Simmer Down by Sarah Smith⠀
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Happy pub day to Simmer Down! Thank you to @netgalley , @berkleypub and @authorsarahs for the gifted e-arc. ⠀
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SYNOPSIS: An enemies to lovers rom-com about Nikki and Callum, two food truck owners who are parked side by side on a street in Hawaii. Only one food truck can keep the coveted high traffic spot, so they make a deal. Whoever wins the upcoming Maui Food Festival gets to stay.⠀
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THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this one! It was fun, sweet, and entertaining to read. It was really interesting reading about the food truck scene in Maui, and I was constantly hungry at the mention of the Filipino dishes Nikki and her mom were whipping up. I love books with text message banter so that was exciting! The use of social media and foodies/influencers was also interesting and made the story more relatable to 2020 times. While the drama was a bit drawn out at times and frustrating with the lack of communication between Nikki and Callum, I couldn’t help rooting for them.

3.5 Stars

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith follows her debut novel Faker which was released last October. I really loved Faker, which was also an enemies to lovers trope book and I looked forward to this next book by Smith. Simmer Down follows a similar path, an American Filipino girl who has a complicated relationship with a white (British) male lead. I really wanted to love this book: it is an enemies to lovers trope, it is set in Hawaii, it’s all about food! But something just was not working for me to fully fall all in. Maybe it was because of this very similar set-up that I did not enjoy this book as much as I did Faker, but there were some other reasons as well.

Simmer Down follows the point of view of Nikki DiMarco who paused her life and quit her dream job after a traumatic family event, to help out her mother serve Filipino food to beach goers in Maui. Little did she know how fraught with tensions and competition the food truck industry in the sunny town was going to be. Almost as soon as she was starting to get settled into her new life, Callum James arrives in the parking spot next to her and begins to steal her customers. This was a little bit unrealistic for me, a food truck that serves fish and chips is in competition with a truck that serves Filipino food . . . really? Anyways, they decide to let an upcoming food festival determine who will keep the coveted parking spot. In the meantime they slowly get to know each other and slowly start to like each other and begin a steamy affair.

On the whole, this was a good book and is an easy, enjoyable read. There are two main issues that I had with the book. First, Callum and Nikki very obviously got off on the wrong foot and it led to many a tiff between them. But once they actually talked it was clear to see that they had chemistry and were attracted to each other, and all they really needed to do was keep communicating openly. However, they did not do this and it led to a lot of prolonged conflict. The book could have been maybe 30% shorter and sweeter if the conflict was just wrapped up in a realistic way instead of being so stretched out. Secondly, the book is from Nikki’s point of view and she was . . . a lot. She was constantly complaining about her life, but did nothing to try to improve it. That is one of my biggest pet peeves in real life, and when I am reading books – don’t complain about something that you are not willing to even try to change. There was so many things that could have been different for her if she just put a little effort in. And while I think her and Callum have a cute romance story, I almost feel as if there is an imbalance in this relationship with Callum putting more in.

Overall, I recommend this book for those who like an easy and enjoyable romance read. The things that bothered me likely will not bother many other readers.

~ Harshita

Simmer down review


Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing for the ARC.
Publication Date: 10/13/2020

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

This book was ADORABLE. It was a breath of fresh air after reading so many psychological thrillers by the pool this summer and I loved every second of it.

Simmer Down is a story about Nikki, a hilarious and strong-willed chef who is running a food truck with her mom following the passing of her father. When Callum, a (hot) British food truck owner, steals her food truck space, they begin a feud that goes viral. And guess what happens? THE HATE TO LOVE ROMANCE (my favorite romcom trope).

Nikki is a fantastic lead character. She is funny, kind, strong, and has a ton of heart. Callum is Darcy-levels swoonworthy and turned out much different than I thought he would. Nikki and Callum have a ton of chemistry and you are immediately invested in them as a couple. I really enjoyed Nikki’s family storyline and it adds a ton of emotional heft to the story.

