I absolutely loved this book and the adventure it took me on.

Cassie is going through the motions of life but not really living. Her boyfriend, James, is living two lives but she only knows about one. James is killed in an accident and that is when Cassie finds out about his secret life of being a famous food critic.

Cassie takes over his account and travels the world and eats some of the most incredible food and mixes in a romance, or two.

I enjoyed every moment of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I am on a roll of 3 star reviews! I had really high hopes for this one. The concept of a woman taking over a secret instagram account and having a grand adventure really appealed to me.

However, two things really held me back from awarding more stars. First, the book deals with some really hard topics, but in a very surface level way. The conflict is also wrapped up almost as quickly as it started which felt unsatisfying. Second, a lot of the descriptions read to me like marketing copy rather than experiences that the characters were really having.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This book is giving Emily in Paris vibes. I loved
the character development. This was a very well written debut novel, the descriptions make you feel like you’re in Paris, drinking wine and having a delicious meal. Everything was in such good detail

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. When reviewing on Netgalley, I always try and get through the entire book to give my honest and true opinion so I can help other readers, publishers, and authors... but this may be my one exception because I only got to 35%.

The story started off pretty good and I was excited to see where it would take our FMC, Cassie. With that being said, I found the writing to be really difficult to follow and comprehend. It should be noted that I usually NEVER gravitate towards books written in 3rd person for this reason. With that being said, there were still other parts of the book that didn't sit well with my never ending active mind lol. For example, I think there was wayyy too much about food in this book. I know the title includes the word EAT but I sure as heck didn't expect it on this intense of a level.

Overall, I just truly found it hard to connect to the plot and the characters within this book. While there was great character development and handling of emotions involving grief, everything was just lack luster to me. I feel that if you like the third person writing style and want a little less romance within your books then this one would be for you. I on the other hand love me some spicy spice so I just read this book wanting more throughout the entire thing.

With that being said, thank you so so much to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this ARC and give my honest opinion! I think this one will do so well with the right audience and readers with a love for this style of writing!

A great book about the exploration of self after a loved one passes away. I liked the influencer and public angle of the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I liked this romance and finding oneself. She finds out that her boyfriend was a secret food critic and when she finds out that he won a trip , she takes it . She finds more about herself and some romance. She also finds that she likes eating the food and doing reviews.

This book was so relatable to me. Cassie's boyfriend, James, dies unexpectedly and suddenly, and in her grief and upon discovering a whole life James was living that she didn't know about, she goes on a foodie travel experience of a lifetime to discover what her passions are. I had similar feelings when I lost my boyfriend suddenly and I feel unlike Cassie, I am still picking up the pieces and trying to discover what I care about in this world without him in it. I admire Cassie for taking a chance at something different and new and loved how her work friend kept encouraging her. I was also glad that Cassie made friends on her trip and even found a little love. The descriptions of the meals and the destinations they visited were exquisite. I felt like I was there. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending but I can also understand why the author wrote it that way.

this was fine. completely, totally, utterly fine.

honestly the biggest issue for me with this one was the writing, it just felt so dense and overcomplicated at certain points. also the food descriptions were beyond excessive. i mean obviously i knew what i was getting into considering the title is literally <i>EAT post love</i> but still.

i didn’t loveeee cassie? i really enjoyed seeing her navigate grief and growing from her experiences and finding herself throughout the story. but as a character in general she just wasn’t my fav, neither were any of the others tbh.

expected a cutesy romance, got a much deeper and more emotional novel about serious topics. this isn’t me complaining, just saying to not judge this by the cover like i did!! and i can def see why someone might enjoy this, it was just pretty meh all around for me personally.

huge thank you to netgalley & avon and harper voyager for the arc!! all opinions are my own <3

Eat Post Like is a novel about Cassie Brooks, a lawyer who discovers the secret career of her boyfriend shortly after his death and decides to use this opportunity to pivot her own life into an extravagant food critic's.

I appreciated the book’s journey through self-discovery and using unexpected tragedy as a tool for exploration. Ultimately I found myself very fond of Cassie and all of her human-ness. The author’s use of elaborate food descriptors made it easy to drop into the book and pretend I was fine dining with the Viand crew, and her chats with Ruby made me feel like I was checking in with my own best friend about my questionable decisions.

My one critique was that I found it difficult to track the depth of Cassie’s relationship with James - it initially read as though they were not too serious, as the grieving process was not explored as much as I anticipated after reading the synopsis, however it is mentioned a few times that Cassie expected the pair to become engaged and spend their lives together. This oversight made it difficult to conceptualize how she could consider romantic prospects less than one year following his passing. I suppose I expected more insight into her thoughts about moving on, but I will concede the author provided insight into her mixed feelings about taking over his account (and parts of his life) and the feeling of being a fraud in these ultra-extravagant settings. Overall it was a cute, moving novel that was consumed almost entirely in one sitting. Here's hoping we get to visit Cassie again on a future adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced reader copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Not to be dramatic, but I think this might be my favorite book ever! It's amazing! It has a well-balanced blend of the themes of self discovery, friendship, grief, adventure, and romance. As a huge fan of cooking shows like Top Chef, I loved reading the descriptions of delicious food. I also loved all of the details of the fancy restaurants and travels abroad which I don't go to as often as I used to.

