Love from Scratch

This is the second book in a series and focuses on Ethan, a movie star, and his chef turned dog sitter, Hazel.

I loved Ethan in the previous book and was really keen to see him get his Happily Ever After.

Hazel is a bit prickly in the beginning which is a perfect foil to Ethan’s charming personality. She’s not impressed by his status and he finds that refreshing. She’s also attractive in an unconventional way. Not too polished and totally authentic.

I love Italian food so all I wanted to eat while reading this book was pasta. Be warned, you may get the urge to cook!

This was a really fun read. I liked this author. She writes dialogue well and these two characters has plenty of chemistry.

Steamy without being too blush inducing as well.

I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a fun read with lovely characters, a charming setting and plenty of cute animal moments. While it is a true romance, it avoids some of the annoying tropes by injecting some realism into the decision making by the characters, which is very refreshing. A perfect book for lying on the beach or sitting on the plane on the way to your next holiday,

I absolutely adored this book! It was the perfect light hearted romcom with its heart in your mouth moments waiting to see how Hazel and Ethan would get their happily ever after. Special mention of course to Kevin the car (whose attitude is 100% all cats everywhere) and Harry the dog who chewed too much but won hearts anyway. I haven't yet read Sit Stay Love despite having it on my shelf but will definitely be looking forward to going back and reading that story as well.

A delicious rom com featuring a celebrity pairing and reverse grumpy/ sunshine and he falls first tropes. I was prepared not to like up and coming movie star Ethan but I was once he stated he didn’t want to be typecast as the ‘rom com animal guy’ I was sold! I liked that he was down to earth despite his fame and seemed genuinely nice. Hazel was also a great character. I loved that she was a chef and lived in a tiny house. Their banter and chemistry was amazing and there was definitely some spice- both varieties!

I liked that both characters had their own issues to work through- Ethan his fear of dogs and Hazel trying to find a new job and get her cooking mojo back. A perfect mix of romance, humour and something a bit more meaty to keep you engaged. I’m keen to go back and read Amy’s first novel Sit Stay Love now.

This was so cute - a lovely rom com with reverse grumpy/sunshine vibes! Ethan is down to earth and Hazel was full of life. I liked how both characters worked through their own challenges - combined with a mix of romance, humour and adorable animals

Love From Scratch is absolutely adorable! It follows Ethan, the movie star that we met in Sit, Stay, Love.

I really enjoyed the story progression and Ethan's character development in this second book. I loved Hazel and Ethan's chemistry, but my favourite characters were definitely Harry and Kevin.

I also liked the theme of overcoming adversity in the book. Hazel is currently working as a dog sitter, despite being a prominent chef, due to a bad experience with a customer. She struggles to reignite her passion for cooking, until she meets Ethan. Ethan also struggles with his past experiences with dogs, and finds that talking about it and being honest with himself helps him to overcome it.

I really enjoy Amy Hutton's writing, it's fun and easy to read. She also writes great banter, and threads her books with an Australian humour that I love. Super interested to see if there's another book to come, I want more Violet.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the eARC.

Love From Scratch was a beautiful light hearted read. I read it in 24 hours! I really enjoyed the reverse grumpy / sunshine feel to this book, the MMC had some serious golden retriever energy!

There was a strong theme of overcoming adversity in the book. We learn that both Ethan and Hazel's have things they are trying to bury in the past, but together, with eachother, they tackle them and chase down their dreams.

This was my first Amy Hutton novel, you definitely doke need to read her earlier novel to love this one!
I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters were complex, and I really loved their chemistry and banter!

Big thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the eARC

I really enjoyed this book. It was predictable and cute but had me engrossed for what I knew would be the outcome. This is in many ways an old fashioned romantic novel away from the violence that we see so often. Sit back. Put your feet up and enjoy the magic of love

This was my first book by Amy Hutton and it certainly won't be the last!
The blurb about a cat called Kevin sucked me in as my Dad's name is Kevin!
I also own a black cat so this was the perfect story for me.

I absolutely fell in love with Hazel and could totally relate to Kevin and his antics.
What a little cutie Harry sounds and his owner Ethan sounds just divine!

I loved every bit of this story and could actually visualise the Sunshine Coast settings as I live in Brisbane and frequent that area often.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Holy wow!!! “Love from Scratch” is a delightful rom-com that seamlessly weaves together humor, charm, and heart. At its core, the story revolves around Ethan James, a charismatic actor on the brink of a career-defining movie shoot, a cute dog named Harry who I have fallen in love with, and Hazel, a recently unemployed sous chef with a sarcastic wit and a grumpy cat named Kevin.

