Reading about a sunny island is the perfect antidote to bleak German winter days. There are also deliciously mouth watering descriptions of food in this book, and it's definitely made Cyprus soar up on my travel bucket list.

Warning! Do not read this book on an empty stomach! This was a fun and delicious read, packed with scrumptious food to make your mouth water, especially if you're a cheese lover like me. Whilst the cover may look like a fun romcom there are also serious moments highlighted in this book that are both realistic and sensitively handled. The concept of the cookery show was a refreshing take on a romcom but it did fall in the predictability category for me.

I’ve really enjoyed reading this book. This is a great debut novel that is really well written. I liked Freya, she felt authentic and easily relatable. The mental health aspect of the book is written sensitively and realistically. All the characters are well developed. I loved the competition aspect of the book and all the twists and turns that came with it. The food descriptions are amazing and mouthwatering. The descriptions of sunny cyprus will make you think your there.

Loved this book it transported me to the delights of Greece in our dark UK winter which was what I needed. A love story with a gorgeous Greek God and the delights of Greek food and cooking, Perfect!

Besides reading my favorite hobby is cooking, so basically this book brought together my two favorite things in summer holiday escapist book form! So fun to read and honestly made me want to get in the kitchen and cook up some of the foods described in the book. If your looking for a read set in a beautiful location (Cyprus), filled with delicious food descriptions, and just a dash of romance this is the perfect book for you.

Initially I was hooked because I love halloumi, the descriptions of food throughout this book were amazing. I love reading about the ins and outs of competitions, especially food related ones! It was such a fun read. A great summer book!

Loved this book! Fresh and funny with so many delicious descriptions of food it should come with a warning to not read when hungry! Funny and zingy writing style that hooks you from the start. Really enjoyed reading this. In fact I devoured it in 2 days! A must read.

Thank you Netgalley

🌟Who doesn't love a pun? ....You Had Me At Halloumi is a fun read as it's title suggests.
🌟The descriptions of scrummy food are mouth watering, do make sure you have snack at the ready, the cheesy kind if possible.
🌟It's more than a cheesy romance & there are some major issues dealt with well within its pages.

Overall I enjoyed it but Freya annoyed me, more than once I wanted to shake some sense into her 😂

If you're looking for an escapist summer/beach read, this is it!
And the descriptions of all the incredible food will most definitely have you drooling/feeling a rumble of hunger in your stomach throughout.
This transported me and I enjoyed the fact that the romance element was almost a side character to the setting and food.
I also found Freya to be a great main character and one that I could really root for, which is always the sign of a great story.
It is fun, frothy and made for such a quick, easy read.
I will definitely be checking out what Ginger Jones does next, after enjoying this as much as I did.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The very definition of an escapist novel! I got the opportunity to read this amazing, light-hearted book whilst in the middle of writing my thesis - and let me just tell you, it restored my motivation and hope for glorious days ahead! I found it to be the perfect combination of food and travel, which was so refreshing to read because I genuinely think this was the first book I have read to actually include both themes.

Jones' writing style was refreshing, and nuanced. I love the way the book had light-hearted and escapist themes but also a complex family situation that was both sensitively and perfectly written (in my opinion). An amazing read, perfect for getting psyched up for summer vacation or for a day on the beach! (Or if you're staying home and just want those summer travelling vibes)

Sun, sea and Cypriot sausage, You Had Me at Halloumi is the irresistible new romantic comedy from Ginger Jones.

Being Head Chef is all Freya Butterfly has has ever wanted. She gives her job a hundred and ten per cent and has made sacrifice upon sacrifice in pursuit of achieving her goal. But regardless of how hard she tries, she never gets the recognition she deserves. Desperate for adventure and craving a real taste of the Mediterranean, Freya decides to do something for herself for a change so she quits her job, dumps her unsupportive boyfriend and heads off to Cyprus with one objective in mind: to win the prestigious Golden Spoon culinary award.

