Not sure why this book didn't wow me, but it really didn't and that's why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4. Although it came close to bumping up for some of the unique touches and conversations.

The plot was there and had a lot of potential, and the characters were well developed. But neither Jake nor Lexi won over my affections and the peripheral characters didn't emerge as stars either. They made a cute couple in some ways, and sure they did some cute things together, but all in all, I didn't really love them enough to care whether they made it through to the end and came out a couple. Maybe at the start, I was more invested in their story but as things progressed, I felt kind of meh. Especially about Lexi who was almost always surprised when her poor decisions led to well, negative consequences. No spoilers, but if you are in a trade where hours are merciless and you are expected to bleed for your passion, then it's hard to really be upset when, well, you not bleeding for your passion and brushing off the job leads to reprimands and lack of support from your peers.

I think I have said this about a number of romances this year, but I really do hate the contrived (or somewhat contrived) conflict that tears the couple apart. I much prefer a romance where the couple just works together and their HEA does not come because they break up and realize they were better off together. Not a fan of the big dramatic moment even though, when I watch Notting Hill, the car chase at the end is probably my favourite scene. Oh wait, who am I kidding, it's the awkward dinner party that's my favourite scene.

All in all, it was enjoyable. Just not earth shattering for me. And for a debut novel, it's well done. Blueberry pancakes indeed.

The big caveat is that sometimes I need a break from contemporary romances and have a hard time enjoying any of them, and this book did come off a big string of contemporary romances.

I was genuinely surprised with how much I liked this story. Til There Was You was a fast paced romcom that could easily be read in one sitting.
Both Jake and Lexi are chasing their dreams when they cross paths. Since they met they can’t seem to forget each other. Their romance and love for each other developed quickly.
(Small spoiler-ish) While still an amazing read, it definitely could have gone with out the third act breakup. This was the one thing keeping me from giving it five stars.
Now I’m going to be craving blueberry pancakes until I can get my hands on some.
This will definitely be a 2024 must read

This was the most romcom story to ever romcom.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

I feel like this had everything in it to make it the perfect romantic comedy! The writing was easy to get into, the characters were easy to love and well rounded, and the story flowed well. I read it all in one sitting, and I think it'll be perfect for the Valentine's Day season coming up next year!

And while I did love it overall, I do have some hesitances with the story. I've seen a couple of reviewers say it was a little too insta-love for them, and while I understand that, I do think it was meant to be written as two people with an instant connection that never got the chance to see it go further. However, I do think having them communicate a little more after Jack leaves for LA would have added to their connection and made it more believeable. It was hard to see their breakup as this huge, devastating, life altering thing when it really was just 1 weekend. But that might just be a personal preference. I also wish the timeframe between Lexi and Jack meeting up again had been stretched out a bit longer. I think it would've made more sense for Jack to be an even bigger star, rather than one that's still upcoming. I wasn't sold on that timeframe as much as I wanted to be, and I think that a longer timeframe could have added to the pining that was between the two characters. I kept waiting for a scene where Lexi has to see Jack as this huge star even as she's trying to avoid him, but I was disappointed we really didn't get to see her reactions to him becoming huge. Them meeting up again wasn't as dramatic as I had hoped, and I expected there to be some more emotional turmoil than we got. I feel like the story still felt low-stakes even in the high-stakes moments, and I wished there had been some more tension added to some specific scenes.

Overall, I still really enjoyed this story. It was such a good time, like the easiest story to fall into. The characters were so, so easy to love and I felt like I was watching a romcom inside my head. Seriously the sweetest story, and I'm so excited for people to read it next year!

A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Will post review on Goodreads closer to publication date!

3.5 stars for this second chance romance.

Dive bar singer Jake Taylor and aspiring chef Lexi Berman have a chance meeting during a night out in New York City that turns into a weekend-long date. Both of them are a little stunned by the insta-chemistry they share, and when Jake leaves Monday morning for LA to meet with a record label, he promises Lexi he will be back in a few days so they can further explore their relationship.

Except --- he is instantly signed and his song "Blueberry" becomes an overnight sensation and despite being the chef behind the inspiring breakfast, Lexi never hears from him again.

