In With or Without You the legendary rivalry between cheesesteak trucks Plaza Steaks and Ortiz Steaks is fueled by high schoolers Jordan Plaza and Cindy Ortiz, whose escalating insults go viral. What spectating customers don't realize is the bickering is a marketing ploy. Jordan and Cindy have been secretly in love for years. Hoping to put the antics behind them when they graduate, they are conflicted when TV executives propose a reality show based on the rivalry. The two families are scheduled to compete in a "Truck Off!" food fair and as competition heats up, real grievances begin to arise. Jordan wants to buy his own food truck and set off across the country with Cindy, whereas she would rather attend college to study the television industry The story is told in alternating perspectives with reality TV-style confessionals. Will Cindy and Jordan find a way to make their relationship work, yet keep their families and TV executives happy, especially when their dreams are diverging?

This was a cute story about two teens who each run their family's food truck. Coincidentally, they both sell the same thing, leading to a rivalry between the trucks. When their friends start taking videos and posting them on social media, the rivalry grows and so do the sales of their food trucks. We come to find out that the teens are actually dating and have to keep their romance a secret to maintain the rivalry.

This rivalry attracts the attention of a TV producer who convinces the families to do a pilot for the show.

I liked this story. The chapters were alternating point of views between Jordan and Cindy. It was nice to see both of their views on the situation and how they were coping with the rivalry coming between their relationship. I would have liked more feelings from the characters to connect with them more.

Overall, this was a cute book that I'd recommend to my junior high students who like a touch of romance without it being the entire theme of the book.

Philly! Food trucks! Cheesesteaks! Camden! Imaginary reality TV shows!

What more could you ask for?? How about: teens that act like real teens, parents who act like real parents, and emotional moments that hit hard despite the book being a fast and fun read?

Amazing.

There were several unexpected twists in this clever YA food truck romance. Jordan & Cindy have just graduated high school and each run their family's food truck on the same block in Philadelphia. They each have a reason they need the money they make -- Jordan to buy a food truck of his own and set off on a cross-country roadtrip with it, Cindy to buy the equipment she needs for the podcast she hosts with her friends, analyzing a reality TV show. They play up the feud between their families because it brings in more customers and better tips even though they are secretly dating. When they are given the opportunity to be featured on a reality TV show about this "feud," the money is so good that they can't say no. The deep delve into their past brings to light more than anyone expected. Will it destroy the future that they had planned? Recommended for grades 8 & up.

This was such a fun reversal on the enemies to lovers trope set against the exciting backdrop of the Truck Off! The beauty of this book lies in its ability to mix the sweet and the savory, much like a perfect Philly cheesesteak. It combines love, family, and post-secondary ambitions in a narrative as engaging as it is thought-provoking. Whether you're a fan of rom-coms or looking to explore the complexities of young love, this book is a must-read.

All is fair in family and food!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read an ARC.

I found this story reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet with a reality show twist. Having never experienced food truck communities or been to Philadelphia, I had to look up a few things about the spaces. Since I have Celiac Disease, I lived through all the mouthwatering descriptions made throughout the story. I could almost smell the cheesesteak!
This is a fun read for those fans of Reality Bites, Pretty Woman and more. I almost expected The Edge to make a cameo.

I can't wait for more from this author.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet book, but there were places where my attention started to wander.

With or Without You" is an endearing young adult contemporary novel that delves into the lives of Jordan and Cindy, both operating their family's food trucks and sharing a mutual dislike for each other. But is their animosity a façade? In reality, their fiery exchanges conceal a budding romance. As a fan of "The Great Food Truck Race," this book was a delightful reminder of the show's excitement. The characters, particularly Jordan and Cindy, were engaging both as a couple and as individuals. It's like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, set against the backdrop of the food truck industry, and I couldn't get enough!

This title is light on romance but heavy on friendship, which makes it okay with me. Many tweens want to read some kind of relationship story, and hooking them in with a good fake relationship plot (actually not enemies) was a nice switch. I'll also be able to sell them on all the food truck stories possible, as most of my readers love food.

I loved this book. I found the story of the Plaza and Ortiz family feud to be really enjoyable. The introduction of the camera crew and the families appearing on a TV show was a really great way to put a modern Romeo and Juliet style twist on the plot. Jordan and Cindy were really likeable but also frustrating at times. I loved the Philly setting, this book felt like a love letter to the city.

I thought this was a great young-adult coming-of-age novel about a fake feud, reality tv, and seemingly a love letter to Philly :)

Both of the main characters Cindy & Jordan had their own journeys of self-discovery, which is what I love about YA novels! I also am a sucker for anything with a backdrop of reality tv, so this was extra fun for me.

