Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

A Table for Two

Rate this book
One woman must learn to love again with the help of her supper club friends and the man next door in this delightful enemies-to-lovers small-town romance.

The best meals. The perfect company. And just enough sparks to make it complicated . . .

Serenity Wheeler’s Supper Club is all about getting together with great friends, incredible food, and a whole lot of dishing—not for hooking up. Still, Serenity knows inviting her friend’s brother to one of her dinners is just good manners, but the ultra-fine, hazel-eyed Gabriel Cunningham has a gift for saying the wrong thing at the really wrong time. Especially when it comes to her cooking.

Gabriel isn’t quite sure how they got off on the wrong foot, but something about Serenity makes him nervous. Maybe it’s because he’s new to the small-town vibe. Maybe it’s because the woman is so gorgeous that he can’t think straight. Or maybe it’s because there’s an attraction between them he can’t seem to shake. 

Though refreshments and camaraderie may be the supper club’s mantra, Serenity and Gabriel know there’s more between them than just sharing delicious meals. But she can’t let herself fall for Gabriel. Because while cooking with love is one thing, trusting it is quite another...

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 16, 2022

67 people are currently reading
422 people want to read

About the author

Sheryl Lister

65 books275 followers
Sheryl Lister has enjoyed reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She writes contemporary and inspirational romance and romantic suspense. She been nominated for an Emma Award and RT Reviewer’s Choice Award and named BRAB’s 2015 Best New Author. When she’s not reading, writing or playing chauffeur, Sheryl can be found on a date with her husband or in the kitchen creating appetizers and bite-sized desserts.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
124 (30%)
4 stars
150 (37%)
3 stars
99 (24%)
2 stars
19 (4%)
1 star
10 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
Profile Image for Katie B.
1,664 reviews3,162 followers
August 15, 2022
3.5 stars

Not a huge surprise I enjoyed reading A Table for Two. I love food and the romance genre so this one was right up my alley. A light and easy read which is what I was looking for during a stressful week.

Serenity Wheeler hosts a Supper Club every few weeks. She cooks yummy food for her friends and they eat, relax,and have a great time. Gabriel Cunningham has temporarily moved to the neighborhood as he looks out for his grandmother. He happens to be the brother of one of
Serenity's friends. Gabriel and Serenity don't get off to the best start after their first encounter. But hey, it's a small town romance. You know the drill, people!

The characters are likable and because they both have had their hearts broken in the past, you root for them to find happiness. Now, my only small gripe about the story is I wish there was more dialogue between the Serenity and Gabriel that didn't revolve around food. A mutual love of food is a nice thing to have in common, but it's just one building block going towards the foundation of a solid relationship. Any reader of this genre can tell where things are headed but you still want to see the development.

Overall it was a good read and I'm not sure if the author has plans for a series featuring some of the supporting characters in this one, but if so I'd read a second book.

Thank you to Forever for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.


Profile Image for CYIReadBooks (Claire).
836 reviews120 followers
July 27, 2022
If author Sheryl Lister isn’t on your radar, she should be. A Table for Two is Lister’s latest romance novel and it was a joy to read.

The characters are loveable and relatable. They are reminiscent of those Hallmark Movie Channel families living in a small cozy town where everybody knows your name, and everyone is like family.

The story follows the enemies to friends to lovers trope. It got a bit steamy in some places. But that just added some needed spice to the narrative.

Unlike some other romance novels, there isn’t a long and drawn out breakup and that was a refreshing change. The pacing from breakup to makeup was just right and this certainly made for a better flow.

A Table for Two is the perfect enemies to lovers romance that made me feel good all over. Five stars.

I received a digital ARC from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Profile Image for Mary.
2,213 reviews608 followers
October 30, 2022
If you think the cover of A Table for Two by Sheryl Lister is mouthwatering, just wait until you read the book! There is so much talk about food in this story that I felt like I was constantly hungry and wanting a snack of some sort - wine too of course! The supper club and Serenity with her friends were two of my favorite parts of the book, and I felt like I really got to know all of the characters. The story alternates between Serenity and Gabriel, and I loved how realistic and fleshed out they were, as well as the budding romance that we get slow-burn style throughout. I am always more of a fan of this kind of romance build, and the way they initially met had me laughing out loud. It made perfect sense that this wouldn't be instalove and I was really happy with the route Lister took the characters and their story.

