Chef's Choice
A Novel
-
-
3.8 • 4 Ratings
-
-
- $9.99
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
A 2024 Lambda Literary Award Finalist
“Urgent and intimate.” —The New York Times Book Review
A fake dating arrangement turns to real love in this deliciously delightful queer rom-com from the author of the sweetly satisfying Chef’s Kiss.
When Luna O’Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating office job, she tries to count her blessings: she’s a proud trans woman who has plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York City. But blessings don’t pay the bills.
Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinary empire—which he’ll 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 recipes 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.
Another swoon-worthy and heartwarming queer love story from a charming new voice in romance.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Alexander's swoony sequel to Chef's Kiss follows Luna O'Shea, a trans woman who finds herself suddenly jobless and scrambling to pay rent in New York City. To make ends meet, she accepts a precarious position fake-dating laconic trans man Jean-Pierre Dominique Gabriel Aubert-Treffle, reluctant heir to his grandfather's culinary fortune. To claim his birthright as a male heir, per his transphobic grandfather's outrageous list of demands, Jean-Pierre must successfully prepare "The Menu" (the Aubert-Treffle family's signature dishes) on camera for an audience of millions with a girlfriend at his side. To fill this role, Luna must figure out fast both how to cook and how to feel about the blunt and stubborn but also charming Jean-Pierre. The banter between leads is addictive with Alexander balancing fish-out-of-water linguistic comedy with achingly sincere emotional beats to excellent effect. The plot itself occasionally needs nudging along, but the exploration of the characters' gender identities makes many well-trod romance beats feel fresh. As long as Jean-Pierre and Luna are on the page together, readers will be delighted by their odd couple dynamic.
