This was so well written.

I loved how realistic the character where and how their dynamic were together. I felt like I knew them and I love when I can feel that way about the characters.

I thought David and Farzan's interactions were so fitting. You could truly feel the friendship and love between them.

Just heartwarming and fun.

This book drew me in quickly and I fell in love with both of the MCs almost immediately. I loved the way they fit together and everything in their developing relationship felt natural and believable. In fact, this was probably the most realistic romance book I've read in a while. I thoroughly enjoyed every second.

Though, heed this warning: this book will undoubtedly make you hungry.

This was so full of queer joy, discovery, and deliciousness! I loved the first 2/3 and really felt invested in the characters. Towards the end I was less of a fan, the conflict felt really unnecessary and frustrating. I still had a good time though!

Absolutely delightful adult romance debut! A new voice in romance that is certain to become a staple.

4.5 stars!

Adib Khorram's "I'll Have What He's Having" is a wonderful burst of queer joy. It is full to the brim with conversations about identity, finding love at 40, finding yourself, food, family, and wine. I enjoyed every minute of this book. You're going to want a snack while you read this book because it is teeming with descriptions of delicious eats and full-bodied wines. It sure made me hungry! I *loved* Farzan and David both as individuals and as a couple. Their chemistry is off the charts! One meet-cute night of mistaken identity pulls them together, and once they start with one another, they find it difficult to stop. Farzan has a penchant for failing. He is about to take over and expand his family's restaurant but is worried he will fail at that, too. He is close to his family, who means the world to him. David is singularly focused on becoming a master sommelier. He has been studying for months, working his way up the ladder with only this as his goal. As a result, his friendships and relationships have slipped through the cracks. When they find each other, they quickly realize their connection might be more than one night of fun. Farzan and David have such terrific rapport with one another. I appreciated their honest conversations (apart from the first initial mix-up). The spice is swoon-worthy, flirty, and extremely intimate. I am happy to read books about characters who are almost in their 40s and are still failing at life. I identify with that deeply (lol). I also loved that this book takes place in Kansas City. It was interesting to see a queer romance taking place in the middle of the United States, something I don't feel like we see represented enough in the genre. I can't wait to read Adib Khorram's next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Adib Khorram, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I was unable to finish this book because of personal reasons but did like what I was able to read. Once my library puts it in circulation I will finish.

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🍷Book Review: “I’ll have what he’s having” by Adib Khorram 🙂‍↕️

This story follows 2 mistaken identities as they navigate a fake/real relationship while also dealing with their personal lives. A potential Sommelier with a dream and a fake/mistaken food critic. What else could go wrong?

Farzan = 💔 (I think this would be Kermit)

David = 😒 (possibly Miss Piggy, not interested in a relationship)

🤭 I enjoyed this book a little too much. Delicious food, romance, spice, and the Muppets, what more could you want? It took me forever to finish it because adulting got busy and a reading slump. I also went to the book talk at East City Bookshop so I learned more about the book!

😋 Adib really knows how to make readers hungry for more content! The details make you hungry with all the food references. The smut and food references are hilarious! The muppets are mentioned. The found family aspect is on point! There’s even a lesson to learn at the end. I highly recommend this book. It’s a bit spicy for ro

3.5 stars if you want to get specific. This is a sweet romance in which the two main characters, Farzan and David, are both kind of going through transitional life phases-one is figuring out what he wants to do with his life after being stood up on a date, and the other is preparing to take his sommelier test so that he can move higher in his career and leave Kansas City.

I liked how supportive the two men were of each other, and how their family and friends were an integral part of the story as well. There were a good amount of characters and it didn't get too overwhelming. I am always a big fan of the non-romance part of romance books, especially when it leads to great character development, and this one delivers that very well.

For me, this book was too horny 😅 I was just not in the mood for the level of spiciness while I read it, and that's a me thing. But writing a subjective view is also literally a me thing, so you can take what I didn't like, and decide whether you might like it! I am also just so weird about using the word, "babe" a lot, and it got used a lottttt. (Insert Hot Rod scene of Will Arnett yelling, "BAAAAABE, WAIT, BABE! BABE! BABE! BABE!")

