The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern.
Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst.
The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future?

Book Review:
The Twittersphere was blowing up with reviews on The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert. If you know me, there is very little in life that I enjoy more than reading and cooking. The combination of the two piqued my interest almost immediately. I was beyond elated when I received a copy from netgalley to review! A romance involving a chef and food critic? Count me in!

Needless to say, The Coincidence of Coconut Cake did not disappoint! I knew almost immediately that Lou's fiance was a straight up douche. After five minutes, it was very clear that Lou was passionate about cooking and didn't want to give it up for the life of a stay-at-home wife, despite his insistence. His story of how he ended up half naked with his intern was shoddy at best. I was so happy that Reichert kept Lou strong, not falling for douche-guy and his shady intentions.

Al...where to begin. Well, I guess to start, I didn't like him. He was cynical and pompous. I caught myself thinking...how can I become engrossed in a romance when I don't like one of the characters. I loved how meeting Lou brought out the best in Al. His character arc is THE BEST in the book. I enjoyed his banter with his co-worker John, who became a beloved secondary character.

Lou and Al's story is whimsical and delightful. Their series of dates left me hungry for Wisconsin cheese curds and hard cider. Reichert hits it out of the park on all points for me. I loved the romance, the food, even the secondary characters left me smiling. If you are looking for a fun foodie romance, look no further. You wont be disappointed!

Thanks to Gallery Books for this copy.
Published July 21, 2015
This is my honest review.

Cover Art Commentary:
This cover is absolutely ADORABLE! Who wouldn't want to read this? I love the coconut cake atop of the stack of newspapers. It's absolutely perfect!!!!

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