I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was really awesome! I loved the storyline and how fast paced and exciting it was. The characters personalities flows off the page so much so that I get like I knew them personally. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but now I can’t wait to check out their other work.
4 stars.

I'm a sucker for books and movies with a cooking theme, so I had to read this one. It started off pretty good, but it lost me in the middle. Overall, it was decent, but it's not a book I would go out of my way to recommend.

I DNFed this at 15%. This is definitely a personal preference, but I wasn't a fan of Hadley as a character. I was excited about this book because it revolves around the food industry, but was immediately turned off when the character made a comment about how her Indian dish was "exotic" and even exotic food can be comfort food. It was just too ethnocentric and othering for me.

Sweet, escapist and fun. A great addition to collections where romance and foodie titles are popular.

So I've been on a romance/contemporary kick these last few months and I was super excited to pick this one up - romance, cooking, borderline reality TV, I was set. However, I don't know that this one lived up to my expectations.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.

This book follows Hadley Beckett of the TV cooking show, At Home with Hadley and Max Cavanagh, host of To the Max. After the two appear on a competition show and Max has a drunken meltdown and gets his show put on hiatus. Months later, Hadley is approached to appear on a season of the cooking show she used to watch with her father as a child and jumps at the chance - the only catch is she has to figure out how to work with fresh out of rehab Max who seems to want to make amends, but is that actually the truth, or just a way to get himself back on the air?

Going into this book, I was really excited about it. Cooking and romance? What more could I hope for? But I don't know, there was just something about this one that didn't excite me as much as I wanted it too. I didn't mind Hadley as a character, her Southern charm was endearing, but I found the relationship between Hadley and Max a little rushed and not particularly compelling. There was a bit of tension and then next thing I knew, they were kissing. Normally, I don't mind an insta-love story but this was barely even a romance, just two characters thrown together. There was almost no chemistry between them.

Overall, I just felt like aside from the behind the scenes cooking show components, and the fact that this book was fairly short (at least the eARC was), there wasn't a lot that kept me interested in the story itself.

It is down to the last two contestants on the celebrity cooking show. Chef Max Cavanagh believes he will win because he is the won with multiple Michelin stars and a top-rated show. His star shines bright and he lets everyone know, over and over. Chef Hadley Beckett has her own show and at one time even liked chef Max, that is until he began by not calling her by her name, making fun of southern food, the list goes on and on. Then to top it all she wins the competition and Max begins to make a bigger fool than he already has come across to the audience.
When the show finishes Hadley star is raising and signs with a new agent get perks for her show and start off big. Then one day after months of falling off the grid Max shows up and apologizes. She accepts but wonders what he is up to. What he sees though is that she is really the real deal. That the way she acted on the show is just her. He becomes hooked with her southern charm and falls in love with her. The one big problem how can she love him?
Telling her where he was is a start also, they are both asked to be on a show together which they agree. Here is the kicker you find out that they also have the same agent and Max starts not only taking his career back he does so because he is in love and knows what is happening is wrong, he still must get Hadley to admit to him. This is a wonderful book from start to finish. I liked all of the characters and the ending was just as good as the beginning. Very much worth the read.

Looking for some great laughs, a good, clean romance, with tension and twists right up to the end? Look no further. Bethany Turner’s Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish is a great read. Hadley Beckett is a sweet, country, Southern gal who has her own homey-type cooking show. We meet her as she faces off against infamous bad-boy chef Max Cavanaugh in a taped cooking contest.
This novel is both comic relief and one to make you introspective. As the point of view switches between Hadley in first person and Max in third, we get to see both characters struggle against themselves and each other. Can Max the terrible re-invent himself into a lovable, likable person? Can Hadley trust that love doesn’t have to end badly? And, of course, can they prove to their Renowned TV audience that two chefs are not too many for one kitchen?
Ms. Turner has penned a book I couldn’t put down, with twists in just the right places. Bethany Turner likes to challenge the reader to think about things differently. This time one of the topics is alcoholism.
Not everyone who crashes and burns due to alcohol is an alcoholic. This is a message that Max strives to give out.
Hadley mentions a few Biblical characters, and Max mentions wanting to find out what causes her to be different. Beyond that, Turner chooses not to elaborate. I was disappointed, as I love to carry away a few spiritual nuggets of wisdom. All in all, a very fun, clean book, just without the raisôn d’être I hoped for.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Revell through RevellReads via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

