🦞 𝙀𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙚 𝙊𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙣'𝙨 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 🦞
𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘸
#BerkleyPartner #berkleyromance

If you're looking for a summer or beach read to add to your list you definitely need to add Effie and Ernie to your list! This book was perfection....childhood best friends to near strangers to lovers. Opposites attract, an amazing cast of characters set on the perfect little Maine Island. My Top Chef loving heart loved getting the behind of the scenes of the restaurant world...the good and the bad. The way Effie and Ernie reconnect and find that maybe now is when they were meant to be. You are going to love them I promise!

Childhood best friends Effie and Ernie reunite unexpectedly in their hometown of Alder Isle, a cute little island town in Maine.
Effie, a seasoned chef returning home, joins the renowned Brown Butter restaurant. As they rediscover their bond through their summer bucket list, Effie faces her past and the restaurant's secrets while contemplating a second chance at love and her culinary dreams.

Read if you enjoy
💞 Friends to Lovers
🏠 Small Towns
🦞 Maine
🧲 Opposites Attract
👩🏼‍🍳 Chef Life
🪣 Summer Bucket List
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn
🫶🏻 Self Discovery

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the gifted copy!

𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
𝘌𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘴𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭
𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘸
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

•𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
•𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨
•𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙮
•𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚

☀️𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛𝙛☀️

Shout out to Berkeley and Netgalley for a copy of this fun read. It was cute, endearing, fun, and gave me all of the warm fuzzies. Perfect for lying on a beach somewhere!

The story follows the lives of Effie and Ernie (I mean those names are just absurd), two childhood best friends that are reunited after 16 years apart. The last time they saw each other, Ernie declared his undying love, which prompted Effie to instantly flee their sleepy island town in Maine.

Will Effie be able to handle being back home, living AND working next to Ernie, who has grown up in more than one way? Read and find out 📖📖📖📖

Short synopsis: Effie moves back to her hometown island off the coast of Main, to work as a Sues Chef in a fancy restaurant. She quickly runs into Ernie, her childhood best friend.

My thoughts: This was such a light bingeable read. The small town island setting was perfection, and the inside look into the restaurant business was accurate!

Don’t go into this one on an empty stomach. The talk of fresh seafood had me wanting to hop on a plane to somewhere not landlocked to get fresh shrimp and lobster.

I liked how the relationship between Effie and Ernie repaired itself slowly, and their bucket list island items were so fun to experience along with them. I especially enjoyed watching Effie find her passion, and roll with it.

Read if you love:
- Fresh food and the restaurant drama
- Friends to lovers
- Small towns
- Great side characters
- Second chance romance
- Bucket lists

Effie returns home, the one place she cannot stand and rarely visits, to shore up her bank account before going off into the world again. Her last job went up in smoke. Luckily, her tiny hometown in Maine features an incredible restaurant. Keeping her head down as the new sous chef is paramount to escaping after the summer is over. Only trouble walks in, both with the head chef and Effie's once-upon-a-time best friend, Ernie, refusing to ignore what they once meant to each other.
Friends to Lovers is not my favorite but @rochellebilow did the best job reminding me why any trope can be incredible with the right author behind it. The communication level was chef's kiss! And I could not be more in love with how everything pans out for Effie and Ernie. Rochelle is an auto-read author and I'm eager to see what's next.
Thank you to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

I spent the last 2 weeks on vacation and this HIT! I was laughing, giggling & having a great time! Second chance romance in a sense & very well done! This is my first book by Rochelle & WILL NOT be the last!!!

I'm not gonna lie, this book frustrated me. Effie was, in my opinion, a very unlikeable heroine. She rubbed me the wrong way from almost the beginning; the self absorbtion and lack of maturity on her part made this book a difficult read, even up to the end when she made a questionable decision about her entire life's path.

I get it, MC's are supposed to have "flaws" and grow out of them by the end of the book, but I didn't see that for her. And it just made me dislike her even more to know that poor doormat Ernie loved her for his whole life, and then suddenly allowed things between them to go back to the way they were before she left him in a blaze of glory for <b>sixteen</b> years! He came off as a total pushover when it came to her, and while I like my men sweet (and Ernie <i>was</i> sweet), I also like them to have some backbone.

While the main characters themselves made me crazy, the writing was good. I'm hoping I'll have the chance to read something from this author in the future with better character development for my liking.

