The Slowest Burn follows Ellie, a ghostwriter who is known for her work with celebrity cookbooks. She ends up getting paired with Kieran, who is a hot-shot chef and the recent winner of a cooking competition. From the start, it’s clear that these two don’t seem like the best fit.

Things only get worse from there as Kieran won’t reply to Ellie’s emails but invites her to one of his events. The two end up getting into an argument and essentially get stuck together. They end up going to a cabin to learn to work together and figure out what’s going on with Kieran’s cookbook.

Of course, while they’re up there, the attraction between them begins to simmer but they agree to just be friends. The plan quickly goes up in flames as Kieran needs a date to his parents’ party and enlists Ellie. The two have a terrible time but do put on a believable act and from there, the chemistry is off-the-charts.

While it does take a while for the romance to develop, it does make sense. Ellie is a widow as she lost her husband extremely young. She’s also dealing with his mother, not coping with his death in a healthy way, and on the whole, not making time for herself. Kieran has issues with his own family as they can’t seem to get a clear picture of who he is and what he does.

As heavy as the themes in this book are, Sarah Chamberlain still makes sure to insert some light and fun moments to break it up. Plus there are so many great recipes and moments in the kitchen that your mouth will be watering as you’re reading. If you’re a foodie or food is your love language, you’ll absolutely devour The Slowest Burn.

📚✨Book Review✨📚

The Slowest Burn
Author: Sarah Chamberlain

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
🥄 I LOVE a slow burn and this one definitely took awhile to get there but it was worth it!

🥄Once the MCs overcame their differences and started working together, then this book really started cooking with gas for me (pun 100% intended!)

🥄This has the feel of enemies to lovers without them actually being enemies. So if you like that trope, you would certainly enjoy this.


What I Didn’t Like:
🥄 I didn’t realize prior to reading this that the death of a spouse would be a major focus of this story. It was a bit heavier than I usually care to read. I think if you are a reader who enjoys an emotional book, you won’t mind it at all though.

Final Thoughts:
🥄 I wish the cookbook actually existed. Oh and make sure you read this with a snack handy. It might make you hungry!



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Kieran won a cooking competition show and Ellie is assigned as his ghostwriter for his upcoming cookbook. They get off on the wrong foot (the most wrong foot, of all the feet it’s the worst one) and have to handle how they can work together while being so different. Of course, there’s a reason they say opposites attract😉

I was initially drawn to this tender swoony cover, I loooove love it. I saw the publisher categorize this one as a rom-dram and that’s such an apt description, and one I will be using for other books going forward. These two really had a lot working against them but it was really lovely that they found home in each other. While it had a lot of drama and angst I didn’t feel overwhelmed by it (as I’ve said before, very anti-sad over here). We saw them both navigate other relationships that needed reassessment and boundaries. I struggled a little with Ellie’s perception of her marriage and how it almost seemed like she diminished it after having a different type of relationship with Kieran. I can also see how she evolved as a person and therefore had different views and feelings, so it’s something I went back and forth on. Ellie and Kieran’s relationship really grew and evolved through stages and I enjoyed their love story. Also, kind of a side note because this doesn’t have to do with their relationship, I really loved that they had very average real bodies! Don’t misunderstand me, they were obviously still super hot, she is fat and he is short and there were no insecurities as plot points👏

🍴Food as a love language
🍴Opposites attract
🍴Widow (grief)
🍴ADHD and dyslexia
🍴A very poor attempt at friends with benefits (in the best way)

I’m a half-star rating girlie so this one is a 4.5 rounded up!

This was a quick and enjoyable read! I loved the dynamic between Kieran, a chef who just won a tv cooking show, and Ellie, who is ghostwriting his cookbook. They start off with a strong dislike for each other as they are literally opposite but things start to shift when they start working together. The title obviously gives insight into this story being a slow burn, but honestly I don’t know if I would have enjoyed this one as much if they weren’t embracing the slow burn. Ellie, who was widowed in her twenties, still lives with her in-laws and just wants to make sure everyone else is happy, most times at her own expense. Kieran comes in and opens up a world that Ellie forgot existed.

