DNF @ 65% / Chapter 20

Unfortunately this book was not my cup of tea. I went in blind here and was a bit disappointed to find that it was single POV from the female main character. The slow burn do be slow burning though, which, normally I’d be okay with. Without a glimpse into what the male main character was thinking, you have no clue if her infatuation is one sided - you really need to understand context clues to pick up on it. The FMC has also continually referenced several things in her past that still have not been even slightly explained by 65% and I’m honestly just confused at this point as to why she won’t see her family (besides the fact that her mother is awful).

Life is too short to read books you don’t love.

I could not finish this one. I was able to snag the final version off Kindle Unlimited, so I had the version that included reviewer feedback. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get hooked because I didn’t find Claire to be a very lovable character, and there was no tension between her and James. Their relationship was Claire admiring the physical and James admonishing Claire. That’s not tension, it’s school yard romance and weird for two adult chefs.

The concept of this book had a lot of potential and I wish I had liked it more, but it just felt off to me.

It has been a while since I read a romance book that wasn’t classified as spicy- but this one was SO good! I can’t believe this was Waitlyn Andrew’s first book. I hope it’s her first of many because I will read every single one. Yes, Chef a true slow build romance and I savored every single page. I loved the characters just as much as I loved the restaurant aspect of this book. This story is perfect to become a movie and I hope it does! I am fascinated by the restaurant world and the romance was the perfect cherry on top! I absolutely loved this!

Oh man, I really don’t want to give a negative review of a debut novel, but…here I go. Yes, Chef had a lot of potential but just didn’t really get there. I see that the author has made some adjustments since receiving reader feedback, which I appreciate. However, completely inexcusable to use OCD as a term for a penchant for organization. Belittling a mental illness and co-opting the term when you can’t think of a better descriptor is the hardest no for me. Even if the author didn’t catch it, an editor should have before galleys went out for review. I was also disappointed that this was closed-door, which is a personal preference, but I feel like “Yes, Chef” has kind of become the new “daddy” (if you watch The Bear, then IYKYK) so I was just really surprised. It was like, sickly sweet. And a marriage after a month? I’m just very confused and conflicted and disappointed. Not what I thought and not what I hoped.

Okay such a sweet romance! Loved the Paris vibes, the chef vibes, and it was closed door (totally). This was a fantastic read!! If you love food network and romance books with lots of sweetness and no steam, this one is for you

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Yes, Chef was a classic, workplace rivals/enemies to lovers romance set in Paris, taking place between two talented chefs after a Michelin Star. Claire, a Napa native, decides to move to Paris after a terrible accident; James comes to Teaks restaurant in Paris to help the chefs earn their first Star.

This book fell flat for me, unfortunately. There was no angst that I usually enjoy in an enemies to lovers story, besides James being more critical of Claire than others in the kitchen. The moment they confessed their love for each other was just bland (no pun intended) and I felt like the book dragged. I also didn't appreciate how Claire kept saying that James "was OCD" or had "OCD tendencies" - that's just a slap in the face to those with OCD and OCD isn't just someone being extra clean or particular. I think this story would have been even better if it wad dual POV and we got to hear James' thoughts, I would have loved that!

However, I did like learning about both Claire and James' families and I loved the epilogue. I am glad that they all got their happy ending. The locations between Napa, New York and Paris was so fun. I've never been to Paris but the book made it sound incredible.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for early access in exchange for my honest review!

Claire Richards moved to another continent after discovering her boyfriend cheated on her. She's heir to the Richards winery and will eventually have to go back, but for now she wants to find success her own way in Paris, a city known for its food. For four months she's been working under head chef Elliot making Teaks restaurant a success. But if they want that Michelin star, they need an extra edge. James Sullivan is son to a famous chef family and Chef Elliot hires him to take over Teaks. From the start, James barely acknowledges her unless he's critiquing her work... and he does that a lot. His intense stare with those denim blue eyes unnerves her he seems to be everywhere she loves in the city: the market, her favorite cafe, even her own balcony as he's become her next door neighbor. As time goes on they become friends, but Claire longs for more. If only she navy already been in this situation with her ex... dating her boss could get her fired before she ever sees that star.
This was definitely a slow burn romance. I loved reading about the kitchen, the chef team, and their journey to getting their star. The behind the scenes look at running a kitchen was fascinating from planning a menu, to looking for the best ingredients at the market, and the prep and cooking itself. The descriptions of the city were great and made me want to visit myself.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was such an escape! It was a slow-burn romance set in Paris, and the characters are chefs in a fancy restaurant. I loved the character and relationship development between the two main characters. The side characters were also nuanced enough for some possible spin-offs (and I do love a good spin-off romance series). It was more "cute" than "spicy" but the romantic tension was definitely still there. My mark of a five-star read is if I find myself wanting to read the book instead of doing the other things in my life that I SHOULD be doing, and this book definitely meets that! I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I read this book as an ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

