Look What I Found… Lights Out Dinner Party Anyone?
Author: Navessa Allen
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶️
“Your kitchen has never seen anything like what’s coming next…and neither, my darling, have you.” – Navessa Allen
There are two kinds of people in this world. There are the responsible adults who carefully compare prices, ask themselves if they really need another cookbook, and make logical, well-thought-out financial decisions. Then there’s me…the woman who stumbled across Forbidden Feasts: The Official Lights Out Cookbook and Apron Gift Set, audibly gasped, and somehow convinced herself this wasn’t an impulse purchase at all—it was practically self-care.
In my defense, if you’ve read Lights Out, you’ll understand why there wasn’t much of an internal debate. I absolutely fell in love with Josh and Aly’s story, and when I reached the last page, I wasn’t ready to leave them behind. You know that feeling when you finish a book that completely takes over your life for a few days, and suddenly every other book sitting on your shelf looks at you like, “So…are you ever going to read us?” That was me. My heart was still hanging out in Josh and Aly’s world, so the moment I discovered there was an official cookbook inspired by the story, my inner fangirl had already clicked Add to Cart before the sensible part of my brain even had a chance to file an objection.
Did I technically need another cookbook? Absolutely not. My kitchen cabinets are already home to enough cookbooks to feed a small army, yet somehow I still end up standing in front of the refrigerator wondering if peanut butter toast counts as a balanced dinner. But did I need Forbidden Feasts? Apparently yes, because at this point Josh could probably put his name on a potato peeler, a pair of oven mitts, or a set of kitchen tongs, and I’d be standing there with my wallet open asking if they came in matte black.
What I love most about Forbidden Feasts is that it doesn’t feel like some random cookbook that had the Lights Out name slapped across the cover simply because publishers know readers like me have absolutely no self-control when it comes to our favorite fictional characters. Let’s be honest…I’d probably still have bought it because apparently fictional men have a direct line to my bank account. But what surprised me most was how quickly I stopped thinking of it as merchandise. Instead, it felt like slipping back into a world I genuinely wasn’t ready to leave, and that’s exactly what made it earn its place on my shelf.
The moment I opened it, I expected to skim through a few recipes, dog-ear a dessert or two, and then decide what I wanted to make first. Instead, I found myself doing something I hadn’t expected at all…I started reading. Not the ingredient lists. Not the cooking instructions. I was reading every little introduction, every bit of commentary, every clever callback tucked between the recipes. Before I knew it, I’d spent the better part of half an hour sitting on my couch with Forbidden Feasts in my lap, grinning like an idiot because it honestly felt like I’d been invited back into Josh and Aly’s world for one more visit. That’s surprisingly difficult for companion books to pull off.
A lot of fandom cookbooks are fun enough, but once you’ve admired the pictures and chuckled at a few recipe names, they quietly become decorative shelf fillers. Pretty? Absolutely. Memorable? Sometimes. But Forbidden Feasts never gave me that impression. It felt less like someone created a cookbook because they could and more like someone asked themselves, “How can we let readers spend just a little more time with these characters?” That difference might sound subtle, but as someone who genuinely wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Lights Out, I felt it almost immediately.
Even Navessa’s opening line sets the tone perfectly: “Your kitchen has never seen anything like what’s coming next…and neither, my darling, have you.” I laughed the second I read it because it immediately sounded like the same playful, mischievous voice that made me fall in love with the book in the first place. Right then I knew this wasn’t going to be one of those overly polished celebrity cookbooks that takes itself too seriously. It knew exactly who its audience was, and from the very first page it felt like a little wink to every reader who closed Lights Out wishing they could spend just a little more time with Josh and Aly.
And then there are the recipe names…which honestly deserve their own standing ovation because I don’t remember the last time a table of contents entertained me this much. Blindfolded Tasting Board. Thirst Trap Hot Wings. Blood Moon Puttanesca. Heart Beet Salad. Ravish Me Chicken. Morning-After Shakshuka. Josh’s Baklava. Lingerie Cookies. Lights Out Black Velvet Cupcakes. Somewhere between Ravish Me Chicken and Lingerie Cookies, I realized I was laughing more than I was menu planning. I wasn’t entirely sure if I was supposed to cook the recipes or blush at them, but I knew one thing…they fit the personality of Lights Out perfectly.
I also have to talk about the photography because…wow.
I know we’re all guilty of buying cookbooks because they’re pretty, fully intending to become the kind of person who hosts elegant dinner parties, only to end up ordering takeout while the cookbook sits untouched on the counter looking disappointed in us. This one genuinely is beautiful. Every page leans into the dark romance aesthetic with rich colors, moody lighting, black backgrounds, candles, dramatic styling, and just enough elegance to make the entire book feel like something you’d proudly leave sitting on your coffee table instead of hiding away in a kitchen cabinet. Honestly, if I walked into someone’s house and saw Forbidden Feasts sitting out, I’d know they were a dark romance reader before they even offered me a cup of coffee. And yes…I absolutely love that.
And somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t just thinking about recipes anymore. I was mentally planning an entire Lights Out dinner party complete with candles, moody lighting, themed cocktails, Thirst Trap Hot Wings, Ravish Me Chicken, and enough Lights Out Black Velvet Cupcakes to make Josh proud. At that point I had to laugh at myself because Forbidden Feasts had somehow accomplished exactly what every great companion book hopes to do—it made me fall in love with the world all over again.
The more I flipped through the pages, the more I realized this wasn’t one of those cookbooks you’d admire once before carefully sliding it onto a bookshelf to collect dust. It actually made me want to cook—and trust me, that’s saying something. My relationship with the kitchen is…complicated. I enjoy baking, I don’t mind cooking, but I also firmly believe cereal has rescued many exhausted adults from making questionable life decisions after a long day. So when a cookbook makes me stop and think, “Okay…I actually want to try that,” it’s already doing something right.
What surprised me even more was how approachable the recipes felt. I half expected to need twelve specialty ingredients I’d have to order from some tiny shop hidden in the mountains of Italy, along with a culinary degree, three days of prep work, and a small blood sacrifice beneath the full moon just to make dinner. Instead, most of the recipes looked like things I could realistically make without turning my kitchen into a crime scene. That’s always a huge plus for me because there’s nothing more disappointing than falling in love with a cookbook only to realize every recipe requires ingredients you’ve never heard of and appliances you don’t own.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the recipes themselves sound delicious. Blood Moon Puttanesca immediately caught my attention because I’m a sucker for pasta, and the Chocolate Pomegranate Tart practically had me drooling before I even finished reading the page. Then there was Heart Beet Salad, which somehow managed to make beets look far more appealing than they’ve ever looked in my grocery cart. I still haven’t decided whether I’ll be brave enough to tackle Morning-After Shakshuka before I’ve had my coffee, because I’m barely capable of forming complete sentences first thing in the morning, let alone poaching eggs with confidence. Future Me can deal with that challenge. And then there’s Josh’s Baklava.
Now, I’ll be completely honest here…if Josh’s name is attached to something, my expectations automatically become unreasonable. It’s not fair, but neither is the emotional damage fictional men have inflicted on my reading life over the years, so we’re all making sacrifices here. Naturally, that was one of the first recipes I bookmarked because if Josh likes it, I clearly need to know why. That’s perfectly logical bookish reasoning, and no one will convince me otherwise.
One of my favorite little details throughout the cookbook is the commentary sprinkled between the recipes. Those small introductions don’t feel like filler; they feel like conversations. They remind you of scenes from the book, bring little smiles to your face, and somehow make cooking feel connected to the story instead of completely separate from it. I found myself slowing down to read every single one instead of skipping ahead to the ingredients, which is something I almost never do with cookbooks. Usually I’m asking, “How long does this take, and how much butter are we talking?” Here, I was genuinely enjoying every page because the personality of Lights Out was woven into the entire experience.
The visual design is just as impressive from beginning to end. Every photograph feels like it belongs in the same universe as the novel. The dark backgrounds, rich reds, dramatic shadows, candles, and elegant styling create exactly the kind of moody atmosphere I’d expect from something inspired by Josh and Aly. It never feels overdone or cheesy. Instead, it strikes that perfect balance between beautiful cookbook photography and dark romance aesthetic. Honestly, I caught myself flipping backward just to admire some of the photos again because they’re that gorgeous.
It’s also the kind of cookbook that makes you want to leave it out where people can see it. Most of mine eventually disappear into a cabinet, but this one practically begs to be displayed. If someone walked into my house and noticed it sitting on the coffee table, I can already imagine how that conversation would go.
“Oh, you cook?”
”…Sometimes.”
“Then why is the cookbook in your living room?”
“Because it’s pretty.”
“Have you made anything from it yet?”
”…That’s not the point.”
The point is that it’s a beautiful reminder of a story I loved, and every time I pick it up, I’m transported right back into that world. Somewhere around the middle of the book, my brain stopped thinking about individual recipes and started planning an entire evening around them. You know…just a completely normal, perfectly reasonable Lights Out dinner party. We’d start with the Blindfolded Tasting Board, move on to Thirst Trap Hot Wings, follow that with Ravish Me Chicken, and finish with Chocolate Pomegranate Tart and Lights Out Black Velvet Cupcakes. Add a few themed cocktails, dim the lights, light far too many candles, and suddenly what started as “I’m making dinner” has turned into “the neighbors are probably wondering what exactly is happening over there.”
Honestly…I’d attend that party in a heartbeat. And yes, I’d absolutely wear the apron. Not because it would magically improve my cooking skills, but because if I’m going to accidentally burn dinner while attempting a recipe inspired by one of my favorite books, I might as well look the part while doing it.
