My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Spice Level: Steamy—High

I was interested in this book because of the Jewish aspect and food. Any story with cooking is an immediate plus for me.
Within a few pages, I found I didn't like a side character and didn't finish the book. I wasn't in the mood for a steamy romance.

I think others will enjoy this book without a hitch.

Happy reading!

a simple romance book that most would enjoy. this felt more YA at times but it wasn’t that big of a deal for me.

Lindsay Hameroff’s debut novel - Till There Was You is an absolute 5-Star read for me and sure to be in my top books of 2024.

The story of Jake and Lexi has everything you want. Rock Star romance, family drama, and all the feels. You will laugh, cry, and root non stop for their love story to work. Add in the Jewish representation and well - perfection!

I cannot wait for all of my friends to read TTWY because I know they will love it as much as I did.
Now, if we could just have the recipe for the blueberry pancakes! Haha
Sign me up for Lindsay’s next novel and the one after that too! Fan for life!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙖 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙟𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚.

📍 Read if you like:
• Second Chance
• Insta Love
• Rockstar MMC x Chef FMC
• Chasing Your Dreams

I have such mixed feelings about this book, I really wanted to enjoy it more than I actually did. I honestly picked this up because of the cover, I mean who doesn’t love some blueberry pancakes?

While I enjoyed Lexi and Jack as characters, I’m not the biggest fan of Insta-love. They both meet at a bar and have a one-night stand, expecting not to see each other again. Jake is a musician who ends up becoming an overnight celebrity after his song “Blueberry” becomes a hit.

Lexi, a culinary student hoping to become an executive chef, instantly thinks the song is about her - knowing she made him blueberry pancakes the morning after their steamy weekend.

The romance in this was very sweet and spicy at the same time. I feel like I didn’t really click with the Insta-love, which I’m very bummed about. The concept sounded so interesting and I love a good celebrity romance.

I honestly felt like this book read too juvenile, I struggled at times with the word context in this book. I didn’t really connect with the characters together either, so it was tough rooting for their second-chance romance.

I did enjoy the NYC story and completely understand what the story wanted to do, but I’ve read so many great romcoms lately - it’s tough when one doesn’t reach those expectations.

Overall, while this was a fluffy romantic debut, I struggled to really root for the romance in this. I loved the premise and most tropes in this, but it just didn’t work out for me.

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Death Of Parent, Cancer, Cursing

This was such a cute story! I enjoyed the romance, even if it was insta-love. It was written in way that was relatable. I thought the characters were perfect for each other

A charming rom-com. Lexi Berman is a culinary student and she want to become an executive chef in a Michelin-star restaurant. She has fond memories of cooking with her mom and after she passed she became estranged from her dad who moved on too quickly and moved away.

Will starting out at a restaurant she meets Jake one night as her girlfriends finally get her out for the evening. Romance and a relationship are not things she has time for, but meeting Jake has her thinking about the possibility. After a world wind weekend, he disappears as his music career takes off.

A twist of fate, brings them back together again. Is a second chance possible? This novel is funny, romantic, endearing and a fun read. I will look forward to more of her work.

This was a quick, easy read. I really liked the concept, but unfortunately, the story fell a little flat for me.

While I enjoyed the initial meet cute of our MCs, Lexi and Jake, the rest of their story was a bit of a let down. They had one weekend together, and then no contact for a year. Because I didn't really get to see them fall in love outside of that short stay, the chemistry between them felt off for the rest of the book. I simply didn't believe that they would still be that into each other after barely knowing each other and then so much time apart.

In addition to the insta-love aspect of this story, the characters themselves felt pretty one-dimensional. I wish I knew more about Lexi than the fact that she wants to be a chef, her mom died when she was young, and her dad remarried quickly. Those aspects were pretty much repeated over and over throughout the book, so I felt like that's all I knew about our FMC.

Additionally, as someone who is a former pastry chef, I was slightly dumbfounded by Lexi's assertion that she hates baking because it could so easily end up in disaster because of small mistake that causes a chemical reaction that she doesn't understand, but pancakes are one of her go-to recipes. Pancake batter falls pretty squarely into chemical reactions could cause an issue...if you add too much acidity or too much leavener to the batter, your pancakes will have a terrible texture and you likely will have to start from scratch.

Overall, I really wanted to love this story, but it was only okay for me.