Until he shows up on her doorstep nearly a year later, begging for a second chance. Lexi reluctantly agrees, still feeling that magnetic pull towards this man that is now a household name.

Jake Taylor is a heartthrob in every single way. Propelled into stardom by his hit single, he still manages to be incredibly thoughtful, sweet, and loving to those in his life. He quite literally stole the show in this one -- while his character was so endearing, Lexi was constantly second guessing his devotion despite a growing mountain of evidence that he has eyes for only her. I felt for Lexi --- I can't imagine the immense pressure of dating a celebrity as a "regular", but her character just felt immature and afraid for most of this storyline.

The plot started so strong with these two, and started to fizzle out with the growing refrain of Lexi's concerns. We wrapped it up with a sweet ending (no pun intended) but the ultimate taste of this one was just a little too bland.

I really enjoy Lindsay’s writing style. I think this is a great rom com with ALL the swoon worthy vibes and I would definitely read this author again! Also I thought MC and both her friends were hilarious and so relatable. Loved them together.

Months after a weekend fling budding music star Jake shows up on the doorstep of budding chef Lexi. They can’t deny their attraction to one another but for Lexi a relationship with Jake means risking so much of the life she’s worked for. For Jake the loss of a possible relationship might mean the end of his music.
With lots of suspension of disbelief- it is after all a celebrity/real person story- we get to see the highs and lows of them building a relationship. But Lexi has a lot of insecurities that pop up too often and block the path of their relationship. Trying to balance a career as a chef with a career as a rock star also beings tensions in. But the whole thing ends spectacularly one New Years Eve in Times Square. Definitely worth the wait if you love schmaltz (and I do).

Thanks to St Martin's, NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I instantly fell in love with both characters, their career journeys., their personal growth and their love story. I thought the commercial kitchen scenes were particularly well done and felt very authentic. The description of the blueberry pancakes made me hungry and prompted me to get out my griddle.

This was well written and didn't "feel" like a debut novel. I look forward to reading more from this author..

WOW! First off thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for letting me read an advanced reader's copy of this marvellous book. The characters just felt so real to me and I love how much depth Lexi and Jake had as our main characters. I found the phrase "deep, dreamless slumber" to be just a tad overused in the writing but nevertheless I enjoyed every second of watching this story unfold. Any time I was doing anything other than reading, this book was on my mind and I just couldn't wait to see what happened next. As a debut novel I thought it was very well done. Congratulations Lindsay Hameroff! I can't wait to see what you'll produce in the future.

A solid freshman effort from Hameroff. Its a fun romance acknowledging the difficulties of balancing work and life, cranked up to 11 and plays out very publicly as the latest generation of young-woman-making-it-in-the-big-city runs after that elusive brass ring of 'having it all'.

I had difficulty with all the hype over Jake Taylor and wasn't rooting for him that hard. Maybe it was the Southern thing, as I don't find Southern Charm charming - I find it insincere and suspicious. Give me a gruff Yankee or Stoic Brit any day. Also, all his mega success came so fast and easily, I couldn't work up any sympathy for his 'boo-hoo I'm so rich and lonely now' routine.

Despite some of the ridiculousness of just how huge Jake's career gets overnight, the plot and relationship played out very organically, the last minute conflict was not at all contrived but building up since the beginning, and very sweet big gestures from both at the end.

This was a great feel good read! I loved all the food and how Jake & Lexi fell in love over blueberry pancakes.
I liked how they both were strong characters chasing their dreams, but couldn't forget about the great weekend they spent together.
I like that we see that their lives haven't always been easy. And I felt for Lexi with the death of her mother.
This was a really lovely fast paced read filled with food, friendships, strong characters, and love.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

An especially cute and funny romantic comedy with a cast of (mostly) likeable characters and fun stakes.

Pleasantly surprised with this one- and I ended up loving everything about it! I feel like I can be pretty picky at times when finding a romcom to read, but "Till There Was You" checked all the boxes! (Let's be real, I read this whole book in one sitting hahah).

Considering it took place in New York City, there were a multitude of references to the area that I loved. Including Lexi's obsession with the Union Square Farmers Market and Eataly (I still need to try this place lol). Considering the main character, Lexi, is a Chef while Jake Taylor is a musician on the rise, you immediately knew the chemistry between the two was going to be a whirlwind. The author does a wonderful job exploring the emotions gathered between the two, the ability to offer second chances while staying true to what your heart tells you. The book also provided some insight between the battle of stardom with normality.

