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One Tough Cookie
A Latina Fleabag committed to her carefree single life meets the sexy new mechanic determined to break through her defenses, in this humorous and heartfelt foodie women’s fiction set at a cookie company.
All cookies are made with love—even if twenty-seven-year-old Karina Cortés doesn’t believe in the concept. For her, a simple life with no attachments is a good life. And her life is indeed good—even with her biggest accomplishment being passing the GED exam. Karina is able to secure an incredible and well-paying job at Singular Cookies, Inc., a small family-owned cookie manufacturing plant in Fort Pierce, Florida. And although the founders of the company treat her like family, Karina insists she doesn’t need or want one. Not after her mother chose a man over her own daughter, pushing the young Karina to move out and make it on her own.
And she couldn’t be happier with her single life, unlike her friends, whose lives revolve around men.
Work and play collide when she meets the company’s hot new mechanic, Ian Feliciano, who stirs up feelings she tends to avoid. Karina knows she shouldn’t date him, but she’s strong; she’ll never turn pathetic like her friends or, especially, her mom. And with a looming plant inspection and trying to break up the CEO's new romance, Karina has enough to distract herself.
As the inspection draws near and Karina battles her heart, she’ll have to decide whether to continue holding on to deeply ingrained beliefs that keep everyone at bay, or learn that love is not as dangerous as she fears and in the end, it is our history—our singular recipe—that shapes how we live.
All cookies are made with love—even if twenty-seven-year-old Karina Cortés doesn’t believe in the concept. For her, a simple life with no attachments is a good life. And her life is indeed good—even with her biggest accomplishment being passing the GED exam. Karina is able to secure an incredible and well-paying job at Singular Cookies, Inc., a small family-owned cookie manufacturing plant in Fort Pierce, Florida. And although the founders of the company treat her like family, Karina insists she doesn’t need or want one. Not after her mother chose a man over her own daughter, pushing the young Karina to move out and make it on her own.
And she couldn’t be happier with her single life, unlike her friends, whose lives revolve around men.
Work and play collide when she meets the company’s hot new mechanic, Ian Feliciano, who stirs up feelings she tends to avoid. Karina knows she shouldn’t date him, but she’s strong; she’ll never turn pathetic like her friends or, especially, her mom. And with a looming plant inspection and trying to break up the CEO's new romance, Karina has enough to distract herself.
As the inspection draws near and Karina battles her heart, she’ll have to decide whether to continue holding on to deeply ingrained beliefs that keep everyone at bay, or learn that love is not as dangerous as she fears and in the end, it is our history—our singular recipe—that shapes how we live.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2023
15 people are currently reading
6770 people want to read
About the author
Delise Torres
1 book67 followersDelise Torres grew up in Puerto Rico, watching telenovelas and re-enacting scenes with her Barbies. Once she outgrew her dolls, she turned to daydreaming, and it wasn’t until her late thirties when she finally put her own stories to paper, and her passion for writing was born.
She has a PhD in Food Science and former work experience as a quality assurance manager in the food industry. When not writing, you can find her trying to time-manage her life, singing, reading, and streaming shows and movies. She lives in Germany with her daughter and German husband. One Tough Cookie is her first novel.
She has a PhD in Food Science and former work experience as a quality assurance manager in the food industry. When not writing, you can find her trying to time-manage her life, singing, reading, and streaming shows and movies. She lives in Germany with her daughter and German husband. One Tough Cookie is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
January 27, 2023
Dear Reader,
Thank you for checking out my debut novel, ONE TOUGH COOKIE. It's women's fiction/romcom with a HEA and steamy scenes, but also plotlines involving Karina trying to break up her company's CEO's new romance, preparing for a food safety inspection, and her relationship with her estranged mother. I have a PhD in Food Science and previous work experience as a quality assurance manager, so I infused the story with food safety and quality terms that I hope give you a behind-the-scenes look at how food is produced at an industrial level. It was really fun for me to design the fictional company, Singular Cookies, Inc., and the products they make: breakfast cookies with functional ingredients, each with a unique personality, as you will find out when you read. And yes, there are recipes included!
I pitched this book as Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center meets the show Fleabag, so if you're a fan of these, you'll probably enjoy ONE TOUGH COOKIE. Like Cassie in TYSIAF, Karina doesn't want to fall in love and keeps people at a distance due to issues with her mother. And like Fleabag, Karina is irreverent, sarcastic, promiscuous, foul-mouthed, and afraid to be vulnerable. But then a hot mechanic enters her life who can see through the façade, and her walls start tumbling down. She can be a lot to take but I hope you understand where she’s coming from and stick with her as she grows and becomes a better person towards the end of the story.
Some content warnings: cursing, sexual content (2 open-door sex scenes), abortion (no graphic descriptions), parental neglect and abandonement.
Thank you for checking out my debut novel, ONE TOUGH COOKIE. It's women's fiction/romcom with a HEA and steamy scenes, but also plotlines involving Karina trying to break up her company's CEO's new romance, preparing for a food safety inspection, and her relationship with her estranged mother. I have a PhD in Food Science and previous work experience as a quality assurance manager, so I infused the story with food safety and quality terms that I hope give you a behind-the-scenes look at how food is produced at an industrial level. It was really fun for me to design the fictional company, Singular Cookies, Inc., and the products they make: breakfast cookies with functional ingredients, each with a unique personality, as you will find out when you read. And yes, there are recipes included!
I pitched this book as Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center meets the show Fleabag, so if you're a fan of these, you'll probably enjoy ONE TOUGH COOKIE. Like Cassie in TYSIAF, Karina doesn't want to fall in love and keeps people at a distance due to issues with her mother. And like Fleabag, Karina is irreverent, sarcastic, promiscuous, foul-mouthed, and afraid to be vulnerable. But then a hot mechanic enters her life who can see through the façade, and her walls start tumbling down. She can be a lot to take but I hope you understand where she’s coming from and stick with her as she grows and becomes a better person towards the end of the story.
Some content warnings: cursing, sexual content (2 open-door sex scenes), abortion (no graphic descriptions), parental neglect and abandonement.
July 15, 2023
1 ⭐️
Karina Cortés (FMC) is entirely unlikable. Her entire personality is made up of complaining, judging others, and wanting to have sex.
A whole lot of nothing happened in this book and any drama was entirely Karina’s fault and could have easily been avoided.
This book should probably come with a trigger warning for the procedure that happens toward the end of the book. Not only might it make some people uncomfortable, but there is also a large portion of the population that would not agree with her choice.