Thank you to netgalley for this opportunity.
For the positives: I thought the food descriptions in this were very well done. Following the success of "The Bear", this did a really great job discussing menus, restaurant complexity, and weaving in those nuances with French culture and expat life. I genuinely enjoyed this portion.
I think, in terms of the relationship, this fell a bit flat. I struggled understanding and really connecting to the dynamics of James/Claire. James 180ed from distant, uninterested coworker to 'baby i love you' way too quickly for me to feel invested. Claire's feelings felt genuine; James felt really forced.
I also struggled a ton with how voicey Claire was. I had a really hard time connecting to her rambling thoughts: its great to be in the head of a jilted, anxious, struggling female lead, its another to feel really weighed down by the lead's interiority. Something was just really...off.
Not my fav, but my love of food brought me through

This book was adorable! I picked it up based solely on the title since I'm still emotionally recovering from Season 2 of The Bear, and it did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed the Paris setting and all the restaurant scenes. I would happily read a book just about the restaurant and their quest to earn a Michelin star! The side characters (especially Theo) were fun and helped round out those scenes.

The romance was cute but felt rushed. I did like their friendship a lot and appreciated the respect James showed for Claire and her boundaries.

Overall, this was a cute, closed-door romance that made a fun summer read. I will definitely read whatever Waitlyn Andrews writes next!

*I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review*

First I'll talk about the things I liked. I really enjoyed that our main character was a chef. The descriptions of the cooking and baking were so fun to read about. I also liked the setting. I've been to Paris myself and I could visualize the places they went to. Our main character is a reader which is an added bonus in my opinion (the love interest is a reader too!!).

There were a lot of characters with different personalities. In some ways, you could say that they were a bit too stereotypical and build on tropes. However, there were a lot of characters I liked. Theo, the cheese vendor, was a side character I appreciated. He's just a wholesome grandpa character.

However, the story as a whole was predictable, especially if you've read a few romances before. It's nothing new but if the elements I mentioned above speak to you, go ahead and read it. I was looking for a cute romance and this one did the job. Picture a kind of Hallmark movie in your head and you'll be fine.

It did annoy me a little bit that our main character is smitten with the love interest from the beginning but I just accepted it. Also note that this is a clean romance, there's kissing and a mention of sex but you won't find explicit smut in this novel which was honestly in my case refreshing.

There's one thing I want to comment on and that's the mention of OCD. I'm a clean person myself and sometimes a perfectionist but this doesn't mean I have OCD. In the novel were some remarks in the way of "Oh he's a little bit OCD" or something like that. Unless I've missed it, in that case I apologize, but I don't think the love interest had an official diagnosis of OCD. I personally felt uncomfortable with those comments. If anyone who has OCD has read this book and my review, what did you think?

Overall, a cute romcom, loved the food descriptions but predictable.

I really enjoyed Yes, Chef. The initial story line developing the relationship between Claire and James while on the mission to earn a Michelin star was so creative and unique. I really liked the definitions at the start of each chapter that was such a fun touch. The comparisons or callouts within the story to other romantic fiction was really cute. Things like "Every book I read always has the main character smelling like they rubbed themselves against a pine tree or icy rock..." or "Nothing startling or whimsical, like the deep blue seas every author compares blue eyes to."
This was a slow burn romance but I think the story suffered a little at the end. There was a lack of development in the actual relationship once it started. Then the whirlwind speed in which everything resolved was at a detriment to the story and characters. It didn't feel natural.

With that being said, this was still a great book. I continue to read from this author and I hope we see more books going forward.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! The characters and setting are perfection! It's an enemies to loves workplace romance between two chefs in Paris! It's the perfect poolside book!
This book is definitely for anyone who loved The Hating Game!

Incredibly cheesy and kinda cringe but it's perfect if you're looking for a light, sweet, and short read. Especially for the summer. 2.5 stars ⭐

While in Paris, chef Claire attempts to avoid family and romantic issues until James Sullivan, a world-renowned chef, is hired by the restaurant owner to run the kitchen and earn a Michelin star. She's confused by James' brusque attitude towards her, and wonders what she's done to earn his ire. When they are forced to spend more time together, Claire finds herself slowly falling for him...but does he feel the same way?

