This was such a delightful story about Ben trying to find himself in his own world. His parents have pressured him his entire life to be what he wants, but when the job market doesn’t cooperate, he takes a chance on a job as a cook at a quirky vegetarian restaurant with an interesting head chef and behind the scenes partner! This story is sweet and heartfelt. Fans of Check, Please will like this one, too!

A richly-drawn and detailed visual and narrative graphic novel, really a character study through pictures. Very well done and worth reading.

In Chef’s Kiss, Ben tries to find his place and himself after graduation, while facing a discouraging job search and the ever-looming fear of disappointing his parents. The book is at turns funny, instructive, and introspective, although maybe a bit wordier than I expected. The art style and colors are appealing and well-balanced. Dynamics between Ben and his roommates/friends—as well as his new coworkers, and Winston the food-critic pig (!!!)—are rich and delightfully portrayed, and the characters are engaging. I’d happily hang out with any/all of them. And eat their food!

A sweet and savory tale of navigating your dreams and the expectations of others, with a hint of romance to garnish the dish.

I would eat here—would eat this—again.

Sweet, although a bit too simple at times, Chef's Kiss delivers exactly what it sets out to do: a cute gay romance story.

**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Jarrett Melendez presents a new adult queer romantic comedy with Chef's Kiss. Readers follow Ben Cook and his trio of roommates. Ben is a recent college graduate who is trapped in the cycle of needing experience for entry level work denials after job applications. When Ben stumbles upon a restaurant hiring with no experience necessary, he meets the handsome sous-chef, Liam, and begins a series of culinary challenges.

This graphic novel watered my crops, cleared my skin, and ended a reading slump. Bless up.

Melendez perfectly embodies the variety of after-college experiences in Ben and his roommates as well as the struggles of being pushed in a certain career direction by parents. The comedy was just right for me, and seems perfect for the target age demographic. The meet cute between Ben and Liam was everything I could have hoped. But really, Watson had to be the star of the show as the official food critic pig.

Illustrator Danica Brine had just the art style to complement Melendez's narrative. The style is something that pays homage to a shoujo manga style, while still being signature enough to stand out as Brine's. It is entirely well suited to a romantic comedy vibe, and her ability to illustrate not only the characters in an expressive way, but also the background and food was key in conveying this graphic novel. Supported by the beautiful coloring from Hank Jones (in a wonderfully warm and romantic palette!) and the lettering from Hassan Otsmane-Elhau, this team could not seem to miss.

Not only will I be looking for future works from Melendez and Brine, but I will absolutely be purchasing my own copy of this work as well. And likely shoving it on any of my friends that needs a serotonin boost. As one does.