Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

A Dash of Salt and Pepper follows 26-year-old Xavier as he returns to his hometown after suffering personal and professional setbacks. Xavier would do anything to get back on track with his life, including work for Logan O'Hare--a 39-year-old single father and chef. The pair don't hit it off from the start, but their relationship evolves into something that might just make Xavier change his mind about where he wants to plant his roots.

I was so excited when this book came across my radar--a queer romance set in my home state...yes please! There were a lot of great things about this book. The setting was fun--a small fishing town on the coast of Maine. The characters were appealing--one young and trying to figure out where he wants to be in life and the other, older and trying to care for his child while also pursuing his own interests. We also got some fun side characters, which always brighten up a story.

What didn't work was the way in which Jackson left a lot of the relationship off the page. The story would work towards a milestone in the relationship--the first date for example--and then immediately skip a chunk of time following that milestone. The early stages of a relationship are often the best parts of a romance novel, so it's disappointing when that happens between chapters.

A sprig here, a dash there, simmer on a slow-burn and VOILA you've cooked up a delicious romance recipe in A Dash of Salt and Pepper! This small-town love story is set in Maine, where a son comes homes to find himself after a series of set-backs in the big city. In search of a job, he finds an alluring proposition from a sexy, gruff, tattooed restaurant owner who needs a Sous Chef.

Xavier doesn't intend to stay long in his hometown of Harpers Cove, nor is he looking for love. His meet-cute with Logan is a thirst quenching debacle. Xavier and Logan fall into my favorite trope - enemies to lovers. Logan is all mushy on the inside, but rough on the outside as he navigates fatherhood and a small business. This book is funny, endearing and romantic. I throughly enjoyed what this novel cooked-up!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary copy.

Review to appear on Smexy Books:

A Dash of Salt & Pepper by Kosoko Jackson is a funny yet serious novel about a young gay black man who must return to his small fishing town in Maine after losing both his dream job at a start-up and his boyfriend. Xavier is planning a quick turnaround – the last thing he wants to do is stay in his hometown. He will parlay his NYU and University of Chicago business degrees into another opportunity that will take him out of Harper’s Cove and back to the city life he craves. Soon after he returns to his parents’ house, he meets Logan, or rather mistakes Logan for a burglar. Logan is a local chef and restaurant owner, and the divorced father of a teen girl. He’s older by over a decade, cautious, and hot – but their adversarial introduction leads to a delicious tension that is not quite enemies-to-lovers, but similar.

The whole novel is narrated from Xavier’s point-of-view, and I honestly could have read hundreds of pages more of it. He is funny, self-aware, and honest. Young, but not naïve. His commentary is interspersed with his thoughts about being a black gay man growing up in Harper’s Cove, a student, and a young professional. His parents worked “middle-American” jobs and his father didn’t go to college. The more we learn about Xavier, the more we see that he is juggling a lot of expectations – his own, for sure, but also society’s ideas of success and the extra hurdles that black gay men must jump. Some readers may wish for a dual narration., because you do want to know Logan more, but I was very satisfied for this to be mainly Xavier’s story.

I loved the scenes with Mya, Xavier’s best friend. One of the few other black people in Harper’s Cove, Mya is a 2nd grade teacher who has stayed in their hometown while Xavier went off to the big cities. I cackled at their barbed dialogue and loved the way she took charge in so many situations in the book. She is the friend who knows Xavier so well that she can see things he misses.

Xavier doesn’t find out for sure that Logan is bisexual until many, many chapters in, but hoo-ha what a scene. Completely clothes on, but I’m surprised my Kindle didn’t ignite. Their romance is a little unconventional – less because of their age gap per se, and more because of where they both are in life. At times it felt slow and old-fashioned, but it makes sense. The big conflict part of the plot made me mad, and I was yelling at Logan over Xavier’s shoulder. But I have almost forgiven him.

And all praises for this epilogue, which did not invoke tuxedos or shared real estate!

A-
Goodreads * Amazon

**Source**: NetGalley - Thank you to the publisher!
**Tl;DR:** A fun rom-com, it didn't quite click for me but I do recommend it if it interests you!

