For Butter or Worse Review

Summary (from the publisher): All chef Nina Lyon wants is to make a name for herself in the culinary world and inspire young women everywhere to do the same. For too long, she’s been held back and underestimated by the male-dominated sphere of professional kitchens, and she’s had enough. Now, as co-host of the competitive reality TV series The Next Cooking Champ!, she finally has a real shot at being top tier in the foodie scene.Too bad her co-host happens to be Hollywood’s smarmiest jerk.

Restaurateur Leo O’Donnell never means to get under Nina’s skin. It just seems to happen, especially when the cameras are rolling. It’s part of the anxiety and stress he has come to know all too well in this line of work. So nothing prepares him for the fallout after he takes one joke a smidge too far and Nina up and quits—on live TV.

To make matters worse, the two are caught in what looks like a compromising situation by the paparazzi…and fans of the show go absolutely nuts. Turns out, a “secret romance” between Nina and Leo may just be what their careers need most.

Now all they have to do is play along, without killing each other…and without catching feelings. Easy as artisanal shepherd’s pie. Right?

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

If you love any rom-com with foodie talk or perfect descriptions of food, then Erin La Rosa’s new release, For Butter or Worse is the book for you.

For Butter or Worse is an enemies-to-lovers meets fake dating romance following restaurant owners and co-hosts of a cooking competition show, Nina and Leo. When Nina quits their TV show on-air after Leo makes a not-so nice comment, the two face a PR disaster that means less customers in Nina’s LA restaurant and Leo’s family owned Italian restaurant chain. In order to save their reputations and businesses, and after a revealing paparazzi photo of the two together, Nina’s publicist suggests that Nina & Leo fake date to save their careers… but why do their fake dates and fake feelings for one another start to feel a bit too real?

For Butter or Worse is perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory’s Wedding Date series, based on the LA setting and food talk & descriptions alone. Nina is a chef, and Leo runs the business side of his family’s Italian restaurant chain, aka meaning that the food talk was descriptive and perfectly endless in this book. I loved seeing the restaurant owner side of things, even though both Leo and Nina’s restaurants are facing financial struggles throughout the story. And throughout, this book made me crave chocolate, donuts, and pizza…just to name a few things. If you’re also a fall fan, the book is set during the transition from summer well into autumn, aka there are a few fall-set and Halloween date scenes.

The book alternates between the dual perspectives of Nina & Leo from the third person perspective. In addition, the book also sheds light on mental health, as Leo has anxiety that he often hides from his loved ones and Nina puts on a much stronger face than she actually feels when facing the criticism for her appearance on the cooking competition show & as a female chef. The book tackles a ton of themes well while also delivering on the trademarks of a solid romance read.

Overall, if you’re any kind of foodie or enemies-to-lovers or fake dating book fan, then For Butter or Worse is such a great read for you!

This review is based on an advance review copy provided by the publisher. By no means did receiving this review copy affect my thoughts & opinions.