I love it when a book has some of your favourite hobbies as part of the storyline. I love cooking and baking and get totally hooked on cooking competition programmes, so I loved that cooking was a big part of the storyline in The Romance Recipe

This book is written from the perspectives of Amy Chambers – restaurant owner – and Sophie Brunet – the head chef at Amy’s restaurant. Sophie obtained celebrity status on a cooking competition programme and was soon after snapped up by Amy. After initial success, even Sophie’s involvement couldn’t save the restaurant from its financial struggles, so when a new TV programme offer comes up featuring the restaurant, Amy is quick to push Sophie into it.

In amongst the restaurant difficulties, you discover that Amy is attracted to Sophie but doesn’t intend to share her feelings as she believes that Sophie is straight. Meanwhile, Sophie is coming to terms with her own sexuality and attraction to Amy. I thought the part where Sophie came out to her mam as bi+ was really cute, and I liked Sophie’s process for working out what to cook to impress.

This was a quick and easy read for me, which made me want to go out to a restaurant for yummy food!

In the usual way, you should check out the content warnings to check whether this book is for you, which include death of a parent (off-page), biphobia (off-page), injury and an emotionally abusive relationship with a parent. There are also several graphic sex scenes.

This romance is a little light on plot, heavy on steam, which is definitely the magic combination for some readers.

This book was fun and sexy, but unfortunately I couldn't find myself getting into the regular parts of the story. I enjoyed the coming out story of Sophie and how it felt different from most that I have read in the past, but the regular restaurant and cooking part of the story wasn't as interesting to me.

I also found this to be a very quick read and felt like I didn't truly connect with the characters by the time the book was wrapping up,

As someone who used to work in the restaurant industry, I really appreciated this book. Crying in the walk-in cooler? Trust me, we have all done it.

I enjoyed this couple. Sometimes they did things that felt a little out of character but I liked them both individually too.

The whole getting on a tv show thing was super anticlimactic and I felt there could’ve been another way to do that part.

I am finding that I love foodie romances a lot. When you slap in the sapphic levels of this and I am just basically a puddle. I do think it can come off a bit short; however, it is very digestible and fun.

Amy Chambers wants nothing more than to succeed. After opening her own restaurant before she turned thirty and having success for a while, things have taken a turn for the worse. Her head chef, Sophie Brunet, feels stifled by Amy's control freak tendencies. The two may clash but underneath there is a mutual attraction that both are having a hard time ignoring.
I adore a grumpy-sunshine pairing. While most people gravitate to the sunshiny, cheery one in the couple, I tend to feel more drawn to the grump. I think it's because I want to know why that character is so cranky and there is usually a valid reason, which is certainly the case for Amy. A lot of the things in the past brought her to where she is today and are the catalyst for her behavior. Sophie is so sweet. She' recently accepted her bisexuality and in the process broke up with her boyfriend. From their first meeting, she was drawn to Amy and as time has gone on, the attraction has only grown. Amy and Sophie are great together and I enjoyed their journey. This was a fun ride and I enjoyed every moment of it. I look forward to more from Ruby Barrett.

An ARC was received from Carina Press via NetGalley for an honest review.

Thank you Carina Press & Carina Adores and Netgalley for providing an e-arc for an honest review.

Sapphic romance and food, honestly what more could you want?! This book is written so well with descriptions that make you feel as if you are there. You can practically smell the food and see the excitement of the restaurant. Not only are the descriptions beautiful but the characters are just *chef’s kiss* (pun intended). They are loveable, relatable and their growth through the book is so heartwarming and beautiful. The Dialogue around exploring and discovering one's identity and how it has affected their lives is so powerful and emotional. Pair this with the perfect balance between wit, humor, and emotion and you have yourself a book that begs to be read in one sitting. Honestly I could not put it down.

Also have you seen the cover? I mean that's an immediate cover buy for sure! Paired with the fact that it's beautifully written you really can’t go wrong.