This was a fun, enjoyable romance to read. I appreciate how Lindsay Gamer off was able to use this story to address how easy it is to become so focused on what a person thinks they should be, that they lose sight of what they truly want or that others are able to take advantage. Thanks #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

Ughh look at that COVER!
I was absolutely sold with how cute that is.
Starts out darling…

Lexi is in culinary school with dream of being a Michelin star earning chef when she goes out one weekend with friends to blow off steam and meets Jake, a cute musician. They have a one night stand that turns into a full weekend of food, sex and Golden Girls’ episodes. When the weekend ends Jake goes to LA to hopefully get a contract and become a star-which he does and never calls Lexi again… TWO YEARS later he shows up at her doorstep looking for forgiveness and a second chance. Can Lexi handle her new job and her old flame?

*blows raspberry*
The chemistry was not there.
I didn’t believe any of it.
Jake is so jaded by being a star…He has been famous for 5 seconds.
Lexi was insufferable.
And the writing was very disjointed. It kept having time hops right after a conflict would occur or an apology was about to be made and instead of showing us what happened just two months later, one year later…?
Unfortunately this just didn’t work for me at all.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an eARC.

I couldn’t put this book down! I think I ended up finishing it in two sittings, it was such a joy!

Till There Was You follows culinary student Lexi Berman, whose rigid schedule and lofty dreams of one day owning her own restaurant leave little time for dating. Enter Jake Taylor; a gorgeous musician Lexi meets in a dive bar who she has a soul deep connection with. Lexi and Jake spend a dreamy and steamy weekend together (complete with Lexi’s famous blueberry pancakes) before Jake flys out to LA in hopes of making his music career a reality. Everything seems to be going great, until Jake stops answering Lexi completely. All of a sudden Jake starts appearing on billboards, busses and radio stations, crooning hit songs inspired by the fateful weekend they shared. Lexi is determined to move on, but when newfound celebrity Jake Taylor shows up at her door asking for a second chance, Lexi is forced to make big decisions about what her future holds.

This was such a fun take on the celebrity romance genre. We got to see Lexi and Jake’s connection before he sky rocketed to stardom and what that connection had to endure as outside pressures took hold. The foundation of Lexi and Jake’s bond is rooted in the love of creation and there were beautiful passages about how love is shown through food and music. While the beginning of the book starts off with an insta-love style meet cute, the rest of the novel builds on Lexi and Jake’s relationship, putting them through various trials and tribulations that force them to grow as a couple. This romance made me feel gooey on the inside as I rooted for this pair, and I just loved the sweet vibes of the entire story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Till There was You comes out 2/20/24!

This romance kicked off with a super cute premise, but it lost steam quickly. The main characters felt pretty flat, and the side characters felt like a bit like caricatures. I think many contemporary romance fans will enjoy this upcoming release, but it wasn't for me.

It's been a long time since I picked up a romance novel this good - I could not put it down, and read it all in one sitting!

Celebrities dating normal people is one of my favourite tropes, so I went in with high expectations, but the second-chance romance aspect ended up being the highlight for me. Lindsay did an a great job showing us how Lexi and Jake have both grown and changed, which really made me fall in love with them both as individuals, and as a couple. Lexi was every bit the disaster I was at 24 (father-daughter relationship issues included), and that character arc in particular really resonated with me. They are such an easy couple to root for.

The only criticism I have is that the ending felt too abrupt - it would have been nice to be able to enjoy their happiness for a little while longer. Regardless, this was a really fun read, and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really loved the cover. Insta - love romances are not for me. I wish there was more character development. I wasn’t connected enough to root for their second chance. It had much more of a YA vibe which I wasn’t anticipating. Overall I do absolutely love the cover, that was my favorite part.

Jake and Lexi could have had a more swoon-w0rthy story. They had a weekend fling filled with lots of chemistry, but that part was written too fast. The fallout and aftermath was all of the place. She's a Michelein star chef and he's a rockstar musician that ends up ghosting her... a predictble, unoriginal, young-adult storyline.

I felt their characterization was immature and selfish. Instead of caring about their relationship and if they end up together, I did not feel connected their story because they were unlikeable.

Other people will like this. I was disappointed and cannot recommend it except for the cover and their first meeting.

Thanks to Netgalley, Lindsay Hammeroff and St MArtins's Press Griffin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 2/20/2024

This was a really fun book to read - read it in one day! The story kept me coming back and I loved the realness of the relationship and the situation. Feeling this passion, as Lexi felt for cooking and Jake felt for singing and performing, and then stopping at nothing to pursue it.

I think how Lexi and Jake met made perfect sense - Lexi is very glued to her five year plan, so of course the one night she deviates slightly from that plan is when she meets the love of her life. Jake was such a sweet career and despite Lexi's lack of faith at times in their relationship given his rising fame, his loyalty and love had him reminding her that they were meant to be and he would always be there for her.

