I just wanted to firstly thank Lake Country Press & Review for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I honestly have no words other than… WOW. When reading the summary, I was immediately captivated by the premise of the book! Two chefs falling in love??!! 😱💗 I’d never encountered anything like that before and I knew I was going to love this from the get-go! When I tell you guys that this book was DELICIOUSLY good… I mean it! 🍽💗 This was like 5-course meal! Very rarely has a book made me laugh, cry, and feel every other wonderful emotion in the most beautiful way. ❤️

Another 5 star romance! 🤩

Let me start this off by saying I am a lil Reylo gremlin sooo of course this book is my current life source.

Now the review…

So boom, this book is so good. I found myself kicking my feet and giggling throughout (also made me super hungry 😂). It gave me the happy teenage feeling of reading a super good fanfic at 2am at all times. The book as a whole made me so happy and I couldn’t put it down.

The plot *chef’s kiss* and the characters 😍. I also love that Ms. Kwan made the MMC Asian and not white. Like yes go off. Because I feel like all Reylo books always make the MMC white so it was super refreshing the he wasn’t in this (and my sis still kept it Kylo/Ben coded 👍🏾) and makes the book stand out (I stan!).

Despite being Reylo coded down this book has a universal appeal. If you’re a romance reader you’ll love it.

I also think I am a convert to the chef/culinary romance subgenre. 👩🏾‍🍳

For my Reylos 🗣️: you definitely going to pickup and get the vibes. Definitely buy this and read it!

Pub day is 12/19/23 and I’ll be getting my physical copy. Don’t expecting nothing less from me 😈

✨I was graciously accepted to read this as an ARC off of NetGalley from @lakecountrypress for my honest review. Thank you!!✨

4/5 stars.
This book is a perfect, cutesy romance that will help you escape the reading slump. Much like Hannah Grace, the author gives us plenty of adorable moments between the couple so we can gush and fangirl over the perfect boyfriends. The cherry on top; spicy scenes!
An incredible aspect of the book is how the author expertly integrates topics like consent, safe sex, and racism into her writing. You get a little bit of educational along with romance!
If you're into workplace romance, grumpy x sunshine, and mmc that is only soft for *her*, you'll love this book.
The only downside of the book was the backstories of the MCs. It either didn't fit in or wasn't given enough justice; unsure.
Overall, I would recommend this book fo' so'.

Oh my god
Before anything I'd like to thank the author for the eARC
Thank youu for this lovely experience

This book was SO GOOD I finished it in one day
No words to describe the absolute perfection of the romance the plot the character's growth

First We have our two Main characters Eden and Shang
Eden was such a lovely character
She was sweet but a badass when she needed to be . She wasn't perfect she made mistakes but she definitely did the right thing after she realized her mistake
Her life was not easy and yet she was such a sweetheart there's so much to unpack so you just have to read it and trust me

Then we have Shang
Sweet . Caring.  I hate everyone (he's really the kind on the inside 😭 ) but you kinda guy

The romance
The perfect mix between banter & sweet moments it was just so wholesome

_This Book deals with family & abandonment issues ._

Very well written recommended if you want
Grumpy xsunshine
I hate everyone but you
Flawed characters
Family issues and character's growth

4.5🌟*

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!

Knives, Seasoning, & a Dash of Love had me hooked from the moment I met chef Alexander Chen and saw the strict kitchen he ran. His personality jumps off the page. He’s particular, precise, and leaves no room for error, but everything changes when he meets Eden Monroe and immediately picks up on all these little details about her that others seem to not notice. Eden is sweet and patient and all for positive reinforcement which I absolutely adored about her and the way it played into her and Alexander’s dynamic. These two have my whole my heart.

Katrina’s writing is definitely something special. It flows extremely well and the food descriptions are so vivid in a way I’ve never encountered before. I felt like I was right there in the kitchen cooking with the characters and that was such a magical and fun experience that it made me want to run to the kitchen just so I could make all these yummy meals. This book is a MASTERPIECE and I look forward to reading all of Katrina's upcoming books!

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.
This romance is a literal chef’s kiss—great banter between the grumpy x sunshine main characters makes this heartfelt story soar. It’s steamy and fun and will have you foaming at the mouth and wishing for a companion cookbook (or your very own Alexander).
I liked the dual POV aspect, as it was able to showcase character growth for both Eden and Alexander,
Highly recommend to any romance readers out there—Katrina Kwan will have you shouting Yes Chef in no time!

Thank you to Lake Country Press/Xpresso Book Tours for sending me an ARC of this book!! I adored it so much and finished it in one sitting.

