Where There's a Whisk was such a fun teen book. The book is about a teenage girl, Peyton, trying to win a scholarship to culinary school on a reality cooking show to elevate her out of her current life circumstances. The story has the perfect balance of what is going on on-camera and off-camera on the show. I also thought it included just enough information about the dishes Peyton cooks without bogging us down with every little detail of every recipe she makes. The bit of romance included was enough to be an interesting plot point without making this a teen romance novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. Overall I would not hesitate to recommend this book for middle grade to high school aged readers!

I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A book about a teen cooking show? Sign me up! As a huge fan of cooking competition shows I was so excited to pick up this book and get stuck in and while I did enjoy it, there were a few things that just missed the mark for me.

The love triangle for one felt a little unnecessary. I do love a little romance in the books that I read so I’m glad we got one but I wish it had focused more on the guy she ends up with instead of the other one (sorry, I’m being a little vague here so I don’t give anything away!).

I also felt like the pacing was a tad off. The first half read a little slow, with a lot of detail going into the competition and then the second half flew through it with very little detail so the balance was a little off.

And there were a few subplots that didn’t come across as being fully fleshed out. Why did Angelica hate Peyton? The friendship between Peyton and Malik started out strong and then completely disappeared until the end. I loved the dynamic between them so I really wanted more of them. And more interactions between the group as a whole because they were a great group of characters and I wish more page time was given to them. Their send offs on the roof were great, but I wanted more.
And the conclusion to the Dani sub plot felt rushed. I would've like to see the after effects of that. Did Peyton and Dani talk further about it? Did they build a friendship? And what happened to Dani and the rest of the cast? I loved that we got a peek into Peyton's future but what about the others?

Still it was enjoyable and there were a lot of cute and fun moments and it’s definitely worth a read, especially if you’re as cooking show obsessed as I am!

Peyton Sinclaire is in New York preparing to embark on a foodie adventure. She and seven other contestants are about to film Top Teen Chef - and the prize is a scholarship to a prestigious cooking school. Peyton, who comes from a rural Florida town, feels like winning is the only way for her to escape her circumstances. What she didn't count on was the friends she'd meet along the way or the strange things happening behind the scenes on the show. Can Peyton compete with other brilliant teen chefs and score a win?

This was a light, funny teen rom-com/slice of life comedy set in the world of competitive cooking. Peyton is great - she's trying really hard to make it on her own merit and tries to play down her family circumstances. Inside she's a bundle of nerves, but she's trying to grow and with the help of her new friends, she might just gain a little perspective. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

Cute but clunky. You're thrown right into the main event without build up and it felt more like a step by step guide to hire reality shows work. The characters were cute and Peyton was a fine main character but I don't think she was flushed out enough to really love. I just wish there was more depth to the overall story to really draw me in.

This behind the scenes book about a reality TV show was fascinating. Watching reality shows and knowing the behind the scenes are two different things.
I really enjoyed the different aspects of the story. The friendships, the competition and the cooking were "blended" so well together. I appreciated that I couldn't predict the outcome. "Well done!".

This book was super cute and upbeat, while giving a realistic behind the scenes of what it's like to be a teen on a cooking competition show. The honesty about the fact that a lot of the cooking show, beyond the actual cooking, was quite staged was nice to see. It did a wonderful job at showing what reality TV can really be like.Along with that, I enjoyed seeing the growth that Peyton went through over the course of the show/book and I also enjoyed that as much as there was a romance that it didn't take centre stage of the book. As much as I'd say Peyton was my favourite character, each of the show's contestants had something that made them unique and loveable - except maybe Dani. Despite not liking her for a good portion of the book I did love the redemption Dani got at the end and it made me love the book even more. The ending overall was more that I would've ever expect and I though it fit the story perfectly. This is definitely a book I'll be recommending to everyone when it comes out.
I'm so grateful I got the chance to read an arc of this, thanks to NetGalley for that opportunity!

This was a really fun book! It follows a group of teenagers as they compete in a reality TV cooking show. Not only do they have the stress of having to cook their best, but the pressures put on them from the producer to act certain ways makes their life outside the kitchen complicated.

If you've ever wondered what it might be like to be on reality TV, you should check out this book. It is much more about reality TV life, living in a fancy apartment with fellow cast members, being given clothes to wear, roles to play, and constently wondering if this is their last day on the show, than it is about any specific aspects of cooking.

The show Schmitt created, Top Teen Chef, is very similar to the actual reality show, Top Chef, but it sounds like it would be an exciting show to watch and it definitely made for a fun and engrossing book!