I really enjoyed seeing Lexi grow into herself, and honestly would have loved to see a few chapters from Jake's POV too. This book is a single POV from Lexi's perspective. I loved her friends - Chloe, Ali, and Mia - and would love to see their stories one day too!

My one critique is that this book overall felt borderline YA to me at times. Everything is closed door and the slight lack of banter made it feel a bit YA to me at times, just right on the edge.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Til There Was You is a fun 2nd chance at romance novel featuring an aspiring chef and a soon to be music star. I loved the meet cute turned steamy weekend at the beginning. The chemistry between the main characters was 🔥.
When Jake leaves to pursue his music, Lexi puts her focus into making her dream of being a chef in a Michelin-star restaurant come true.
This is were my interest decreased just a little bit. I thought plot lines were forced and would have wanted to see more of Jake's rise to stardom. The characters were great and I rooted for them both individually and together. Lexi's friend group was BFF goals.
Definitely a great book to get lost in. Perfect for those looking to clean their palate so to say after a heavy book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early digital copy to read and honestly review.

"Till There Was You" was definitely an experience. The pacing in the book is not always consistent and it makes it a little confusing and unrealistic. The fact that they felt an instant connection felt rushed and the way they reconnected was also a bit odd seeing as we didn't see them spend as much time together in this second chance rom-com. With this, the characters had some development such as Lexi, the main character, but it was still very surface level. I feel like we didn't really get to uncover what the characters were about on the inside. Even the side characters like her two best friends felt sort of like they were just following a script. However, I did enjoy the book and there were some moments that you could feel the chemistry between Lexi and Jake. It was an interesting trope with a pop star and a chef that I hadn't read before, but there was more that could have been added to make the book even better. It was a cute romance and a nice sort of quick read/palate cleanser type of book. A little too light and fluffy in my opinion. Overall still a nice book.

Till There Was You was a cute, fast-paced, second chance romance. Lexi & Jake meet and immediately you feel their instant connection. Jake gets famous overnight and basically ghosts Lexi. When they are reunited I did feel that the explanations were not fleshed out enough, but I loved them navigating their way back to each other. Could’ve done without the celebrity drama and the dreaded 3rd act breakup- and Jake’s naivety when it came to Vinny and Madison (blinders anyone??) but it was a fun read that had my heart pounding.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the creativity in it. Lexi was a really great character and I loved how she went after her dreams to be a chef. She is highly independent and, for the most part, has her life together. Jake seems like a fun time and that exactly what he is after they meet and have excellent chemistry! However, things change nearly overnight for Jake as he becomes a celebrity. I think the young chef/celebrity pairing is a rare one so I enjoyed seeing it. I think the author could’ve left out some of the details of food/the kitchen because it made it feel slightly forced. However, I like that the author didn’t write song lyrics and kinda left hearing the music up to the reader. I really enjoyed the overall plot of the book even if some of the ending was highly predictable. I could’ve done without the 3rd act breakup, but I didn’t mind it as much with the celebrity trope in this book. The supportive best friends and family made this book more enjoyable and I only wish there was more time with Jake’s family. Overall, this was a really fun and relaxing read although some of the romance scenes just didn’t work (don’t write detail if you feel uncomfortable writing it because I felt awkward to read). 3.75⭐️, 2.25🌶

In Till There Was You, Lexi and Jake serendipitously meet at a New York City bar when they’re both on the cusp of fulfilling their dreams: Jake as a singer/songwriter and Lexi as a professional chef. After spending a steamy weekend together where they formed a strong emotional bond, he heads to LA to record a demo album and she returns to her culinary school classroom, both hoping to take up where they left off when he returns, but fate has other plans. What are the chances that an overnight sensation and a fledgling chef can carve a path to happily-ever-after, especially when everything from Jake’s self-serving agent to a promise Lexi made to her late mother are pushing them in the wrong direction?

The relationship that Hameroff created for these two is honest, fun, supportive, trusting and heartwarming, so readers will root for them to fall in love, despite circumstances and choices that pull them apart. As Lexi’s insecurities over her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment (when he quickly remarries and moves away) have her convinced that Jake won’t stick around as his star ascends, he sees her as a grounding influence, a muse, and the only person who truly cares about him, not his celebrity. So, when the third act break-up inevitably happens, although it is not what either want, it’s not due to a frustrating lack of communication or wrong assumptions authors often use gratuitously. It’s because these two need time to figure out if they’re pursuing the right dream and if they can prioritize the love that’s been so evident from the beginning. For readers who like insta-love, second chance romances with a bit of spice and a lot of heartfelt emotion, this one hits all the marks.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.