THE HOOK/APPEAL: Did she get her dream job or her nightmare of an employer?

THE REVIEW: If you like Frieda's Housemaid series, you'll get the appeal of this book.

THE RATING: Solid 4!

This is the second book I’ve read by Samantha Verant and wow does she know how to create and deliver awesome twists! I loved the multimedia aspects of the book which gave context to the story and provided more mystery. The references to the songs throughout also made this book seem so real (although I hope art doesn’t imitate life!). Well thought out characters and multiple POVs to get every side of the story.

This is my second book by Samantha Verant. I read The Lucky Widow as an ARC and I thought there was no way she’d be able to beat that story or even something as good as that story, but SHE DID IT AGAIN!

This story had me addicted from the very first chapter & I did not want to put it down! I had a feeling I knew where this story was going to go, but there were still a few twists that I was shocked at! Verant knows how to write a super twisty, intense, drama filled story with some psychotic characters! There were times I wanted to shake Julia for her to see the light, that’s all I’ll say about that, but when everything finally was revealed it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders! Verant will be an automatic read for me from now on! I absolutely love her work & will be recommending her books to everyone I can!!

If you want a twisty, drama filled, drama with rich people, a lot of food puns & jokes, and toxic/manipulative relationships then this is the story for you! And if you haven’t read The Lucky Widow? What are you waiting for?! It’s a fantastic read as well!!

This story takes you on an incredible journey, and I absolutely loved it! It’s filled with all the drama you’d expect from a tale about a married couple and their family. However, it adds an extra layer of intrigue by starting with a chef who begins working at the stars’ house. Unbeknownst to them, she’s not who she claims to be and has a hidden agenda. But hey, who wouldn’t be curious about someone like that?

This was enjoyable., but the issies with grammer and puncuation shoudl be rectified before official release. This may be the format but the issues were very offputtign and mad eit hard to focus on the story. However - it was a good story and the remise was enjoyable. A tad predicatble but enjoyable non-the less. I would definately recomend this to others a quick easy read. Nothing too dark or triggering, but again - always advise to list trigger warms at the beginnign of book. The writing style is so good and you are immediately drawn in by it - it really enchanges the storyline.

A definite addictive page turner. What a great book full of twists and turns

Thank you for the opportunity to review

Everyone seems to have their own agenda and no one is who they seem in this book. I found myself trying to decide who was responsible for doing each thing that happened. As soon as I had decided my suspect, something happened to point the finger elsewhere. The ending was also one I didn't see coming!

What a brilliant book this is, I was totally hooked from beginning to end. I loved the twists, turns and drama of it all, huge 5 stars.

2am & I’m finally heading to bed because I could not put this down. There were a lot of twists, and I truly never knew which direction we’d end up. The song references are a bit overdone (this coming from a gal who truly does appreciate ). Overall, an easy, twisty read.

The premise of the book was fascinating and promising, hence, I picked it up. However, the execution wasn't as stellar as I hoped. The characters were annoying and unlikable. I couldn't find it in my heart to root for any of them. It's predictable. It ended in kind of a cliffhanger. Would I be reading the sequel if there's one? Probably not.

Oh wow! What a roller-coaster ride this book is! Jam-packed tension, edge of your seat moments from the beginning to the end. I really didn't know anymore who was telling the truth and who was lying. Erica was an excellent actress, sharp, manipulative till the very end. She really had everyone fooled. Loved the book!

First let me say that I read and loved “The Lucky Widow” by this author and couldn’t wait to read her next book. In this book, Julia Fouquet was hired by a wealthy couple, Erica and David Drake, to be their personal chef. Her expectations were high as she returned from France to accept the job. From the moment she landed, things became unpredictable, less structured and not quite what she was expecting. Erica is a movie actress who seems friendly then almost hostile, while her husband, a movie producer was flirtatious which made her uncomfortable. She began to wonder if this “perfect” job wasn’t going to be quite so perfect. There is so much more going on that keeps Julia wondering what to watch out for next. Erica is texting with someone who she calls moonbeam, texts that disappear once they are read. Erica is planning on winning the Oscar for her most recent movie and is already preparing her speech. Julia has her own agenda as well, so don’t get comfortable as there is another twist right around the corner. The author had a way of catching this reader off guard and throwing in another layer that I didn’t see coming. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

If you enjoyed The Housemaid & The Perfect Marriage (which I did) you’ll enjoy this gem! I loved the tension and some scenes had me gagging with anxiety! Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this amazing book.

Juliet Fouquet lands a plushy job as a private chef to a very rich family in Malibu and moves from France and her family restaurant to do so. It's clear from the start that both she and Emma (wife of family) have both issues and an agenda. Both are rather unsympathetic people and it gets worse as we move through the story. I found it hard going as a result and struggled to finish. Such a set of nasty, greedy people in beautiful countryside not to mention revenge by the score. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

A fast paced thriller. I enjoyed this book & read it over a few sittings. I liked the two different point of view.s. Will definitely read more from this author .

Julia is hired as a personal chef for Erica, actress and David, producer. The setting is an upscale home with a fabulous kitchen that Julia can't wait to use. There is a lot going on inside this family and I loved every new thing as it was revealed. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what could happen next. This is my first book by this author and I will certainly look for more.

What a fun and twisty read!

Thanks to netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc.

It was my first book from this author and definitely will be reading more! I love that it had dual perspectives & multiple twists! Definitely has you hooked from the start!

Formally trained chef, Julia lands a high-paying private chef gig for celebrity Erica Drake in Malibu, Calif. This is a dream job if there ever was one. At least that was until she learns that Erica is incredibly difficult and demanding, and likely an alcoholic. This family has secrets hidden behind secrets, and as Julia starts to unravel them, her own secrets are at risk of coming out. A reminder that money and fame aren't everything, and things are most often not as they seem.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Samantha Verant for the eARC.

The Private Chef by Samantha Vérant was an excellent addictive psychological thriller with a shocking twist that will blow ya socks off!!! WoW this book was so good I was hooked at the beginning and found it hard to put this book down. I really enjoyed it especially as Samantha is a new author to me. Plus, I love the way she writes.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and to Storm Publishing, I was provided an ARC

I love this author but couldn’t get into this one.

Pros: great cover. Great concept.

Cons: the characters and story weren’t interesting. I slugged through this one. Thanks for the advance review copy,