I could totally see this becoming some sort of series based on the various characters, and if the author chose to do this, I would definitely read them. I felt like I was hanging out with friends while I was reading it, and I would love to be back in this universe again. There are some steamy spots but nothing I couldn't handle, and if you are more of a romcom reader like I am, you should be able to get through them just fine. They weren't gratuitous and they were properly placed in a way that made total sense to the story.

I did decide to listen to A Table for Two, and I can't say it was my favorite as an audiobook. While Trei Taylor did a fine job, I would have preferred 2 narrators and I wouldn't say I loved her narration as much as some other female narrators I have heard. That being said, it was easy listening and I loved so many things about this beautiful book. It also brought tears to my eyes, and I loved the heart and soul Lister was able to infuse. Lister is a new-to-me author, but if she writes future books in this same style, I am here for them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Profile Image for Tina.
432 reviews143 followers
August 19, 2022
An enemies-to-lovers romance. The basic romance is sweet, open-door, It's perfect for foodies since almost every page contains delicious enticing food descriptions. The best meals. In Serenity Wheeler's supper club, you'll find the perfect company. Because both characters have had their hearts broken in the past, you root for them to find love. A highlight of this story were the steamy moments between Gabriel, her friend's brother and a stand-up guy who can cook too.
Romance centered around food is one of my favorite types of romance. Black person romances are much needed, and I loved this one.

Thank you Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. This was a honest review.
Profile Image for Gigi Ropp.
426 reviews28 followers
July 29, 2022
While I’m a sucker for books revolving around food, the romance in this one was much slower than I would have liked and felt like it dragged. I knew where it was headed the whole time and felt as though something unpredictable would happen, but it didn’t. Not my favorite.
Profile Image for Kaye.
4,228 reviews69 followers
July 14, 2022
Sweet, open door, basic romance. Serenity Wheeler has a supper club where she gathers friends for delicious food. One of her good friends and neighbor is moving but her brother is coming to town and she ask Serenity to welcome him. Things start off on the wrong foot but it is quickly righted. Gabriel Cunningham plans to be in the small town near Napa only long enough to convince his grandma to relocate with him back to his home base of Atlanta. But grandma isn’t budging and he didn’t plan on his fine new neighbor.

This is a very sweet romance but there isn’t much to it. Serenity needs to get over the insecurities created by her old boyfriend. And the major obstacle is Gabriel’s desire to return to Atlanta. He is a computer designer and he is finding he it getting more done further away from the office so that doesn’t seem to be a big dilemma. All the characters are nice but there isn’t anything that stands out or that I will remember.

One thing that is mentioned over and over is the food. What they are eating or cooking for each other. If you’re a foodie you can probably add an extra star to your reading enjoyment. To me this is a fine story but it doesn’t immediately make me want to look previous works from the author. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for and eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Delaney Diamond.
Author 103 books9,749 followers
Read
July 15, 2023
Sheryl Lister shows her skills yet again with A Table for Two, a grown and sexy novel that takes place in the small town of Firefly Lake. This is partially a foodie romance with lots of references to food that will make you hungry. Serenity has a supper club with her friends, and she does the cooking. As a matter of fact, she’s known in Firefly Lake for her cooking and baking skills.

Gabriel shows up in town and moves in across the street. He’s there to take care of his grandmother and only intends for his move to be temporary. Ha! Love had other plans, for both of them. Because Serenity was determined not to fall for him. Spoiler alert: She fell for him.

After a rough start, they were able to get along and soon were dating, sexing, and enjoying each other’s company.

This is a small town, so you have the nosy neighbor spying on them through her curtains and gossiping townsfolk. The progression of Serenity and Gabriel’s relationship was believable, and the positive relationships with their own friends rounded out the story and added depth.
Profile Image for Jenna (readinginjennaland).
939 reviews31 followers
August 14, 2022
Serenity Wheeler is an exceptional nurse and a wonderful cook and lives in a small town. Her group of friends started Serenity's Supper Club. Every few weeks she cooks a fantastic big dinner. Her nextdoor neighbor and friend Andrea gets a big promotion and is moving to Seattle. Her big brother Gabriel is coming from Atlanta to take care of their Grandma.

