This. Book!

I smiled. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to shake some sense into some characters, high five others, and maybe throat punch some too. This book had me all over the feels spectrum and is a new favorite.

With a debut novel, Lindsay Hameroff launched herself to the top of my instant buy list—I am ecstatic for what’s to come in the future from this incredible author.

I got maybe halfway before I took a break. The story is cute, but also a little corny at times. I'm not sure I will get back to reading this book, but I might before it comes out. It was definitely a case of "it's not you, it's me."

The spices lingering in the air, mixed with the heat from the oven, gave her a warmth in her heart that made her smile. Cooking was therapeutic and made her feel at home. It almost made her feel as good as the guy on stage singing lyrics all about her.

Till There Was You is a romance following Lexi, an aspiring chef who meets a guy at a bar who winds up becoming a famous singer. His overnight celebrity status after their one weekend of passion sets her life onto a path she never expected.

One thing I liked about this book was the food descriptions and Lexi in the kitchen cooking. It gave food network show feels and I enjoyed that aspect. I wish there had been more of that. Other than the cooking, I wasn’t a fan of the rest of the story. I couldn’t root for Jake and Lexi… didn’t like how he treated her and how she would just accept him right back. Didn’t like how he would just plop himself in her life with a disregard to how his actions affected her. I just didn’t feel their chemistry. I was hoping to love this one because the premise sounds so cute, but this one was a miss for me.

If you’re a fan of strangers to lovers, one of them is famous, cooking shows, and music… then you may enjoy this one.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for sending me this ARC!

I loved this book, I loved the romance between Jake and Lexi and there rocky road to happily ever after. I really enjoyed Lexi’s inner turmoil over the choice between her career and love and Jake’s unrelenting support, I really liked the closure Lexi got with her father and the loss of her mother as well, and all of the secondary characters in the book were so funny and well rounded, and I would love to see another book about them. I did feel like the book was too long overall and could have been shortened for continuity and pacing purposes but I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend

I was really hoping to love this one but it ended up being just okay for me. I love books about celebrity/fame so that aspect was right up my alley. I also love books about food/cooking so this combination should have been the perfect recipe, pun intended.
Ultimately I didn’t really love the romance and the rest of the plot lines didn’t do enough to support the mediocre romantic storyline. The romance definitely felt like instalove to me and I didn’t feel connected enough to the couple to really root for their second chance. The plot felt slow and the conversations and conflicts got repetitive.
This was cute but a bit boring. It was a nice story and I enjoyed the NYC setting. I do think this author has some promise and, knowing that this is only her debut novel, I’d be interested in trying out a future novel of hers.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goshhhh! Here we are 7 days into the new year and I already know this book will be in my top 10 of 2024. This is one romance you won’t want to miss out on…and a new author to be on the lookout for!

After an incredibly cute run in with a hot musician at a bar, Lexi was completely stunned to hear him singing a broadway song…and here’s the catch: it was all for her. Lexi and Jake quickly discovered that although they were complete opposites, they had a lot of similar interests like broadway shows and The Golden Girls.

The had an insta-love that was so beautiful to watch unfold. Jake stayed with Lexi for the weekend and the rest was, quite literally, history. He left after the weekend to go sign a record deal in LA and never returned.

Fast forward 15 months and Jake’s back. Meanwhile Lexi is hurt and confused why he just up and left with no explanation. Oh, and did I mention Jake wrote multiple hit songs ABOUT LEXI while he was away. He was an overnight sensation that the entire world was obsessed with while Lexi was struggling to work her way up the ladder at work and become a chef. A chart topping celeb and a normal-person chef. Complete opposites.

Though famous, Jake was always so caring and wanted the best for Lexi. Their relationship was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Of course, there was a lot of drama that came with the fame and it truly made Lexi question everything on several occasions. I truly wasn’t sure whether we’d get the happy ending we all wanted or if Jake would walk away and be consumed by the fame.

If I can recommend one thing, make sure you preorder this book or be on the lookout for it in stores on February 20th. I can’t wait to add this one to my physical collection! I can’t wait to see more from this author in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

A cute foodie romance about an ambitious culinary student, Lexi, who has a steamy night with dive bar musician, Jake. Things take a turn when Jake becomes an overnight celebrity with a hit song about her blueberry pancakes. Can they make it work?

This was a sweet, quick romcom with plenty of instalove and celebrity romance vibes. I enjoyed the humor and the food aspect.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

i am participating in the publicity boycott of saint martins press and all it’s imprints. therefore, I will not review this book until SMP speaks up on the matter and reassures the concerns and security of all it’s readers. This is in no way meant to harm the author. Thank you for the oppurtunity.

Culinary student Lexi Berman, 24, has one goal: to make her late mother proud by becoming an executive chef in a Michelin-star restaurant. And she isn’t going to let anything–or anyone–get in the way. But when she meets Jake Taylor, a dive bar musician who charms her with show tunes, she makes a rare exception to her no-dating rule. After a steamy weekend together, Jake leaves for L.A. to record his demo, and Lexi never expects to see him again. And she definitely doesn’t expect him to become an overnight celebrity, with a breakout single that’s almost certainly about her famous blueberry pancake recipe.

As Jake’s star rises and the world speculates about the subject of his song, Lexi keeps the affair to herself. After all, she’s finally found her footing at her new restaurant job, and even has a prospective romance with her coworker. But when a distraught Jake turns up on her doorstep late one night, her carefully-laid plans are thrown for a loop. Though she and Jake try to be friends, things between them soon reheat faster than a bowl of Lexi's matzah ball soup. But a relationship with Jake means risking her face in tabloids, withstanding cruel internet comments, and worst of all, jeopardizing her career. As Jake’s upcoming tour approaches, and rumors swirl about him and another pop star, Lexi has to decide if holding onto her meticulously-planned future is worth walking away from what could be the perfect recipe for love.