Competition is fierce and Freya is determined to be the one who lifts the trophy. She is not going to let anyone come between her and her award. Distraction is the very last thing she wants or needs, but Freya hadn’t counted on sexy Cypriot chef Xanthos. Freya is getting all hot and bothered – and it’s got absolutely nothing to do with the scorching Mediterranean climate! Xanthos has made Freya feel things she had long given up, however, her sole focus on the competition could well end up costing her this unexpected chance at happiness…

Forced to choose between her job and the man who has come to mean everything to her, will Freya end up making the right choice? Or is she going to spend the rest of her life wondering what if…

You Had Me at Halloumi is a delicious and delightful romantic comedy that is absolutely fabulous. A gorgeous slice of warm-hearted escapism perfect for losing yourself in on a grey and dismal afternoon, Ginger Jones’ You Had Me at Halloumi sparkles with plenty of charm, humour and Cypriot sizzle to keep you entertained and engrossed until the last page.

Funny, uplifting and wonderful, make sure to add Ginger Jones’ You Had Me at Halloumi to your beach bag this summer.

So I’ll be honest the very cheesy word play in the intro had me in two minds . I was thinking this is either going to be a ‘did not finish’ and i would end up hurling it across the room in frustration or it would be the perfect escape and I would relish it and I’m so glad it’s the latter.

I was hooked on every last word of this book and really can't believe it appears to be a debut novel. I'm already looking forward to the author's next book, I enjoyed this one that much.
It' is pure fabulous escapism!
It needs to be in everyone’s holiday bag as the perfect summer poolside read

Thank you to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion

I should start my review with saying this: I should not have read this book during Ramadan while fasting!!! The food descriptions made me really hungry  But the book was really good, so I couldn’t stop reading it anyway. 

I absolutely loved Freya! I knew I would love reading about her the minute I read her last name ~ Butterly. She stood up for herself from the very beginning of the story and won my heart instantly. I loved how she followed her passion for succeeding in the culinary world! It was really inspiring to see her pave the way for a happier life.

You Had Me At Halloumi was such a fascinating book! I was looking for a quick read to read between classes, and this book was just perfect! The plot had a little bit of everything ~ romance, an engaging storyline with a culinary competition and mystery too! I was really invested in the cooking competition like I would have been with a real show  The romance part for me felt like it wasn’t the main focus like the synopsis suggested ~ but I liked reading about it anway!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Freya’s story and how her character evolved throughout the book. I will definitely be looking out for Ginger Jones’ books in the future!!

This is such a fun, easy read. Perfect for reading at the beach or when you want to daydream about a holiday abroad. Perfect for fans of chick-lit books!

I really liked Freya, I thought she was the perfect MC.

It is a culinary education on Mediterranean food and it was drool-worthy! The only thing that would have made the book better was if it had the recipes at the end.

Love that there were references to Friends and Mrs Hinch as well.

Loved the idea of transporting the equivalent of 'Masterchef' to Cyprus. As you can imagine, there are luscious descriptions of food to drool over as well as a hunky man for Freya to fall for. However. she needs to keep her eye on the game if she's going to win the prestigious 'Golden Spoon'. Things don't quite go to plan but it's one hell of a journey. Great fun and a sizzling summer read.

Delicious food, humour and a little bit of romance; what more can you ask for a book?
Freya Butterly has decided to follow her dreams and try to win the Golden Spoon culinary award, it will not be easy, but this can be the change she needs to fulfill her dreams. What can she lose going? Learning some amazing new recipes, making good friends and maybe the Golden Spoon? She only has to believe!
I’ll advise from the beginning that reading this book will make you hungry, there are so many delicious recipes and talks about food that I couldn’t resist checking some of the recipes online, they sounded so yummy.
This is a read to disconnect and have a good time, to make you dream of sunny weather and mouth watering food. But at the same time it has real characters, the Golden Spoon is a prize that people are ready to steal, lie and cheat to win. But Freya is ready to win everyone with her food, even the worst enemies, but will she win the heart of the Cypriot people? Of course you’ll have to read the book to discover more.
I liked how the author created real people with real problems; it’s easy to understand Freya struggles and her need to succeed, not only for her dreams but to show the world how much she is worth it.
This is a sweet story; to make you smile and dream, the book you’ll need to disconnect, believe me!
Are you ready for “You Had Me At Halloumi”?

YOU HAD ME AT HALLOUMI - Ginger Jones

I love a character who has normative determinism

Freya Butterly travels to Greece to take part in a The Golden Spoon competition. There she is met with romance, mystery.

You DID have me at halloumi. You also had me at the first two chapters when Freya proved herself to be a decisive female character who stands up for herself; who doesn't take shit from anyone until the knight in shining armour makes her begin to see her worth. From the word go, she took the bull by the horns and went to Cypress.

