#THE ROMANCE RECIPE BY RUBY BARRETT

[wearethekat]

December Book Reviews: The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

Picked this one up from the library because it was a sapphic romance! Amy is owner of a new and struggling restaurant who's hired her reality cooking contestant crush in an attempt to get more people to visit the restaurant. But Sophie feels crushed by the limelight and the social media pressure-- and increasingly distanced from the reasons she loves to cook. Can they navigate their mutual attraction and manage to save the restaurant before it fails?

This was a sweet romance, but it didn't quite click for me. Anxious Sophie and grumpy Amy were interesting, but not particularly compelling. However, I was glad that the reality TV part mentioned in the cover copy was relatively minor, since I dislike that trope. It's nice to see more sapphic romances being published, but this one is just okay.

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: The Romance Recipe

Author: Ruby Barrett

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2022

Genres: fiction, romance, LGBT+, contemporary, food

Blurb: Amy Chambers will do anything to revive her ailing restaurant, including hiring a former reality-show finalist with good connections and a lot to prove...but her hopes that Sophie’s skills and celebrity status can bring her restaurant back from the brink of failure are beginning to wane. Sophie Brunet just wants to cook. She doesn’t want to constantly post on social media for her dead-in-the-water reality TV career, she doesn’t want to deal with Amy’s take-charge personality, and she doesn’t want to think about what her attraction to her boss might mean. Suddenly, they’re presented with an opportunity: a new foodie TV show might provide the exposure they need. An uneasy truce is fine for starters, but making their dreams come true means making some personal and painful sacrifices...and soon, there’s more than just the restaurant at stake.

[unhingedfemmecontent]

Sapphic Romance Books (Interact to Boost Please)

Home Field Advantage - Dahlia Adler

Ophelia After All - Racquel Marie

I kissed Shara Wheeler -  Casey McQuiston

The Stars and the Blackness Between them - Junauda Petrus

Mistakes Were Made - Meryl Winsner

She's too Pretty to Burn - Wendy Heard

The Romance Recipe - Ruby Barrett

Something to Talk About - Meryl Wilsner

In the Event of Love - Courtney Kae

The Holiday Trap - Roan Parrish

Kiss Her Once for Me - Alison Cochrun

Dahlia Green Doesn’t Care - Ashley Herring Blake

Queerly Beloved - Susie Dumond

Read Between the Lines - Rachel Lacey

One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston

Written in the Stars - Alexandria Bellefleur

Never Anyone but You - Rupert Thomson

She Gets the Girl - Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott

Honey Girl - Morgan Rodgers

[lgbtqreads]

bit of a weird request, but do you know of any queer books that have some kinda focus on food/cooking/baking? examples i can think of are things like the dos and donuts of love, cafe con lychee, the tea dragon society, and some not queer books like a cuban girl’s guide to tea and tomorrow and tweet cute. (basically just books where the main characters either like one of the above enough that it is a part of the book, or it’s integral to the plot, because mc works at a restaurant or cafe or smth. i just like really like baking and cooking lol)

i don’t really mind anything, but i’d def prefer books with main characters of colour, f/f or nonbinary romances, and/or queer books where the focus is friendship, family, or found family! tysm :)

Not weird at all; I love foodie books! You definitely want The Heartbreak Bakery by AR Capetta, Lose You to Find Me by Erik J. Brown, and with a CW for sexual assault, I'll also mention The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore. And make sure you've got A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen bookmarked for August!

Also, because all the titles you listed are YA, I'm assuming that's what you're looking for, but if you're also open to adult, here are some more f/f and f/nb ones:

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond

The Secret Ingredient by KD Fisher (Amz)

Love at 350 Degrees by Lisa Peers

Certainly, Possibly, You by Lissa Reed (B)

Fake It by Lily Seabrooke – T

Last Chance by Lily Seabrooke (Amz)

Faux Pas by Lily Seabrooke

Chef’s Kiss by Stephanie Shea (Amz)

Perfect Pairing by Rachel Spangler

No Parking by Valentine Wheeler

Chef’s Kiss by TJ Alexander

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🔪 What to Read After Watching The Bear (Queer Edition)

🦇 You bookish bats know I love a foodie romance (which is why I created my first "What to Read After Watching" list for The Bear last year). After watching The Great North episode of Ham and Crispin "yes chef" and "corner" -ing adorably, I realized I had to make a queer version. So here are a few queer books you should consider reading after watching The Bear!

🧁 Be sweet! Comment a "YES CHEF" if you love this list!

🔪 Bloom - Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau 🔪 Chef's Kiss - TJ Alexander

🔪 Love & Other Disasters - Anita Kelly 🔪 Café Con Lycee - Emery Lee

🔪 Rosaline Palmer Takes The Cake - Alexis Hall 🔪 The Romance Recipe - Ruby Barrett

🔪 Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree 🔪 Queerly Beloved - Susie Dumond

🔪 The Dos and Donuts of Love - Adiba Jaigirdar 🔪 The Heartbreak Bakery - A.R. Capetta

🔪 Fake Dates and Mooncakes - Sher Lee 🔪 Served Hot - Annabeth Albert

🔪 Mangos and Mistletoe - Adriana Herrera 🔪 Idlewild - Jude Sierra

🔪 Chef's Table - Lynn Charles 🔪 Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble - Alexis Hall

🔪 Triple Sec - T.J. Alexander 🔪 You Had Me At Happy Hour - Timothy Janovsky

🔪 A Bánh Mì for Two - Trinity Nguyen 🔪 Lavash at First Sight - Taleen Voskuni

🔪 Chef's Kiss - Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine, Hank Jones, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou 🔪 The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Deya Muniz

[sapphicbookclub]

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

Amy Chambers: restaurant owner, micromanager, control freak.

