I found this novel to be an easy read and very "un-put-downable." When Olive Stone's father dies, not only does he leave her his restaurant but he also sends her on a trip with his protege to finish his cookbook he had been writing. Along their adventures of discovering the perfect recipes, Olive finds out secrets her father had been keeping and realises that perhaps her destiny is in her own hands after all.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Australia, and the author for the chance to read this book.

This is an enemies to lovers romance set in London and Italy. The main characters are drawn together after the death of Olive's estranged father. She must work with his sous-chef Leo to complete the cookbook he was working on before he passed. They head off to Italy on a working holiday that throws them together and makes it hard to resist temptation!
The story is full of humour and heartache. There is a lot of drama/grief for Olive to overcome.

The story also brings to mind that life is short and we should try and live in a way that will leave no regrets if those we love were to pass on unexpectedly.

This book is pretty much everything I love in a romance. Travel, amazing food and of course, love!

Olive Stone has recently lost her estranged father and inherited his Italian restaurant with the condition that she finish writing his Regional Italian Cookbook with his sous chef, Leo.
Olive's intentions are to sell the restaurant but she reluctantly heads off on this trip to all his favourite spots in Italy.

As with any close-proximity romance, Olive and Leo at first don't get along but their friendship and attraction grows as they get to experience the amazing food and people of Sicily, Tuscany and Liguria.

I loved the growth of Olive throughout this story as she let's go of past grievances and overcomes new ones. She learns what is important in life whilst getting to enjoy some delicious sounding food that made me want to jump on a plane.

I love a travel romance and this one didn't disappoint at all. Such a fun read!

There’s something inescapably enticing about romance novels revolving around food and/or a failing business, right? So with Just One Taste, Lizzy Dent has gone all-in on that trope. For good measure, she has also thrown family drama and resentment, a ‘forced’ trip to numerous picturesque Italian settings, mouth-watering descriptions of Italian cuisine and the enemies-to-lovers trope. The end result is delicious escapism with a big helping of sizzle and spice.

Protagonist Olive becomes overwhelmed by the sizzle and her own hot-and-heavy thoughts very early on. You know the derogatory quip about men being ruled by something other than their brain? Almost the equivalent occurred, I think, inauthentically quickly for our purportedly strong-willed and hard-hitting restaurant critic. So, that mismatch in characterisation nagged at me. For an enemies-to-lovers story, I just think she fell a little too quickly.

But, Lizzy Dent sets scenes evocatively and writes entertaining dialogue. A real highlight were the three-way text and phone conversations between Olive and her dear friends Ginny and Kate.

Story pacing aside, the sizzle and banter between Olive and Leo, eventual open-door steaminess and redemptive story arc made Just One Taste enjoyable weekend reading. 3.5 Stars

Just One Taste transported me to Italy, with all of its sights, tastes and smells. I really enjoyed the premise of this story, a daughter completing her father’s last work, a man following in the steps of his mentor.

The writing was smooth and engaging, and I easily lost myself in this story. There are heavier storyline’s of grief, identity, family and loss which were explored alongside the lighter romance as Olive and Leo learned more about their relationships with Olive’s father. The story was well paced, and I loved Olive’s best friends and their gentle persistence in helping her find her way.

I’d recommend to anyone looking for a thoughtful and heartfelt rom com, particularly fans of Emily Henry.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This story transported me right to Italy’s shores. It’s the perfect read for a foody and at times had me stopping to order some Italian!
It’s an easy to follow read but deals with some heavier issues like divorce, familial loss and grief, and all of the emotional trauma that comes with these issues. Personally, I thought the characters were a perfect pairing, and helped one another to stay on their path while sorting through the current of emotions that came with the plot twist.

This isn’t necessarily a rom-com but would be perfect for those who like just enough sweet and spice to wet the appetite, without it being the whole plot!

4 and a half out of 5 forks!

this read was initially something i wanted to take unseriously, it was just something fun i picked up and trust me when i say that this book is so beautifully written.

the writing is so fluid and easy to understand, the cover and title are PERFECT for this type of book.

but i especially adored how italy was written, it was so invigorating and vibrant. this book is less of a romcom and more of a contemporary literature, it explores so the loss of a parent and the guilt that comes with leaving them on a bad note with themes of foods traditionally used in italian cuisines.

i can see why some people may disliked olive but i enjoyed her story, her growth and interactions: it felt authentic and so real!

something that i did dislike about this book was olive's interactions with her friends. YES, they were there for her (to comfort etc) but it felt like their purpose was just to gossip about olive's life. their characters felt dull and lacked agency - which was really surprising since nicky, olive's father was not alive in this story but had SO MUCH depth and life.

i really enjoyed how leo and olive did not lose their spark after hooking up, i loved how understanding and respectful leo was but also how leo could voice his opinions without being shut down immediately (by olive). they are balanced out perfectly!

also!! the plot twist!! i did not see that coming! it genuinely makes me so excited to talk about because the book is so well written!!

thank you netgalley for the ARC and thank you to the author who wrote this book!

