This was such a cute romance. The setting was perfect and gave off such a cozy vibe. It really captured Toronto in a way that made me feel like I was there. Even though they were a little flat (can’t blame them, it’s romance), the characters were also lovely. They were just flawed enough that I wanted to keep reading while also having a lot of sympathy for them. Overall, this read was really comforting and would make a great Hallmark movie (if they ever stop being so homophobic).

It was pretty interesting story, kind of cute and one that makes you feel better. No matter what life puts on your path, there is always path that will get you through anything.
Life definitively was not full of opportunities for either of MC's, however both took chances and they made it.
It is uplifting to be reminder that there are crappy people in everyone's life, however sometimes, you get the one time opportunity and you need to take it no matter what..

this was just okay for me.
I found some issues with the writing - specifically the perspectives. we were originally switching between Hayley and Lauren's perspectives in each chapter, sometimes in the middle of a chapter, but this was with a clear distinction. as the book went on sometimes it would randomly switch perspectives in the middle of a chapter and it was really confusing.
the pace is off as well - really slow in the first third and then super fast at the end. also some comments I think could be harmful to ace & bi people.

Just One Taste is another okay read. It didn't blow my mind, but I didn't hate it either.

Hayley is a small town girl, who wishes for more. She loses her job and apartment within a single day, which I would definitely classify as a bad day. Hayley starts working at a diner, and with no place to live, the manager Lauren takes her in. Hayley and Lauren are complete opposites, Lauren is organized and goal oriented, whereas Hayley is definitely more of a wild card. The thing they have in common is they both did not have an easy past, both women are dealing with hardships and it brings them together.

I didn't know this was going to be a love story between two women, but I can see why they work together. Together is works, but individually their characters are mediocre at best. Lauren is boring and Hayley is just childish. I just didn't click with either one of them, which made for an exhausting read at times.

Overall this was a cute slow story. I think foodies would definitely like this one.

I received a free advanced copy from the author/ publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

All Hayley Cavello wanted was to get out of Casper Falls and find her life in the city, where she just knew she’d find the right job and get her own place to live. After applying for many jobs she finally got lucky. Not having a lot of money ( most had been spent keeping her ex happy) she had to share an apartment with two other people. But everything fell apart on her first day of work or not work seeing as the company that hired her went out of business, meaning she had no job and since she couldn’t pay her share of the rent, no place to live.
Lauren Hames worked at the diner for 14 yrs and had seen her fair share of staff come and go but when her friend and co-worker decided to go back to school it left her short one line cook. The only dream she had was entering a cooking contest, winning and hopefully starting her own bakery. But it cost a thousand dollars to just get in the door so it seems unlikely Lauren would ever have the chance. Now the hunt was on to find another cook, so when Hayley dropped off her resume Lauren quickly hired her.
Hayley ended up living in a dive called ‘Palace Arms’. The only redeeming thing about it was the fact that it was close to work. But Hayley’s luck at finding a place didn’t work out because she’d been robbed and her rent money was gone. Faced with living on the street Hayley does the only thing she can think of, after the diner was closed for the night she’d sneak in, using one of the booths as her bed. When Lauren finds her one morning she offers Hayley her spare room until she’s one her feet.
Now working together and living together should be easy but seeing how messy Hayley is compared to Laurens neatness neither could see how long they’d last. Not to mention the attraction both felt for each other but wasn’t Lauren straight?
Simply put Ms Birch gave us a very nice read. One I’d call a gentle romance.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books

Hummm....what to say. A few words to describe this read: funny, searching, family, friendship, growth, and a contemporary slow burn romance. Hayley Cavello, small town life is not where she wants to be. She believes a city would better meet her personality. She is also getting away from a downer break-up. Lauren Hames, diner manager, divorced, and content with her self-contained life. Both women have warm hearts and present themselves as good friends.

How much Haley did not want to live or return to her small home town was a little monotonous. But I like the fact she was attempting to do something about it even though it was in her own way which some would say is unconventional, e.g. , blue hair. Lauren on the other hand was comfortable with the way her life was unfolding and did not see a need for change or so she thought. The family and friends support was wonderful and should not be taken for granted. Enjoyable as well as entertaining read.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers.

“Just One Taste” is a romance novel centered around Hayley, who just lost her job and apartment, and Lauren, the manager of the diner that Hayley ends up working at. Despite not knowing how to cook, Hayley is desperate for money and still takes the job, and as they work together and spend time together outside of work, romance ensues between the two of them.

I really liked the romance between these two characters, and while there are some serious situations in this book, I still thought that it was a very cute story.

Rating: 4/5

One of the things I look for in fiction is some character growth. And yes, there was some for both characters though perhaps it could have been a little deeper. The story is basically solid with believable circumstances and connections between the characters. Both Lauren and Hayley, move into changes with each other and separately. Those changes are different for each of them, partially due to the age difference between them, but you finish the novel with the sense that they are both going somewhere, together.

All in all, it's an enjoyable read.

