I love all the traditional Jewish foods, so reading Sadie on a Plate was a blast! I watch all the cooking shows on Food Network, so the story came alive in my head. Sadie becomes a contestant on a show similar to Top Chef and so much is explored about Jewish food and Jewishness in general. Of course romance on the menu as well. loved it!

For fans of cooking and baking competitions, this was a nice read! I didn't love it — it didn't have much romance and I *really* wasn't a fan of the MMC for most of the book...or really most of the men in this book. I liked the diversity of characters, though, and thought it was a solid read.

I was so curious when Berkley contacted me to join this Blog Tour, because I never heard about this book before. So, convincted by the plot, I decided to read it asap and.. it was love. Since the first lines the writing style of Amanda Elliot captured me. It's entertaining, fresh and so vivid that you can't love it and feel the urge to keep going.

The story itself is quite simple, but I've ADORED it. As a fan of cooking tv shows like Masterchef or Bake Off, it was really interesting to see this kind of competitions described in a book. It's a treaky element to use in a novel, because you can fail being too boring for presenting too many details, or being excessively superficial, just mentioning some aspects without being able to create the right atmosphere for the reader. That is extremely important, because if there's a competition who reads needs to feel it and being involved (in this case) in the creation of the plates, in the rush to finish all on time and in the anticipation to see who will win and who will go home. Amanda Elliot has been very good in this. The scenes are not extremely long, but at the same time I was completely absorbed. I rooted for Sadie (and other partecipants) since the very beginning and it was fun but also interesting to see her growth through her plates.

Talking about the main character, I've appreciated Sadie with her strengths and weaknesses. She's a spontaneous and an easygoing person, but at the same time she struggles with the idea of not being liked or not sparkle enough, missing the fact that her gentleness and presence are something that can't be ignored by other people. Plus, she often forget she has a strong personality, that make her fight not only for what she wants, but also for what she thinks it's right. That's why, even person she doesn't like or with whom she's not particularly friendly, appreciate her. And talking about that, one of the things I've loved the most about her it's the fact she's not perfect. She misunderstands situations, she misreads people and she makes mistakes, but that allows her to mature and become a better person.
I have also to mention what has happened to her in the recent past, an event that is so disgusting just thinking about it but that unfortunately is something that in real life happens. Taking advantage of someone and their insecurities and then discrediting them in front of everyone is disgusting, and Amanda Elliot has portraited well, without speculating in drama (something I hate to see in a book).

Another figure I have to mention is Luke. I fell hard for him, really. He's an amazing character and every interaction with Sadie kept me hooked on the book. Easygoing, kind and very concrete, I enjoyed his presence in the story like a sort of "solid and safe haven" for Sadie, even when things between them were cold. I really liked his background too, and the only thing I missed was more time (and so pages) to see him to mature his own decisions - and yes, more romantic moments. I craved them!

All the other characters create a sort of colorful pattern that gives more authenticity to this story, and I've found myself affectionated to some of them too. I've also really appreciated the choice to give to all of the contestants different kinds of cuisine that are influenced by their personal tastes, their origins and backgrounds. Sadie, for example, presents her personal reinterpretation of Jewish cuisine and it was really interesting to imagine all those beautiful plates (I envied the judges A LOT) that could be different from a "tipical" starred cooking style.

What can I say more?
Since, as I said, I missed some more scenes with Luke, and I would have loved to have him as main character too, I'm really hoping Amanda will gift us with another book (or short novellas?). In the meantime I absolutely suggest you to read this beautiful romantic comedy, amazingly written, that will entertain you and keep you company with laughs and more thoughtful moments.

I'm slowly but surely developing a list of recent books featuring a Jewish protagonist, and that was partially inspired by this book. Loved that her faith and cultural traditions were important but not a one-note theme that everything had to revolve around. And reading this story was as fun as watching a good cooking show where you learn and savor along the way.

I ended up DNFing this at the 25% mark. I was hoping his was going to be a romance, but it was playing out more like a woman's lit story. It just wasn't what I was looking for. I think if you're looking for a story about a woman figuring out who she is in this moment in time then this may appeal to you. Not a bad book or writing, just not what I was hoping for.

