Recipe for Persuasion

By Sonali Dev

Description:

From the author of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors comes another , clever, deeply layered, and heartwarming romantic comedy that follows in the Jane Austen tradition—this time, with a twist on Persuasion.

Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a complete screw up? When she’s asked to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars, the latest hit reality show teaming chefs with celebrities, it seems like just the leap of faith she needs to put her restaurant back on the map. She’s a chef, what’s the worst that could happen? 

Rico Silva, that’s what.  

Being paired with a celebrity who was her first love, the man who ghosted her at the worst possible time in her life, only proves what Ashna has always believed: leaps of faith are a recipe for disaster. 

FIFA winning soccer star Rico Silva isn’t too happy to be paired up with Ashna either. Losing Ashna years ago almost destroyed him. The only silver lining to this bizarre situation is that he can finally prove to Ashna that he’s definitely over her. 

But when their catastrophic first meeting goes viral, social media becomes obsessed with their chemistry. The competition on the show is fierce…and so is the simmering desire between Ashna and Rico.  Every minute they spend together rekindles feelings that pull them toward their disastrous past. Will letting go again be another recipe for heartbreak—or a recipe for persuasion…? 

In Recipe for Persuasion, Sonali Dev once again takes readers on an unforgettable adventure in this fresh, fun, and enchanting romantic comedy.

Review:

I’m not going to lie, I started reading Recipe for Persuasion during the COVID-19 shutdown and had to put it down for a while because Ashna’s anxiety was triggering my own. However, my love for Sonali Dev and Persuasion meant that I picked up the book again two weeks later. And adored every moment. Ashna has suffered trauma in the past and is trying to work out what she really wants for her future. Rico’s soccer career has come to an end and he is left with loose ends. Enter a chance to reunite with the love of his past, Ashna, with whom his relationship ended poorly. When they meet again, the sparks fly! This love story is so sweetly beautiful and I loved every word. How could I not when Rico’s love for Ashna is described like this:

” The realization he would do anything to stop her from hurting like this was a soft tap inside him, right on that nerve that made him want to double over”

“She was everything. He’d been an idiot to think otherwise. He wanted that Ashna back. The one who had screamed at the ball and played like her life depended on it. The Ashna who kicked butt in the kitchen, even when it wasn’t easy for her. The Ashna who saw him exactly as who he wanted to be.”
And Ashna’s love for Rico:
“Happiness seeps into me when you’re around, Rico. Without invitation, without notice, joy finds me. Being around you is being alive, it’s breathing, it’s home”

Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Published by SomewhereLostInBooks

I’m Melisa! I’m an avid reader. I love romance novels and decided, hey, why not write about what I love and hate about the genre. And my favorite books. And when I get to meet authors. And all round why romance novels are awesome. Expect a lot of fan-girling, laughter, and some tears. View all posts by SomewhereLostInBooks