I’ve really enjoyed the YA books I’ve read from Adib Khorram, so I was excited to learn that he was publishing an adult romance! I’ll Have What He’s Having is a fun queer romance about characters in their late 30s finding love and figuring out what they want from the rest of their lives. The characters, Farzan and David, are both well fleshed out and brought different, unique points of view to the story.

The book starts out with a mistaken identity that leads to the characters hooking up. They very quickly realize what happened and are able to laugh it off. I was personally glad that happened right at the beginning, because I can sometimes get uncomfortable if so much of a romance involves the characters not being on the same page about their identities. After they figure out what happened they end up becoming friends with benefits. David needs someone to help him study for his master sommelier exam and Farzan needs David’s advice on how to run his family’s restaurant. So they decide to help each other out, in more ways than one. But what will happen when real feelings get involved? Especially since David’s plan has always been to move away after passing his exam.

Adib Khorram did such an amazing job at creating atmosphere in this story. There’s a lot of lush descriptions of food, wine, the different restaurants, and the chemistry between David and Farzan. Sometimes when YA writers transfer over into adult, their books and characters still end up feeling very YA. But I don’t think that happened here, I feel like the characters being in their late 30s and having more mature issues helped with that. All of the conflict between the characters felt earned by what had come before in the story, it never felt completely out of left field.

I listened to this on audio and I absolutely flew through it. The book is told in a dual POV and both narrators did an excellent job at bringing the story to life, conveying the chemistry between the leads, and fleshing out the side characters.

I’d definitely recommend this for people who love queer romances full of steam, heart, family, food, and personal growth.

I'll Have What He's Having was a fun, spicy and romantic contemporary queer romance. I really loved all of the different representation, and it would not be an Adib Khorram book if I didn't also love the relationships each character had with their families - blood and chosen. I will be honest - there were some parts that did make me cringe a little. Nothing crazy, just some silly dialogue and fart jokes, but overall this was a fun friends with benefits to lovers story. I really enjoyed it!

Narration was exquisite

OMG this is romance perfection. It's champagne glasses and midnight cuddles.
Friends with benefits, a little fear of commitment, amazing steam and SIZZLING chemistry!

Love this dang book so much

3.75 stars

Okay. Is this bad? Absolutely not. Is it good? Yes! But is it great? Not really. This book is an overall enjoyable reading experience, but I don't think it will be a very memorable one. It's rather middling in that I found myself entertained while reading and didn't hate anything, but it just didn't wow me. I will say the rep is amazing with our multicultural couple. David (who is Black) and Farzan (who is Iranian American). And, this story is written by a BIPOC author, so I really love that. The story is fun, the romance is sweet, the plot is very low stakes, and the characters are real and believable. All in all, if you want an easy read that you can devour and easily enjoy as a nice little palate cleanser, then this is perfect.

On the audio side of things, the narration is great! The narrators were wonderful and really helped with keeping my interest in the story. They truly seemed like they were Farzan and David instead of just reading a character's lines. So, the audiobook was definitely fun, and it is worth checking out.

I always enjoy a romance with food involved. I enjoyed the Iranian heritage that was a big element to the story and both Farzan and David were very likeable. The meet cute mistaken identity captured my interest from the first chapter.

I appreciate that both Farzan and David were in their 30s and their family added a fun element to the story. Their love was just a little too insta for me and the big run was miscommunication which I am not a fan of. Overall, I enjoyed this steamy MM romance.

Shezi Sardar and Brent Billings both did a great job with the narration and bringing the story to life.

Thank you @readforeverpub @hachetteaudio for a copy of this book.

4.5 stars

This was a really fun queer romance that felt really real. Maybe it was the real talk about embarrassing bodily functions at times or the adequate prep for certain sexual actions but there was only one thing in this whole book I had to slightly suspend my disbelief for (but even that really isn't too unbelievable, just highly unlikely to pass first try). I enjoyed both characters a lot and felt the author really developed the MCs incredibly before even starting the story.

Regarding the audiobook specifically, I preferred Farzon's narrator over David's only because at times David's narrator made some strange pronunciation choices and his Farzon dialogue voice just didn't feel right for me. However both narrators had a wonderful voice and cadence.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I listened to the audiobook and both Shezi Sardar and Brent Billings were stellar voice actors.

