Posted by Carrie S

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/ill-have-what-hes-having-by-adib-khorram/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=reviews&p=147182

I’ll Have What He’s Having is a sweet m/m romance that is cosy and chill but marred by an excess of mopiness towards the end. The worst thing I can say about this book is that it made me super hungry and that the minute I finished it I forgot all about it. It was pleasant and solidly written (barring too much repetition) but not especially memorable.

Farzan is a great cook, a skill he learned from growing up in his Iranian-American parents’ restaurant in Kansas City. However, he’s had several careers and several relationships and he feels adrift. David is an African-American sommelier in a different restaurant. He is pouring (LOL I crack myself up) all of his energy into studying for his master sommelier exam. After a brief Big Misunderstanding, they sort things out and become Friends With Benefits which we all know is not going to last because anyone who happily watches the Muppet Movie together on a date is bound to be together.

Incidentally, my Sacramento Public Library Romance Book Club, which you are all invited to join, felt strongly that we were robbed by not getting a list of Muppet Movies and their recommended wine pairings.

This book has several things that I liked, starting with characters who are just slightly older than the norm. Both protagonists are thirty-seven, which means that they are starting to think about middle age and about making some life-changing decisions with no backsies. They are young enough to be still figuring things out but old enough to feel pressure about settling into a path. It gives their career decisions a heft that wouldn’t exist if they were in their twenties.

I loved the themes of food, culture, and family, as well as the humor. I love it when people don’t take things too seriously during sex. I enjoyed Farzan bringing David soup when David gets sick and running into David’s mom who is also bringing soup. The dynamic of mutual care and support between Farzan and David was lovely. The book starts with a Big Misunderstanding but they resolve it very quickly and are able to laugh about it. As much as I loathe the Big Mis trope, I thought that the characters handled this situation with humor and maturity and that warmed me to them considerably.

One of the biggest problems I had with this book was repetition. For instance, in one of my favorite scenes, Farzan farts the first time they have sex, and they laugh about it, but not in a mean way, and then carry on. It’s a very human moment and I loved it. But then the farting or burping at awkward times became a running joke and it stopped being funny. Farzan’s parents supported his coming out! That’s great to hear – once! Hearing it over and over again was just irritating. In another structural gaffe, there are odd side details about people who never reappear or who, in the case of one side character’s dog, never appear at all. The narrative could have used some tightening over all.

Furthermore, anything the reader is told in this book will be told many, many times. For example, I also felt that Farzan spent too long whining and feeling sorry for himself. Farzan and David begin their relationship with the understanding that if and when David passes his test he will be leaving, probably for Los Angeles (the story is set in Kansas City). It’s understandable that as he becomes more and more involved with David, Farzan feels increasingly determined not to hold David back and increasingly sad about it.

I wanted him to communicate more clearly with David and stop having unrealistic expectations for himself at work.

This was a lovely read that didn’t ask too much of my emotions. It was comforting but forgettable. I could read a chapter, wander off, and not think of it again for a month…but when I did get around to picking it up, I instantly remembered how warm and fuzzy it was. One more run through the editing process might have cleaned this book up considerably. Hopefully the coming sequel will level up.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/ill-have-what-hes-having-by-adib-khorram/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=reviews&p=147182

Posted by Guest Reviewer

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/07/book-store-trip-report-spicy-librarian-denver-co/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=147106

This guest post comes from Jen! Jen is an over-educated wonk who likes reading and writing both cool real-life stories and cool made-up stories. To her surprise, she currently lives in Denver, but will always be a Californian at heart.

…

If SBTB was a physical place, it might look a lot like the Spicy Librarian in Denver. It’s a store designed by people who adore the genre, have a dollop of humor, and believe in the power of romance to empower people to give up shame and organize. Also, there’s a secret door leading to a room of sex toys.

The sign on the sidewalk said, “Come Find your Fictional Boyfriend” and “Follow the Roses to the Entrance.” A trail of rose petal sidewalk decals leads you to an entrance that would be somewhat hidden except for the fact that the owners have installed a profusion of fake flowers and greenery around the door to make it an entrance.

The front table has another flower archway, which gives me strong Netflix Bridgerton vibes. Nestled inside of a collection of books I have definitely seen on SBTB is a sign that says “I buy my books from bookshops not billionaires.”

It was crowded on a Sunday morning, and taking photos without photographing other patrons was a challenge. There were mostly women, although a few uncomfortable-looking men followed partners around or hung out in one of the many cozy chairs. Some women were alone, strolling through the shelves. Others were with friends, chatting with each other about how much they loved this one book or how you could totally skip this one. One woman was sifting through the stand of “blind date with a book” packages while chatting on the phone. “Do you think Cathy would like this one?”

Each “blind date” is a wrapped mystery book with a label telling you the tropes. Included are stickers (like “this ghoul reads smut” with a ghost on it) and a tea bag.

Sections include an adorable kid’s section; Contemporary; Local; Historical; LGBTQ+; Dark; and Fantasy. Each section has been cheekily decorated. Above the Contemporary section is a flower-festooned bedspring; above the Historical section is a trunk spilling over with lacy old-timey underwear. The Fantasy section has a wallpaper of an enchanted-looking forest; the Dark section has a mirror with “Good Girls Read Dirty Books” scrawled on it in “lipstick.” Throughout the bookstore are lots of cozy corners with comfy armchairs and couches; the owner really took advantage of the oddly-shaped loft space. On a pink couch, a group of women were filling in a penis in a coloring book.

The owner is a former kindergarten teacher, and the bookstore site states that one of its missions is to “Empower women to feel less shame about their pleasure and their love for romance books.” As if that wasn’t cool enough, 5% of the proceeds go to the Purple Leash Project, an organization that is “dedicated to providing pet-friendly shelters and resources for survivors of domestic abuse.” The bulletin board in the store advertised book clubs (general, fantasy, and queer), a book swap and picnic, local author events, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and reproductive healthcare access.

And of course, there is The Vault.

The door looks like a bookshelf with definitely-not-suggestive cherry and mushroom knickknacks and an “18+” sign. You pull the doorknob and ta-da! You’re in a secret sex toy section, with a small but curated collection. A sign on the wall assures you that you can ask for help from the staff without shame.

And “without shame” is what the Spicy Librarian is all about: it’s about loving this genre and yourself without shame and to build a community around it. So if you’re ever in Denver, be sure to follow the rose petals to this bookstore.

…

Thank you for the trip report, Jen! If you’d like to write a trip report about your visit to a romance-focused bookstore, I would LOVE to hear from you.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/07/book-store-trip-report-spicy-librarian-denver-co/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=147106