The slowest burn is about a ghostwriter named Ellie who is forced to work with famous chef Kieran on his cookbook.

I really connected with Ellie, as a people pleaser myself I found her to be very relatable and I enjoyed her growth and healing journey over the course of the book. The relationship between Ellie and Kieran was so so sweet, they brought out the best in each other. While I don’t typically enjoy a third act breakup, it really worked in this story and personally I found it to make their love story feel so authentic!!

This was Chamberlin’s debut novel and i thought she excelled at balancing the heavier moments with the lighter, romantic ones. I can’t wait to see what else she writes! The Slowest Burn is a duel pov with
ADHD and dyslexia representation, tons of food and is out now!

**Thank you to St Martins Press for the ARC and the chance to read and review. All opinions are my own**

I always enjoy a well done contemporary romance with slow burn and this book delivered with amazing characters and even better character development

An easy read, with a beautiful cover! I'm not generally a fan of slow burn romance, but this story gave a nice balance to "slow and steady" while also keeping my interest. There were a few moments that I didn't necessarily connect with the characters, but the depth of the development was very well done and gave me more of a reason to root for them! Overall, this novel delivered exactly what I expected!

Ellie and Kieran’s story was so beautiful, so complex, and I truly savored the journey. I loved seeing them go from enemies to cookbook co-conspirators to friends to lovers as they both made peace with big pieces of themselves. The grief in this book is palpable and difficult and bittersweet and the growth is all the more delicious for it. I loved the way food and a solid cast of additional characters buoyed the story to take us to the ending. If you enjoyed Savor It by Tarah DeWitt, I think you’ll really love this too!

When Ellie is brought in to ghost write Kieran's debut cookbook after his recent win of a cooking competition, they immediately get off on the wrong foot. But as they're forced to work together, they both learn that maybe Kieran could benefit from Ellie's grounded-ness and Kieran could help Ellie break out of the routines that have become suffocating after her husband's death three years earlier.

It's a great romance that builds slowly.

I truly enjoyed this book. A chef who received an unfortunate nickname on a cooking competition needs to write a cookbook to stay relevant but has no idea how. Kieran is this chef and Ellie is the ghostwriter who is assigned to help him. Their relationship starts with a fight in public, but will it improve?
Watching Ellie and Kieran go from enemies to cautious friends to maybe more was fun.

The Slowest Burn was a sweet and slightly bittersweet romance between a recent cooking show winner and a cookbook writer when the pair are teamed up to write his cookbook. She lost her husband young, and has been struggling with her life ever since. He suffers from ADHD. They’re complete opposites that shouldn’t be able to stand one another - she thrives on routine and order, and thinks he’s an entitled spoiled brat of a celebrity chef. He struggles with maintaining order and resents her overbearing attitude. But the longer they spend together working on the book, the more they get to know one another and appreciate each other. And the low simmering tension between them boils over into sexual tension that cannot be denied. This would read like a Hallmark movie if it hadn’t balanced out the lighter moments with some serious themes of grief, depression, mental health and complicated family.

I definitely needed this read after reading so many dark books. I am a sucker for slow burn so as soon as I saw this I immediately requested it. The story was so cute overall. Enemies to lovers books will always get me!

•Dual POV
• Forced proximity
•Opposites attract
•Grump Vs Sunshine
•Debut

This one was cute but felt lacking a little. I would definitely read more from this author. 3.5 stars.

This book is for the people-pleasing eldest daughters that will fix everyone else's life and ignore themselves. This read more like women's fiction to me but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Lots of yearning and self-discovery between these pages. A solid 3.5 stars!

First, thank you to the author, publisher and NG for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.

When I first saw the title and synopsis of this novel, I snatched it at the first chance...I always love a well done slow burn romance. That being said, I felt disconnected with this one. To start, the FMC I found frustrating and a bit irritating. I tried to reason that it was the whole persona that she puts out there and there would be character development - and I'm not saying there wasn't but I couldn't get used to her. I tried to power through it and focused on the MMC but that wasn't much better. I do feel like this book just wasn't for me and don't think harshly on the author's writing. I would read another by the author. This one just wasn't quite working for me.

good romance and loved how they found love and each other. They survived their trials and found their way back to each other. another great romance.

This is hands down one of the best books I’ve read all year. It ticks so many of my personal boxes, starting with the fact that I love romances where food plays a central role. Kieran, a recent cooking show winner, and Ellie, a cookbook ghostwriter assigned to work with him, are an irresistible pairing. The initial tension between them feels completely natural—Ellie is all business, aware of how long it takes to produce a quality cookbook, and Kieran, dealing with dyslexia and ADHD, keeps putting off their work sessions. Their friction leads to some delightful conflict, and as they slowly adjust to each other’s quirks, the forced proximity creates a perfect foundation for their romance to develop. The chemistry between them is palpable from the start, and watching their relationship evolve from conflict to care is deeply satisfying. Plus, the spice? Spot on.