I also got annoyed at the third-act breakup. Was it because I wanted one of the men to have grown up more and put on his listening ears? Probably. Both men are in their 30s. Grow up.

But overall, this was a decently cozy romance, and the talk of food, especially Iranian food, got my mouth watering. Glad I read it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for the e-ARC!

Thanks to Forever Publishing for a free E-ARC of this book! Here are my honest thoughts!!

The chemistry between these characters was so strong from the start!! I ATE IT UP!! I LOVE watching people fall in love so organically and spectacularly!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I will be watching out for more books by this author!!

The way these two men clicked together was so smooth and so real. I genuinely believed the development of their relationship, which is usually hard for me when a book is not a slow burn. This book was not a slow burn, but it didn’t have a problem with convincing me that their two characters were DEEPLY IN LOVE!!

I absolutely adored the ensemble of characters in this book! There were many, but I don’t feel like any of them were one dimensional! They all felt wholly rounded and more than just side characters! I actually kind of want a little mini series of them all with their kickball league. It would so cute and fun!!

I would absolutely recommend this book to my audience, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Adib Khorram can do no wrong in my eyes at this point.

This was fantastic and a really well crafted romance with a level of spice that was just right in my eyes. Yes, the characters are intimate quite often, but I didn't think it was unnecessary or over the top. It was very real. Even the intimacy scenes were real and there were times when I would laugh out loud at how intentional Khorram was with his writing.

On top of that, can we talk about the FOOD! This book satisfied a bunch of different needs, and my hunger was one of them. Well, it probably made me more hungry. However, the way that Khorram wrote about Persian food and how it was such an integral part of Farzan's life - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

The characters are more than just their love for one another - they are fully realized, flawed, and complex human beings and that is why this book was great in my opinion!

It all started with a misunderstanding of the name Frank Allen. Farzan Alavi uses Frank Allen as his name whenever he goes to restaurants. He completely forgot that Frank Allen is also the name of a local food critic. When David Curtis sees the name Frank Allen he thinks it's none other than the food critic and gives him all sorts of wines during his dining experience. That isn't the only thing David gave "Frank", but luckily the name confusion is quickly remedied in the morning. When David and Farzan thought they'd just have a fun story to tell about a one-night stand turns into a "situationship". Farzan ends up taking over his parents' restaurant when they retire and David is studying for his sommelier test. They decide to help each other, but quickly their relationship turns into more. With David eyeing a job in California, their relationship that's just started could as easily be just ending.

This book is hot, hot, hot. I wasn't expected so many sex scenes in this book so I was surprised. As a YA writer normally, I expected Adib to be writing more longing sentences than full-out sex scenes. I was very wrong and didn't mind it. I did find myself struggling with Farzan at times as he didn't have the self-confidence in himself that I wish he had. It got on my nerves at times as it was his undoing. If you love a romance with food and wine references, this one has it in spades. Overall I had an enjoyable listening experience and would easily listen to more of Adib's books in the future. While I wait for his next adult venture, I'll most likely dive into his YA backlist.

I loved this romance. It is a spicy interracial romance that follows two thirty-somethings through connection and love. A mistaken identity meet cute eventually spawns into a deeply emotional love story. Both are dealing with their own personal journeys and I liked that they gave a good amount of focus to that. We get to learn about their cultural differences and traditions. I love that this book leaned into mature characters and didn't use miscommunication to push the plot along. They both evolve in their thought processes and understanding throughout the story.

Bonus of lots of food and food descriptions!

I absolutely adored this funny and sweet Achillean romance!

I heard the author speak at a panel at Romance Con and immediately determined I needed to read his books, and this one was such a delight! Farzan's insecurities spoke to my soul about not feeling good enough. David's ambition and the way his dream changed felt natural and progressive. I adored Farzan's friends! This is spicier than I anticipated, but it's adorable and sweet (and sometimes downright hilarious, which I loved).

This is an incredible addition to the adult queer romance shelves! Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Adib Khorram's debut adult romance novel did not disappoint! It has that classic Khorram combination of humor and emotional depth, creating heartfelt characters that you want to root for! This story follows Farzan, a substitute teacher, and David, a sommelier, on a one night stand, mistaken identity roller coaster. This book is spicy and I loved the Persian food/wine culture overlay.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved being introduced to the world of Kansas City and the circle of these three Iranian-American men. This was immensely readable, and I enjoyed it a lot.