The premise is simple yet captivating: Ethan needs someone to care for his anxious dog, Harry, during filming, and Hazel, in desperate need of employment, reluctantly takes on the task. From the moment they meet, sparks fly between Ethan’s flashy charm and Hazel’s no-nonsense attitude, setting the stage for a series of hilarious misunderstandings and witty exchanges.

But perhaps the true scene-stealer is Kevin the cat, whose inexplicable fondness for Ethan adds an extra layer of intrigue to the plot. As Kevin’s affection for Ethan grows, so too does Hazel’s curiosity, leading her to question whether there’s more to Ethan than meets the eye.

As the story unfolds, readers are treated to a rollercoaster of emotions, from laugh-out-loud moments of hilarity to heartwarming scenes of connection and romance. With its witty dialogue, engaging plot, and memorable characters, “Love from Scratch” is a must-read for fans of romantic comedies and anyone in need of a feel-good escape.

Well, this was fun!
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an eARC of Love from Scratch.
Ethan James is an Aussie actor and heartthrob. Hazel Conor is a down on her luck chef.
When Hazel is employed as a dog sitter for Ethans dog, Harry, sparks fly, partly due to Hazel's cat, Kevin, falling for the movie star.
It was great to see that Hazel is no pushover and treats her career with serious consideration.
Will they get the happy ending they deserve? Read it yourself to find out.

All I knew about this book before reading was that there was a cat. That’s all I needed. But I really enjoyed reading the book, I loved the characters (the animals the most too. Kevin is the best).

I love reading books set in Australia and I’m glad this is another one I’ve come across.

The MMC sounded soooo dreamy and I think I want one.

I love that the FMC is a tall goddess with amazing kitchen skills and it made me so hungry reading this book. I also learnt a fact about heritage tomatoes which was cool.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this!

I really enjoyed this book! If you like light-hearted, easy to read rom-coms, this may be for you. I enjoyed the characters (including Harry the dog and Kevin the cat, whose attitudes are spot on) and had a few laugh out loud moments that I wasn’t expecting. I’ll definitely be reading this one again!

Hazel has moved to the Gold Coast to recover from a traumatic incident that caused her to lose her chef’s job in Sydney and to search for another suitable job to get here career back on track. She takes on short term work as a dog minder to Ethan, a star, while his latest movie is being filmed on the Gold Coast.

Hazel is disdainful of Ethan, regarding him as superficial like many famous people. He is pleased to find someone who is not fawning over him and is not impressed by his fame. Soon they discover that there is more to each other than they first realise.

The standard of writing and the characterisation is very good. Unlike many novels where the heroine is petite, Hazel is six foot tall which gives rise to some amusing exchanges such as Ethan’s comment that he can look at her from his six foot four without getting a crick in his neck and when Hazel rescues him from a gaggle of teenage fans one of whom asks if she is his body guard.

On the whole the book is readable and entertaining. My only criticism is that it is a shade too long. It is cut above the usual romance novel.

I wanted to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.

Ethan and Hazel couldn't be further in career paths. He's a budding movie star and she's a down on her luck chef. While Ethan is preparing to film his next movie, a sequel to the hit romcom 'Sit, Stay, Love', he requests some professional pet minding assistance for his dog Harry. While interviewing potential candidates, he is introduced to Hazel, and from then on their lives become acquaintances to friends to head over heels for each other.

When going into this, I didn't realise this novel was a sequel, and even if I hadn't known, it reads perfectly as a stand alone. I loved Ethan's character, I loved Hazel's character and together I loved their banter. They sounded like a genuinely fun couple to write and it made me very happy to see Ethan find love after his supposed shafting for another man in the first instalment.

There were some issues towards the beginning of the book with how choppy I felt the writing to be. It didn't seem to flow very well and was quite robotic in tone. However, as the novel progressed, I noticed this less over time as more dialogue was introduced into the book. Amy has a great way with writing characters conversing and I found myself laughing with all of her characters witty comments.

I would also really like to personally thank Amy for giving her characters a pet name and NOT OVERUSING IT! It's a huge peeve of mine and the nicknames felt really sweet, deliberate and personal. As they should!

I did at times think the editing might have chopped off bits of the story haphazardly. We would be reading about one scene and immediately the following paragraph could be hours or even the next day later. It was quite jarring and took me out of the book. This book is split POV, but not per chapter, so both characters perspectives and described events are concurrent.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I would totally recommend it to anyone who loves a cosy and light-hearted romance.

