This is just number two of the many new ‘best of’ series I have planned. I’ve talked about loving books about food or with a food theme for ages now, so I thought, why not talk about some of my favourites?
I don’t think this will be a series that pops up every month, as I don’t currently have a huge amount of books to talk about, however, I will be doing some blog admin soon to gather more books for posts, so there’s a possibility that this will pop up more than I think.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Two things that I’m learning go well together are cosy fantasy and food. I’ve personally found that most cost fantasies I’ve come across involve food in some way, whether that be a coffee shop or bakery, and I love it. Especially as someone that when I get myself a ‘little treat’ it’s almost always a pastry.
Before I picked up this book I was extremely curious about how coffee would be made in a fantasy setting. I was not disappointed. The descriptions of the process and the machines they used were so cool. There was no magic involved, just pure engineering innovations.
I also really enjoyed the descriptions of the, yes you’ve guessed it, pastries. I don’t think I’ve ever had a book make me crave food more than Legends & Lattes. The very first sweet treat sold in Vi’s coffee shop is a cinnamon bun, which is one of my absolute favourite pastries/cakes – depending on the type of cinnamon bun it is (I love both).
Synopsis: After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.
But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
I’m a little ashamed to admit that at the time of reading A Pho Love Story, I’d never eaten pho. Now it’s one of my favourite foods. There’s a great place near where I love that does garlic beef pho and it’s genuinely heavenly. It’s an independent restaurant, not the Pho chain. I really need to go there soon, I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.
I wouldn’t say food is a central theme of this book as it is very much a contemporary romance, however, both characters grew up and work at their parent’s restaurants so you do get a lot of delicious food descriptions. I knew next to nothing about Vietnamese food before reading this, and now it’s one of my favourite cuisines. It seems a little weird to say, but reading (fiction) books about food made me try new dishes that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise and I think that’s really lovely.
Synopsis: If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.
If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams of pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.
For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.
But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.
Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?
Check out Young Creative Press on all socials
You can also check out my StoryGraph here
Like this post? Why not read this one too: Audiobook Review: Prom Date by Diane Hoh