Review: "Maybe I Will" by Melanie Jacobson

Maybe I Will by Melanie Jacobson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After a series of incidents led to him being fired from his job, chef Dylan Jones left New Orleans to train under a famous chef in Napa, moving back home just in time for his sister Ellie's wedding. He learned a lot about himself and faced some hard truths while he was away, including the fact that he needs to make amends to his sister's best friend, Chloe Morel, for his past behavior. He's had a secret crush on Chloe ever since they met; as a foolish 19-year-old, he didn't know how to express his feelings for her in the right way, so he and Chloe became enemies instead of friends. Now that he's moving into the apartment across the hall from hers, Dylan hopes to show Chloe a new side of himself, but that may prove to be easier said than done. There's an added complication to their relationship of which Dylan is unaware: Chloe is secretly a food critic known as The Kitchen Saint. Against all odds, Dylan and Chloe begin to grow closer after he rescues a dog from a local shelter, but will they be able to overcome the challenges of their competing careers?

I have been looking forward to Chloe and Dylan's enemies-to-lovers romance ever since they were introduced in the first book of this series, and it was even better than I had hoped it would be. Their chemistry and banter was phenomenal and I loved the slow burn as they transitioned into frenemies and then started to fall in love. Chloe's snark was a ton of fun, as was the way she claimed Dylan's rescue pup, Roscoe, as her own even before he brought him home. The way they talked to Roscoe (and each other) through the dog cam had me laughing more than once!

Further, both Chloe and Dylan were incredibly complex, relatable characters and I loved how much they each grew over the course of the story. I particularly empathized with Chloe's career frustrations after going through something similar early in my own career. It really sucks to be told that there's nothing to do but wait, "pay your dues," and eventually an opportunity will come. As for Dylan, it was interesting to explore the impact that Ellie's viral meme had on him, and it's a shame that no one ever noticed or acknowledged his struggles. He'd come a long way by the end of the book, but was still a work in progress, which was very relatable and made him even more endearing.

Overall, I absolutely adored this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story and highly recommend it for all fans of sweet contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I hope this isn't the last we'll see of this series and its characters! I'm not-so-secretly hoping that Jonah's sister Bailey will show up in a future story.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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