But what really sets this book apart is how it handles heavier themes like grief and toxic relationships. Ellie is a widow who lives on the same property as her in-laws, cooking for them and constantly shouldering her mother-in-law’s grief, to the point where it’s draining her. She’s trapped in this cycle of giving without getting anything in return, and the toll it takes on her mental health is portrayed with raw honesty. Ellie’s struggle to prioritize her own needs and find a way to break free from this emotional burden is incredibly powerful. Kieran’s role in her journey is subtle but vital—he shows her there’s another way to live, and that caring for herself isn’t selfish. Their love story becomes more than just romantic—it’s about healing, self-discovery, and learning to let go of unhealthy patterns.

The romance is beautifully written, with Kieran and Ellie complementing each other in ways that make their connection feel real and meaningful. The emotional depth of the story, combined with the sizzling chemistry and Kieran’s gentle support, made this a standout read. It’s a book that leaves a lasting impact, balancing love, growth, and self-care in a way that felt deeply resonant and uplifting.

I have mixed feelings on this one. It took me longer than normal to read because I just never found myself wanting to pick it back up again after I'd sat it down. The story was all over the place and while I liked Kieran a lot, I really couldn't stand Ellie. She was a doormat for literally everyone around her. The girl has some trauma and grief she's not dealing with and needs a good therapist.

Honestly, I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. A developing friendship, sure, but not romantic love. It felt forced, and the sexy scenes were both spicy and cringy. I also hated how they called each other 'love' and 'honey'. Just, no.

I liked the dual point of view but there were times when the POV or timeframe shifted from one sentence or paragraph to the next, which made it difficult to follow. Hopefully, the final print will have some sort of separation when this happens.

Sadly, this one just didn't live up to my expectations.

This is sadly a book that as I think more about it, the less I actually like it and have more time to have critical thoughts 😂 So I would say this is a solid 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for me. Of the two ghost writer books I've read recently, it's absolutely the better one, but both are just a handful of tropes thrown together and no actual chemistry or plot to be found.

Though maybe I'm projecting, but that's because I simply cannot fathom being attracted to a 5'7" redheaded man (who also acts like a teenage boy). Like you could not make a more unattractive character to me, I'm sorry but it had to be said.

I think this had tons of potential, and there were moments that were beautiful, but others when I really wanted the author to explore more emotional depth. Like it was so close to being something. I also stand by the fact that for something to be a slow burn, it actually has to burn. I want that tension to be developed, not just random horniness sprinkled throughout. And for it being a standard length trad published book, it seriously felt like it DRAGGED. I would pause and be like, how can I possibly have so much longer to go?

I did love the suit buying and the fake dating, but that is not enough to hold and entire story together. So all in all, it's fine, but not anything I would solidly recommend.

The Slowest Burn follows Ellie, a cookbook ghostwriter, and Kieran, a reality TV star, as they collaborate on his debut book. Initially tense, their partnership evolves into a charming romance, complicated by personal struggles. Ellie is a caregiver for her late husband’s family, putting her needs last, while Kieran battles insecurities tied to ADHD and dyslexia. Chamberlain’s character development is exceptional, making their growth both touching and believable. Ellie encourages Kieran to take himself seriously, while Kieran helps Ellie rediscover her individuality.

Overall, The Slowest Burn blends lighthearted romance with deeper themes of healing and self-discovery. With well-paced storytelling and authentic, relatable characters, it’s perfect for romcom fans who crave more depth. This heartfelt romance is a standout, making Chamberlain’s work one to watch this fall.

I enjoyed this ‘meet and dislike’ romance set around a chef and his ghost writer. I found the ghost writing of the book fascinating. And I never thought about this aspect of writing before. Ellie had to make Kieran (a larger than life reality cooking show star) likable and engaging. She also wanted to know a lot about his recipes so they could come alive on the page. As someone who cooks and bakes from scratch - this was such a unique storyline.
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I loved the dyslexia rep
There is ADHD rep
Ellie is a widow (could be a trigger)
Kieran has chemistry right away
Ellie takes longer
There is Fun banter.
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Overall, I enjoyed this debut - but at times the pacing felt slower - but that’s my only critique. Thank you to @netgalley and @smpromance for the Advance Reader Copy.

This was a someone brutal read for me. I typically LOVE a good slow burn, but this was just uninteresting. I couldn’t connect to the characters and was really bored from about halfway on. The banter was pretty funny from time to time, but overall, it was just a bit of a trudge.

I enjoyed the main characters in this book. They were not physically your typical main characters, which was unique. It was indeed a slow burn. If that’s your trope, you are in for a treat.

Really enjoyed this food-focused romance set in the Bay Area. The characters had interesting back stories, loved all the Bay Area references, and the resolution at the end was satisfying and fun. Loved it.