A Dash of Salt and Pepper

This charming romance from Jackson (I’m So (Not) Over You) takes readers to the quaint town of Harper’s Cove, Maine, to which Black, gay business school grad Xavier Reynolds returns after losing both his job his boyfriend. Xavier initially mistakes chef Logan O’Hare, a white, bisexual single father, for a burglar breaking into his parents’ house, leading to a comical but slightly over-the-top meet-ugly. The cutesy narration of this opening dials back a bit as the plot progresses, allowing the story room to breathe. When Xavier takes a sous chef job in Logan’s restaurant, the very different men soon learn to work together—and indulge in some intense “erotic flirting.” They also reveal their vulnerabilities, which may be why Logan trusts Xavier to run the restaurant alone one night—unaware that a make-or-break food critic is in the house. Complications further arise from their clashing desires: while Logan is looking for a relationship, Xavier plans to leave ASAP. And when Xavier develops a secret plan to help Logan’s business, he jeopardizes their budding romance by violating Logan’s trust. Jackson seasons his rom-com with quippy dialogue and oodles of pop culture references, if not quite enough food porn. Even so, readers will eat this up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Dec.)