The title of this book is the perfect description of it! It literally is "The Slowest Burn!"

I actually adored this book and thought it was just lovely! I'm an avid lover of cooking which is what sparked my interest in the first place! The MC's are perfect, both having to overcome their own trauma while trying to heal at the same time.

Their chemistry and connection was 🥵 with just a little spice! 🌶

I really enjoyed this book and thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Sarah Chamberlain's debut, "The Slowest Burn," offers an engaging mix of romance, gourmet cooking, and personal growth. The story centers around Ellie Wasserman, a meticulous ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks, and Kieran O'Neill, an unorganized yet talented chef who recently gained fame from a reality TV competition. The two are thrown together to write Kieran's debut cookbook, and as expected in a romance novel, sparks fly amidst the kitchen chaos.

Chamberlain has crafted relatable characters who each bring their own baggage. Ellie, a widow still entangled with her in-laws and codependent brother, and Kieran, a man trying to prove his worth despite an unsupportive family background and struggles with ADHD, are both compelling in their own right. Their journey is well-paced and heartwarming, making their eventual romance feel well-earned.

However, a couple of aspects fell short for me. The title, "The Slowest Burn," feels misleading. The narrative unfolds within a calendar year, not over decades as the title might suggest. Additionally, the resolution of the family dynamics was somewhat disappointing. The toxic behavior of family members is brushed aside and forgiven without substantial reckoning or growth, which felt unrealistic and unsatisfying.

Despite these critiques, "The Slowest Burn" is an enjoyable read. If you love a foodie romance with well-developed characters and are willing to overlook some narrative shortcomings, this book is worth a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Slowest Burn was way better than I thought it would be. I was expecting a cheesy love story, but it was so much more. It had so much substance and just the right amount of romance. Based on the other reviews I thought it would start off slow, but I never felt this way. If anything I felt hungry! What a great debut book from Sarah Chamberlain.

This book gets ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.5 stars! Super easy and enjoyable enemies to lovers romance.

The title is super appropriate for this book….it was a slow burn with a lot of build up to the main characters getting together. Sarah Chamberlain really develops their dislike for each other 🤣 before they realize that opposites attract. I did really enjoy having flawed characters who deserve a happy ending and how they grew emotionally through the story. I also enjoy cooking and all the cooking and California references. I would recommend this book to someone looking for a nice enemies to lovers book with more nuance with the characters..you just have to wait a little longer before they actually get together.

The Slowest Burn takes readers on a journey with Ellie, a dedicated ghostwriter and widow. Known for her exceptional performance, Ellie is determined to excel with her latest client, Kieran. However, as she gets to know him, she realizes his commitment to the project is uncertain. Despite initial challenges, their collaboration reveals deeply personal aspects of their lives, bringing them closer in unexpected ways.

The book shines with its authentic representation of a neurodivergent character and the nuanced portrayal of widowhood. Filled with moments of tenderness and honesty, it reflects on the diverse roles supporting characters play in the protagonists' lives. This novel is a compelling and heartwarming read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my favorite books I have read this year. The storyline was the perfect mix of heartwrenching and heartwarming, and all aspects were incredibly well done. I loved the characters so much, I was rooting for them so hard. Incredible read.

I am not the biggest fans of slow burn romances but the premise of the story sounded too good so I just couldn't resist clicking into this book! And the literally author wasn't kidding when she mentioned a slow burn. It seemed like for half of the book, the main characters were constantly at odds with each other, but gradually, they began to warm up to each other; a development I quite rather seemed to like!

Aside from the simmering tension between them, there were many other elements at play in this book. Ellie had to navigate through intense grief while also trying to move forward with her life.
The guilt in this story is palpable!
We also see themes of parental neglect, unlikable characters, and various other tropes making appearances throughout the book.
There was a lot to unpack here. Some of the supporting characters were truly despicable!
Once the main characters started working together instead of against each other, I found myself truly invested in the story. Their connection was heartwarming and allowed for emotions to blossom. The romance was sweet and not too steamy, but in the end, they stood by each other.

