The Soul Feud - Juniper Jackson (17)

GOODREADS

373 pages

Release Date: June 27, 2023

With a lighthearted take on Pride & Prejudice, this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy examines class and privilege as it pits a young woman who struggles to preserve the legacy of her family's soul food restaurant in a gentrifying city against a handsome businessman who is running from his past, resulting in a hard-fought and unlikely partnership. Will they be able to let go of their hatred for one another and overcome their differences?

Sometimes a bad first impression is only the beginning...

Having grown up watching her grandparents feed the residents of Columbia City, Raven believes running the Soul Food Cafe should be simple. But the neighborhood is gentrifying, and the forced migration of her customers leaves the restaurant in a dire situation. The stress has kept her so busy that Raven is completely blindsided when she comes home to find her fiancé has packed his bags. And what isn't helping the problem? The handsome, wealthy businessman who has moved into the restaurant next door. It is people like him who are driving out the diversity in the neighborhood with their trendy homes and businesses. The cafe wouldn't be struggling if people like him weren't changing the neighborhood for the worse. So why are his sexy overtures so hard to resist?

Patrick Gaines is the oldest son of one of the wealthiest families in Seattle. But after a contentious breakup with his fiancée, he has decided to leave his world of finance and privilege behind. And since he has a passion for eating delicious things, what better way to branch out on his own than to open a high-end steakhouse called Cattle & Vine? But what he doesn't anticipate is the combative greeting he receives from the restaurant owner next door, and resents being criticized for taking advantage of a potentially lucrative business opportunity. So why can't he control his desire for Raven's tastes and talents?

One is oblivious to privilege, the other resistant to change. But together they will discover that some things are worth the fight. And the compromise.

AUTHOR BIO:
This is Juniper Jackson's debut contemporary romance novel. When she is not writing, she is reading, watching rom coms or dancing in the mirror.

REVIEW:

I get frustrated when I can't find purchase links to a book. Or rather, links I am familiar with like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I know it releases in a couple months but the book usually has details available already, but still I gave the story a shot.

I'm glad I did too. I got caught up with Patrick and Raven right away. The dynamic between these two, even when they hated each other, was evident right from the start.

I was expecting eroticism, it was there and yet tasteful at the same time. I do not usually read such graphic sex scenes, but it was not really off-putting and added to the story.

I loved the story when I finished it. I was so happy with the outcome, it was what everyone wanted. Including the reader.

Head to Goodreads and check out the purchase links there. It's definitely worth it.

4.5/5

**Opinions are owned by Freda's Voice. This copy was won on StoryGraph.