The plot was interesting and exciting. There were times I said, "Awww!" and "What?!" out loud. I even had to set down my glass of wine (which felt on brand with the book) to finish the last few chapters because I was so invested in what would happen.

The characters all had unique personalities which were shown in their distinct dialogues. It made me feel like I was a part of her life and knew them all personally. There was never a time where I had to try and remember who someone was or what role they played. They were relatable because the author wrote out how they handled stressful situations and divulged in difficult conversations.

Overall, I couldn't put this book down! And now I want to go travel, eat and follow my heart down unexpected paths! 5 stars for sure!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest review!

I loved this book. LOVED IT.
It’s a tale of grief and resilience, but the real hero is the food.
An up and coming lawyer finds herself at a crossroads of burnout and grief and jumps into an opportunity.
She lands in Europe where she stays in posh hotels and eats exquisite food, drinks sumptuous wines.
My own hospitality background had my imagination kicked into overdrive, but the descriptions of the locales, plates, and experiences were transcendent. I saw the plates, tasted the wines, smelled the air.

As a book, the pacing was perfection and I flew through the pages and wanted more.
My only complaint was (mild spoiler) the lack of resolution with the boyfriend’s Instagram account.

Here’s hoping this author has more stories to tell, as I will definitely read them!

I think this book was pretty good. The characters were likable and not overly cheesy, like they are in some romcoms. I do think there were some unrealistic plot lines in this book, however, it was still entertaining and kept me in cage while reading it

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Some of this was a bit much as far as the writing goes, but some cringe and clunky at times writing aside and considering it's a debut, I enjoyed it.

Cassie, a lawyer climbing her way to the top loses her boyfriend tragically in the very early pages of this book and discovers he has been hiding a secret life from her months after his passing. He's one of New York's best food critics. She ends up taking a sabbatical from work and steps in as James on a opportunity out of the country.

This book did a great job at covering themes of loss, love, and self reflection. The story is sweet and relatable but the pacing wasn't it for me.

I wish I was able to see the two of them connect more in the beginning because I think it would have made their relationship feel more impactful, more significant. Overall a sweet, fun, quick read.

I have to say, I’m not a foodie, so some of the food descriptions were a bit much for me. But beyond that, the storyline was incredible—unlike anything I’ve read before, which made it a real treat. The author did a beautiful job with character development and conveying emotions. The ending left me wanting more; maybe we’ll get to explore the Orient in a sequel?
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Eat Post Like is the debut novel by Emily Arden Wells. The story follows Cassie, a dedicated lawyer whose relentless work ethic has left her with little time for her boyfriend, James. She believes she can always prioritize her relationship later, especially as she strives for the next promotion. Tragedy strikes when James dies in a car accident, prompting Cassie to reevaluate how she’s spending her life. Her journey of self-discovery intensifies when she uncovers James's secret as an anonymous food reviewer.

The novel resonated with me, encouraging reflection on my own passions. With themes of love, loss, and finding oneself through grief, it offers a poignant yet enjoyable read. The vivid descriptions transport readers to places they might not otherwise visit, showcasing the author’s architectural background. While some passages felt a bit dense, they didn’t detract from the overall experience. I rated the plot and pacing a 3.5 out of 5, noting that the main conflict emerged too late in the story, leaving the conclusion feeling rushed. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys general fiction with light romance, as well as foodies and travel enthusiasts.

A special thank you to NetGalley and publisher Avon for the advanced reader copy in exchange for honest feedback.

I don’t even know how to feel about this. The plot was good, but the characters felt like they were supposed to have a big background and they just didn’t. They had no depth. Writing style wasn’t my thing

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC. I am very grateful!

DNF - but made it to 65% so I'm counting it towards being read!

I really wanted to WANT to finish this story but unfortunately I could not connect to it the way that I hoped. The synopsis seemed promising and while I did remain curious of how the storyline would continue to play out, I ultimately could not make it passed the dialogue.
For me there was simply too much of it and it often fell flat because it didn't read as authentic. I didn't feel like what the characters were saying were believable nor did I connect with any of them. Especially Cassie's friend, Ruby.
I wish we got a bit more of Cassie and James relationship at the beginning, just to sort of build more of a tether and have more of his presence as we continue on with her journey of taking over his account, making her own, and then rewriting that journey to be her own. I may update this review as I think more about it and I do hope to read this entirely in the future to see if anything has changed!

Eat Post Like is a very sweet story dealing with love, loss, food, and self discovery. Cassie was a great character and is someone I'd love to be friends with in real life!

Such a great and quick read. Love the cover and the title of the book. Relatable contemporary should be the genre for this book.

Cassie thinks she has it all. A great job and an adoring boyfriend. What more could a girl need? When James dies suddenly Cassie finds out that he’s been running a secret food critic instagram account with over 1 million followers. Hurt and shocked by the revelation Cassie starts to question what she once knew. Taking a sabbatical from her job she decides to step in for James on a critic opportunity overseas.

This is a beautiful story about grief and loss, and finding yourself after losing someone important. Cassie gets the opportunity to reevaluate her life after the loss of her boyfriend and finds that maybe her life isn’t what she wants after all. Cassie is a well written deep character. Thanks netgalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.