Some reasons to read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧:
It’s adorable. He falls first. Badass Chef and not typical romcom MMC. Floyd, the cat. There is no 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐝 situation, even when forced proximity happens. Fake dating. Slow burn. Enemies-Friends to Lovers.

✵𝖬𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖲𝗍. 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇'𝗌 𝖯𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌 ＆ 𝖭𝖾𝗍𝖦𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐.✵

The Slowest Burn is a masterclass in romance writing, expertly crafting a captivating enemies-to-lovers tale. From the initial sparks of animosity to the eventual blossoming of love, the journey is filled with witty banter, intense pining, and heartwarming personal growth.

The protagonists are complex and relatable, their past traumas shaping their personalities in both positive and negative ways. The author skillfully explores themes of mental health and personal growth, offering a refreshing and authentic portrayal of characters navigating their challenges.

The unique setting, centered around the creation of celebrity cookbooks, adds an intriguing layer to the story. The supporting characters are well-developed, enhancing the overall narrative without overshadowing the central romance.

The Slowest Burn is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance, offering a fresh perspective on the genre and a truly unforgettable love story.

Like the title implied, this book had a slower start, but once things picked up, I devoured it in one sitting. The chemistry between Ellie and Kieran was fantastic and I loved that it was a dual POV so we were able to learn about both perspectives. I also loved that both characters had their own support systems and those side characters were fleshed out as well. If I had any complaints, it would be that some of the dialogue is a bit stilted, especially early on, but even that wasn't enough to deter me from loving the book.

This was a cute, fun, quick read. Perfect for a late summer/early fall weekend, when you need a light read that doesn't put you through the grinder.

Bonus points for all the cooking/behind the scenes culinary/restaurant details. It made me hungry and wish I tried all the dishes they were talking about and I can't cook to save my life.

It was refreshing and original and the characters had such a heartmelting connection.

Tropes:
Opposites attract
Grumpy sunshine
Forced proximity/working together environment
Enemies to lovers
Spice
Grief/second chance at love (for her)

My favorite thing is all the messages, reps and life situations addressed. It's that kind of book that makes you feel, ponder stuff and reasses your life choices. Things like work environment challenges for neurodivergent people, grief, codependecy, trying to make yourself small so you wouldn't be a bother or burden/hurt anyone, be the pillar of the family and never considering yourself or your needs aknowledged. All this came from the heroine who was such a good soul but needed a spitfire chaotic hero to break her bubble of neatness and stale life. They balanced each other so well.

These quotes describe their dynamic perfectly:

Touching me focused him, and being touched settled me.
~

But we’d learned to give each other space to be ourselves, my chaos and her order weaving in and out instead of clashing.
~
But that’s what makes you two work. You lift her off the ground, and she keeps you from flying into the sun.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion

Ellie was widowed at age 27. 2.5 years later she’s living in her in-laws’ in-law cottage, cooking them shabbos dinner every Friday, emotionally supporting her mother-in-law, and working to keep everything in control, all while working as a cookbook ghostwriter. When she’s asked to ghostwrite for goofy and energetic Kieran O’Niell, fresh winner of a celebrity chef reality show, her world is turned upside down and so is his.

This started out with a fairly typical enemies-to-lovers (with obvious attraction) workplace romance. Bickering between these obviously opposite characters started early and became a sort of foreplay between them. The cookbook writing aspect of this plot was new to me and I enjoyed watching Ellie and Kieran find their flow together while trying to keep everything professional as their attraction grew. I appreciated that we get less typical romance characters in Ellie as a 30-year-old widow (and curvy!) and Kieran as a 27-year-old, sober, short and red-haired man with ADHD. The way Ellie’s grief is explored and the relationship she has with her parents-in-law felt realistic and I could see who these characters were so intertwined after Max’s unexpected death. Kieran’s own interactions with his parents and his feelings of failure also brought a depth to the story I wasn’t expecting. On the surface it seemed light and zippy, but there was more to it than that. The true star for me was the setting. As a northern Californian, I recognized the Berkeley Marina, Ocean Beach, the Mission district, and so many other places mentioned in the book. This was more open-door than I usually prefer, but overall I really liked watching the love between this unlikely pair unfold and am happy to have read this lovely debut!