The author certainly knows Toronto where the majority of the novel takes place!

posted on Amazon 9/15

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

This sweet book is about Haley and Lauren. Haley has just moved to a new place and finds out that she has lost her job on the day she should have started which causes her to look for jobs and places to stay. Lauren is a manager of a diner and lives above the place so really, it's fate that Haley gets a job there. Throughout the book, there are great tropes such as falling for your boss, they were roommates and even the whole doesn't-know-anything-about-the- job trope. There are a few saucy parts later in the book so be warned of that.

Although I enjoyed this book, I found that one or two comments made me, a bisexual, wince a little. There were a few comments like 'if she has only dated men then she HAS to be straight' which I didn't think were needed. Even with this though, I still enjoyed the book.

Rating: 3⭐
Would I Read It Again? Probably!
Would I Recommend it? Yes

The main characters in this book, Haley and Lauren are very likable and real. I really enjoyed the story. Haley has a big job lined up far from her hometown, which is what she is looking for. The day she is supposed to start, she finds out that the company has gone bust and didn't get that email. She finds another job at a diner where Lauren is the manager. Haley also finds a cheaper place to stay. The diner job is going great and her new place is too, until another person at the apartments breaks into her place and steals her money. She now cannot pay her rent and her landlord locks her out of her place. Left with no where to go, she sneaks into the diner's basement window before the alarms are set and starts to sleep there. Lauren finds her sleeping there and invites her to stay with her, in the upstairs apartment. Haley already had feelings for Lauren and now that she is sleeping at her apartment, the feelings intensify. She does not know is Lauren is a lesbian until one night she arrives home and finds her sleeping on the couch. Haley wakes her up and Lauren kisses her.
Definitely worth the read!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just One Taste is such a cute, slow-burn romance book, I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.

From reading the blurb, I had my reservations, but it was so much more than I expected.

Hayley and Lauren are the two main characters. Both extremely likeable. I particularly loved Hayley who is quite an alternative character who moves to the city and lands a job as a cook in an unlikely turn of events.

The romance in this book is perfectly written. The buildup is sweet, believable and kept me gripped.

With thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for the advanced reader copy.

Saucy and Sweet, Just One Taste is a marvellous slow build romance between Hayley and Lauren.

Both individuals push their feelings away for fear of disrupting their already complex relationship with Lauren being Hayley's boss and Hayley being Lauren's new roommate until she can find a place for herself. But what they feel for each other is too strong to keep the two apart.

I absolutely loved this book and I am so grateful to have received a copy in exchange for my honest review. Both Lauren and Hayley's characters were likeable and relatable, I loved the dynamic between the two and the struggles and hardships that they learn to face together rather than alone.

Where Hayley is a wonderful cook, Lauren's baking is outstanding and between the two they show to make the perfect team. With Lauren finally entered into a baking competition of her dreams, Hayley is there to help and encourage her along the way.

I wasn't expecting a lot from this when I read the book description. I picked it out of my to-read pile figuring that I would save the better stories for later. I was pleasantly surprised.
I wouldn't say the blurb is inaccurate, but the book is about so much more than Hayley's struggles to keep her job as a line cook, and Lauren's split second decision to help an employee in need. Those two parts are accurate, but only central to the storyline for a couple of pages, like a snapshot in their lives when so much more is going on. I have never written a book blurb before, but if I were pressed to do so, I would mention Hayley's finding her place in a new city, and Lauren's finding the courage to step out of her comfort zone. Those are more enduring themes in the story.
I loved Hayley. I have a strong bias, but I think it's easy to sympathize with her circumstance even if you don't relate to her decisions. Lauren is a decent character too, but Hayley seems more complex. She may seem like a hot mess, but she stays true to herself, and her tenacity shows in everything she does. The relationship is cute, a little uncertain in the beginning, but it seems to work.
My least favourite part of most romances is the unnecessary angst that usually accompanies the final relationship conflict. That wasn't the case here. Yes, one character makes a dumb decision. Just how dumb is up to the reader, because it's a bit of a moral grey area. I felt like the fault was well balanced because I could understand both characters' perspectives, which made for a good scene. The ending was the right amount of sweet and I couldn't ask for more.
Okay, it's not perfect. Fight me over my five stars.

I loved this book. I loved both main characters (which doesn’t happen very often!) and could see myself in both. I feel I’m like Lauren but I want to be like Hayley !!!

I liked the slow build up to the romance and I loved the setting. I wanted to see more baking from Lauren. I hoped they’d use the money they both had to set up together. Actually that would be my only slight criticism - the first parts of the story built up slowly and took their time then the part from the competition felt rushed.

I actually loved this romance. The obstacles were even there bc of the love. It was just a lovely feel good romance.

3 Stars. Hayley wants to move to the city and enjoy life not in a small town. When her job she had lined up falls through, she finds herself being a line cook at a diner. Lauren is the manager of the diner and seems to be happy with her life. She has been the manager for a long time even though she has a passion for baking and is pretty good at it. When After Hayley cannot afford her terrible apartment, she decides to try and sleep at the diner after everyone leaves. Lauren finds her and lets Hayley sleep in her spare bedroom. Hayley cannot help but develop a crush on Lauren, as she is attractive and a good person.