Amy Chambers is the owner of a restaurant and is very much a micromanager, she does not have time for distractions and Sophie Brunet, her chef, is the definition of distraction, and a pointless one too since Amy believes Sophie to be straight and engaged.
Sophie Brunet broke off her engagement after coming out as bi to her fiancé because his reaction was less than stellar, and now she has to face the fact that her attraction to her boss is less than convenient.

This was a cute foodie romance. I enjoyed the romance whie it made me hungry. So that was prety good. The sparks were definitely there and I fell into the story pretty quickly. I could see myselg alongside the characters and simply had fun reading this.
it wasn't perfect and sometimes I felt like something was missing but it was still a very good time and I enjoyed it a lot overall.
I also really liked the TV production aspect of it. it added an element to the story that I really enjoyed. So yeah, a pretty strong sapphic romance. I'll defintely be looking into more books by Ruby Barrett, maybe starting with Amy's brother's book.

Sophie Brunet is a former reality shower finalist who was recently hired as the head chef for Amy Chambers restaurant. All she want so to do is cook without all the distractions. Unfortunately, she restaurant is failing, and its owner is one of those distractions. Sophie and Amy clash every time they are in the same room but, beneath all that tension is some real chemistry. They agree to an uneasy truce as they work to save the restaurant and the move time they spend together, the more the chemistry grows.

The Romance Recipe has two of my favorite troupes right from the beginning: grumpy/sunshine and enemies/lovers. Amy is a bit of a control freak. She likes to know exactly what is going on and tries to plan everything down to the last detail. This is really where she and Sophie clash. Sophie has a hard time working with Amy's bossy personality, especially since it's kind of a turn on. She's still new to recognizing herself as queer and knows mixing business and pleasure would probably not be a good idea.

It's a good thing that bad ideas are hard to resist. When Amy and Sophie first give into the chemistry, the view it as a release. With things being so tense as they are trying to save the restaurant, it is nice to have a good release. These two characters really do have chemistry and I devoured it. It wasn't just the chemistry that drew me in, it was also the growth of the characters and their dynamic together.

Sophie and Amy are both super strong characters. each of them is struggling internally with who they are and where they are going. There is a lot of good conversations regarding queer identity and self acceptance. Neither character is able to move forward without self acceptance. Their dynamic develops naturally - and there is a bit of a push/pull between them as they figure themselves and their relationship out. With the alternating points of view, I really was able to understand what each character were feeling and thinking.

Honestly, I did find the ending of The Romance Recipe to be a little abrupt. There were several loose ends that needed to be tied up - with Amy and Sophie as well s the restaurant. I would have liked a bit more angst and real feeling instead of this nicely wrapped ending. The last few chapters especially felt rushed as the book was heading towards its conclusion. Overall, I did enjoyed The Romance Recipe, I just wish the ending was a bit more fleshed out and make sense for the characters I had grown to like.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

i often struggle reading paperback books (idk but it seems like more of an investment/work and also there’s always this low level “if i don’t read it on my phone i could forget my book at home!!” thats maybe a little irrational but i digress) so i usually try to make them weekend reads— not so with this book!!! Not only did i read this on a weekday, but i was so engrossed in this book that I finished it within about 12hrs🙈 it was just so good, i couldn’t stop!!

This really hit the sweet spot on a number of levels— imo one of the most common pleas of sapphic romance readers is just like, “PLEASE give us a high heat wlw romance!!!” and I’m pretty sure this was (at least in part lol) Ruby’s inspiration for this book🤣 Amy & Sophie’s romance is incendiary from the get go, and that delicious tension never wavers for even a moment. But those steamy bits were so well balanced w/ acute sapphic pining (lmao a classic) like the whole “i saw this girl on a tv show and immediately fell in love with her, so i followed her career intently and offered her a job when she was done with the show just to be close to her” 👀 What a call out!!!

