I’ve written a handful of books that have a main character who works in the food in industry, but mostly, food just shows up naturally in my books because I (and my characters) love to eat. And sometimes, it’s critical to the plot: In my new book Time Loops & Meet Cutes (out May 6 from Atria/Emily Bestler Books) the heroine gets stuck in a time loop after eating some magical dumplings at a night market.
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Food is great way to evoke the senses — sight, taste, smell — which pairs perfectly well with romance. Here are 10 romance novels that will make you envious of what the characters get to consume.
‘Fake It Till You Bake It’ by Jamie Wesley
The hero is an NFL player andcupcake shop owner, and I love a hero who can bake!
‘The Seven Year Slip’ by Ashley Poston
This one features another man who can bake — and he’s living seven years before the heroine. An unusual romance that has all the feels.
‘Love & Other Disasters’ by Anita Kelly
This wonderful queer romance takes place on a cooking show — and it’s delicious.
‘Accidentally Engaged’ by Farah Heron
The main characters in this delectable novel fake an engagement to enter a cooking contest for couples. There’s also a sourdough starter named Brian.
‘Gouda Friends’ by Cathy Yardley
I love friends-to-lovers romances (and punny titles). At the beginning of the book, the heroine breaks up with her boyfriend when he throws out her fancy cheese, which is very understandable.
‘Best Served Hot’ by Amanda Elliot
A rivals-to-lovers romance with so much food. This one will definitely make you drool!
‘Tastes Like Shakkar’ by Nisha Sharma
The hero is a chef who leaves notes about food in the heroine’s bag. There’s even a steamy scene where he teaches her how to knead dough.
‘A Proposal They Can’t Refuse’ by Natalie Caña
She’s the chef in this one, and his family owns a distillery. Another romance with a fake engagement — this time, with matchmaking grandfathers!
‘A Bollywood Affair’ by Sonali Dev
The hero in this one is a director who’s a good cook and enjoys watching the heroine eat. And yes, there’s lots of mouthwatering descriptions of food.
‘The Coincidence of Coconut Cake’ by Amy E. Reichert
The set-up of this one — between a chef and a reviewer — has some similarities with Nora Ephron classic You’ve Got Mail and they try lots of food as she shows him around Milwaukee.
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