Peyton Sinclaire gets the opportunity of a lifetime to make her dream of going to culinary school come true - Top Teen Chef, food's TV's new reality TV show/culinary competition. Peyton wants to prove that she deserves to win and that where you come from, does not determine where you can go.

I really enjoyed this! I enjoyed the friendships Peyton made during the competion, as well as, the romance side plot. There were many small plot twists here and there that kept me reading to see what would happen next. This book had many funny moments and I thought the cooking competition scenes and challenges were very interesting.

However, I thought the beginning was a bit slow. Also, I wish we could have gotten to know the characters a bit more and what happened to them after the show, not just Peyton.

Overall, this was a very nice read!

Rating is more a 3.5. I really wanted to love this. The premise is absolutely my speed as a frequent Masterchef and Masterchef Jr. watcher. While I liked this novel, there were quite a few things missing to make me love it.

To start with the positives, Peyton is a pretty good protagonist. You can really empathize with her and fully understand her motives. While I wish her backstory was fleshed out a bit more, we learn enough to know why she needs the show so much to make her dreams come true. The setting is great, I loved reading about the different NYC landmarks and thought the challenges were cool enough to be used in a real cooking competition show. The show felt real and I loved how the author lampshaded common reality television conventions. The cast is diverse and I wish we had gotten more time with the other characters. Lastly, the ending was pretty much perfect.

As for the not-so-positives...the writing is so-so. The content is rather surface level; some things are brought up and never really mentioned again and others are wrapped up much too quickly. Most of the relationships feel forced, especially the romance(s). We learn next to nothing about any of the other characters and what we do get are pretty much ethnic and regional stereotypes (this is by design since the show wants the characters to be stereotypical, but even when the cameras are off the writing tends to rely on them too much). The pacing could be better - certain scenes that feel like they should be important go by in half a page. And while I liked the ending, all the loose ends got wrapped up in the blink of an eye.

Overall, it's a cute novel and I enjoyed it, I just had higher hopes for a story with such a cool concept!

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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Where There’s a Whisk is a super light-hearted and fun book about a reality TV cooking competition, complete with a full cast of 8 teens—including our dear protagonist, Peyton! She’s a pastry chef with a desire to get out of her small Florida town, leave her rough life behind, and make it big. Of course, success is far from easy, and in order to have a chance at the big culinary scholarship, Peyton needs to be smart, creative, and careful with her heart and who she trusts.
This book was exactly the sweetness I expected! While at times the writing style made it all too easy to skim and miss important information, the novel was a delight to read! Some parts were rushed over—likely due to the aforementioned writing style, which sometimes did not place enough emphasis on important context—and I wish there was more elaboration on things like Peyton’s past and the other contestants, but it was a fun book filled with classic reality TV and cooking competition vibes. The side characters are all very memorable and distinct without overpowering the main character. Peyton seemed to lack distinction at first, but grew into herself as she moved throughout the competition. In general, I just wish this book took a bit more time with fleshing out the characters and their relationships, as it felt like it was over all too quickly. That being said, I really liked the romance and the small twists! They made this book more impactful and kept me on my toes. Where There’s a Whisk did a great job with its characters and descriptions, and it was a very cute book that I will definitely be buying when it officially comes out - A solid 4 stars!

A must-read for anyone looking for a light, quick read and anyone who enjoys a good cooking show! At points I wanted more from the book, but in general it was an easy read, and an enjoyable one at that.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Perseus Books for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This light read will find an audience among food competition show fans. Peyton is a believable character who has a life many of the contestants have never experienced. The reader will go along for the ride and possibly never look at cooking competitions the same. Are the out of the kitchen time scences scripted? What would you do or allow to get a full ride scholarship? A light romance keeps those loving a little drama turning the pages. Recommend for teens that like a quick enjoyable read that feels like a behind a scenes peak to the cooking competition world.
I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Perseus Books, Running Press, in exchange for an honest review.

Mix several cups of drama with a tablespoon of showtime pizzazz and a pinch of romance to get a mix of nerves, concerns, mistrust and simple fun.

