Thanks for the gifted e-copy.

This was a cute debut (I think?) rom com about an aspiring chef and a musician. They have a one weekend stand, he ghosts her, and writes a song about their night, and gets famous. Then they meet up again later.

Kind of predictable, yet super sweet and made me soooo hungry. In fact, I'm hungry for pancakes again just writing this review! I loved the scenes at the culinary school, as that has always fascinated me. I low key wanted to be a pastry chef, so I love reading about aspiring chefs.

Their romance was cute, but I'm not a huge fan of instalove. I couldn't really get into their relationship, especially to where I could get really invested in them getting back together. I do think many people will really enjoy this book though, and it's a great read heading into summer.

What a lovely read. Had a hard time putting this one down. It was really enjoyable. And well written. Looking forward to more from this author.

This might be the cutest cover I’ve ever seen! It’s perfect for this super cute second chance romance. I really enjoyed this book. I loved all of the references to music and food. Famous blueberry pancakes and songs about them, yes please.

The characters lacked some depth and some interactions were surface level, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. Jake and Lexi were sweet and I enjoyed how they each evolved throughout the book.

A fun debut romance I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys music, food, and second chances. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

I enjoyed the foodie chef and famous musician angle, but I feel like a lot of the book was very surface level and was showing more than telling. I would have enjoyed some more backstory and feelings.

I love a celeb-non celeb romance so I was curious to check this book out. It did not disappoint! Culinary student Lexi meets Jake, a dive bar musician and she spends a whirlwind weekend with him only to get ghosted when he gets his big break. With a good dose of drama, this would make a great vacation read. I really enjoyed the inside look at the restaurant (The Blue Bistro is a favorite of mine so I think I’ll read anything that gives me a glimpse of that world).

Wow! This book is such a great combination of some great romance tropes and storylines that we all love. I think Hameroff did a great job with these characters and creating a romance that you didn't want to put down!

Very fun contemporary romance! I loved the way this romance developed. The characters were great and really easy to connect with and root for throughout the story. I thought the idea of having the issues in the relationship be factors that were out of their control and not trope like miscommunication which can feel repetitive and hard to connect with was great, it made the story feel a lot more realistic and unpredictable! Definitely recommend reading this one if you enjoy rom-coms, insta-love, and stories where the main conflict are external issues.

I really enjoyed this story. Romance and women’s fiction are my jams and I just really liked these characters and their journey. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a lovely escape.

3.5 Stars. This was adorable. It felt like a 90's rom-com movie. I am a self proclaimed foodie, so I loved all of the yummy food references. This was a fun easy beach read for me!

Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff is a cute rom com. It’s perfect for those who love this genre. The romance was lovely if not a bit predictable. The musician and chef worked so well in this book. This is definitely not a clean romance. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house for the ARC. This is my honest review of this book.*

The chemistry between Jake and Lexi is so, so, so good!! I really thought this was just the cutest book. I did yell out loud when Lexi was ghosted but then the story unfolds and you find out what happened and it just makes it all so much more worth it. Who doesn't want a swoon worthy guy to sing a song or 2 about them?!

This feels like a perfect beach read to me.

3.75 stars


Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this one. It took me a while to read, but every time I came back to it I was fully drawn into the story again.
I’m not a big fan of time jumps in romance books, but I didn’t hate it in this book. I thought it was written well, and it actually served a purpose instead of just to cause drama.
I liked Lexi most of the book. Towards the end I was frustrated with her for not communicating with Jake, but I could also understand her thoughts and emotions. I really liked Jake’s character and I thought he was so sweet. He truly cared for Lexi and was willing to fight for her.
The pacing was a bit off at times for me. One moment we could have one day span several chapters and then the next we would have a couple months in a page with no warning. It felt a bit disconnected at times.
I also felt that some things were touched on but never really developed. The Madison and Jake thing was hinted at, but it felt really rushed. The Ethan and Lexi thing was barely any part of the story.
Overall this was a cute and enjoyable romance that touched on some heavier topics.

Lexi has a meticulous plan for her life which includes working in a Michelin star restaurant like she promised her mom before she died. When Lexi meets Jake, a hot dive bar musician one night, they share an incredible weekend. Jake is headed to LA to record his demo and promises to connect with Lexi when he's back in town but things begin to take off in LA and eventually, their communication dies.

