Lavash at First Sight
Books | Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
4
Taleen Voskuni
Sparks fly between two women pitted against each other in this delectable new romantic comedy by Taleen Voskuni, author of Sorry, Bro. Twenty-seven-year-old Nazeli “Ellie” Gregorian enjoys the prestige of her tech marketing job but is sick of the condescending Patagonia-clad tech bros, her micromanaging boss, and her ex-boyfriend, who she’s forced to work with every day. When Ellie’s lovingly overbearing parents ask her to attend PakCon—a food packaging conference in Chicago—to help promote their company and vie to win an ad slot in the Superbowl (no big deal), she’s eager for a brief change and a delicious distraction. At the conference, she meets witty, devil-may-care Vanya Simonian. Ellie can’t believe how easy it is to talk to Vanya and how much they have in common—both Armenian! From the Bay Area! Whose families are into food! Their meet-cute is cut short, however, when Ellie’s parents recognize Vanya as the daughter of the owners of their greatest rival, whose mission (according to Ellie’s mother) is to whitewash and package Armenian food for the American health-food crowd. Sworn as enemies, Ellie and Vanya must compete against each other under their suspicious parents' scrutiny, all while their feelings for each other heat to sizzling temps.
AD
Buy now:
More Details:
Author
Taleen Voskuni
Pages
304
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2024-05-07
ISBN
0593547322 9780593547328
Community ReviewsSee all
"2.75. Something about the writing didn’t click for me. I initially thought this was a debut, but it turns out it wasn’t. The overly flirtatious dialogue felt cringy, especially since the characters barely knew each other yet were already acting like soulmates and talking about future plans. It felt unearned and rushed.
The setting, however, was my favorite part—the vibrant food scene in Chicago, the competitive cooking backdrop, and the glimpses of Armenian culture were all promising and added richness. But despite this, I found it hard to connect with the characters. Ellie, the main character, didn’t have a strong enough personality or voice to really draw me in.
Even with the fast-paced romance, the story felt like it was dragging, and the writing struck me as a bit amateurish. I kept reading mostly out of curiosity and because it was a short book, but I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I’d hoped. It felt less like a romance and more like a blend of a cooking competition and family drama.
I did appreciate that it focused on two women falling in love, especially given their conservative backgrounds, but it just didn’t land for me. The climax and breakup scene came off as a bit goofy, and the family feud felt childish and pride-driven, though the eventual friendship between the families was a nice touch.
Overall, it wasn’t an enjoyable read for me, but there were aspects I liked. Ellie’s realization that corporate America wasn’t her path, and her decision to join her family’s business, was a satisfying moment. And the Chicago setting really stood out, with its rich food culture that almost became a character in its own right.
"
Z G
Zariah Grant
