I really enjoyed this low-angst romance between Chelsea, an up and coming TV chef and all round lovely person, and Bryce a super sweet hometown trans guy. I loved the setting of smalltown Louisiana and the cast of secondary characters were all well definied and endearing (I believe that there are more books with this characters!). Every bump on the road of their relationship was dealt with like adults, with clear communication which is SO refreshing. My only gripe is this cover - it's an essential part of Chelsea's character is that she is plus size, so why on earth put a skinny minnie on the cover to represent her?!

Roux for Two by Aurora Rey was a cute, lowkey contemporary romance between a fat queer femme and a trans man. Chef Chelsea Boudreaux has just gotten her own show, which will be filmed in the small south Louisiana town she left behind; her career is about to take off and take her places. College academic advisor Bryce Cormier has lived in the same town with his loving family for his whole life and never plans to move anywhere else; he longs for a partner and, eventually, children. Their unspoken high school crushes are revived when Chelsea comes back to town, and friendship turns to attraction turns to a red-hot relationship. Conflict arises, of course, but it's gentle and resolved by the characters using their words. I enjoyed this a lot and would read more by this author.

I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and read a story with a Trans character. Representation was clearly important to the writer with a curvy character. The attraction was instant but I could do with more feelings. I love the message of living a life true to yourself but I didn't connect with the book. It must be mainly because I am not the target audience because I kind of read sapphic only.

Chelsea Boudreau returns to her childhood home of Duschene, Louisiana as the star chef of a new cooking show featuring Cajun cuisine. While excited to step into the limelight for the first time, her memories of her judgemental mother and a flat tire in the middle of nowhere have Chelsea wondering if leaving the city was such a great idea. When a handsome stranger named Bryce stops to offer her assistance, memories of an old friendship are rekindled along with a new found attraction.

I enjoyed this light hearted romance with an underlying theme of acceptance and celebration of living an authentic life with the one you love. Their chemistry together was tender and romantic. I appreciated their open communication, giving the reader a better understanding of Bryce’s life as a trans man, his challenges and his pleasures. As much as the story is centered around Chelsea’s new life, I kept coming back to Bryce just wanting to be accepted without being singled out as other. The author did a wonderful job
of educating while storytelling.

I was surprised to see all the negative reviews, many focusing on the poor cover design when Chelsea is a full figured chef with a body positive outlook. The cover could have been better but doesn’t take away from the story. Then I wondered if people were having trouble connecting with Chelsea and Bryce as a couple. Whatever the reasons, I found this a sweet and memorable romance.

Well done Aurora Rey.

A copy of this novel was received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.

4.4 stars

"Roux for Two" is a queer, trans-inclusive, fat-inclusive, found family romance about two people who find love and acceptance when they least expect it.

MC Chelsea is returning to Duchesne, Louisiana to film her own cooking show after moving away right after high school. MC Bryce, meanwhile, has never left the small town and is longing to find someone who wants to settle down right there in Duchesne.

Aurora Rey does a great job of highlighting the importance of communication both in relation to sexual encounters and relationships in general. I really enjoyed how Chelsea and Bryce came together in the story and absolutely adored the inclusion of Bryce's family members throughout the story. Chelsea's friends, especially Jada, were incredibly supportive of her and, though they were just background characters, were the found family she really needed.

The story fell a little short for me during the third act "break up" / relationship drama. It felt a little forced especially because of how well Chelsea and Bryce were initially communicating. I felt as though Bryce would've spoken up sooner. The severity of their fight would've been different and/or they would've handled the communication part better.

Overall this was a really enjoyable, heartwarming story -- even if it is hard to believe that a small town in Louisiana would be so queer-inclusive. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, even though I didn't receive it until after the pub date.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exhange for this review.

Roux for Two follows Chelsea Boudreaux as she returns to her small childhood town after a decade to launch a new cooking for from her own home. Day one she meets Bryce Cormier who offers a hand when she has car troubles. They knew one another in school, though this was before Bryce transitioned so it takes a moment for Chelsea to recognize him. The attraction and flirting is immediate between the two and they begin to spend a large amount of time together. Both have their own baggage and different wants out of life, but through the course of the story begin to learn that their perfect futures may not look exactly as they had planned.
This was a very low stakes book and everything pretty much goes right with the two MCs. While this made engaging with the story a little hard at times, I have to say it was also really nice to see the couple actually talk their problems and thoughts out instead of just letting miscommunications just build up. The trans portrayal in this story was very well done and I loved reading a story where the trans character was so comfortable in his own skin. Same with Chelsea who is larger and curvier then the usual romantic lead found in these kinds of stories.