Set both in the chaos of fame and the high stakes world of New York City restaurants, 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.
4.5 stars
Such a sweet and romantic read.
My heart melts like ice cream while reading this

Loved this so much. I really liked the story line and it was such a cute romance. I thought the time jump was great and then the way they come back together. Really liked the chemistry between the two. Anything involving food and music sign me up.

This was a cute story that combined two of my favorite things food and cute musicians that play guitar. Jake and Lexi meet while she is in culinary school and he is performing at a bar. They spend a weekend together and then lose touch. There’s a time jump and he becomes a famous musician and has a hit song about her and she is working to make her dreams of being a chef come true. I thought this book was cute, and I’m a sucker for wavy haired men that play guitar. But, I did find this a little repetitive at times and it was a bit predictable. But I was entertained and liked the story overall.

Lexi Berman is an aspiring chef, specifically aspiring to be an executive chef in a Michelin star restaurant. Nothing is going to stand in her way of that, which means no dating and no distractions whatsoever. Jake Taylor is a dive bar musician aspiring for the big leagues.
Their paths cross on a perfect, spicy weekend but then Jake disappears from Lexi’s life and she expects to never see him again. Especially not his face on billboards all across New York City. 15 months later, the now stunningly famous Jake Taylor ends up on Lexi’s doorstep again. But everything is different now and Lexi has no idea how to keep her life balanced. Will their love be the perfect recipe or will it go up in flames?

I DEVOURED this book (literally in like less than a day).
Two big indicators of how much I liked this book: 1. I LOVED Jake 2. I actually cried real tears. This really really surprised me!! There is far more depth in Till There Was You than I ever expected and I was so pleasantly surprised. Learning that this is a debut novel is also super surprising to me but makes me all the more impressed.

This book is perfect for you if you like:
- Insta love
- Second chance romances
- Cinnamon roll heros
- Cooking shows
- Strong female friendships
- New York City
- Blueberry pancakes specifically

Thank you to Lindsay Hameroff, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so cute! I really enjoyed the story and the authors writing style. My only complaint is the third act breakup, but I know that’s a classic trope in romance books these days. I also felt the pace was a bit slow and unclear.

Thank you so much to Lindsay Hameroff and St. Martian's Press for the ARC of this book. This is my first read by Lindsay and it was such a treat! I could not put this book down! Lexi and Jake's love story is addictive. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves romances.

This was a fast-paced, cute romance read. Always love a book set in New York City, and I enjoyed the main and the secondary characters. Lexi, the main character, could have used some therapy at some point to deal with her mom’s passing. At times, this particular aspect of the storyline was frustrating - but I know that without this character flaw, the story wouldn’t be what it is.

3 stars. Overall I liked this book. There was skimming for the open door romance parts, but the story was cute. I did have an issue with the premise of basically a one-weekend stand that could only be their one-and-only. But, ultimately the author pulled it out and made it work. Did it require some stretching of reality? Sure, but it’s a romance book and I’m usually not too mad about that.

Lexi is graduating from culinary school and then lands her first job at a restaurant. During this time she meets and falls for a budding musician. After a whirlwind weekend he disappears from her life and we then follow her as she overcomes the sadness of the loss and the struggles of juggling her new life. Until he returns… That’s the short and quick of it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think the audience this was intended for is much younger than me. I think they would enjoy it more than me.

Till There Was You is an exciting debut novel from author Lindsay Hameroff is a must-read for anyone looking for a second chance romance.

Till There Was You follows the story of Jake and Lexi. Lexi has only one goal in life and that’s to make her late mother proud of her cooking career. Because of that goal, Lexi has sworn off men. All was going to plan until Jake entered her life. Lexi spends an incredible weekend with Jake and has hopes for a bright future with him. The only problem, Jake is a rising musician and his life is about to change in ways he never expected. As time passes, Lexi is finally finding her footing and moving on with her life, that is until one night when Jake shows up on her doorstep. Fate has stepped in to give these two a second chance. Is Lexi willing to risk it all for Jake? There’s only one way to find out….

Till There Was You is a well-written and refreshing novel. I was immediately intrigued by Jake and Lexi. I adored their meet-cute and their instant chemistry. I couldn’t help but have stars in my eyes as they got to know one another. I was so sad for Lexi when things didn’t turn out as planned in the beginning, but loved seeing her character grow and go after what she wanted. When Jake reentered the picture, I couldn’t help but be giddy with excitement. Jake and Lexi had something really special and I couldn’t help but root for these two to find their way to happily ever after.

I think the author did an amazing job showcasing the realities of the hardships both of these characters experienced. Both of them had taxing jobs and it takes a special sort of person to handle that. I also appreciated how the author rebuilt the romance between Lexi and Jake. Lexi was so hurt when Jake disappeared from her life and I loved that they didn’t immediately jump into something more after their time apart.

Overall, I thought this story was refreshing and original. I loved the characters and their story. Till There Was You is a smartly written second-chance romance that highlights the mistakes people make when they’re young and how fame can cloud everything. It’s a story of love, drama, and overcoming misunderstandings that threaten to destroy everything. In the end, this book was exactly the sweet romance I was looking for. As far as debut novels go, author Lindsay Hameroff knocked it out of the park with Till There Was You and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future.

I will be withholding all reviews and promotion for St. Martin's Press titles and their imprints until the publisher addresses the concerns of BIPOC and Muslim creators who are being stalked, harassed and feel unsafe due to the actions of a racist employee.

More of a YA genre but I did enjoy this charming romance. The celebrity problem wore on me towards the end but it was a fun read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.