[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Henry and Rosie first meet on their Chicago to Paris flight. They are both on their way to the École Denis Laurent, an exclusive cooking school. They are both excited about the opportunity, nervous about wanting to do well, and happy to have met someone who understands their love of cooking.
But things are a little more complicated than they seem at first blush. Henry’s mom wants him to go to a traditional college. She knows how hard it is to run a restaurant. She and Henry’s dad have done it for years. His mom meddles, convincing his academic teachers that he wants to do extra, more advanced work when he really just wants to cook. And if he doesn’t keep his grades up, she says he will have to come home.
Rosie’s true love is baking. But the École is all about cooking – tasks like breaking down a whole chicken and the uniform cutting of vegetables in fussy, precise ways. She’s the only student there who doesn’t have her own knife kit, and she starts to wonder if she even belongs there. If she can’t find a way to shine in the traditional areas of cooking, she may be sent home at Christmas.
The sparks between Henry and Rosie are undeniable, but their personal struggles might pull them apart before they even get a chance to see what they might be together.
Review
This was so sweet! (Pardon the pun.) I loved Henry and Rosie right from the start. They have terrific chemistry. As is often the case in romance stories, they have to learn to communicate if they’re going to have any chance at a future.
I didn’t understand a lot of the fancy cooking terms, but the love each of the kids has for his/her craft was obvious. I loved the scenes when Henry and Rosie – and the other characters – got to just enjoy and savor food together, either around Paris or at school. It was pure joy for them. They were in their element.
While Henry and Rosie are great characters, the ensemble around them is also terrific. The other kids come from a variety of backgrounds. There are the catty girls you would expect, some good friends, and a possible rival for Rosie’s affections.
This is a fun celebration of Paris, food and friendship – as well as friendship that could become something more. I’ve come to expect fun stories with endearing characters from Stephanie Kate Strohm (Prince in Disguise, It’s Not Me It’s You). And her latest book does not disappoint!