Sweethand (Island Bites Book 1)

If you like wedding a centered trope in a romance I would recommend Sweethand. This book is set on Trinidad and we get to read along 4 months leading up to Ava and Eric's wedding two side characters. The main characters Cherisse (maid of honor) and Keiran (best man) happened to dislike each other but have to work together to fulfill their respective duties. What I really enjoyed in this book was the wide array of characters and interests. Peltier really sets the stage to showcase island life outside of tourism or vacationing (love it). Then we get see varying social standings from the very rich to working class (again I'm here for it). The romance between Keiran and Cherisse was rooted in miscommunication so if you don't like that in a romance, it might be a hard read bc they struggle to the end aka Keiran does a lot of apologizing. But he's trying!!!! I loved the queer rep and that queer characters were not villianized or mistreated, their identity was just that, but there was mention that it isn't always the case. I really really loved the friend dynamic and the push and pull of letting people be who they are while challenging each other. Peltier also gives the reader multiple consent scenes (not touching someone without permission, asking to post pictures online, and not having sex while under the influence). It was subtle but I saw what she did ❤ The other thing that really stood out for me was the ways parents want their children to confirm to heteronormative standards and how that can adversely impact the relationship. Cherisse's mom being overly critical and marriage obsessed was real. Or Maxine not taken into consideration for taking over the family business was a sad reality for the ever present patriarchal b.s. Also the aunties being very inappropriate was so relatable but cringey. Overall, I felt like I was reading about people who I knew and grew up with. The Caribbean has a wide range of ethnicities and if you aren't paying attention you might miss the nod to this diversity that shows up in the book. Last thing, it was comforting to read Caribbean sayings/words throughout the book, it was a nice touch. I can't wait to see who we will read about in book #2.There were a lot of great moments. The plot didn't pick up for me until around the 80 page mark so it felt a bit sluggish at first.CW: adultery, sexism, body shaming, emotional manipulation (including using guilt), homophobia (implied), sexist slurs (on page), and fight sceneSteam level: Medium 😉

I pre ordered this book after one of my favorite authors raved about it, and let me tell you it was everything she raved about and more. Right away I was in love with the beautiful cover, and couldn't wait to read about a book set in Trinidad. Enemies to lovers isn't usually my favorite troupe, but it worked so well. Cherisse and Kieran (and most of the friends in their friend group) have been in each others lives since they were kids, and have always been annoyed with each other. I feel like you can really feel the tension between these two from the first page. Between the jabs the MCs take at each other to the steamy times I was loving reading this book (there is a slow dance scene that made my heart melt). I like Cherisse, she is driven, successful and motivated. I absolutely love everything about Kieran. He is such a cinnamon roll. I loved the way he just adored Cherisse even when he tried to deny it. I loved that this book is duel POV, because I really enjoyed being in his head. As far as banter and chemistry it was through the roof. This was slow burn and oh so good. Sweethand has such a large friend group. I feel like the author did a great job developing each personality (some of the "friends" were family, there was LGBTQ representation, some had been in the MC lives since childhood, some were newer to the group) and I really enjoyed all of the interactions with them. I loved hearing about all of the wedding prep, the cake making and the beautiful setting. This book is steamy, flirty, and funny. It is honestly the perfect summer read.

This was really cute!!I love how diverse this book was, the fact that it takes place in Trinidad, the hate to love vibes, literally just about everything about it!!Kieran is literally so perfect and cute and just so soft for Cherisse. Cherisse is a relatable character but definitely had her walls up through most of the book. It's realistic for the time span this book goes through but I wish we'd gotten to see things tightened up a bit more for characters. This is definitely a HFN type ending and there's a lot of things going on in both of their lives that doesn't really get addressed.I'm so excited to read more from this author and in this series. Also this cover is just so damn beautiful I cannot get over it 😍

The chemistry is sooooooooo amazing, I loved reading about these two because even though they were fighting it they were so into each other. I just wanted to talk some sense into Cherry, like girl just give in. I love the inclusiveness of the main characters and the side characters, since how people define themselves sexually is such an unspoken conversation in the black community.The only thing that killed me is the ending, it seemed like it was rushed. I expected some sort of resolution but it just seemed roughly patched together. I know that if we get to see some more of the side characters that we would get more of thatI definitely want to know more about Max and Remi. They seem like they would be really hot.