**Plot**: This felt very much like a standard 'rom-com'. There was a TON of internal monologue which felt like it interrupted the plot
**Characters**: Fairly standard - one note kind of characters?
**Setting**: There wasn't a lot of detail about the little town. I couldn't even tell you clearly how the restaurant where most of it took place.
**Romance**: I don't know that I completely believed this romance by the end due to a huge chunk of it being skipped midway through, and I always struggle with single perspective romances.

**Thoughts**:

A Dash of Salt and Pepper is exactly what it looks like. A queer kitchen romance - full of fun, cute references. Xavier has returned to his home town after effectively crashing and burning in the big city. He lost his job, his boyfriend broke up with him, and he had no where else to go. For Xavier that is a fate almost worse than death as he is a highly driven individual, and that drive has him constantly striving for "better". Once he's home he meets Logan, a local restaurateur and single Dad. He winds up taking a job with Logan and sparks fly.

I'll start with the characters on this one. Xavier is funny, he's got good quips and he is full of fantastic references, but he is not my favorite. For the first half of the book he's constantly spouting off statistics and facts, to the point where the reader is rolling their eyes - not at him but at the fact that it's happened again. It just pulls you out. Then after the half way mark it almost never happens again, at least in the first half he was consistent. Also Xavier is beyond driven, he's almost mindlessly so. He doesn't just feel the drive to get out of Harper's Cover and over explain it every chance he gets. He does little else but think about it and explain it. More of this book was his inner monologue explaining in detail why he was doing what he was doing instead of showing us that I started skimming those segments. They were very repetitive and very obvious. There were moments towards the end where he talks about race, about being a black man attempting to succeed - but by that point I was so disconnected I nodded and moved on, I didn't care anymore. He wore me down by the 40% mark.

Since the book is told entirely from his perspective - which to be fair is my least favorite type of romance, so that could explain why I didn't connect, the rest of the cast is fairly one note. You have the quirky, challenging best friend. The love interest Logan is hot, smart, and aggressive. His daughter is young, spunky, but also edgy in the way all 14 year old's are. It's a fun cast don't get me wrong! We just don't get a ton from them. Logan is the biggest role, as our love interest and he was fun. I actually enjoyed him till the dreaded third act breakup and he became awful. His reaction to the 'betrayal' of Xavier was so over the top and so intense I would have never spoken to him again. That was a huge red flag reaction for me, no one would yell at me in the way he did in that moment. I appreciated the steps he attempts to take in the end of the book, they were correct but I'm not sure I think Xavier should have continued that relationship.

This was an okay read for me. Honestly I do think most my problems could have been resolved with another (Logan's) perspective in this. Less time in Xavier's head, more time to understand why Logan acted the way he did in the third act. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Ultimately I'm going to give it a three star. I did like what Xavier had to say about why he was so driven, trying to be seen but not seen. And I found some of the moments - especially those in the kitchen fun and entertaining. But I'm not sold on this romance, it could work for you though so pick it up if you like single-perspective quirky romances!

3 out of 5 fluffy white dogs (which we needed more of)

A Dash of Salt and Pepper is a charming, queer age gap romance. Kosoko Jackson adds in a quaint small town with a foodie setting, and the result is a satisfying story with fantastic secondary characters too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Xavier should have it all. He’s a gay Black man with an MBA, but recently lost his high powered job, and got dumped. He returns to tiny Harper’s Cove, Maine, spends time with his parents and BFF Mya, but still feels as out of place in his homogeneous hometown as he did growing up. He ends up working as prep chef in Logan’s restaurant The Wharf, and sparks fly. The hot single dad who puts his teen daughter first isn’t put off by Xavier’s sarcasm, and the two build a strong working relationship, and more. But as their feelings heat up, will it be enough for Xavier to stay?

Jackson creates the unusual age gap story where both characters actually act their age. At first, I thought Xavier was a little whiny, and since the reader only gets his POV, it’s momentarily overwhelming. But, careful readers can see he’s self aware enough to know he’s being annoying, and is actually acting like a late 20-something who isn’t used to failure. On the other hand, Logan is likable, and open and honest about exactly what he wants from Xavier and a relationship. His life experience comes with his age, and he already knows himself. I liked the way the author used the age gap as a way to define each character, and having the difference be one of the reasons their seemingly opposites attract relationship works.

