I enjoyed this book despite the slow beginning.
Amy is the owner of a restaurant that is slowly failing despite hiring Sophie, a chef on a reality cooking show. Amy has difficulty relinquishing control of anything, including the daily menu. Sophie has lots of ideas to help bring customers in, but Amy is having problems letting anyone else take the helm.
Sophie begins to chip away at Amy's exterior and finally is allowed to make changes. In addition, Sophie gets in touch with the producer of a new cooking show that will give the restaurant the much needed exposure they need. But to succeed, they need to find common ground and be able to give and take so that this possible venture will keep the restaurant afloat.
I would recommend.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The characters in this book are utterly relatable and that is really what makes this book as readable as it is. Everyone can understand Amy's anxieties about failure, and everyone can sympathize with Sophie's frustrations over being forced to do something she's good at but doesn't want to do. I think we've all been there at some point or another and the author does a great job of having the characters work through those issues individually. What keeps it from being a 5 star romance is that working through their issues together to have a stronger relationship doesn't actually happen. Even in the epilogue Amy is still trying to nudge Sophie to do the thing she's been saying the whole way along is not the thing she wants. My only other major complaint is the first sex scene to me at least it seems to start incredibly abruptly and without any sort of preamble to indicate it's coming and being ace I'm just not sure how realistic that is so I talked to a friend who does experience sexual attraction and she said that can happen sometimes but also agreed with me that it could just be down to needing an edit so that might be fixed in the final version of the book.

This is my first Ruby Barrett book and the writing captured me instantly. She knows how to write an engaging romance. I absolutely adored “The Romance Recipe”. The cover of this book is stunning. Apparently this is a “sequel” to Barrett’s first book “Hot Copy”, which I will definitely be checking out, but I don’t think that you have to read that one before this. I loved the mutual pining between the characters, and as well as the sunshine/grumpy relationship (friendship/work-relationship) they already had. I also loved how the struggles of both characters was written, it gave the characters so much more depth. The chemistry between the two of them was palpable and when they finally gave in, oh boy was it sizzling! Amy and Sophie were extremely relatable characters. Both are compelling, sympathetic ladies that the reader can get behind. They are flawed, but very likable women. Amy is strong-willed and hard-headed. Sophie is soft-hearted and gentle-natured. They are the yin to the others yang, making the romance something that’s easy to absorb and enjoy. The characters’ reactions and the circumstances they were placed in felt natural and true to life. I loved each and every time Sophie pushed back at Amy forcing her to be vulnerable. They were able to entirely be themselves and love the other. Ruby excels at showing the progression of their relationship building and growing, from the pining on both sides to the point when they finally give in to what they’re feeling. I like the dual POV chapters. This is a style I enjoy, especially in rom-coms because it allows the reader to get a better sense of the developing feelings on both sides of the relationship. My only criticism is the ending felt SUPER rushed and then just sort of ended. I would have loved another 1 or 2 chapters. I really wanted more of Amy and Sophie together in their relationship, them running the restaurant and just living life. I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book when it is published. Thanks to Ruby Barrett, Carina Adores and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts.

I love books that make me feel good, and this book made me feel SO good. It was just a charming, relatable romance with characters that were fun to root for.

The romance was *chefs kiss* and not overly angsty, and I adored both Sophie and Amy. The cooking and reality tv angle was super fun, too, and easy to imagine the characters in that world.

My only criticism is the ending felt SUPER rushed and then just sort of ended. I would have loved a bit more fleshed out there. but honestly this shit was cute as hell and I really enjoyed it.

Sometimes I enjoy reading novellas, while this was a full book it has this novella for me. This isn’t necessarily a compliment. What I mean to say is that I think the premise of this book is thin at best. For me it never shakes this distinct novella vibe and I just can’t get invested in this story.

