I really enjoyed this chapter sampler of The Romance Recipe! I love romance stories that revolve around cooking. I particularly enjoyed Sophie’s exploration of her identity. I love when characters come to learn that they are queer (or in Sophie’s case bisexual) later in life. Amy and Sophie have an incredible chemistry that positively leaps off the page. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story continues! The Romance Recipe releases June 28, 2022. Thank you so much to Ruby Barrett, Carina Adores, and Netgalley for a free chapter sampler in exchange for honest feedback.

These first five chapters are so cute and I can’t wait to read the rest of it. I love a good bisexual disaster

This was so adorable and had me wanting more. I loved the dynamic of chef and restaurant owner, both of whom are strong and amazing women. Both characters were super relatable and their chemistry was evident from the beginning. Definitely need to get my hands on this when it comes out.

4☆

This book caught my attention from the beginning and left me wanting to read more after chapter 5 was done! I love cooking and this is the first one I read involving a cooking show and I was not disappointed. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book!

I love books set in restaurants, and on cooking shows, and this book has both. The main characters are intense and I can see interesting times ahead from them on TV. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 stars

I was able to read the first 5 chapters thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.

After finishing these 5 chapters I was left slightly disappointed with one of our heroine's but at the same time excited about reading/seeing how the rest of the book develops.
I liked the cooking/reality TV set up and the call out of how it explodes the life of the contestants especially if they're lgbtq+.
I also really like what we could see from the relationship and the hints of how it was developing.
I'm definitely reading this as soon as it comes out.
Overall a fabulous start.

The start of a fun, light lesbian romance. Will definitely like to see how the rest of the book turns out.

One of the sure fire ways to get me invested in a book immediately is to have someone to be angry at, and chad and whatsherface on the phone in the beginning did exactly that. I didn’t even know Amy from Sophie on the cover but I already loved Amy and wanted to protect her. Then comes in Sophie and I want to love and protect her and Ruby Barrett makes it so easy. 5 chapters feels like a lot when you start but then its over in a flash, and I’m left with a desperation to read the rest. I can’t wait to get to know and adore the other characters too.
So few romantic comedy books exist with two queer women and I’m so glad to be able to read this one this year, even if I do have to wait four long months for it.
The easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given.

This was an amazing teaser and made me so excited for the full book! Gorgeous writing, lovely characters, and an unbeatable restaurant atmosphere.

Ruby Barrett has done it again! Just from the first five chapter preview, I could already tell that this book is going to be amazing.

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 beautifully told— it gave the characters so much more depth. Just from the preview I could already understand the "story" of both of the characters, and I am already so in love with the both of them.

The way Ruby Barrett wrote this book beautifully and I look forward to when it is published. Plus, if I had the whole book with me, I would have already read it in just one sitting.

Being asked to review only 5 chapters of this book is like having a chocolate gateaux placed in front of you and told not to eat it.
This was a fantastic and engrossing start and I’m already invested in the characters and their mutual pining! Gaah! Hope I get approved to review the full version that’s out on NetGalley.

Pros: I am a new reader to the romance genre, so I am thrilled to have the opportunity to sample a book. I'm still learning the subgenres and tropes and figuring out my favorites. From the description and first few chapters, I can tell that this book contains a lot of fun elements--a workplace romance, a restaurant setting, a reality tv show. The thing I appreciate most about the romance genre is how inclusive it is and how the books that are being published are more and more inclusive. I am thankful that there is an LGBTQIA subgenera so that I have books to recommend to friends and students who are looking for that genre and to read books that reflect their lives.

Cons: None that I can think of. I don't think I'll end up reading the rest of this book, but just because it isn't for me doesn't mean that it's not for many other readers who love the romance genre and know what tropes and subgenres they want to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) for the opportunity to sample this book!

Ruby Barrett has absolutely hit her stride with her second novel, and I cannot wait to be able to read the rest!

This story hooked me from page 1. The beginning was perfect! Barrett effortlessly includes so many important details without it feeling like boring background. We get the restaurant name (Amy & May’s), set in Boston, her brother Wes and some background on Sophie. The first chapter also contains lots of sexual tension at least from Amy’s perspective and great physical descriptions of Sophie. I also love that Sophie is a caretaker and does sweet things for the restaurant staff and Amy. Chapter 2 and we discover they are both secretly pining for each other. Mutual pining, I am obsessed. The language and descriptions are so beautiful. “Miniature alpine skiers could jump off her eyelashes and land safely on the plump pink cushion of her lower limp. She’s a beautiful witch.” The first 5 chapters of this book are perfect. Dual POV, mutual pining, secret crushes, a steamy romance, lots of tension and chemistry, does it get any better? Barrett has absolutely nailed this one.

Netgalley provided me with a preview of the first five chapters of this book.
This story is going in such an interesting direction. It captivated me from page one.
I love romance stories about chefs and Amy and Sophie are starting to become a favorite couple. Both characters are queer, but Amy thinks that Sophie is straight.

I'm intrigued by the premise of Amy's failing restaurant and her desire to appear on a reality show to save it. Sophie has reservations about the idea. So there's bound to be conflict and the emotions are running high. I have enjoyed the story thus far. I hope to one day be able to read and review the book in its entirety.

Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for the ARC of this book. This was a honest review.

I loved this preview and can't wait to read the whole book! I was a big fan of HOT COPY and love Ruby Barrett's writing. After finishing that book, I was hoping Wes's sister Amy would get her own story. Based on this sample, it promises to be a good one.

Not nearly enough!! I cannot wait for the full book to hit my kindle. Ruby is a delight and I’m already in love with Sophie and Amy.

*This is a PREVIEW review based on the sample of the first 5 chapters provided by NetGalley*

I'm intrigued and hooked from the first pages. Sophie is head chef of Amy and May's, a struggling restaurant. Amy is the owner, a micromanaging go-getter who is understandably under a lot of stress from the restaurant doing poorly but also from her family. Sophie and Amy butt heads a lot and each is crushing on the other hard but assumes it's unrequited.

When Sophie tells her fiance that she thinks she's bisexual he... asks her to keep it a secret?? I really, really identified with her here. She is justifiably crushed, and hesitant to come out to Amy despite her crush because... what if Amy reacts the same way? She is also dealing with a ton of social media stress and creeps sexually harassing her online after a stint on a reality cooking show.

Meanwhile Amy thinks Sophie is straight. This leads to many comical accidental flirtatious moments as the story slowly begins to build. And of course right when I'm really getting into it the preview is over XD.

I'm really intrigued by the premise and the story that is building in the first 5 chapters. It definitely has me wanting to read more. Also it's really well-written.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Adores for providing an e-arc preview for review.

Hot Copy was one of my favourite books of last year and this is already gearing up to be a 2022 favourite. The employee-employer tension is interesting and I am looking forward to seeing how it’s resolved. I also can’t wait for the steamy scenes because Ruby Barrett has YET to disappoint me in one of those. So happy this is a queer book!

Thank you NetGalley for this preview! I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and I think that it shows a lot of promise. I liked learning about the characters and setting and I can already tell that the romance is going to be great. I look forward to reading more from this book and author in the future!