Who knew chef romances were a thing and that I’d enjoy it so much?! Yes, Chef, indeed. Ellie is a young widow who struggles with people-pleasing and Kieran is a celebrity chef with imposter syndrome. Their chemistry was a bit of a slow start, but the second half of the book picked up speed (and steam!) and was an overall enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for this ARC.

cute coming of age lgbt romance novel that warmed my heart and made me happy. i didn't feel super attached to these characters but still liked the story enough to rate it 4 stars.

A reality TV star chef is partnered with a ghostwriter to write a cookbook. The chef has dyslexia and ADHD and the writer is a parentified overachiever which leads to many mishaps and miscommunication. Cheesy at times but overall a fun lighthearted listen.

Read if you like:
•Forced Proximity
•Enemies to Lovers
•Forbidden Love
•Workplace Romance

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open Door: At least one intimate scene with the reader present, euphemistic language for act and body parts.

For a debut book this one was really good!

4 ⭐️

I loved how slow slow slow of a burn it was. Initially it didn’t draw me in as much as I’d like, and I wasn’t sold on their chemistry at first but after a few chapters of Ellie and Kieran’s amazing banter, their chemistry really shone through. I loved hearing how they got to know each other and how Kieran talked about Ellie was so beautiful. “ I knew my ghostwriter a lot better now. When she was in the middle of a task, she would make up these dorky little nonsense songs with no tune at all, telling asparagus it was delicious or ordering chicken to cook faster. A tortoise could still dice vegetables quicker than she could, and tortoises didn't even have thumbs. She'd read pretty much every book about food and cooking, and she remembered it all. If they could give out a degree in knowing about food, Ellie would have a PhD.“ it’s just so well thought out and sweet. And when he puts the asparagus behind his ears to make her laugh and cheer up?! Ah I just love them.

It was tough waiting for them to finally get together but as the title suggests, it really is a slooowwwww burn. So worth the wait 😮‍💨😍

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book early!

Title: The Slowest Burn
Author: Sarah Chamberlain
Length: 336 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: Sep 24 2024
Genre: Romance
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: open door
Summary:
Ellie Wasserman, a meticulous ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks, avoids risks after being widowed—especially in writing her own book or dating. Kieran O’Neill, a laid-back chef known for his messiness and humor, finds himself paired with Ellie to write his debut cookbook. As they clash in the kitchen, their mutual attraction simmers, but both must confront their pasts to see if their new love can last.

Thoughts:
Despite its title, this book was anything but a slow burn! In fact, once I pushed past my initial distaste for Ellie (I mean, was it really necessary for her to be *that* mean to Kieran?), I found myself falling for these characters almost as fast as they fell for each other. We’re talking classic enemies-to-lovers energy, with a dash of forced proximity that really ramps up the tension—because who doesn't love two people stuck in close quarters while pretending they’re *not* wildly attracted to each other?

What really got me was that Kieran, the self-declared commitment-phobe, fell head over heels first. And beneath all the banter and heat, there’s a surprising layer of emotional depth as both characters work through their personal baggage, helping each other heal along the way. It’s the kind of character growth that makes you root for them all the more.

In short: great plot, perfect spice, and a love story that’s both tender and steamy. Highly recommend!

Special thanks to the @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

SHUT UP this was so good. I normally don't love slow burns, however this is an exception. You obviously are going to go into the book knowing this is a slow burn (I mean it is in the title of the book lol). I loved how Sarah approached the fact that out FMC was a widow. She didn't hide from that fact, which allowed the slow burn to make sense. Of course the FMC would be wary about being in another relationship after losing their significant other in the past. If you're going to go into this book upset that it is a slowburn, please give it a change. The burn is 200% worth every second of this incredible love story.

Ellie is a ghost writer who is tasked with a difficult “celebrity chef” for her next book.
How does she handle working with someone who doesn’t know how to finish a task outside of the kitchen.
Overall I appreciated this story but I felt there were missed opportunities for a deeper exploration of Ellie and Kieran. The author could’ve expanded on both of their emotional baggage on how it motivated them and ultimately contributed to their growth.
For the foodie in me I need more descriptions on food, I felt like the most descriptive we got was for a creamed spinach dish.
It’s a great debut novel, I just wanted a little bit more from Ellie and Kieran to ultimately fall in love with them.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. I didn't feel a strong pull between the characters and their tumultuous start to the working relationship just kind of ruined any attraction for me. Their back stories were well developed and fleshed out but I didn't feel much of a connection to either character. I did like the representation of ADHD in an adult male - that part was well researched and represented. I also, unfortunately, didn't find the description of the MMC attractive which made it hard for me to "fall" along with the FMC. This book has such great reviews and I think it'd be a great read for someone else; it just wasn't for me.

This is a wonderfully complex romance novel featuring two very broken characters. Ellie Wasserman is the elder child of emotionally absent parents. In fact she was really raised by her grandparents and took it has her personal responsibility to raise her brother Hank. As a result, her self-confidence was very poor and took every step well planned and carefully executed. Physically she was described as rubenesque in stature and that affected her self-image.