Peyton can't believe she was chosen to participate in the first Top Teen Chef cooking show. The prize, a scholarship to a culinary university, is the only way she believes she can escape her otherwise difficult life. But not only her past becomes a part of the show's scripted drama, but the relationships with the other contests are throwing loops she'd rather avoid. Still, she may not be able to if she wants to win the show.

I grabbed this one up with very high hopes, and while this wasn't quite as good as I was wishing it might be, it still held its own. The novel starts at the cooking show, a few moments before Peyton makes her first walk out into the spotlight. Her confusion and nerves are clear as she meets her contenders one by one for the first time. That this isn't only a cooking show but a reality show, the cameras follow them everywhere, the contestants live together, and scenes (faked as also real) play a role. It's cooking with a huge heap of drama...and that's why it wasn't as I'd hoped.

In the first part of the book, we do see Peyton cooking a bit and hear her thoughts as she chooses her recipes. The actual cooking is summed up pretty fast (which it needs to be to avoid boredom), and it is fun to picture her working through the kitchen with the different themes and difficulties. Unfortunately, the cooking only stays front and center during the first part of the book and slowly fades into the background as the drama of the set takes over. Now, drama is necessary to hold the plot. But there are so many plot threads weaving along...or possible plot threads is a better term.

There a many characters, which each bring a different background and twist, but they pop in and out without ever gaining much depth. Peyton has a tough past, but it's basically ignored. Her 'enemy' during the show is never fleshed out or the problem really addressed. The romance is superficial. Friendship is a glance. Even the difficult judge is there as required but without reason. This book could have gone in so many directions and it took none of the paths. What was left was an entertaining read but it lacked any depth...which is too bad because it could have been an awesome read.

Still, I wouldn't say this one isn't worth picking up. It's an easy read with a very quick pace, tons of humor, enough tension to keep those pages turning, and Peyton is a character to like. I did enjoy reading this one and read it in one sitting. It just that it was good when it could have been great. I received an ARC through Netgalley.

This book is a light, easy, cute YA novel about a teen cooking competition with some drama thrown in. We follow Peyton who is the main character and the other characters around New York for the show and we get to learn about the characters backgrounds and life's.

There were parts I enjoyed and parts I wanted more because something was missing. All in all, Where There’s a Whisk was a cute, easy read.

Thank you NetGalley and Perseus Books, Running Press for giving me this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

DNF @50% The writing style is is just not working out for me and it’s miserable to read. The interactions between the contestants and Peyton’s thought was very awkward to read. There’s also a developing love triangle that felt very strange to me?

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the earc in exchange for honest opinions.

Thank you to Running Press and NetGalley for providing me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I wasn't super excited for this book at first — I was more intrigued. I hadn't read a book with a TV show premise before, so I was looking forward to seeing how a story like this could play out, particularly when it comes to romance. Where There's a Whisk turned out to be a twisty and entertaining tale that held my attention the whole time.

Peyton Sinclaire is a small-town teen waitress who is cast on the emerging reality show Top Teen Chef, which pits talented young foodies from around the country against each other with the promise of a full scholarship to culinary school for whoever comes out on top. As she works her way through the show's challenges, she starts to figure out that the reality part of reality TV isn't as real as it seems; in order to avoid losing her shot, she has to figure out which parts are real and which parts are for show.

I'll start with what I was disappointed by. There were some characters in the story — particularly Malik, Lola, and Adam — that I felt could have been better fleshed out. I barely knew these people even by the end, and it made it hard for me to appreciate their wins and losses. I was also kind of thrown by the fickle line of romance running throughout the book, which felt weak especially as it crescendoed at the end. I couldn't be excited the kiss between Peyton and the love interest, as it felt very sudden and unfounded.

I was impressed, however, by how well the author had researched and crafted this world, particularly with regards to the dishes that all of the contestants created. They all sounded well thought out and the judges' feedback on them felt just like something you would hear from a real culinary personality. This made it feel fun and suspenseful like a real reality show. I also just loved the friendships that Peyton established along the way, which felt whole and true no matter what deceptions the showrunners tried to pin on them.

If you're looking for a fun, light, and fast-paced read, this book might be for you. Be on the lookout for it when it comes out in October!

