I listened to about 30% of this title and DNF'd it. The audio had a number of pauses in between sentences that took me out of the story. I also couldn't get into the story, the characters felt a little flat for me.

Tried picking this up a couple times and have found myself putting it on hold for another book.
I think that a sign that this book is not meant for me.

The star rating is not accurate, since I only made it about 15% before dnf'ing.

The Slowest Burn is a thoughtful, heartfelt debut that stirs romance, healing, and transformation in a refreshingly realistic way. Its approachable warmth, depth of heart, and representation make it a memorable read—even if the chemistry isn’t volcanic, the slow build-up is undeniably cozy.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable reading experience.

Unfortunately I just could NOT get into this! I did try multiple times so unfortunately I do have to DNF 😭

I really enjoyed this book! It was sweet and heartwarming in the best way possible. I enjoyed watching the character development of the two main characters, and the dual-POV helped me to appreciate this development that much more. I think this author also handled more serious and sensitive issues such as grief and ADHD extremely well.

This was my first book by Sarah Chamberlain and I was impressed. Her characters were vivid from stuck-in=a-rut Ellie who can't seem to step away from the grief of losing her husband to wild and creative Kieran who is stuck in his own way with a family of over-achievers who believe he has no ambition.

Ellie is a cookbook ghost writer and Kieran just won a big chef competition. When she is asked to write Kieran's cookbook, she doesn't believe she will be able to work with him. He may be creative, but he's also disorganized, unmotivated, and her complete opposite. Kieran's ADHD has been a problem for him almost since birth. He may have won that reality show and he may be on track to have his own restaurant before he's 30, but he's not a lawyer like his dad and his brother, so he's basically his parents' black sheep son.

As Ellie and Kieran work together, they discover that they can help each other realize their dreams and not only that, they also discover that the heat they generate isn't just in the kitchen! As the publisher's deadline looms, can they let go of the hurt in their pasts to find a future together?

Each of these characters carried so much buried pain and it was nice to see them find someone who could help them see their worth.

Readers who enjoy an emotional romace will enjoy The Slowest Burn. I enjoyed Ellie and Kieran's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the e-ARC of this book to read and review. I'm SO behind in my reviewing here, as this is a 2024 release, but I hope to still share my enthusiasm about this title.

I adored the overall premise here, about a celeb chef working with an accomplished ghostwriter on a cookbook. Often times, a great ghostwriter can be the brains and heart behind a book that really sparkles under their care, but not receive the credit and praise. Of course, that's just the nature of the work, but it was presented SO well here, and we see our lead character Ellie be celebrated as a person, writer, cook, and romantic lead. I didn't relate to Ellie all that much, and she kind of stayed prickly with her walls up throughout the whole book- but it was refreshing to see her personal journey, especially about how her work and her grief were presented. I paused a lot during my reading, because it did feel like Ellie was stuck in the mud and going nowhere plenty of times throughout. But I really loved the character of Kieran, and I think he's why I ultimately liked this book as much as I did. He was presented as potentially flighty and unreliable, but all I ever saw was his devotion to his work, his craft, and his love. I liked the backstory that he has ADHD and had learning challenges as a kid, so his family/circle weren't expecting him to accomplish things like having a book written. This wasn't actually so much of a slow burn romance (as in, it really wasn't slow and lingering, so some readers may not be absorbed by that - because it's *definitely* not the SLOWEST) but I did like seeing their relationship unfold in professional ways and in their love over the course of them working together.

I did have issues with how many tropes were presented all at once here, the worst one being the "we're coworkers so we can't love each other," which didn't actually feel taboo or unprofessional given the ghostwriter dynamic. (It felt like a lot of adult professionals policing other adult professionals so they could exhibit control over their careers -- not the usual interpersonal trope.) Actually, there are SO many controlling characters here - Ellie's deceased husband's parents that hover in her life beyond control, literary agents with no boundaries, and publishing professionals who are overstepping.

I really liked the writing, and will be looking out for more Sarah Chamberlain works!

I really enjoyed this cozy, romantic read. The snark between the two main characters was first-rate, and their back stories were very well written, fitting right into their present day. Then you add in the food elements and you have a great summer read.

This was… not good. I almost dnf’ed 10% in because the characters were so unlikable esp the mmc.

She’s not a widow because widows wore black and are old?! Paraphrasing but i scoffed internally so hard.

It got better throughout the book but even at the third act break up it was so cringey I wouldn’t be rooting for them to ever have a HEA hahahah

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review, I’m sorry this was not a hit for me!

4.5 ⭐️

This was good, but definitely the SLOWEST burn. It took a bit to really enjoy the story, if I'm being honest. But once things started moving, I was super into it. I thought both main characters were sweet and I appreciated how complex they were. The surrounding cast was good and pretty well flushed out. I felt some of the drama of the ending (particularly work related) was hard to swallow. It didn't feel totally in character for me for her boss. But it all ultimately worked out.

This is a great story. I think it could have burned just a little faster though!

This was a solid book! It was definitely a slow burn. It was interesting to read about Ellie's grief and how she handled dating after her partner. I sometimes found her thinking confusing, but people grieve in different ways. Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for this ARC!

