Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I enjoyed the author’s other books, so this was fun to read. I loved the setting and the ending.

3.5 stars, rounded down

A super cute, quick summer read that will leave you wanting to go visit Italy, or at the very least it'll leave you wanting a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine.

I enjoyed that this was food related, I really enjoyed all the different recipes. With that said, don't read this on an empty stomach because you will be craving all the dishes mentioned.

I enjoyed the romance between the main characters. I thought their friendship turned romance blossomed organically which is always a plus. I also enjoyed Olive's journey to overcome her grief from the death of her father.

My main complaint was the completely out of nowhere plot twist at the very end. I didn't really think it was necessary, and if it had to be in there, then more time should have been spent on it. It seemed like it was used as a plot device to speed up the ending, which I wasn't a fan of.

One thing I was a huge fan of was that there was no third act, completely unnecessary breakup. I know it's basically a standard now with romance books, but I'm not a fan and I found this super refreshing that there wasn't one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(This review contains spoilers.)

This was a cute story about Olive, a food critic working to finish her estranged late father's cookbook, and Leo, a sous chef at her father's restaurant. The Italian summer they spent with all the delicious food, scenery, views, and activities was written so descriptively that you would immediately get hungry (and FOMO) reading this. It was a slow-burn romance, and while I did enjoy their banter, the attraction sometimes felt a bit rushed, and the buildup also felt lackluster, to echo other reviewers. I found Olive's struggle to properly grieve her father's death pretty relatable since it was a very complicated relationship. While I wasn't necessarily invested in it, her experience with bereavement was executed well. This is a minor criticism, but the word "grin" was overused, in my opinion. I also appreciated that there was no third-act breakup, which was refreshing to see.

Overall, I did enjoy this and think it's great for a quick summer read. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Lizzy Dent for the ARC!

I sooooo wanted to love this because I absolutely ADORE this cover! So fun and creative, probably one of my favorite illustrated contemporary romance covers; it was the main reason I picked it up.

I just thought the story fell a little flat! I didn’t jive much with either Olive or Leo, and their romantic relationship seemed to come out of nowhere. They were sniping at each other and then almost immediately Olive decided she liked him and just dove in headfirst. It felt like their feelings were based on nothing. I’ll admit that I also was not super invested in Olive’s relationship with her dad, and the plot twist that comes out of ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE in the end kinda seemed like a way to wrap up the story quicker? Idk, I will say that I enjoyed the ending more than I thought I would after being bored for most of the first half (kudos for no real third act breakup here), but overall I was disappointed with this one.

This was a cute romance! The food descriptions in this book had me drooling the entire time. And while I feel like there was a decent romance, I would've liked to seen more of their spark, or some sexual tension. A good size chunk of this novel read more like chick-lit, to be honest. However, if you're looking for a sweet romance with some serious food FOMO, I think you'll enjoy this one.

oh my god oh my god oh my god I have no notes, just that maybe this was longer?? can we have a movie??? Can I have a part two?? Can i spend an entire summer in Italy recreating every single scene in this book? WTF I LOVE LIZZY DENT IM BUYING ALL OF HER BOOKS 😭

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for providing me with the ARC of Just One Taste! I really loved the premise of this book, but I was expecting more romance and chemistry from the two characters. I found it was more about how she was grieving her father rather than growing her love for the main character.

This book is a quick, adorable story about a woman that inherits a restaurant from her estranged dad. As well as an unfinished cookbook, and planned trip to Italy to finish said cookbook, with the hot sous chef from her dad’s restaurant. I loved this book! It had me both laughing and teary eyed. The chemistry and build up between the main characters was great. The side characters added a lot to the story, but didn’t over shine. The Italian back drop was a fun insight into the different locations and cuisines found throughout the country. Altogether it was a great weekend read!! Snag this one in July!

This book was definitely cute & the Italian food talk was next level. I was quite literally hungry the entire time I was reading this and now I want to travel the world! No but seriously, Lizzy Dent did such a beautiful job in detailing every single bit of the setting. I could almost taste the pasta and feel the Tuscan sun on my face.

I wanted so badly to love Olive & Leo, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing and I struggled a bit to connect with them. I love a slow burn, but this form me was entirely too slow and the romance that we did get was a little lack luster. I definitely found myself skimming for dialogue quite a bit just waiting for something to happen. I did however really enjoy the friendship between Olive, Ginny, & Kate. The bater between them felt so genuine and their dynamic was very relatable.

With all that said, this book was good but it just didn't blow me away. I would recommend this to someone looking for an easy beach read or something to take on vacation.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Putnam & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange of my honest review. All thoughts are my own!

Yum! A delicious novel with a fabulous setting in Italy. I liked this one a lot. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I liked the characters and I was invested in the outcome.

Olive is determined to sell her father’s restaurant. But leo is determined to convince her not to. They go to Italy together to finish what her dad started. A cookbook. They travel from Sicily to Tuscany to liguria to try new recipes. And during the trip she realizes Leo isn’t who she expected him to be.

I really enjoyed this book, and I definitely recommend it for anyone who likes reading about food, or to be more specific italian food, italy, vacation and also two people trying to figure out their feelings for each other. I really liked the setting! I love reading about two lovers in italy!! And I really liked the characters, though I didn't really connect with them as much as I'd like to. And the book was also pretty short and easy to get through. I was a little bored the last 50-70 pages though…

This book deals a bit with grief, since her father died and it’s hard for her to finish something of his. So be aware of that before you read it.

Thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for sending me this ARC through netgalley.

I loved this story so much. More than I expected to. I enjoyed the characters and the story line. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for sharing this ARC!

I'll give Just One Taste some credit: it made me extremely, extremely hungry. Unfortunately, my hunger was not enough to keep me invested in reading this book. I felt that the characters lacked chemistry and I struggled to connect with this story.

I really enjoyed this read- it was my first Lizzy Dent book and I'll definitely be reading more!

First, the food and the travels in this book made me want to hop on a plane to Italy today! The descriptions were so evocative. It kept the plot moving with the locations and discoveries... it was just really engaging.

I also really loved the way this book dealt with loss and grief. It was very real and relatable, moving, sentimental... for anyone who has experienced loss, especially the loss of a parent, this book will be one you connect with in a good way.

Outside of that, I really loved some of the relationships in this book. The friends, Ginny and Kate, made me laugh and think of my own group of best friends. Their dynamic was one of my favorites in the book. The romance between Olive and Leo was so very sweet. They were romantic and it was a very slow burn. I did feel like their relationship and attraction felt a little rushed, and so did the ending, but it was fun nonetheless!

This book felt like a combination of Under the Tuscan Sun, Little Italy (I love this movie... for all its ridiculousness), and Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy! Definitely a fun summer read!

i really enjoyed this authors writing, the way the settings and food were described. i did not totally feel chemistry between both main characters, but it was still an enjoyable read. i liked seeing both characters work on their project together and truly get to know each other! this story made me feel like i was in italy myself and how i very much wish that were true!


thank you to the author, netgalley, and g.p. putnam’s sons for the opportunity to receive an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was not the book for me. I found myself skimming the last bit because I was just ready for it to be over 😞 The main characters lacked chemistry and maturity. The book lacked a plot and it was all very predictable. There was one big “twist” and it was completely resolved within a few pages. It just felt like the majority of the book was only describing food…don’t get me wrong, I see the purpose but it was too much. Like cool, that was great tomato, what next?

I really hate being so negative so I will say that the author did a great job of painting the picture. During some parts of the book, I really did feel like I was sitting in Italy, eating great food and relaxing with a spectacular glass of wine.

Olive Stone is particular and it serves her well in her job as a food critic. After her father’s death, she learns that she has been given his restaurant and the manuscript to his unfinished cookbook. Her dad had a wish that Olive, along with Leo, his sous chef, would journey to Italy to complete his cookbook and return home to run the restaurant. Begrudgingly, Olive decides to give it a try. While Olive and Leo make their way through the last cities needed to complete the cookbook, they form a friendship in which Leo offers Olive understanding but doesn’t let her go unchallenged.

Following Olive on her path to understanding herself is heartwarming. Through her struggles in trying to understand her relationship with her estranged father, Olive grows into someone that learns how to make decisions based on her own dreams. Her relationships with her best friends, Ginny and Kate, provide a look into strong female friendships and how they can lift you up in the most trying of times. While Ginny and Kate are important to Olive, their relationship is not the only significant one throughout Just One Taste. Although the story progressed slowly, Lizzy Dent does a great job of exploring the impact of relationships with those closest to us while simultaneously exploring what can happen when relationships don’t look the way we think they should as life takes a different path than we expect.

Thank you to Putnam Books and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy!

In 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦, food journalist and restaurant critic Olive Stone receives an unexpected inheritance from her estranged father—his Italian restaurant, Nicky’s, and the building it occupies. She has not spoken with him much since her parents’ divorce over a decade ago, but he has given her the business and property on one condition. She must go to Italy with his protege and finish researching and writing his cookbook. Olive intends to sell the place, but complications arise as she and chef Leo work on the project together, get to know each other, and deepen their bond.

This is a great premise and writer Lizzy Dent is skilled in writing about beautiful settings and delicious food. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with the characters and failed to become invested in Olive and Leo’s romance. Their attraction was clearly there but I personally didn’t find a lot of chemistry, tension, or heat in their scenes. The book overall was a decent read for me but it is possible that others may have a different and more enjoyable reading experience. Thank you to G. P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Releases: 7/16/2024

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

This is the perfect book for beach reading, but more specifically traipsing around Italian beaches on a European summer! It's truly a love letter to Italy and THE FOOD, it had me flashing right back to my Italian exchange trip in high school getting drunk on limoncello and eating copious amounts of pasta.

The "Yes, chef" banter was (pun intended) *chef's kiss* and I don't know if I've watched too many episodes of The Bear, but I am INTO IT. (I wanna lil chefy bf asap)

I do think that the adoption reveal could have happened earlier in the book and that would have left us with more of a resolution arc. Specifically her speaking again with Rocco and his wife and explaining her feelings more to Leo.

Also, as a failed Italian student, I loved the addition of the dialogue in Italian!

Overall... I think it's time I went back to Italy this summer!

Oh my gosh, I am in love with this book! This has been on my TBR for quite some time and I am so happy that it exceeded my expectations.

There were so many things to love about this book:
* A summer in Italy, where the author wrote so beautifully describing the different parts that I felt like I was right there.
* All the delicious food!
*Our lead Olive, who was so relatable and really had me rooting for her.
* The father/daughter relationship that was so endearing to follow.
* LEO. Leo Ricci. That’s all I need to say. Talk about my new favorite leading man.
* The wonderful friendships that Olive had.

Please pick up this book if you are looking for a wonderful story set in Italy; a perfect romance in my eyes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam Books for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review; all opinions are my own.