Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the eARC of The Slowest Burn by @sarahchamerlain in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Being an adult is hard and when life deals an unfair hand, it seems to hit deeper the older you get. Ellie is a cookbook ghostwriter (how cool!) who had a great love but was widowed by the tender age of thirty. Kieran is a tough-looking chef hot in the game but without the loving support from his parents. When Ellie is brought in to write his cookbook, she learns he does not even use cookbooks and that it is when the real challenge begins. Can the two overcome their differences to work together and create this masterpiece? The Slowest Burn is a wonderful premise that is masterfully executed! Sarah Chamberlain creates remarkably relatable characters that so many thirty-somethings will find a spark with. Sometimes behind success, there is a void that can be artfully masked but still radiate heavy within the soul. The chemistry between Ellie and Kieran gives hope that with the right ingredients and some patience, healing is possible.
Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

Ellie and Kieran could not be more different. Ellie is deliberate, organized, structured. Kieran is chaotic, hectic, and spontaneous. Ellie has been hired to be Kieran’s ghost writer for a cook book and the pair clash like honey and vinegar. Things get better after some forced proximity and they have a breakthrough on the cookbook. Both Kieran and Ellie love cooking for different reasons and combined they make the perfect pairing.

This slow burn romance is achingly sweet. Both Kieran and Ellie have baggage from their pasts and are very deep and well written characters. They just felt so real. I’m often not the biggest fan of duel pov but I think it’s done so well and allows us to really get to know the characters deeply. It’s definitely a slow burn though so make sure you have the patience for that! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would give 3.5 stars but that is not an option. While I did enjoy aspects of this book, as a whole it felt like it was trying too hard. The character descriptions are so over the top on unattractiveness or other flaws. It felt like too much. I respect the author for trying to make a level of realness and depth, it just went too far. The other big issue I had was with the flow of the story. It would abruptly jump forward several weeks or months, but the characters wouldn't have developed any more chemistry or closeness. I give an A for effort. But overall, the book tries too hard, without ever really getting there.

This sounds like a heartwarming and refreshing take on the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope! The combination of dealing with grief, learning disabilities, and challenging family dynamics adds layers of complexity to the characters and their relationship. The idea of them coming together to create a cookbook is not only creative but also signifies a journey of healing and growth for both characters.

What sets this book apart is its portrayal of unique individuals who don't fit into the typical romance novel stereotypes. Their differences, conflicts, and eventual harmony make for a compelling read. Tthe author has crafted a story that resonates with authenticity and emotion, making it a memorable and enjoyable read for fans of the genre.

The Slowest Burn by debut author S. Chamberlain, published by St. Martin's Press, is a wonderful, highly entertaining read that had me in suspense from start till the last page.
Witty and fun, I loved the bicker and banter, the spice and the well deserved hea.
Blurb: Ellie's life is tidy, and that’s exactly how she wants it. Really. A top ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks, she was widowed three years ago and has no interest in taking chances―not on writing her own cookbook, not on telling her still-grieving in-laws she wants to move out, and certainly not on dating, which is about as intimidating as a recipe with fifty steps.
Kieran O’Neill isn’t known for being organized. An up-and-coming chef who scored big on a reality television competition, he’s been the guy who cracks jokes and makes messes―something his chilly family has never let him forget. The only place he feels truly capable is at the stove. But when he’s paired with an uptight ghostwriter with cool blue eyes and distracting curves to write his debut cookbook, she shreds his class clown act like a paring knife cuts an orange peel.
As Ellie and Kieran have to work closely together in a kitchen for weeks on end, their sharp edges and harsh judgments slowly soften and sweeten into a wildly delicious attraction. Long, steamy days turn into even steamier nights, but they have to face their pasts to know if this new love can transform into something lasting.

title: The Slowest Burn

author: Sarah Chamberlain

publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

publication date: September 24, 2024

pages: 336

peppers: (3 on this scale)

warnings:

blood, fainting, alcohol, non-using alcoholic

summary: Widow Ellie gets hired to ghostwrite celebrity chef Kiernan's cookbook. She's organized and trying to get him to work with her, but he's impulsive and non-responsive. They'll have to find a way to work together.

tropes:

slow burn
enemies-to-lovers
opposites attract
cooking, in more than the kitchen
bad childhoods
he doesn't want a relationship
trying to keep it casual
ignoring oneself and doing for others
fat cat
one bed, sort of
reader and non-reader
awareness of romance tropes
what I liked:

great main characters
great side characters
lots of cooking, food descriptions
lots of cookbooks (I wrote my college honors thesis on cookbooks!)
what I didn’t like: N/A -- a fun read

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

I wasn’t necessarily obsessed with this book. It was very sweet and a nice slow burn romance, but the story was just trying to do so much. There were so many tropes going on throughout the book that it was distracting. It also felt like the beginning of the book was just thrown together in order to get them to the forced proximity trope. Don’t get me wrong, it was good and did a good job portraying the complexities of mental health, but there was just a bit too much going on.

