What a fantastic read! This book is heartwarming, deep and reflective with light moments to keep it from being too heavy.

This story follows Ellie would has been in a bit of rut in every element of her life. When she is hired to be a ghost writer for chef Kieran. Despite wanting to write this cookbook Kieran struggles to keep structure in the process or get a system in place to get the task done and Ellie might be his worst nightmare with her regimented routine. This book mentions grief, unhealthy family life as well as someone who struggles with self esteem.

What I loved about this book is the way that the characters felt real and believable but also someone you really want to root for. Ellie and Kieran are sweet and I was rooting for them really early on. I loved how they both grew and saw themselves changing the more time they spent together but to them it was almost unnoticeable. The struggle or "misunderstanding" in the third act made sense and really made the characters more believable. Someone who reacts perfectly in the worst of situations, especially when your partner is lashing out at you, isn't realistic but I also didn't feel like it was a stupid issue that could be solved in two minutes of communicating. The issues that they face are real issues that sometimes you need a few minutes or days to think through. I really loved this book and will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves cooking and romance. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

This was divine. I devoured it in 24 hrs.

Give me a chef romance and I’m already sold but then add so much substance we have grief, adhd, addiction, people pleasing, parent neglect and two strong stoic main characters with off the charts chemistry and you’ve got a great romance right here.

Chamberlain has a new fan in me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martins Press, and St. Martin's Griffith for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Slowest Burn on September 24, 2024.

Was this chef romance adorable and sweet? Absolutely. Was it also chock-full of grief and emotionally charged moments between loved ones? You bectcha. I really appreciated how Sarah Chamberlain handled so many kinds of moments between characters so well, including Kieran's struggles with his ADHD and Ellie's people-pleasing destructiveness. The way food played a role in their romance was charming, but it also hit home how much food is about people and community.

If you enjoy hate-to-love, fake-dating, and chef romance, this is your book!

Sarah Chamberlain's debut novel, The Slowest Burn is the perfect heartwarming, sweet escape. This adorable, foodie-filled romance features grumpy sunshine vibes and a slow-burn love story. The characters are relatable and their banter is delightful.
Publication date- September 24, 2024

The narrators did a great job with this book, adding to the chemistry between the two main characters. The slowest burn is just that a slow burn romance, slowly growing and learning each other as they work on a cook book together. He’s a big time chef and she’s a writer.


🔹fake dating
🔹slow burn

I won't lie, I picked this book because of the food, and I was not disappointed. Ellie is a ghostwriter who had big dreams before being widowed at 27. Now 30, she is asked to work on a book for a younger chef dubbed the "pirate leprechaun" and she can't even pin him down to talk to her.
Kieran isn't sure how this cookbook situation is going to work. He is dyslexic and it takes him extra time to read and write so he just basically finds work arounds so he doesn't have to. It is why he became a chef. Now Ellie is asking more of him than he can handle.
The two butt heads until they are forced to spend a week together and hammer out recipes and an idea for the book. While together, they learn more about one another and Ellie learns she has been going about it all wrong.
Kieran knows that Ellie is too good for him but he can't help but fall for her, bit by bit. They are working together so it is off limits and Ellie loves her rules, but maybe she has been looking out for everyone for too long and this time she needs to take what she needs.
Kieran was smitten from the get go and I loved that about him. I loved how both Ellie and Kieran were so patient with one another (after the beginning) and how they gave each other what they needed. This book was so sweet and sent a great message. 4.5 Stars.
The audio was well done.
Thanks to McMillian, Netgalley and Sarah Chamberlain for an early Audio Copy.

I thought this was well done for a debut! I really enjoyed how much depth these characters had. They had a fun banter, but they were also characters that had been through a lot and that really added to the relationship. I think this one is perfect for romance readers, and of course readers who enjoy a good slow burn. I also really enjoyed the dual pov and the narrators for this audiobook did a great job!