Julia and Erika tell the same story from different views. I found this book a little repetitive and flat and struggled to engage with it. No fault of the author just not my cup of tea but I am grateful for the chance to read the arc.

The Private Chef is a dual POV thriller where everything is not quite as it seems. Everyone has secrets and hidden motivations. It fell in roughly two halves for me, with layers slowly being peeled back to reveal the full story. You know that what you're being told is absolutely not reality, so you are engaged and eager to keep going.

I enjoyed this story; at no point was I bored or disengaged. I felt like the ending fell a little flat as I accurately predicted the twist, but it was still highly enjoyable. I would recommend it to those looking for a thriller on the lighter side as a means to introduce you to the genre or take a break.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I was quite excited for this as it is my first ARC read via NetGalley—an advanced read in exchange for my honest review. Firstly, thank you to the publishers for choosing me!

I will say, the beginning was the best part! I was immediately hooked and excited for what was to come.

Sadly, the rest of the book wasn’t quite what I expected. There were plenty of twists and “OMG!” moments throughout, but it felt very long winded and the constant song references felt very out of place for what it was.

Lifestyles of the rich and famous. Dive into this twisty thriller. The start is a bit slow but the pressure cooker heats up very quickly. Get a glimpse into the the manipulative mind of Erica who does not mind using anyone to make her plan succeed. A fun and refreshing while sometimes dark and devious tale that will leave you breathless until the last dish is served.

The premise of the main character being a private chef felt so refreshing and interesting. I've read a lot of 'fly on the wall' books but usually the FMC is either a maid, cleaner or nanny so this was nice to have a change! I also loved the script format - it felt a really creative way to mix up the format and add to the classic narrative.

Verant is incredibly talented at make this a creepy and uncomfortable read in the most subtle ways. It felt like the book progressively became more and more creepy without anything crazy happening in the plot. Saying that, there was really good pacing initially there felt like there was drama from the beginning and you could just sense the inkling of a scandal from the first chapter. The feeling of Julia being watched was painted so well that I felt like she was being watched before Julia even vocalised it.

I also think David was introduced to the narrative at the perfect moment because it wasn't until we were properly used to Julia and Erica's character/dynamic that he was involved as the third character. Unfortunately, the pacing dropped off massively and dragged soon after the initial set up which was disappointing.

None of the characters felt particularly likeable - I'm not sure if that's the point but this made the book really hard to read because I just wasn't rooting for anyone. Julia's abrupt turn to a sinister character seeking revenge felt so random and was frankly a confusing pivot. Also, David was such a gross and predatory character and at times was uncomfortable to read. The only aspect of the characters I liked was Erica's biting self awareness of how she's an 'absolute asshole'.

Some of the wording felt sloppy 'she weighs one hundred and ten pounds - when wet' - what does this mean?! Felt oddly sexual for the context. 'They'd called it on the news' felt like slightly clunky wording too for some reason. However, there was some wording that was wonderfully done ('I used to be here for his amusement, now I'm just here for his abusement'). Also it felt very confusing at time as to where the book was set, as there were lots of references to Malibu and LA so the plot felt like it existed in this continuum of both locations at times.

All in all this book was brimming with potential and had so many good moments of suspense building and drama. However, the characters felt a little one dimensional and purposefully unlikeable for the sake of it which made the book itself a pretty tricky read. The plot started good but the slow down of pacing made the ending not worth muddling through.

This book kept me on tenterhooks wondering what was going to happen next and who could be trusted. It's set in the vacuous culture of Hollywood and the acting world but is quite a drama. There are twists in the story leaving you wondering whether the characters developing at the beginning of the story are the villain or innocent people. Nothing is ever quite as it appears in this book.

Varant has found her niche in domestic/psychological thrillers, where she places her characters in settings of excessive wealth and privilege that most people can’t imagine but love to read about, then takes you on the ride (read) of your life. First, The Lucky Widow (if you haven’t read it, what are you waiting for?) and now, The Private Chef. Her characters are deceitful, evil, and occasionally charming, which made me vacillate between who I wanted to be the real killer, and who I wanted to be redeemable. (You'll never guess!)

The very best kind of story where readers will keep guessing until the last page—just the way I like books that scare the pants off me but won’t let me stop reading.

I don’t know what this author has planned next, but I do know that I’m buying it. Bravo!

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm for the early read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Julia flies from France to America to start a job as a private chef for Hollywood power couple-actress Erica and her movie maker husband David.
Everything is not as it seems. Julia has a secret, a reason for getting close to the Drakes. And this couple have mood swings for fun. Can Julia keep calm and seek to finish what she came out for?
This was a good read. I enjoyed the switch each chapter, between Erica and Julia’s point of view. As well as their pattern of texting. The big reveal was built up well, but by the time we finally got there, the suspense was gone and I had figured it out. I just didn’t have the details. Erica and David weren’t very nice characters, Madison was the unsung hero-all were written well. The cliffhanger in the last sentence has me baffled. I have no idea what it means and I’m desperate for more!

This book sounded so promising, the premise truly grabbed my attention, unfortunately it was not able to hold my attention. I didn't feel the want or need to pick it back up. It was a lot to keep reading the same scene from multiple POV's. I did not like that and I got bored so I had to DNF this one.