In conclusion, The Slowest Burn presents a captivating plot that gradually unfolds into a beautiful love story. I enjoyed the creative dishes they cooked up together. I would definitely love to read more works by this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Wow!! Okay so this is Slow Burn done right. In all honesty, the burn was really really slow, and I actually enjoyed it a lot. Great plot and the loved Sarah’s writing style. I love when books have background stories and reasons for characters being how they are today. The narratives were done really well. The cute gestures throughout the series really had my heart. I really really enjoyed this one. Slow burn and a cute love story. What more could you want. Definitely recommend.

Kudos to the author for going non-traditional romance mmc. I pictured Kieran as a smaller version of Eddie Redmayne. Character descriptions aside, the author definitely made me feel the feels in this book, mostly anger and sadness. I felt Ellie’s frustration and anger while trying to work with Kieran as well as the overall sadness from a lot of the characters. I was just missing the love feels. I could get there kinda with Kieran, but Ellie’s felt more like acceptance than love. I just think the love story missed the mark a little. The Slowest Burn was a slow read too. I received this as an ARC, so maybe some of these will be corrected before publishing. If not, this is a library rental.

Thank you St.Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain
Pub Date Sep 24 2024

Ellie is a 30 year old widow. Ellie resides in a small house behind her inlaws home. She is used to living a quiet predictable life with dreams of one day owning her own home as well as writing her own cookbook.

All that changes when she is hired as a ghostwriter for Kieran O’Neill's cookbook. They instantly butt heads as they're as opposite as two people can be. Kieran just won a TV cooking competition and is scared at failing.

He has been diagnosed with ADHD and is a recovering alcoholic. I really liked the character development of Ellie and Kieran, of how they begin to understand each other and how they both end up growing together.

They both work together in developing recipes for the book and discovering that they have similar passions to and interests. After finally letting go of expectations and rule following, they were able to discover what was truly important.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain
Ellie is a 30 year old widow living with her in-laws. She is hired as a ghostwriter for Liam's cookbook and doesn't like his attitude. Liam just won a TV cooking competition and feels like a joke. He hopes writing a cookbook will let everyone knows he is a serious chef and a capable adult. He wishes his ghostwriter would cut him some slack. This is an enemies to lovers slow-burn romance.

This book had a lot of depth. Ellie keeps her life routined and her world small to feel safe. She chose the safe, doting guy, allowed herself to be made over into a lady by his mom, and hides herself away living in a guest house and writing for other people instead of herself. Liam is a neurodivergent (ADHD/dyslexic) recovering alcoholic who has never fit in with his upper class family. He is trying to find his place in their world rather than varving out his own. Like many novels, this book was written as a a dual pov. But the voices of each of these characters were so distinct; without looking at the chapter headings you could tell who was telling the story.

Loved:
Neurodivergent, LD, plus-size, aromantic, Jewish, BIPOC, queer representation!
The strength of the main characters' voices
The slow burn of it all
How each character grew
The best friends!
Ben
Purchasing the bespoke suit

Didn't love:
The mother in law- a little cliché

This was a good book that you don't want to put down. I was rooting for Liam and Ellie on their own and together. 4 stars
Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain follows Ellie, a ghostwriter whose focus is solely on cookbooks, and Kieran, a Michelin star chef, as they work together to write an upcoming cookbook. Obviously, drama ensues, and after realizing their attraction for each other the two are pulled together in a hilariously and heartfelt way that tugs at the heartstrings.

I was pleasantly surprised by the pace of the story and how entertaining it was to read. Normally it takes me a few chapters to get into a story and its universe but with this one, it was exceptionally easy to imagine myself watching everything unfold as if I were there. The plot itself was so unique that by the end I was wishing there was more so I didn’t have to stop. Highly recommend!

The slowest burn is sure right. This book took me a while to get into, and only held my attention sporadically. It didn’t feel like much of a slow burn between the characters, it felt more like a slow moving book where the pacing was off.

Some scenes felt underdeveloped, like the fake dating. It seemed glossed over and too big of theme to haphazardly throw in and then quickly move on from. Some parts were a little too cliché for me, like the mirroring of scenes from each perspective when they were talking about their unrequited love for each other.

