Considering us is available for preorder now

A personal chef crosses paths with a past lover after her life takes an unexpected turn in Bouchard’s romance novel.

Devon Paige has made a grave misstep: She was caught mid-kiss with Bentley Preston, husband of her  employer Julianna. Devon has worked hard to build up her clientele as a  personal chef in Boston, but Julianna Preston is quick to get the word out, and soon Devon is fired from all her contracts but one. At loose  ends, she accepts a job offer as dining services director at the  Rockwood boarding school in New Hampshire, desperate to get away from all the attention. When Devon arrives in New Hampshire, there is a  surprise waiting for her: a blast from the past in the form of history  and government teacher (and soccer coach) Kyle Holling. Back in 2007,  Devon spent one romantic night with Kyle, then never saw him again. Kyle is now divorced and available, and their attraction has not gone away.  Bouchard’s romance trundles along at a good speed. In the course of the  story, the author touches on questions of whether there is ever room for  second chances in romance and what to do when life throws you a curveball. Devon is entirely relatable in the position in which she has  found herself, if not necessarily for how she got there. While her  chemistry with a paramedic called Heath seems anything but natural—it’s a  placeholder romance from the start—her big-sisterly relationship with  basketball player David Anders, who remains her only client after her  initial indiscretion, is a welcome side plot that shows the caring  nature of her character. The glimpse into the world of boarding-school  gossip is also fun (Devon observes, “Apparently, I had fled one scandal-ridden situation for another one”), avoiding predictable tropes about going from the big city to a small town. Bouchard does not settle for a one-dimensional story, and the romance fares better because of it.

A soul-searching, second-chance romance for readers who love a strong female lead.

Considering Us by Jenn Bouchard is a romance that follows Devon, a private chef who loses her job after her affair with a famous client is discovered. She seeks a fresh start at Rockwood School, where  she is offered a position as Dining Services Director. As she settles into her new role, Devon reconnects with Kyle, a former fling and surprise Rockwood colleague, which reignites unresolved feelings from their past. As she juggles her responsibilities and the wild dynamics of  a school environment, she faces further complications from a budding relationship with Heath, a paramedic she begins dating. Devon dances between feelings for both men as the scrutiny grows from rumors about her personal life and her family's expectations...
 

Considering Us by Jenn Bouchard is an absorbing romance that ticks all the boxes, and a few more for good measure. Can we take a second to talk about the food, though? Devon is a chef of the highest caliber, and I swear there were moments when I almost ate the page. There is one scene  where Devon's mother says she prefers store-bought pot pies over homemade ones, and I genuinely wanted to ask if I could have hers. Bouchard's storytelling is great, and even though this is a character-driven story, Bouchard plants some third-party  passive-aggressive jealousy that is as delicious as a parfait. The main trio of Devon, Kyle, and Heath all feel authentic, and the dialogue is  sharp and realistic, particularly when Tam is on the line. Overall,  Considering Us is a rosy, cozy romance with a satisfying ending and I  have no doubt contemporary romance fans will enjoy it. Very highly recommended.

This is my first reading experience with this author, and it won’t be my last! I love books with characters who are belovedly flawed, and that is Devon all over. There is the understanding that while Devon  doesn’t support a lifestyle of scandal and affairs, she has found herself amidst that very thing with her client’s husband, and the reader  knows from the get go that while Devon is successful and enjoys what  she does for a living, there is something missing from her life that has led her down a path she wouldn’t ordinarily take. 

Armed with only one loyal client, she lands a job as the head cook in a boarding  school kitchen, an occupation she’s never done and never really saw  herself doing. It was fun to see her switch gears and go for something  completely outside of herself, because that type of experience lends into character growth, and I saw a lot of that within Considering Us. Digging deeper into her past and how she was raised, by getting to meet her parents–one who has been very supportive, but the other has never  let Devon feel good enough, not ever–along with Kyle, a former flame of hers who has felt like a lost opportunity, I felt like I learned so much  about Devon and why she is the way she is, and how important her new job is to her. She has an opportunity to shape young minds while trying  to figure out where she stands with Kyle, and how he could potentially  fit into her life. 

I loved the dialogue between everyone, particularly when Devon talks with Kyle. There is witty back-and-forth  banter that made the experience fun, and I could feel the connection between them, and the camaraderie of their shared history. Heath  reminded me of Chris Klein’s Dusty Dinkleman, from the movie Just Friends. It’s one of my favorite rom-coms, and I could totally see this  overly sweet, seemingly perfect person–and they even share the same  profession! And while Heath isn’t as much of a jerk as Dusty turns out  to be, it seems everyone, including Devon’s friends and relatives, feels  some type of way about Heath. He could be the safe choice–but who wants to play it safe?

I really enjoyed Considering Us. It was fun, and it was sweet. And I loved the connections–Devon and Kyle, Devon and her one loyal client (an epic scene between the two of them brought  me to tears), and the friendship connections Devon makes along the way with some unexpected characters. It really was a joy to read, making it a  five-star experience for me!