I love cooking shows and this was such a fun book to read! It was a quick read with a little rom-com and drama involved. I recommend to anyone who wants a light fun read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

I'm giving this book 3.5 stars but since there aren't half-stars on this, we're going to round up since it deserves more than just 3.
2 Stars for a relaxing and fun book.
+1.5 Star for Dani, Malik, and the last part of the book

<b>No-Spoiler Review</b>

This is the first book I've finished reading on Netgalley and I was worried it'd go like a lot of my friends' choices and that I'd pick a book I ended up really hating. I in fact picked the opposite and read a really solid and cheerful book that I enjoyed a lot.

The entire book is very much what it says on the tin. It's all about the main character Peyton competing on a reality tv show called <i>Top Teen Chef</i> in order to get a scholarship to culinary school. Peyton needs this scholarship because she comes from a very low socio-economic background, which pretty early on turns out to be the reason she was invited on the show.

Since it's a reality show, there's lots of importance placed on storylines and such by the producers. This gives a very short-lived conflict where Peyton doesn't want to be shoehorned into a rags-to-riches story, normally the way the conflicts disappear would annoy me but the book is less than 300 pages and I'm not here for wide sweeping themes. I'm here to read cool descriptions of what Peyton is cooking and hope that the characters end up three dimensional.

The character that ended up defying my expectations was, in fact, Dani. It might be because I've recently read The Selection but I wasn't sure if Dani was going to be more than just Mean Girl Number 1. Since this is an actual review I won't spoiler but I had given up hope and then BAM: Dani is 3 dimensional.

The most interesting part of this book is when you realise that throughout all of the competition, watching through Peyton's eyes you've quite literally been duped the same way the audience will be when they watch the show. You believe the plotlines because Peyton believes the plotlines, and that makes the writing uniquely compelling.

Before I end my review I want to give a quick shoutout to one of the characters that although they weren't a big focus (due to the short length of the book), were still major and pretty fun. I cheered for Malik throughout the book, he was genuine and sweet and a character I just really liked.

The last part of the book where you see Peyton's final creation and you see Dani again for real bumped this up to 3 stars. I don't want to spoil the joy of reading this scene for the first time so I'll leave it at the fact that it made me actually proud of the character for the first time in the book.

The only way this book could've gone up to 5 stars would be if it was longer or if we got to see more POVs than just Peyton. It was quite short so I couldn't really get a feel on Peyton's personality beyond "doesn't want to be poor" and "sweetheart", so I wasn't entirely invested but I did want to see what Peyton cooked next which was quite fun.

Also a quick disclaimer for people that aren't from America: In America for some reason they call your main meal an entree even though an entree is what they would call an "appetiser" for almost all the rest of the world.

Link to Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4015027263

Where There's a Whisk is a take on cooking competition reality shows. Peyton is a waitress in a small Florida town and a contestant on the show Top Teen Chef. Hopeful that success on the show will lead her to bigger and better things, Peyton wants nothing more than to win the competition. But she quickly realizes that winning may be a lot easier said than done.

I am a big fan of cooking competition shows, so I really enjoyed the premise of Where There's a Whisk. The plot of the reality show, especially the commentary on the inner workings that went on behind the scenes, was the real star of the book and was portrayed well. Peyton's story played into the show well, especially with how the producers tried to use her small town life in an unwelcome way. The romance aspect of the book.....I wanted to love it, I just unfortunately could not really get into it. Where There's a Whisk is an overall fun book to read, especially for readers that enjoy these kinds of reality shows. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Perseus Books, Running Press for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars.
At first i got this feeling i was reading an episode of Masterchef but with behind the scenes action and got to see more of the jugdes and all, but ofcourse - it is Top Teen Chef. I did really enjoy it and man, all that talk about food made me really hungry!! It sounded all so damn yummy. Peyton was an interesting character, she had some growth and seemed to adapt to the whole show and all. I didnt exactly find a favorite character, but i liked them. Well Dani i did not like for a long while and the redemtion she got, wich came close to the end was a bit... short and i don`t know if she needed that, but it was alright.

This was a really cute and delightful tale mixing romance, real life, and food. I like that we get to see what it might be like on reality tv but we also get to watch the growth of the character. Warning: will make you hungry! There were a few parts that were a tiny bit slow but other than that, it was a breath of fresh air and allowed me a lot of smiles.

Peyton Sinclair is a young up-and-coming Teen Chef in a story that had some problematic pacing issues.

3 stars

Appeal Terms:
Character: sarcastic, sympethetic,
Storyline and Pace: plot-driven and fast-paced
Tone: plot-driven
Writing Style: upbeat


I enjoyed this story, I really did. However, I think that this story had some pacing issues that sometimes seemed to leave the reader in the dust. Sometimes, challenges would go by so quickly and people would be eliminated so quickly I felt left in the dust! I also wish there would have been a little more drama and intrigue between characters, but it remained quite sweet which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

However, the premise was good and I enjoyed the characters, though I wish I would have known more about them. It was just a fun read that made me hungry and crave going to New York, New York! I will definitely read more but this author since I think her premises are interesting and while the execution might fall a little falt, she definitely writes a page-turner.