Julia is hired from France as a private chef for a Hollywood super couple, Erica and David Drake. She envisions this job as a stepping stone to her dream of opening a series of French bakeries. Although the beginning of the book feels a bit disjointed, it explodes into a captivating and twisted story where it’s hard to know whom to believe. Everyone has secrets, and the characters are all lying and deceitful. The author ratchets up the danger and suspense, and you will be hanging on to every word. With thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

This book was not the suspenseful read I expected it to be. I struggled reading 50% of the book. The characters were not likable and flat. I did not like the alternating chapters between Julia and Erika telling the same scene. The story took forever to go anywhere. The story was very predictable. I fast forward through the 2nd half of the book and the ending was exactly what I thought it would be.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc of this book.
Wild, exciting, entertaining and definitely a page turner of a psychological thriller.
Who can you trust, David the screenwriting husband, Erica the psychotic Oscar winning actress his wife or even the kids in this fast paced, twisting and turning thriller.
Honestly, this book had me guessing all the way, with so many turns and twists I felt as if I had whiplash - in a good way. I enjoy a book that keeps you guessing right to the very end.
I loved the characters even though Erica is a total nut job and David seemed a bit of a ladies man. The kids Madison and Tyler teenagers, were well grounded and down to earth kids considering their parents were so barmy.
The essence of the story is that apparently David is a method screenwriter, producer who uses real life situations for his thriller/murder projects and Julia our MMC has gone to work for them as their personal chef to uncover the truth behind her parent's death, which was made into a movie by David with Erica playing the mother.
Verant does an amazing job of having you hooked in the book from the characters all well developed to the engrossing plot. The end twist is spectacular.
Highly recommend this read. Now on to more Verant books.
Kerry Kennedy Author

After enjoying the last book i read by Samantha, this book was sadly disappointing. I am setting it aside at 42% read at this point having struggled to get this far. The story is constantly confusing and inconsistent. It may be that it needs some major editing prior to publication with some of the issues; however the whole set up and story just falls short for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review, and hoping the next book by Samantha returns to the skill shown in The Lucky Widow.

This is a new to me author and I had high expectations from the reviews and the reviews of The Overnight Guest. The book was about very wealthy people doing wealthy things and still wanting more. I could not connect with the characters at all. I found them obnoxious and uninteresting. The book did start off good, but soon became long winded and the plot was convoluted. I enjoyed the writing style, but not the book. I found some parts so disjointed that I had to go back and re-read as I thought I was missing something. The twists were ok. It got to the point where I could not wait to reach the end, as I would never not finish an ARC. The ending was exactly what I thought it would be. I see many good reviews for this, so this probably is just not the book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. I will recommend this book as we all have different tastes.

When Julia Fouquet lands a job as a private cook for a wealthy family in Malibu, she thinks she’s living the dream.

But her new employer, Erica Drake, is far from the glamorous star Julia expected. Her moods range from fawning to furious in an instant and most mornings start with a glass or two of rosé. Her erratic behaviour soon makes Julia wish she’d never set foot in their expansive, beach-side home.

As the family’s secrets bubble to the surface, Julia must keep a cool head. She’s a chef, after all. Pressure comes with the job. And she’s worked hard to get so close to the picture-perfect Drakes. If they figure out her secret now, her carefully laid plans will go up in flames…

The Private Chef was a nice wee thriller, two differing POV's - the chef and the movie star, with a glamourous setting, some sharp knives and a lot of lies. Well written, a few twists and a satisfying ending - although it does leave it open for a sequel?!

I didn't trust anyone, which I think makes for a good thriller, and I enjoyed the food Julia was preparing - I felt there was a good amount of detail in the food for a book titled the Private Chef! I also enjoyed the scripts at the start of each section of the book.

Overall a great beach read thriller

When Julia gets a job as a private chef for a famous family the drama gets started quickly! I couldn’t figure out who was lying, and who could be trusted! The wife with her crazy moody swings or the cheating husband who was never home both had Julia on her toes. A great thriller that will keep you guessing!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!

DNF-ed this book at 20%. I was trying so so hard to get into it, but I just wasn’t hooked. I’m sure this is the book for someone, but that someone just unfortunately isn’t me. Loved the premise though!!

Simply mind blowing 🤯 a great read that makes you guess and double guess. Brilliant, beautifully written and keeps you hooked from the very beginning

Witty. Wicked. Wild. A fun, twisty thriller that hooked me from the first page to the last!

I loved the spectacular setting in sunny Malibu and all the delicious characters. I couldn't put this one down once I started it and read it in little over a day. I really enjoyed this story and the sarcastic humor throughout. I loved the writing style, and the screenplay adds were fun too. Highly recommend!

Great thriller! A twisty and entertaining read with characters you love to hate. I loved the premise of this one-- a wealthy Hollywood actress up for an Academy Award is trapped in an unhappy marriage. Her motives aren't quite pure when she hires a private chef from France who has some tantalizing secrets of her own. Told from alternating points of view, I could never quite figure out what was going to happen to next. I look forward to reading The Lucky Widow by Samantha Verant next.