Thank you NetGalley, Betsy St. Amant, and Revell Publishing for sending me a free ARC copy of Taco for Two in exchange for an honest review.

This story was so cute! There were a lot of references to the movie You Got Mail and having not seen that movie, I was oblivious that the actual book storyline was similar to the movie until I saw a review from another person that stated it. So, if you love that movie, this book might be for you! I liked the main characters and like many romance books, communication and unfortunate bad timed events came into play that caused some romance issues. The banter was fun and the ending ended up being pretty good. I will say that this book had me craving some Mexican food and I definitely treated myself to some after finishing this book. Overall, enjoyable read!

You’ve Got Mail - bookstores + taco trucks = this book. They even reference the movie a lot throughout the story. You’ve Got Mail is an all-time favorite movie of mine so I immediately was intrigued.

This book was a little too predictable. They followed the movie like 90% and the two main characters even acknowledge that as they DM. I didn’t love Rory...she’s no Kathleen Kelly. So much miscommunication that could have been avoided by her. But I did like Jude, and the side characters.

Overall a fun read but not a favorite.

Tacos for Two is such a fun story. It has a great atmosphere and will really make you want Mexican food.

If you love the movie ‘You’ve Got Mail’ with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, thank you’ll love this book. Change out bookstores and emails for taco trucks and online dating. I thought that this book was very sweet, and had a lot of parallels to the movie, with a modern day twist. I did think that there were some parts that moved a little slower, it it all came together in the end nicely. I would read a sequel of this books based on the epilogue.

Rory owns her auntie’s food truck and is struggling financially with this. One day Jude, who currently works at his family’s law firm, approaches Rory to ask for cooking lessons. She helps him out but soon learns that he is starting his own food truck. They soon become rivals at the upcoming food festival and all while not knowing they are falling for each other over an anonymous dating app.

For anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE the hidden identity type trope, it’s not everyone’s favourite but I love reading flirty texts between the two characters but them not knowing they are interacting with each other IRL. Also the moment one of them realises the other persons true identity is always a fave moment for me.

What I disliked about this book were the side characters. Omg they were so annoying!! Rory is really passionate about wanting the truck to do well and hates that it’s not as successful since her aunt died as she feels she is letting her down. Yet her friends keep down playing her feelings.

I especially hated that they were a bit dismissive over how hurt Rory feels because of what Jude did when they first met. I would feel the same if some guy asked me for cooking lessons and then opened the exact same business as me. I think how she feels is pretty justified. I just felt the friends kept defending and making excuses for Jude.

Most people say this is an enemies to lovers but the enemies aspect is really one sided so I would say this is more rivals to lovers.

Overall I really liked the two main characters. They were both really witty in their own way and I loved that in the end they both admitted their mistakes to each other.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Thank you Net Galley and Betsy St. Amant for this ARC!!
Set to be published on the 12th of October 2021!!
Congrats Betsy for producing such a wonderful book!!

Rory Perez and Jude Strong are such great characters!! They are honest, smart, feisty, yet still stick to their individual self. I also love the progression of their relationship, the obstacles and all the miscommunication that were thrown into their path, grew their relationship and their individual characters!

The relationships in this book really stood out to me, even though Rorys family were grieving aunt Sophias death, they were still sincere, honest and stuck by each other’s side! Whereas Judes family WOW, lets just say even though i hated them i still wanted too know the extents they would go to mess things up, like guys i was up till 1am reading this book because I NEEDED to finished it and find out what was going to happen!!

The ending did not disappoint!! You know sometimes when the whole book is building up to this big ending and it fails you:( this book is not it!! The ending was so much better than i thought and that last sentence WHAT amazing.. sorry but you will have to find out for your self... :)

This book is honestly worth the read!! It’s cute, funny, had me grinning till my cheeks hurt, has a gorgeous cover AND involves tacos so why the hell not!!

Thanks again to the author and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book!

Check out my blog for a more detailed review of this amazing review at
Hollsbookshelf.blogspot.com
and my tiktok @hollsbookshelf for the “aesthetic” of Tacos for Two!

You've Got Mail and food trucks -- what a great premise. I enjoyed it but didn't love it. I found the heroine hard to take. I'm craving street tacos now.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell.