I thought there were some really great things going for this book . Unfortunately I was quite distracted with the amount of profanity in so much of the book… it was distracting at times and didn’t enhance what was going on most of the time.

I was hungry and horny reading this book. It starts off with a bang with a one night stand that keeps turning into more. Also I have a newfound appreciation for men in sweatpants, and Persian food. Farzan and David are adorable and can't keep avoiding each other but have diverging goals. David is studying to be a Master Sommelier while Farzan has decided to take over his parents restaurant when they want to retire. I loved how there's a real sense of family, both born into, and found. It was mostly low angst, with a lot of steamy scenes but it was definitely a book I kept putting down before starting up again. I think it felt too long in the middle, but the ending was satisfying. It was a bit of a surprise in terms of how the ending is, but that's what you want in a book.

Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Heart Flutters: ❤️❤️

4.5 stars

I don't usually mention cover art in my reviews, because that seems beside the point, but... if you're ever going to judge a book by its cover, don't let it be this one. I don't know what's going on there.

As for the story itself, I loved it. If you know the author's YA work, please be prepared for this one to be *SPICY,* because there are quite a lot of zesty scenes. Aside from the fact that I adored all the characters (including the side characters), this book heavily features something that the romance genre in general lacks: communication. There were a few times that it seemed like there was going to be a big misunderstanding/comedy of errors, but then the characters... talked about it? Like adults??? Imagine! There is still conflict based on the characters' assumptions and fears, but with one exception, it felt like a normal and believable level of human error.

The spice was spicing, the romance had me rooting for these two, and there was a lot of sensory detail, especially related to food. It was also pretty funny. David and Farzan are both really relatable, and their chemistry was great. It's a fairly quiet book that follows a lot of the usual romantic beats, but handles them in a way that made me feel like I was getting to know these guys as people rather than taking me on wacky and implausible romantic adventures. Those can be fun, but I prefer when stories focus on the characters' internal life and growth.

Mild spoiler: There is a 3rd act breakup, but it feels earned and necessary.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. My review is my own and left voluntarily.

I’ll Have What He’s Having is Adib Khorram’s adult debut and it follows Farzan and David, two thirty-something year old men as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life and love.

When we meet Farzan, he is reeling from his most recent heartbreak. His love life is a mess and he’s also not overly happy with his life as a substitute teacher either. Farzan needs to get out of his own head for a while, and when his best friends are not available, he decides to head to a new restaurant he has been wanting to try. Farzan is surprised when David, the restaurant’s hot sommelier, starts acting super flirty with him, but he decides to just enjoy it and see where things go, not realizing that this night will change everything.

David has been told that Frank Allen, famed food critic, will be visiting the restaurant. When Farzan enters, Davis thinks he is Frank and really pours on the charm. One thing leads to another, and the two men end up spending an unforgettable evening together. When they both realize the mixup, Farzan and David laugh it off and the two part ways, assuming this was a one-night stand since neither is interested in a relationship at this point.

The universe has other ideas for them though and they cross paths again when Farzan inherits his family’s bistro. Farzan needs advice on running a restaurant and David could use some help studying for his exam to become a master sommelier, so they agree to help each other out. Even though David’s plan is to relocate to L.A. once he passes his exam, he and Farzan have an increasingly difficult time trying to fight their growing feelings for one another.

I thought this story was going to be a rom-com but it’s actually a much more emotional read than I was expecting. It’s heartbreaking to watch Farzan struggle with his life choices on a day-to-day basis, especially since his heart is always in the right place. I was rooting so hard for him to find his path both on a personal level and of course for him and David to figure out how they can each follow their dreams and still keep this wonderful relationship that is within reach if they would both just embrace it.

Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, and filled with so many delicious descriptions of food and wine, I’ll Have What He’s Having is sure to please anyone who enjoys more emotional romance reads.

The best part of the book was the food and wine descriptions - they don't disappoint. The writing style didn't work 100% for me, but this is the author's adult debut, so I'll absolutely be checking out any of his future adult romances.