I would not recommend this book to anyone.
**Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.**
Karina Cortés (FMC) is entirely unlikable. Her entire personality is made up of complaining, judging others, and wanting to have sex.
A whole lot of nothing happened in this book and any drama was entirely Karina’s fault and could have easily been avoided.
This book should probably come with a trigger warning for the procedure that happens toward the end of the book. Not only might it make some people uncomfortable, but there is also a large portion of the population that would not agree with her choice.
I would not recommend this book to anyone.
**Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.**
July 17, 2023
I really, really enjoyed this debut that sees jaded about love Puerto Rican American woman, Karina trying and failing to fall for her hot co-worker as he slowly breaks down her barriers against dating in the work place and falling in love.
Full of family drama and a fun, unique setting of a Florida Cookie company, this had emotional depth and some HOT, steamy romance that left me fully satisfied!! Highly recommended and good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: slut-shaming, emotionally distant parent, abortion
Full of family drama and a fun, unique setting of a Florida Cookie company, this had emotional depth and some HOT, steamy romance that left me fully satisfied!! Highly recommended and good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: slut-shaming, emotionally distant parent, abortion
March 8, 2023
This is a gorgeous, beautifully written and witty rom com centered around a very independent “doesn’t need a man to be fulfilled” heroine and the one man who eventually shows her that opening herself to love doesn’t mean losing herself or her independence.
This book is lush and gorgeously written with honestly beautiful prose and witty humor. I loved how strong the heroine, Karina, was (and how snarky she could be!) and how the hero, Ian, had to work to earn her affection beyond their physical attraction.
Breaking down Karina’s barriers took a lot of patience on Ian’s part and I loved how he kept persevering, knowing Karina was worth the work! I also adored the setting of the cookie factory and the dynamics with the co-workers who were more like family than colleagues. I cannot wait to read more from this author and highly recommend picking this one up and enjoying with some warm cookies and milk.
This book is lush and gorgeously written with honestly beautiful prose and witty humor. I loved how strong the heroine, Karina, was (and how snarky she could be!) and how the hero, Ian, had to work to earn her affection beyond their physical attraction.
Breaking down Karina’s barriers took a lot of patience on Ian’s part and I loved how he kept persevering, knowing Karina was worth the work! I also adored the setting of the cookie factory and the dynamics with the co-workers who were more like family than colleagues. I cannot wait to read more from this author and highly recommend picking this one up and enjoying with some warm cookies and milk.
March 26, 2023
The title is meant to be a play in words about the protagonist, Karina, who works in a cookie factory, and the struggles that she went through that gave her a hard exterior. However, if anyone in this book is a tough cookie it is Ian because she put him through the wringer.
I found the characters in this novel so frustrating and so fixed in their mindsets that I was unable to really enjoy even the most minute plot points. I would skip this one if anyone asks.
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.
I found the characters in this novel so frustrating and so fixed in their mindsets that I was unable to really enjoy even the most minute plot points. I would skip this one if anyone asks.
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.
September 25, 2023
What to expect on this book: cute women’s fiction book with cookie references and unlikeable female.
It just wasn’t for me. I tried, I definitely did but I just couldn’t like Karina and I get that was the point of this book, but none of these characters were likeable. They all care too much about their relationships and their partners.
I liked Ian at one point but it became too much for me. Man was clingy AF, and she acts out for silly reason like he’s talking to someone else so she flirts with a guy she hooked up with one.
No, bye. I couldn’t do it. I really wanted to like this book but it needed better editing.
It just wasn’t for me. I tried, I definitely did but I just couldn’t like Karina and I get that was the point of this book, but none of these characters were likeable. They all care too much about their relationships and their partners.
I liked Ian at one point but it became too much for me. Man was clingy AF, and she acts out for silly reason like he’s talking to someone else so she flirts with a guy she hooked up with one.
No, bye. I couldn’t do it. I really wanted to like this book but it needed better editing.
July 3, 2023
Karina works at a cookie factory where one day she meets Ian. After a rocky childhood, Karina is only interested in sex, not romance. Even as she spends more time with Ian, she finds herself resisting having feelings for him.
It was nice having a sex positive character here, but she was too far other direction. As in being judgy of people - including her good friends - for wanting love! Karina was not a very relatable protagonist in many ways, like I can eat whatever and never gain weight, and in fact I found her annoying and unlikeable. There could’ve been more redemption along the way but the only real character growth was in the last 10% of the book.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was nice having a sex positive character here, but she was too far other direction. As in being judgy of people - including her good friends - for wanting love! Karina was not a very relatable protagonist in many ways, like I can eat whatever and never gain weight, and in fact I found her annoying and unlikeable. There could’ve been more redemption along the way but the only real character growth was in the last 10% of the book.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2023
This one is tough for me because I hated Karina; I found her abrasive, judgmental, and selfish. But credit to the author wrote her character so well that I felt all those things and still felt sorry for her. I didn’t agree with any decisions that she made except in the last part of the book and I almost gave up on this book so many times because of it but she eventually grew on me and I’m glad I finished it. The story itself is well-written but I still don’t like Karina, I just understand her better.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an honest review.
July 6, 2023
How the book was marketed: A Latina Fleabag committed to her carefree single life meets the sexy new mechanic determined to break through her defenses, in this humorous and heartfelt foodie women’s fiction set at a cookie company.
What the book is actually about: Two coworkers with attachment disorders on opposite ends of the spectrum hook up in a book that barely passes the Bechtel Test.
EVERYONE in this book sucked. FMC was an awful human that would not have any friends in real life if this was an actual human. MMC was needy AF and way too attached. In one scene, he hasn't heard from FMC for less than 24 hours, and he's threatening to call the cops. WTF?!?
Everyone is emotionally constipated or has emo shits, and this bareeeellyyyyyy passes the Bechtel test… Even at work, the women only speak to each other about dudes, and the only time work is talked about, it's between men or between the women and the men. There was only one scene where work was talked about between FMC and the owner of the company, but even then, it was only talked about in relation to love and relationships.
The only part I enjoyed was the factory info. Though, the business owner and management team sound like they should have been focused on communication and not peripheral BS.
All around - YIKES. If I hadn't committed to this as an ARC, I wouldn't have finished it.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
What the book is actually about: Two coworkers with attachment disorders on opposite ends of the spectrum hook up in a book that barely passes the Bechtel Test.