After falling out with Jake, Lexi finally is ready to start her career and has even found a restaurant to work in and a hot coworker she connects with. Just as life starts to settle, Jake shows up disheveled on her doorstep and Lexi has no idea what to do. She agrees they can be friends and he can stay with her but their chemistry is not something they can deny. Eventually, Lexi has to decide if she can take the life in the spotlight with Jake and balance her career together without losing herself.

This was great! The setting in New York felt genuine and so was her life in the restaurant. The added stress of restaurant life and Jake's fame created a world of celebrity drama I liked ready. Both Lexi and Jake were so likable and with a second chance, you can't help but root for them. Also, not that this wasn't lighthearted, but the cover made it look like it would be an "easy" read. There was a little more darkness that I didn't anticipate but that I did like reading.

A book I'll be recommending!

I loved how Lexi and Jake met and how it was insta-love, but he's leaving town to cut a demo and that seems to be the end of that. Suddenly Lexi hears a song that references their time together, which also launches Jake to instant stardom. Needless to say they both have things to deal with, like Lexi stuck in time due to her mother's death. I've read some reviews that say this should be YA or NA, but I don't agree, NA maybe, but I'm way beyond those age groups and I didn't get that feeling at all. I loved this book from beginning to end.

Thank you to St Martin's Press, St Martin's Griffin for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

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. If you are looking for a sweet rom-com that will have you craving delicious food, then check this one out. Overall a delightful second chance romance.

This was a completely unputdownable read. It was fun, joyful, and I was completely invested in the love story AND the characters. Some were just overall amazing humans, some stepped up when they needed to, and some were straight trash.

I loved all of the pop culture references—growing up as an elder millennial, this story tracked my adulthood in so many ways (well, minus the part where I had a wealthy dad and a brownstone lol). I also loved seeing how the characters each worked through their issues as either an introvert or an extrovert.

I would have loved to see more from Jake’s POV. The book worked well as-written, but I think it would have added a lot more depth to an already-engrossing story.

It was cute…but ultimately was not for me

I appreciate the opportunity to read and review before publication

Would recommend for fans of…
🫐 The Bear
🫐 Harry Styles’ ‘Carolina’
🫐 Broadway

I’ve personally been feeling a little down on rom coms lately, just because of how repetitive some of them can feel. I understand (and love!) that tropes are an essential part of the genre, but sometimes it can feel like these books are missing a little bit of individuality.

That’s not the case with Till There Was You! While the book incorporates many elements of the celebrity trope, Lindsay Hameroff manages to do that in an incredibly fresh and fun way!

Main character Lexi is a culinary student dealing with family issues as she navigates her romance-free existence in NYC…until she meets musician Jake. After a weekend together, Jake becomes a star and leaves Lexi behind. She expects to never hear from him again, until she realizes that she inspired the song that made him famous!

There were two things that really stood out for me: the characters and the pacing.

Hameroff does a great job of fleshing out the backgrounds of all characters, not just Lexi and Jake, which really made the story come alive. As I was reading, I was already planning out sequels and thinking about what supporting characters I’d like to see star in their own story.

I also really loved how the story was paced. I feel like a lot of the celebrity romances I read end when the couple actually gets together, but Till There Was You allows Lexi and Jake time to be together, and allows the reader to see the challenges that arise as a result of their relationship. This created some really organic conflicts between characters and helped ground the story in reality.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a great combination of light and fluffy with just a dash of angst and emotion. Till There Was You is out now. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lexi and Jake meet at a bar and their one night stand turns into a weekend. Timing could not have been worse as he was due to fly to the west coast to record an album and she was committed to her culinary school program. What should have been a slow burn, long distance romance floundered due to busyness and interference. When they finally reconnect Lexi cannot trust him. Since this is a romance, things eventually get better. However, the barriers to romance were predictable and did not keep me engaged. I enjoyed the ending and was glad I read it, but was left wanting. This is Lindsay Hameroff's first book and I look forward to reading the next one that is due in February of 2025.

"Till There Was You" is a sweet exploration of figuring out what matters most in life.

Lexi Berman is a culinary student who is pursuing a career as a chef because she knows it would have made her mom proud. The problem is, Lexi much prefers cooking for friends and family at home than she does working in a restaurant.

Jake Taylor is pursuing a music career against the wishes of his father. But performing music on stage has been his passion for as long as he can remember.

When these two meet, we're treated to all their ups and downs of figuring out what their dreams really are, what they're willing to sacrifice to get there, and whether it will really even matter to them once they do (especially considering the sacrifices they need to make).

While their romance seems burdened by too many obstacles, when love wins out, it does so spectacularly!

Thank you to Lindsay Hameroff, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy.