Review: The Opposite of You

The Opposite of You by Rachel Higginson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vera Delane has returned home to Durham North Carolina. After being classically trained as a chef in Charlotte she gave it all up for her boyfriend who turned out to be controlling and abusive. She left him and ran away to Europe where she has spent the last year travelling and taking odd jobs in bars and restaurants. But when she heard her father was sick she came home and decided she was sick of running, sick of hiding from her ex, sick of not expressing her creative urges. So she has bought an airstream and intends to run a food truck from the car park of her older brother's cycle shop, right in the heart of the bar and restaurant district. The only trouble is the truck is less than 100 feet from one of the most prestigious restaurants in Durham, Lilou, with the celebrated and notorious chef Killian Quinn.

Vera has spent two years being put down by her ex and as a consequence she has low self-esteem and is used to accepting other people's judgement. But when Killian Quinn tries to intimidate Vera and force her off the parking lot she finds a backbone and gives as good as she gets. Soon the two of them have an antagonistic relationship where Killian continually gives Vera unwanted feedback on her food, well two can play at that game, but although Killian's comments may be harsh Vera recognises that they have an element of truth.

I love me a enemies to lovers romance and I love romances featuring chefs and lots of delicious food so this book was right up my alley. I only wish I can remember where I first heard about this book so that I could thank them for the recommendation.

I really enjoyed this, the slow burn romance hidden beneath a battle of wills between a Michelin starred chef and a food truck, the witty interactions, the food descriptions and the gentle romance. I have already bought the second book because I have to know what happens to the secondary characters.

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