EVERYONE in this book sucked. FMC was an awful human that would not have any friends in real life if this was an actual human. MMC was needy AF and way too attached. In one scene, he hasn't heard from FMC for less than 24 hours, and he's threatening to call the cops. WTF?!?
Everyone is emotionally constipated or has emo shits, and this bareeeellyyyyyy passes the Bechtel test… Even at work, the women only speak to each other about dudes, and the only time work is talked about, it's between men or between the women and the men. There was only one scene where work was talked about between FMC and the owner of the company, but even then, it was only talked about in relation to love and relationships.
The only part I enjoyed was the factory info. Though, the business owner and management team sound like they should have been focused on communication and not peripheral BS.
All around - YIKES. If I hadn't committed to this as an ARC, I wouldn't have finished it.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
March 16, 2023
I enjoyed the opening scene. The main character was to aggressive which turned me off the book. DNF
**************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley********************
**************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley********************
July 11, 2023
So I have mixed feelings about this book. Ms. Torres and the marketing team did a fantastic job engaging readers at the outset with the website and taking the cookie quiz. The storyline at the beginning in interesting and even relatively engaging. I particularly found myself questioning why I expected the character to act within certain societal norms and was eager so see how she grew but stayed true to herself while bucking said norms. That being said I struggled with a few aspects and unfortunately this book ended up not being as thought provoking as I hoped it would be.
to-watch
April 15, 2023I've been told this is a Latina Fleabag jfdksafdsk
Puerto Rican rep <3
Puerto Rican rep <3
July 17, 2023
2.5 stars (rounded up).
First of all, I have to say that I love the premise and setting of "One Tough Cookie" by Delise Torres. I enjoyed learning about the cookie making process and seeing how the Singular Cookies brand got built by Lacey, Roy, and main character Karina. I liked the quirky names for all of the cookies. I appreciated how each cookie represents a personality or situation close to the owner Lacey's heart (The Flirty is based off of Karina, a cookie at the end of the book represents a situation Karina goes through, etc). I also love Torres' wit in her writing. Her personality shines through in her writing style throughout this text. I appreciate the h3ll out of the fact that Karina is a s3x-positive person who knows that she likes s3x and doesn't apologize for it. Unfortunately, this penchant for s3x often puts her on the wrong side of the equation as she frequently has s3x instead of forming any kind of relationship or even friendship with her s3xual partners...or, you know, instead of going to therapy, which she obviously desperately needs. Karina's issues with s3x and her lack of wanting to have a relationship stem from issues she that she went through with with her mother when she was younger. Her mother raised her to be a headstrong, independent person, then immediately abandoned her principles for a man named Bob (who she could cook and clean for and have another baby, one that replaced Karina). Karina's high school boyfriend (who she really loved) slutshamed her the minute she wanted to take their relationship to the next level and be exclusive in public with him. Because of these instances, Karina became s3xually adventurous, but none of this trauma should excuse the fact that she is such an a$$hole. It's really difficult to read books with main characters who are detestable, especially to other people for no reason other than the fact that they are hurting inside, and Karina definitely tops the list of detestable characters I've read. I love an unlikable person in fiction, but Karina is just a jerk! Every single thing she does is self-serving, destructive, and insanely pessimistic. If I may borrow from the "glass half empty" phrase, Karina's glass has maybe two drops in it at most. She damages all of her friendships because she sees her actual friends as mere acquaintances and workmates, and she damages her relationship with main male character Ian because she can't stop getting in her own way. When he pushes her outside of her comfort zone to prove how much he cares about her, she pulls away over and over, each time with a more devastating impact. Speaking of Ian, his and Karina's relationship starts way too abruptly for my liking. It's insta-love and then that's it, no tension, no pining, no chemistry, no nothing. It's constant miscommunication after miscommunication with her and Ian, her and her mom, her and her friends, her and her coworkers... no one will just sit down and have a frank discussion without tiptoeing around some unspoken grudge or beef or something! It gets tiresome to read books that literally wouldn't exist if only one five minute conversation had taken place. And Karina makes matters worse by not telling people where she's going, turning off her phone after ghosting people, not answering her door, lying to people, etc, all instead of maybe budging slightly on one of her rules and her quest to maintain power in any dynamic she's in. I really wish I had liked "One Tough Cookie" more than I did. I will definetely read Delise Torres' next book because I think she has some interesting things to say with her unique voice, but this one didn't do it for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Delise Torres for the complimentary ARC/ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
First of all, I have to say that I love the premise and setting of "One Tough Cookie" by Delise Torres. I enjoyed learning about the cookie making process and seeing how the Singular Cookies brand got built by Lacey, Roy, and main character Karina. I liked the quirky names for all of the cookies. I appreciated how each cookie represents a personality or situation close to the owner Lacey's heart (The Flirty is based off of Karina, a cookie at the end of the book represents a situation Karina goes through, etc). I also love Torres' wit in her writing. Her personality shines through in her writing style throughout this text. I appreciate the h3ll out of the fact that Karina is a s3x-positive person who knows that she likes s3x and doesn't apologize for it. Unfortunately, this penchant for s3x often puts her on the wrong side of the equation as she frequently has s3x instead of forming any kind of relationship or even friendship with her s3xual partners...or, you know, instead of going to therapy, which she obviously desperately needs. Karina's issues with s3x and her lack of wanting to have a relationship stem from issues she that she went through with with her mother when she was younger. Her mother raised her to be a headstrong, independent person, then immediately abandoned her principles for a man named Bob (who she could cook and clean for and have another baby, one that replaced Karina). Karina's high school boyfriend (who she really loved) slutshamed her the minute she wanted to take their relationship to the next level and be exclusive in public with him. Because of these instances, Karina became s3xually adventurous, but none of this trauma should excuse the fact that she is such an a$$hole. It's really difficult to read books with main characters who are detestable, especially to other people for no reason other than the fact that they are hurting inside, and Karina definitely tops the list of detestable characters I've read. I love an unlikable person in fiction, but Karina is just a jerk! Every single thing she does is self-serving, destructive, and insanely pessimistic. If I may borrow from the "glass half empty" phrase, Karina's glass has maybe two drops in it at most. She damages all of her friendships because she sees her actual friends as mere acquaintances and workmates, and she damages her relationship with main male character Ian because she can't stop getting in her own way. When he pushes her outside of her comfort zone to prove how much he cares about her, she pulls away over and over, each time with a more devastating impact. Speaking of Ian, his and Karina's relationship starts way too abruptly for my liking. It's insta-love and then that's it, no tension, no pining, no chemistry, no nothing. It's constant miscommunication after miscommunication with her and Ian, her and her mom, her and her friends, her and her coworkers... no one will just sit down and have a frank discussion without tiptoeing around some unspoken grudge or beef or something! It gets tiresome to read books that literally wouldn't exist if only one five minute conversation had taken place. And Karina makes matters worse by not telling people where she's going, turning off her phone after ghosting people, not answering her door, lying to people, etc, all instead of maybe budging slightly on one of her rules and her quest to maintain power in any dynamic she's in. I really wish I had liked "One Tough Cookie" more than I did. I will definetely read Delise Torres' next book because I think she has some interesting things to say with her unique voice, but this one didn't do it for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Delise Torres for the complimentary ARC/ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Read
March 11, 2025I ended up DNFing this book at like the 40th page. Although the premise sounds interesting, I was so completely annoyed with our FMC Karina after 40 pages that I just didn’t feel like reading something I can tell I won’t like.