A 2021 FAVORITE!Just wow I don't even know what to type except this was just so dang good.Rivals to lovers tropeWhen I say rivals, I mean it. They absolutely do NOT like each other, the jabs, the insults all of it./you have these two that have always been in the same social circles growing up, always having animosity to each other which is just so delicious.Cherisse is our main girl, she is a well known but still up and coming pastry chef, her younger sister is getting married. So Cherisse has maid of honor duties.Kieran the rival in question is the best man.They have to come together to plan all the events leading up to the wedding, oy! All that eye rolling and thick tension leads up to some delicious pay off.Set on T&T its this book is so tropical and dreamy. I highly recommend to al

Keiran and Cherisse travel in the same social circles but never sat down to think why they spend most of their time antagonizing one another. But planning her sister and his friend's wedding is the perfect opportunity to dig a little deeper. This is not a slow burn precisely but some time passes as their relationship grows naturally out of these moments they spend time together.The writing is clear and purposeful, exploring why Keiran likes teasing Cherisse so much and how of her past has made her misread his actions. While missteps happen, it's never out of the blue or brushed under the rug; Peltier describes the feelings perfectly when you are in this awkward not-yet-friends-kinda-want-to-be-more-but-maybe-also-not situation and makes you laugh at the absurdity and smile at the genuine bluntness they both possess. (I do think Keiran took the brunt of the blunders and Cherisse often had the moral high ground, I wanted a bit more reciprocity.)Life also does not stop around them, there is some tension because of her ex but instead of being overblown it's mature and realistic; their friends are also not static side pieces. It all comes together very organically.Next to Keiran who IDs as bi we have plenty more queer side characters and some of their antics were absolutely delightful to read about. There was a heartfelt scene about it I very much appreciated.I was overwhelmed in the beginning by all the named characters and how they relate to one another but it gets better after a while. Now I am excited to hear who will be the next protagonist!

This is so well done for a debut book. It can be tricky to show realistic relationship development with the enemies-to-lovers trope, but with Kieran and Cherisse we got to see the enmity give way to mutual respect and understanding, friendship and finally them giving in to their grudging attraction as they got to know each other and their barriers came down. The chemistry between them is sooo well done, the slow burn is absolutely simmering! And the payoff is worth it - I loved how Cherisse knew what she wanted and went for it in bed, and the shenanigans they got up to when they couldn't keep their hands off each other. It's also so satisfying to see their feelings develop, from wanting to keep it casual to giving in to their desire for more.As someone from Trinidad & Tobago where this book is set, every bit as delightful as I'd hoped it would be. I loved the representation of Trini society and diversity in this book, and was also so pleased to see a bisexual MC with Kieran. Reading it felt like a slice of home - from the familiar expressions to the food to everyone running on Trini time. I don't think non-Trinis would have a hard time understanding it, but the author didn't write it as if these expressions had to be explained, and I really appreciated that it was included so matter-of-factly rather than pandering to foreign readers. I also liked that both MCs are creatives, with Kieran working in the music industry and Cherisse as a baker.The entire cast of friends and family was a delight as well, and the setup of best man/maid of honour duties was a great setting for forced proximity. Their friends were so straightforward and kept things real.There were some things that could've been improved - for example, I'm generally not a fan of miscommunication or lack of communication as a trope, and I did get fed up of seeing Kieran mess up again and again. The ending was a smidge underwhelming, I had secondhand embarrassment for Kieran! But I can't think of an alternative I would've liked better, and despite veering a bit into soap-opera-y-ness it was overall a well-developed story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait for the next story in the Island Bites series!

I loved this book in every way possible.Keiran and Cherisse are enemies and they have been for years. They are forced to work together because her sister and his best friend are getting married. they are the main and groom of honour.Which means lots of interaction and sexual tension. I loved the representation in this book. I am glad that although the setting is in the Caribbean they have added LGBTQA representationThe banter, sexual tension and straight-up smut was so good I didn't want to put it downChrystal Bethell (Narrator) did a great job with the voice as she was able to get the accent in there pretty well. I do wish the male voices were a little more recognizable but all in all very good.Just a lovely read or listen whichever

The book was great, although it took a little time to get into the speed of it. Once the tempo gets going, it’s fun with a lot of laughs and a lot of Caribbean flavour.On the downside (slight spoiler here) the way bisexuality was dealt, seemed more like an afterthought rather than something as nuanced as it is in real life.

Very well written. Enjoyable