Overall, I thought the characters for the most part were endearing and the storyline was interesting, it just moved at a weird pace. I would only recommend to fans of romance novels, anyone who likes an enemies to lovers trope and a slow burn will like this book. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5🌟

The Slowest Burn is a slow burn romance about Ellie who is a ghost writer for cookbooks and Kieran who is a chef. Ellie and Kieran are paired up to write Kieran’s cookbook forcing them to work closely. They spend a lot of time together walking through different recipes for the cookbook, in which they slowly open up to one another. There were some parts in the story that I felt were a bit slow, but were necessary for the overall story. The chemistry between Ellie and Kieran is undeniable. Kieran was so attentive to wanting to know every single detail about Ellie.

I liked seeing Ellie’s growth within the story. She’s someone who’s been through so much and constantly putting others feeling and wants before her own. Her friendship with Nicole was everything, I love how they were always there for one another and the constant support.

Overall The Slowest Burn was a cute and enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC! 

Pub Date: Sep 24 2024 

The gradual burn of opposites attracts is my fav. One told in dual POV? Woof.

Our main characters Ellie and Kieran are brought together to create a cookbook. While Ellie is order, Kieran is chaos. Each also have a lot to unpack. There’s grief, parental abandonment, emotional abuse/manipulation, and neurodivergence. Despite these difficult subjects, Ellie and Kieran discover how to compromise, adopt new perspectives, and enjoy each other's company.

Chamberlain’s writing incorporated a harmonious balance between challenging topics and a romantic element. She made space for hardship, reflection, and growth. Not only did I really enjoy The Slowest Burn, but it also made me absolutely ravenous. Need their cookbook stat!

What a sweet, slow burn love story. I really enjoyed to chef and cookbook aspect of the book. I can’t wait for more from this author!

"The Slowest Burn" by Sarah Chamberlain serves up a delectable slow-burn romance with a unique twist. Ellie, a widow and talented cook, finds herself paired with Kieran, a Michelin-starred chef with ADHD, to work on his upcoming cookbook. Despite their differences, sparks fly as they navigate their professional collaboration and personal struggles. Chamberlain crafts heartfelt and relatable characters, delving into themes of grief, mental health, and personal growth with sensitivity and depth. The plot unfolds at a satisfying pace, blending humor, steamy romance, and emotional depth. While some may find the ending a bit too perfect, overall, "The Slowest Burn" is a delightful read that leaves you craving more from this promising debut author. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

NO RESERVATIONS meets P.S. I LOVE YOU in this sexy tale featuring a hot Michelin-starred chef and his ghostwriter as they learn to work together for his upcoming cookbook.

This book had such heartfelt and real characters. Ellie Wasserman had always been the primary caregiver to her younger brother as they were growing up and he was the main reason why she learned to cook in the first place. For Ellie, cooking is love. Now, after the death of her husband, she is having a difficult time keeping both herself and her in-law’s afloat, and cooking Shabbos dinner doesn’t seem to be quite as healing as it once was. Keiran O’Neill is the newest hot up-and-coming chef after winning a reality television competition, but he can’t help but feel the pressure. He has struggled with his ADHD and the mounting pressure from his estranged family for years; he just wants to feel like he’s accomplished something he can be proud of.

This book had great pacing, a surprise fake-dating plot, and amazing storytelling. I highly recommend this book and it has it’s perfect happily ever after just as any romance book should. I admit the last few chapters were almost maybe “too perfect” for my tastes though. The whole book felt so realistic, and then the end wrapped everything up in a tight little bow. Regardless, I’d do anything to read more of what Sarah Chamberlain has to offer. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Title to the T.
This was a savory, slow burn if I do say so myself. Ellie and Kieran were a joy to read. They might fall along the line of enemies to lovers, but HONEY! They were sweet, fiery, and painfully relatable. There was banter, humor, grief, and just the right amount of spice that created a beautiful story all around. The side characters were funny and brought an extra little sizzle to the story.

I love everything about this book. As a widow myself, I really related to Ellie. I also love a good book about FOOD! Thank you to SMP for this copy.