This long-time friends-to-lovers, small town romance will appeal to foodies. It is a second-chance romance, but even more of an exposé on farm-to-table restaurant culture, toxic and sexually-abusive male chefs, and how much harder it is for a woman to find success in the high-end restaurant world. Effie Olsen has been in the business for 16 years, ever since leaving home (an island off the coast of Maine) and finishing culinary school, and in all that time, she hasn’t stayed in any one place for too long. When she is let go from her latest executive chef job in San Francisco, she begrudgingly moves back home, intending to only stay the summer and never expecting that the home she couldn’t get away from fast enough may be just the place she needs.

My biggest frustration with this book and reason for the 3* rating is Effie and her insistence that she must leave at the end of the summer, despite her growing feelings for her childhood friend, Ernie, and her admission that her life as an itinerant chef has left her unhappy and unfulfilled. I’ve never enjoyed the trope of a main character resisting love because they want to preserve a friendship, yet giving into their attraction while also giving the love interest false hope. Friendship is the best basis for a loving relationship, so when the chemistry is strong, how is that a bad thing? In this case, Effie’s indecisiveness and getting Ernie’s hopes up were just too off-putting for me. If this trope doesn’t bother you and you’re a fan of small town, friends-to-lovers romances, give it a try.

Effie swore she was leaving her small hometown and never coming back, she was destined for a life of adventure working in the best of the best restaurants. After finding herself broke and fired from her dream job she returns home to take a position at the fancy restaurant in her small island town. She is counting down the days and paychecks until she can leave and trying to avoid Ernie, her childhood best friend. Years ago she left and Ernie told her to forget him forever so she anticipates a cold shoulder. To her surprise she is welcomed back into the fold by the town and even Ernie with a warm welcome.
She quickly finds the feeling of family with her new workmates in the kitchen and is reminded of the perks of small town. She comes together with her work family to try to solve a mystery in the kitchen and realizes it might be harder to leave her hometown, and Ernie, for a second time.
This was a cute second chance romance that was elevated by the side characters and the restaurant setting. It made me hungy just reading the menu items discussed in the book.

3.5 Stars rounded up

Absolutely delightful foodie summer romance set on an island off the coast of Maine. So realistically descriptive, I could see the water crashing against the rocks, see the seaweed as the low tide lapped, hear the gulls cawing looking for breakfast and see the lobster boats out with their traps set as they watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean. Though I don't live in Maine I have had the privilege of visiting the beautiful and charming state multiple times in summer and fall. I'm ready to return.
Effie left the tiny Maine Island and her best friend Ernie sixteen years ago, right after high school, thinking never to live there again. She had high aspirations for herself, become a professional chef and travel to foreign countries. She accomplishes both but her latest restaurant job doesn't work out so well and she's home again on the island after all this time, just for the summer she tells herself. Ernie, he's a lifer, he still lives on the island and is satisfied to not have the travel bug. Island life has treated him well. Effie knows it's inevitable on the small island she'll eventually run into Ernie. You can't plan these things, it'll just happen. Will it be awkward after all this time? Working at an island restaurant, Brown Butter Effie is satisfied and it's a popular spot for the locals and tourists alike. Behind the scenes there are things going on and Effie feels she must speak up. Once she speaks up how will her job security hold up though? I loved how so much of the book took place in the restaurant and got a real feel of the professional restaurant scene from the servers to the line prep to the dishwashers. The desserts sounded amazing and the dinners divine.
This was a slow burn romance that had Effie and Ernie reuniting in a surprising way, talking things out and taking it slow with their romance. Will Effie's mind be changed about staying just for the summer or will she be trotting off on her next adventure when the leaves start to change? Such a fun summertime beach read I'll be on the lookout for more by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

• r e v i e w || EFFIE OLSEN’S SUMMER SPECIAL [thank you @ for the gifted book] •

If you're looking for a fantastic summer read to tuck into your pool bag, this book is a must-have. It tells the story of Effie, who returns to her picturesque hometown in Maine after 16 years, reconnecting with her old high school friend Ernie. Their relationship has history, and this time around, it's a second chance at love. The slow-burn romance is irresistible, with just the right touch of heat to keep you hooked.

What sets this book apart are the vivid details of the seaside island and the fast-paced restaurant where Effie works (and a culinary scandal brewing). I couldn't put it down and finished it in a single day! If you're into heartfelt stories with a splash of nostalgia and a delightful setting, this one is for you.

😍loved

📚read if you enjoyed Every Summer After

💬 Are you planning beach or pool days this summer? Or both?