This was super cute!

I really liked the setting of the food truck scene and how Jude just went for his dreams with very little experience.
Rory felt betrayed at first, especially in the context of the competition. She needs the money desperately, and things are not going well.
Rory's chef and his wife, and Rory's cousin, added a lot to the story as secondary characters.
The ending was adorable!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

"Tacos for Two" was a decent, standard rom-com. I loved the premise of the book, the whole rivalry and the secret identities were fun to read about. However, Rory (the heroine) became very annoying and it was difficult to read through. Most of the drama with Jude was due to Rory and her tendency to believe in the worst. She constantly called Jude out and left him no room for explanations and it was irritating. Overall, I do not think I would ever reread this book, but it was fun for the most part.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Revell, and the author for the ARC.

A small-town Texas take on You’ve Got Mail. Rory and Jude are real-life rival owners of competing taco trucks. But little do they know, they’re also romantically linked through an anonymous matchmaking app. As they fall for each other online, they’re vying for the top spot in a cooking contest that would help either of them secure their future.

I did not realize this was an inspirational romance until I was most of the way through. Although several characters mention God, quote the Bible, or reference attending church, it’s mostly offstage and doesn’t take over the story. It’s a clean read, and the main couple share only a few tame kisses. So you could safely recommend it to someone who doesn’t want any steam.

I enjoyed this book, although the characters are very aware of and frequently reference YGM, but neither of them considers that they might be in the same exact situation??

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Rory Perez has been working hard to keep her aunt's food truck, and family legacy, alive. Finding no joy in cooking, she remains out of family loyalty and dedication. As the business struggles, she looks for ways to keep it afloat and to keep those she loves safe.

Jude Worthington doesn't struggle for money, but he also doesn't find joy in what he does. Under family obligations of his own, he wonders what it would be like to break free and to strike out on his own, doing something unconventional, like running a food truck.

Rory and Jude's lives and hopes become entangled in each other and through each other's choices. Can they each find a way to find the joy of their hearts again?

This book had me at "tacos." Add in food trucks, and family complications, and I found myself reading late at night and googling for taco places in my neighborhood. This is definitely my favorite of Betsy St. Amant's works so far. I love the food truck storyline, and the need to find joy, not just obligation. While family is important, and caring for them is honorable, knowing that they want you to love your own life as well is a good lesson for Rory to learn.

Even the small things in this book made me love it. I love the banter between the online personalities. I love that each main character has a best friend - we don't always see male characters have a supportive friend in fiction. And I love that Rory finds confidence in what she's doing, even if she doesn't love doing it.

I give this book 4 stars. Fun, good characters, and it left me wanting Mexican food every day I read it.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

A great read.
Rory reluctantly runs a taco truck, relying on Grady to do the cooking. Her life outside work is chatting online with someone she knows through a dating app but has never met.
Jude is unhappy with going in to his family's law firm, and wants to do something that makes him happy, encouraged by someone he has met online.
Rory and Jude end up food truck rivals, but there are surprises in store for them along the way.

Can't wait to read more from this author.

This is lovely mash up of Sarah Smith’s Simmer Down and Emma Lord’s Tweet Cute: a lovely example of enemies to lovers troupe + characters who suffer from dysfunctional family issues with enjoyable banters between two cyber dating couple!

Pros: plot is interesting and characters are adorable! Enemies and lovers troupe is well executed!

I liked the plot about a food truck owner Rory who cannot cook and is stuck in that job she’s inherited, whose only way out is winning a competition to pay the expanses of business and provide her cousin a great place at assisted living home where her special needs will be fully taken care of.

And guess who is her biggest rival? The man she’s cyber dating, chatting online for a long time and the same man she’s keen on meeting in person! His name is Jude Strong but is he strong enough to change his life’s direction?

Did I tell you our hero is tormented by his evil family members ( he might have the worst kind of nightmarish father and brother who are acting puppet masters, pulling his strings to intervene his life) and winning this competition means he will be free of his strings that her mean family hold into their hands. But what if he has to make a choice between his love and his career dreams?

Supporting characters were also easy to resonate with ( Hannah, Grady,Nicole were my favorites )

Cons: in the beginning, Rory was a little agitated and annoying character, spiraling around her personal problems but eventually we observe how her character developed and how she learned to wear big girl pants, acting more rational.