Serenity used to be in a bad relationship and she's not ready for love of any kind. Gabriel is a big city boy and not looking to settle down in a small town. He thinks he can get grandma to leave her house and friends to his 2 bedroom apartment in Atlanta. *Insert eye roll here.

This was a very good romance. I loved that this was a black romance and we definitely need more. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope.
Profile Image for Janilyn Kocher.
4,906 reviews111 followers
July 27, 2022
Are you a food hound? A sucker for romance? Then Table for Two will satisfy your appetite. I was hungry while reading it due to all the great food that is prepared and consumed plus the romance side. There is plenty of cooking and heat outside of the kitchen. Serenity is anything but calm after her first encounter with unangelic Gabriel. But they decide to just casually see each other and of course we all know, or hope we know, where that will end up.
Lister’s book is all about setting aside fears, stepping into the unknown, and surrounding oneself with a great community of friends. I loved the banter and guff Gabriel’s friends continually gave him.
Open that wine, serve up the food and crack open this book!
Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for the early read.
Profile Image for Gigi Ropp.
426 reviews28 followers
July 24, 2022
While I’m a sucker for books revolving around food, the romance in this one was much slower than I would have liked and felt like it dragged. I knew where it was headed the whole time and felt as though something unpredictable would happen, but it didn’t. Not my favorite.
Profile Image for Jodie (That Happy Reader).
710 reviews56 followers
August 22, 2022
What an entertaining book this is! I loved the slow-burn romance, fun and supportive friends, and food descriptions which had me more than once going to find a snack. The fact that Serenity is a fellow nurse made it all the more enjoyable.

The story is told from the dual narrative of Serenity and Gabriel. Each of these characters has come off of bad relationships and has no interest in becoming involved with anyone else at the moment. When they first meet in a grocery store, Gabriel makes a joke that Serenity finds insulting. It’s a good thing they aren’t likely to see each other again anytime soon. Wrong! Not only are they next-door neighbours, but Serenity is good friends with Gabriel’s sister. She has unknowingly invited her friend’s brother to her supper club.

Gabriel is only in Firefly Lake to keep watch over his Nana. His sister Andrea had sacrificed her own career for many years to do just that after Nana’s stroke a few years ago. When promotion was offered to Andrea based in another city, Gabriel did the right thing and offered to temporarily move to Firefly Lake. In his heart, he’s a city boy and hopes that he can convince Nana to move back to Atlanta with him.

I really feel that I got to know these characters well. Serenity is a little sassy but has a heart of gold. Who wouldn’t love to have a friend that cooks this well and invites you to her supper club? Gabriel is a foodie too and complements Serenity well. A movie adaptation based on the book? Yes, please!

A Table for Two is a lovely romance novel that I’m hoping is the first in a new series by the author. I want to spend more time with this group of friends and beautiful setting. I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy romance or women’s fiction.

I received a copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Michelle.
612 reviews43 followers
May 13, 2022
Where has Sheryl Lister been all this time?

Ok ok, so I am, admittedly, not a romance reader (I'm well more versed in thriller/suspense), so forgive me for coming late to this party. But when Forever offered this one up for a read, I had to try it. Foodies? Small town beachy vibes? Reluctance to fall in love? It sounded so unbelievably cute and maybe the perfect introduction to the genre!

And while there was a *little* too much moaning and groaning over food, I don't think I've enjoyed a book this much in awhile. The characters were all so likable (come on, the love interest doting on his sweet Nana??), and the storyline just so wholesome and sweet (quite literally--the food sounded delicious. And there are recipes at the end!!), that I'm kind of rethinking my reluctance to get involved with romance books.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for offering a copy of this book in exchange for a review through NetGalley. I'll be looking for more of Lister's books after this one.
Profile Image for Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book).
1,722 reviews
May 29, 2023
A Miniature Poodle and a Golden Doodle are lying on the grass with a softcover book in front of the Doodle. The book is Table for Two by Sheryl Lister.

