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.

3.5

This was SUCH a good book. I loved all the food aspects that were told throughout the story. Also, I love a good opposite attracts moment. The black cat and golden retriever dynamic was so well done - the slow burn (pun intended) was chefs kiss (also pun intended). This was such a fun and quick read if you're looking for something to read over the weekend!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The slowest burn? No. But a slow burn? Yes. This story follows Kieran, an ADHD chef/cooking contest winner who is trying to earn his own restaurant by writing a cookbook. Ellie is a young widow/aspiring cookbook writer trying to build her confidence and earn credence with her publishers. Together these two have a lot to prove to their bosses, each other, but mostly to themselves.

This dual-perspective, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance was an original idea that worked for the most part. We see an energetic, unfocused Kieran meet a tightly wound Ellie, and once they take a moment to understand each other, they hit it off. It was fun seeing Kieran fall for Ellie. I think Ellie was for sure the more complicated character as she is dealing not only with familial trauma from her childhood, but also trauma from the death of her husband and the pressure she feels from her in-laws. Character development was pretty strong in this one, and the storyline moved smoothly. Overall it was a fun reading experience with a MMC who is not the overwritten confident talk, dark, handsome.

I love Ben, he is the unspoken hero in this novel. Diane wanted to make me scream at the top of my lungs and I wanted to throw my tablet across the room when Hank took over Ellie's cottage.

This book lived up to it's title, it was quite the slow burn. Kieran is a chef who recently won a TV baking contest, and to keep the hype going he is writing a cookbook with the help of a ghostwriter. Ellie though isn't much of a ghost, she is demanding a lot from Kieran and he refuses to answer her emails. When they finally meet up it is explosive.

I did enjoy their friendship once they do eventually get together. Ellie helps him start to make small steps in getting his life together. Their recipe sessions were mouthwatering.

Ellie was struggling with her own situation, living in the guest house on her in-laws property after her husband passed away. She is the emotional support for them both, but even more so for the mother. With last night sessions she doesn't sleep much and puts everyone above herself.

This had a lot of heavy topics which made it a slower read for me. From Ellie's grief, and relationship with the in-laws to her mooching brother and absent mom to Kieran's troubling relationship with his family, his ADHD and his imposter syndrome.

If you love a red headed short king than this one might just be for you.

Kieran is a chef who just won a cooking competition show, and now wants to write a cookbook. Ellie is a cookbook ghostwriter who is trying to figure out life as a widow while still living her in-laws. They don’t get along. Kieran is spontaneous and easily distracted. Ellie is organized and driven. Of course, they don’t start off liking each other, but because they have to work together they are sent off to a cabin by the publisher to learn to tolerate each other for the book. Like turns to lust and then to love as they both work through their pasts. This, yes slow burn, romance has all of the tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating, and workplace romance. The addition of the food, the backstory, the side characters, and both main characters’ perspectives make the overload of tropes bearable. There were a few seemingly extraneous moments, but they let readers really get to know the characters separately and together. This book was a fun mix of food and romance that any romance reader will enjoy.