Katrina is supposed to be 28 in the book, but the author wrote her with a 15 year old’s voice. She just seemed extremely immature and she was so annoyingly self deprecating and negative.
Karina also has been working at her current place of enjoyment for 8 years after she dropped out of high school and got her GED. What started out as a small cookie business has grown exponentially, and with a bigger business comes more management. Although Karina has been promoted to production manager and makes good money, she resents the fact that she is no longer assisting with the cookie part of the business and believes it is because she only has a GED. She believes her boss undervalues her because of this. Later, her boss gives her the opportunity to join a really important regulatory board and she refuses, saying she doesn’t want the hassle. It was frustrating because she says her boss Lacey does not value her as an employee and yet when given more responsibility, she doesn't want it. Karina claims her boss Lacey and her uncle pity her, and that’s the only reason they keep her around. And then she turns around and says they are her family and her life is perfect, which is why she doesn’t believe she needs a relationship. There is a new cute guy, Ian who Karina says she will not get involved in. And yet when they are having a conversation, she pokes out her chest, drawing attention to it and fluffs her hair. There were just so many instances of her saying one thing, and then another thing a page later. And keep in mind, I was only on page 40 and I have 3 examples of this inconsistency. I can’t imagine how many other inconsistencies are in the rest of the story. Her character just wasn’t written very consistently.
Karina is also one of the most negative narrators I’ve ever read. Karina has an eff love approach to life since her mom put her out for a man, and often makes unwarranted comments about her coworkers and how stupid they are for having husbands and boyfriends. She scoffs at one of her coworkers for wanting to hurry home to her new husband. Secondly, Karina works at a home grown cookie factory that was started from the ground up. Her boss Lacey wants to expand and grow the business, and Karina is completely reluctant, wanting the business to stay as it is. For one, it’s not her business, and for two, why would anyone not want to grow their business? Karina is legit mad at her boss Lacey, and considers her ambition one of the main reasons they’d grown apart as friends. Lacey for her part, is a total sweetheart. She tells Karina how much of an asset she is to the company, and even apologizes for an earlier mistake she accused Karina of. It seemed like envious and jealousy on Karina’s behalf. Lastly, Karina hires Dwight to assist them with the new regulations put on their new factory, and Karina is upset about that! She often says Dwight thinks he’s better than everyone because he has a master’s degree, but Dwight, like Lacey, is a nice person. He even thanks Karina for all her diligent documentation on an issue they had, and thinks she’d be good for his new regulatory committee. He asks her if she could assist because the last person who was in his role did not update the regulation documents yearly as is the policy, and she becomes furious with him! She was just overall angry, rude, annoying, and immature about every situation. I just grew so annoyed with her that I didn’t feel like suffering through the rest of the book
Katrina is supposed to be 28 in the book, but the author wrote her with a 15 year old’s voice. She just seemed extremely immature and she was so annoyingly self deprecating and negative.
Karina also has been working at her current place of enjoyment for 8 years after she dropped out of high school and got her GED. What started out as a small cookie business has grown exponentially, and with a bigger business comes more management. Although Karina has been promoted to production manager and makes good money, she resents the fact that she is no longer assisting with the cookie part of the business and believes it is because she only has a GED. She believes her boss undervalues her because of this. Later, her boss gives her the opportunity to join a really important regulatory board and she refuses, saying she doesn’t want the hassle. It was frustrating because she says her boss Lacey does not value her as an employee and yet when given more responsibility, she doesn't want it. Karina claims her boss Lacey and her uncle pity her, and that’s the only reason they keep her around. And then she turns around and says they are her family and her life is perfect, which is why she doesn’t believe she needs a relationship. There is a new cute guy, Ian who Karina says she will not get involved in. And yet when they are having a conversation, she pokes out her chest, drawing attention to it and fluffs her hair. There were just so many instances of her saying one thing, and then another thing a page later. And keep in mind, I was only on page 40 and I have 3 examples of this inconsistency. I can’t imagine how many other inconsistencies are in the rest of the story. Her character just wasn’t written very consistently.
Karina is also one of the most negative narrators I’ve ever read. Karina has an eff love approach to life since her mom put her out for a man, and often makes unwarranted comments about her coworkers and how stupid they are for having husbands and boyfriends. She scoffs at one of her coworkers for wanting to hurry home to her new husband. Secondly, Karina works at a home grown cookie factory that was started from the ground up. Her boss Lacey wants to expand and grow the business, and Karina is completely reluctant, wanting the business to stay as it is. For one, it’s not her business, and for two, why would anyone not want to grow their business? Karina is legit mad at her boss Lacey, and considers her ambition one of the main reasons they’d grown apart as friends. Lacey for her part, is a total sweetheart. She tells Karina how much of an asset she is to the company, and even apologizes for an earlier mistake she accused Karina of. It seemed like envious and jealousy on Karina’s behalf. Lastly, Karina hires Dwight to assist them with the new regulations put on their new factory, and Karina is upset about that! She often says Dwight thinks he’s better than everyone because he has a master’s degree, but Dwight, like Lacey, is a nice person. He even thanks Karina for all her diligent documentation on an issue they had, and thinks she’d be good for his new regulatory committee. He asks her if she could assist because the last person who was in his role did not update the regulation documents yearly as is the policy, and she becomes furious with him! She was just overall angry, rude, annoying, and immature about every situation. I just grew so annoyed with her that I didn’t feel like suffering through the rest of the book
July 12, 2023
Gracias Hear Our Voices for this opportunity and getting to read this as well as share my content for this book. I love supporting my fellow Puerto Ricans in any way especially when it comes to books.