#SummerReada #RomanceReads #BooksOfInstagram #SecondChanceLove #SeasideRomance #MaineBooks #PoolsideReads #IGReads #BooksToRead #ReadInADay

Cute and fun, and definitely checked my box obsessed with smalltown, waterside communities, stories where you can feel the sand between your toes. AND, I certainly loved Rochelle Bilow's last novel, Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year. However, there was just something missing in this one for me-- I wanted more out of the romance, and some of the storytelling felt a bit surface level.

It’s been said you can’t go home again but what if you can? Effie left her tiny island after high school and barely looked back. She lost her best friend after a friendship ending fight and had her goal set on becoming a chef.
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When she returns home sixteen years later she promises herself it’s just for the summer. Lucky for her, her hometown now is the home of the one of the most famous restaurants in the country and they are in need of a sous chef. Everything is falling into place, including reconnecting with her best friend Ernie and allowing them to make peace. She soon finds herself drawn to Ernie like she never was before and everything she ever thought she wanted is suddenly a giant question mark.
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I loved this one. I got sucked into the story, loved the setting, the cast of characters and oh my goodness did this book make me so hungry! This is a fun one for some summer reading!

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thought Effie Olsen’s Summer Special would be the perfect beach read, but it was just fine.

We start off with Effie returning to her hometown on a small island in Maine to take on a job as a chef at the hot Michelin starred restaurant. She finds out that her childhood best friend, Ernie, also works at the restaurant and they end up spending their summer reconnecting and falling in love.

As much as I loved the Maine setting, and Ernie being a total golden retriever MMC, I kept getting caught up in the awkward and forced dialogue. I just couldn’t get past the use of “shitballs” and “mother-fluffer”…

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Not me falling for a fictional character named Ernie. I absolutely LOVED this book! This childhood friends to lovers is right up there with Every Summer After and Love & Other Words. Falling in love with your best friend over the summer in a small town was perfection. I devoured the entire thing in a little over a day.

Despite the fact that Ernie and Effie actually sound like an old married couple, they are actually in their 30s and reconnect after 16 years of not speaking. I loved being able to read a romance with characters that are my age. Sometimes I feel like a grandma when I’m reading about people in their early 20s.

I also loved the cooking/restaurant aspect. I’m an insanely picky eater, but I love reading about food..? So this book made me swoon over the romance while simultaneously drooling over all the food descriptions.

Also, is Brown Butter a real restaurant somewhere? That just sounds like such a great place to eat.

Anyway, this is a must-read in my opinion. If you enjoy romance, you gotta pick this one up!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy and having me on this book tour!

I received a free copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group; all opinions expressed are exclusively my own.

Effie Olsen's Summer Special absolutely drips with a deep familiarity with the food service industry in a way I personally appreciate, both the good and the very, very bad. Otherwise, this is a solid second-chance romance with a lot of fun characters and a small mystery in the background.

For sensitive readers, there are explicit sex scenes, trauma, and (in context of the food service industry) incidences and mentions of sexual assault, misogyny, and references to racism.

After her last job as a chef went up in flames, Effie moves back to her hometown to take a job as a sous chef for the summer. While she is grateful for the opportunity to save her career and work at a top restaurant, she has no intention of putting down any sort of roots or staying for long. But when she runs into Ernie, her childhood best friend, the two quickly reconnect and old feelings she had return.

This story was the perfect blend of small town, second chance nostalgia and paired with the setting of a summer in Maine just felt so cozy. I loved all of the food references, I adored Ernie and Effie together and their deep shared history, and I thought the restaurant drama added a very fun twist that kept me on my toes. This definitely got me in the mood for summer and was so sweet!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I love a good second chance romance and was really looking forward to this story. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me. I had a hard time connecting to the two main characters Effie and Ernie. Effie came off very selfish and bossy to me and Ernie seemed just too laid back and you didn't know what he was thinking. They also acted rather immature for people in their 30's with their games of truth or dare.

I had a hard time buying their romance. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other in 16 years since their relationship abruptly ended the night of high school graduation.

I did enjoy the small town setting in Maine, several of the secondary characters including Effie's sister and having a restaurant backdrop.

Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

Effie Olsen left her hometown, Alder Isle, a small Maine island, right after HS. She left behind her family and her best friend Ernie to go to culinary school and then work as a chef all over the world.