I am a romance reader and never get tired of reading romance! This book is fun, light hearted, swoony and just a good read! It will also make you very hungry! 😍 I enjoyed this one and recommend!

This is a really lovely romance between Sadie, a chef competing on Chef Supreme, a major TV cooking competition, and Luke, a man she meets before the competition begins who turns out to be a judge on the show.

This story is charming and I loved Sadie. Her story as a chef who wanted to share the breadth of Jewish food with the nation, she had an unique and enjoyable point of view. I also thought that Luke was lovely and a worthy romantic partner for Sadie. His story with his dad was also one that I enjoyed following.

Overall, this is a romance I'd easily recommend for food lovers and for fans of romances that end with a lot of hope for the future!

I am a big Top Chef fan, so it was fun to read about a similar show on display. The romance took a backseat for me, which was fine. Also enjoyed the Jewish representation. The pacing was a bit slow for me, and Sadie's constant swinging from confidence to despair was exhausting. I got a bit of whiplash with how much/often it happened and it made it hard to root for her at times (I totally get your confidence being low due bad past experiences but it was maybe laid on thick or she'd swing at the oddest times).

Welcome to another mouthwatering cooking competition romance. I love that this is such a popular trope right now!

There was so much to love about Sadie On A Plate, so I’m unsure why I struggled to focus on reading it. I put it down a couple times for books that did a better job of holding my attention, but I can’t come close to pinpointing what didn’t do it for me.

As always, I loved the food descriptions. I loved that Sadie focused so strongly on her Jewish heritage, and on showing the world that Jewish cuisine is more than just bagels and lox.

Maybe part of what I didn’t like was that there wasn’t much romance on the page. There was an HEA, but it was largely off-screen as Sadie and Luke had to keep their attraction a secret. This didn’t allow for the relationship to grow and shine like in other culinary rom-coms.

Overall, a great premise with great representation and good characters, but I wasn’t feeling it at the time.

I feel like this book is misclassified. It is more women's fiction than the romance it's being touted as. The romance is very secondary to the growth needed by Sadie throughout the story. I think the book was well written, but at times it felt as though I was reading the scripts from episodes of Top Chef.

Enjoyed but wanted more romance in it.
This book was good and very enjoyable, however since it is pitched as a romance, I wished I could have seen better chemistry between these characters. Loved the food tho!

Well hello Gray’s Anatomy! If anything, the first episode of Gray’s Anatomy is so iconic, and this is how Sadie on a Plate started! If you know you know.

Sadie’s dream is to own her own restaurant with modern and unique mouth watering takes on Jewish recipes. In order to have a chance at that dream, she must win Chef Supreme. I loved every minute of the cooking aspect of the story, the stress, the tension, I was here for it!

Warning: Do Not Read While Hungry!

I devoured this book. The writing made me feel the tension of the competition. I am not sure how to properly express how much I loved this book. Although more than a romance book, I would consider this to be women’s fiction. The romance was very minimal, and I honestly did not miss it. I loved the glimpse that we got and that the focus was on Sadie competing to be Chef Supreme. Read this book!

Thank you to Berkley + NetGalley for this advance reader’s copy to read and review and the chance to be on the blog tour -- I'll be sharing over at https://booksaremagictoo.com on 3/3 and I just cannot wait for you to read my thoughts on Sadie + Luke — 4.5 stars from me for this delightfully swoony romance set during a cooking competition!

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"We're not trying to feed people food," I said. "We're trying to feed them feelings."

I have read MANY a foodie title lately, but this one ended up being a favorite, it was just such a sweet romance with a fun meet cute and the focus on a food competition. I was instantly wrapped into the story as Sadie + Luke met and discovered they would be working on the show together, it was an element of the cooking show trope that I hadn't read before and just loved.

Sadie's backstory and the drama she is forced to face even on the how was one of my favorite pieces of her growth, and I really enjoyed the display of the restaurant and food industry as a whole in this one. For me this book was much more than just a cooking competition, full of hearty emotion and exposing yourself in a relationship, how we open up to one another.

"Being Chef Supreme is more than just being able to follow a recipe. It's about cooking from your heart to someone else's heart. It's about being vulnerable, and putting who you are, all you've got, on the plate, but ultimately it should be as much about the other person as it is about you."