Read this book for sheer enjoyment. You’ll chuckle and adore the happy ending. This book is a contemporary novel with great appeal for fans of the Food Network. The main characters are celebrity chefs with opposite styles. But hold on because as you know… opposites attract.
The main female protagonist, Hadley Beckett cooks in a Southern Style. She whips up delightful desserts from her own recipes that feature butter, sugar, and more butter. Her career soon catapults to the big leagues where she continues to thrive. Her arch-rival, Max Cavanaugh, explodes on the scene in a fiery TV episode, but works on redeeming himself throughout the rest of the story. I loved the strategy Hadley uses to manage stress. She makes an alphabetical mental list of kitchen gadgets or ingredients. Now that’s clever. I did notice when angry words flew between she and Max, the gadgets she envisioned were the sharp pointy kind: Fillet knife, Grapefruit knife, Herb chopper, Ice Pick.
As their relationship develops, and a future together looks promising, Max’s declaration of what he can offer is delightful, sincere, and appealing. Respect and fidelity. Top shelf ingredients for any relationship.
This was a fun read. I’m glad I picked it up to review. The opinions are my own. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. #HadleyBeckettsNextDish, #NetGalley

I really enjoy Bethany Turner's books. She is a contemporary Christian Romance author that mixes in what we all hear and see and think in our everyday lives. I love that her books have a lot of humor in them, and we get to glimpse inside of the characters heads. Often they are thinking the same thing I would!

““Okay, everyone! We’re back in twenty. Places, please.”” - Opening line by Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner

“Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish” is my first time reading Bethany Turner but I’ll be back for more, I love her sassy and well-written dialogue! Hadley and Max are poles apart and the interactions between them cover the range from laugh-out-loud to heartfelt. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them both!

The novel begins slowly but by a quarter of the way through the story had taken enough unusual turns I had to know how it was going to end! The leading characters are set up as opponents, literally on a reality tv show and then in reality by the cooking show business. Hadley, however, refuses to be Max’s enemy and her determination to love her neighbour well allows the story to follow the line it does and builds a relationship between the two. It isn’t sickly sweet or cliched but created through the power of connection, taking time to know someone and believing the best, it”s beautifully done and a reminder to live love out.

The food does sounds delicious, do not read this one hungry! I read it straight through, I highly recommend it. It’s a four out of five on the enJOYment scale.

A humorous romance following an unlikely pair in a make or break setting.
Hadley Beckett's Next Dish is a book I nearly didn't request since I haven't finished reading Bethany Turner's Wooing Cadie McCaffrey due to content I disliked and yet I read a friend's review and I now look forward to reading and finishing it.

With themes similar to a Hallmark movie I love I knew this would be hilarious! And I was right ... I loved the humor, the romance on the other hand ... It was too focused on looks, attraction, and kissing.

I also found problems with the theology of the novel was mixed up ... I wasn't sure what to think as one character's beliefs leaned towards hippy with a weird mix of Biblical standards along with a dose of new age religion which made for an interesting thought process. At the end of the book the character supposedly found "religion" but we never saw the change in the character's point of view and there was no conversion scene.

The cooking show side of the story was superb, I enjoyed reading it. The author did a wonderful job of making it an intriguing plot line.

While I wouldn't recommend this for readers under 18 it is still a well written humor filled romance.

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I really loved this book! I admit in the beginning that it took me a bit to get used to Hadley's internal thoughts. It felt a bit too rambly, and like the author was trying too hard to be relatable and cutely funny. But as the book went on, it calmed a bit, and Hadley became a person I really wished I knew in person! And I found myself in the pages of this book. Especially in relation to how she dealt with confrontation (I don't list kitchen utensils in alphabetical order though!) and frustration with family members. I felt bad for her that she really didn't have anyone who supported her the way she needed to be supported.

I really loved seeing the changes in Max through the course of the book. His struggles are certainly true to life. Even as a person who has been walking with Jesus for a long time, I found myself nodding when he responded in ways he wished he hadn't, and that he wanted to take his words back. That's a struggle we all face!

I loved seeing their relationship develop, and the way they came to protect one another from people whose sole purpose was to make money off of their conflict. I can't imagine the pressure of being in the spotlight, especially during times of struggle, or when entering a new relationship. The viewing audience seems to think everything is their business.

I would definitely read another book about these characters, and I will check out more by this author. Highly recommend! I enjoyed it so much!!

Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish
by: Bethany Turner @seebethanywrite
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I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish from @netgalley. It’s out now, so run go get a copy!
Hadley Beckett is the 33-year-old southern culinary queen... I pictured a younger Pioneer Woman that lives in Nashville. The book opens when Hadley is in the finale of a cooking competition with bad-boy Chef Max Cavanaugh. When Max loses it over Hadley’s win, he career tanks. Hadley, on the other hand, scores a new kitchen in her hometown and becomes the most popular chef on the Culinary Channel. In order to get his career back, Max has to convince Hadley into doing a joint cooking special. Hadley is wary of his apology, but the more she gets to know him, the more she likes him?
I loved this fresh take - the cooking show aspect was so charming! I liked Hadley’s spirit and her southern spunk. I liked that Max wasn’t perfect and how he struggled to get his life back on track. And I loved the epilogue almost as much as I love cookie dough! Don’t read if you’re hungry, but I know you’ll enjoy it otherwise!

This book is brand new, and I was excited to have an opportunity to read it. I've had mixed feelings about Bethany's books in the past, so it was kind of a toss-up if I'd like this one or not.

I will say that all of her books are really funny, and generally bring a few giggles. But sometimes she comes close to some lines that I'm not comfortable crossing in Christian fiction.

Her first book The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck was good, but made me cringe a little. Her second book The Wooing of Cadie McCaffrey was really good, and made my favorite of 2019 list.

Hadley Beckett's Next Dish centers around food and cooking--so it was already a win in my book! I have a secret love for cooking competition shows (although I never watch them anymore since we don't have cable) and I loved that the main characters met on a cooking show.

Hadley and Max are both chefs with their own cooking shows. But Max's career is nearly destroyed when throws a temper tantrum during a cooking competition. After that it seems that only southern darling Hadley can save his career.

The point of the book is that Max is a jerk, and Hadley is a sweetheart. I know it's probably not a popular opinion, but Max was my favorite character in Hadley Beckett's Next Dish. 

I know, I know.

But I thought Hadley was just a little too sweet and too good. Max seemed more real to me.

But no matter which character is the best, this book is pretty good. I think I gained 10 lbs just reading the descriptions. If you like your romance with a side of yummy food, read this!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Why do chef romances get to me? Maybe because I'm kinda in love with food. HADLEY BECKETT'S NEXT DISH is a great read that combines food, friendship, and romance. Hadley just won a TV cooking competition against celebrity chef, Max. And that's when Max loses it. On camera. Possibly destroying his career. Then these two enemies are invited to be on the same cooking show together and they can't refuse.
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I expected this book to be a fairly frothy book, but it surprised me with its depth. It dives into family relationships, addiction, power, the roles we play, ambition, and forgiveness. And these two don't just kiss and then get a HEA. Like real life, relationships are complicated and have peaks and valleys.
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The pace was pretty slow at some points and I found myself sometimes wishing for a bit more momentum.
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This book did a great job of being sweet and swoony, but also complex and realistic. And the ending is SO PERFECT.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC. This was a fun read! If you like food cooking competitions and a good rom com than this is the book for you.

I'm a sucker for redeemable buttheads and Max delivers perfectly. Paired with sweet-but-sassy Hadley, readers are in for a hilarious and heartwarming ride as there's never a dull moment when the two are together. Whether they're at each other's throats or experiencing a sincere minute, the sass and tension are both strong. Don't even get me started on The Kiss(es) or THAT EPILOGUE. I melt.

There's a hidden depth, sneakily tucked between banter and food dishes I can't pronounce. Redemption, forgiveness, second chances, and a Southern helping of undeserved grace make this book more than your typical rom-com. Without a doubt, this is my favorite Bethany Turner novel so far. This story and these characters will stay with me for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author and publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

This was fun! (The author scored all sorts of extra points with me thanks to a West Wing reference and a shout out to Aaron Rodgers in the acknowledgements.) I enjoyed Hadley and Max together, as well as the ebb and flow of their relationship. I felt like the Christian pieces of this were extremely low key. While I don't like books where the faith elements feel wedged in unnaturally, this was a little more subtle than I was hoping for (but it did feel natural). My favorite part was watching Max try to be a different person and make lasting change in his life.

Fans of the author's work, and of Christian romance, should check this one out, but don't expect a big spiritual epiphany with this one. The faith thread is there, but it is subtle.

You know, I really liked Bethany Turner's last two books, but this one seemed on another level for me. I was grabbed from page one, and unlike many books where your attention (and devotion to binge reading) wavers, I was fully committed to 'what happens next' until the very end. I often find myself not thrilled by heroines, but I was firmly Team Hadley right away, and enjoyed her southern charm immediately. Max (the cad) also wormed his way into my affections quite quickly, so then I was Team Max too, which was an interesting place to be! Overall, this book was a lovely lift from some trying circumstances right now, and a highly amusing, heartwarming and entertaining story. Highly recommended.

My favorite story of Bethany Turner; I am a sucker for food stories, and so this story of two rival chefs who start off pitted against each other on a cooking competition, with disastrous results, who are thrown together on their dream show, was right up my alley. I love Hadley's sweetness, and I love how Max's point of view solidifies it as sincere. I love her habit of running through alphabetical lists of kitchen items in her head when she's angry or nervous. I love how she has a Meemaw who reads trashy tabloids, but knows Dolly Parton. I also love how even as these two characters become friends, and acknowledge how they've hurt each other, they continue to get tripped up and need to apologize. They need to grow, and realize the parts of their lives that have landed them where they are.

My big disappointment in this book is that, while marketed at Christian fiction, there was not really any spiritual content. There's even a scene where an interviewer asks Max if he has "found religion," and cites Hadley's goodness as an influence on him, but Max sidesteps the question by saying he doesn't know what makes Hadley good, but he likes it.

I give this book 4 stars; it probably would have been a 5-star secular read, but having read the author's previous works, and knowing the publisher's genre, I expected more.