Even though it was enjoyable to read, this book had a number of problems. The characters didn't seem to have any depth, which made it difficult for me to relate to them. I rated this book three stars overall.
Thank you net galley and St. matin's griffin for this ARC.

I was unprepared for how much I loved this!!!
Til There Was You had me gripped from the first chapter. There’s just something about the pop star trope that is so fun and this book was so refreshing.
Lexi and Jake were absolutely great MC’s, each of them had such robust personalities and well-presented flaws that I truly felt like their best friend who was rooting for them right alongside Chloe and Ali!

The only piece I disliked about this novel was that around the 70-80% mark it became a little too closely aligned with the miscommunication trope and I felt as though Lexi and Jake were having the same situations/conversations multiple times. However, the sweet ending completely made up for it! This is one book I craved an epilogue for and I am so excited to read more from this author.

Book: Till There Was You
Author: Lindsay Hameroff
Format: Digital
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Places Featured: New York City, New York, United States
Review Score: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (3 ½ stars rounded down)
Review: Lexi a young up-and-coming chef in New York City–trying to figure out her career (and life) path after losing her mother as a teenager. A chance meeting with a musician, Jake, in a bar turns into a special weekend of passion for both Lexi and Jake. Jake even turns it into a hit song that turns him into a worldwide superstar–unfortunately, he forgets to include Lexi on his rise to fame and he ghosts her. The rest of the book is about these two attempting to (re)build their relationship and discover their best lives. I have no problem with rom-com tropes, but this story was just a little too unbelievable and contrived. There is good chemistry between Lexi and Jake, but Lexi often comes across as a bit crazy and Jake is a bit one-dimensional. Not a bad book, but I can’t say it’s all that great either.
*I was given a version of this book for free in exchange for an honest book review. The book will be released on 20 February 2024.

reminds me of a wattpad fan fiction, which isn't a bad thing. the premise seemed very cute and i was excited to read this but i couldn't connect to it

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC of this title. I loved it so much. The main characters were likeable and real and reading about how they navigate their relationship amidst the pressures of fame and real life was a delight. The book was reminiscent of The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez. I will definitely be picking up other titles by this author. I loved following Lexi and Jake's relationship and seeing them find love despite the odds. Definitely a feel good book and I highly recommend it!

dnfed 20% in. the writing was very basic and the characters lacked a level of depth. it didn't pull any strong emotions from me and just felt unrealistic and cringy.

I absolutely loved this book! Jake and Lexi are so cute. I loved the other characters as well. I liked how the author described everything in detail. Lindsay’s writing style is amazing. Towards the end of the book, (where they fought), I cried. This book was amazing and I can’t wait to read more of her books!!

The idea behind this was really nice and cute but unfortunately it didn't really work for me. I just couldn't seem to stay interested in the story or characters.

Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me the arc in exchange for my honest review

rating: 4/5 stars

Very cute fluffy styled romance! i actually enjoyed this book and it was one of the few to get me out of a reading slump. I loved the characters and I'm also a huge sucker for insta-love when the characters actually have believable connections that make it happen. Would read more from this author asap!

Till There Was You is everything I have ever wanted in a romcom book! A break out artist writes a song about his weekend he spent with an up and coming chef. And then he ghosts her ….. but shows up over a year later. The food network foodie in me absolutely adored this book. He had me hooked from start to finish. The comedy was on point, along with current and past pop culture references. It gave me all of the feels! I needed this book in my life after reading so many heavy fantasy driven books. I will now read whatever else Lindsay Hameroff writes!!!

Meh. Cute idea, and writing is fine, but nothing makes this story stand out. Lexi is your typical "every girl" (but rich, so she can have her own apartment for story purposes) who is "the only one who understands" the up-and-coming artist. Throw in a couple cute breakfast foods, entirely unremarkable side characters, utterly predictable plot, and I've already forgotten this book before I even finish it.

A cute, fluffy romance!
The pacing of the romance between Lexi and Jake. It felt very insta-lovey. They have an instant connection the moment they meet.
There's so much miscommunication that this book should be labeled as having communication as a trope rather than miscommunication. It was so ANNOYING!! I hated it

Ahh but... there were so many cute moments but I cant give this more that 3 stars

This was such a cute rom-com. I loved the uniqueness of the plot, and the characters were likable. Such a fun quick read!