Roux for Two is a well-written novel. It is nice to see Aurora Rey writing not only a trans male character but also a woman explicitly curvy (which the cover does not show, by the way). If in her last books Mrs. Rey used upstate NY as her setting, now she takes us to a small town in Louisiana and I always like to read books that get out of a crazy city. This book does not have much conflict, but I liked how they could solve the problems that came up when they decided to talk to each other, It made the characters more real.
This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Bold Strokes in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely!

Chelsea returns to the small town she calls home, proud to have secured her own cooking show. Bryce, a trans guy who has never left the town never thought he’d fall in love until running into Chelsea. It’s only when Chelsea celebrity status starts to interfere with the simple relationship he thought they’d found, he has to find the courage to continue the relationship.

Much like the relationship between Chelsea and Bryce, this story is both simple and complex. Chelsea had such ambition and dreams, but what she shared with Bryce was magical and something she was desperate not to lose. Bryce was already dealing with so much, finding his way with Chelsea in a new relationship and struggling with the fascination that seemed to follow their relationship because of one appearance on her show.

Between them there were many challenges they had to deal with both personally and together. The most magical moments came when they spent time alone. It was relaxed, no pressure, and two unlikely people just made a perfect pairing that would only grow into something more spectacular the closer they became. It was so interesting to explore a story with a transgender character like Bryce. He was such a simple, kind, gentle soul who just wanted to fall in love. I was so pleased when he found this with Chelsea and just prayed they’d make it through any doubt that started to creep in when Bryce soul searched whether he was happy with the way he was portrayed by those outside of their relationship.

A very lovely story of understanding, compromise, and respect for preferences and personal feelings. I really enjoyed the story and hope Bryce and Chelsea will feature in future stories because they are so sweet together!

This is so relentlessly pleasant that it isn't really all that engaging. Everything goes right for these two lovely people. The End.

And what is with the skinny girl on the cover? Did the artist not get the memo about the curvy main character?

I do wish the food had a bigger role. We know that the first episode of her show is étouffée, but what kind? Chicken, like I make from the Commander's Palace cookbook? Shrimp, crawfish? And just "gumbo", again, what goes in it? There are so many local varieties. What happened to the episode with her mom, setting that up was a huge deal, but if shooting the episode was in the book, I missed it. I expected some sort of drama there, plus I wanted to know more about that strawberry and fig jam, a peculiar combination. So many seeds.

Becoming one of my favourite authors for the way that she builds characters with complex emotions and internal thoughts, not often seen in queer fiction. I loved this book as well because it's central couple are a queer fat femme and a trans man, again not seen enough in queer fiction. Chelsea is returning home to small town Louisiana to star in her own cooking show centred on Cajun food, yum. Early in the book she is rescued from the side of the road by Bryce who works in the local college and so the fun begins. Their attraction is immediate and very hot. I really enjoyed watching the development of the relationship without some of the usual tropes of romantic fiction, no big falling out but careful, slow building of connection. I also really liked Bryce's family, especially the fun sibling sparks between him and his sister Kate and her daughter Hunter is fun too. Wonderful read.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chelsea is all about control. With the cancellation and removal of her boss, Chelsea has a chance of getting her own cooking show, turning a lifelong dream into a reality. Inspired by the cooking of her childhood, Chelsea moves back home to Duchesne, Louisiana, buying a giant home she’s always loved and getting its kitchen outfitted to her specifications. However, a flat tire on her first night is only the first pebble on the path. The second is Bryce.

“[…]love doesn’t work that way. It takes work and compromise and usually doesn’t wind up looking the way you thought it would.”

Bryce is more than willing to play knight errant by rescuing the curvy beauty stranded at the side of the road. Her smile, her warmth, her humor … it all appeals to him. And when Chelsea has no reaction to his being a transgender man, and in fact her flirting game rivals his when she realizes he’s interested enough to start the conversations, well, it’s almost as if Bryce has found himself a new love interest.

The two of them have an undeniable chemistry, and it soon moves from suggestive comments to sensual nights (mornings, afternoons, dinners, and everything in between). But as Chelsea’s fame rises, Bryce ends up being dragged along. At first, it’s fine; it’s fun, even. However, as more attention comes his way, Bryce isn’t certain if he’s ready to be the resident transgender man or the poster boy for inclusion. Duchesne is a small town filled with a tight-knit community and Bryce likes it that way. What happens when the woman of your dreams has her own dreams? What happens when the man you love doesn’t want to follow where you’re going?

I’m going to start this review by stating that as a cis gender woman, I am not qualified to comment on transgender representation, so I’m just going to say that, in my cis opinion, I thought Bryce being transgender was well introduced and always a part of his story. It wasn’t one line in the beginning and then ignored; there were mentions of Bryce being on T, of the fact of his transition, and of his top surgery. His being transgender was always present and part of his character. The sex scenes have plenty of communication, with Chelsea making sure to ask Bryce how he wants to handle sex and intimacy, and respecting his needs and wants. There is never any issue about Bryce’s identity; even Chelsea’s mother ends up using proper pronouns when dealing with him.