This was an entertaining book. It’s a light, easy read that keeps the pages turning as we see what will happen between the heart throb actor and the chef turned dog minder.
I didn’t realise this was a sequel until after I started reading it, but it stands alone easily. It has plenty of humorous moments, and its fair share of romance too. The characters are likable and any book that includes a dog and a cat has to be good, right? For a light hearted read, this is the one to pick.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to read this ARC via NetGalley and the author Amy Hutton.

This book offers a cute and refreshing read, that will leave you feeling happy once closing the book. Ethan, a movie star, finds himself in need of someone to care for his dog as he embarks on a new film project. Enter Hazel, a talented chef, who steps in to assist.

Set in Australia, the story involves the inclusion of adorable animal companions, aka Harry and Kevin. Their presence adds a bonus to the already sweet story.

Blending humour, animals and romance this book is a perfect choice for those seeking a light-hearted rom-com.

Scheduled for release on June 5th, it's definitely worth adding to your TBR.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

What a beautiful book! Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I loved this book. I didn't know Love from Scratch was the second in a series, but thankfully it could be read as a stand alone. The romance was swoony, the characters flawed but loveable and the story was great. There was a small section in the middle where the story did slow down a little for me, but it picked up again quickly.

I loved the grumpy vs sunshine dynamic between Hazel and Ethan, and I really enjoyed that both characters were equally ambitious, and equally unapologetic about that fact.

As a fellow cat mum, I also loved the anguish that Kevin the cat put Hazel through. I've included the quote below to demonstrate what I mean 🤣

' 'You're really sweet, aren't you, Kev?' Ethan said.
'No, he's not sweet at all,' Hazel countered.
Who did this guy think he was, marching in and declaring that her cat was sweet? Her cat was an arsehole.'

Such a fun book, and I need to get my hands on the first book in the series now!

The Perfect rom com that ticks all the boxes in the best possible way. It has a naughty little dog that you can't help but love and a feline too. The romance is swooning as the Tv series kicks off so does the plot.

Firstly I love that this book is set in Australia. I love that there is a cheeky cat that is the exact description of what a cat should be. I love opposites attract. I am a new fan of Amy Hutton and I am adding her to my must read along side Christina Lauran and Paige Toon.

This book is quirky, cute and funny. You will laugh out loud wherever you are. a great follow up to Sit, Stay, Love. Ethan and Hazel are hard not to love.

Well that was the most purrfectly cute romcom I have read in a while! The two main characters give literally black cat and golden retriever ( or in this case loveable jack Russell) energy.

What do you get when you combine a heartbroken actor and a down on her luck chef turned dog sitter? You get a lot of sassy banter, charming behaviour, animal antics and just a bit of soul searching and maybe even love? Some of the highlights of the story for me were:

- Kevin the cat, he ishis own vibe and I'm here for it!
- He falls first and hardest
- Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
- Great Spice 🔥
- Fun banter
- Absolutely loved the little bits of Aussie slang I spotted throughout.

As a newcomer to Amy Hutton's literary realm, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the sheer brilliance of her storytelling. I didn’t realise this was the second book in the series about hunky Ethan James but it is not necessary to read it as this could serve as a “stand alone” and you can still admire the masterpiece! However - if you want a better background and understanding of the charming main character and his down to earth and slightly complex backstory, it might make reading this book even better if you start there!

The writing style was a feast for the senses, the characters rich and multifaceted, and the chemistry between them crackled with an electricity that kept me eagerly turning each page. I adore a book with sheer good banter and this had the perfect amount!

The book's delightful concoction of reverse grumpiness and sunshine, expertly mixed by the author, gave it a unique flavour

Within its pages, I discovered a tale woven with the threads of resilience, as both Ethan and Hazel grapple with their pasts, seeking solace in each other's company as they bravely confront their demons and chase after their aspirations.i loved the originality of both characters- they were not stereotypical and each had their own quirks and not just a chef and movie star but personality with a punch!

Not to mention the adorable element of pets to appeal to dog or cat lovers- it caters to both!
An added bonus of being an Australian reader was of course appreciating the local mentions and being able to picture exactly the landscape of where this was taking place on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.

A heartfelt thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for granting me the privilege of delving into this enchanting world ahead of its release!

Chef Hazel and movie star Ethan never expected to cross paths but with help of Kevin the cat and Harry the dog they will set you on a cosy story of their journey. This was a lovely read and hard to put down. It was warm and welcoming as well as an easy read.

Hazel Conor is an out of work chef, with a grumpy cat called Kevin, who is pet sitting to pay the bills. Ethan James is a movie star on the verge of making it big and needs a full time dog minder for his anxious dog, Harry, while he shoots a film in Queensland. Hazel isn’t easily charmed by Ethan when she takes on the job, but Kevin and Harry begin to change her mind about him. Hazel and Ethan have to manage their feelings for each other whilst their careers pull them in opposite directions.