I loved watching any kind of cooking show when I was a kid from Chopped to Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and I firmly believe those shows are the reason why I love cooking and sharing food as a love language now that I am an adult. This entire book made me feel like I was watching one of those shows and I had so much fun reading this 😭

I really enjoyed how entertaining and cohesive everything about this book was from the conflict to the descriptions of how rush hour in the kitchen goes. Eden is such a relatable FMC and I loved how outspoken she was and did not hesitate to put anyone in their place. She is such a girlboss and I love her so, so much. When she was happy, I could feel it through the page and when she was having some internal conflict, the heartbreak was palpable. Alexander/Shang was so @#$%&@*!$ !!! Like I don’t have any words to describe him because his personality was just so slay and his dynamic with Eden gives off enemies to lovers but they’re not enemies, they just have all the tension and chemistry that typically comes with that trope and it was delicious to read the tension fester until it bubbled over.

Even though this book was a fun little read, it also deals with heavier topics such as child abandonment, sexual harassment in the workplace, and mental health crises. Katrina Kwan’s portrayal of depressive episodes was SO realistic and devastating, and dare I say, perhaps amongst the best portrayal of what a depression episode truly is, in any book I have ever read. She just nailed it on the head when describing the guilt and shame that comes with a mental health crisis, along with how those thoughts just run in constant circles and debilitate a person even further. The last 12-15% of this book had me in tears because it really does get worse before getting the sweetest ending.

The ending of this book had all of my favorite tropes and my tears turned into happy ones because I ADORED it so much. The final chapters of this book are my new standard and I won’t be accepting anything less than years of happy marriage with love so intense it’s like they want to crawl inside of each other’s brains !!!! I am so excited to have been able to read and review this early, and I cannot wait for December to hold this book in my hands <3

This is going to be a delicious (hehe) heartwarming debut novel. I already knew I would love this book upon the first chapter in. Grumpy sunshine, workplace romance, a little spice (not just the food) and more. This book checks all the boxes.
It’s a very lovely mix of fluffy sweetness and hurt. Asian rep with also a diverse cast from different backgrounds and real world struggles was the cherry on top.

My thoughts are Katrina did a wonderful job crafting each and every character in this novel. They feel so real and relatable. The colleague/coworker banter is funny and the romance is so sweet.

(I will also say, my fellow Reylo readers will enjoy this one 😌)

Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the e-ARC!

What I liked:

--grumpy/sunshine
--both MC backstories were a little out of the ordinary
--he NOTICES things about her
--he's stern everywhere
--kitchen co-workers who back up the main characters

What I didn't like:

--antagonists who were so one-dimensional in their villainy
--a story line that was a little predictable and bland
--the MCs calling each other "dummy" (I cannot tell you how much I hate this, it's both juvenile and ableist, and it totally detracted from their banter)

It's a good first outing for this author but it lacked the special ingredients needed to elevate it to a really great story. 3 stars.

Thank you, Lake Country Press and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Okay so I have officially found a new favourite book 🥹
I had the opportunity to read an arc of this book via NetGalley. This is Katrina Kwan's debut novel (although she is a ghostwriter) and her writing just shines in this book. It has great pacing and it is incredibly well-written.
The main reason I personally enjoyed this book so much is the relatability I found within. My husband is a chef, also called Alexander, and there were a lot of strange and specific relatable moments for me as I was reading. I have never highlighted so much in a book! I actually read some aloud to my husband and we spoke about how crazily similar some parts are to us.
Both Eden and Alexander have separate storylines, both of which are family-oriented, which I find so important in romance novels. There is conflict between them both but it's not over-dramatised which is a common complaint of many romance books out there. I also really enjoyed the side characters; they were developed enough to push the story along but didn't detract from the main characters.
This is one of my favourite romances of all time and I really recommend picking up this book when it comes out on December 19th 2023. I will be pre-ordering a physical copy for my shelves too and it will be a perfect Christmas present to myself. Honestly if I could rate this book more than 5 stars I would, this was a true delight to read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and Katrina Kwan for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to Goodreads, Instagram Stories and Threads. Review to be posted on Amazon on release day.

Let me start off with saying that I really enjoyed reading Knives, Seasonings & A Dash of Love. I literally finished it in a day! I really enjoyed both the dynamics between Eden and Alexander as well as the supporting cast. The storyline and plot weren’t too heavy and everything ended neatly with a much loved HEA. Some parts of the story did feel a little rushed and glossed over, but did not take away the overall feel of the story. That being said, read this book. Do it. It’s a fun read and won’t disappoint if you’re looking for something sweet and a little spicy.

A whole romance novel with an Asian-American lead? Perfection.

This was such an easy and fun read! The slow reveal of Alexander's struggles with microaggression was wonderfully done; we see his successes and how he earned his reputation, but his own regrets comes to the surface the closer he gets to Eden, his sous chef. Eden is also dealing with a troubled past, but her outlook on life and bubbly personality motivates them both to a better future.