A Dash of Salt and Pepper is a thoroughly enjoyable queer foodie romance, with a single dad in a small town thrown in. I adored these distinct characters, and the way they are drawn together to form a delightful story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Xavier is such a great character; there's never a moment you don't know exactly who he is, and he's the true star of A Dash of Salt and Pepper. Unfortunately, that means his love interest, Logan, never shines as bright, but that's fine; together, they balance either other out like two flavors I could name more easily if I cooked more.

It's a wonderful, light, fast-paced romance.

I absolutely loved this book! Kosoko's voice is just so brilliant and witty, I was captured from the very first page and spent most of the book laughing out loud. I really enjoyed the connection between the two leads and I loved watching it evolve as the relationship grows from coworkers to friends to lovers. And the backdrop of the idyllic small town was the icing on the cake! Such an enjoyable read from beginning to end!

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson is a small-town romance with a surprising amount of emotional depth. I adored these main characters and loved the small-town Maine setting.

Story Recap:
Xavier Reynolds just returned home from Chicago after a failed relationship and a failed job, and he was passed over for the fellowship he applied for. Now, he has to live with his parents again in the small town in Maine, Harpers Cove, where he grew up. Once he gets home, he gets a call from the fellowship offering him the position in Germany, and he has the summer to save up the money to be able to go. Jobs are not abundant in Harpers Cove, so when a position opens up at a local restaurant, he knows it’s his only hope of raising enough money. But, the chef/owner of the local restaurant is old and cranky.

Logan O'Hare needs help in his restaurant. His tween daughter Anne is helpful, but he needs full-time help, and Harpers Cove, Maine, doesn’t have a lot of options for skilled restaurant work. He meets and hires Xavier, but he doesn’t like his attitude, even if he can dice onions with the best of them. They decide on a truce, but working side by side brings them together and the attraction is strong. But, Xavier is leaving for Germany at the end of the summer, and Logan has to stay in Harpers Cove for his daughter and his restaurant.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this very much. I loved the little town of Harpers Cove, and Xavier’s parents, and his best friend Mya. But it was Logan’s daughter Anne that stole the show for me. She’s cute, funny, and adorable.

The romance was also a lot of fun. Young, and sarcastic, Xavier was a perfect match for older (but not old), grumpy Logan, and their chemistry was strong. Logan was a bit grumpy at first, but when he eventually opened up, he was a lot of fun and was a perfect foil to Xavier’s sarcasm.
Both Xavier and Logan have some baggage and self-doubt. However, we learned a lot more about Xavier because the entire book was told from his POV. I loved Xavier and his inner thoughts were both funny and vulnerable. I just wish I could have learned more about Logan, and a dual POV would have told me more about him.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend A Dash of Salt and Pepper to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

DNF at 48%. Kosoko Jackson is a brilliant writer but his style is just not for me. I like romance novels with witty banter and lots of emotion, and his style is the antithesis of that, There will be a line of dialogue, followed by five paragraphs of internalization about how the character should respond, and all the ways his life will be irrevocably changed if he says the wrong thing. This is how every conversation goes. That’s not a bad thing. It’s just not for me. I feel like the prose bounces around all over the place, and I need something more linear.

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

Seasoned chef meets spicy gay guy just trying to figure out his next steps after everything he worked towards has exploded in his face. Snarky, sweet, and worth a read.

I received a gifted galley of A DASH OF SALT AND PEPPER by Kosoko Jackson for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and PRH Audio for the opportunity!

A DASH OF SALT AND PEPPER follows Xavier Reynolds, a young Black man who is struggling in life. He’s just been dumped and he didn’t get the fellowship that he wanted after getting his MBA. He’s forced to return back to his home town, a small town which doesn’t align with his dreams of big living. While figuring his life out, he reluctantly takes a job working as a prep chef for Logan O’Hare. Logan is a single dad trying to make a go of his restaurant. He’s not much more excited than Xavier about their situation, but he’s in need of help and Xavier is available.

I really enjoy food based books, so this book immediately caught my eye. We don’t get as much of a restaurant setting as I might have liked, but I did enjoy the discussions around the restaurant business and the food that is prepared. Bringing Xavier into the restaurant felt like more of a convenience than a wise decision early on, but he does have skills in the kitchen to fall back on.