I really enjoyed this! I needed a fun rom-com to get me out of a reading slump, and this did just that. I didn't like how insecure the main character was written; she tried to be tough but at the slightest bump in the road she was thrown. I wish she would have been stronger.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this romance book. Both main characters were engaging and realistic even though the plot of course wasn’t realistic. It was a quick read and definitely enjoyable.

Lexi Berman has sworn off dating to focus on her career goals of becoming a chef. Enter Jake, an up and coming singer with whom Lexi has an instant connection with. After spending a weekend together, Jake goes off to record a demo and blows up over night. Lexi comes to terms with never seeing him again until Jake re-enters the picture. Lexi finds herself trying to balance her feelings, career, and insecurities along with dealing with a potential life in the spotlight, but will she be able to cope with the heat?

The start of this was okay, but it went downhill. It gets bonus points for fun side characters and a Six the Musical mention, but other than that, this is a pass for me.

Insta-love. Not outright stated as such, but there's enough talk of this two day connection being unlike anything the two have experienced before to warrant the label. Perhaps this is just my cynical, never-been-in-love self talking, but it was not great. When Jake comes back, it returns into almost insta-love territory, but there are also time skips that make it hard to see how their relationship is coming along.

Miscommunication: There's so much miscommunication that this book should be labeled as having communication as a trope rather than miscommunication. There isn't healthy communication, it's mostly one or the other having a bit of a tantrum before the other comforts them and THEN they can talk about it.

Lexi: her emotions are valid, but girl needs to be in therapy. She's highly insecure, people pleasing, and not great at communication. She has potential, but she comes across really juvenile. She lets Jake get off scot-free a lot.

Jake: the fact that he nearly jeopardized Lexi's career from the jump made me see red. He's also so naive (or dense, take your pick) that he cannot see what's directly in front of him.

This book fell flat, and it felt like a lot of the same drama repackaged and rehashed a lot.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a nice read that gave the feels and wasn't too heavy. Also, pancakes!

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an early arc of this novel!

I give it 3 ⭐️

Enemies to lovers is my usual kind of trope, and this book was the complete opposite of that so it was interesting! There were times, especially at the beginning, where I felt like Lexi should’ve been more angry with Jake for the things he did?? It was frustrating to see her forgive him so fast in the beginning. Overall, I enjoyed the plot because it was different and I liked the side plot Lexi had with her parents. I wish that was explored a little more in depth!

Delectable story of a meant to be love waylaid by careers, fears, and insecurities. The story of Lexi and Jake is filled with delightful ups and disparaging downs as they try to navigate a relationship.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jake & Lexi are both highly ambitious creatives, a musician and chef respectively, who meet at the beginning of their careers. After spending a whirlwind weekend together laying the foundation for a great love, the two abruptly lose touch due to career pressures. They are both quietly devastated but have no choice but to continue on.

A year (give or take,) later the two reconnect after reaching their goals as a hot new star & kitchen cook. Jake is back in town to record a new album and wants to rekindle their friendship. But of course, that quickly escalates. The two are inexplicably drawn to each other like moths to a flame.

But can Lexi forgive Jake for ghosting her? Is he back just to use her for inspiration for his music again? Is her normal life a deal breaker for a celebrity?

Can Lexi break free from her self oppression and let herself go off of her 10 year plan for once? Is their love enough for her?

———

What an adorable, banter-y, kick your feet with the giggles rom com! I was genuinely smiling and laughing throughout this book between the antics and banter, which is the ultimate goal for me when reading romance. The main and supporting characters were very well written and developed, each with unique personalities and purposeful interactions.

I also really enjoyed the plot itself. It combined my love for celebs & cooking; truly a match made in heaven! You get a glimpse into both realities, and it added an interesting subplot to the larger romance story.

My only gripe with an otherwise perfect fluffy romance: the smut was not great. Yes there are multiple scenes in various places/ways, but they largely lacked detail and felt a little juvenile. I feel like most romance writers must feel pressured to include smut because “that’s what sells,” but for me it has to be well written to feel purposeful. In this instance I think I would have preferred closed door/fade to black.

4.5 ⭐️ this was an incredibly fun romcom but I think fell victim to the debut novel must-check-all-boxes romance checklist.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!