This had everything I love. Like a good 80% of the book is just getting to know the characters and their friendship. We see them meet, become friends, crush on each other, and then finally get together. I enjoy watching the development of a relationship more than the actual relationship. Ugh these two were so adorable!! I love the unspoken boundaries that they set on both sides and that they were respected! Very mature characters.

But I’ll be honest, I did not like the ending. I wholeheartedly support Claire’s moral stance. I actually love this particular storyline because it’s a unique one that many people take and it’s always nice to have that represented in romances. But I didn’t like the ending because it was too rushed. The ending created doubt about the motives that I cannot get past.

I will reiterate that the book was amazing at developing their friendship. Absolutely loved all their interactions. It’s still an amazing book. I’ve loved learning about the restaurant industry and cooking.

"Yes, Chef" was a cute, easy read. It was a little slow to start, but after a couple of chapters, I was hooked. The Paris setting was vibrant, and I also enjoyed the trips to Napa and New York. The main characters were likable and well-rounded, and their romance developed naturally. The author relied a bit too heavily on romance tropes, and the writing itself was filled with a number of cliches, but it was still an enjoyable read.

However, the pace of the book was way off. The first half is quite slow as Claire and James go back and forth from the market to the restaurant and back home again, with little variation. Once they started traveling together, things picked up and got more interesting. Then the last quarter of the book was a total flip flop, in that it was way too fast. The ending felt unrealistic and left several loose threads. Not only was the story itself rushed, but so too were the writing (which read very much like a first draft) and the editing (I found an unacceptable number of grammatical errors and typos), both of which really detracted from the experience and left me with a bad taste in my mouth, metaphorically speaking. The whole book, but the last quarter in particular, really needs another proofreading and editing pass to be publish ready.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was truly an enjoyable read! As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade, I ate this one up. Each chapter begins with a little side note of different dishes or ways of cooking, which I thought was super cute; the author would include the dish throughout the chapter. Anyway, if you don’t care about food as much as I do, the romance will win you over. This is a slooowww burn, enemies to lovers, workplace romance in Paris. It has everything. I only give it three stars because it was a fun read, but there were a few things that bothered me- repetitive phrases like “thank you very much” and adjectives that were just “fun” but italicized. The writing is not profound, but the story is endearing. There are quite a few cliches and inconsistencies, but it kind of works for the genre. Also no spicy levels. There is like negative spice actually. Slow burns usually lose me after too long but this one felt pretty believable.

This was truly an enjoyable read! As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade, I ate this one up. Each chapter begins with a little side note of different dishes or ways of cooking, which I thought was super cute; the author would include the dish throughout the chapter. Anyway, if you don’t care about food as much as I do, the romance will win you over. This is a slooowww burn, enemies to lovers, workplace romance in Paris. It has everything. I only give it three stars because it was a fun read, but there were a few things that bothered me- repetitive phrases like “thank you very much” and adjectives that were just “fun” but italicized. The writing is not profound, but the story is endearing. There are quite a few cliches and inconsistencies, but it kind of works for the genre. Also no spicy levels. There is like negative spice actually. Slow burns usually lose me after too long but this one felt pretty believable.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!

4.5 stars

My main thought about Yes, Chef is that the story and characters are all absolutely adorable. My second thought is it feels great to read a romance without the dreaded third act break-up. I am inclined to agree with Claire, the main character, that those break-ups may be necessary, but they suck. It delights me that Claire and James didn’t make me suffer through that.

TROPES:
dislike → best friends → lovers
slow burn
workplace romance
one bed
meet the family
neighbors
closed door

Throughout this novel, we meet many memorable characters that all grow with the story. Some honorable mentions are Theo, Elliot, Gabe, Melissa, and Lucy. I’d like to separate Evie from the group and give her a pirate outfit to thank her for being the captain of our ship. Speaking of our ship, let’s talk about Claire and James! My two chefs are splendid. Throughout their slow burn, I stayed perfectly entertained. There was no time I put the book down out of boredom. (The only time I put it down was to sleep.) James and Claire had entertaining stories and great chemistry. They pushed each other to grow along with the plot and were so cute while doing it.

The title made me read this book. The Bear is one of my favorite tv shows, so I was very intrigued by reading a new book set in the culinary world.

I enjoyed this so much, and I’m surprised this is her first book. It was well-written, and I adored Claire as the main character. James was a great book bf as well, and I was so happy when they finally got together.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

this was such a sweet romance 🥹 james had me blushing through the majority of this book & now i need to go to culinary school so i can find a hot chef ??
overall, this was such a feel-good book & there were so many moments where i was just kicking my feet and giggling because it was so cute 🥲

It's a cute, rich people problems rom com, based in the restaurant world (which it 100% could spend more time in)

My biggest issue was probably the pacing towards the end, everything just started happening a little fast compared to the rest of the book, but all things considered, it's a really good debut.

I loved this one! It’s a slow burn romance with no shortage of Parisian charm and delicious food. Exactly what my soul wanted. Like other reviewers, I would’ve liked a little bit of dual POV here, but there was also something intriguing about not knowing what was going on in the other characters heads. Oftentimes with dual POV romances, I grow frustrated with the miscommunications and misunderstandings. That didn’t happen here, and I enjoyed how pure it was.

Thank you Netgalley and Waitlyn Andrews for the sneak peak!

. I really liked the start of this book and was hooked. I liked the characters and was invested where the storyline would go. After the James and Clair officially got together the story seemed to not flow as well for me anymore. I definitely would recommend this book to friends though and am looking forward to the next book this author writes.

This was utterly the most perfect heartwarming novel I have read in quite some time. For a debut novel, Andrews had me hooked completely and drawn into the streets of Paris, craving coffee and croissants at stupid o clock as I whizzed to finish the book. It felt very authentic with the touches of descriptions at the start of each chapter, making me feel learned about cooking and so passionate for Claire's love. It did pick up quite quickly when James' feelings were revealed but I was pacing through for the penny to drop. I certainly will be keeping an eye out for more! Incredibly executed.

I enjoyed this book. I know it's been published now, but thank you so much for the opportunity to read ahead of time!

Claire, a chef, leaves behind a troubled past in the US to work in a small restaurant in Paris. She loves to find the best ingredients that she can manipulate in ways to make new and fresh dishes for Teaks' patrons, chasing a Michelin star. When a new chef arrives to run the kitchen, she has more to worry about than just cooking her best.

I liked this book overall - until they got together. I feel like James just completely changed as a character and I wanted more out of their romance. I understand the reason for Claire and James going back to Napa for her sister's wedding, but part of the charm of this book was the setting in Paris and I wish we had gotten more of them there instead of the US. I know that the author has already changed part of the book (the repeated incorrect use of the term OCD), which I appreciate and she expanded on the ending, so I'll have to check out the published copy!

Overall this books was very cute, and I would recommend to anyone who’s looking for a quick cute romance read!

This book was fully told from the female main character’s perceptive, as we follow her post-breakup and accident job as a sous chef in Paris. The Paris details were beautifully described, and took me back a few years to my last trip to Paris. The upscale restaurant setting was amazing, and painted the picture of what it might be like to work in that kitchen so clearly.

*spoilers ahead*

The first 70% of this books is the definition of a slooooowwwwww burn, with lots of pining, on-again-off-again affection, and builds your interest in the main characters until you’re rooting for them just as much as their friends. But once they finally got together, they went literally from 0 to 100 - they almost immediately are in a very committed and serious relationship. I would have liked to see their relationship grow a bit more, instead of the overnight success we saw. My only other regret is that I would have liked to have a little bit more spice - this book is PG, a fade-to-black in the truest sense. But - a major win is the lack of the third act breakup!!

everything was perfect. the tension, the characters, the setting, the balance between plot and romance, *chef kiss* 🤌 I really appreciated the real Paris depicted without being romanticized and fake, the French terms were (mostly) used perfectly, for romcoms that's extremely rare, so props to the author for doing appropriate research and being real 🫶


❕️do note that there is no smut whatsoever not even close doors❕️

This man took her to a book store and let her pick out books. THEN he let her read while he made her an omelet. YES PLEASE!! Yes, Chef takes place in the city of love which is prevalent for the two main characters. There is witty banter with a plot that I couldn't get enough of! I connected to this story through my executive chef husband who works in a high end kitchen. We would talk about the similarities with his experiences, I feel that tis book brought us closer. Highly recommend this read all times of the year.

It pains me profoundly not to give this 5 stars. I enjoyed it tremendously, and I paced myself reading it, because I didn't want it to end. I truly loved it.

Claire is mostly a very rounded character, she's almost believable most of the time. She's resourceful, determined, independent, and mostly, relatable. At the same time, she has some unforgivable (for me) flaws, and we'll get into that later.

Meanwhile, James is absolute perfection. So much so that he is not real. There's nothing relatable about him because he's perfect down to the T. He's the embodiment of a book boyfriend. Sadly, those do not exist.

Now, let's get to the point. I chose this book because my boyfriend is a chef, so I have quite profound knowledge of what a restaurant is like. Most of the depictions are quite accurate, so it looks like the author did most of her due diligence. I appreciated that. However, one of the things that truly and utterly bothered me about it was the extended Christmas / New Year's Eve break. Restaurants are usually never that permissive, despite how great Elliot seemed. Especially since they were on their hunt for the star. It just seems very unlikely.

The relationship between Claire and James was... simply delicious, at the beginning. I have seen reviews rating this as a "slow burn," but it didn't feel like it. It felt just the way a relationship should be, with people getting to know each other, and there weren't such dramatic elements standing between them. Sure, Claire claimed it was the star and her rule about romance at work, but her past relationship was also a big reason about them taking it slow. AND I LOVED IT. They had such an easy-goingness about them, and it was just satisfying.

As an European, the Parisian set seemed very accurate and, again, very well researched. It did give you a very nice feeling.

