Love & Other Disasters
Book: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
Synopsis:
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.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
My Thoughts: On the surface this is simply a cute romance set within the bounds of a TV cooking competition. Luckily for readers, the book goes beyond just being a cute romance. I read this book because I love reading queer stories. I love when queer people get to be the main characters and I get to really truly imagine myself in their shoes. There was just something about the way London used cooking as an escape because they knew if they followed the directions then they’d get it this one thing right, even though they still had so many other questions about the world and their family and themself. There was something about Dahlia knowing she was queer well before she bothered to mention it to anybody.
There were also moments unrelated to sexuality that I connected with, and those connections felt deeper because I knew the characters were coming from some level of underlying common ground. I identified so much with Dahlia. Like, a 28-year-old who knows herself less now than she did a few years ago? May as well be me. A creative, ambitious writer thoroughly convinced they’re a disappointment to every single person in their life? Absolutely me. I wanted Dahlia to succeed because I needed to be able to imagine myself succeeding.
I definitely enjoyed this book and apparently it’s only the first book in a series of queer romances all connected to London Parker’s Nashville universe so I’m for sure looking forward to the others whenever they’re released.
You can get your own copy of Love & Other Disasters here or borrow it from your local library.
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