Don't let the cover or the blurb fool you--this isn't an easy, breezy rom-com with hints of Jane Austen. Going into Recipe for Persuasion, I had that perception of the book, but what I got instead was much darker. 

Recipe for Persuasion follows the relationship between Ashna, a chef, and Rico, a retired professional soccer player, as they team up to compete on a cooking show. Throughout all of this, we also learn more about their traumatic pasts and get a deep dive on Ashna's mother. 

While the story was interesting, and I was invested, I could not help but feel like there was nothing anchoring the two romantic leads together in a meaningful way. I had little to no investment in their relationship because I was only told about their attraction and connection; it does not play out on the page. Shobi, Ashna's mother, is dynamic and fascininating, defintiely as "scene-stealer" in this novel. 

I think this book is good for the right audience, but you have to know what you're getting into. It was much more serious than I anticipated.