Moving on to the less-good parts. They were sort of deal breakers to me, but this might not bother everyone.

I hated how Claire saw other women as competition. As an avid reader, according to Waitlyn Andrew's author bio at the end, she wrote a very strong female character, and those are hard to find. Since this is her first book, it totally got me hooked, and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with in the future. Hopefully, this will be an area of improvement for her future female characters. Not every girl flirting with the male MC is a "slut." I hated that.

I also felt that, once they got together, the relationship got incredibly serious very fast. Ugh. It kind of ruined the slow burn.

Overall, it was such an amazing read, except for the mentioned points. I would totally recommend this to romcom lovers, and I will 100% read more from the author.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this debut novel that feels like Emily in Paris meets the cooking channel with a heaping helping of meet cute romance. …Chef Claire has come to Paris seeking to advance her culinary career and it’s actually going well. Enter stern but charming James Sullivan (head chef) to shake things up. Much like a large cut of meat it’s a slow burn that produces the most tender results. I really hit the ground running with this book enjoying the culinary theme from chapter one to the final chapter when Claire gets to fully realize even more culinary dreams, each step of the way had sumptuous descriptions! I’m giving it four stars because is a impressive debut my only critique is how the books conflicts were dealt with, so quickly it wasn’t equal to the build up. But it didn’t tarnish the quality overall of their love story.

3.5, but rounded up to 4 stars

A heartwarming, simple, and sweet debut - a classic closed-door romance. While the characters and plot were predictable, that's fine by me. There were a few oversights that had me wondering about believability (a famous, Michelin-starred chef doesn't know a lot about wine? Hmm. Or adding chocolate and olive oil? Hmm.), but the storyline was well-paced and fun. The ending felt a little rushed and I'm not sure if the event (I don't want to give spoilers) with Claire's dad was totally necessary to the story.

I'll recommend this to my friends!

I've heard many good things about this story, so I had high expectations for it going in. And for being this author's debut novel, it definitely delivers!

While I expected this to be heavier on the romance side based on the synopsis, it definitely leans more towards the Women's Fiction genre.

Claire Richards is a very likable FMC. While she grew up privileged, she's definitely dealt with quite a lot in life - a manipulative mother, an absent father, and an unfaithful, yet controlling ex-fiancé.

James Sullivan is the antithesis of all of the terrible traits that she is used to seeing from the people who are closest to her. He is compassionate, loyal and protective.

The progression of their relationship is natural and realistic. James is the epitome of a patient man, and he knows exactly how to help Claire become more comfortable with depending on those around her. He is incredibly careful with her, and while he's respectful of her "hangups", he doesn't hesitate to show her that she is loved and wanted. As for Claire, no one makes her brave enough to take a risk like James does. His quiet, unwavering support is exactly what she needs to face her fears and step into the role that is rightfully hers.

The lack of a third act breakup definitely suits this story well, because like I mentioned previously, this story is more focused on Claire's growth than her romance with James.

This would've been a 5 ⭐️ read for me, but I felt like there was something lacking from James' character; flaws. He is almost too good to be true. Sure, he runs hot, then cold, then hot again, but they're a result of him trying his best to be respectful towards Claire, based on the information that he is given. Aside from that, he quite literally is like a character out of a book; somewhat unrealistic.

All that being said, this was definitely an enjoyable read, and I can't wait to read the next Waitlyn Andrews novel!

P.s. This is one story where I'd love to see a sequel and follow what happens next for Claire and James!

NOTE: ARC received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Finally! I can get a well rounded romance, that doesn’t have a heavy focus on a sexual relationship, that’s not from Stephanie Perkins! This book had me smiling like an idiot, gushing over the relationship and how it evolved, and heartbroken over the past trauma of our main character. This is easily one of my favorite reads so far this year, I don’t doubt I will be rereading it before the year is over.

Spoiler section

As I said above, my favorite thing is the focus of the relationship is not the sexual relationship between Claire and James. Instead it focuses on Claires journey to be able to trust herself and her own inhibitions, while James is supportive in whatever way she needs him to be. He doesn’t push for more that she might not be comfortable with, he doesn’t even make a move until he’s 100% certain that she’s reciprocating. He does things to test the waters, and when he’s turned down he doesn’t pressure her into more, he drops it. When Claire tells James that she choose abstinence for herself, he respected her. Which I have a problem with Henry telling her that’s not very feminist of her to decide for herself, feminism is all about women deciding what to do regardless of others opinions. It is, in fact, very feminist of her to decide she would rather save herself for one person. Just as it would’ve been if she decided to sleep with anyone she wanted.

My favorite part was seeing Claire's journey on gaining her agency back. She was in a manipulative relationship to the point she couldn’t make her own decisions without there being backlash from Henry. On top of being in a terrible car accident and loosing her grandmother. Seeing Claire decide that she’s not going to let anything keep her from her dreams and prove to herself everyday that she’s alive and pushing through the lingering pain just to prove to herself how far she’s come is inspiring. She tries to live every single day to the fullest.