I'm usually not a fan of contemporary romance. I feel like for this particular genre, without the unfamiliar, unusual or quirky premises found in Historical, Science Fiction or Fantasy romances, I would want to find the main characters relatable to my emotional experiences to some degree, so that I can understand their thought process and the sort of mistakes and conflicts that can occur in a budding romance.

In I'll have What He's Having, I was given the most relatable and realistic main characters I've ever read in a contemporary romance. I am neither an ambitious sommelier nor a struggling substitute teacher, but when I say relatable, I mean more that feeling of being in you thirties -- wanting to take that next big step in your life but either feeling too unsure to take a leap or too set in your plans to risk any alterations. I've felt all of those things before and it made both Farzan and David incredibly faceted and real to me.

I appreciate that the initial misunderstanding in their first meeting was cleanly resolved instead of being extended out in some comedy of errors. I also appreciate that the relationship, even as it bloomed, held a note of tension: At some point soon, David and Farzan's lives may diverge and will they be ready for that?

Farzan is deeply insecure just as David is overly driven, yet together they make up for what the other lacks and I love that. But I think what I appreciate most about this story was just how much David and Farzan have in common: video games, food, wine, ghibli movies, etc -- all sorts of things you'd want to do simply to relax and enjoy life. When Farzan listens to Utada Hikaru as he cooks, I felt that to my bones. Sometimes you want to read a story where two people you would love as friends fall in love and that's what I mean by relatable for me. This is definitely for those who enjoy contemporary romance that has a lot of heart.

Content Warnings: alcohol, cheating (mentioned), racism and homophobia (briefly mentioned)

After yet another breakup, Farzan goes to a wine bar to drown his sorrow, but meeting David, his very attentive waiter (who may or may not think he's a respected food critic) changes everything for him.

Unfortunately this one really didn't work for me. It's very much a romcom, so if you share the author's sense of humour, I'm sure you'd really enjoy this! However, if you're like me, and millennial reference humour makes you cringe… yeah. (Though I'll admit that "Hey Siri, play my sex playlist" got a snort out of me). I'll admit that I can be picky with contemporary romance, but this book really did hit on some of my major pet peeves with the genre, and I was physically cringing through a lot of it. That being said, it's refreshing to read romance about characters in their late 30s, and I generally liked both Farzan and David as characters. I was definitely more invested in their individual arcs than their romance, though, which was definitely an issue.

I read this as an audiobook, and I generally thought both narrators did a fine job. There were a couple instances of the narrators pronouncing the same word/name differently, but nothing majorly distracting. Some of the character voices were a little much sometimes (especially the sex voices oh my GOD) but I think how cringey I found the dialogue was my main issue, so I won't blame the narrators!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC!

This was such a great romance! And the narration! So well done. I’ve loved Winston James/Brent Billings in so many things, and he doesn’t disappoint in I’ll Have What He’s Having. I also really liked Shezi Sardar, though it wasn’t always distinct when another character was speaking in dialogue.

This book made me smile and laugh so much, and the characters are such a delight. I especially loved the realism aspects, like burping because of champagne and that interrupting a make out session. It just added to the delight for me. I also loved the various friendships and family dynamics, and all the expressions of love throughout. I was really, really hoping there wouldn’t be a third-act breakup because David was so ready to have a solid conversation and work things out with Farzan regarding their future. But Farzan wasn’t ready to listen because of his own reality and feelings, and while it felt very true to the characters and served a purpose in the relationship development, it was still frustrating. Overall this was a really solid romance and I loved the community and friendship and so many little bits throughout.

I had a really good time reading this gay romance. I loved that the characters were in their late 30s and so it provided a different perspective to the usual romance. These main characters were more mature, settled and making reasonable decisions.....even at times, communicating effectively! I loved the well rounded side characters and the realistic depiction of how hard it can be to maintain your long distance friendships when you have a busy life to lead.