I like the alternating first person POV chapters of our main characters Amy and Sophie. This is a style I enjoy when it’s done well because you get the best sense of your main characters. While I think the execution is fine in this book it’s just the story that falls flat.
I like Sophie, she’s the insecure chef of the story and if I were being very nice I would say you see the most character development in her. Amy is a bit of a harder nut to crack and I don’t really warm up to her. She runs all hot and cold and is just a mess of a character.

This book is ok, as said it feels like a novella, a very long one. And to be honest it could have been a lot shorter as well and maybe even be an actual novella.

The setting is thin at best, and I didn't really gel with how the premise was introduced. there was nothing to invest me in Amy and Sophie's story.

I like a slow burn, and this was not that. So, it didn't really hold my attention for long. Otherwise, it's a decent afternoon read.

Sophie Burnet has just left her fiancée after finally admitting to herself and him that she is bisexual. She’s had crushes before but the one she has on Amy, the owner of the restaurant where she works as head chef, is beyond anything she’s experienced. Especially when Amy wears that one shirt…
I enjoyed this one, the back and forth with the characters was a lot but it felt right for the story and for Sophie and Amy. Usually when there are so many side plots going on it feels like it strains the plot and makes the reader feel like a ping pong ball with no direction as they try to understand everything happening. I didn’t feel like this book had that issue though and all the plot road blocks felt like they belonged in the story. Sophie and Amy’s romance seemed to happen organically throughout the story and I loved them, both characters seemed so real. I do see there is a prequel to this as well and I may pick it up next time I’m in the mood for a m/f rom com.

I really wanted to love this, and I did love parts of it. I appreciated the dynamic of Sophie exploring her sexuality contrasted with Amy who has been out for years, and I think the sex scenes were great. I wish there had been more development in terms of their relationship, though. Things happened so fast with very little build up; it’s like the reader came in halfway through and had to play catch up. Other parts of it felt a bit disjointed, like the things we see about each of the two MCs when they were out of the restaurant, kind of like we jump from A to C without the helpful flow or segue of B, if that makes sense. And there were a lot of minor characters, so many that it was hard to keep track of them and I found myself confused. Had the pacing been a bit slower, I would have given this 5 stars. I did love the premise and really enjoyed Sophie as a character, I just wish that the whole thing had been a bit more fleshed out.

While the concept was strong, I think the author lacked the finesse when it came to pacing and interactions. The characters were better developed as individuals than as part of the story, I almost wish for a single point of view to prevent the whiplash. The spiciness was on point, but not a first purchase.

3.5 stars

One thing that has been great about 2022 so far is the emergence of more main stream sapphic and diverse romance. The Romance Recipe features headstrong and micromanaging restaurant owner Amy and her grumpy chef, Sophie.

Usually, I am all about a bossy and headstrong heroine. But Amy was too controlling and pushy in a rude way. She frequently discounts Sophie’s feelings. Their relationship is very hot-and-cold, although you consider their romance a slow burn.

Sophie was more of a dreamer. She’s discovered later in her life that she was bisexual, and has only recently begun to come out and deal with the reality of her newly found feelings. I wasn’t a believer in her love for Amy—it felt too much like lust or the honeymoon period.

The sex scenes were well written and were surprisingly more spicy than I expected. They were actually my favorite part of the writing; the chemistry between them was electric.

Overall, The Romance Recipe was a quick and easy read but it was missing something.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the eARC copy.

This was so good. I did not read Hot Copy because I didn't realize they were connected until I was well into the book and realized Amy's brother was the MMC from it. But that didn't stop me enjoying the heck out of this. The characters and story were unique and fun and I really enjoyed Barrett's writing style.

I’ve been thinking about how to write this review for months now. Amy and Sophie are such a delight, but more than that, Sophie’s journey is so close to my heart that I wasn’t sure how much of myself I wanted to put into this review.

Sophie is straight. At least, that’s what everyone thinks. But she’s not. She’s super queer, like, has an insane crush on her boss, dreams of her and potentially took this job because of her, queer. Sophie is a chef and Amy owns the restaurant.