A TABLE FOR TWO by Sheryl Lister serves up a delectable blend of romance and culinary delights. Serenity Wheeler's Supper Club is the backdrop for this heartwarming tale of friendship, food, and unexpected love. Ms. Lister expertly weaves a story where inviting a friend's brother to dinner takes an unexpected turn. Serenity's culinary prowess clashes with Gabriel Cunningham's knack for saying the wrong thing. As their relationship unfolds, their chemistry becomes undeniable. Ms. Lister skillfully creates a small-town atmosphere that adds depth to the narrative. A TABLE FOR TWO is a delightful and satisfying book; perfect for a summer read. This story will leave you craving both a delicious meal and a love story that nourishes the soul.

#bookstadog #poodlesofinstagram #doodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #tablefortwo #sheryllister #hbgcanada #readforeverpub #romancebooks #bookreview
Profile Image for January.
2,701 reviews120 followers
March 20, 2023
A Table for Two by Sheryl Lister
9h 8m narrated by Trei Taylor, 368 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance, African-American Fiction

Featuring: Small-Town Northern California, Newcomer Trope, Friend's Sibling Trope, Supper Club, Food, Girlfriends, Sex-Detailed, Commitment Issues, Jill Scott, Recipes

Rating as a movie: R for sexual content

Songs for the soundtrack: "Steady Love" by India.Arie, "There U Go" by Johnny Gill, "Blessed" by Jill Scott, "So in Love" by Jill Scott featuring Anthony Hamilton, "Shame" by Jill Scot

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts: 📱4% 23:11 Ch. 2 - I see where this is going, and I like it.
📱 15% 1:23:42 Ch. 5 - Oooh, I love it. It's a good thing I was making breakfast, or I'd be drooling right now.
📱39% 3:34:20 Ch. 10 - The LI lying and cheating doesn't sit right with me; that ain't cute. How are you going to say you didn't plan for it when you had the idea and lied to make it happen?
📱71% 6:31:01 Ch. 17 - I let his lying joke go; he's a good dude. I wish I could visit this town, it seems to have nothing but restaurants.

This wasn't quite 5-star, but it was close enough. There were times I was enjoying the food more than the people, but overall, I loved the story, mostly, and I'm looking for more titles from this author. I'm hoping this one becomes a series.

Recommend to others?: Yes! The was a nice read.
Profile Image for Coffee&Books.
1,151 reviews103 followers
August 15, 2022
This was an enjoyable read for a Sunday morning. Open door, low angst romance about a couple who begin as enemies, but can't deny the attraction between them, even though a relationship makes little sense because one of them isn't staying in town.
I adore a small town story with older characters, lots of food, great friendships and strong family bonds. The writing isn't stiff, and the intimacy is believable, and though I agree with other reviewers that the pacing is a bit slow, the anticipation was worth the satisfying ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laronda.
926 reviews5 followers
September 13, 2022
Enjoyed it

This book moved at a great pace, had great characters and it was about food. I can't really ask for more than that!
Profile Image for Carin Lozano .
111 reviews
June 6, 2025
Such a cute book! A bit too much about the fabulous cooking/cooks/supper nights, but all in all a really good feel good book.
Profile Image for Teresa Readsalot.
168 reviews
October 30, 2022
3.5 stars. Lovely light read. Loved the food, setting and characters. The author writes realistic male characters. My only quibble is that the characters read 5-8years older than they are portrayed in the book. Their musical tastes,etc. Still an easy read
Profile Image for Gabrielle Baker.
539 reviews5 followers
July 1, 2022
Serenity and Gabriel will grab your heartstrings with their small town romance. Every dish that Serenity cooked left me feeling hungry. Gabriel is a computer coder and Sheryl Lister knocked it out of the park with this foodie romance.