I think balance is such a good word for this book, bc it really felt like Ruby did it all in this book👌🏻 we have idyllic scenes of morning after breakfast, and then awkward “oops we accidentally hooked up on the kitchen table last night, how do i interact with you normally now” moment. We get these beautiful moments of queer euphoria like at the drag show alongside the painfully relatable feeling of sharing your identity with someone only for them to wish that you would hide it. I also really loved the depiction of someone realizing their sexuality later in life— i mean i’m only 26 lol, but i resonated with a lot of Sophie’s journey, which felt really special

The Romance Recipe is angsty and joyful, horny and devastating, just an all around wonderful read🥰 i highly recommend y’all read this one!! thank you so much 2 Carina Press for my review copy

Thank you Harlequin for my gifted review copy of The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett. This post may contain links to purchase books & you can read our affiliate disclosure here.

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett is a must read! A grumpy-sunshine F/F romance featuring a reality TV star chef and a restaurant owner makes for a tender, emotional and sexy read!
You can read my author interview with Ruby Barrett here.

Synopsis for The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett
A fiery restaurant owner falls for her enigmatic head chef in this charming, emotional romance

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.

Book Review: The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett
First, I’m a sucker for any romance with a celebrity element. Add in the fact that I’m a Top Chef superfan and The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett is chef’s kiss. Amy and Sophie are both grappling with a lot. Amy is struggling to keep her restaurant running. She is depending on Sophie to help bring in the patrons. Failure is not an option for Amy. She is headstrong, steadfast, determined and laser focused. All my Type A babies (like myself) may find a kindred spirit in Amy.

Sophie is contending with her identity as a queer woman. Add in new found fame, navigating social media and attempting to make a name for herself within the culinary industry, she is trying to keep her head above water.

Ruby alternates between Sophie and Amy’s points of view. This fits so perfectly with the narrative because we get to know each other them intimately. We learn their struggles, their fears and really get to see everything they’re facing.

THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book! I loved every word of it. The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett is higher on steam and has tender and beautiful open door romance scenes. You’ll root for these characters, just like I did. And you know what else? You’ll fall in love with Ruby’s writing.

A reality star and a grumpy/micromanaging chef trying to figure out how to make it work. Amy spends a lot of time telling Sophie she needs to explore her queerness so I'm guessing this was another form of Amy being a micromanager. Definitely lots of sexy time. I wonder though if it would be better as a novella bc there was a lag but overall I enjoyed it.

All Amy wants is for restaurant to succeed, well not all she wants. She has been secretly wanting her head chef but knows she can’t have her, since she’s straight. It doesn’t keep her from micromanaging everything though.

Sophie wants this restaurant to succeed but she’s lost her confidence. Her fiancé left her after realizing she was bisexual. She hasn’t explored that side of herself yet but can’t help noticing her boss, even when she’s overly controlling her menu.

When the opportunity comes for a new reality cooking show Amy jumps at the chance but Sophie is hesitant. She knows how cruel the criticism can be once the show ends. She’s willing to do it to help Amy though.

There was such a push pull and mutual pining, but there was also some explosive chemistry. I loved how they both pushed each other to deal with their issues from the past. So much growth, passion and the foodie aspect was divine! Bring a fork because you will be hungry!

Is it hot in here all of a sudden?? This book may appear about food, and a tv show competition, but it's Amy and Sophie abd their steamy chemistry that takes the lead front and centre in this delicious romantic story.
There wasn't as much food as I thought but we had plenty of them getting to know each other deeply in all ways. The dialogue is easy to follow and their insecurities are relatable and luckily the book is low on unnecessary drama.

The Romance Recipe by Ruby Barrett is a fast-paced, dual POV romance between a restaurant owner and her head chef. The dialogue is witty and the side characters are wonderfully crafted. Barrett pulls you into the world of restaurant kitchens, Hollywood TV, and figuring out what you want—even if the world expects you to want something else. This was a sweet, romantic, and high-heat read. I absolutely recommend it.

Amy Chambers opened her own restaurant before she was thirty and she’s very proud of that fact. Unfortunately, the restaurant isn’t doing as well as she’d like. She’s also a total control queen and her head chef, Canadian former reality-show star Sophie Brunet, would love a little more freedom in her own kitchen. And who knows, maybe that would help the restaurant… Mutual (but hidden) attraction complicates things further, with Sophie having only recently acknowledged her bisexuality. A new TV show promises much-needed visibility for the restaurant and so many opportunities to mess everything else up.