Alexander and Eden's relationship is incredibly sweet. Perhaps it is a little unrealistic, but that's the point of a romance novel, isn't it? They support each other through their own struggles, and while Eden's insecurities gets overwhelming at times, Alexander's support quickly gets her to where she needs to be. The explicit scenes are quite fun as well :^)

Regarding the microaggression to Alexander, I appreciate that we recognize he had to give up a lot in order to succeed, and yet outsiders still think less of him. No matter our successes, the insecurity in others will try to beat us down, but at nearly every instance, we see this being called out as well.

Perhaps I'm singing this book's praise too much but it is well deserved. I'm very impressed by the author's ability to easily tell a story, but upon reading her author's bio, seeing that she has also ghostwritten other works completely makes sense.

"Knives, Seasoning, & A Dash of Love" by Katrina Kwan offers readers a tantalizing blend of culinary passion, complex characters, and the promise of hidden depths. The story introduces us to Alexander Chen, a renowned chef with a reputation for his fiery temper and exacting standards in the kitchen. Eden Monroe, his newly hired sous chef, brings with her a sense of intrigue, having perhaps embellished her qualifications to secure the job.

The tension between Alexander and Eden, with her past connection to him as Shang, provides an intriguing backdrop for the narrative. The contrast between Alexander's current temperament and his former self as Shang hints at the possibility of personal growth and transformation.

Eden's quest to protect her secrets, including her need to hire a private detective to uncover something from her past, adds an element of mystery and suspense. The promise of a simmering romance between the two main characters further heightens the anticipation.

As readers, we're invited to savor the rich flavors of the culinary world while also delving into the complexities of these characters' lives. With the backdrop of a high-stakes kitchen, this novel promises a feast for the senses and a compelling exploration of identity and relationships.

"Knives, Seasoning, & A Dash of Love" appears to be a delightful and flavorful read that will leave readers hungry for more.

Right off the bat, the book dedication hit me right in the feels. It captured the essence of the struggle that is adult life, reminding us that we're all just trying to make it through each day. It made me feel seen and connected, setting the tone for the heartfelt journey that lay ahead.

One of the standout features of this novel was the much-needed Asian representation. Kwan's portrayal of cultural nuances and the depth of her characters' experiences added layers of authenticity to the story. It was a breath of fresh air to see diverse voices and perspectives woven into the narrative.

The workplace romance trope of "grumpy meets sunshine" is always a favorite of mines. The dynamic between Eden and Alexander was a fun to read, as their contrasting personalities and magnetic chemistry unfolded. I saw right away that alexander's character is giving reylo vibes and I enjoy this even more after realizing🤣🤣🤣.

Each character felt real and relatable, drawing you further into their lives and struggles. Alexander's journey as a perfectionist striving to prove his worth in the culinary world struck a chord with me personally, and I found myself empathizing with his journey.

Kwan's handling of spicy scenes was tastefully done, and the palpable chemistry between Eden and Alexander added a delightful layer of magic to the story. The book skillfully built up sexual tension and delivered flirty scenes that left me eagerly turning the pages. It was impossible not to root for this couple!

What truly stood out was the book's willingness to address important social issues, particularly racism. Kwan approached this topic with sensitivity and depth, shedding light on the harsh realities of discrimination while also offering hope and understanding.

This was an enchanting and impactful read that exceeded my expectations. My only complaint is that I wanted more—I simply couldn't get enough of Eden and Alexander's story.

Thank you, Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love has:

-YES, CHEF
-grumpy sunshine
-spice (ha pun intended)
-I hate everyone but you
-tragic backstory
-begrudging gift giving? (I.e. let me buy you this expensive gift for your safety and DEFINITELY NOT because you’re cute and I love you wait what?)

I blew through a majority of KSaaDoL in one sitting, it was that good 😍

Alexander. Where do I even begin? Alexander is my favorite type of grumpy, sweet to his girl, hero. Not only that, he GROWS. That’s right, folks, there is growth. Watching him go from a Gordon Ramsey-esque terror of a chef in the beginning to the way he is at the end (I won’t say more for fear of spoilers) but just know it’s *chef’s kiss* (HA MORE PUNS).

And Eden? Sweet, sunny, tragically backstoried Eden? I want to give her a hug and eat her food. (Seriously, Kwan’s descriptions had my mouth watering throughout.)

And then putting these together together? It’s a recipe for success (how many chef puns will we have??)

My favorite part was Eden’s period and the fancy grilled cheese (props to Kwan for normalizing truly awful periods, we need more of this in media - signed a sufferer of truly awful periods).

*I received an ARC in exchange for review, and this is my own opinion. Huge thanks to Lake Country Press and Katrina Kwan for the arc.