Read if you love: small town romance, miscommunication trope

Thank you to Forever Publishing + NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Angela D.
221 reviews18 followers
April 12, 2023
Excellent read that got me out of my reading funk!
RTC!
Profile Image for Brenda  Larnell.
442 reviews25 followers
August 18, 2022
I love this story that is the perfect blend of food, friends, family and amour. Talented writer, Sheryl Lister, introduces her readers to Serenity Wheeler, and her friends who make up Serenity’s Supper Club. These ladies get together and bond over good food, courtesy of our heroine, Serenity. The small town of Firefly Lake, California is the setting for this entertaining story. One of the supper club ladies is leaving, and her brother is moving to Firefly Lake to be close to their grandmother. Enter Gabriel Cunningham, software engineer, who moves from Atlanta to be close to his seventy-eight-year-old Nana.
As it happens Gabriel moves close to Serenity, and they not only form a bond over food, but their attraction to each other grows. I love how Ms Lister develops Serenity and Gabriel’s relationship over their love of cooking. If you are a foodie, this is certainly the story for you. The descriptions of the meals that they prepare are mouth-watering. I also love the slow-simmer of Serenity and Gabriel’s love journey. This is an excellent summer read, and I recommend it for your reading pleasure.
Profile Image for Martha Ruff.
760 reviews11 followers
August 17, 2022
Serenity Wheeler is a nurse who shows her feelings through her love of cooking wonderful meals for her friends monthly at what they call Serenity Dinner Club.
Gabriel Cunningham is a computer coder who is a die hard foodie!!!
Gabriel moves to Firefly California to look after his grandmother, but has no plans on staying longer than necessary. Starting a relationship with his sexy relationship isn't in his plans either.
However, as hard as they both try to fight the attraction and growing feelings for one another, it's impossible.
I absolutely love the chemistry between Serenity and Gabriel. Their slow burning romance made room for the mention of so much awesome sounding food, that I found myself wanting to try just about everything mentioned in the story. I also want to know more about Gabriel and Serenity's friends and I sincerely hope that Sheryl Lister will gift us with their stories.
Profile Image for Beth (what.beth.reads).
792 reviews45 followers
August 12, 2022
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced reading copy of this book. Review contains my own thoughts and opinions.

A Table for You features the story of Serenity and Gabriel, a big city turned small town pediatric nurse and big city app developer who is in town to help his grandmother. Serenity is good friends with Gabriel’s sister and they are neighbors. Both have been left reeling from past toxic relationships and are not looking to get involved.

There are lots of amazing food descriptions throughout the book and recipes in the back! Hooray!