Bryce, as a character, is a dreamer. Big hearted, romantic, gregarious, and good-natured, he’s never felt the need to leave home and go anywhere else. He has a supportive family, co-workers, friends, and community who have never made him feel unwelcome or othered by his transition. He’s also very frank about his interest in finding love, his many partners, and his eventual desire to settle down and have a family. So when Chelsea meets him on his own ground, flirting back just as hard, is it any wonder Bryce falls — and hard? She’s lovely, she’s bold, she’s got her own career and her own dreams, and Bryce is able to help make them come true … mostly by installing lightbulbs, since Chelsea is afraid of heights. But he’s willing to get on any step stool she puts in front of him.

Chelsea grew up in a difficult home, her mother very religious and very demanding of her daughter. Chelsea was left with issues around her weight, her beauty, and her capability as a person, let alone as a daughter and woman. Therapy has helped, but it’s also helped her put up a bit of a wall. She’s slow to trust and slow to feel safe. Because Bryce makes it easy, Chelsea begins to lean even more heavily on him, certain he’ll always be there but also always questioning if he really wants to be there.

Chelsea needs control, and so does Bryce. And for all that they’re both very supportive of one another — Bryce is the captain of Chelesa’s cheer squad, always happy for her, encouraging her, and proud of her and Chelsea is always, always double checking to make sure Bryce’s ‘yes’ is a real one, not just a ‘yes’ to make her happy — they never sit down to really talk about the future. Bryce is waiting for things to just fall into line, and Chelsea’s too afraid of losing what she has to risk looking at it too closely.

The book is mostly a feel-good, food-infused romance where the stakes are never that high and the angst is merely at a quiet simmer on the back burner. This is smoothly written, but the pace is a bit lopsided; the story lingers on the small town moments and whizzes past the ‘big city’ moments, leaving no doubt where the author intends the focus and happy ending to be. Still, it’s an enjoyable, light read with a happy ending and a lot of food. This would make an excellent beach read.

I read this book as an arc from Netgalley. Thank you to Bold Strokes for this arc.

This book follows Chelsea and her dream of having her own cooking show coming true after her celebrity chef boss was fired for sexual harrassment. On her way to hometown, her tire pops and someone from her past helps her. That person is Bryce. From there, these two navigate their relationship and other aspects of life together.

This was very lighthearted and sweet romance. I like the aspects of the cooking show and the meals that Chelsea prepared. I also enjoyed how Chelsea and Bryce worked up their courage to take a chance on each other. Bryce was such a sweetheart and was supportive of Chelsea. Everything flowed lightly between them despite their little doubts. This book also deals with the theme of families. It was nice to see Chelsea telling her mother how her actions have impacted her.

Roux for Two by Aurora Rey is a delightful, easygoing, and gentle celebrity romance set in small town Louisiana. As the title of this book suggests, there is also a lot of talk about food in the story. Needless to say, I kept getting hungry as I read.

I don’t normally think of a celebrity-romance going along with a small-town-romance, but it works well here. The main character, Chelsea Boudreaux moves back to her hometown, Duchesne, Louisiana to film her cooking show for The Food TV network. This is her first time as the main chef in front of the cameras, and she wants to showcase her Cajun and Creole recipes in a modern kitchen in her own home. On the way to Duchesne, Chelsea gets a flat tire, and a handsome guy in a blue pickup stops to help her. Bryce Cormier was a classmate of Chelsea’s in school but she doesn’t recognize him immediately since he transitioned after she left town. There is an attraction between the two that only grows as they get to know each other again, but will they be able to fit their very different lives together long term?

Bryce is not a new character for me. I remember him as an important secondary character in Ms. Rey’s novel You Again. Several other characters from that book show up here as well. I do enjoy revisiting old friends in other stories like this.
The setting (and the food) almost made this Southern girl homesick. The author did a great job creating characters that reflect the quirks and idiosyncrasies you might find in a small Southern town like Duchesne. Chelsea and Bryce are very likeable characters and work well together as a couple. I also loved how the author showed Chelsea as a person who has grown to be positive about her body shape and size.