Amy will do anything to revive her ailing restaurant, including hiring a former reality-show finalist with good connections and a lot to prove. But her hopes that Sophie’s skills and celebrity status would bring her restaurant back from the brink of failure are beginning to wane…

Sophie Brunet: grump in the kitchen/sunshine in the streets, took thirty years to figure out she was queer.

Sophie just wants to cook. She doesn’t want to constantly post on social media for her dead-in-the-water reality TV career, she doesn’t want to deal with Amy’s take-charge personality and she doesn’t want to think about what her attraction to her boss might mean…

Then, an opportunity: a new foodie TV show might provide the exposure they need. An uneasy truce is fine for starters, but making their dreams come true means making some personal and painful sacrifices and soon, there’s more than just the restaurant at stake.

Genres: contemporary, romance

Get the book from Blackwell's with free worldwide shipping here!

[oldfangirl81]

I have an actual library card again. My goal is to read more this year.

I need recommendations please!

Some mix of these would be great.

• Queer romance

• Asexual romance

• Urban Fantasy

• Paranormal Romance

• Fake Dating to Real Dating

• Anything with dragons or kitsune

Below the cut are ones on the TBR list I'm creating if you also need ideas. I'll add as I get more recs. And I'll link eventually to a review post as I read them.

Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert

Fake Dating The Prince by Ashlyn Kane

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino

The Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Melissa by Alex Gino

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster by Andrea Mosqueda

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Demon by Kimberly Lemming

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

The Last Sun by KD Edwards

Ace of Hearts by Lucy Mason

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

Jay's Gay Agenda by Jason June

A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson

The Engineer by CS Poe

After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang

Runebinder by Alex R Kahler

Rare Vigilance by MA Grant

The Witch King by HE Edgmon

Robin Hood Vol 1 by Pat Strand

Dreidel Date by Eliana West

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: With a gorgeous beachfront mansion, salty ocean breeze, steamy nights, and ALL the summertime feels, this funny, sexy queer rom-com is a celebration of summer love, as a cinnamon roll of a pastry chef finds his indie rocker crush suddenly within reach. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Roan Parrish, Alexandria Bellefleur, Ruby Barrett, and Alexis Hall! Ben has been baking his mother’s cinnamon rolls at the family café for years. He’s been quietly in love with Adam Reed, his musician-slash-mechanic neighbor, for just as long. But Ben’s done waiting behind the pastry case. Despite his fear of failure, he’s entered a make-or-break competition to build his recipes into a national brand. He’s going to take charge of his business instead of nearly tanking the café—again. And he’s going to finally confess his feelings for Adam. ON LIVE TV. Except his big plans get punched down before they even half-rise. Soon Ben is dashing down the coast to his grandma’s 80th birthday party on the beach, hiding his broken heart in Maywell Bay, California. Sun, sea, and fresh breezes should blow in something new—except they don’t. They blow in Adam Reed, grinning like a pirate and stealing the show as the musical entertainment hired by Grandma for her big bash. Grandma’s signature Heartbreak Tea is the only remedy, and Grandma’s tea could take the paint off a fence. But there’s a burn of truth along with the booze in his bottle, and Ben has a decision to make. Can he take the sweetness in front of him, and brave the bitterness that comes after? Or is a little sea salt just what this cinnamon roll needs? Salty cinnamon rolls? Ew. Ben would never.

Review:

Ben is a baker who has secretly been in love with his friend, a musician/mechanic Adam Reed, for years and when Ben’s family cafe is picked to enter into a televised competition that would make his cinnamon rolls a national brand it’s the chance to finally confess his feelings to Adam on live TV.... except things don’t go well and now Ben is dashing away to get over Adam while celebrating his grandma’s 80th birthday party on the beach... except who followed him there and is the main music act?? Adam... and Adam has a few things he definitely wants to tell Ben before Ben runs off... To throw more drama into the mess, Ben is also dealing with his dad trying to defame him and ruin his relationships, the very same father who hurt Ben when he was younger and left Ben’s family left turned upside down. Ben has been working on his insecurities ever since, trying to not only help his family but make sure everyone around him is happy... yet what he needs to focus on is learning to make himself a priority and love himself. Can Ben find a way to be with Adam and sort out his own family drama or will it all get too complicated? When I say I ADORE ADAM AND BEN I MEAN IT WITH MY WHOLE HEART. This was the sweetest book ever, their romance was SO CUTE and the COMMUNICATION and CONSENT was so so good and I can’t stress enough how soft and sweet this romance was. Seriously this book was just so sweet and I loved seeing Ben go on a journey of learning to love himself and opening himself up to getting help and prioritizing his own needs and wants. So yes, READ THIS BOOK, add it to your tbr, and pick up some cinnamon rolls and coffee cuz you’ll definitely be craving it while reading this book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Kensington Books, Kensington for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[sapphicreadsdb]

