Since being publicly humiliated by her cheating ex-boyfriend, chef Val Navarro has focused on building her family's restaurant and the community organization she co-founded to protest the increasing gentrification of her neighborhood. A waterfront redevelopment project has caused a major increase in local rents, forcing out many of her longtime friends and neighbors, and Val fears that her family's building may be the next target. Her cousin Olivia thinks Val needs to take a break from her worries and get back out on the dating scene, so she convinces her to go out dancing with her one night. She's introduced to Philip Wagner through a mutual friend and they hit it off, spending most of the night talking. Even though Val isn't interested in a starting a relationship because of the trust issues caused by her ex-boyfriend's betrayal, she agrees to go on a date with Philip the following week.
What she doesn't realize is that Philip's father is the property
developer responsible for the redevelopment project in her neighborhood. When she finds out the truth, can Philip convince Val to trust him - and that it's worth taking a risk on love?
Philip and Val were super cute together, and I particularly enjoyed that they first connected over Star Wars. Despite their very different backgrounds and upbringings, they had a tremendous amount in common, and they just kept being drawn back together no matter how much they told themselves they should stay away. Val was incredibly passionate about her community, which really was an extension of her family. By contrast, Philip was an only child, and it seemed he often struggled for his father's love and approval. I think he was a genuinely good person and wanted to do the right thing, but he didn't have a reason to push back against his father until Val came along and made him realize that he needed to open his eyes to what was happening outside of his own little bubble.
Overall, "A Delicious Dilemma" was an excellent
debut novel that I very much enjoyed. I recommend it for all
contemporary romance fans and will definitely be keeping an eye out for
Sera Taino's next book.
*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Meet Cute Creative. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "A Delicious Dilemma"
Different worlds collide in Sera Taino's debut novel.
It's hard to remain enemies when you've broken bread together
It's hard to remain enemies when you've broken bread together
Val Navarro’s first mistake: going out dancing after a bad breakup when the chef should be focused on her family business. Her second mistake? Thinking the handsome, sensitive stranger she meets could be more than a rebound – until she discovers he’s Philip Wagner of Wagner Developments. His father’s company could shut down her Puerto Rican restaurant and unravel her tight-knit neighborhood. When Philip takes over negotiations, Val wants to believe he has good intentions. But is following her heart a recipe for disaster?
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
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