A Table for Two me smile, swoon, and tear up a bit. Gabriel is a top-tier book boyfriend and Serenity is the heroine you want to be best friends with immediately. I see potential for more books about this friend group and would love stories about them. While this is my first Sheryl Lister book, it certainly won’t be the last.
Profile Image for Jackie Roberts.
710 reviews10 followers
December 20, 2022
Another sweet little romance romcom style book in the books. This book was super cute it was about serenity and her neighbor Gabriel falling in love together through their love of food and other things of course. Gabriel sister Andrea has been serenity‘s neighbor and would come to serenity supper clubs after Andrea accepted a job offer her brother Gabriel came to stay with her Nana. She let Gabriel know That her friend serenity would be kind and welcoming to him. But serenity‘s first time meeting Gabriel didn’t go as planned. She was at the grocery store picking up corn and he came to talk to her she didn’t know who he was. She accidentally put corn juice in his eye and when he told her she was going to dry her corn out she became offended and thought of her ex Lloyd. Serenity ex Lloyd had used her as a hostess rather than a girlfriend and always told her what she could do to better her food so hearing comments about her food like that always hurt her. So that night when the same man from the grocery store appeared at her front door she knew she was in trouble. Not only had Gabriel offended her but he was very handsome. He complimented her corn but told her bacon would make it better which still offended her. She decided to make amends by making him brownies so when she went to give them to him she overheard him on the phone saying mean things about her so she chucked them at his head. Gabriel had also been through a bad break up before moving to the small town of fire fly lake. He found out his girlfriend had cheated on him twice and tried to get with one of his best friends. So Gabriel wasn’t open to trying a relationship either but there were something he saw in serenity. When running into Gabriel on the streets after the brownie incident her friend Natasha invited him to another supper club. Serenity saw how nice Gabriel was and how helpful he was she decided to forgive him after he gave her a proper apology. Serenity began to realize that Gabe was not trying to offend her when he said things about the food and that she had come off kind of rude whenever he was talking those words about her. Serenity realize that Gabe could cook as well and they began to bond over food. Gabe saw himself doing things for serenity that he had never done for another girl before. When her lawn care business kept ditching on her he mowed her lawn every week he would cook her dinner. They did a bet to see who can make the better candied yams and when his turned out bad he went to the restaurant and they didn’t tell any of their friends so when the restaurant yams won he told her that they both won and asked serenity for another kiss. They had kissed before but that was as far as they went but then they kissed again. Serenity told Gabe that she wanted to go on the wine train tour. Gabe scheduled it and they went and had a great time. She told Gabe to cancel the second room and they slept together multiple times through the night. When they came back they both put distance between each other because they plan to keep things light. Gabe told serenity that he was going to be going back and he was not going to be staying at firefly lake. So neither of them planned on any kind of a serious relationship because they didn’t want to do long-distance. Plus they had both also just came out of bad relationships and weren’t ready to open their hearts back up. Gabe‘s coworkers and friends kept pushing for him to give serenity a shot. When they came to visit they went exploring and they found the perfect place to take a picnic. So after his friends left Gabe set up a picnic and took serenity there. Serenity had never been with someone so thoughtful. Someone who helped her put the dishes away, someone who helped her set up the dinners, someone who listen to what she had to say and helped her. Serenity mentioned a band that she liked and the next thing she knew Gabe was buying her tickets for them. Gabe could also see that he had never been like this with anyone and that there was was way more than a light relationship. Gabe began to realize he was falling in love with serenity and he wasn’t sure how long he had been. Serenity knew she was falling in love with Gabe as well and she didn’t want to. They both began to put up their walls. So when Gabe‘s friends plucked him out of town for a trip to talk serenity was under the impression that this was the end. When Gabe tried to call her serenity tried to call things off. So Gabe showed up at her door and confessed his love and told her that he would be staying at firefly lake. That he could do his job from there just as well as he could in the city. And three months later with Natasha‘s help he surprised her in their spot where they had taken their picnic and proposed to her. And then that night she had all her family and friends there so they can celebrate their engagement. So this book was a super cute romance book, kind of like reading a Hallmark movie but in a book. I’m glad I had a happy ending, you could definitely see it coming, there really wasn’t a whole lot of conflict in this book. There’s also a good meaning behind the title a table for two. Serenity told Gabriel that she hoped that they always had a table for two that she realized how much she loved having their dinners and talking about food together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for WhiskeyintheJar.
1,506 reviews686 followers
September 27, 2022
2.5 stars

Breathe, girl. I am not going to fall for this man.

Six years ago after having her heart broken by her over critical boyfriend, Serenity moved to the town of Firefly Lake in California. A nurse who wanted to escape the fast pace of the ER, Serenity now works in an office. She also hosts the semimonthly Serenity's Supper Club, where she and her four friends, Andrea, Dana, Natasha, and Terri get together over drinks and the chef quality food Serenity cooks up. When Serenity's friend and neighbor Andrea gets a promotion and has to move, her brother from Atlanta decides to stay at her place to help watch over their nana. Gabriel only plans on staying a few months, he wants to convince his grandmother to move to Atlanta, but when he meets Serenity, he's gaining a new outlook on life.

He'd never missed a woman---never missed kissing a woman---before, but he had with her.

A Table for Two was a very low angst foodie lovers dream story that had Serenity learning to trust again and Gabriel figuring out what he truly wanted out of life. Serenity's baggage from her last relationship had her extra sensitive to a few comments Gabriel made at first, which had them starting off on a slightly growly foot. For the most part, Gabriel took her attitude in stride and as they were put together more, neighbors, small-town run-ins, and supper club dinners, the not trusting intentions eased and attraction tension replaced it. Gabriel was a workaholic, who had some pain still popping up from his parents fatal car accident eight years ago. He owned a tech company with some friends and was a software engineer who had his friends demanding he learn to balance his work and play schedule better. Serenity learning to trust Gabriel's true intentions and Gabriel learning that he maybe didn't need the big city life was the low angst keeping these two apart.

Gabriel was falling fast, and he had no idea what to do about it.