Overall, Simmer Down is a fun, steamy rom-com with a layer of emotional depth that sets it apart from the usual romcom. I will definitely be checking out Faker by Sarah Smith after loving this one so much. Fans of Kerry Winfrey and K.A. Tucker should check out Simmer Down when it releases on 10/13/2020.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Smith’s latest romance pits two food truck owners against each other in one epic, no-holds-barred rivalry. There’s angst, there’s drama, there’s heartache, and there’s a whole lot of heat...and I don’t just mean in the kitchen. 😏⠀
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After the death of her father, Nikki DiMarco decided to stay in Hawaii to help her mother run a food truck. She’s determined to make their truck a success, but experiences a setback when a competing truck sets up shop mere feet away from her chosen parking spot. When an argument with rival trucker owner, Callum James, goes viral, business picks up, especially when their spark-filled verbal sparring becomes a regular occurrence. A contest at an upcoming food festival and a wager with their coveted parking spot as a prize, could settle their rivalry once and for all. But an eyeful during a morning swim, a naughty session with a battery-operated-boyfriend, and a nine-hour flight seated next to each other flips a switch in Nikki and Callum’s relationship. And suddenly the tension between them gets a whole lot more complicated... ⠀
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With its antagonistic, yet incredibly entertaining rivals-to-lovers storyline, characters that are passionate and earnest when it comes to both food and romance, and love scenes that are more of a blaze than a simmer, Simmer Down is a must-read. I guarantee it’ll have you laughing, swooning, and blushing, all while tugging on your heartstrings. I had high expectations for Sarah Smith’s follow-up to Faker and she more than surpassed them with Simmer Down. 5⭐️ ⠀
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Huge thanks to Berkley for my complimentary review copy.

4.5⭐️
This smart, funny romcom has literally everything I needed now:
✔️strong, talented heroine
✔️hot, grumpy hero with a British accent
✔️enemies to lovers with great banter
✔️island vibes
✔️hunger-inducing food descriptions
✔️STEAM!!!

Here’s the deal with enemies to lovers: Great banter = great chemistry & these two had it!! Dare I say this book gave me a bit of a Hating Game vibe??? 😍
I literally couldn’t get enough of swoon worthy, cat loving Callum and felt so empathetic towards Nikki’s control freak attempts at making everything perfect for her mom. And that steam level - yes please!!! I’ve been craving a good classic romcom and this one absolutely fits the bill! I literally downloaded Faker to my Kindle immediately after finishing!!

A huge thank you to @Berkleyromance and @netgalley for the #gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review!!

Simmer Down is an enjoyable enemies to lovers story that will make you hungry for delicious food and romance. I love when people say , "Normally I don't like _, but this really changed my mind!" I am not about to do that here because Simmer Down is exactly my type of enemies to lovers romance. You have Callum, the gorgeous British guy, who challenges the heroine Nikki for her food truck parking space and her heart. I was so hungry every time I read this book because the descriptions of food really came to life for me. The romance was sweet but still believable, and I understood Callum and Nikki's actions even as they made mistakes. This book is a fun break for romance readers and foodies.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the ARC!

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith is an absolute must read! Several of my friends raved to me about this one, and they did not lead me astray. This book combines several of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, a cinnamon roll hero with a bit of a rough exterior, and of course anything foodie. I also loved the multicultural elements in this book. I found myself googling so many of the foods mentioned. Where can I get some lumpia?? You will absolutely be hungry while reading this one. I have never been to Hawaii, but it is now top of my list. Sarah Smith brought the people and surroundings of Hawaii to life.

And then of course there is Nikki and Callum. Their chemistry had me hooked from the first page. I loved their rivalry. Their antics had me laughing while I turned the page. How they break past that rivalry was so super cute. I won't give anything away. But I was laughing at the set up. Callum is so sweet and so earnestly into Nikki. My eyes were hearts the entire book. If it sounds like I'm gushing this entire review, it is because I absolutely am. I loved everything about this one. The setting, the characters, the side characters, the food. Everything. So good. I'm eagerly waiting for whatever Sarah Smith's next release will be!

Nikki left her job on the mainland and moved to Maui to help her mother with a food truck. Her mom and dad were going to do it, but he passed away and her mother couldn't do it alone. It was going pretty well until she comes to her parking place and finds another food truck there in her spot...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It is being published today.

Nikki tells him he can't park there, it's her spot. They are free spots and he's not about to move. In no time at all begins a food truck war. They make signs that aren't complimentary and hide them around the truck. They steal supplies. No one is giving up or giving in. The biggest surprise is that business picks up. The customers enjoy the fight.

As time goes on they become friends. They keep up the act though. Then they become part of a contest. Whichever one gets the most votes gets the spot. But they have to hide their relationship or the contest will be voided. That's almost impossible because they are falling in love.

Who will win? Will they ever get to stop hiding their love? They break up. Will they get together again?

This was a good romantic tale with all sorts of trouble that settles down at the end. Will they get together or not? Read it and see.

Rating: 3.5/5

Happy pub day!