Such a gorgeous cover! The Slowest Burn” is a deeply romantic book with MCs who are trying to be brave, step outside the comfortable boxes and routines and heal themselves while unexpectedly falling in love. Nearly all of the characters showed positive emotional growth and those who did not were happily (and satisfactorily) jettisoned. Additionally, it was a pleasant surprise to have a short, “Puckish” MMC- too many stories equate height with attractiveness. This was a delightful romance snd I look forward to reading other novels by this author.

This was a cute story that was engaging and very heartfelt. I love a book featuring cooks/food and this was no different. The title is correct about a slow burn, but I found it worth the wait.

Slow burn... maybe not the slowest burn.. but it was slower than I expected it to be. I still enjoyed it but it was just dragging at points.

Super sweet, but a lot of things all at once. Overall, I feel like it could've been improved by some more editing and narrowing down of ideas and plot lines. I think she could've stuck with a single POV from Ellie's perspective and had more than enough material. It was just ok for me.

Ellie meets Kieran when she is hired to be his new cookbook's ghost writer. Ellie doesn't get a good first impression of Kieran and she writes him off as a slacker (which tbh is totes earned). As they get to know each other, Ellie begins to understand and empathize with Kieran and things start to heat up between them.

Overall, this book was solid. The biggest problem I had with it was that it feels like Ellie's relationship with her (deceased) husband becomes toxic out of nowhere. It could have very easily been a ~second chance at love~ type of story OR if it *was* toxic, maybe would've been nicer to have gotten more hints of its toxicity along the way.

✨ The Vibes ✨
A slow burn that’s full of deep emotions

📖 Read if…
✨ The Bear is your favorite TV show
✨ You want a romance that explores untraditional tropes
✨ You’re open to reading a romance that is heavy on serious topics and lighter on the comedy

Sometimes I’m really bad at reading really great books in a timely manner and this is the perfect example of that. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I was sent this one last summer and while it sounded cute, it didn’t scream “read me now” so I let it languish on my Kindle, but boy was that a mistake.

The Slowest Burn is set in the culinary world and follows Ellie, a widow who is dealing with grief while working as a successful ghostwriter, and Kieran, a celebrity chef who needs help working on a cookbook. The two are paired up, and after a rocky start, really start to connect.

This book will very likely be on my year-end list of favorite romances. As a fan of slow burns, I thought the pacing was PERFECT and loved it felt realistic to where Kieran and Ellie were in each of their personal journeys. Sarah Chamberlain handles a lot of heavier topics, like grief, complicated family dynamics, and mental illness, with a lot of realism and grace. Her writing gives them the appropriate weight, but still manages to weave a lightness and whimsy into the story that doesn’t diminish what the characters are experiencing.

The Slowest Burn is one of those romances that also places a great deal of importance on the characters’ arcs outside of the romance, in a way that I found similar to Emily Henry’s writing. Regardless of your favorite EmHen, I think her fans will eat this book up.

Chamberlain’s next book comes out later this year, and I definitely won’t make the mistake of putting that one off.

The Slowest Burn is out now. Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Slowest Burn! The characters were so lovable, and the romance between Ellie and Kieran was genuinely sweet. Their chemistry was great, and I especially adored that Kieran was a chef—those scenes were so fun! The whole concept of them working on a cookbook together added such a unique and cozy element to the story, and I loved how that brought them closer.
One of my favorite parts was how much family was woven into the book. I always appreciate strong family bonds in stories, and this one definitely delivered on that front!
That said, the pacing did lag a bit for me in spots. There were parts where I lost a little interest, and the flow felt a bit choppy here and there. But overall, it was a very cute, warm, and heartfelt read. Not a new favorite, but definitely a solid 3.5 stars!

A simmering and satisfyingly complex enemies-to-lovers romance set in the San Fran food scene that is sure to delight.

✨ Book Review: THE SLOWEST BURN by Sarah Chamberlain ✨

Ellie Wasserman is a young widow focused on her work as a cookbook ghost writer and taking care of everyone around her. Everyone but herself. Kieran O’Neill is a high-energy sous chef at a top restaurant who just won a major TV cooking competition. Together, they clash. Until they don’t. Then, they make so much sense and complement and bolster each other beautifully.

🤩 My Take: Ellie and Kieran kept me great company as I drove to and from LA last week for work. I really appreciated both of their explored backgrounds, which give them both a lot of depth, and that they don’t hit it off right away. Yet, once they get to know one another, they become each other’s champions. Neither is looking to be rescued, but they ultimately strive to make each other better. This is a solid and satisfying romance that I definitely recommend. Bonus that it has so many delicious food descriptions and insights.

Read THE SLOWEST BURN for
📝 Workplace romance
🏠 Forced proximity
🥊 Enemies to lovers
✌️ Dual POV
🔥 Tension
🍇 Plus-size heroine
🍽️ Chef skills
🏓 ADHD rep
😔 Honest depictions of grief
💣 Family dynamics & baggage
🍊 San Fran food scene

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to @YouHadMeAtHEA and @Netgalley for the gifted digital ARC and to my library for the borrowed audiobook. All opinions are my own.