Enter Olive Stone. Food journalist and restaurant critic, known as Stone Cold to her industry peers.

Olive’s father, Nicky, who she was estranged from, has passed and left her his failing restaurant (which she desperately wants to sell). With the added instruction in his will for Olive to team up with Nicky’s sous chef, Leo (who desperately wants Olive to keep the restaurant), and travel the regions of Sicily, Tuscany, to finish Nicky’s cookbook.

Was this a delightful little romcom? Yes. Did this book make me want to book a one-way trip to Italy? Yes. Do I want to eat infinite amounts of pasta right now? Yes.

BUT.

Did this book also explore topics of grief, loss, identity, and familial bonds that REALLY resonated with me and made this book SO MUCH MORE than a romcom? Absolutely yes.

Lizzy Dent has pulled together a visually stunning, fun flirty romance (FORCED PROXIMITY AND ONE BED?! YES PLEASE!), with an added lay of depth emotions that has made Just One Taste become one of my favourite reads of 2024.

BRAVA LIZZY! 4/5 stars.

This is my first Lizzy Dent book and I LOVED it! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and for introducing me to a new author that I can’t wait to read more of.

‘Just One Taste’ was a quick, cozy read, and with all the talk of food and traveling it truly made me want to jump on a plane and escape the Sydney winter immediately!

Throughout the fun descriptions of Olive and Leo’s travels, the themes of grief and loss were delicately addressed and it felt so real.

I find comfort in reading romances that incorporate food into their storylines. When done right, they serve as a warm hug... a delicious delight without the calories, and JUST ONE TASTE is no exception. The vivid descriptions of Italian dishes and the picturesque settings transported me to the cozy restaurants and scenic dining with Olive and Leo.

Beyond the delectable food and charming romance, the novel delves into Olive's emotional journey as she navigates the grief of her estranged father's passing and confronts the lingering resentment toward the restaurant that tore their family apart struck a chord. As Olive and Leo visit the restaurants of her late father's friends, she is reminded of who her father was and all the stories and memories captured my heart and kept me engrossed in the story.

Lizzy Dent skillfully weaves in the theme of food, love, and emotional healing, creating a heartwarming and delightful narrative. This book is a perfect blend of romance, culinary delights, and emotional depth, making it an enjoyable and memorable read.

Now, excuse me while I plan my own real-life Italian food tour. Italy, whisk me away! (In my dreams 🤣)

Thank you to @HarperCollinsAustralia and @NetGalley for an ARC copy of JUST ONE TASTE. It's the second book of Lizzy's I've read so far and she has made a lasting impression.

What a fun book! Who doesn’t love romance and food? Especially when you’re in Italy with a hot chef? Well that’s the premise of this book.
It is fun and flirty with food, Italy and romance thrown in. The two characters Olive and Leo are interesting and you begin to really enjoy getting to know them as the story progresses. I enjoyed immersing myself along with the characters during their travels in Italy.
I have to say I quite enjoyed this, I think food romance might be my thing?

This was an amazing story of self-discovery, adventure, finding love and dealing with heartache.

Olive's life gets a quick 360 upheaval after she learns of her father's passing.

She also learns that she needs to finish his dream with her nemesis, Leo!

This book had me laughing as much as it had me crying (especially the last few chapters). It was beautifully written and really captured the feelings and emotions of the MCs. I literally couldn't put this book down...I needed to know how Olive was going to handle everything.

Olive's turmoil and struggle was real. Her inner monologue was amazing and the banter between her and Leo was just brilliant.

This story beings together a love of food, memories and connections. Olive’s inheritance of her father’s restaurant comes at a price: complete the recipe her father started with the restaurant Sous Chef, Leo. Their relationship seemed to move from a deep resentment to lustful crushes at a moment’s notice which I found unappealing as it detracts from the main story line: the completion of the cook book (well that’s the storyline I preferred over the cheesy romance). This book had all the tight ingredients to make a perfect story come to life, however I think some components simmered for too long, and others weren’t cooked thoroughly enough.

The research on recipes to be added to the cookbook was done so week; you could take the food, smell the sea air, feel the authorises of the small family restaurants and staff. I think more work could have been undertaken to link a potential romance with Olive and Leo to this work, as especially to a revelation made in the book that could have also done well with more development. This was such a lost opportunity to explore the intersection of grief and responsibility Olive was carrying with her. Exploring more of Olive’s past work as a food critic would have also added value here.

