Tacos for Two

Author: Betsy St. Amant
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 12, 2021

Rory Perez, a food truck owner who can't cook, is struggling to keep the business she inherited from her aunt out of the red--and an upcoming contest during Modest's annual food truck festival seems the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her a solid financial footing and keep her cousin with special needs paid up at her beloved assisted living home. Then maybe Rory will have enough time to meet the man she's been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.

Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father's law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. But if he loses the contest, he's back at the law firm for good. Failure is not an option.

Complications arise when Rory's chef gets mono and she realizes she has to cook after all. Then Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he's been falling for online the past month.

Will these unlikely chefs sacrifice it all for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?

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Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise

One Food Truck owner who can’t cook, trying to salvage her legacy.
One wealthy guy trying to go against the grain of his family business. Equals a recipe for disaster!

In a cute romantic mess up reminiscent of You’ve Got Mail, this modern take makes you long for a Happily Ever After.

Rory Perez feels the pressure of caring for her sweet mentally challenged cousin and living out her family legacy. Jude Worthington is under the shadow of his family law firm but would rather be cooking tacos. Rory signs up for a secret chat dating site as Color Me Turquoise and Jude does as well as Strongman 99. They begin messaging and hit it off. Trouble comes when they enter a food truck contest and do not realize their connection to the chat room. They are both putting all their tacos in one basket but will they realize that winning isn’t everything?

It was a complex, layered story with lots of fun banter. Just the thing for a great pick me up. A clean read and a rom-com in the classic style.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads program. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Mindy Houng
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"Within the hour, he would either kill her dream or she'd kill his."

What an absolutely delightful rom-com! This book totally needs to be made into a movie. Betsy St. Amant combines just the right amount of sass, snark, movie references, and tender vulnerability within a drama-filled food truck competition and sets it on simmer with sparks of romance and small town charm. I so needed this book as a pick-me-up after a long week!

There are truly hilarious moments that will make you cry from laughing so hard and there are truly touching and tender moments that will make you cry from feeling so much. Jude and Rory's on-line banter and flirting are too cute for words but their actual interactions before they know of each other's identity are.....stuff of great rom-com movies. Jude is a swoon-worthy hero and Rory is a feisty heroine who challenges and validates him. The secondary characters are also fantastic; I particularly loved Hannah, Rory's cousin, and Grady, Rory's food truck partner. Within the folds of wonderful humor and romance are lessons of seeing beyond the surface, following after 'soul joy', forgiveness and reconciliation.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic comedy. One of the most fun books of 2021!

I received a copy from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

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Reviewer: Nora St. Laurent

This author does a brilliant job of re-imagining and expanding the theme of the movie You’ve Got Mail.  The two main characters love this movie and make references and quote lines from the movie throughout the novel. I adored the movie You’ve Got Mail and have learned so much from cooking shows. This author combines family dynamics with Food Truck festivals, and cooking competitions that has the whole town in a flutter. This book has a depth in characterization and story that the movie didn’t have time to go into. I enjoyed every second I spent hanging out with these colorful characters, and their families in this sweet small town.

The author showcases each chef, their featured food trucks, food recipes, and quickly engages them in a fierce food competition at a festival. This story is engaging, fun and witty, with just the right blend of family drama, online fun interaction and quirky characters that get the whole town buzzing. The two main characters meet in a dating site called “Love at first chat”. The book opens with them chatting on the sight. “Color Me Turquoise says: “Did you ever have any doubts about this app?”

Strongerman99 replies: “You mean, did I ever doubt that an online matchmaking program could quiz me, run a background check, slap-up a profile, and immediately match me up successfully with a complete stranger who lives within a sixty-mile radius of me but who I’ve never met before on my own & cause me to fall in love & live happily ever after? Of course not.”

“Me neither.” LOL!

This is an unforgettable story, with characters to root for. You’ll be talking to your friends about this one.  It would work well for your next book club pick and party! It’s a win win. If you haven’t read a book by this author, treat yourself to this one. It’s a book you don’t want to miss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Reviewer: Lori Parrish

It was an interesting book for sure, and it provided a few snickers. Still, I really enjoyed the competition the most!

I've never seen the movie You've Got Mail, but I feel as if I have through this book.

As I got further into the book, I figured out who the two emails were coming from. I really laughed out loud because you see, I had a feeling from the first couple of texts which it was, but I wanted to be sure. 

This book y'all! I think this will be my favorite rom-com book of 2021!

Guys! Word of warning, y'all will drool throughout this funny story. I know I did, and my stomach growled at me.

I didn't want to put this book down! I hope there will be more books coming from this new to me author. I thought she did an excellent job of bringing the story to life!

Highly recommended!

I received a copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. 

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