While Amy is confident about who she is and who she loves, Sophie is just at the beginning of her journey. At one point she confesses to Amy that she doesn’t think that she is “queer enough.” I can’t lie to you - Amy’s response to Sophie in that moment made me cry. Hard.

“You don’t need to have known you were queer since you were a kid. You can go your whole life never touching a woman and you’ll still be queer. It’s not about performing your sexuality or your gender for everyone else. Being queer is about what you know to be true about yourself, in here.”

I honestly think that The Romance Recipe is a book that everyone should read.
- f/f - lesbian/bisexual romance
- Workplace romance
- Boss/employee
- Queer discovery
- Potential health code violations 👀
- Mutual pining
- Midday car quickie

This book is hotter than the kitchen that they work in. Honestly, the majorly of my highlighted quotes are either NSFW because I had to stop to regain my breath or will make you weep with just how soft these women are for each other. Amy and Sophie are coming in hot on June 28, 2022. And you’ll be able to hold them in your hand! Go pre-order a paperback right now! I cannot wait for you all to fall in love with these women as hard as I did.

Disclaimer - the author and I are friends and I did receive an early copy of this title from her directly, in addition to a formal e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and were not influenced by this.

THE ROMANCE RECIPE by Ruby Barrett is the sequel to the incredible HOT COPY (which is an incredible office romance I highly recommend). You can read them separately, of course, but I would definitely suggest you read both because they’re both wonderful romances. So where should I even start?

First of all, I adored this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I knew I would love it so strongly that I procrastinated on reading it for like two months because I already didn’t want it to be over. Then I inhaled the whole novel in the span of two days, and I have no regrets.

It follows Amy – the owner of a restaurant called Amy & May’s, and Sophie – the head chef. The two of them have been working together for a while, and quietly pined over each other without doing anything about it. Amy has known she’s a lesbian for a long time, but Sophie only figured out she was bisexual a little while ago and has only told one person at the start of the story. But then a heated moment happens in the kitchen, and the two of them can no longer pretend they’re just co-workers. On top of that, there’s a new opportunity to appear on a foodie TV show, which could save their, kind of failing, restaurant.

The way the romance developed was absolutely amazing. There were so many squealing-screaming-losing-my-shit worthy moments, and I rooted for Amy and Sophie so fucking hard from the start. Their chemistry and the tension are delicious, and it’s also really hot. If you’re desperate for more steamy adult sapphic romances, you have to read this one.

I also absolutely adored the restaurant vibes and all the food in it. I know foodie romances have become really popular, and I need to read them all. What I do want to make sure you know before going into it though is that this book isn’t about the competition almost at all. It’s super focused on the restaurant and romance, but the food still plays a huge role in it.

So yeah, this book was deliciously wonderful, and I can’t wait to get myself a copy when it comes out. Ruby Barrett is an incredible romance author and I cannot wait to read every single one of her books. So go pick this one up!!!

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

There is an earlier book that is set in the same universe as The Romance Recipe but Hot Copy is a heterosexual romance involving the brother of one of the main characters of this book, Amy, so it's perfectly fine for lesfic readers to skip it and dive straight into this one instead. Lol.

I picked up this book for the workplace romance but continued for the sex. I know some readers have issues with the repeated push/pull between the characters but I love it. Amy is a restaurant owner and Sophie is her grumpy celebrity head chef but their working relationship feels more like a partnership than a boss/subordinate one. Sophie can hold her own against her micromanaging boss and they end up knocking heads over business decisions. But at the same time, they also lust after each other and I love the dynamics between them because it really drives up the sexual tension. And the sex, I like.

A sapphic romance set in the world of restaurants and cooking shows! Amy is the owner of a restaurant that isn’t doing so great. Having Sophie be the head chef after being a contestant on a cooking competition show isn’t bringing in as many customers as they need. The two women are constantly butting heads when it comes to how to improve the restaurant. But there’s also a sprinkle of sexual tension between them as well.