When I finally closed the book, I actually laughed at myself because I’d spent the last hour thinking I was sitting down to browse recipes. Instead, I’d taken another trip back into Lights Out. I hadn’t been thinking about dinner at all. I’d been thinking about Josh and Aly, remembering scenes from the novel, smiling at the callbacks, and wondering if it was socially acceptable to host an entire dinner party inspired by fictional characters. I’ve decided it is.
That’s what makes Forbidden Feasts special. The recipes are wonderful, the photography is stunning, and the whole thing is beautifully put together, but what really sold me was how effortlessly it pulled me back into a story I wasn’t quite ready to leave. It reminded me why I loved Josh and Aly in the first place, and somehow managed to capture the humor, chemistry, and personality of the novel without ever feeling forced.
That’s honestly what I think sets Forbidden Feasts apart from so many other fandom cookbooks. It doesn’t rely on readers loving the book enough to overlook a mediocre product. It stands on its own. If you enjoy cooking, you’ll find recipes you’ll genuinely want to make. If you love beautiful coffee table books, you’ll appreciate the incredible photography and design. And if you’re a Lights Out fan who’s been looking for one more excuse to revisit Josh and Aly’s world, this cookbook feels like receiving one final bonus chapter…except this one comes with dessert.
I also have to give credit where it’s due because nothing about Forbidden Feasts feels rushed or thrown together. Every page feels intentional. The recipe names are clever, the commentary feels authentic, the styling is gorgeous, and everything works together to create an experience that’s just as entertaining to read as it is practical to use. That’s a surprisingly rare combination, and it’s one I genuinely appreciated.
And let’s not forget the apron. Is it absolutely necessary? No. Did it make my fangirl heart ridiculously happy anyway? Absolutely. Will wearing it suddenly transform me into someone who gracefully prepares elaborate meals while looking effortlessly put together instead of someone who inevitably gets flour in her hair and somehow manages to dirty every measuring spoon she owns? Probably not. But I’m willing to test that theory in the name of science.
I also have a feeling this cookbook is going to become one of those books I pull off the shelf far more often than I expected. Sometimes it’ll be because I actually want to make one of the recipes. Other times it’ll simply be because I miss the world Navessa Allen created and want to flip through the pages for a few minutes. There’s something incredibly comforting about that. As readers, we spend so much time investing our hearts in fictional worlds that it’s always a little bittersweet when they’re over. Anything that lets us revisit those worlds without feeling repetitive is something I genuinely treasure.
So, will I actually host that Lights Out dinner party I’ve been joking about throughout this review? Honestly… The more I think about it, the less it feels like a joke. Just imagine it for a second. A table dressed in black with candles flickering everywhere, dark floral centerpieces, themed cocktails, Blindfolded Tasting Board, Thirst Trap Hot Wings, Ravish Me Chicken, and Lights Out Black Velvet Cupcakes waiting for dessert. Add a few fellow dark romance readers, and I have a feeling we’d spend less time talking about the food and more time debating whether Josh is husband material or the reason therapy exists.
Actually… Those two things might not be mutually exclusive. 😂
Five stars felt like the easiest rating I’ve given in a long time. Forbidden Feasts isn’t just another licensed companion book—it genuinely feels like a gift to readers who closed Lights Out wishing they could spend just a little more time with Josh and Aly. It’s everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It isn’t just another cookbook sitting on my shelf; it feels like an extension of a story I genuinely loved. It’s funny, beautiful, thoughtfully put together, and packed with enough personality to make me smile from beginning to end. Whether you’re planning to cook every recipe, display it proudly on your coffee table, or simply flip through it whenever you’re missing Josh and Aly, I honestly think you’ll find something to love here.
If you’re already a fan of Lights Out, I don’t think you’ll regret adding this one to your collection for a second. And if you’re the type of reader who loves companion books that actually add something meaningful to the reading experience instead of simply existing as merchandise, this is exactly how it’s done. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I apparently have a dinner party to plan…and a suspiciously named chicken recipe that I’m pretty sure is judging me for not making it yet. 😂🖤
Now It’s Your Turn!
Have you picked up Forbidden Feasts yet? If so, which recipe are you most excited to try? Are you heading straight for Josh’s Baklava, curious about Ravish Me Chicken, or already planning your own Lights Out dinner party complete with candles and themed cocktails? Tell me everything! I’d love to hear your thoughts, which recipes you’ve tried, and whether it made you smile as much as it made me. And if you’re anything like me, please tell me I’m not the only one who saw Josh’s name on the cover, immediately clicked Add to Cart, and decided the recipes were only a very delicious bonus. 😂🖤
All honest opinions are welcome here—whether you loved the book, landed somewhere in the middle, or it simply wasn’t for you. Your opinion doesn’t have to match mine because we all connect with books differently. The only thing I ask is that any criticism stays constructive. If something didn’t work for you, tell us why and, when you can, what might have made it stronger. You can dislike the plot, pacing, characters, or the entire book without making it personal. We’re here to talk books and help our authors grow, not tear them down or each other.
🖤 SASSY