I would like to thank Running Press Kids and NetGalley for an eARC. What can I say I enjoyed this book immensely! Sarah J. Schmitt wrote a great story. I loved the characters. The food that they made I wanted to reach in the book and try it. I recommend Where There's a Whisk to anybody that likes cooking competition shows like Master Chef. I give this a 4 out of a 5 a stars. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful book. I loved all the details of the food competitions. And the story kept me guessing until the end.

I absolutely loved reading this book!
Peyton Sinclaire is the daughter of a fraudster serving time in jail. She is from a small town, lives in her aunt's trailer, and works at a diner to support herself. But, she has a passion. Passion for cooking. And when she gets a chance to compete for a scholarship to American Culinary School at a reality teen cooking show, she is going to do anything to win.

This book stood out from all other YA books that I've read so far. The experience of being in a reality TV show, that cutthroat competition, and friendship. The author explores all the themes well, be it the competitive spirit of the cast, or the bond between them. It also showcases the dirty side of show business, which was as much entertaining as it was enraging. It will full of drama, yet I can see at least some reality in this. Because, all the reality shows that I've watched so far, follow similar storylines. Be it two cast members falling in love, or two cast members fighting each other for life.

I love the cast members. The group is diverse, and the character development is done so well I could connect with most of them. I love Paulie, especially since he is so sweet. Italian, bad boy vibes, leather jacket and has 7 sisters. He reminds me of Joey Tribbiani from friends.

This is Not the Jess Show meets your favorite cooking competition in Where There’s a Whisk!

This novel is a behind the scenes look at what could be going on during a reality tv cooking competition. We follow Peyton, a baker from a small town life, trying to beat other teen contestants to win a scholarship to a culinary school and change her future. While she starts with this goal in mind, her new friends and self realizations end up changing her outlook and even her overall idea of how to achieve her goals.

I loved the other 7 contestants and how they all formed such interesting bonds- even if some of it was fake for the reality tv. These teens dealt well with navigating their own hearts and the influence of the producers. I enjoyed the cooking challenges and I think the way the entire story wrapped up was so well done.

I think some parts felt a little underdeveloped, like Peyton’s backstory, especially since she’s the main character. I know she didn’t want to be defined by it but it still seemed like she was a very basic profile to start out with. I don’t remember any mention of her friends or really anything but a basic description of her parents, her aunt’s trailer, and the diner,

I found a couple misspellings, but this is an arc so I am not judging that at all!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review, All views are my own.

When I saw this book, I instantly thought of some of my favourite cooking/baking shows: The Great British Bake Off, Masterchef and somehow my favourite musical: Waitress.

I had such high hopes for this book. I was expecting the characters to be really well developed, for there to be some full-on rivalry, for there to be more suspense, but there was none of those. It felt really bland. In addition to that, the style in which the filming scenes were wrote seemed forced. I've never seen hosts talk in the way the host in this book, Jessica, does. Even in children's versions of the cooking and baking competition TV shows I've never seen hosts sound so forced and tense. It ruined the atmosphere reading Jessica in this way.

I didn't like this book at all. It was just sub-par. There was quite a bit of info-dumping which made the story seem messy. I really want to find something that I really liked about this book but I don't think I can.

I thought this was a lovely story! The main character is selected to participate in a televised food competition for teenagers, and the book takes us through her experiences - the relationships she forms with the other participants as well as the challenges in the competition. I enjoyed watching her progress, as well as learning her back-story which gets revealed in bits and pieces throughout the book.

I’m a little torn writing this review. On one hand, I enjoyed reading it. On the other, I think it could have been so much better. To begin, I LOVE the premise of this book. Small town girl with a troubled family past (Peyton) makes it into a reality culinary completion to have a shot at getting out and making something of herself. I love reality cooking competitions, so this had me interested immediately. Unfortunately, there was just so much that could have been improved.

The book jumps right in with the competition, and we’re given all this Peyton background. I think there was a missed chance to show the background and how Peyton even came to be on the show. I spent a lot of time wondering about her audition and where she even got the confidence to try out, and would have liked to have seen that.

Then, there’s the competition itself. The book started with a lot of detail, but then it completely fell off. It was almost like, “She cooked. She was judged. Someone went home and they moved on.” Just no real connection and way too much of an overview to be satisfying. I didn’t mind the other characters, and actually r was ply enjoyed some of them. They just weren’t fleshed out enough. There’s a reason why reality completions are lengthy, and this book could have taken a page from them with that. The ending was… okay. Everything fell into place, and I wasn’t mad at it.