The flow overall of the book was good and easy to follow as a reader. The writing is very descriptive and imaginative that you can see what is happening in the book for some scenes.
The cookie recipes are also a nice touch since you need something sweet to go with this book. I would describe myself as the perky cookie since I am energetic but mostly after my coffee.
Also, I have never seen Fleabag so maybe I should check it out thanks to this book. 🤔
Tropes to describe this book:
🍪 unlikeable mc, fleabag
💗 foodie readers
💗 workplace romance
🍪 sweets are needed
Ay Karina Dios mío…Karina definitely had me on a roller coaster of feeling about her and also her decisions. Most of this roller coaster was me hiding my eyes like when the coaster goes down since she definitely has her own way of thinking and beliefs.
It felt like the belief that if a woman gets into a relationship she just speeds time with the man which was a bit difficult to see but at the same time to see why she believes that due to her past.
The flow overall of the book was good and easy to follow as a reader. The writing is very descriptive and imaginative that you can see what is happening in the book for some scenes.
The cookie recipes are also a nice touch since you need something sweet to go with this book. I would describe myself as the perky cookie since I am energetic but mostly after my coffee.
Also, I have never seen Fleabag so maybe I should check it out thanks to this book. 🤔
Tropes to describe this book:
🍪 unlikeable mc, fleabag
💗 foodie readers
💗 workplace romance
🍪 sweets are needed
Ay Karina Dios mío…Karina definitely had me on a roller coaster of feeling about her and also her decisions. Most of this roller coaster was me hiding my eyes like when the coaster goes down since she definitely has her own way of thinking and beliefs.
It felt like the belief that if a woman gets into a relationship she just speeds time with the man which was a bit difficult to see but at the same time to see why she believes that due to her past.
July 17, 2023
’m probably going to be an odd one out here from what I can see, but I did not like this book at all. It rubbed me the wrong way the whole time. I honestly thought the main character was a very selfish jerk. She didn’t care about other people’a feelings either romantically or friendship-wise. She tried to push her feelings on people instead of letting them come to their own conclusions. Then the added abortion drama- just a solid no from me.
🌀Synopsis
Karina lives life with no attachments. She doesn’t want a relationship and she doesn’t want more than a surface friendship. She grew up with her mom telling her to do it on her own and she takes that very seriously.
There’s a new mechanic at work and Karina is ready for her next fling. Before she knows it, they’re spending every day together and basically living together. Karina panics and starts brushing him off.
She’s throwing herself into her work, which has been chaotic. The boss, who is also a friend, is dating one of the new guys and doesn’t want anyone to know. The changes within the company are so vast though and Karina is forced to either get on board or get out. After getting more involved she realizes that the changes are actually positive and she can help them move forward. She also realizes that she can depend on others which then spreads to being able to do that in her personal life too.
🌀Synopsis
Karina lives life with no attachments. She doesn’t want a relationship and she doesn’t want more than a surface friendship. She grew up with her mom telling her to do it on her own and she takes that very seriously.
There’s a new mechanic at work and Karina is ready for her next fling. Before she knows it, they’re spending every day together and basically living together. Karina panics and starts brushing him off.
She’s throwing herself into her work, which has been chaotic. The boss, who is also a friend, is dating one of the new guys and doesn’t want anyone to know. The changes within the company are so vast though and Karina is forced to either get on board or get out. After getting more involved she realizes that the changes are actually positive and she can help them move forward. She also realizes that she can depend on others which then spreads to being able to do that in her personal life too.
July 28, 2023
I love the concept of this book. The girl whose been hurt, and the man shows her that not everyone is terrible and there is love out there. However, unfortunately, I didn't love this one.
I couldn't find any character that I loved in this book. I was either indifferent or didn't like them at all. The friend
Karina Corté is the worst, with no problem hurting people to keep up with a path that doesn't make her happy. I love mess, but this level of mess is out of control.
Her friend group is immature and annoying - all they talk about is men, and the boyfriend, Ian, is annoying and clingy. Like she said, no, why are you still waiting? She doesn't know her mind. I don't feel sympathy for people who repeatedly put themselves in situations to be hurt when a person has been straightforward if she is lying about her feelings; that is on her, not for Ian to change her mind.
The one thing I did like about this book was the added therapy. Karina Corté was in desperate need of some help, and I am glad that she could get that change in her mindset.
I did appreciate the added talk on abortion - I didn't love that there was as much support for Katrina as I think there should have been, regardless of everyone's views.
I also didn't enjoy the slut shaming - like, why can't Katrina sleep around if she wants. And why is she blamed for the feelings of men who don't want to believe she doesn't want a relationship?
Narrator Stacy Gonzalez did a great job with all the voices and characters because there were many of them.
I couldn't find any character that I loved in this book. I was either indifferent or didn't like them at all. The friend
Karina Corté is the worst, with no problem hurting people to keep up with a path that doesn't make her happy. I love mess, but this level of mess is out of control.
Her friend group is immature and annoying - all they talk about is men, and the boyfriend, Ian, is annoying and clingy. Like she said, no, why are you still waiting? She doesn't know her mind. I don't feel sympathy for people who repeatedly put themselves in situations to be hurt when a person has been straightforward if she is lying about her feelings; that is on her, not for Ian to change her mind.
The one thing I did like about this book was the added therapy. Karina Corté was in desperate need of some help, and I am glad that she could get that change in her mindset.
I did appreciate the added talk on abortion - I didn't love that there was as much support for Katrina as I think there should have been, regardless of everyone's views.
I also didn't enjoy the slut shaming - like, why can't Katrina sleep around if she wants. And why is she blamed for the feelings of men who don't want to believe she doesn't want a relationship?
Narrator Stacy Gonzalez did a great job with all the voices and characters because there were many of them.
July 17, 2023
Karina doesn’t do “relationships”. Then she meets coworker Ian, who is classically dreamy and definitely a relationship type of man, her boss and longtime friend starts secretly seeing a man, and the cookie business she works for is on the verge of either astronomical success or complete failure. It’s almost too much for Karina to take! This enjoyable book was an easy read, and even though it’s outside of my normal genres (and has a bit of spice!), I found myself unable to put it down because I had to know what happened! Also, huge thanks to the author for including the cookie recipes in the book!
July 11, 2023
I tried to listen to this one (I was given an advance audio copy), but it was painful. The characters are awful (and you are immediately introduced to a bunch of them- which is especially hard with audiobooks). And it was very cheesy. Karina describes everyone as a cookie. I think it was meant to be cute, but was just super cheesy to me.
The cover is adorable. The book, not so much. DNFing it. If you want to try it, maybe stick to print. The narrator's voice may have made it sound cheesier than it actually is.
The cover is adorable. The book, not so much. DNFing it. If you want to try it, maybe stick to print. The narrator's voice may have made it sound cheesier than it actually is.
December 11, 2023
hat a wonderful story! And the audio book was very well done. Excellent actress!
Our heroine has some baggage. She has reasons that make sense to her why she runs from love. That is until our hero manages to change her mind. Now she must convince herself she is the strong, capable woman others see her as.
Our heroine has some baggage. She has reasons that make sense to her why she runs from love. That is until our hero manages to change her mind. Now she must convince herself she is the strong, capable woman others see her as.
February 5, 2024
This book came with a lot of realistic emotional baggage, and I love how the author handled all of it. It had really great supporting characters with their own conflicts, and I loved the main love story. It was also nice that it didn't completely end wrapped up in a bow--that was what I liked best, even though we get a HEA.
June 9, 2024
Karina is fiercely independent, equating family and love with compromise and loss of self. Her life centers around her position at the Singular Cookie Company, and a string of pleasurable, but short-lived, relationships. Then she meets Ian, Singular Cookie’s cute new mechanic who is looking for more than just sex. Can Karina and Ian reconcile their differences to find a deeper connection?
In her debut, Torres has written an unapologetic story about one woman’s quest for singularity, and how love might just be the missing ingredient.
If you like your heroines independent and candid, your spice open door and unfiltered, and your relationships (both female and male) complicated, raw, and occasionally profanity-laced, this is your summer read. For fans of Fleabag, 10 Things I Hate about You, The Proposal.
Content Warnings: Profanity, sexual content (open-door sex scenes), abortion (no graphic descriptions), themes of parental emotional neglect.
In her debut, Torres has written an unapologetic story about one woman’s quest for singularity, and how love might just be the missing ingredient.
If you like your heroines independent and candid, your spice open door and unfiltered, and your relationships (both female and male) complicated, raw, and occasionally profanity-laced, this is your summer read. For fans of Fleabag, 10 Things I Hate about You, The Proposal.
Content Warnings: Profanity, sexual content (open-door sex scenes), abortion (no graphic descriptions), themes of parental emotional neglect.
Read
July 28, 2023Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audio copy in exchange for a review.
I thought this was going to be a really fun, workplace romance, but unfortunately I had a lot of problems with the characters and plot. The main character, Karina, is meant to be unlikeable, I get that, but she complained all the time, was rude to other people (even her friends), and was so unkind to the love interest at times that I'm surprised he ended up giving her a second chance.
Karina is afraid of commitment after the way a former boyfriend treated her (slut-shaming her and using her to cheat on his girlfriend) when she was younger. Her fear of commitment made up a large part of the plot, but it started to become noticeably repetitive after a while. Every time Ian and Karina started to get close (physically or emotionally), Karina would pull away, and physically leave.
At the beginning of the book, I could understand this (she was afraid of getting hurt), but towards the end, it just became frustrating. Karina could see that Ian cared about her and was nothing like her ex, and yet she still didn't trust him enough to stay or open up to him. To me, this showed her lack of growth and development as a character and it left me feeling dissatisfied.
I also really didn't enjoy the way she looked down on people with other service jobs. We find out early on that she used to be a maid, but towards the end of the story, she makes elitist comments about how she doesn't want to go back to that kind of job and there's a distinct air of "I'm better than that now" which didn't really sit well with me. (There are also ableist comments about people with mental health problems, but the author does attempt to address these in the final chapters of the novel.)
The main group of friends were also unlikeable, constantly needling Karina about love and relationships, when they knew she wasn't interested in anything long-term. They pried into her life continuously, even when she made it clear she wanted privacy. One friend was also very pro-life in a way that was just uncomfortable to read.
Something this book does well, however, is attempt to reduce stigma surrounding periods. At one point in the story, Karina has some discomfort while on her period and she and Ian decide to have sex in an attempt to relieve her pain and take her mind off things. The whole scene was handled with maturity and care and I've not seen this kind of scene in any other romance book, so it was refreshing to read.
I thought this was going to be a really fun, workplace romance, but unfortunately I had a lot of problems with the characters and plot. The main character, Karina, is meant to be unlikeable, I get that, but she complained all the time, was rude to other people (even her friends), and was so unkind to the love interest at times that I'm surprised he ended up giving her a second chance.
Karina is afraid of commitment after the way a former boyfriend treated her (slut-shaming her and using her to cheat on his girlfriend) when she was younger. Her fear of commitment made up a large part of the plot, but it started to become noticeably repetitive after a while. Every time Ian and Karina started to get close (physically or emotionally), Karina would pull away, and physically leave.
At the beginning of the book, I could understand this (she was afraid of getting hurt), but towards the end, it just became frustrating. Karina could see that Ian cared about her and was nothing like her ex, and yet she still didn't trust him enough to stay or open up to him. To me, this showed her lack of growth and development as a character and it left me feeling dissatisfied.
I also really didn't enjoy the way she looked down on people with other service jobs. We find out early on that she used to be a maid, but towards the end of the story, she makes elitist comments about how she doesn't want to go back to that kind of job and there's a distinct air of "I'm better than that now" which didn't really sit well with me. (There are also ableist comments about people with mental health problems, but the author does attempt to address these in the final chapters of the novel.)
The main group of friends were also unlikeable, constantly needling Karina about love and relationships, when they knew she wasn't interested in anything long-term. They pried into her life continuously, even when she made it clear she wanted privacy. One friend was also very pro-life in a way that was just uncomfortable to read.
Something this book does well, however, is attempt to reduce stigma surrounding periods. At one point in the story, Karina has some discomfort while on her period and she and Ian decide to have sex in an attempt to relieve her pain and take her mind off things. The whole scene was handled with maturity and care and I've not seen this kind of scene in any other romance book, so it was refreshing to read.
March 1, 2023
This story follows Karina - a care-free, sexually adventurous young woman with a troubled childhood- who embarks on a new relationship with Ian - the hot new engineer at her work.
Okay guys, let's get into it.
So Karina and Ian work at a cookie factory that makes cookies with quirky cookie names - the Flirty, the Active, you get it. But what that also means is that all the characters have their personality compared to cookie names (xx is a Sexy Cookie because of xyz, yy is a Popular Cookie because of la di da). Basically, it gets a bit grating after a while.
But none of that compares to the thing that annoyed me the most - the two main characters (!)
Karina is written like a sexually adventurous young woman and I loved to see a character who wasnt afraid to go for it. But dang, this girl was equally sexually mature and emotionally broken. All "who needs relationships, I am a strong female, men be damned".
Alright, then. Enter Ian - now Ian is basically this perfect guy who will put up with everything you can imagine and still wait around like a love-sick puppy. Yup, you guessed it, we have a stage-five clinger on our hands.
Because trust me when I say that this the only way a relationship would work between these 2 people. For every time Karina pulled away and acted like a emotionless robot who just could NOT use her words, Ian fell more and more in love with her. Based on WHAT, Ian? Yes, she is pretty and smart, but she was struggling with some real childhood trauma and did nothing about it - she didnt talk to a therapist, she definitely didnt talk to Ian about it - so what real relationship did these 2 even have?
Everyime she needed space, he would whine and act all hurt and basically force her to spend time with him. It just made for painful reading.
Look, the writing was good (style, flow, use of language) and I do not mind characters being flawed - but constant miscommunication is just ridiculous. Do better Karina. Do better Ian.
I may read a story about her friends, the side-characters. I think Cordelia's journey to motherhood may make for an interesting story.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy! This review is my own.
Okay guys, let's get into it.
So Karina and Ian work at a cookie factory that makes cookies with quirky cookie names - the Flirty, the Active, you get it. But what that also means is that all the characters have their personality compared to cookie names (xx is a Sexy Cookie because of xyz, yy is a Popular Cookie because of la di da). Basically, it gets a bit grating after a while.
But none of that compares to the thing that annoyed me the most - the two main characters (!)
Karina is written like a sexually adventurous young woman and I loved to see a character who wasnt afraid to go for it. But dang, this girl was equally sexually mature and emotionally broken. All "who needs relationships, I am a strong female, men be damned".
Alright, then. Enter Ian - now Ian is basically this perfect guy who will put up with everything you can imagine and still wait around like a love-sick puppy. Yup, you guessed it, we have a stage-five clinger on our hands.
Because trust me when I say that this the only way a relationship would work between these 2 people. For every time Karina pulled away and acted like a emotionless robot who just could NOT use her words, Ian fell more and more in love with her. Based on WHAT, Ian? Yes, she is pretty and smart, but she was struggling with some real childhood trauma and did nothing about it - she didnt talk to a therapist, she definitely didnt talk to Ian about it - so what real relationship did these 2 even have?
Everyime she needed space, he would whine and act all hurt and basically force her to spend time with him. It just made for painful reading.
Look, the writing was good (style, flow, use of language) and I do not mind characters being flawed - but constant miscommunication is just ridiculous. Do better Karina. Do better Ian.
I may read a story about her friends, the side-characters. I think Cordelia's journey to motherhood may make for an interesting story.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy! This review is my own.
August 31, 2024
Karina Cortés works in production at a cookie company. When a sexy new mechanic starts at the company, sparks fly between them. But Karina isn’t looking for a commitment like Ian is.
I’m a big foodie so I loved the setting of a cookie company and the unique cookies they created. The names for the cookies were really fun, and I liked the play on words with the title because Karina really was one tough cookie.
Don’t let the cute cover fool you, there are definitely some spicy scenes in this book. Karina is a sex positive character so it was expected, but some of the scenes were not safe for work! 😂
I struggled a bit with both Karina and Ian’s characters, but it was interesting to see where their romance would go.
Read this book if you like:
- workplace romance
- sex positivity
- spicy scenes
- Latinx rep
- cookies 🍪
I recommend checking out content warnings for this book. There is a part that I know some people might be uncomfortable reading.
I’m a big foodie so I loved the setting of a cookie company and the unique cookies they created. The names for the cookies were really fun, and I liked the play on words with the title because Karina really was one tough cookie.
Don’t let the cute cover fool you, there are definitely some spicy scenes in this book. Karina is a sex positive character so it was expected, but some of the scenes were not safe for work! 😂
I struggled a bit with both Karina and Ian’s characters, but it was interesting to see where their romance would go.
Read this book if you like:
- workplace romance
- sex positivity
- spicy scenes
- Latinx rep
- cookies 🍪
I recommend checking out content warnings for this book. There is a part that I know some people might be uncomfortable reading.
May 14, 2023
This book wasn't my "type of cookie." I loved reading about the business part of the book and thought the author did a great job of making that entertaining, but I did not like Karina, the main character's attitude. I felt frustrated at how she was treating her friends and her love interest Ian. I kept reading because I was hoping to see growth in her character, but sadly, there wasn't any that I could see. She was selfish from the beginning to the end.
Thank you, Penguin Random House for the arc!
Thank you, Penguin Random House for the arc!
February 11, 2023
3.75/5 stars! A meet cute set at a cookie factory?!?!?!? Sign me up. Karina is the ultimate "I don't need anyone" independent heroine. There's a difference between being independent, however, and being a raging man-hater. This story got old in that area for a bit. Once Karina is able to get over that angle, however, I really enjoyed the chemistry between her and Ian.
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
January 14, 2024
I enjoyed this book; the author writes about a woman who is a resistant to relationships. She cleverly compares cookies to people's personalities. it is a fun reading., recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance.
April 14, 2023
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“One Tough Cookie” is a debut novel by Denise Torres.
What I liked about this book:
Tackling a difficult topic. Ms. Torres explains in the Author’s Note how this book came about and this topic was at the forefront of that beginning. I think Ms. Torres did her research well and also handled the topic well.
The inclusion of cookie recipes at the back of the book. I’ll admit, I’m always on the lookout for a good small batch cookie recipe. I’ll have to try one of the recipes one day.
The “what it takes to manufacture a cookie” background material. Yes, gearing up for an inspection was secondary to the main story, but having worked in QA/QC before there are a lot of forms (and inspections). It’s not a glamorous job, but Ms. Torres’s background in that area made those parts authentic.
The inclusion of the PR culture. I don’t speak Spanish but the little touches of PR pride and bits of the culture shone through this book.
What was meh:
Karina and Ian’s relationship - Karina’s a strong independent person. Ian is an attractive man. They meet - there are sparks. Just to be sparks. As Karina learned more about Ian, she realized things may not work out beyond a fling. As Ian learned more about Karina, he wanted to cling. Insta-love isn’t a favorite of mine and in so many ways, it felt like this couple didn’t really have a lot in common. While I’m glad that Karina was going to therapy to figure herself out, the two together probably need to ensure they’re on the same page about things.
The constant cookie tie-in - it’s cute, I admit it, but it became a bit repetitive.
The side characters - I’ll admit, I could keep a few separated, but while the main female side characters had individual quirks and personalities, I sometimes had to recall who was who and mixed a few of them up. Personally, I enjoyed Roy’s gruff manner and appreciated him admitting “yep, I was wrong, I’ll admit it” toward the end.
The not so great:
Lack of communication - Karina and Ian need to learn how to communicate in a positive manner with each other. Full stop. If you cannot say the words, write the words, sing the words, or something. It got a bit tiring after a while.
Overall, the writing of this book was very enjoyable - I read this book quickly and liked the overall flow of the book. I liked how topics were tackled. I liked how the idea of family is who you pick, not always blood - but also deciding that families of all sorts have their positives and flaws. Overall, a great first book. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
“One Tough Cookie” is a debut novel by Denise Torres.
What I liked about this book:
Tackling a difficult topic. Ms. Torres explains in the Author’s Note how this book came about and this topic was at the forefront of that beginning. I think Ms. Torres did her research well and also handled the topic well.
The inclusion of cookie recipes at the back of the book. I’ll admit, I’m always on the lookout for a good small batch cookie recipe. I’ll have to try one of the recipes one day.
The “what it takes to manufacture a cookie” background material. Yes, gearing up for an inspection was secondary to the main story, but having worked in QA/QC before there are a lot of forms (and inspections). It’s not a glamorous job, but Ms. Torres’s background in that area made those parts authentic.
The inclusion of the PR culture. I don’t speak Spanish but the little touches of PR pride and bits of the culture shone through this book.
What was meh:
Karina and Ian’s relationship - Karina’s a strong independent person. Ian is an attractive man. They meet - there are sparks. Just to be sparks. As Karina learned more about Ian, she realized things may not work out beyond a fling. As Ian learned more about Karina, he wanted to cling. Insta-love isn’t a favorite of mine and in so many ways, it felt like this couple didn’t really have a lot in common. While I’m glad that Karina was going to therapy to figure herself out, the two together probably need to ensure they’re on the same page about things.
The constant cookie tie-in - it’s cute, I admit it, but it became a bit repetitive.
The side characters - I’ll admit, I could keep a few separated, but while the main female side characters had individual quirks and personalities, I sometimes had to recall who was who and mixed a few of them up. Personally, I enjoyed Roy’s gruff manner and appreciated him admitting “yep, I was wrong, I’ll admit it” toward the end.
The not so great:
Lack of communication - Karina and Ian need to learn how to communicate in a positive manner with each other. Full stop. If you cannot say the words, write the words, sing the words, or something. It got a bit tiring after a while.
Overall, the writing of this book was very enjoyable - I read this book quickly and liked the overall flow of the book. I liked how topics were tackled. I liked how the idea of family is who you pick, not always blood - but also deciding that families of all sorts have their positives and flaws. Overall, a great first book. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
April 11, 2023
Karina Cortés is the cool chick among her circle of friends, relishing the single life. The last thing she wants is what they all drool over — a steady boyfriend, marriage, kids, becoming settled. Pretty much abandoning your life for a man, as Karina sees it. To her, relationship equals trapped and bored.
Why remove all joy from life when she can enjoy fabulous food, one-night stands, and a job she enjoys as a production supervisor at the Singular Cookies factory?
So what if her friends say she’s commitment-phobic, afraid of vulnerability? Karina’s life is just fine, thank you. She doesn't want a serious boyfriend, aggressive career goals, or other family entanglements.
But when Ian Feliciano, the new mechanic, joins the team, not only does she find it impossible to remove her gaze from his butt, but Karina is reconsidering whether a relationship might not be the scariest challenge in life.
One Tough Cookie is a novel that foodies will love. Set in the locale of a cookie factory, full of workers of Puerto Rican heritage, the novel delivers a fascinating look inside the inner workings of the commercial food production industry. And as a reader, I enjoyed learning about how to make commercial cookies! The book also has a fun backstory of custom cookie recipes designed to suit unique personalities (find them at the end of the book), and lots of descriptions of yummy Puerto Rican food.
Karina Cortés is a uniquely memorable heroine.The author included many adorable touches that made me smile, such as how she talks to her own disobedient heart and sifts her life decisions through the filter of cookie and baking analogies.
On a more serious note, Karina's struggles with an unintended relationship explore the balance between intimacy and one-night stands, sexual power and freedom, and declared independence versus embracing your found family.
Original, witty and entertaining with strong romcom vibes, One Tough Cookie explores what happens when we let the hard external layer protecting us crumble just a little.
Why remove all joy from life when she can enjoy fabulous food, one-night stands, and a job she enjoys as a production supervisor at the Singular Cookies factory?
So what if her friends say she’s commitment-phobic, afraid of vulnerability? Karina’s life is just fine, thank you. She doesn't want a serious boyfriend, aggressive career goals, or other family entanglements.
But when Ian Feliciano, the new mechanic, joins the team, not only does she find it impossible to remove her gaze from his butt, but Karina is reconsidering whether a relationship might not be the scariest challenge in life.
One Tough Cookie is a novel that foodies will love. Set in the locale of a cookie factory, full of workers of Puerto Rican heritage, the novel delivers a fascinating look inside the inner workings of the commercial food production industry. And as a reader, I enjoyed learning about how to make commercial cookies! The book also has a fun backstory of custom cookie recipes designed to suit unique personalities (find them at the end of the book), and lots of descriptions of yummy Puerto Rican food.
Karina Cortés is a uniquely memorable heroine.The author included many adorable touches that made me smile, such as how she talks to her own disobedient heart and sifts her life decisions through the filter of cookie and baking analogies.
On a more serious note, Karina's struggles with an unintended relationship explore the balance between intimacy and one-night stands, sexual power and freedom, and declared independence versus embracing your found family.
Original, witty and entertaining with strong romcom vibes, One Tough Cookie explores what happens when we let the hard external layer protecting us crumble just a little.
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