Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an emotional read for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! You’ll love the charm, witty banter, and intrinsic strength of the FMC.

Lexi strives toward becoming a chef, which takes grit and entails dedicating your life to the craft, spending many hours each day in the kitchen. It’s what she’s wanted since she was young, and Lexi is definitely headstrong, focused, and thrives when she’s in control.

But when she meets Georgia-boy Jake at a bar he is performing at, she realizes they have a special connection. Lexi explores that connection by going “off book” and spending the weekend with him. She doesn’t expect much more from Jake after that since he heads across the country to record his demo.

He quickly rises to stardom and reappears in Lexi’s life suddenly, right when she is just establishing herself as a working professional in a new restaurant. Jake is a successful, new artist in the music industry, and a multitude of issues ensue, especially when it comes to being in a relationship with a person not in the public eye.

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions because there will be angst and anticipation, levity and laughter, and—best of all—humor and a happy ending. This story was well-written, and I certainly look forward to more works by the author.

4.5⭐️
1.5 🌶️

Till There Was You is a debut novel by Lindsay Hameroff. I knew I would love this book when page 1 had a quote from a Harry Styles song 🫶

This story follows Lexi and Jake. A one-night stand turns into a steamy weekend and insta-love vibes. However, Lexi is an aspiring chef and Jake is trying to make his break as a musician. With big goals and career plans, Lexi and Jake run into many obstacles to make their relationship work.

Jake and Lexi are both super lovable characters with their own flaws and baggage. While the heart of the story is in NYC, you still get a bit of southern charm because Jake is a Georgia boy at heart. This story explores what can happen when overnight fame steps in and how an everyday average person manages to date someone in the spotlight.

This was a super enjoyable read for romcom lovers who also like an emotional experience.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

A cute insta-love x second chance romance with two leads who have fascinating careers (a musician and a chef aspiring to work at the Michelin star level).

Lexi and Jake have a meet cute followed by a fantastic weekend followed by Lexi getting essentially ghosted by Jake. As Jake becomes an overnight pop star sensation thanks to a song inspired by Lexi and her amazing culinary skills, Lexi finds herself heartbroken, confused, and trying to move on. It is harder than it sounds given she sees Jake’s face in magazines and in billboards all over NYC. When Jake reappears wanting a relationship with Lexi, they have to figure out if their love is strong enough to overcome the intense pressures of their respective careers.

I really enjoyed reading this and loved the glimpses of the restaurant industry. The food Lexi was making sounded delicious. Till There Was You is a fun, escapist read with likable leads.

Thank you very much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Getting an early copy of this book on NetGalley was a fantastic summer bonus!

Till There Was You is full of lighthearted humor and both big and small romantic gestures. It has all the necessary ingredients for a romcom, with a dash of emotional familial baggage. Hameroff takes you on a journey with Lexi and Jake that you are sad to say goodbye to when you turn the last page.

-4.5 Stars-
I was so excited to snag this book when it was a Read Now on NetGalley and it didn’t disappoint. Especially because I read it with my favorite @and.a.good.book

Here’s what loved:
• second chance romance
• all the yummy food
• celebrity/chef love story
• soulmates feels
• so unputdownable

I loved the connection between Jake and Lexi. They were just meant to be and watching their connection grow as they fell more in love was utter perfection.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆/5
Steam: open door
Out February 20, 2024
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TW: past death of a parent, sexual harassment in the workplace described in the past

This had such a promising concept. Rock star met chef with a second chance romance? I was totally in! And the characters were pretty funny at first and the banter was cute at the beginning but what really took me out of the book every time was all the pop culture references. Even as a “millennial” this book is aging itself and should’ve been written back in 2010 or even 2015. When you describe the grand hotel lobby as “ something out of Kris Kenner’s wet dreams is when I had to put the book down. I really tried to be fair with this book as it was a debut.

Lindsay Hameroff's debut romance novel, "Till There Was You," packs quite a punch. From the moment I started reading, I couldn't help but be drawn in by the lovable characters and their undeniable connection. While the book falls into the "instant love" category, Hameroff manages to make it believable.

The characters in "Till There Was You" are exceptionally well-developed and relatable. Their chemistry is palpable right from the beginning, and it's easy to root for their love to blossom. Hameroff crafts their interactions with care, making each encounter meaningful and heartfelt. It's a joy to witness their connection deepen as the story progresses.

What sets this book apart is the considerable growth the characters experience throughout the story. They face obstacles and challenges that feel genuine and relatable. Their struggles are portrayed in a way that allows readers to empathize with their journey. Hameroff's ability to create believable character development adds depth and realism to the narrative, making it all the more engaging.

In "Till There Was You," Lindsay Hameroff showcases her talent for crafting a compelling romance. Her writing style is engaging, and she has a knack for capturing emotions in a way that resonates with readers. The pacing of the story keeps you hooked, eagerly turning the pages to see how the characters' relationship unfolds.

Overall, "Till There Was You" is a delightful debut novel that delivers a believable "instant love" story. Lindsay Hameroff's lovable characters, clear connection, and believable struggles make for a captivating read. Fans of romance will find themselves engrossed in this heartfelt tale of love and growth. I eagerly await what Hameroff has in store for us next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lindsay Hammeroff for the ARC.

Well ok than.. I did not expect to be so consumed by this story that I ended up staying up all night to finish it. I thought it was so well done. These characters make you fall in love with them and be invested in their lives. Jakes mom I just wanted to give a big hug to. I also was not expecting such an emotional grief storyline. That was hard but so important.

I loved this book soo much

This debut had me thinking "what if" about a chance celebrity encounter and how it could be possible in a different world... and I loved having that feeling! The characters felt real and I was rooting for the love story throughout the book, and waited impatiently for the moment I could finally cheer them on! Definitely worth the read and I'll be left thinking about these characters and this story for a long time.