Another fun and hot, hot read by Sarah Smith!
Simmer Down follows Nikki DiMarco, a tough, young Filipina trying to fulfill her parents’ dream of running a successful food truck in Maui. Still hurting after her father’s recent death, Nikki is doing her best to keep Tiva’s Filipino Kusina afloat. Unfortunately, her plans are derailed when a competing food truck encroaches on her territory.

Nikki DiMarco and Callum James are fierce competitors with one goal in sight: to win the Maui Food Festival. However, as much as they try to resist, their competition rapidly evolves into simmering attraction. Once the attraction develops into something more, they have to decide what comes first: their relationship or their businesses.

I have to be honest with you. I was not a fan of the first impression scene, because I thought Callum was unnecessarily jerky. It irked me that he could be so rude at the beginning, when he was eventually revealed to be a sweet, good-natured guy. There were also several scenes where I thought Nikki was being a hard-headed dummy. (I usually tend to think the main characters in rom-coms are pretty boneheaded though.)

I thought Smith balanced these moments by developing Nikki’s relationships with her mom, Penelope, and Madeleine. These relationships revealed how hurt and afraid Nikki was after losing her dad. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope and liked all the references to Filipino cuisine. Definitely makes me miss my mom’s cooking and is a reminder that I need to learn how to make lumpia!

I also loooved the subtle callback to Faker. So cute! If you’re into romance with a heavy helping of steam, get a copy of this book out today.

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't a huge fan of Faker, and unfortunately, I'm feeling the same vibes from Simmer Down. The food truck scene is cool and I loved the setting, but beyond that, there wasn't too much to love. Nikki and Callum were eh, their romance was eh, and as the book started to wrap up, my eh turned to eye-rolling annoyance. Some of the things that bugged me:

-The "grand romantic gesture" by Nikki was pathetic at best and ridiculous at worst (a social media message for someone who doesn't use social media?!).
-The side characters were either caricatures or had no personality. Penelope felt like a human who would never exist to me. And everyone else was bland.
-The back and forth between Nikki and Callum got very repetitive in the last 15% of the book. One would reach out, the other would show up but say nonsense and then the whole thing would repeat again. Not a fan.
-Epilogues are hard not to be cheesy, but this one I just couldn't believe. Most of that stuff could not happen in a year. I don't buy it.

At the end of the day, this was just a lackluster book for me. But I think there are people who will enjoy it so I'm giving it a down the middle rating. The setting and focus on food were the best parts, and they helped redeem some not so great parts.

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith was such a sweet and sexy enemies-to-lovers romance that I couldn't put down–neither could the foodie in me nor my hopeless, romantic heart take it!

The story begins with Nikki DiMarco. She left her home state of Portland, Oregon and moved to Maui, Hawaii to be with her parents. Nikki is 29 and has been running "Tiva's Filipina Kusina", a food truck business for one year now with her mother. In doing so, Nikki is fulfilling her father's last wishes before his passing. Presently, she struggles to find her footing in the everyday workings of running a food truck. Regardless of the downs she experiences, Nikki is determined and has put her heart and soul in making sure her father's dream lives on.

Nikki soon realizes she has competition in her usual parking lot. A food truck named "Hungry Chaps" run by Callum James and his brother Finn has parked in her spot. From that moment on, it's a sort of food truck wars. Nikki tries to make Callum's time miserable. They go back and forth pranking the other, and even their spats get streamed and shared on social media making them very popular. Soon, Nikki and Callum are approached by a popular food vlog critic, telling them about the upcoming food festival.

Both food trucks enter the Maui Food Festival. Winner gets $20,000, a spot in commerical, and parking dibs on Makuna Road. Let the games and falling in love begin!

"How could I date the man who could put me out of business? And that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that I’m so into Callum, that in the right weak moment, I might actually choose him. A weak moment a lot like this one, where I’m tucked against him in the dark, surrounded by his mass, protected, his entire body feeling like home."

This book was truly so much fun to immerse in. I loved the whole Filipino culture mixed with the British foods. My foodie heart was in heaven and who doesn't love a good food truck joint! I've been dying to try a Korean taco truck but they're based in Chicago. One day, one day, but until then 😭. Also, experiencing Hawaii through the characters' eyes was a true thing of beauty and made me excited to visit someday!