This one is definitely a must read, and trust me, it's not so easy to put down

The story follows Lexi an aspiring chef who has her life planned. Graduate culinary school, get a job as a chef and move up the ladder to executive chef. She won’t let anything stand in her way of her plans.

Enter Jake Taylor an aspiring musician who like Lexi wants to achieve his dreams. A chance encounter at a dive bar leads to them sharing their hopes and dreams as well as some pancakes.

If you’re a fan of food network, bachelor cameos and second chances . Highly recommended snagging a copy when Till There Was You comes out on February 20, 2024.

Oh, I thought this was a sweet and cute. Summer story about an aspiring chef and musician. It was a quick read that reminded me of another novel (but I’m unfortunately blanking on the name). A fun beach read!

Chef/Musician relationship. Instalove.
This book reminded me of a 2000s Hallmark movie. I really enjoyed reading about the cooking and chef aspects of this book. I enjoyed Lexi’s friendships. I did not enjoy the instalove. We are immediately thrown into this relationship only for it to end rather abruptly as well. I felt that the relationship between Jake and Lexi just fell flat because we didn’t get to see there relationship develop over time. The ending was cute and like I said the whole book gives me major hallmark movie vibes. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins press for the e-arc. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

I loved this story! Lexi is a culinary student that meets smooth talking Jake in a dive bar after her friends leave her for the next bar of the night. Little does Lexi know, but Jake is the dive bar entertainment that her friends have been waiting around to hear. Jake is only in town for the weekend before he jets off to L.A. to record his demo. Lexi and Jake spend one weekend together where they don't come up for air until the weekend is over! The love story between Lexi and Jake is a fast one, but is also one that spans more than just a weekend. Lindsay Hameroff does a wonderful job of making you fall in love with both characters and then in the next chapter can make you upset at something the characters do. This story is a classic love story with a bit of spice sprinkled in! This was a book that I couldn't put down after I started reading and was one that I was sad when it was over.

While the plot was predictable, I thought this story was cute and liked the chemistry between Lexi and Jake

If you are feeling a reading slump coming on Til There Was You is the perfect book to get you back into reading. Jake and Lexi's meet-cute starts this novel with a bang, but after a weekend together filled with food and fun, the two are unable to keep the relationship progressing. Author Lindsay Hameroff was able to write an adorable second-chance romance that will keep readers wanting more. I loved the use of first-person perspective and felt that I was fully able to understand her thoughts and feelings about her relationship with Jake. I also really enjoyed Jake and his intense desire to keep the relationship with Lexi. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys banter, celebrity romance, and happily ever afters.

Till There Was You is a beautiful reminder of the power of love!

From the second Lexi and Jake met you felt the connection and as their story continued, even when my heart was breaking, you knew that these two would find a way. Their bond was just too deep!

I love the meet cute that took place between these two! They just clicked and it was funny how much heck they gave each other. They had so much in common and even the things they disagreed on helped to balance them out.

I identified with Lexi so much. Her need for Oder and rules but yet when give the right circumstances how care free she could be just spoke to me. I loved the passion between these two and my heart oh my heart broke when things came crashing down. I love when a story is so good you feel like its happening to you and that’s exactly what this story felt like!

A must 2024 MUST READ!

What a pleasant surprise! I picked this book up on a whim and I am so glad that I did. It was such a sweet story.

At first I was a little confused by the insta-love between Lexi and Jake, but once I got further into the book, I understood the purpose of the plot. I related to Lexi’s work ethic and independence, and I was drawn to Jake’s humbleness and loyalty to Lexi.

If you like books with a culinary focus, I would easily recommend this book for you. Lexi’s culinary background allowed for so many yummy food descriptions that had me wanting to get in the kitchen myself.

(Slight spoilers here) The only thing that stood in the way of this being a five star review was the repetitiveness of the story towards the end. It didn’t take away from the story, but I could have gone without the third act breakup.

Regardless, I still recommend picking up this book when it releases in February!