This was a super cute, lighthearted romcom that was well written, well paced with realistic dialogue and characters. The third act break up made sense and was almost sweet, although it was maybe resolved too easily. I liked that both characters were ambitious and didn’t give up their career opportunities for each other. I liked that Hazel was tall and this was referenced throughout - refreshing when a lot of romance novels put a focus on describing the FMC as tiny compared to the MMC.
I signed up for this ARC when I saw there was a cat involved and I was so happily surprised by this book by a local Sydney author!

If you are a fan of Grumpy/sunshine, you will adore this book. It’s amusing and heartwarming and you will probably fall just a little in love with Ethan yourself.
Kevin the cat is the archetypal aloof cat, yet he’s kittenish with Ethan. Is Hazel the only one who doesn’t fall for Ethan’s charm? What if two ambitious people want their careers and love? I enjoyed it.

This is a fun story. I will wait until after it is published to show a photo and give a quick review on my social media.

Aimed at a much younger age group than me, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The two characters are both very likeable and the plot does have some believable twists and turns.

Terrific genre fiction and it will be popular. It served as a fun light read for me that took me onto film sets and into kitchens. The sex scenes were well done but a bit long for me!!

I was very lucky to get my hands on a sneak read of Amy Hutton’s latest gem, Love From Scratch, dropping June 5th! My first digital read and what a way to kick it off! 📱

After bingeing thrillers and heavy hitters, this warm, fuzzy rom-com was exactly what I needed in my life.

Amy describes her books as funny and uplifting, emotional and a little steamy. Tick, tick, tick and TICK!

Cute boy-meets-girl story? Check. Witty banter? Double check. Relatable characters? Triple check! (Hazel and Meredith's friendship is pure gold).

Add in the bonus of an adorable puppy and cat duo where I may, or may not, have finished the novel and gone straight to my local pet adoption website looking for my own Harry! 🐶🐱

While it was a light hearted read, it covered some important topics really well - tackling disappointment, resolving family conflicts, managing relationships and how easy and quick we can be to judge people.

This was a fun, feel good read that not only had me giggling and wanting to adopt a new pet, but also reevaluating my TBR pile – more rom-coms, please! 🌈📚

Ethan James an upcoming movie star is away on set and his newly adopted Jack Russel Harry is a terror, enter Hazel a chef turned dog minder, with the spawn of Satan cat Kevin, we see Ethan hire hazel to mind Harry,
We watch the love blossom between Hazel and Ethan and their pets, I loved the story of Hazel and Ethan and the way it’s written was fantastic. This story was cute, I enjoyed reading it, it was light and fun. A perfect book to read on a cozy night. This was such a good rom I enjoyed reading, I flew through it in 4 hours!

I would highly recommend it!

i absolutely loved this from start to finis I can't wait for it to come out next month this was my first completed arc the characters are easy to like the storyline is adorable I could not get enough 4.5 start did a GoodReads review its under jade garcia

This is so fresh - from the Australian setting to the relaxed feel of it all, Amy does a wonderful job of conveying a beachy relaxed vibe - perfect for an in-the-moment romance.

Hazel is a chef who lost her job after some restaurant food criticism got personal. She gets the gig as movie star Ethan’s dog sitter while she works out her next move.

Ethan is alone in town, so hires Hazel to look after Harry, his recent rescue dog. Ethan is an archetypal golden retriever, so energetic and goofy but as you expect there’s a lot of insecurity underneath and he has some real issues with his family relationships and the alienation that comes with the acting life. Hazel’s crisis is more around her work issues.

There’s tension between how Ethan feels, and how he comes across to Hazel. She has fixed ideas about how a movie star would think and act and this provides some of the friction between them. One thing I loved is that they are both adults and navigating stuff around ambition, work-life balance and their real hopes and dreams. It’s easy to see how good those two are together, supporting each other, and just having fun. It’s a really lovely dynamic - call this a holiday read and mostly just enjoy these gorgeous people finding each other, but it’s not all fluff.

It’s a companion to Amy’s first book, Sit Stay Love where we first meet Ethan, but it works as a standalone. There’s a little steam 🌶, lots of dogs, Kevin the cat, beaches, and fun times in the kitchen 😉

Amy Sutton has a light touch and a delicious writing style - looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Hutton and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

What a delightful, light romance! Ethan, an actor who had a dog phobia, and Hazel, an out of work chef after a bad encounter with an actor left her jobless, cross paths when Ethan needs a dogsitter while he's shooting his movie.