This book is a fairly slow burn romance. Xavier is pretty unsure of himself and his place in the world and his immaturity definitely comes through. I was a bit frustrated with him and his decisions at times. Logan is older with an ex-wife and a daughter in addition to the restaurant business, so he is juggling a lot. He is sometimes hard to get a read on. I think I might have preferred getting Logan’s perspective, but the whole story is told in Xavier’s POV.

Overall I found this a fun, quick read!

Xavier Reynolds (26) has returned to his hometown of Harper’s Cover Maine. He’s had a string of bad luck getting dumped by his boyfriend and missing out on a fellowship after getting his MBA. A new opportunity comes along but he needs money to make it happen so he takes a job as a sous chef for Logan O’Hare. Logan is older (39) and is a single father to a 14 year old daughter Anne.

Everything is told from Xavier’s POV which sometimes works but here I missed knowing what was motivating Logan. There were some fun moments together but all of the sudden the book jumps from three months saying they saw each other every other day. I felt I missed out on connectors for the relationship.

This is the story of man returning to small town where he doesn’t want to be and finding love. But is it enough or does he need to leave again? I really liked the daughter and best friend Mya. But Xavier and his inner thoughts could be a lot at times. With lots of pop references and some immature actions he seems even younger than he is. Other then being a m/m romance with black representation this is all very typical contemporary romance.

This was a disappointment. I didn't really like or care about the two main characters or their romance.

Kosoko Jackson’s romcom writing style doesn’t seem to be for me, even though I have liked his YA stuff. It feels very flat and unengaging, even if the characters do seem interesting in theory.

Everything about this book was insufferable, from the characters to the prose. The main character's inner narration was painful to read.

I wanted to like this one but I found both of the characters to be insufferable and I also didn't like the prose or the relationship much.

I knew almost immediately I was going to love A Dash of Salt and Pepper. The internal narration from the beginning was engaging, humorous, and vulnerable all at once. It was like a mix of chatting with your best friend at late night sleepovers in the dark combined with your internal narration as you stare at yourself in the mirror in the early sunlight rays. Maybe it's also just my internal projection, but how adrift Xavier feels hit me hard. The ways he feels like a failure, is internalizing it, and is unsure what to do.

How we can be so set on a certain path in life that when something throws off the rails, we aren't sure how to get back on - or whether we should. Forced to return back home to lick his wounds, Xavier is in a serious questioning his life expectations mood until he has an opportunity to get his life back 'on track' by working in a local restaurant for some quick cash. But nothing ever goes according to plan. And a first impression becomes essential he can get into Logan's good graces - his future literally depends on it.

I wasn’t convinced by the love story in this. But I was definitely a good light hearted hallmark type read! I love that LGBTQIA stories are becoming that now! That there are just “normal” everyday love stories that aren’t fetishized or over done. I found myself smiling so much reading this. The love part of this for me felt more like a mentor mentee relationship, which i guess for some people could be a form of love. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

A single parent chef + a smartass businessman temporarily down on his luck & back in the hometown he left as soon as he could.

On paper that combo speaks to me.

But sadly Kosoko Jackson’s A Dash of Salt & Pepper didn’t live up to my hopes, offering a story of growth & some steam but also one that doesn’t lay solid enough groundwork for the arc of the relationship or of one of the lead’s change of heart.

What I think Kosoko Jackson does compellingly in this romance though is portray a titanium-strength friendship between Xavier—said businessman—& his BFF Mya, & give some insight into why Xavier why wears his glib armor.

While A Dash of Salt & Pepper doesn’t totally work for me—I found myself skeptical of where the story was taking me—there are still things to appreciate here—including that adorable cover & the dislike to love premise that always has me sitting up & paying attention.

3⭐️. Out 12/06.

CW: loss of job, possible failure of business, a joke about JonBenet Ramsey.

ID: a white hand holds up the ebook in front of a white bookcase.

Are you ready for a spicy work-place, foodies, m/m romance novel? Then may I suggest pre-ordering A DASH OF SALT AND PEPPER.💵📚☑️

Filled with witty banter, hilarious dialogue, and strongly character driven (which I love), this delicious story about two people finding love and trust, will have readers falling hard for Logan and Xavier from beginning to end.

Happy Reading ~ Cece