Though Kieran O’Neill was a very successful chef as well as the winner of the TV cooking competition, “Fire on High”, he was anything but the “Happy Pirate Leprechaun” of his public image. The truth was that Kieran was both ADHD and dyslexic. That combination made it nearly impossible for him to write the cookbook that his support team insisted that he complete after his big win.

That is where Ellie came into the picture. Ellie was to be the ghostwriter of the book and in doing so maintain a professional distance from Kieran. That distance between chef and ghostwriter became harder and harder to maintain and time progressed and what made the book interesting was the intricate steps the author took to lead us through their unusual courtship.

In the end, the journey was well worth the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. I am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review it.

Dual POV, Enemies to Lovers, Chef x Ghost writer, grumpy x sunshine, Opposites Attract

The Slowest Burn does indeed live up to it's title providing an intricate plot that slowly develops into a heart pounding romance. Kieran and Ellie spend a majority of the book in each other's proximity due to her ghost writing his cook book but can't stand each other. Once that tension breaks and they finally get together the romance flourishes and the family dynamics take a back seat. The way grief was handled felt authentic and will connect with many readers.

Thank you, NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a sweet romance, but it wasn't anything super special, at least for me. I want to be kicking my feet at the banter and tension, but this didn't really have me doing that.

This is an aptly named novel as it is definitely is a slow burn romance where the characters become friends first. Ellie and Kieran are both fully formed, dealing with their own separate demons. The relationships they had with the secondary characters were great (Ellie & Ben especially!) and I loved how real and raw it all felt. Also, shout out to Chamerlain for giving us a 5’7’’ short king - they don’t all need to be huge, burly men!

This is your typical rom-com type of book. Chef meets girl, thinks she’s cute, but she’s impossible to work with. How will they get this book written? A perfect vacation read.

While the story is entertaining and easy to read, the characters lack the typical behavior of individuals in their age bracket. The hot moments and easy-to-read prose would make it a good choice for Tessa Bailey fans. Kieran and Ellie, the protagonists of the book, are likeable people who have a strong connection. The story's gradual development and subsequent decline disappoint readers, though. It has a plot, but it does not employ the characters to their fullest and throws in a pointless breakup in the third act.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this copy for an honest review.

"The Slowest Burn" is a captivating story about finding love and oneself. It follows the story of Ellie, a young widow who is tasked to work with Kieran, a young and recently famous chef, as a ghostwriter for his cookbook. Despite their differences, they find a way to work together.
I have to admit that initially, the story didn't grab my attention, especially in the first few chapters. I felt that there was no chemistry between the main characters. However, as I continued reading, the chemistry between them became more apparent.
This isn't exactly a romantic comedy, but it is a beautiful love story that feels authentic. The book features complex characters in complicated situations, each trying their best and opening their hearts to love and acceptance.
The second part of the book was particularly difficult to put down, and I thoroughly enjoyed the final chapters. I liked the story and characters, and I look forward to reading more from the author.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 24, 2024

An open door, enemies to friends to lovers gem between a charismatic chef fresh off a cooking competition win and his serious cookbook ghostwriter. A fun read for foodies as this spends a lot of time in recipe development! There are some amazing (and some awful) side characters in this one that help these two complicated MC’s find their way.

Chef Kieran just won one of the most popular reality tv cooking shows and has agreed to a book deal. With his ADHD and dyslexia Kieran definitely needs the help of a ghostwriter for his cookbook. The problem is organized, focused and bossy widow Ellie is the exact opposite of Kieran and they start off on the wrong foot. But when Ellie realizes Kieran is not being difficult on purpose, she finds ways to make Kieran feel comfortable working on recipes and cooking with her. As the two slowly peel back layers of their pasts Ellie and Kieran realize how much they mean to each other. But what happens if the publishing company finds out the two are in a relationship? Ellie’s career could go down the drain.

There are so many things I loved about this book, more than just the San Francisco setting and food. Ellie learning to work with Kieran’s neurodivergent brain made me want jump up and dance in celebration. Kieran being Ellie’s biggest supporter and champion and loving her in her grief was so heartwarming and touching. It takes time to learn each other and all our moods and forms and this book showcases that fundamental message in the most beautiful and delicious way!

Thank you to NG and the publisher for a free review copy.

This was such a cute book. I wasn't sure if I was going to like Kieran or Ellie, but they both grew on me. I loved the growth they both went through, the slow burn romance, and the story that progressed.

Kieran was the most immature main character. I couldn’t stand him, I didn’t like the female MC either. The relationship with the in-laws was not realistic. Not for me!

This book follows Kieran, a chef who has been tasked to write his own book after winning a reality cooking show. Ellie has been hired to be his ghostwriter and their first meeting does not go well. After being forced together to figure out how to get the book done the they learn they just might be perfect for each other. I liked the exploration of Kieran’s thoughts on his ADHD as well as Ellie dealing with being a widow and how the two of them grow together over the course of the book. Overall this was a good romance with some deeper feelings that I enjoyed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Griffin for this ARC.