This book hits you in all of the feels. You immediately fall in love with the sparks that fly between Ellie and Kieran even before either of them want to admit it. The relationship that Ellie has created with her father in law is so heartwarming. The grief Ellie Carrie’s from being a widow and learning to live and love again absolutely tugs at your heartstrings. The friendship that Ellie and Nicole as well as Kieran and Jay share is a true tell them what they need to hear not what they want to hear supportive relationship that we all can hopefully relate to. I love the way they were both career driven in their own ways and figuring out how to balance work and love. I found myself not able to put this book down and sneaking chapters in any second possible throughout the day. This was a wholesome read all the way around.

I love watching cooking shows .. reading a romance novel based in a cooking show setting unlocked a whole new experience!
I really hope to see this turn into a movie in the future!

When this book is released in September 2024 it’s an absolute must read! I will definitely be adding Sarah Chamberlain to my list of loved authors and can’t wait for the next release!

Thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early release version for my honest review!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6439472792
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/5Wd7HSxW7FzaKA8V/?mibextid=WC7FNe

I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel. The process of writing a cookbook and the bits and pieces it takes to create recipes was fascinating and I really enjoyed how the narrative opened up. I was getting serious 'The Bear' vibes, and was fully invested. But the book fizzled and fell flat.

This was really cute! I loved the food aspect (prepare to be hungry!) and how the characters came together from their respective corners of the world. It took me a little while to believe they were a good fit, but I did get there and once I did, it worked well! The pace was a bit slow (as the title promised), and some of the dialogue felt unrealistic, but overall a sweet read and good debut!

The writing was fine, the pace feels on the slower side, and so I didn’t find myself personally desiring to continue. I would anticipate this will be a 3 to 4 star range for the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

This book is really something special, a heartfelt masterpiece packed with emotion and care. Kieran and Ellie are such amazing characters that work well both on their own and as a couple; it is simply impossible not to root for them. A truly fantastic love story (told through great writing) that I will be thinking about for a while. Highly recommend.

This was such a cute and fluffy romance, enjoyed the enemies to liver vibe and that is about writing a cooking book, both characters feel real and authentic. Supper easy read for summer

This is a lovely story of two people bringing out the best in each other (after initially bringing out the worst in each other).

Ellie is a young widow and talented cookbook ghostwriter. Kieran is a chef with a boisterous personality and newfound fame from his recent win on a reality TV cooking competition. When Ellie is hired to help Kieran with his highly anticipated cookbook, she is quickly put off by his lack of seriousness and precision. Kieran is equally dismayed by Ellie’s personality. However, they have to figure out a way to work together - and when they do, they are surprised to find out how much they care for one another.

I enjoyed The Slowest Burn and loved Ellie’s determination not to eat “sad pastries” - I agree! At times, this was a difficult read as Ellie is a person who focuses more on others than herself and her wellbeing. It was great to see her grow and figure out her own needs and wants. At first I found Kieran as grating as Ellie did, but he matures a lot as the chapters go by and steps up. Overall, a sweet read about two people who have a little self-discovery to do before they can be with their well-matched opposite.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

When I picked this on up I assumed it was just going to be a lighthearted rom com and I couldn't have been more wrong. What I got was so much better and I really just loved it so much.
Ellie is a cookbook ghost writer aho gets assigned to help write a cook book for Kieran, the winner of a television cooking show and chef at a fancy restaurant in San Francisco. Their first impression of each other is undoubtedly negative but as they work together they realize the actually compliment each other well and begin to fall for one another. Ellie is still feeling from the suddenly death of her husband and Kieran has struggled with substance abuse and feeling unworthy. The story is a beautiful one and amidst the love story, there is a very real picture of grief tied in. Beautifully written and I am happy to have read it.

Ellie is a cookbook ghost writer, living in grief after the death of her first husband. She has been assigned to write a cookbook with Kiernan, who recently won a reality TV cooking show. The two are attracted to one another right away, but they decide their relationship will be work and friends only. Then Kiernan asks Ellie to pretend to be his girlfriend at his parents' party, and sparks fly. Can the two overcome their pasts, set aside their work, and find true love?

Spicy and sassy! I loved this piece and the main characters. The chef romance thrope worked well and fake dating is always a favorite!

i was so excited to receive this early that i dropped everything i was reading just so i could read this one! i loved everything about this book! the characters felt very genuine and were written really well! i will definitely be recommending this to my book club!

I received an advanced copy for my review, this is my honest review that I am leaving voluntarily. It's in the title guys! It is a slow burn, tropes are grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity and banter. It is an open door but it's perfect for the category it is in. It has great character development and of course you get your happy ending. I really enjoyed this.

One absolute *swoon-worthy* book at your service!! This was such a cute read, I loved every bit of it, I had the biggest smile on my face when reading it.Both characters feel relatable, and their story felt so sweet. I can’t wait to see more from this author!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.