Dahlia Woodson is looking for more. She got married right out of college, to her high school sweetheart. And when she found herself years later, working a job she likes but doesn’t love, her husband wanting to move on to someone who will give him the family he wants, she turns to cooking. The last couple years of her marriage, Dahlia had watched cooking shows and YouTube videos to learn how to cook. It became her passion, her safe place. So when her husband left, and she moved into an apartment, her days filled with the job she doesn’t care that much about, her nights filled with sadness and self-blame. And she cooked.

So when the chance to apply for Chef’s Special, a televised cooking competition came along, she tied out. And when she found out that she made it and had to travel to L.A. from Maryland to film it, she quit her job. Even if she didn’t win, she wanted more for her life than that.

London Parker has a happy life in Nashville. They have caring siblings, including their twin sister Julie, and they love their job as an audio engineer. They have cooked since they were a kid. But they came out to their dad as nonbinary, London knew that they may never be loved by their father for who they really are. But they decide to do a courageous thing anyway, and when they get chosen for Chef’s Special, they come out to the audience in their first interview.

The first day on the set, Dahlia runs into London, literally. She nervously tells a story about how nervous she got at her fourth grade spelling bee, and London doesn’t know what to say to that. They are thrown because Dahlia wasn’t at the contestant meet-and-greet, and they don’t know anything about her. Except that they can’t stop thinking about her, about her wild hair and her enthusiasm and her losing that fourth grade spelling bee.

And then there is the first round of competition. All the chefs have to do is prepare their signature dishes for the tree judges. Dahlia makes fish tacos with lots of great flavor and colors, and everything goes really well, until it’s time for her to walk her dish to the judges for tasting. That’s when she trips on a wire on the floor, going down, fish tacos flying through the air. The producers let her recreate the dish, but Dahlia knows that once the show starts airing, that will definitely make the cut.

Talking later in the hotel bar, London finally gets a chance to learn more about Dahlia, and Dahlia learns that London is nonbinary, and that not all the other contestants were very supportive when they told everyone at the meet-and-greet that Dahlia had skipped out on. Dahlia immediately gets offended on London’s behalf, which makes London like her even more. But Dahlia also realizes that once the show starts airing, London will be the target of a lot of unkind comments online, far worse than her embarrassment at tripping during the first challenge.

As the days go by and the cooking continues, London and Dahlia form a connection that becomes obvious to the other contestants is as much of a flirtation as it is friendship. Dahlia isn’t sure she’s ready for a new relationship, and London isn’t sure that she would want to be in a relationship with someone who is nonbinary, but just as important is Chef’s Special. They are competing, after all. And it’s possible that one of them could go home at any moment. What kind of a relationship could they really have, under the circumstances? And if their attraction grows any stronger, how can they not take the time to find out how they really feel about each other?

Love & Other Disasters is a queer rom com filled with cooking, flirting, fun, and beautiful California sunshine. These characters show a lot of courage, both in signing on for a televised cooking competition and for trying to be who they truly are. They both have challenges to overcome and insecurities to face, but they do it with grace, big laughs, and a lot of heart. Author Anita Kelly creates a world where London and Dahlia can share their feelings, their frustrations, and their futures.

I really enjoyed Love & Other Disasters. This hit me right in the connection of a good rom com and a story with a cooking competition. I loved these characters and could empathize with their insecurities and anxieties. This is a fun romance for the LGBTQ community, but also for anyone who just loves a good rom com. I would say it’s also for the foodie fans who love Masterchef, but the romance takes center stage over the cooking (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but if I had my choice, I would have wanted more of the cooking and filming). Love & Other Disasters is lots of fun, with a big heart and lots of big laughs, and it will take up space in my heart for a while.

Egalleys for Love & Other Disasters were provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) through NetGalley, with many thanks.