🌮🌮💗 “Tacos for Two” (2021) 💗 🌮🌮 – Book Review
MY REVIEW
Paperback: 384 Pages
Publisher: Revell (October 12, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 080073890X
ISBN-13: 978-0800738907
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“Rory Perez, a food truck owner who can't cook, is struggling to keep the business she inherited from her aunt out of the red--and an upcoming contest during Modest's annual food truck festival seems the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her a solid financial footing and keep her cousin with special needs paid up at her beloved assisted living home. Then maybe Rory will have enough time to meet the man she's been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.
Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father's law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. But if he loses the contest, he's back at the law firm for good. Failure is not an option.
Complications arise when Rory's chef gets mono and she realizes she has to cook after all. Then Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he's been falling for online the past month.
Will these unlikely chefs sacrifice it all for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?”
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Revell (a division of Baker Books), for providing a complimentary review copy through their Revell Reads program. A positive review was not required or requested and all words are my own.
I have to hand it to the author – she’s got a food theme going on with her books.
The first book I read of hers, The Key to Love, dealt with a pastry bakery that was on the brink of closure.
This story? A food truck. I’m wondering what the next book’s theme is.
Anyway …
The cover is cutesy and whimsical as is the story. A food truck take on You’ve Got Mail. I won’t say you HAVE to watch the movie to get the references, but it would probably be more enjoyable. I haven’t watched the movie at all.
Instead of email, Rory (ColorMeTurquoise) and Jude (StrongerMan99) are on a dating app. He is her fourth (4th) match and she is his second (2nd). Right off, they are a perfect match with each other. Only the app has a few protocols to insure a good match: 4 steps. They’re free to break them at any time, though CMT and SM99 want to do this right.
While CMT and SM99 have a connection, it is clear that Rory and Jude have a disconnect. There is something humorous and yet frustrating (at least to me) about the situation.
The rest of the cast features Jude’s friend Cody, Jude’s dysfunctional brother and manipulative father Hollis, haphazard assistant Alton, Rory’s sweet cousin Hannah who has Down’s Syndrome, Rory’s friend and chef Grady, and Grady’s wife Nicole.
The characters I LOVED:
Hannah
Grady
Nicole
Characters I LIKED:
Jude
Cody
Mayor Whit
Characters I DISLIKED:
Warner
Hollis
As far as Rory? I had a huge disconnect with her. In person, with Jude, she was as one person put it: “THE QUEEN OF JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS”. I couldn’t make a better statement myself. While she had a bad relationship with her “ex”, she didn’t have to keep seeing Jude in the light she was shining on him.
At one point Rory claims she is ¼ Mexican and ¾ White and doesn’t feel like she can make her aunt’s food as she isn’t “authentic”. Yet, in another part of the book, she claims that a white guy (Jude) is diving into a genre of food that means everything to her heritage and family (page 206 – 57%).
It is almost as if Rory is indecisive and doesn’t know who or what she wants to be.
Alton was an interesting “relief” point – at times comical, at times just a geek.
As “normal” with the online world, online-Jude (SM99) and online-Rory (CMT) seem like compatible people. Obviously, and let’s face it, we don’t see people to face to face (F2F) online so there is a certain level of comfort. I definitely enjoyed the SM99 and CMT banter in the beginning. But, I knew it wasn’t going to be cute for long.
Rory has inherited her aunt Sophia’s FAMOUS food truck – Salsa Street. Rory can’t cook and HATES cilantro. That’s not a good sign.
I’m not fond of it and fast note: there is a condition some people have that causes it to taste like soap: OR26A is the genetic SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that makes cilantro taste like soap to some people: bitter and excruciating — almost painfully metallic and horrible. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliewu/2018/02/28/why-genetics-may-be-the-reason-you-hate-cilantro). I loved it being called “green weed”.
Then, there is Jude – a “not-yet-a-lawyer” at his family’s firm since he hasn’t takes the bar exam. He LOVES cilantro. And, he has discovered the BEST food from Salsa Street.
In chapter two, Jude decides he wants to do what Rory does – run a food truck. His friend, Cody, isn’t so sure. And, Jude decides he wants to enter the contest. But, he wants a lesson or two from Rory.
Rory is fond of Jude, loyal to SM99; same on his side.
Since Rory can’t cook, it is Grady helping her with an earpiece. This is one part that Rory throws back at Jude when things go south. She keeps reminding him of it despite it being ONE (1) lesson and she was getting coached. He also paid for the lesson.