The food made me hungry lol, but seriously, overall, I'd read more from the author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this DRC.
A Philadelphia food truck rom-com with a fake NOT dating trope. Fake dating is my favorite trope so fake NOT dating was good but also painful. There are just as many ways to destroy your relationship with secrets especially when reality TV gets thrown in the mix. Fun, and I’d definitely be lining up to try Jordan Plazas’ food truck.


#WithorWithoutYou #NetGalley

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a YA romance about rival food truck workers in a relationship. It was sweet and cute but predictable.

With or Without You is a cute young adult contemporary book about Jordan and Cindy who both work on their family’s food trucks and both hate each other, but is that really true? Actually they are not fighting and feuding at all, it is all an act because they are in fact in love. It was a quick sweet read. Dual perspectives from Jordan and Cindy. If you like reality television and food trucks, this is the book for you. It’s got teen romance, a fun feud, and loads of actiony drama. I loved each character in this novel. They were all well thought out, and well developed. Every side character was a character, you know. Sometimes that’s hard to find in a novel, but Eric pulled it off very well.

In Philadelphia, Jordan Plazas and Cindy Ortiz are at war…at least, according to social media. Their families own competing food trucks that sit within an insult’s throw away from one another. The Plazas food truck sells simple, straightforward cheesesteaks (if you ask for mushrooms, they ring the shame bell to let everyone know how stupid the idea is.) The Ortiz food truck offers healthier alternatives, like wraps. In the summer after high school graduation, it’s up to Jordan and Cindy to run the trucks and keep the rivalry at its peak.

Except there’s no rivalry. It started as a joke—a mistake, almost—which both families have maintained to keep business coming. In fact, Cindy and Jordan are in love. Even though they wish they could hang out like a normal couple, they’re willing to keep up the charade for customers.

Then comes the opportunity for some real drama. A TV producer proposes the idea of her latest reality show, Cheesesteak Wars, to Jordan and Cindy. Cameras will follow the Plazas and Ortiz families for a week to put together an episode. If there’s interest from the TV world, Cindy and Jordan might find themselves playing enemies for the long haul.

Except Jordan is getting tired of faking the hate. He wants to concentrate on earning enough money to buy his own truck and hit the road with Cindy by his side. Cindy wants to increase the number of listeners for her podcast and go to college. Neither wants to hurt the other, but they both know this summer may be the one where everything changes.

There’s also the city’s new food truck competition with a big cash prize. Even though the Ortiz and Plazas families have spent years as friends, the possibility of winning first place threatens the peace. If Cindy and Jordan don’t act fast, the feud that started as a joke may be the only way their families relate to one another.

Author Eric Smith writes with a breezy, confident style that perfectly suits the genre. Readers will instantly like both Cindy and Jordan. Less convincing is the fake rivalry; even though the teens say mean things to one another for the cameras, the insults don’t land as particularly harsh. Also, given that Cindy’s podcast is about a reality TV show, she comes across as clueless about how the entertainment genre works.

The story starts to wander in places until it’s unclear what’s more important: the TV show getting made or the food truck contest. Readers who want an easy book may want to check this out. Otherwise, they may want to skip it.

A wonderful addition to Smith's list. I loved how atmospheric the setting is and I loved how real these characters felt. This is a great read!

DNF.
I really like the modern-day Romeo and Juliet which includes rival food trucks, but it was really slow for me and I was not able to get into it. I really had high hopes as I heard great things, but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you Netgalley for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine "Romeo & Juliet" (sans death, of course) set in modern-day Philly and you get "With or Without You." This YA novel, told in dual points of views, has everything from (fake) enemies to lovers, fake not-dating, secret romance and more that make a *chef's kiss* adorable romance. (Yes, that pun was intended, thank you very much.) "With or Without You" is incredibly well-written and gets inside the authentic yet vulnerable mindsets of both Jordan and Cindy. Adorable is an understatement with this one.

Thank you to Inkyard Press for the ARC. This book started out with a twist, then came another twist and then another. The story is told as a reality show and it lives up to the drama. I enjoyed this book very much. The main character Cindy will make you have all the feels for a friend and foe.

With or Without You is my first taste with this author, Eric Smith and it will surely not be the last. Speaking of taste, after finishing this book I searched high and low for the closest restaurant that could provide me with a cheesesteak! Overall, I thought Cindy and Jordan were adorable and I really loved their story. It was a quick and easy read. I went in not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this arc! All opinions are my own