This was such a good cooking show-inspired book! After I finished it, I was thinking of what cooking shows I can watch. There seems to be quite a few books with this cooking show inspiration, and I loved how I was able to picture myself as a contestant and the behind-the-scenes of how filming works. The only problem is when I read books like this, it really makes me hungry/crave food. The chemistry between Sadie and Luke was believable. The real stars of the book are all of the other contestants that Sadie developed friendships with!

Sadie is a talented chef from Seattle and is going to be on the next season of Chef Supreme, a Top Chef-like competitive cooking show. She's pumped as this could be the big break she needs, especially as her ex-lover and boss seem to have made things difficult for her to get a new job in Seattle. Sadie is passionate about bringing her Jewish heritage to all through traditional recipes with a modern twist. Hopefully Chef Supreme will help her do that! While on her way to New York for the taping of the show, Sadie connects with the man sitting next to her on the plane, Luke. They recognize each other as chefs, start a conversation, and decide to watch past episodes of Chef Supreme to pass the time. Their connection is so compelling, neither wants to say goodbye, and they find themselves heading to lunch together and ending the day with a steamy kiss. What Sadie didn't know, is that Luke was also traveling to NY for business with Chef Supreme--he was tapped to be the new judge of the show! What to do now?! They both must fight the connection and feelings they had for each other right from the beginning, but will that be possible?

I really enjoyed this book! I loved how Sadie's character was driven with her goals while also being supportive to some of the other competitors. I also appreciated the Jewish representation and how Sadie was able to show the varied experiences of Jewish people in the diaspora through her creative food. Some foods I knew well, while others I haven't tried myself, but probably would have tried Sadie's versions! The connection between Sadie and Luke had good chemistry, even when they both were actively fighting against it. An enjoyable read for foodies, Food Network viewers, and romance readers alike.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy of Sade on a Plate in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a cute romance that is perfect for cooking show lovers and anyone that enjoys foodie books! I guarantee your mouth will be watering at least half a dozen times while reading it.

Sadie gets chosen to compete Chef Supreme, the ultimate cooking competition show. The timing for it couldn't be better, she really needs it as her career is not in a good place. She has a rough go of it and learned a hard lesson about dating a co-worker. But things get interesting on her way to NY when she meets this great guy that she has loads of chemistry with. She explains that is doing this top secret thing and can't contact him for six weeks. And of course he ends of being a judge on Chef Supreme! I loved the complications that that caused and how their connection played out through the story. I liked the romance between them, but I wouldn't say that was the feature/draw of the book for me. I really liked the storyline of Sadie's growth and how she handled all the new challenges. The side characters/other contestants were great too! I also really enjoyed the Jewish representation and learning more about the Jewish traditions and meals.

How I loved that book! It felt like binge-watching a reality show, but with so many more insights from the contestants heads! Can we talk how reading about food made me hungry ALL. THE. TIME? The food descriptions in the books are mouth-watering!!! Sadie is such a vibrant character. I love how normal she sounded (we all made mistakes!). And I often laughed when she was arguing with her dead grandma in her head (sound bizarre stated like this, but it works!). Really loved the book!!

Cooking shows are absolutely sweeping romance this year! Sadie on a Plate uses a cooking show set-up to create an interesting pairing. Some readers may not enjoy the reveal of who the love interest actually is, but this romance can be enjoyable if you look past the real-world connotations for this pairing.

Sadie is such a fun character to spend time with and I loved reading all about her recipes. This book was just fun to spend time in and it will make readers look up so many recipes! I also love that this romance includes Jewish rep, which is so badly needed in adult romance!

This book is more of a contemporary story about Sadie and how she finds her wings!

I am a huge fan of cooking competition shows and this book did not disappoint!
This is marketed as a romance but I’m not sure if I agree with that. The romance is very light and I was completely fine with that. I loved our MC Sadie that I was rooting for her the entire time.

I loved the Jewish and Bi rep! I think it was done so well. This book was a love letter to Jewish food and I loved learning about it. So many things I’d love to try!

I think this would make such a fun movie, maybe one day!

Thank you Berkley for the gifted book.

LOVED this book and the Jewish rep! I cannot wait to read more from this author. It's so important to have these voices in romance.... can't wait for more!