romances and this one just hit different. The banter was so funny and their romance was so cute. This book also has anxiety rep which I liked and I thought it was handled really well. Overall, have nothing bad to say 5/5 stars! :)

I am obsessed with this book! I completely fell in love with Leo and Nina and this entire cast of characters. Erin La Rosa's voice immediately captured me and I read this book so fast because I could not get enough! I laughed, I cried, I fell in love, this was basically the perfect romance. I cannot wait to hold a printed copy of this book in my hands as it will be one I reread again and again.

For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa is one of those rare books that I want to both give kudos to and deeply criticize. The story begins with the third season finale of a baking show that main characters Nina Lyon and Leo O’Donnell co-host. After three years of rude remarks and a daunting social media presence, Nina decides it’s time to quit the show and put her focus back on her failing restaurant. When fans react in a concertedly negative way, Nina’s publicist decides that best thing to get Nina back on her feet is to fake a relationship with Leo, who will do anything to save his own family’s restaurant. As the two fake it ‘til they make it, the question becomes less about whether they can save their restaurants and more about if they can save themselves from the inevitable heartbreak.

I truly enjoyed the chemistry between these two characters. There was a witty back and forth, a clear physical connection, and an appreciation for each other’s individuality. The book also aimed to be as inclusive as possible, commenting on the struggles of being a woman in a sexist industry, the pain of losing a parent, and the tightrope that many walk to keep their anxiety in check. As great as these aspects were, I struggled with a deep dislike of each character at various times throughout the novel. While to some extent the reader is supposed to have this reaction, I never quite got over my exasperation at the characters’ ways of thinking. The ending also left something to be desired – the HEA isn’t nearly as detailed as it could be.

All in all, this was a nice enemies-to-lovers read. While it isn’t at the top of my list, I know people who would easily fall in love with this cute with a side of steam romance. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good rivals to lovers romance , and I really enjoyed For Butter or Worse! The characters were compelling and nuanced, the romance felt earned, and the stakes were fun and interesting (plus, it made me hungry!) A quick and fun read for RomCom fans who appreciate depth and complexity to characters and want a tasty treat!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If book clubs had rules, the first (and maybe only?) would be to never judge a book by its cover, a rule that is doubly true for romance novels. Some readers will clock a (beautifully) illustrated cover and punny title and immediately move on, but those of us who know better (and love an illustrated cover and pun-based title) will find something delightful and unexpected. As is the case with FOR BUTTER OR WORSE.

The book follows enemies Nina, an award-winning chef, and Leo, the owner of a restaurant chain and Nina’s costar on a reality TV cooking show. After a live episode where their animosity is on full display leads to Nina quitting, a series of mishaps resulting in a paparazzi picture that makes it seem as if the two are at the lovers portion of their enemies to lovers relationship has Nina and Leo reluctantly entering into a fake relationship in the hopes of boosting sales at both of their struggling restaurants.

FOR BUTTER OR WORSE shines a light on so many different issues readers will be able to relate to including mental health struggles, the death of a parent, and burnout. Yet, these topics don’t weigh the story down; they’re enmeshed with moments of comedy and sweetness.

There was a lot to love about FOR BUTTER OR WORSE, but I especially loved the inclusion of social media, getting to see the reactions to Nina and Leo’s dates and posts. And Leo’s puns.

This is one of the greatest execution of my favorite trope: enemies to lovers!

Nina and Leo were combustible! They put each chapter into flames with their palpable, hot chemistry!

Their smart banters made me laugh!

The google searches and twitter feeds of them are the funniest and most entertaining parts of the book! So quick witted and laugh out loud!

Both Nina and Leo are the judges of competitive reality TV series “The Next Cooking Champ”!

Nina accepts to be on TV for making a name for herself at the male-dominated sphere of professional kitchens. She is already known her trademark restaurant chains ( unfortunately two of them were close and only LA branch in Silverlake is still standing) “Lyons” !

But her quick decision to be on show resulted with tarnishing her reputation: thanks to her super handsome/ people pleaser and also real jerk co-host Leonardo O’Donnell ( yummy combination of Irish father, Italian mom) reminded of her trolls her nickname: “Nasty Nina”

When they shot their live show, hearing the same name from Leo clicked something inside her which ended she notified the viewers: she was leaving the show, dropping the mic!

Leo’s efforts to convince her to come back resulted with both of them are tangled on the ground and a paparazzi shoots their photo, asking if they are kissing!

Well, Nina is adamant not to return the shoe even though producers accept Leo and her as a package deal which means Leo is out of job without her! But her dearest publicist Tom comes with an idea: they will fake date and heal their tarnished reputations. They can say no to additional customers to their restaurants which deal with financial struggles.

As Nina does everything not to close Lyons which is last restaurant standing of the chains, Leo deals with anxiety issues, working too hard to keep his Italian family restaurant above the water!

Could two enemies survive a few arranged dates to heal their reputation and save their jobs without ripping each other’s head off?

Well, this was absolutely fun read! At the last quarter: Nina pissed me off a lot as Leo grew on me. I was having issues with his sexist comments at the beginning but the guy was so sweet and earned so many brownie points to deserve a great place among best book- boyfriends!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I will probably end up buying this book because I didn't realize this was a PDF. I like reading books in MOBI or epub formats best. Thank you for the chance!

For Butter or Worse is an extremely cute and heartwarming romcom that is certain to make you feel good. The abundance of tropes such as enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, grumpy and sunshine made me pick it up immediately and certainly did not disappoint. I loved the characters' development and how they felt very realistic with flaws and everything, just like the rest of us. I also really liked how the secondary characters were not there simply to add to the main characters and were actually fleshed out. However, I did not enjoy how often miscommunication was used to advance the plot as it felt lazy and repetitive. Despite all that, I still believe that this is an excellent debut for Erin La Rosa and an excellent choice for those who want an easy and fun read!
3.5/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

For Butter or Worse everything I didn’t know I needed.
I absolutely adored this book. Plenty of humor, easy to imagine situations, a few sexy scenes and some emotionally deep issues cover the themes of everything you want in a romance.
It’s perhaps a little slow to start, but once it gets going it became impossible to put down as the complex, multi-layered story the author is telling begins to unfold. At the centre of it all is the opposites-attract romance between Nina and Leo, which is simply gorgeous.
This book is an utter delight and captivated me from start to finish, and I’m sure fans of contemporary romance in general will love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for proving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.