I really enjoyed both Amy and Sophie as main characters. They had distinct personalities and motivations and I really felt the chemistry between the two of them. I’m always talking about how I need there to be an interesting plot external to the romance and I think this book delivered on that front. I cared just as much about the fate of the restaurant as I did with the course of the romance. I also thought that the quality of the writing was excellent. Ruby Barrett was able to paint full pictures of the characters’ emotions and the food they were cooking.

When it came to the conflicts between Amy and Sophie, I found them to be a bit too repetitive. I can understand where the characters were coming from, but it felt like I was reading the same scene over and over at times. Also, the ending felt pretty rushed.

But overall I had such a great time reading this romance. I’m definitely going to be looking for more books from Ruby Barrett in the future!

This romance is simply charming. The wonderful descriptions of food and food prep make it not only mouth watering, but just plain fun to read. This romance is one that a true foodie will not want to miss.

This is only Barrett’s second full length novel, and she does a nice job with it. Her character development is solid; she gives her readers two compelling, sympathetic leading ladies that they can get behind. Amy and Sophie are flawed, but very likable women with interesting backstories. Readers find them both compelling and likable. Amy is strong-willed and hard-headed. Sophie is soft-hearted and gentle-natured. The two play off of each other well, making the romance something that’s easy to absorb and enjoy. It’s the perfect mix of chemistry, heat and personality.

The romance itself is solidly layered and designed. Barrett gives her readers something they can sink their teeth into with the whole “I’m secretly attracted to you” angle. It has a good mix of push and pull/tension and release. Not only that, its foundation is believable and relatable, making the romance more investment-worthy and entertaining.

Barrett’s writing style flows effortlessly across the page, making the storytelling quite easy to consume. She demonstrates a solid grasp of her craft by using alternating points of view, going back and forth between Amy and Sophie throughout the story. Some readers don’t care for this because it can lead to head-hopping and confusion. However, not so here. This literary choice is the perfect mechanism to employ in this story. Its sleek use guides readers through the well-plotted and paced story arc, lending itself to a more interesting and dynamic reading experience.

Final remarks…

The Romance Recipe is definitely worth the read. It’s a solidly constructed romance and perfect for those that love foodie fiction. I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this; it’s a delicious, lighthearted little morsel of fun.

Strengths…

Interesting, likable characters
Compelling storyline
Engaging romance
Interesting sub-plots

Restaurant owner Amy is struggling. Reservations have dropped off, and her head chef, Sophie, seems increasingly miserable. Sophie starred on a reality cooking show that pushed her to stardom, but she doesn't seem to be enjoying fame--or cooking. Plus Amy has an inconvenient secret crush on her straight chef. For her part, Sophie is newly single after coming to a revelation about her own sexuality, but she knows the gorgeous and prickly Amy is off-limits as her boss. Basically there's a lot of pining, unless one of them is brave enough to make a move.

This is the second book in a series (after last year's Hot Copy, featuring Amy's twin brother), but it works as a standalone. I read them out of order and still enjoyed both.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars. High steamy. Mixture of fun times and emotions. I also enjoyed the food scenes. Also high steam. It took me a minute to get into it but it was a solid ride once I got there.

I never turn down the chance to read a book centered around the food industry, cooking shows, chefs and/or restaurants, and Ruby Barrett’s The Romance Recipe has a little taste of them all. In addition to coming out, first time gay love, family drama, and frenemies to lovers, there’s a lot to like about this one.

This is my first book by Ruby Barrett, and I really enjoyed her writing style. The erotica is super hot, and the characters are well developed. And I found the cast of supporting characters truly fascinating. I loved Amy’s quirky group of friends (especially her brother, Wes), and Sophie’s ex-fiancé is an intriguing guy as well.

Both women have interesting things to say about their professions, their families, and their sexaul identities. This is a nicely paced, well developed story.