Review: Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget
CHAMPAGNE TASTE ON A BAD BOY BUDGET
Fun, Fast-Paced, With a Little Bit Of Spice
In Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget, romance author Zuri Day introduces readers to Jamilah Carver, the owner of a troubled chicken restaurant, and Rashad White, a convicted felon out on parole. Both have a lot on their plate but need each other in ways they don’t fully understand at first.
MY THOUGHTS
Jamilah is a good girl, the daughter of a single father cop, and a woman determined to make her restaurant succeed despite the challenges she faces. Rashad is a cook and hip-hop music lover who grew up in LA, getting into trouble. Some of the trouble Rashad brought on and some he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. None of that matters though to Jamilah’s cop father, who wants him as far away from his daughter and her restaurant as possible. The only problem with that is Rashad is Jamilah’s last hope of saving her flailing restaurant and the big catering gig she signed up for right before she lost her longtime chef.
At first, Jamilah and Rashad couldn’t be more different. Then, as they begin to get to know one another, they realize they have more in common than they thought, both needing to learn how to stand on their own and believe in themselves—and in each other.
This story has themes of redemption, forgiveness, acceptance, belonging, judgment, belief, love, pride, friendship, trust, and a lot of true-to-life social issues. It is well-written, entertaining, and the characterization is excellent. I read it in one sitting and loved it. If you get the chance, be sure to check it out. It’s a slow burn, with a couple of spicy scenes, but at its heart, it’s a message not to judge a book by its cover and maybe start giving more people the benefit of the doubt.
RATING: 
DETAILS AND INFORMATION
I received an advanced reading copy (ARC) or advanced listening copy (ALC) of this book from the author, publisher, or publicist. The receipt of this ARC or ALC did not influence my choice to review the book on this site. It also did not influence how I felt about the book or its characters, storyline, and overall feel. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. As such, they only deal with what is written on the pages of the book and how what is written and otherwise presented made me feel during and after my reading of the book or how the book is presented in audio format and the narrators perform the book.
Champagne Taste on a Bad Boy Budget by Zuri Day Published by Afterglow Books (Harlequin) on December 30, 2025
Genres: Black & African American Romance, Contemporary Romance
Pages: 281
Format: E-Arc
Source: Netgalley
Buy: Amazon | B & N | Kobo | Goodreads
Rating:
She's a good girl trying to rebuild her restaurant.
He's a felon trying to rebuild…everything.
Second chances have never been so sweet.
For Jamilah Carver, a by-the-books entrepreneur with refined tastes, running her own restaurant has been a dream come true. Until she’s buried in debt and without a chef, her once-bustling eatery on the brink of collapse. Enter Rashad White, a newly released ex-con who happens to be a culinary genius…and likes to play by his own rules.
With nothing in common but their love for food, the two clash at every turn. But when they’re not bickering over menu items or cooking methods, neither can deny the attraction that simmers between them. After Rashad proposes a daring plan, they’ll have to put their differences aside to work together—that’s when things really start heating up in the kitchen.
Can two completely different people, from two completely opposite worlds, find the perfect recipe for a fresh start…and maybe even love?
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