Thanks netgalley for the arc!
Simon Blake returns to her hometown to take over her grandfather's barbecue restaurant. She wants to draw tourists to the area with her signature hot sauce. However, she isn't the only chef with a recipe. Finn Rimes shows up to the farmer's market with his own barbecue sauce recipe. They both end up auditioning for the same reality tv show and they start their feud.

Unfortunately, this book didn't keep my interest. Their feud seemed really harsh to suddenly out of nowhere spark attraction. I didn't feel any chemistry between them. There was no build up to their relationship and it just didn't make sense to me. Also, the constant reminder that they didn't want to work with each other got old fast. It was also hard to connect to the characters and we didn't really find out to much about them throughtout the story. Overall, this book was a miss for me.

Forced proximity. Lovable characters. More than meets the eye.

Simone Blake and Finn Rimes couldn’t seem more different from each other. Yet, they’re about to face off in a competition that will determine who gets to chase their culinary dreams. What happens when they’re pushed together?

I didn’t expect to read a story that starts with a turf war over barbecue sauce, but I’m so glad I did. Here’s another win for the enemies-to-lovers trope! Stirring Up Love is the perfect mix of real, entertaining, and cheesy. It will undoubtedly make you feel warm and fluttery, and I can’t recommend it enough. The chemistry and banter reminded me of a classic 2000s romcom!

I’ve grown weary of the miscommunication trope, but if the characters are as nuanced as Simone and Finn, I’m willing to give it a go. I liked getting to know what made each of them tick through the dual third-person perspective, which did a great job of balancing both characters’ experiences. My main criticism is that the pacing is wonky, partly because so much of the story takes place during a road trip.

Like many reviewers, I too believe that men written by women are the best. Finn always managed to pull at my heartstrings with his sincere efforts to acknowledge and overcome his past, eventually opening up to Simone, who shares his hope of belonging somewhere. Simone is a fierce, passionate woman who has recently returned to her family and former hometown. I found myself relating to her insecurities about fitting in and proving herself. And as a fellow woman of color, it means so much to see more stories written by and about WOC.

Thank you Chandra Blumberg for this gem, and Montlake for the ARC!

This book was really sweet and I absolutely adored the characters. I really enjoyed this one, along with the first in the season and would return for many more.

I received this Arc from Netgalley. Thank you for the chance to read this book early. My review is honest and 100% my own thoughts about the book.

This story was definitely heart warming. Close Proximity and a competitive personality fueling Simone and Finns relationship. I really enjoyed the tug of war relationship the had as each person thought the other was trying to sabotage their dreams in making it big in the BBQ world in this small town.

You get to see an enemies to lovers transform and Finns need to try and make Simone see how he feels.
I really enjoyed the story and it gave me very heart warming feelings

I love food and I love reading about people who love food, so this was right up my alley. This was a quick and easy read with so much character and world-building. Definitely worth the read and I'll be reading more of Blumberg in the future!

This book was cute, and a fairly good follow up to her first book. I love enemies to lovers, so I was excited just on that front. It was light and quick, and I enjoyed it.

"Stirring Up Love" by Chandra Blumberg is a heartwarming and charming novel that explores themes of love, self-discovery, and the transformative power of following one's passions. Blumberg's storytelling expertise shines as she crafts a tale of romance, culinary delights, and the complexities of finding one's path. The book's relatable characters and romantic plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with fans of adult romance. Blumberg skillfully navigates the emotions of new beginnings, unexpected connections, and the joys of pursuing what sets the heart on fire, adding depth to the narrative. "Stirring Up Love" is a delightful reminder that the journey to love and fulfillment often comes with its share of challenges and sweet moments, leaving readers with a sense of warmth and contentment as they follow the characters on their journey of love, self-discovery, and the beauty of embracing life's surprises.

3.5⭐️ Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, food centric storyline. Lots of good tropes to choose from. Throw in a cross country trip and only one bed and it made for an interesting storyline over all.

There were some parts that felt a bit slow for me, but overall a good addition to the series as a follow up to the MCs sisters story in book one. The storylines feel creative while amplifying well known tropes. Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC.

I absolutely loved this book! The premise immediately hooked my interest and it was filled with twisty characters and such intense plot!

(First of all, thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review).

Synopsis: After doing her time in corporate Chicago, Simone Blake returns to small-town Illinois to tackle a new venture: her grandfather’s barbecue restaurant. The secret, as they say, is in the sauce. Simone’s plan is to sell Honey and Hickory’s signature sauce to put her hometown on the map.
But she’s not the only one with a recipe and a plan: chef Finn Rimes from nearby Springfield has a similar vision. To jump-start his dream of opening a culinary school, he shows up at the local farmers’ market with his own barbecue sauce.
When Simone’s plan to outsell Finn falls flat, she auditions for a reality show to pitch her brand. But she’s horrified to discover Finn’s had the same idea. As Simone and Finn wage a barbecue war on television, their feud turns into an undeniable attraction.
With their livelihoods on the line, it may not be so much about making the best sauce—but finding their way to each other.

I purchased this ARC because I love romance and cooking and rivals/enemies so if you are into these tropes I will recommend it to you. However, I didn't know this is part of a Saga (second book) and although I think the book could be read as a stand-alone my OCD of reading sagas in order (yes, even stand-alone) doesn't let me read it before the first one. I hope to return and leave here my honest and hopefully 5-star review when I'll finish it.

I don't know why, but I could not get over the characters messiness. It made the read so frustrating over their childish behaviors. And I kept getting irritated over their behaviors over each other. I just could not vibe over them.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this and review.

I'm afraid I just could not get into this book. This is the second book in a series and I haven't read the first so maybe that would make a difference. I found Simone and Finn difficult to like. Sorry!

If you are looking for an easy chick flick romance book, this is the book. It didn’t grab my attention the same way her first book did, but had the basics of a modern Romance

A road trip with your enemy? Slaps. Plus only one bed… HOW EXCITING! A really good enemies to lovers book

Wow guys, I don’t know what to say. This was such a great romance. A great Christmas read, I sobbed, I laughed and I relearned things about myself. I do this everytime I read a romance but something about this book had a real grip on my soul.

this enemies to lovers, forced-proximity, road trip book was so cute and funny.

However, I did find the book a little long, and further development in their relationship would've been very much appreciated.

I did love simone and finn’s personal development, however, and the incorporation of their dreams was so touching. will definitely be reading more books by this author

This one was a DNF for me. I will not be posting a review of it but thank you for sending I think people would like this one it just wasn't for me. Thank you again for the copy.

A classic enemies to lovers, small town romance. Was an enjoyable quick read and I love reading about any books with food and cooking involved. Nothing out of the ordinary, but still a sweet and easy read.

A lovely fluffy read. Nothing too special, nothing too bad about it. I'm not a big fan of the miscommunication trope, so that was a slight let down for me.

This one was cute and kind of followed along with the same vein as the first one. I liked the first one and I liked this one, I just didn't love them. Still cute reads though.