Do you know of any sapphic friends with benefits (doesn’t need to be explicitly stated) to lovers books? Or books that have a sapphic physical fast burn with romantic slow burn?

i have a couple with bi mcs in a f/m relationship — take a hint, dani brown by talia hibbert & crownchasers by rebecca coffindaffer — and f/f specifically in storm season by pene henson, knit, purl, a baby and a girl by hettie bell, the romance recipe by ruby barrett, the love song of sawyer bell by avon gale & the girl next door by chelsea m cameron.

[hawkeyefrommash]

I only read 15 books this year so in order of preference:

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

The Twyford Code by Janice Hallet

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola 

The Appeal by Janice Hallet

Cadet Kirk by Diane Carey

Legends & Lattees by Travis Baldree

Homie by Danez Smith

The Crystal Kingdom by The McElroys

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

Begin by Telling by Meg Remy

The Muse by Amy Ellis

for someone who loves books and reading i do not read a lot x this is bc i have depression mostly and also dyslexia so i read slowly. also i based this on my memory and not on what i rated them on goodreads, but the only one below 4 stars was the muse which i have 2 because i felt bad giving it one but I really didn't like it. that one the author reached out to me on ig for a review so I felt weird about the entire thing when I didn't enjoy it.

[booksnmagic]

books read in 2024: june

But How Are You, Really by Ella Dawson — 4★ (jun 4 - jun 6)

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers — 5★ (jun 9 - jun 11)

We Got The Beat by Jenna Miller — 4.5★ (jun 12 - jun 14)

Hotel Queens by Lee Winter — 3★ (jun 16 - jun 19)

Looking for a Sign by Susie Dumond — 4★ (jun 20 - jun 22)

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett — 3.5★ (jun 23 - jun 25)

Out Of The Blue by Rachel Lacey — 3.5★ (jun 27)

june 2024 book count: 7 2024 count: 32/20 (160%)

[wearethekat]

December Book Reviews Overview

The Belle of Belgrave Square (Mimi Matthews)

Provenance (Ann Leckie)

Ship Wrecked (Olivia Dade)

The Unbalancing (RB Lemberg)

The Romance Recipe (Ruby Barrett)

The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul (Victoria Goddard)

The Red Scholar's Wake (Aliette de Bodard)

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting (Sophie Irwin)

Children of Ragnarok (Cinda Williams Chima)

The Serpent's Egg (Caroline Stevermer)

Wicked Gentlemen (Ginn Hale)

Daughter of Redwinter (Ed McDonald)

Band Sinister (KJ Charles)

[bookblog2003]

The Romance Recipe-Ruby Barrett

Finished-March 11

[the-book-queen]

Hide your wallets, it’s that time again! #TBQsBookDeals

Your Tuesday thread of #romancedeals is ready, FREE to $2.99. Happy shopping! 📚❤

    FREE ✦ Admit You Love Me by Ajme Williams

1st POV. Secret baby. Rich aristocrat "won" her in a card game years ago, and they had one night together.

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3COvHWU 

$0.99 ✦ Cowboys of Stone Ridge by Heatherly Bell

3 books, including:

~ Second chance

~ Cowboy + best friend's sister

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3EMZeSf 

$1.99 ✦ How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

1st POV. Southern decides she needs a major change to find herself and moves to a small town in Alaska. He's an Alpha in self-imposed exile from the pack.

TBQ Rec

Paranormal Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3rL5bHk 

$1.99 ✦ Autumn in Scotland by Karen Ranney

After being betrothed, and then abandoned, by an earl she never met, she opened a prestigious girls' school. He's the cousin of her former fiance.

Historical Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3CMEdWc 

$2.99 ✦ The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett

1st POV. Restaurant owner hires a former reality-show finalist, hoping the connections will help the failing business.

Contemporary Romance (FF) | https://amzn.to/3yq2oXZ 

 Putting these lists together takes time. If you appreciate this content, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi. http://ko-fi.com/danielletbq 

[lgbtqreads]

Hai! Do you have any recs for books with romantically messy sapphics?

ALWAYS. Check out Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun, The Ride of Her Life by Jennifer Dugan, Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings, Out on Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler, The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett, Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake, Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner, and Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous by Mae Marvel, for a few!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

💜 Steamy Bisexual Romance Books

Let's heat things up a bit! Check out these steamy bisexual romances and get your TBR sizzling! Have you read any of these bisexual romance novels yet?

💖 Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly @anitakellywrites 💜 Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald @carlyn_gee 💙 The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett @rubybarrettwrite 💖 In the Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kae @court_kae 💜 Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake 💙 With Love From Cold World by Alicia Thompson @ashleyhblake 💖 Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner @merylwilsner 💜 That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey @bridgetjmorrissey 💙 Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni @taleenauthor