Now, after losing a head chef’s job, she’s back in Alder Isle, working as a sous chef at a one star Michelin restaurant called Burnt Butter and picking up her friendship with Ernie. He’s not the same Ernie from HS, he’s grown up and is hotter than ever.

Unfortunately, the restaurant is operating under false pretenses. When everything comes out, will Effie want to stay or will she run?

I really liked this small town, second chance romance, 4 stars.

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

"Relationships and truck beds, she thought, hard to get out of gracefully."

Confused Effie is always trying to get out of things even if it's to her own detriment in the deliciously perfect start to summer romance Effie Olsen's Summer Special by romantic comedy author Rochelle Bilow.

All Effie wants is to leave the small town of Alder Isle off the coast of Maine. Living there with her father and younger sister since her Mom left them, her dream is to be a chef and travel the world cooking in Michelin star restaurants. The only problem is leaving her best friend Ernie behind but they will call, text, video chat and she'll visit. But on graduation night Ernie tells her that he's in love with her and will wait for her. They fight...okay Effie fights and walks away from him.

Effie returns home 16 years later completely defeated; her plans to cook her way through the world go up in flames when she's fired as head chef from a NY restaurant. Broke, alone and embarrassed she gets a job as a sous chef at the only high end restaurant on Alder Isle. Turns out Ernie works there too.

The writer created full rich characters, including the supporting ones, that makes this hometown of found family a summer destination. When Effie experiences the toxic work environment created by her boss and the lying about ingredients and where they're sourced from, she must decide if she's willing to risk the truth coming out.

More importantly, with her renewed friendship with Ernie, their hilarious summer bucket list antics, including Salsa dancing and a day eating their way through Portland, she must decide, or maybe just have the courage, to risk what she lost that summer 16 years ago to gain a life of seasons filled with the most patient man on Earth, Ernie.

I received a free copy of this book from #berkleypublishing via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rochelle Bilow’s Effie Olsen’s Summer Special is a contemporary romance publishing this week that features childhood best friends who fell apart, only to reunite years later and find a chance at romance alongside all of those memories.

This book is heartwarming! I felt like I was transported to that coastal setting on Adler Island, Maine right alongside Effie. I could smell the salty air and butter heating up for those fresh lobsters at Dougie’s lobster roll truck on the corner! I loved the small town vibes of Adler Island, I honestly want to live there.

The story centers around two former best friends, Effie Olsen and Ernie Callahan. Sixteen years ago on the night of gradation, Ernie confesses he is in love with Effie. This sends Effie fleeing that island faster than she could get a ferry off of it. Effie goes on to become a professional chef where she has worked in kitchens around the world.

Adler Island may be tiny, but it turns out it is no slouch in the culinary world, with a Michelin-starred restaurant called Brown Butter sitting right on the coastal island and in need of a sous chef for the summer. Effie decides to return home for the first time in a long time and spend the summer working at Brown Butter (it doesn’t hurt her decision that she sort of lit her career on fire at her last job, which as we know is a big no-no for a chef).

Effie makes another big mistake when she gets drunk and spends the night with the head chef Jarrod after her interview and job offer. Jarrod is the exact wrong type of guy to go for in every way, and it’s made worse by the fact that if the news of their liaison gets out, her career is over. Women have a much harder time than men in the culinary industry when it comes to judgment. And when I tell you that you will absolutely despise Jarrod, I’m not kidding. He is the worst!

I was so excited when Effie and Ernie finally run into one another a day after she arrives on the island. It took a few chapters longer than expected, which gave me time to get to know Effie. That girl is in her head constantly. She has shed her wild, mischievous side for a highly organized, routine-oriented life. But running into Ernie certainly seemed to bring back what I can assume is the old Effie (and one I liked much more than the Effie who arrived on the island).

Add to the complications that Ernie works at the Brown Butter with her, and Effie is still worried he hates her, things get complicated. But what I loved about this book is that it wasn’t overly angsty in terms of the relationship. Effie and Ernie have a beautiful love story and arc across the book. Things progress the right way, and they never have that moment of teary, misunderstood break up. It’s clear their friendship and history add a level of trust that most of us can only dream of in a new relationship.

I loved this book! Definitely one of the best romance books I’ve read in a while. There was one thing unrelated to Effie and Ernie that I didn’t love in how the story wrapped up, but otherwise this is a phenomenal, heartwarming love story in an adorable seaside town with lots of delicious descriptions of food and a great supporting cast.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.