As always, I love Sarah's writing style and her characters are my favorite kind of heroes and heroines. I especially loved the kitties!! But the biggest reason I downrated this novel was due to the unnecessary drama with our main characters! Honestly, it seemed as if the drama was constant the last one third of the novel. It all worked out in the end... but still it was a tadbit too much. Atleast for me. But no matter, I definitely enjoyed this book just as much as I did Faker. I recommend it 100%!


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Simmer Down is a romantic comedy about two food truck owners and their turf wars. Nikki owns Tiva’s Filipina Kusina, a fairly successful food truck selling Filipino dishes in Maui. As she parks her food truck one day, she notices a new food truck, the hungry chaps, parked very closely to her prime spot and suspects that there's an intruder trying to steal her customers. She discovers that the intruder is a tall British hunk named Callum. The story is about Nikki's quest to retain her prime spot and build a successful business while ignoring her growing attraction to Callum.

The plot and the storyline were interesting although quite cheesy and unrealistic at some points. She keeps bumping into Callum everywhere. At the beach, vet clinic, market and other places. The characters were well developed and fit well with the storyline. The pacing was great, it wasn't too slow or fast. It started out at an even pace and then grew fast in the steamy parts and then slowed down again.

I enjoyed reading this one cause the authors writing style was so light and breezy. I'm going to add other books from Sarah Smith to my reading list for times when I need something light. I liked the appetizing descriptions of the dishes, the lumpia especially, it sounded so yummy, I can't wait to try it. Overall, I'd say it was a good read. it appealed to the romantic in me. I would recommend Simmer Down if you like chick-lit and romantic comedies with happy endings.

Thanks to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the review copy

Simmer Down: Abi's Book Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC.

I absolutely loved this one. The relationship between Nikki and Callum that goes from rivals to more (of course); all the food talk; and the setting of the Hawaiian island.

I really enjoyed seeing Nikki and Callum talk about their life histories and how they impact their life choices. Of course there were some decisions that were made that frustrated me. But the wonderful supporting characters came to the rescue.

Definitely recommend this one. But beware you will be hungry when reading.

I’m usually up for a good enemies-to-lovers story, but Simmer Down was just an okay read for me. I had trouble connecting with the main character and I found the story to be a little too predictable. I know an enemies-to-lovers story is going to be somewhat predictable anyway in the sense that we know where it will eventually end up, but it's still nice to have a few surprises along the way. In the case of Simmer Down, I found myself guessing what was going to happen several pages before we actually got there. As soon as Nikki went to the beach, for example, I knew her sexy British nemesis going to turn up there. Same thing when she went to the vet, and the same thing again as soon as we learned she was taking an unexpected trip to London. I did enjoy the story overall; but I think it would have been a much more satisfying read for me with a few of those surprises I was hoping for.

Sarah Smith offers up two delicious enemies-turn-lovers in her new rom-com, SIMMER DOWN. Please, I'm not giving the ending away. It's a romantic comedy.

Nikki Dimarco knew life on the island of Maui wouldn't be all sunshine and Mai Tais when she moved there to help her mom run their food truck, Tiva's Filipina Kusinao. But then newcomer and candy for the eyes, British bad boy, Callum James rudely breaks the rules and moves his truck, Hungry Chaps in too close for comfort. Soon things are heating up and the smoking hot competition breaks out in a public fight that goes viral.

But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts seeing the sweet side of Callum and visa versa. But are they too proud to call a truce? Are they willing for their relationship to jump from the frying pan into the fire?

I absolutely loved SIMMER DOWN. This is Sarah Smith's sophomore effort after penning the successful FAKER. Her characters and plotting show a talent for making readers smile and enjoy happy endings. Let's all hope, one: we get to go to Maui and two: we meet a delish guy like Callum. I promise you'll end up loving to hate him.

Simmer Down was a fun and quick read by Sarah Smith. This book had a very cute premise - two food truck owners who dislike each other are engaged in a competition for one of the best parking spots on the island. This is a super brief description of what goes on in this book as the characters are decently flushed out and I do love the enemies to lovers trope. I'm quite glad I read this one because Sarah Smith has come a long way from Faker and I can't wait to see what her next book will be like.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

This is a super fun rom-com!

Trope: enemies-to-lovers

Was it cheesy at times? Yes. Did I care? NO!

Liked:
Enemies-to-lovers is always a fun trope, but I'm glad the enemies was not the shorter side with a bigger emphasis on the lovers. There was lots of fun pranks early on and lots of steam later on. I loved the descriptions of the food and Maui and you should absolutely not read this if you're hungry! I will also say, I liked the fact that Nikki's relationship with her mother felt real and it wasn't always an easy relationship. I loved that Nikki had things that she needed to work through with her father's death and then deal with the aftershocks of how she handled his illness initially.