Where it fell down for me slightly was that there was a bit too much sex. It's all very well and good, but realistically, after the first couple of times, I didn't necessarily need to know all the details. Also, what I found slightly odd was that there were no issues from anyone in either characters life about them being gay. I suppose this isn't a negative as such, but personally I tend to enjoy romances more when there's some sort of a consequence to the fact that the main characters are queer, whereas here, one of them could've been substituted for a woman, and the story would've have been substantially different.

But that's just me, and it's a small thing, because overall it was a really good time. I listened to the audiobook and both narrators did a great job. They both had very distinct voices, which I appreciated as I immediately knew which pov we were in.

Can't wait to see what this author writes next!

3.4 stars.

I received this as an advanced reader audiobook copy.

The narrators are easy to listen to and do a pretty good job. David’s narrator makes Farzan sound a bit weird, but his voice is smooth and delicious to listen to otherwise.

There were things to like about the story. Farzan and David have immediate chemistry and end up going home together. David is studying to be a master sommelier and mistakes Farzan for a food critic so he ends up spending a lot of time with him, feeding him good food and pairing with wine.

I had a hard time with David. It feels like he has all the power in the relationship. He’s the one that decides “this can’t go anywhere” because he always keeps things casual and is going to leave anyway. But, throughout the story, he keeps feeling butthurt when Farzan will pretend not to be bothered. Like it’s okay that he’s super casual but if Farzan goes along with it, then he’s the mean one. It keeps up the whole way where David thinks he wants more throughout the story, but actively tells Farzan he wants to keep it casual. There is a LOT of the book where he’s with Farzan and thinks “I can hook up with someone else when I move” or “I remember that guy I was totally in love with that I didn’t end up moving for”.

While the characters seem interesting, the sex doesn’t feel like it’s part of a growing relationship. They go straight to sex when they first meet and then there are a lot of sex scenes, but it doesn’t feel like we get to be part of their emotional journey or hear them have conversations. I feel like we’re told they connect but shown them having sex. It just wasn’t my favorite. I want more.

It was perfectly fine and I’m sure a lot of people will enjoy this. I just wanted more.

Safety deets
- dumb third act breakup
- TONS of mentions of sex with other people

A case of mistaken identity sparks an intense attraction between heartbroken chef Farzan and charming sommelier David. Despite a sizzling affair, their different goals force them to choose between their ambitions and the possibility of a future together.

This charming gay rom-com is entertaining and fun. I love Farzan and David—the chemistry between them is strong from the beginning. They’re a perfect pair, even though it takes them a while to realize it. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

4.something rounded up!

What an absolute surprise! This is a book about adults acting and falling in love like actual adults. I didn't realize how rare that was until reading this novel. They might have instant attraction, but it isn't instant love. This allows readers to grow and fall in love along with the characters.

I'll Have What He's Having is about Farzan (an Iranian-American MMC) and David (Black MMC), two men in their late thirties still trying to figure out adult life and love in a way that's completely relatable. This novel has some of the most realistic sex scenes I've ever read. There is laughter! Silliness! Weird body moments! Honest ONGOING talks about safety, preferences and navigating what works and what doesn't for each character both as it relates to sex and the relationship itself!!! Healthy communication in a romance? You love to see it. The maturity in which these characters interacted was so refreshing. I kept catching myself smiling throughout the story.

There was no drama for the sake of drama. I might not always agree with what the characters were doing, but it was always authentic to who they were. This novel is truly such a gem.

If you have a chance, I highly recommend the audio version of this novel. I could honestly listen to either narrator, Shezi Sardar or Brent Billings, recite the ABCs for 10 hours and be perfectly happy.

Now I'm off to read everything else this author has put out.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Audio, and Adib Khorram for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Aspiring Master Sommelier meets aspiring restaurateur in a meet cute that could be sooooo cringe inducing but instead had me giggling! I enjoyed this MM foodie romance big time.

I loved learning more about Farzan's culture and the food. I'm enthralled with Farzan and David's loving families. Their parents are the type of parents I aspire to be. Accepting, loving, but not perfect.

The spice was SO candid! Having the embarrassing things that happen during intimacy (especially after eating elaborate meals as per tradition of any foodie story) play out was SO refreshing.

I would LOVE follow up stories about both David and Farzan's family and friends! This feels like it could the start of a great interconnected standalone journey!?