This novel was okay. I thought it took too long for the characters to meet and be together. Hayley and Lauren had a lot of good interactions and their relationship seemed to build at a decent pace. I wasn't sure I found it believable that Lauren would fall for a woman, as she had never found them attractive before. The novel was decently written but it took a while to get into as the characters did not meet for a little while and I was waiting for that. I am not sure I would recommend this novel, it was just okay.

I received a free copy of Just One Taste from Bold Strokes Books Inc. Just One Taste was the most heartfelt, make you fall in love again kind of book I have read all year. This queer romance novel will make you smile, laugh and cry (sometimes all at the same time). After a bad break-up Hayley packs her bags and moves to New York City. When she loses her job and apartment in the same day she finds a job as a chef at a Greta’s, a small, locally owned diner. All Hayley has left to do is to find a place a live and learn how to cook. Lauren is the manger at Greta’s and has been for years. She deals with her role as the boss like she does with everything in her life, with calm and order. When she finds Hayley sleeping in the diner late one night, she makes a deacon that would change both their lives forever.
This was such a cute queer romance book. I would recommend it for any young adult and adult who loves queer story lines. This books deal with self-discovery, homelessness, a little theft, lots of baking and of course a love story that will have you smiling for days. It is so hard to find good LGBTQ+ books, especially ones with lesbian main character’s, but this one was beautifully written and illustrated the challenges of accepting your sexual identity at a later on in your life, rather than being a teenager.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3542449984?book_show_action=false

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A lighthearted story about 2 women finding love.

Hayley grew up in a small town, but has always wanted to get out. She finally has her chance and moves to Toronto. Then, on her first day there, she loses her job and her apartment. Determined to not give up, she starts looking for a new job and ends up working as a line cook at Greta's Diner. The only problem: she's never worked in a professional kitchen before. Then Lauren finds her sleeping in the diner overnight and offers her a place to stay in her apartment. And their friendship slowly transforms.

I really enjoyed how lighthearted this story was and the feeling that you're really in Toronto with Hayley and Lauren. I struggled a bit with how lighthearted it was though. I feel like there were several moments throughout the book where they were really going through some challenges, but it's all brushed over so quickly without any real emotional struggle, which feels unrealistic.

Overall, a fun winter read to get lost in!

Hayley moves to the city after securing a job and an apartment. She leaves behind the small town, an terrible ex and working at the small grocery story her parents own. She just knows she is going to make it until she shows up to her first day at the new job only to find out that is has shut down. She then doesn't have enough money so has to leave her apartment soon after to live in a hotel where she has to share bathroom with addicts and others down on their luck. She does score a job working at a short order cook at a small diner. The bad thing is she has never done that type of work before. Lauren is the manager of the diner and she is really taken with Hayley. She doesn't really know why or what the attraction is. Eventually Lauren takes in Hayley when she realizes she is sleeping in the diner.

I thought this was a cute romance. Both mains are likable and there is some chemistry between them even though Lauren (who is considered to be straight) isn't really sure what that attraction is. Listen, Hayley makes some silly mistakes, but she is so determined to stick it out in the city that she figures out how to not run home when she probably should have. Birch does a good job pacing the romance. Lauren has to figure out what the attraction is and when she does, I am glad she decides to take a chance. Hayley is really concerned with trying to survive and I like that she just doesn't jump in. Just one Taste is just a sweet romance.

3.75 Stars

This arc was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

Would like to thank Netgalley.co.uk who provided me with an ARC of this story in return for an honest review.

THIS BOOK. Ok this book threw me through a loop. Did I love it? Did I struggle with some parts? The answer is yes on both accounts.

This book offers great gay rep, especially for fellow nerds out there who will adore Hayley. It’s a good story that falls flat slightly at the end, but offers a fresh take, vaguely falling into the enemies to lovers trope (which I adore).

The story sees Hayley falling for her boss which causes all kinds of complications (honestly, when has that ever worked out?) and develops from there centring around the diner in which they work. And it’s one hell of a cute story, well written and will leave you smiling. In a world full of many depressing lgbt+ stories, this story is a ray of light.

However- what I couldn’t get over, is the absence of bisexual validation in this book. I, myself, am gay- however even I was left feeling vaguely offended by numerous characters flyaway comments made about how ‘she likes men’ so she has to be straight. The so called boss, had to be either straight or gay- that was an ongoing theme and came across slightly disregarding to bisexual representation and made me not too keen on the characters at times.

Honestly? I would recommend this book- although I feel some parts of representation fall slightly flat here- it was genuinely a greatly heartwarming read, and truly well written.

I really enjoyed this book. It really felt like a lovely departure from the standard rich and gorgeous people in lesfic. These characters felt more real, with real issues. The descriptions of the cat and his behavior were quite funny. I love any storylines with food preparation (my wife's a chef). I'm really hoping the author will do a sequel where they open a cafe or bakery together! I definitely recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.