This book was SO CUTE. I think it has one of my favorite book boyfriends because I am in love with James Sullivan. I loved Claire as well, she was complex, likable, and funny. Andrews did an amazing job of showing the Paris setting--truly was like another character.

This is the slowest of burns, so if you like that, you'll love this (but note it is closed door--you've been warned!). If you like rom-coms with no third act breakups (spoiler?), you'll love this book.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This book was everything I needed to read in a summer book and more! It fulfilled my wanderlust and I found myself giggling at the book multiple times. I thought that these characters were well developed, had a fun plot and there was plenty of great dialogue along the way.

Yes, Chef by Waitlyn Andrews is an adorable workplace romance set in the high pressure world of a professional kitchen. Claire may be heiress to a vast vineyard and winery in California but what she really loves is being in the kitchen, and where better to do that than in Paris, where she is working at one of the best up and coming restaurants and hoping to help them win their first Michelin star. For four months she has been living the dream, but she is about to come down to earth with a bang when the owner hires a new head chef, James, a fellow American who is already a culinary star , and who seems to get along with everyone , except Claire. Of course sparks begin to fly, and as the somewhat frost relationship begins to thaw, Claire starts to see another side to the handsome Chef and begins to reconsider her ban on workplace relationships . Could James finally be the one to help heal the damage caused by her cheating ex and her overbearing mother?
There were a few things that really helped this charming romance novel stand out in a crowded genre. First and foremost for me was the setting, I may be a sucker for books set in restaurants/kitchens/bakeries etc but that does lead me to say that this aspect of the book feels completely spot on, I almost felt the heat and pressure of the kitchen and could definitely imagine the sights and smells of the the market place where Claire spent so much of her time, both alone and with James, and all the descriptions of beautiful food had me salivating. Aside from Claire and James, both of whom I loved, I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, particularly James' sister Evie, and Claire's mother who was deliciously villainous.
This was a sweet and fun read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as will any reader who likes a slow burn with plenty of chemistry but not too much spice.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Edit: Changing my original rating to 3.5 Stars after author changed manuscript before the release.

Thank you to NetGalley and Waitlyn Andrews for the ARC of this book.

If you are looking for a lighthearted romcom then "Yes, Chef" is definitely worth a try.

It is a slowburn romance that focuses on James and Claire, two lovely characters who fall in love in Paris. James was a real sweetheart throughout the book and I really enjoyed his grumpy turned sunshine transformation. Claire went through some really difficult situations before coming to Paris, which made her leave her home in the first place. I enjoyed Claire a lot, however her hatred towards many other women was not necessary in my opinion. Multiple times she thought of her Barista as "a Bitch" or James sister' (when Claire did not know she was his sister yet) as a "Bimbo".

The slowburn in this book started of really beautiful and didnt seem dragged out like in many other slowburn books but towards the end of the book it all felt very rushed. Only a few weeks after Claire told James she wants to wait until marriage they elope which for me personally took away the meaning of the principle Claire set. What I personally really enjoyed was the neighbors trope. It was very well done and especially at the beginning, where it wasnt clear why James was behaving towards Claire like this it was interesting to see their interactions on their balconys.

My favorite parts of the book were definitely those that happened in the kitchen of the Teaks. I fell in love with the athmosphere and all the mentions of different foods and how they are done. The layout of the book with each chapter representing a different term from the cooking field was really beautiful to see and I liked the original tone it added to the book.

I absolutely “shipped” James and Claire! The characters were brilliant! Waitlyn Andrews are you sure this is your debut? Because I ate this up like you’re a veteran romance author! I loved your through attention to detail. It was on point! James is everything I want in a protective hunk of a man! The Paris food world setting was well researched! Forced proximity tropes, non cheating tropes, and work place tropes are some of my faves! I can’t wait to get my hands on your next book! I will definitely be following you and waiting for it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Waitlyn Andrews for an ARC of Yes Chef and allowing me to give my honest and in biased review!

Let me start off by saying I love a slow burn romance! And this was the slowest burn but in a good way!

Yes, Chef is about Claire and James and their journey from enemies to friends to lovers. It’s set in Paris and gave me Emily In Paris vibes which I loved! I really enjoyed all the restaurant vibes, food terminology, and market shopping trips with Theo. I loved that sweet cheese vendor! If you need a feel good romcom with grumpyxsunshine vibes this is definitely one you should pick up.

The ending was a little rushed and it’s a closed door romance. I wanted a James POV so badly! I feel like this is a SOLID debut novel. With no third act breakup, praise hallelujah!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the ARC for an honest review!