Both narrators did a fantastic job with conveying each character’s emotions and cultural backgrounds!

3.5 stars. This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Initially, the two men did not have very distinct voices to me, and it took me a bit longer than usual to settle into the character voices in this one (despite there being 2 separate audio narrators who did an excellent job at the narration). In addition, as much as I love steam in a book, this one could have cut just a little bit (there is so much of it....which isn't bad necessarily), and added a bit more depth to the character development. I felt that some of the dialogue (both internal and among characters) was repetitive at times, leading the pacing to be a bit off during certain parts of the book. This was a decent book, but I think it could have been so much better with a little more editing.

4.5 stars rounded up

I really liked this! Given some of the reviews I was worried their relationship was going to be all sex and no substance. But while it is certainly a sex-forward novel, I did not find that to be the case.

I'll Have What He's Having is a gay romance written by a gay author, which I love to see more of in the genre. After a mistaken identity leads to a one night stand, an unexpected connection develops between these characters. Farzan is the screw-up of the family. His Iranian parents run a restaurant and his sister is married with a successful career while he's a substitute teacher who likes to cook. David is a wine expert studying for his master sommelier exam, and of course they meet at the restaurant he works at.

I really loved the mix of personal growth for the characters and the development of the romance between them. They have this amazing friendship, and get very spicy in the bedroom too. It's a really solid romance featuring characters in their late 30's, still trying to figure out life. I'm a fan! The audio narration is really well done. I feel like each of the performers nailed the voice and personality of the character they portrayed. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

A cute romance novel. Love the representation the book showed and didn’t shy away from. The main characters were believable and lovable.

I really enjoyed this book! The premise (Farzan goes to a restaurant, gives the host his typical nom de cafe, but it's also the name of a reviewer, and the sommelier proceeds to give him the golden treatment, and they go home together before realizing the mistake...) is absolutely hilarious and I loved how it played out.

One thing I really appreciated about this book was it's very real approach to describing sex - not just including the characters discussing and taking time in the bathroom to prep, but also the very real impact that food has on someone's digestive system and their desire/capability to have anal sex. I appreciated the unvarnished ways these things came up, and they never got in the way of the characters having a full and rich sex life.

I also loved the cultural representation of Farzan as an Iranian American and David as a Black man! This felt authentic to the story and was enriching for me as a reader without it feeling forced.

The story plays out a bit predictably, but overall it's a fun ride!

In regards to the audiobook - I enjoyed both narrators separately, but found them inconsistent as a pair. For example, their voices for the other characters didn't feel aligned, and they didn't always have consistent pronunciation. That said, I think that's an overall issue with how dual narration audiobooks get produced, not the fault of these narrators. I really enjoyed listening to this book and would listen to more from this author and from these narrators!

Story - 4⭐️
Narration - 5⭐️

For anyone who has felt like they weren’t good enough, felt the overwhelming weight of expectations, or who maybe felt they were always having to prove themselves, this book was such a beautiful reminder that we’re all still figuring life out and that it isn’t failing if a dream you once held looks different than what you originally imagine. This story is so authentic, raw, and vulnerable, and I loved how the emotion, conflict, desires expressed by David and Farzan were so genuine and relatable. In reading about their struggles to find a work life balance, connection and love, and sort through familial expectations, I firmly believe many readers will find a home within these pages, feel seen by, and relate to their journeys.

I loved so much about this story - muppets! Disney references! Laughter during sex! Caretaking and soup! - and I really appreciated how the characters were both needing 40 and that there were honest conversations about intimacy and changes in our bodies around this age. Heck yes to more romance with characters in their late 30s and 40s! And whew, this story was STEAMY and once the spice hits (which is almost immediate) it doesn’t stop.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook experience and adored both narrators, who did an amazing work of bringing Farzan and David’s characters to life. These narrators brought so much joy, laughter, tenderness, and authenticity to their performances that it felt like Farzan and David were real friends. I definitely recommend picking up the audiobook!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading, but I did have some issues with the pacing. When they went from friends with benefits to a real relationship, the story stalled a smidge but I appreciated how David and Farzan worked to build emotional intimacy and support each other in their dreams.