This is an utterly feel good, quick beach read. It has everything. A sprinkle of rom-com, a dash of competitiveness and a pinch of mystery.

It hits all the senses. From the start, the food descriptions had my mouth watering - do not read this book when hungry. The majority of the book is set in Greece and it felt very visceral.

I so loved this book and, not to take away from how good it was but I cannot wait for the audio book.

Freya is a frustrated chef, sick of reheating pre-prepared dishes in a run down restaurant. When her boss steals her recipe (and consequently kudos), she decides she's had enough. She quits both her job and her boyfriend within the space of five minutes.

Taking part in the prestigious Golden Spoon competition in Cyprus, Freya revels in being able to finally spread her culinary wings.

I liked Freya. She was fallible and felt authentic. Her enthusiasm for food was apparent right from the start, and, just like an amazing cheesecake, it was addictive. I've always wanted to visit Cyprus so if, like me, you want an easy summer read set in the Mediterranean, this is a good choice. I particularly loved the culinary aspect of the storyline, and the twists and turns of the competition. But I do think the romance with Xanthos suffered a little because of this heavy focus, and the ending felt a little rushed.

There are diverse characters represented throughout the story, and I found the parts addressing how Freya and her mum dealt with mental health crises sensitively and realistically written. If I have one real gripe, it's that a lot of the descriptions read to me like stage directions, and, learning that the author has written for theatre in the past explains a lot.

Still, overall I enjoyed the pure escapism of this book, and look forward to reading more of Ginger Jones's work in the future.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️1/2
Heat Rating: 🔥
Emotional Rating: 💓🙈😬💕

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

(I have also submitted the same review to Amazon UK, but am awaiting moderation)

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Zaffre Books for allowing me to read this.

You Had Me At Halloumi is out on the 14th April!

Freya Butterly has always dreamt about being a Head Chef but at her current job she is not getting the recognition she deserves. And so, she takes up a once in a lifetime opportunity to enter a culinary competition to win the prestigious Golden Spoon culinary award. Quitting her job and leaving her now ex-boyfriend behind she embarks on an adventure to Cyprus in the hope that her dreams will finally come true. This is story of self-discovery and determination (which made me very hungry in the process) but also when an unexpected Cypriot male comes in the picture Freya finds herself in a pickle, as she fights for the prize and this brooding male that is invading her heart.

I would give this 3.5/5 stars. I enjoyed this it had great humour and brought together two things I love food and travelling! It The premise intrigued me and I found myself really loving the travel aspect of this book as I haven’t read many, if any books set in Cyprus. The character of Freya was endearing and I really sympathised with her situation and her family. Her relationship with her mum was displayed in a sensitive manner but didn’t invalidate the feelings of either party.

Another aspect I really liked was learning about Cypriot cuisine – I found it interesting and it added another dimension to the book, which kept me really engaged and trying to remember the things Freya was learning myself.

I absolutely flew through this book as it was such a quick and enjoyable read. I do think the ending was slightly rushed but my only really wish was that there was more! (especially more Xanthos)

I would definitely read more of Ginger Jones’ novels as this was such a great one to start!

You Had Me At Halloumi by Ginger Jones

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Freya Butterly has always dreamt of being a Head Chef but despite running every service at the Mediterranean restaurant, she still doesn't get the recognition she deserves. Craving adventure and a real taste of the Mediterranean, Freya takes matters into her own hands, ditching both her job and unsympathetic boyfriend and packing her bags for sunny Cyprus in pursuit of the prestigious Golden Spoon culinary award.

As one of the seven competitors, Freya is determined to rediscover her passion for food and clinch the prize, but what she doesn't expect to discover is Xanthos. As gorgeous as he is charming - he's quite the dish - and Freya is instantly attracted to him, but this trip was about Cypriot cuisine, not romance and she knows she must not let Xanthos distract her from the competition.

This book made me very hungry - I would advise having snacks on hand. Freya leaves her job after her boss takes credit for her work, to get back on track she takes part in a cooking competition in Cyprus. I read this delightful book in two sittings, breaking only to eat. A quick and easy book that will take you on a rollercoaster ride. Will Freya find out who has been sabotaging her cooking?

Rating: 4/5