~NetGalley Arc~

As a frequent viewer of cooking competitions, I loved this book! The competition mixed with a little back story and romance made this so fun to read. There are 2 very minor things .. there's always discussion about what Peyton (the main character) makes but not as much about the other contestants. (I wanted more food. Haha.) And, the ending is a little abrupt. Other than that I thought this was such a fun read.

This YA contemporary had me hooked from the beginning with its unique story based around a cooking show. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, plot, and the little touches of romance. This was a quick read that I would definitely recommend to my YA loving friends.

This book drops you into the story at the start which I didn't mind, but at the same time, I wanted some background like how did this producer find this girl etc. The ending was also abrupt. I appreciated the feeling of how real the reality show aspects were especially with the behind the scenes parts. There was also a potential love square happening and although it was strange how that aspect was solved, I could get behind the wholesomeness of it all. I also loved the persistence of all the main characters If I was in this reality show, I'd be wanting to be with that group of people. Overall, I truly enjoyed my time with this book and would recommend it if you love cooking competitions and reality tv. 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Running Kids Press for the ARC! I somehow missed that this was a YA Novel. That being said, I read it and enjoyed it! If you are a fan of Baking Competition Shows, namely Kids Baking Championship, this book hits the mark. It is definitely a light and easy read with some teenage drama thrown in alongside the challenges the cast of characters face as they try and bake/cook their way out of being eliminated. We follow the teens around New York City as the show is filmed. There aren't too many surprises along the way, but the book is well-written, entertaining, and appropriate for all ages. Where There's a Whisk was a good read!

This was a very cute and light read. I finished it in a day; the writing was very clear and straightforward and so easy to digest. The story itself was very charming and cute and it honestly felt like I was watching a real cooking show.

First off, the characters were lovely and such a blast! Some of them were a bit stereotypical, but turns out there was a big reason for that, so I can let it slide. The characters were diverse and witty and fun to read about. The banter and conversations between the characters was great, though, it did feel like the author relied a lot on dialogue to move things along or to act as a filler. I really liked Peyton, the main character, who is a down to earth southerner trying to make a better life for herself. Peyton was witty and smart, but was plagued by self-doubt and the exploitation of reality TV, which made her relatable and easy to like.

The setting was superb! The cooking show felt so real and intense, and it was neat seeing what went on behind the scenes, things that wouldn't be included in the show. This book made me REALLY hungry and now I just want to what the food channel for the rest of the day.

As far as the romance... it was okay. The romance was kind subtle and didn't really seem like a big part of the book until halfway through when Peyton and Hakulani pretended to be interested in each other to ensure they got good views and were kept on the show. The real romance was between Paulie and Peyton, but it felt kinda rushed and not really organic. The moments they had together were cute and they got a long really well, it just happened a little too fast for them. Also, one would think that Peyton and Hakulani essentially fake dating would have cause a bit of drama, but it really didn't and they stopped not long after they started, so it didn't really feel necessary for the plot.

All in all, this was a cute, fun, and fast read and it probably would have been a bit better if it had been longer, but nonetheless I still enjoyed it.

This was a cute, yet simple tale about a girl competing in a teen cooking show. I was skeptical at first how something that is traditionally rooted in visual media would be pportrayed on the page. However, I think the author did a good job on expanding the understanding of this niche world by going in to decent detail of all the behind-the-scenes work. It was an extremely quick and easy read that is definitely better suited for younger, teen audiences (13-17). I do wish that the characters had been more fleshed out, especially Peyton. We get very brief glimpses in to her life back home, and her feelings of dread and insufficient self worth. But I think there could have been much more detail in this aspect. This also goes for the other characters as well. I will say I really enjoyed the dramatic twist that the producer implemented, it made the story more exciting.

As an aside, I would recommend that an editor go through this again if possible. I ran across many grammatical and syntax errors which didn't necessarily impact my understanding, but were annoying in their excess.

"Where There's a Whisk" by Sarah J. Schmitt follows a young girl named Peyton Sinclaire as she joins a reality cooking competition, Teen Top Chef, in an attempt to escape her small town life. As the show begins though, she learns that things behind the scenes aren't always what they seem, and she struggles to prove herself to the judges while keeping her head on straight.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the behind the scenes look at reality cooking competitions, and some of the things we don't think about when we watch them. The characters were fun to get to know, and I was really cheering for some of them at the end. Not knowing anyone's real intentions gave the story a tension that I didn't expect and it had me flying through the book to get to the ending.