It isn’t long until Rory finds that Grady has entered Salsa Street in the SAME contest. The prize money would help Rory keep her cousin at Unity Angels. The problem? Grady comes down with Mono. That forces Rory to get creative and learn how to cook.
Jude learns he has to win the contest to get out from his obligation at the law firm. For him, the situation is as dire as Rory’s.
Inside of 90 pages, Rory and Jude have a miscommunication. This definitely sets the stage for the remainder of the book. And, after a while, it will get frustrating.
After each incident with Jude, Rory somehow manages to find comfort with SM99. And, the same with Jude and CMT.
The contest doesn’t go as planned – Jude’s family gets involved because of the main sponsor backing out (forced out perhaps…). Rory is definitely on to something with regard to the contest being rigged. But, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be against her.
Another twist? This is a PART one of the contest. Thanks to Jude’s law firm – three finalists: Nacho Taco (his truck), Salsa Street, and Cluck Truck will compete for a better prize.
That puts more heat on Rory and Nicole. One of the prizes in addition to cash: catering Warner and Maddison’s engagement party.
Anything that can go wrong will: an innocent conversation Jude has with Mayor Whitlow, Rory’s dad’s call, seeing Jude with her cousin – almost everything that happens, Rory picks it apart.
No matter what Jude does, Rory sees ulterior motives behind it. Jude even offers that they row the boat together.
Prior to meeting face to face – Jude connects Rory and CMT as the same person. It is Hannah and her origami that does the trick.
When Rory learns who SM99 is – she is stunned. Yet, she still cares for SM99 and not Jude. Obviously she is hurt, stunned, and confused. Isn’t that the way it usually happens with online or app dating? The author definitely kept that part realistic.
Rory is definitely right about the contest being rigged. Though I don’t think it was supposed to go the way it did. That is around the 72% mark, so what’s left for the rest of the book?
Some hilarity with the engagement party, Mayor Whit and a lady, and something with Jude’s father. This is just as Warner makes a confession everyone hears! It is hilarious, tragic, and pitiful.
It isn’t until the LAST few pages that the real romance starts, I mean the LAST FEW PAGES.
At one point Rory does wonder who the real “Jude” is – the man she has issues with in person or SM99. And, what is interesting is that Jude doesn’t question who CMT is – she is Rory. Still, he wishes she were more like CMT.
I was shocked at the contest and several issues with it. I expected a HUGE penalty due to everyone’s involvement in dishonesty.
Still, there is the HEA (happily-ever-after). The way it is wrapped up, it seems like a standalone read. This is definitely different than The Key to Love. None of those characters appear here.
This is a rather lengthy read (360 pages of story – pages 7-367) though. The relatively short chapters keep the action and dialogue going so it doesn’t stagnant. For about the first third (1/3) of the book, there is the chat dialogue that offsets the tension.
I will admit that it is slow at first, got interesting about 26% of the way in with the competition. There were times I absolutely couldn’t put it down, and there were times I was frustrated with it. The frustration came from the MANY opportunities the characters had to actually “talk” and clear the air. They could’ve done it online. This definitely shows what can happen with too many secrets and not enough honesty.
There were somethings that made me laugh though. I felt sorry for her pork roast when she ended up burning and dropping it (poor thing). I alternately laughed and cried. I LOVED at lot of the music mentioned on page 200 as it was part of my youth, I definitely LOVE mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Despite the disconnect with Rory and some of the “mishaps”, I did enjoy the story and it is a solid 4-star read, but it definitely wasn’t a “raving” read. I would like to see what the author is planning next. I think fans of the author as well as the movie referenced will no doubt enjoy this book.
Revell is more of a Christian/faith themed/clean read type of publisher. Fans looking for steamy romances, steamy intimate scenes, or colorful language will not find it in these books. This is definitely classified as a “clean read”.
REFERENCE:
Wu, L. (2018, March 1). Why genetics may be the reason you hate cilantro. Forbes. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliewu/2018/02/28/why-genetics-may-be-the-reason-you-hate-cilantro.
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – BookBub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BETSY ST. AMANT HADDOX is the author of more than 15 inspirational romances, including The Key to Love, and a frequent contributor to www.iBelieve.com. She lives in north Louisiana with her husband, two daughters, a collection of Austen novels, and an impressive stash of pickle-flavored Pringles. When she's not composing her next book or trying to prove unicorns are real, Betsy can usually be found somewhere in the vicinity of a white chocolate mocha--no whip. Learn more at www.betsystamant.com.
You can follow her on the following social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetsySt.Amant/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/betsystamant
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