Rating: B+
Synopsis:
If you can grill it, smoke it, or fry it, Nora Henderson knows all about it. She’s been basting baby back ribs and pulling pork at her father’s barbeque joint since she was tall enough to reach the counter. When she’s accepted to Taste Test, a reality-television teen cooking competition, Nora can’t wait to leave her humble hometown behind, even if it means saying good-bye to her dad and her best friend, Billy. Once she’s on set, run-ins with her high-society roommate and the maddeningly handsome—not to mention talented—son of a famous chef, Christian Van Lorten, mean Nora must work even harder to prove herself. But as mysterious accidents plague the kitchen arena, protecting her heart from one annoyingly charming fellow contestant in particular becomes the least of her concerns. Someone is conducting real-life eliminations, and if Nora doesn’t figure out who, she could be next to get chopped for good.
With romance and intrigue as delectable as the winning recipes included in the story, this debut novel will be devoured by all.
With romance and intrigue as delectable as the winning recipes included in the story, this debut novel will be devoured by all.
My thoughts on the book:
Taste Test is a super cute and light read. I enjoyed this novel, with its sweet romance and intriguing mystery, immensely. While Fiore did over-do the descriptions a bit when it came to the cooking, it added to the atmosphere and understanding of the characters instead of slowing down the pace. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the descriptions, and as most of you know, I normally detest excessive imagery. The characters were well-developed and the plot was solid. It wasn't my normal fare, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
Nora, for the most part, was a fairly strong heroine. She came across as bratty sometimes, but overall, I liked her. She was extremely sheltered, and that annoyed me some because I couldn't really relate to that, but I still enjoyed her story. Christian is the typical rich "bad boy" type. He was a bit too angsty for my tastes, but I could see why Nora liked him. The dynamic between the two characters was well done. The secondary characters were the typical bully type characters and most of them didn't stand out. This made it extremely difficult to decide who the guilty party was, though, which was a good thing.
The mystery wasn't super easy to figure out, but I did figure it out before the very end. The romance was a bit immature at first, but turned out to be sweet. The pacing was pretty much perfect, and the descriptions added to the feel of the novel (as I previously mentioned). I liked the ending, and I felt that it wrapped everything up nicely. When I finished this novel, I was left with a happy, lighthearted feeling. I love when books can give me that.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good mystery, a sweet romance, or a light and fun read. You're sure to love it!
Order Taste Test today!
Onto the giveaway!!
Enter in the Rafflecopter below to win a copy of Taste Test and two mini spatulas that match the book cover! This giveaway is US only. Sorry international friends.
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I got the book from NetGalley a while ago and I agree that she was a bit bratty and annoying. Nora was a bit naive sometimes. Great review! Since I already have the book, I'm doing the giveaway for the spatulas :)
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