Overall: it’s sweet, entertaining, smart story which wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion and earned my mouth watering taco Tuesday, what an enjoyable, easy to read romcom stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Revell for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

A fun summer read. Rory has a food truck, but cannot cook. Jude is a lawyer and wants to be a cook. Throw in romance and there you go. The angst of youth got on my nerves a bit at times, but may just be my 50+ mind not seeing the same issues. Funny how that happens. Still though, worth the read and would recommend.

Even though this book contained one of my biggest peeves (family drama) Somehow it still worked for me.

I liked Rory even though she was really heavy on the ‘woes me’ train, but honestly she had good reason to be. Watching her personal growth throughout the story was enjoyable.

I loved all the side characters, Hannah, Grady, Nicole, Alton and Cody. All of them where so much fun and helped the story stay interesting and moving. The food truck concept was fun and I loved that. Something was always happening, the story was always changing, and you were left guessing on what was going to happen next and how things would unfold. The anticipation kept me flipping the pages to find out.

I really liked Jude too. He was a true sweetie. Unfortunately his family were horrible people. I kept reading because I had to find out out how badly they were going screw things up 😂 and if they were really has horrible as they came across. Yep, his Dad and Brother were horrible, haha! Those two never redeemed themselves in my eyes. That was the only part of the story I did not like. I’m not a fan of books excusing HORRIBLE people with horrible behavior and just glossing it over in the end for the sake of a HEA. Those two needed to be shipped to Siberia and never be seen again 😂

Definitely a fun read about taco food trucks, a food competition and two people trying to make it on their own. Once you add in great side characters, a sweet warm fuzzy feeling romance, and TACOS …I was sold!

This book was decent and fun to read but the main character Rory annoyed me so much she was all woe is me and worst case scenario and it got to me so much. She was just annoying. Jude the love interest was a decent man and I felt so bad for him with Rory cause she just wouldn’t hear him out and it was annoying so much. That said this book did capture my interest even if I did have to skip through Rorys parts cause she got so annoying to read through

I enjoy the standard rom-com, and this story did not disappoint. It was every trope in the book, conveniently wrapped up with a big bow. Enemies to lovers, the wise best friend, the letter from a deceased relative letting the main character move on, the brother who turns a new page, the evil father, the wayward father, ALL OF THE THINGS.

We actually have regular food trucks come all around our neighborhood, and there are regular "food truck days" at some of our recreation centers. It was fun having them incorporated in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for the ARC!

What a fun and uplifting romcom about tacos, food trucks, food, and overall silliness. I adored Jude and thought he was perfect for the main characters, despite a few flaws. I want tacos now... thank you for the e-arc!

‘Tacos for Two’ was a cute little romance, exactly a kind of a book I needed this weekend while recovering from the cold.

Betsy St. Amant’s book follows Rory, food truck owner struggling to keep her business afloat (and who doesn’t know how to cook), and Jude, a lawyer-to-be who would rather be preparing tacos than taking the bar exam. With stakes increasing the food festival announces the competition with a cash price, Rory and Jude become the competition. Never mind, they’re also each other’s biggest support and champions online – they have met on anonymous dating app and their conversations are usually highlights of their days.

There are quite a lot of You’ve Got Mail with enemies-to-lovers trope books around lately, but I’m completely living for it, especially when the characters are likeable and story well-paced and interesting as ‘Tacos for Two’.

Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant is a wonderful, contemporary romance that involves smiles, food trucks, and iconic references to one of my favorite movies ever, You’ve Got Mail. I loved it!

I loved this fresh, clean, diverse, and entertaining romance that had an excellent dialogue, well-seasoned cast of characters, and a great plot.

Rory Perez and Jude Strong are such great characters. They are likable, smart, feisty in their own rights, and played off one another quite well. They seemed to eventually bring out the best in one another. I loved the progression of their relationship, the few obstacles and miscommunications that were tossed their way, and I love how it all wrapped up.

And of course I loved how they referenced the iconic movie, You’ve Got Mail, sprinkled within the story. It was cute, fun, and I really enjoyed it.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Revell for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.