REVIEW: Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice by Cynthia Timoti

Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice by Cynthia Timoti: Proposals are supposed to be cute and memorable, well for Ellie the ambush proposal orchestrated by her parents was anything but cute! Memorable sure, seeing as it has gone some what viral for how terribly awkward the entire ordeal was! Taking this as a long overdue sign to start living life by her own rules, Ellie decides she is finally ready to open up her very own sugar-free bakery that celebrates her sweet tooth as well as her type 1 diabetes. The only issue in her otherwise perfect plan being the fact that her store needs some major TLC and the only person that can help her is non other than her childhood crush, who also happens to be her brothers best friend, Alec. Now if this wasn’t shaping out to be awkward enough, Alec has a proposal of his own, he will help her with the reno if she poses as his girlfriend so that he can pin down this new business deal. What should be a simple but tiny bit awkward exchange soon turns into something neither of them expected, the lines between fake and real starting to blur, with stolen glances, late-night confessions and one too many moments that feel dangerously close to something more. Ellie and Alec must decide if they’re brave enough to turn a fake romance into a real chance at love.

LOVED!! Gosh I am such a sucker for this trope, the childhood crush meets brothers best friend trope is always a winner for me and when you add in fake turned real dating into the mix, you know its going to be a stand out for me and that was very much the case with Salty, Spiced and A Little Bit Nice. For a debut novel this was a knock out for me and just a taste of what Timoti has to come, there was such a brilliant blend between cultural realism, witty humour and some beautiful heartfelt moments.

I really liked the way both main characters grew through this novel and the fact that they were both facing such relatable challenges. Now I have to say I just adored our leading lady, Ellie was a total sweet heart and I loved the fact that she was ready to live her best life even if it was a bit messy. Her issues with her family and trying to navigate her cultural, societal and familial expectations just felt very authentic and relatable. We really get to see how she struggles with balancing her sense of duty to her family with what truly makes her happy. This only made me love getting to see her finally find her happy balance all the more. Another thing I really liked about her character was the fact that she was diabetic but this was not used to define her character, in fact she used it as a strength to pursue her dreams of making sweet treats accessible to everyone, and I just loved this about her. As for our hero, well Alec was the typical stoic softie. He was the more laid back and think things through type of hero and this really balanced out Ellie’s reactive and passionate personality. We get to really see the man behind the public eye and understand his insecurities in not knowing who he can really trust. We really get to see Alec grown as the book progresses and learn to prioritise his own heart without feeling like he’s betraying others.

I just loved the slow burn build up between these two, with the sense of familiarity and already existing feelings this was the perfect recipe for a delicious love story. I loved the way these two started out by tiptoeing around their feelings and the slightly awkward vibe that they had going but once they really got comfortable with each other, gosh was it magic. I really enjoyed getting to see them support each other as they navigated family expectations, business pressures and learning how to be vulnerable with each other. their chemistry is electric but slow building, driven as much by trust and shared understanding as by physical attraction.

Ellie and Alec’s journey is as much about self discovery and healing as it is about falling in love and every page captures the messy, beautiful complexity of choosing your own happiness. I absolutely loved reading Salty, Spiced and A Little Bit Nice, this slow burn fake turned real romance is a total must read!

Book Info:

Publication: May 6, 2025 | Bramble |

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.