Serenity and Gabriel's relationship had a nice steady pace to it, by 15% any misunderstanding to Gabriel's first remarks has been cleared up, 30% they've kissed, 40% they start to date, and at 60% they're in the open door bedroom. Their relationship was the steady ride through a story supported by love of food, friendships, and family relationships. Gabriel and his nana have great scenes together, I would have liked even more of them together, and it was obviously loving how he came to realize how he couldn't uproot her from her life in Firefly Lake. One of the big highlights of the story was the friendships. Serenity with her supper club friends had great talks and Gabriel with his friends that he owned the software business with, had great supportive relationships. These interactions and scenes rounded out Serenity and Gabriel's characters and filled out the story and world the author had created. It added color to the picture and leaves the reader with matchmaking ideas for some in the friendship group.

She'd been falling for him since the first kiss, and she was in danger of losing the one thing she'd vowed never to give away again---her heart.

Serenity came with the cooking skills but Gabriel was no slacker. He took Serenity on a wine tour, brought her to a concert, mowed her grass, and showed off his own cooking. Gabriel was the whole package with the romancing and supporting, giving Serenity what she needed when it was needed; a sexy competence hero. The last ten percent felt rushed with a proposal that felt kind of quick and didn't quite stick the emotional landing for me. I did think the last half started to lose some of its steam but I lean more on the side of drama angst and this was definitely very low level, so my drifting disinterest was tied to that aspect. This was an amiable story that showcased friendships, love of food, and a romance that just need to trust and realize the important things in life.
Profile Image for Olivia.
3,635 reviews96 followers
Read
August 13, 2022
A TABLE FOR TWO is an overall sweet romance read. Serenity loves to cook for her friends, and they have a supper club where she makes them food with regularity. One of her friends, Andrea, has just gotten a promotion and will be moving away, but her brother Gabriel will be coming to town to look after their nana. Andrea has asked Serenity to help him while he is in town, and she is happy to do so as a friend - until a chance encounter in a supermarket leads his banter to accidentally insult her cooking.

As they continue to run into each other, Serenity must overcome her insecurities created by her ex around her cooking and Gabriel must decide if he could consider staying in town longer than he originally wanted.

Overall, it was a sweet romance with a heavy dose of good food throughout. The beginning of the story was tough, particularly as Serenity is making a mountain out of a molehill, even leading her to throw a tupperware of brownies at and injure Gabriel when she overhears him insulting her a bit on the phone. Not a great start to the relationship, but he doesn't mind because she's so cute and the brownies are yummy. After that scene, which is pretty cruel and she totally feels like she is in the right- and he doesn't seem to disagree (because physical violence is justifiable if you are cute and make good food), I felt like Gabriel could do so much better, and it was tougher to cheer for them to get together.

If you can overlook that unbelievably terrible start, the story is otherwise cute with some small town charm and a central group of good friends. It is a lot of fluff and would generally work as a summer beachy read.

Overall, I was not a huge fan of this, as I found it hard to cheer for the couple after the beginning violence (I mean, we shouldn't need to imagine role reversal but what if a man had thrown something hard at a woman's head, hit her, and then just glared and stomped off). But I do think some folks will enjoy the summery nature and overall fluff of the rest of the story.

Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Pj Ausdenmore.
889 reviews32 followers
August 22, 2022
A word of caution before you pick up a copy of A Table for Two: do not begin reading this book on an empty stomach. Both Serenity and Gabriel love to cook - and I love to eat - so, believe me when I tell you there was a whole lot of drooling and tummy rumbling going on as I read this story. ;-)

A Table for Two is a charming, low-drama, small-town, contemporary romance that moves along at a steady, leisurely pace. I enjoyed Serenity and Gabriel. Both are likeable, relatable characters who have been burned in previous relationships, are reluctant to trust, and not looking for anything permanent in the romance department. Plus, Gabe is only in town for a limited time. He's a big-city boy who has no interest in small town life. Of course, that's before he moves in next door to Serenity.