Didn't like:
Growing tired of miscommunication/hidden feeling being the main point of conflict between characters.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this one, but be prepared to want to go check out the food scene in Maui!

I went from enjoying this book to slogging through just to finish it. Nikki is very determined, very protective of her widowed mother, and not afraid to speak her mind. Initially I cheered her on when she told Callem off but as the silly pranks (which all get videotaped via the customers’ all having cell phones and posted online) continued, I wondered “how old are these people?” They’re supposed to be around age 30 but foul mouthed children having snits is a better description of how they actually act. But okay, it’s part of the book set-up.

Then they begin their romantic relationship and it’s obvious that Callem is actually a nice guy, trying to help his brother who has never gotten support from their parents. From this point on, IMO Callem shifts to an almost uber nice guy who deserves to find someone who cares as much about him as he does about them. Unfortunately IMO, Nikki pretty much fails to be that person.

The story is told in first person so there’s a lot of Nikki wailing and complaining and gnashing her teeth about everything that goes wrong in her life. She knows that she and Callem need to avoid being seen together because of the contest but of course, they (actually mainly she) do all sorts of things that will risk this. Okay again as this is the plot and some risk must be there.

But Nikki turns out not to be a very likeable character for me. She’s high maintenance, demanding that things go her way, pushing Callem away because she can’t risk falling in love and the pain that losing love would cause her (because of the pain she suffered when her beloved father died). She also ghosts her friends for over a year – at first okay because she had dropped everything to rush to her father’s side during his illness but in the many months after when she could have called them (the numbers were on her phone) she just sighed, was sad about it, and basically … that was it.

There’s a scene late in the book where Nikki discovers something her mom has been keeping from her and blows up, lecturing mom about “being open.” All this while she’s lying to her mom about her relationship with Callem that might put her winning the contest and the much needed money at risk. Then something happens and she brushes Callem off, loudly and in public. By this point I had lost patience with Nikki. She comes to her senses and mends fences and builds bridges and makes a grand romantic gesture but it was too late for me even if Callem rushes to take her back.

The Filipino food sounded devine, I did like how protective Nikki was of her mother and how determined she was to keep her mom’s dream of a food truck alive, Nikki did save a pregnant cat (yay!) but at the end, I couldn’t buy into the romance. And despite the cutesy cover, this is not a rom-com. C-

An interesting version of the enemies-to-lovers trope (food truck competitors), relatively light and sweet. Hot Brit parks too close to a coveted spot held by a Filipino-American trying to fill her dad's shoes running the family truck with her mom. Their rows over said spot are filmed and posted on social media. Then they learn about the Maui Food Festival coming up and it moves from a childish to determined square-off. Contrivances such as a nude swim in the ocean, a pregnant stray cat, and trapped side-by-side on a flight to London bring them closer together. Nikki's issues with getting close to people after her dad dies and she drops all her friends back home--and makes none in her new home--to help her mom creates a lot of misunderstandings. But yes, we ultimately get our HEA.

Nikki DiMarco has seen better days. She's dishing up Filipino food in a food truck in Maui with her mom - but they're barely making ends meet. Her food truck is beat up, her mom is working herself non-stop and they're still grieving the loss of her father who passed away less than two years ago. But at least she has a steady customer base at her usual beach spot - that is until one day there's another food truck parked in her same area!

Callum James and his brother don't care about food truck etiquette and decide the beach spot is a great location so showcase their British food. Nikki and Callum immediately start off on the wrong foot and fans love their hate for one another. Soon they've decided to compete in a food truck competition with the winner getting the prime beach location! Will these rivals continue to try to best one another or will they eventually start to get to know one another better?

I loved the banter between Callum and Nikki! I'm a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers and right from the beginning I could feel the tension between these two! I do think that the beginning of Simmer Down was a tad slow and I was always wanting more interaction between Nikki and Callum. I absolutely loved their text messages back and forth. There were certain parts of the book that had a grin on my face the whole time while I was reading!

I really enjoyed Nikki's relationship with her mother. Their relationship felt real and it wasn't always an easy relationship. I absolutely loved that they bonded over their love of Filipino feed. Don't even try to read Simmer Down if you're feeling hungry. You will be craving all the food that Nikki makes in the book.

If you're looking for a heartfelt enemies-to-lovers romance that will definitely make you hungry while you're reading it - pick up your copy of Simmer Down!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.