It could have gone two ways with this book. The miscommunication and at times immature characters could have irritated the hell out of me. Or – and this is what happened – I could have loved them at first sight. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t mind the miscommunication more but I think it’s because it’s used as a flaw of one of the MCs, on which the other calls her out several times, and not as a shortcut to create drama.

The Romance Recipe is about finding yourself, believing in yourself, loving yourself enough to let others in. I think what I love best is that both characters go on this journey, towards the same goals, but from completely different starting points. Their roads run parallel at times then intersect, then go back to diverging. Each has her own issues to deal with and I loved the way they’re supportive of each other. It doesn’t hurt that they’re also very hot together. And good for each other. I loved Amy’s words when Sophie tells her for the first time about being bi, I loved Sophie’s vulnerability and willingness to trust despite previous experiences.

To be honest, I loved everything about Sophie. She’s a wonderful character. Her coming to terms with what she loves in a woman’s body is at once relatable and adorable. Amy was slightly harder to root for, she’s so frustrating. Her hardheadedness allows her to grow, however, and character growth is always interesting.

I thought for more than half the book that this would be a 5⭐️ review but the story lost its momentum for a while and the ending, while sweet, is a bit confusing. It’s a perfect beach read, however.

I didn’t mention secondary characters. One of them is Wes, Amy’s twin brother. Ruby Barrett told his story in Hot Copy, the first book in this series. I’m not into hetero romance and I probably never will find time to read it, but if you enjoy m/f stories, judging from what I’ve seen of Wes and Corinne in this book, theirs sounds very cute.

I really enjoyed this! A lesbian/bi romance about self discovery and becoming more confident in who you are. The importance of food makes it an even more enjoyable read!

“She kisses me like she has no idea that this kiss feels like my first one because in a way it is. My first kiss when I know who I am, better than I ever have before.”

This is a delightfully steamy, big-hearted sapphic romance novel. THE ROMANCE RECIPE is about Amy, a high-strung restaurant owner, and Sophie, her former-reality-show-star head chef, and how they fall in love while fighting to save their restaurant. Amy and Sophie have simmering chemistry, their attraction drawing them close even while they fight over business decisions. There’s a reality show element - the two are applying to be featured on new series to help drum up customers - but being on the actual show is not central to the plot. The heart of the story is these two overcoming their emotional barriers and tough outer layers to allow the other in. As a former Bostonian I loved the city references, and the food descriptions were mouthwateringly good. I really loved Sophie’s character, a fellow later-in-life queer who’s just figuring it out what it means to fall in love as her full, authentic self after coming out. This didn’t fully hit it out of the park for me but it’s fun and sexy, and when do I not love watching two strong, stubborn women find their happily ever after together? Thanks to Carina Adores for the eARC!

Content warnings: homophobia/biphobia, parental emotional abuse, death of a parent (past)

“Focus, Amy. You’re a businesswoman, not a clit with a compass for hot women.” The Romance Recipe follows Amy, lesbian restaurant owner, and Sophie, her head chef (and recently bisexual) as they navigate a failing restaurant and a potential reality tv show gig. As a lover of queer romance, reality tv show settings, and cooking, this book looked promising. I liked this book, but I wish I could say I loved it! The characters lacked depth and richness, and I often got them confused. The plot was interesting, but had more potential than was fully realized. Overall, The Romance Recipe delivers delicious sapphic spice, nice for a light summer read.

Hot chef, delicious food, f/f romance
3.5.
As a foodie I relish stories set in restaurant where I enjoy good food along with the story. And Sophie, the chef, does not disappoint. Their romance starts slow and burns hot, with very steamy scenes and a lot of push/pull. And it is honestly the main focus which is fine.
The plot itself is sometimes a bit difficult to follow: the restaurant is failing, but then it can continue - it is not always quite clear what is happening. I found Amy the controlling grump less appealing than Sophie who at the start didn‘t impress me as well and it took me some time to get into them and their story, but it did grow on me.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC. The review is left voluntarily.