Anyone who has read a small-town romance or watched a Hallmark movie knows how this story is going to end. But that's the conclusion we all sign up for - or at least I do. It's the journey that makes the book enjoyable. This journey has some ups and downs, and initial conflict that is pretty quickly resolved, but overall it's low on the angst. What it does have is an interesting supporting cast, a main couple I could happily cheer for, sizzling chemistry, sparkling banter, and plenty of charm. It held my interest, had me rooting for Gabe and Serenity to make things work, and introduced me to some new recipes (did I mention the food?) that I'm eager to make. I loved Serenity's Supper Club, for both the food and the friendship. Also loved the dynamic among Gabe and his business partners/friends.

I don't know if this book will be a standalone or the start of a series but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the series. If Lister plans to write stories for the supporting characters introduced in A Table for Two, I will definitely be buying them. I haven't had nearly enough time with Serenity's friends or Gabe's!

*ARC received from Forever via NetGalley for fair and unbiased review
Profile Image for Joyce M. H..
1,384 reviews16 followers
August 16, 2022
This is a winner, I am so loving “A Table For Two”. I’m a big fan of Sheryl Lister and her writing skills. She writes awesome books with lovable characters and awesome plots. Not sure if this can be considered a comedy romance but it is some great reading. Serenity and Gabriel are both from the big city. After an incident in the big city Serenity who is a nurse heads to a small town located in Firefly California. Everybody knows everybody, neighbors are close knit and some are downright nosy like Ms. Adela. Gabriel who is a computer tech whiz finds himself relocating from Atlanta to Firefly California to care for his grandmother after his sister Andrea relocates after receiving a promotion. Gabriel is trying to get his nana to relocate to Atlanta but nana wants no parts of the relocation. She is happy in Firefly California. Gabriel moves into his sister’s home and is now temporary neighbors with Serenity who is a nurse. I so loved the “Super Club” with friends that Serenity prepares for her friends Dana who is an auto mechanic, Lisa who is married and Natasha who is into real estate and dabbles in interior decorating. They really do eat well with Serenity’s awesome cooking skills. She should hang up her nursing hat and open up her own restaurant business; but that would probably interfere with Mrs. Ida’s restaurant. I also love the camaraderie between Serenity and Gabriel they kept me laughing so hard it was fantastic. Lets not forget about those brownies Serenity made for Gabriel and how he got his first taste of the treats. You will have to read the book to find out about what I’m talking about. Gabriel’s computer tech buddies Brent, Darius and Glenn who is married are awesome guys looking for romance; perhaps Brent and Darius will find romance with Dana and Natasha.

Great plot and awesome characters as usual Sheryl Lister. Keep these awesome books coming to your awesome readers.
Profile Image for Susan Gorman.
389 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2022
Sheryl Lister’s A Table for Two is an entertaining small town romance. Loved the sparks between Serenity Wheeler and Gabriel Cunningham - he insulted her twice and she retaliated by tossing a container of brownies at him! Of course, I had to keep reading!
Loved the fun, flirty banter between Serenity and Gabriel. Serenity is a strong, compassionate woman who left San Diego to start over again in Firefly Lake. Cooking dinners and baking for her friends brings her joy. Serenity adds all the perfect touches: music, candles and delicious food to create the perfect ambiance for entertaining evening. Serenity’s kitchen is the gathering place for her supper club group; Natasha, Dana and Teri. Loved the friendship between these woman and I related to their honest girl chat, love of good food and wine.
Gabriel is a definitely a swoony hero. He has moved to Firefly Lake to watch over his Nana – how sweet! His job as a computer programmer allows him to work remotely but, he’s wondering if he can adjust to small town life. The move comes at a good time as his friends Glenn, Darius and Brent have advised him to slow down—his 14 hour workdays are not good for him. Loved these friends so much—their video calls, texts and concerns added a lot of humor in the story and they supported Gabriel’s decision.
Sheryl Lister crafts a wonderful story for this couple. Love how she wove in Gabriel and Serenity’s love of food, family and friends into their romance. The couple’s chemistry, flirty banter and the ensemble cast kept me reading—and I loved Gabriel’s Nana!
Loved the delicious dinners served—the combination of flavors wowed me and gave me a few ideas to step up my menu for Sunday Supper.
This is the first book of Sheryl Lister’s that I have read—and I am hoping she will add to the Firefly Lake series—these characters have stories to tell!
Pick up a copy of A Table for Two—pair it with a glass of wine and enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.