There was emotion throughout this book but it did not seem to hit the tight notes for the magic to work. There was a lot more potential that could have been massaged out to give the characters more life and realism in their actions. A strength was its trip to Italy to experience a culinary adventure, and an examination of cultural dishes.

This was my first time reading Lizzy Dent
It was a beautiful story which i enjoyed a lot .

Tropes:
One-bed
Slow Burn
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers

I rated this 4/5
I must add it made me more excited to be going to Malta in two week which is only a a short boat ride away from Italy .

thank you @netgalley for providing me a copy for my review .

Olive is surprised to find out she has been left her estranged fathers restaurant after his sudden death. He also left a wish in his will that Olive complete the last few chapters of his cookbook. This requires her to spend four weeks in Italy with her fathers attractive sous-chef and the son he never had, Leo Ricci. Olive and Leo do not get off on good terms with Olive expressing her wishes to sell the restaurant and Leo attempting to convince her not to. During their time in Italy Olive and Leo test recipes and each other. Their attraction grows and Olive learns so much about herself, her family and Leo on this unforgettable trip.

I devoured this novel. Although fast paced it was filled with such beautiful descriptions of Italy and all the food and drink. I thought the light-hearted (romance) and deeper (grief, family) themes were balanced really nicely. I loved the slow burn romance aspect and I appreciate the mature evolution of their relationship although chapter 20 had me cackling. Olive's support network is really beautiful, I think we all hope for girlfriends like Ginny and Kate. The twist was unexpected but I didn't hate it, I think there was room for it to be explored further. Overall this is a really easy and fun read to have on the beach or cosied up on the couch with a glass of wine.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Australia and Lizzy Dent for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for a review. Now I need to book dinner at a good Italian restaurant asap, my mouth was watering while reading this.

What was more delicious? The descriptions of the mouth watering Italian food... or the slow burn between Olive and Leo?

Many ingredients blended together in this book. Part examination of the fraught relationship between father and daughter. Part love letter to Italy and it's cuisine. Part slow burn Romance. And I ate it all up.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins AU for the opportunity to read an ARC of "Just One Taste"

When food critic Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, Leo Ricci took her place, acting like the surrogate son and sous-chef. When her father dies, his dying wish (in his will), is that together, Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook. Whilst Olive is determined to sell the restaurant. Leo is determined to keep it. Over the next four weeks in Italy, as they compile the cookbook, they find their attraction grows. Soon Olive is contemplating what a future with Leo might entail.
I enjoyed the romance between Olive and Leo, and their travels around Italy; however, I wasn’t sure whether they were meant to be together. I felt that Leo was more into Olive than the other way round. The food and the beautiful scenery of Tuscany did make up for some of this. A good read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun read and I loved the food theme of the book. The story had well-developed characters, grief, family drama and slow burn romance, with the perfect amount of banter. The chemistry between the main characters was amazing and felt so real.

I would recommend this book if you are looking for an enemies to lovers book with forced proximity and slow burn romance.

Thank you so much Netgalley and HarperCollins Australia for this arc copy!

I’ve never wanted to eat Italian food more than when reading this book!

Restaurant and food critic Olive Stone is devastated and surprised when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and the annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci, his surrogate son and sous-chef, travel to Italy together. Their task is to research and finish writing his dream Italian cookbook.

Olive plans to sell the restaurant when they return while Leo is determined to convince her to keep it. But it turns out Leo isn’t who she expected, and this trip might reveal more about who Olive is than she’s ready for.

Wow wee the wonderful scene setting woven through the exploration of finding the perfect Italian dishes had me wanting to book a ticket to Italy for a foodie adventure.

But…I felt the rest of storyline a bit lacking. The main character Olive is awkward and immature and I found her difficult to connect with. It is clear Olive and Leo like each other and there is a slow burn between them, even a one bed situation, but I just didn’t feel their chemistry, tension or heat. The banter was hit and miss and I was looking for more character depth.

Overall it was a light and easy read, perfect for a holiday, that I would recommend.

This is a fun book to read and with characters like Olive Stone and Leo Ricci you can't not like it. I love the food and travel theme to the book and love the talk of places and recipes. It was a little bit predictable and I really think the swearing and some of the sexual tone of the story was not necessary.

I also found it a bit slow at times and think with a little bit of tweaking it could have been a much better book. But having said that I did enjoy it for what it was, cute and cosy. A nice read so it will be a 3 1/2 stars from me this time.

Thank you Net Galley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.