I had a lot of fun visiting old friends from a former book, reliving some of my Southern small town memories, and seeing another lovely couple have a HEA story. I think you might enjoy this novel as much as I did.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

When Chelsea Boudreaux lost her job she thought her days of working in tv were over. Being a suze chef for the star Chef wasn’t that great but when the show ended Chelsea was offered her own show. When she’d left her hometown years ago she felt it was time to return, taping her show from her own kitchen. On the plus side, probably no one will remember her. She left right after she graduated high school. To visit with her mother while there wasn’t something she was looking forward to. Her mother turned her back and used anytime together to put Chelsea down. became someone.
Bryce Cormier has lived in Duchesne all his life, leaving for college but when he got his degree he found the perfect job at the University, helping students settle into campus life. His job was close enough it enabled him to live in the same small town he grew up in. Some would think he’d be more comfortable living elsewhere after he had his surgery (woman-man). But for Bryce it was an easy decision. It’s where his family also lived.
Now Chelsea is back and when she accepts Bryce for who he is, Bryce couldn't be happier.Lets hope the show is a hit. Ms Rey gives us a look at what life is like for trans people, especially with the laws being enacted to quash the ‘trans life is like. Easy read with great characters, supporting cast and a really interesting story line. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

Aspiring TV chef Chelsea is moving back to her small Louisiana hometown when her car gets a flat tire. The handsome man in the pickup who stops to help her turns out to be Bryce, local hero and certified romantic. The two strike up a friendship as Chelsea gets her new show off the ground, and quickly realize their mutual attraction may be something more.

This was a lovely book about finding someone who accepts and celebrates you for who you are. My main quibble was with how fast the relationship moved, especially when the new couple were faced with a decision that seemed way too soon for them to even consider.

Also, the cover art does not represent the book. Chelsea is proudly fat, so why is there a Barbie-thin silhouette gracing the cover of this book? I don’t expect cover models to look exactly like the characters, but surely it’s possible to illustrate a woman who slightly resembles the amazing Chelsea.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful well written story with an amazing trans lead. The chemistry between Bryce and Chelsea was amazing from the beginning to the end. I loved the secondary characters as well. I recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books.

Sweet, queer m/f romance
I loved the premise and setting of this low-angst, sweet romance: The curvy girl (Chelsea) who fled home as soon as possible and comes back as a celebrity chef who pursues her career. She meets sweet home-body (trans-)male (Bryce) who wants to settle down. So inherent conflict between career and settling is guaranteed. And I loved the tongue-in-cheek male/female but by no means heterosexual vibe of the book. The setting is small-town Louisiana and it is fun to see the workings of small-town and Southern charm.
There is attraction and sexual tension from the get-go. The whole book is well-written. But there is a but: if you make a roux for gumbo don‘t forget to season well! Bryce is the total, absolute gentleman without faux except being a bit too nice. Chelsea all too easily settles for settling. The turn-about from affair to love-affair comes very late. So yes, a good, sweet read, but a pinch of salt is missing.
And really: Chelsea is all about curvy and the publisher puts the book out with a stick-figure on the cover? How is this promoting acceptance?

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is left voluntarily.

This is a sweet slice of life style book about a chef who moves back to her hometown to launch a cooking show and falls in love with a transgender man who she knew pre transition in high school. The characters are well-developed, and you can't help but fall in love with both of them. I love that this book shows a queer couple in the deep south who are out, proud, and supportive. I loved that both their romance arc, and the plot outside the relationship were fairly low stakes. Overall, Roux for Two is a heartwarming and enjoyable read that is perfect for anyone who loves a good love story with a side of delicious food. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and engaging read.

I loved this book. It was great to see a trans lead and Bryce was a really likeable character. The chemistry between the leads was sizzling from the start and had me so engaged I finished the book in one sitting. I love the sexy yet sweet dynamic Aurora Rey creates between her characters that feels so natural and believable. And the small town Louisiana setting was great. I hope we have some more books featuring trans leads from BSB in the future.

Chelsea Boudreaux, a food tv show host, recently acquired her own tv show. She meets Bryce Cormier, an academic advisor, when she returned to her hometown in Duchesne to set up stage for her new tv show. Both went to school together but things have changed since school days. Bryce is now a trans guy, having transitioned at the end of high school and Chelsea left Duchesne for culinary school and to escape. Now she’s back and is starting to be famous with her new TV show. There is also the start of new romance between them. The question is: Can Bryce come to terms with dating someone famous and being in the limelight himself? And will Chelsea be contented staying in her hometown, the place that she left after high school?

I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the story initially. I felt that the attraction between the MCs was too quick (likely based on looks) and they lusted over each other rather than having an initial true connection. This sort of instant attraction usually is okay for me but for reasons I can’t explain, I didn’t feel it this time. The story got better in the second half of the book. I liked that it featured a trans guy character and Bryce is really sweet.

A possible small matter but the cover sort of did not reflect the chef in the book who was a plus size woman. It was a really good cover though. Caught my eye immediately. This book is the second book of a series, but is definitely a standalone as I have not read the first book, You Again. A low angst read…and it was a 3 star read for me.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.