AUTHOR: Ruby Barrett GENRE: LGBT+ Romance PAGES: 304 RELEASED: 12 July 2022 SYNOPSIS: Amy Chambers: restaurant owner, micromanager, control freak. Amy will do anything to revive her ailing restaurant, including hiring a former reality-show finalist with good connections and a lot to prove. But her hopes that Sophie’s skills and celebrity status would bring her restaurant back from the brink of failure are beginning to wane Sophie Brunet: grump in the kitchen/sunshine in the streets, took thirty years to figure out she was queer. Sophie just wants to cook. She doesn’t want to constantly post on social media for her dead-in-the-water reality TV career, she doesn’t want to deal with Amy’s take-charge personality and she doesn’t want to think about what her attraction to her boss might mean… Then, an opportunity: a new foodie TV show might provide the exposure they need. An uneasy truce is fine for starters, but making their dreams come true means making some personal and painful sacrifices and soon, there’s more than just the restaurant at stake. This book was kindly sent to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Things are heating up in this kitchen...
Amy’s dreams of owning her own restaurant have finally come to fruition, but after months of dwindling customers, things are not looking good, even with former-reality cooking show star Sophie as her head chef to entice people in. But Sophie’s celebrity status isn’t what caught Amy’s attention – ever since watching Pop-Up Kitchen she’s admired Sophie’s cooking skills and also has a little crush on her. What Amy thinks is just a straight-girl crush is actually mutual attraction. For Sophie, figuring out that she’s bisexual has been a long-time coming, and now that she’s single and free to explore this part of her, she’s only got eyes for Amy. Amy likes being in control and doing things on her own, so instead of opening up to her head chef about what’s going on, she’d rather make decision that she thinks is the best for everyone. Their lack of clear communication and bubbling sexual attraction leads them to a casual but not-so-casual relationship. When Amy suggests that they apply for a new foodie television show that could help save the restaurant, testing their dynamic both in and out of the kitchen. Well damn, talk about a sizzling sapphic romance! I was so sucked into this story and Amy and Sophie’s relationship that when I got like three-quarters of the way through the book I didn’t realise I’d read so much already. It was a little bit disappointing because I didn’t want to finish the book and have to say goodbye to these characters. The progression of Amy and Sophie’s relationship felt so real and sweet, with a nice dollop of spice on top. Ruby’s writing pulled me into the story so easily and I could not get enough. I loved getting inside both Amy and Sophie’s heads with the alternating perspectives, and Ruby did a great job showcasing their different voices and personalities. I feel like the only downside was that the end of the book felt a little rushed – there was such a build-up to Amy & May’s appearance on the cooking show and it ended up being a very quick appearance before the epilogue. I also lowkey wished the conflict and eventual resolution between Amy and Sophie had been a little more extended before everything was wrapped in a nice little bow at the end. This was a super sweet and spicy romance that all romance fans are going to enjoy, especially if you’re looking for your next favourite queer read! |
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