Bless his charming southern, sweet tea drinking heart. I have found a new book boyfriend in Jake Taylor. This was such a fun read and I really enjoyed their banter and seeing the relationship develop even though there were so many obstacles for them! I desperately need a sequel! There are so many things I wish I could read about in their future!

For Fans of: Emily Henry
Pacing: fast and engaging
Spice: 🌶️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Favorite character: Jake

*An ARC was sent to me from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for an honest review.*

Till There Was You is the best kind of love story, it is charming, sweet, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Insta love and second chance romance, the love story between Lexi and Jake is incredibly sweet and believable. Also, the supporting characters were so much fun, would love to see more of them in the future.

Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff was a joy to read and will recommend it to others.

I stayed up way too late to finish reading this book. It has so many tropes that I absolutely love (Celebrity romance, Second Chance Romance) on top of the banter, mentions of show tunes and golden girls. A fantastic combination that just made me fall in love with these characters.

Lexi was driven. I admired her strength to try to make it in a predominantly male dominated career. I'm glad she found her true calling towards the end of the book.

JAKE. OMG. I wanted to scream at him for not calling her back. Like come on and just pick up the phone. But, that's how these stories go.

Excuse me, now I want blueberry pancakes.

Loved this one!! 🫐🥞🌃💛🎶👩🏼‍🍳
A chef and a musician fall in love over blueberry pancakes in this second-chance romance debut. “Till There Was You” features lots of cooking, Broadway music, New York living, and the journey to achieve your dreams. This was such a fun read, lighthearted with depth - I loved every minute of it!

Thank you Lindsay Hameroff for this story. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Fabulous romcom that needs to be added to your TBR. Super funny and emotional at times. Add in cooking references and a pop star….perfection.

This book was cute and fun to read. I enjoyed the storyline and the way the characters professions and dreams for themselves brought them together. Some parts were a bit slow, but the banter and interaction between Jake and Lexi made me smile.

Till There Was You is a fast, quirky, contemporary novel. I like that it was set in culinary school. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and ultimately it felt too insta-love for me.

I want to say that I was totally captivated by the beginning of this story. I thought it was a cute romance, they had nice origin story and a fun little weekend. But then life happened and time passed without one another and there wasn’t space to accommodate the spark they had from the beginning. I felt like their relationship was forced and I really couldn’t relate to it. I felt like Lexi was always questioning it and Jake was always having to to rationalize it. I also felt like many of the characters were one-dimensional and I had a hard time with the flow of the book because there were so many page breaks within the chapters.

BUT I did think the ending was really cute. I felt that where they were in the end - Jake having to delay his tour and Lexi starting a new business - they could potentially make it work.

*ARC provided for an honest review*

So, this book was good. It was a little disappointing, though, because I fully believe that this book COULD have been really great. The plot was compelling, the characters were interesting, the spice was well spaced. There was just a lot of extra elements and scenes which (for me) didn’t really move the plot forward much but did shift focus away from the main plot. I also thought it was interesting that the big concern was how much time working in a kitchen was going to take away from being in the relationship, so the (spoiler) solution was for Lexi to start her own business?? Because that FAMOUSLY doesn’t take a lot of time, especially in the beginning….

One absolute *swoon-worthy* book at your service!! This was such a cute read, I loved every bit of it, I had the biggest smile on my face when reading it.

Lexi is the perfect heroine that you can’t help but to root for, and her chemistry with Jake was 🥰🥰 I am usually not a fan of second chance romance or insta love trope books, but this was just so well thought out and well written than I couldn’t put it down.

I love character’s in books, and Lexi’s friends are top shelf. I want her friends to get their own books, so not only can I follow along with more of Lexi and Jake’s story but get the others as well!!

Thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Griffin for letting me enjoy this title early in exchange for my honest review.

Till There Was You: 4/5 ⭐️
🗓 February 24th, 2024
🥞 Second Chance Romance
🫐 Insta Love
🥞 Strong FMC
🫐 Rockstar Romance

Lexi Berman has one focus in life: become a chef in her own Michelin-star restaurant. She is so focused on this goal, she has sworn off dating; a chef’s shifts are crazy long and relationships often fail as a result. On a rare occasion when she has a night off, Lexi joins her girlfriends for a night at the pub when a handsome stranger sitting at the bar strikes up a conversation with her. One thing leads to another, and Lexi takes a handsome stranger- a.k.a Jake Taylor- home with her.

Fast forward a few days, and Jake is still at Lexi’s house, and they can’t keep their hands off of each other. They fall for one another hard and fast, and Lexi is suddenly questioning her stance on relationships- maybe she can make this work. Then Jake drops a bombshell of his own- he’s flying to L.A to record a music demo and will be gone for weeks.

Till There Was You is a sweet romance in every sense of the way: predictable meet cute, pattern of ‘will they or won’t they’ make it, a headstrong FMC and a well meaning-although- conflicted love interest. There is a love song, a weekend home to meet family, a third act breakup and a new year’s eve scene- all the things this romance-loving-reader loves in a book! The only downfall for me was the beginning- I seriously considered quitting reading until about 25% in- I just felt like their meeting and relationship was thrown at me straight away, and it didn’t feel very believable. However, once I accepted it and kept reading, I really enjoyed Lexi and Jake’s story.

I also really liked Lexi’s friends- they were great supporting characters and had just enough of their own things going on to be entertaining and steady throughout the story, but not distracting. They also all served a purpose, so as a reader, I felt like it was important/worthwhile to have met them. I’d love to see a second story that focuses on Mia and her love life!

Did I mention the story involves blueberry pancakes?