Love From Scratch | Blog Tour

This summer, Reese Camden is trading sweet tea and Southern hospitality for cold brew and crisp coastal air. She’s landed her dream marketing internship at Friends of Flavor, a wildly popular cooking channel in Seattle. The only problem? Benny Beneventi, the relentlessly charming, backwards-baseball-cap-wearing culinary intern–and her main competition for the fall job.

Reese’s plan to keep work a No Feelings Zone crumbles like a day-old muffin when she and Benny are thrown together for a video shoot that goes viral, making them the internet’s newest ship. Audiences are hungry for more, and their bosses at Friends of Flavor are happy to deliver. Soon Reese and Benny are in an all-out food war, churning homemade ice cream, twisting soft pretzels, breaking eggs in an omelet showdown–while hundreds of thousands of viewers watch.

Reese can’t deny the chemistry between her and Benny. But the more their rivalry heats up, the harder it is to keep love on the back burner…

I’m not even sure I’ll have the words to properly express how much I loved this book. It was sweet, relatable, and a strong feminist ally. Plus, I might have to dedicate a few paragraphs to Benny because he was just about the best book boyfriend I’ve ever read about.

I’ll start with the fun plot. We have Reese and Benny working for a food network as interns who film a cooking segment and become fan favorites. I loved getting to read through their cooking videos because they worked so well together and just oozed chemistry. I found myself wanting to watch their videos even though I’m not interested in any food networks.

Then there was the feminist theme that was so spot on and relatable that I just wanted to rage with Reese and Benny at the falls and cheer with them at the highs. Reese goes through a lot of anti-feminist experiences throughout the book and thinks back on stuff that she’s already experienced. Many of the things are things that I’ve experienced as well on some level. And honestly, I think many women will be able to relate to at least one of her experiences, unfortunately. However, Hill handled the situations well. Allowing Reese to grow as a character while still allowing the reader to feel some justice and pride at the end of the book.

Since I’ve already talked about Reese a bit, let me dive a little deeper into her character because she was a great one. Reese is serious and committed to her future. She wants to work for this food network, Friends of Flavor, for basically the rest of her life because she loves it so much. She has every intention of staying completely focused on this goal and not letting in any distractions but then sweet and amazing Benny comes into her life. Seeing her grow throughout the book as she navigates her rocky past, has to deal with the perceptions and opinions of others, and must decide what she’s willing to do to be happy is incredible. She’s already dealt with a lot of crap at the ripe old age of eighteen and has to deal with so much more throughout the book. Truly, her character growth is amazing. She’s not 100% by the end of the book, but that’s what makes it more real. And relatable.

Now, onto the most amazing man to ever walk this planet, Benny! He is just so…and then he…and he also…you know? He is sweet, understanding, honest, KNOWS HOW TO COMMUNICATE, and so much more. Seriously, if there is a guy anywhere close to his level in this world, send him my way. I’ll marry him on sight. Benny is honest about his feelings about Reese from the beginning and is willing to let her take things at any pace that she needs. As well, he communicates when he doesn’t understand what Reese is going through or what she’s feeling. He really wants to know how to help and support her. And then, when he gets mad at people for not supporting women and being really horrible, it’s just the best. And his little scene at the end…chefs kiss I fell deep. I wish I could fully explain my love for him, but you’ll just have to read the book to figure it out for yourself.

The romance. Oh my stars. I’m usually not a huge fan of non-slow burns, but this book is the ultimate exception. Every interaction and little look shared between Reese and Benny was pure fire. I thought my insides were just going to burn me up. They were the epitome of love and communication and pure, adoration. Again, you’ll have to read the book to feel all the feels and know what I’m talking about.

Also, the country phrases she says is just so spot on. I’m from Texas, but have lived in the city for so long that I forgot about so many of these things that my family in the country definitely still says. I loved it so much!

Overall, I have zeroooooooooo complaints. This book was practically perfect in every way and has already been preordered!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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