Adult, book review

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (Review)

Title: Love & Other Disasters
Author: Anita Kelly
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ+
Publisher: Forever
(Hachette Book Group)
Date published: January 18, 2022

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she’s focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.

After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan.

As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

⤖ My Review ⬻

I was so excited when I read in the Love & Other Disasters synopsis that one of the leads was nonbinary! I have been waiting for a book like this! Please note that because I am not nonbinary, I can not speak to the accuracy and//or representation in this book…but I can tell you what I enjoyed about it!

I liked both of the leading characters from the very beginning! And I think that getting the story from both perspectives really helped in telling the story the way it should be told as well as giving insight into both characters’ personalities, thoughts, etc.

While reading Love & Other Disasters, I definitely found the situations as well as the characters to be very realistic. And I’m also finding that I really enjoy the reality TV plot in books! Which I find funny because I don’t watch reality TV all that often. Maybe I like this type of plot in books because of the behind the scenes aspects…

All in all, I definitely enjoyed Love & Other Disasters–the character, the plot, as I mentioned. I also enjoyed the writing and wanted to make sure I say that it turned out being more spicy than I had anticipated (which was definitely a win)! I definitely recommend this book and hope to come across more romance books with nonbinary main characters!

⤖ About the Author ⬻


Anita Kelly (she/they) is originally from a small town in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania and now lives in the Pacific Northwest with their family, where they spend time in the woods when they can and drink too much tea. Anita also writes queer romance. 

⤖ Places to Purchase the Book ⬻

⤖ Let's Chat ⬻

Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!

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