***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
“With great tension, simmering heat, and clever banter, FOR BUTTER OR WORSE is a mouthwateringly delicious enemies-to-lovers romance.”—Helen Hoang, USA Today bestselling author of The Heart Principle
"[A] sparkling romance...witty and lighthearted, with plenty of tender moments to keep readers invested, this work gets the enemies-to-lovers trope right."—Publishers Weekly
They go together like water and oil…
All chef Nina Lyon wants is to make a name for herself in the culinary world and inspire young women everywhere to do the same. For too long, she’s been held back and underestimated by the male-dominated sphere of professional kitchens, and she's had enough. Now, as co-host of the competitive reality TV series The Next Cooking Champ!, she finally has a real shot at being top tier in the foodie scene. Too bad her co-host happens to be Hollywood’s smarmiest jerk.
Restaurateur Leo O’Donnell never means to get under Nina’s skin. It just seems to happen, especially when the cameras are rolling. It's part of the anxiety and stress he has come to know all too well in this line of work. So nothing prepares him for the fallout after he takes one joke a smidge too far and Nina up and quits—on live TV.
To make matters worse, the two are caught in what looks like a compromising situation by the paparazzi…and fans of the show go absolutely nuts. Turns out, a “secret romance” between Nina and Leo may just be what their careers need most.
Now all they have to do is play along, without killing each other...and without catching feelings. Easy as artisanal shepherd's pie. Right?
For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa is a delicious book set in the world of reality cooking shows and it was so much fun.
Chef Nina Lyon works hard in the culinary world to make a name for herself. She’s a co-host of a cooking show named The Next Cooking Champ! In order to help grow some buzz about her culinary skills. But, her new co-host is also her arch enemy and he knows how to push her buttons on stage and off.
Leo O’Donnell is a restauranteur but doesn’t have the culinary background that Nina has. For some reason, he can’t help himself from the snarky comments he makes while on stage with Nina. Leo is surprised when one of his jokes on air forces Nina to quit.
When the paparazzi take a photo of Nina and Leo that appears as if they are dating, the fans go wild. They decide to start fake dating in order to salvage both their careers. And we all know what happens when a couple decides to fake date! 🙂
I enjoyed this light-hearted romance with the enemies to lovers, fake dating trope. I also enjoyed all the food descriptions as I almost always enjoy a book with delicious food in it!
Both Nina and Leo are dealing with some pretty tough issues of their own. Leo has fairly severe anxiety and Nina is dealing with grief. Although the book is mostly lighthearted, I did like the way the author handled these tough topics.
The enemies to lovers trope were mostly done well, however, some of the comments made early in the book toward each other were a bit harsh. Especially Leo’s comments. But, once past that, the banter between Leo and Nina was pretty fun.
I recommend For Butter or Worse to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
About Erin La Rosa
Erin La Rosa has written many highly engaging… tweets, as a social media manager. But on her way to writing romance, she’s also published two humorous non-fiction books, Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters (one human, two feline).
I also enjoyed this one, Wendy. We had very similar thoughts.
enemies to lovers and fake dating are my favorite tropes. This sounds like my kind of book. Amazing review!
Fab review! This sounds like so much fun and I always love a food element.
Yes, I love it when food is in a story too.
This sounds fun, I do like a light hearted romance 💕
This sounds like a fun read!
I love the title! Wonderful review, Wendy!
I like the twist that brings them together; I can imagine a lot of humor in that.
This one sounds right up my alley. I’m a reality cooking show junkie, lol.
This sounds like a fun read Wendy! I really enjoyed your review. ☺️
Cute title. The story sounds fun as well. It reminds me of a Hallmark movie.
Catchy title.
I love that this is set against a cooking show and involves lots of food. Sounds a fun story. Great review, Wendy🙂
Wonderful review Wendy. I am seeing this book everywhere.💜
Sounds like a fun read 🙂