I love reading books set in Australia; it feels so familiar, like a big warm hug.

I really enjoyed Hazel's character, who I feel was flawed like a real person, and I loved following her rediscovering her love for cooking.

Also, the pets - Harry the dog and Kevin the cat - were too cute, and added another depth to the story. As the owner of a jack russell, like Harry, I totally understand the trouble that he gets himself into.

My only gripe was with Ethan. Sometimes, his behaviour was not excellent and a bit toxic - I was a bit worried for them sometimes, but he was much better with Hazel than without her.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy of Love from Scratch! All opinions are my own.

I love that this one was set on the Sunshine Coast (where I live). Also a big tick for Kevin and Harry. I'm not usually into the whole movie star thing, but Ethan grew on me. Perfect example of a rom com and a cute story. Now I need to go back and read Hutton's earlier book - Sit, Stay, Love. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy for review purposes.

I loved this book, great romance and I loved all the characters. It was hard to put down. If you like romance, then you will love this book.

Love from Scratch
Amy Hutton

“Called you irrepressibly charming.”
A small grin twitched at the corners of his lips. “Irrepressibly charming, huh?”
“I thought that might cheer you up.”

Cute, light hearted romance with adorable furry companions. Ethan is the sunshine to Hazel’s grumpy and although it’s easy to see where the plot is going, it’s a cute read that I greatly enjoyed.

Opposites attract in this Australian rom com about a heart-throb actor, the grumpy woman who pet sits his beloved dog and her cat who steals the show.

Ethan James is hot, nice, successful and on the blink of huge Hollywood fame, but has been unlucky in love and has a tendency to overshare. Ethan is filming on the Sunshine Coast and needs someone to mind his dog Harry while working long days on set. This movie is Ethan’s launching ground for bigger and better things so needs his full undivided attention.

“Aww. He’s wearing a bow tie.”
“He’s my dog, he knows how to own an occasion.”
“Kevin sends his apologies. He’s my cat, he knows how to avoid an occasion.”

Enter Hazel, Harry’s pet sitter who might end up being more of a hindrance than a help to Ethan. She’s gorgeous, funny and smart but doesn’t care for Ethan’s world or his fame.

Hazel’s grumpy cat Kevin doesn’t give her any attention or love. But Kevin adores Ethan and shows him all the love and attention, acting like a smitten little kitten around him. This makes Hazel question if there’s something her cat can see that she can’t!

“You look worried,” he said “I promise to be a perfect gentleman.”

Massive thank you to @simonandschusterau for this ARC! Love From Scratch is released June 5th!
@amyhuttonauthor 👏 Ethan is a dream, thank you.
#lovefromscratch #aussiefiction #amyhuttonauthor

REVIEW POSTED ON 26th May 2024.

Cute, Aussie, light hearted romance.

Ethan, a Hemsworth/Dr. Chris -esque mmc “ cracked it big” movie star needs a pet sitter for his anxious jack Russel, Harry, while on set. Enter, Hazel, a Chef on a “career break” as pet-sitter. Ethan falls first and is faced with a refreshing change, a non-swoony femme who is unimpressed by his Hollywood persona. A persona that is to all intents and purposes very “guy next door”. I'm loathe to call it reverse grumpy sunshine because I don't think Hazel was grumpy. I think she's just cautious of sparking dimple toting hot shots.

Kevin, the devils spawn with c-attitude sees the potential in the match and softens Hazel’s opinion towards Ethan in more ways than one.

It was lovely seeing Hazel fall in love with cooking “for” someone again. The love language of food and cooking was a delightful part of the story.

The landscape was recognisable as quintessential Gold Coast from beach front homes, to the hinterland, the geographical language choices made it clear it was an Australian filmmaking location.

There were a couple of sweet romance scenes that I found myself smiling while reading. I did appreciate the author not hopping them straight into bed but having awkward “getting to know you” scenes. The spice scenes (3🌶️ ) were respectful and if they are not your cup of tea, could be read around.

This was a first Amy Hutton read for me, without reading the first book in the Sit, Stay, Love world, Love from Scratch stands tall as a standalone.

With thanks to the author, Simon & Shuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Love from Scratch ahead of general release. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Amy's book. I have just got back into the romance genre and I'm glad that Amy is helping me build my enjoyment in reading it. This is a really lovely read, the addition of the pets - a dog and a cat really appealed to me. I liked the character development for both Ethan and Hazel. Hazel's character is really interesting and I enjoyed her development, she felt like a real person which added to her appeal. Ethan was a likeable character and his back story was interesting to learn. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the characters and I look forward to reading more from Amy in the future.