The LGBT Fiction Shelf

Chef's Choice
TJ Alexander
Emily Bestler Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781982189105, $17.99, PB, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Novel-Kiss/dp/198218910X

Synopsis: When Luna O'Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating of= fice job, she tries to count her blessings: she's a proud trans woman who h=
as plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York Cit=
y. But blessings don't pay the bills.

Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinar=
y empire -- which he will only inherit if he can jump through all the hoops=
his celebrity chef grandfather has placed in his path.

First hoop: he needs a girlfriend, a role that Luna is happy to play -- for=
the right price. She's got rent to pay, after all! Second hoop: they both = need to learn how to cook a series of elaborate, world-renowned family reci= pes to prove that Jean-Pierre is a worthy heir.

Admittedly, Luna doesn't even know how to crack an egg, but she's not going=
to let that (or any pesky feelings for Jean-Pierre) stop her.

Critique: Original, fun, and deftly crafted, "Chef's Choice" by TJ Alexande=
r is another of those 'swoon-worthy' and heartwarming LGBTQ love stories th=
at will have both a special attraction and universal value for readers with=
an interest in contemporary romantic comedy. While also available for pers= onal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a comple=
te and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797160894, $39.99, CD),=
"Chef's Choice" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for communit=
y library LGBTQ Fiction and Contemporary Romance collections.

Editorial Note: TJ Alexander (https://tjalexander.com) is an amateur baker = and author who writes about queer love. Originally from Florida, they recei= ved their MA in writing and publishing from Emerson College in Boston. They=
live in New York City with their wife and various houseplants. They are re= presented by Larissa Melo Pienkowski of Jill Grinberg Literary Management (= https://jillgrinbergliterary.com).

Love at First Set
Jennifer Dugan
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063307483, $18.99, PB, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Love-at-First-Set-Novel/dp/0063307480

Synopsis: The gym is Lizzie's life -- it's her passion, her job, and the on=
ly place that's ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her=
a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst.

When their son, Lizzie's best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at=
his perfect sister Cara's wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culmin= ate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women's ba= throom -- except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has = accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.

Now, newly directionless Cara is on a quest to find herself, and Lizzie (de= sperate to make sure her bosses never find out her role in this fiasco) get=
s strong-armed by James into "entertaining" her. Cara doesn't have to know = it's a setup; it'll just be a quick fling before she sobers up and goes bac=
k to her real life. After all, how could someone like Cara fall for someone=
like Lizzie, with no career and no future?

But the more Lizzie gets to know Cara, the more she likes her, and the bigg=
er the potential disaster if any of her rapidly multiplying secrets get out=
.. Because now it's not just Lizzie's job and entire future on the line, but=
also the girl of her dreams.

Critique: A deftly crafted and fun read from cover to cover, "Love at First=
Set" by novelist Jennifer Dugan will have a very special appeal to readers=
with an interest in contemporary and romantic LGBTQ comedy. While also ava= ilable for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99)=
, "Love at First Set" is a recommended pick for community library Romance F= iction collections.

Editorial Note: Jennifer Dugan (https://jldugan.com/about) is the author of=
the young adult novels Melt With You, Some Girls Do, Verona Comics, and Ho=
t Dog Girl. She is also the author of the YA graphic novel Coven.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
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The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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