I also want to talk about the writing. Please, close your dialogue quotation marks when your character stops speaking. It’s confusing as a reader to try to figure out if a character just said something or if it’s just back to the story. Cues like quotation marks and moving to the next line make for a more enjoyable reading experience. Additionally, this could use a good edit. There were several instances of extra words that made no sense being in sentences.

Overall, I did enjoy this read. It was cute and quick. It could benefit greatly from some editing and additional details being added.

This was a breezy and entertaining read. This book follows the story of Peyton Sinclaire from the small town of Florida, who wants to escape from her dreary job as a waitress in a small diner. She gets selected for a teen cooking reality show, Top Teen Chef which gives her a chance to maybe win it and attend the top culinary school of the country. But what are reality shows without some drama?

Peyton is a likable enough main character and you want to root for her in the competition. She does not want pity for her background and wants to be known for her cooking. The side characters seem to be underdeveloped and a little more backstory and depth to them would have made the reader feel more connected.
I really enjoyed reading the cooking challenges which were given to the contestants and I was excited to see what would Peyton come up with. Though what I did not like was how the cooking procedure which had been described in such great detail in the first few challenges seemed to be just brushed over in the second half of the book.
The friendships were the main highlight and I liked how they developed over the course of the book.
The drama sometimes seemed to be less and it could have been definitely jazzed up by adding subplots for the side characters because I think they were very underutilised. Subplots would have done wonders for this book. The romance was okay. The ending of the book was very realistic and satisfactory.
All in all this was a fun read and I would recommend you to give this one a read if you like some drama, romance and reality shows, which at the end of the day are not so real.

Peyton enters a cooking reality show for teens for a chance to win a scholarship to the culinary school of her choice, which she sees as her only chance to escape her small town and dysfunctional family.

As a huge fan of cooking shows, I was very excited to read this book but wasn't completely satisfied with it. Though the tasks in the competition were quite interesting and the author tries to introduce some drama and romance, the general feeling I had was that there was something missing to have me invested in the characters and the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Schmitt’s Where There’s a Whisk is a cute young adult romance set against the backdrop of a TV cooking competition. Teenager Peyton Sinclair has a passion for baking and finds herself with a chance to show off her skills on Top Teen Chef. Competing may be her ticket out of her small town, whose lack of opportunity threatens to hold her back and looms over her every decision. Peyton heads to New York City where the city and her fellow competitors help her grow and change in ways she could never have dreamed.

Peyton’s fellow competitors Malik, Lola, Paulie, Adam, Hakulani, Dani and Inaaya come from all walks of life and, though there is a lack of character development across the board, particularly when it comes to Peyton’s competition, it is hard to hold that against the book. Where There’s a Whisk does not set out to be an expansive character study. Rather, it is a teen romance and Schmitt provides an adequate level of nuance. New York City became a character all its’ own and I relished the opportunity to live vicariously through Peyton, exploring the city for the first time.

As a Top Chef junkie, the behind the scenes glimpses of production city and the organization, logistics and responsibilities of the PA’s is fascinating are fascinating. The producer’s involvement is barely shy of outright manipulation and one must wonder about the validity and fairness in all cooking competition shows. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the book did make me question the integrity of Top Chef, one of my all time favorite shows.

All in all, Where There’s a Whisk is sugary sweet romance. Definitely worth a taste! Look for it this fall!

When I first saw this book, I knew I had to read it. Cooking shows and books are some of my favorite things and this book showed me that they go very well together.

I enjoyed all the different characters in the book. They were all very unique and easy to distinguish. I liked the character development in Peyton too. I liked the whole plot. It was very enjoyable and easy to read. I personally liked the romance aspect of the book. It was very simple and subtle at some points, but I think it made the book a lot more interesting to me.

I feel like some spots in this book were too fast paced and could have been drawn out a little more. Like the spots where they just skipped past the judging by giving a brief overview. I would have liked to read about what the judges thought about some of her later dishes.

I def recommend this book to anyone who likes cooking or just anyone who likes young adult books. It was a very quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed.