Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice - by Cynthia Timoti (Paperback)

About the Book

"Ellie Pang has had enough of her controlling family--who has been micromanaging her life since her type 1 diabetes diagnosis. When her parents orchestrate a public proposal from their business partner's son, a proposal that goes humiliatingly viral, Ellie escapes to the other side of the country to put her dream of opening a sugar-free bakery into action. Afterall, she'd done her research. How hard can it be? She hits a snag when her storefront turns out to be a dump and in need of major renovations. Worse, the only person who can help her turn things around is Alec Mackenzie, her brother's best friend and the man responsible for crushing her teenage heart ten years ago. But Alec has a proposal of his own: he needs a pretend girlfriend in order to cement a business deal. All they need to do is feign love and affection, while trying not to maim each other. But when the thin line between hate and fake-madly-in-love starts to blur, and buried secrets resurface, Ellie must learn to trust her heart, and choose between love and family."--

Book Synopsis

Crazy Rich Asians meets Always Be My Maybe in this deliciously sugar-free rom-com from debut author Cynthia Timoti.

She's salty, he's spice--there's no room for sugar in this fake relationship, but it may be sweeter than they think...

Ellie Pang has had enough of her controlling family​ who has been micromanaging her life since her type 1 diabetes diagnosis​. When her parents orchestrate a public proposal from their business partner's son, a proposal that goes humiliatingly viral, Ellie escapes to the other side of the country to put her dream of opening a sugar-free bakery into action. After all, she'd done her research. How hard can it be?

She hits a snag when her storefront turns out to be a dump and in need of major renovations. Worse, the only person who can help her turn things around is Alec Mackenzie, her brother's best friend and the man responsible for crushing her teenage heart ten years ago.

But Alec has a proposal of his own: he needs a pretend girlfriend in order to cement a business deal. All they need to do is feign love and affection, while trying not to maim each other. As the thin line between hate and fake-madly-in-love starts to blur, buried secrets resurface, and Ellie must learn to trust her heart.

Review Quotes

"Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice shines with its fresh, authentic approach to chronic illness and complicated family relationships. A joyous celebration of immigrant cultural identity serves as a meaningful backdrop to Ellie's hard-won battle toward independence, self-confidence, and an empowering romantic relationship. Cynthia Timoti is an exciting new voice in contemporary romance fiction, and I look forward to reading more of her work!" --Washington Independent Review of Books

"It was an awe-inspiring journey... A powerful encouragement to any reader who needs that final push to take back the reins, silence the critics, and live life to its fullest."-- The Romantic Comedy Book Club

"A strength of Timoti's novel is her nuanced portrayal of type 1 diabetes... Timoti's handling of family dynamics and intergenerational relationships also feels authentic and adds depth to the narrative... Skillfully blends romance with meaningful discussions about family expectations, chronic illness, and cultural identity in her strong debut." --Library Journal

"A must-read if you love baked goods as much as you love HEAs."--Fangirlish

About the Author

Cynthia Timoti writes fun, sexy multicultural romcoms with plenty of heart and snark, where happy endings are always guaranteed.

Born and raised in Jakarta, she moved to Australia when she was seventeen. She's a graduate of The University of Melbourne, and spent too many years working in finance, even though numbers aren't her strongest suit. When she isn't writing, she's probably drooling over LEGO sets she'll never buy, while trying to make a dent in her TBR pile. Cynthia lives in her Converse, and currently resides in Melbourne with her husband and two sons.