Thank you SO much to Sarah Chamberlain, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for an ARC of The Slowest Burn.

What a DELIGHT this book was!! I truly enjoyed every moment. Kieran and Ellie are such a textbook case of opposites attract but when they find the way they fit, it was truly a beauty to behold.

There are a lot of tricky subjects tackled in this book, and I think Sarah Chamberlain did a beautiful job handling them all with respect and grace while also filling the book with light and joy and love.

If you’re looking for a book to make you hungry, introspective, and overwhelmed with love, this is the book for you! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical version.

POV: dual first person

You can expect: ghostwriter FMC, chef MMC, opposites attract, grumpy (her)/sunshine (him), short ginger king, forced proximity, fake dating, coworkers to lovers, combatants to lovers, he falls first.

Rep: grief, dyslexia, ADHD, depression, sober MMC, congenital heart defect (past character), queer side character, Jewish FMC, Filipino side character.

Spice: 2/5

CW: neglectful parents, emotionally abusive parents, death of a spouse

Oh my gosh I loved Kiernan so much! I felt so seen by the ADHD rep and I fell hard for that cinnamon roll of a man. Because I loved the rep so much and felt seen by his struggles it was hard to see him be misunderstood by Ellie. Her initial criticisms felt unfair and hit close to home. However, she did eventually understand what was going on and became much more supportive. It took a little too long for my personal tastes though. Despite my issues with Ellie I did love all the rep included. It was really fun to see dyslexia and ADHD portrayed with such care. If you're looking for a book with opposites attract, fake dating, and fantastic rep this could be the book for you!

This is how you write a romance novel! I loved everything about it. The hate-at-first-sight enemies-to-lovers plot. The forced proximity. The banter. The pining. The personal growth. The amazing people the two MCs were. I can’t believe this is a debut novel!

I loved the MCs. Their personal trauma shaped them for good and for bad. So much mental health rep. And unpacking those layers was a beautiful journey worth taking. I loved the growth and self awareness they both had.

The setting and plot were very interesting. I’ve never thought much about how celebrity cookbooks are created, and I was fascinated by this behind-the-scenes look at the process. The side characters were perfect. Developed enough to be real, but not enough to take away from the plot.

In short, this was an amazing romance. Thank you to @sarahchamberlainauthor @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my e-ARC. I will definitely be preordering a paper copy to put on my shelf!

It’s chaotic and depressing. I could not ever get into this one. The storylines seems random and dragging. I was skimming so much because it felt so unimportant.
I loved the idea, ghost writer and an adhd cookbook author. As someone with adhd, yes my brain does sound like that but it’s awful to read and I cannot docus. Putting every thought on paper is just a waste of my time. Ellie was ungrateful and rude.

I really wanted to like this one (I’m a big fan of slow burn stories), but I unfortunately kind of got the ick from the MMC and couldn’t recover from it. He just didn’t compel me at all, so I wasn’t a fan.

Thank you to NetGalley andSt. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain serves up a romance as intricate and layered as a well-crafted dish. The story centers on Ellie Wasserman, a meticulous ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks, and Kieran O'Neill, a charming but chaotic chef who’s freshly minted from a cooking competition. Thrust together in the kitchen to create Kieran's debut cookbook, their initial friction gradually gives way to a tender connection. The novel meticulously explores their evolving relationship, showcasing their individual struggles and growth, which makes their slow-burning romance feel all the more authentic and satisfying.

Chamberlain’s narrative weaves heavy themes of grief, mental health, and personal trauma into the fabric of the romance. Ellie’s past as a widow and Kieran’s battles with ADHD and family expectations add depth to their characters and to their budding relationship. While some readers might find the pace languid and the third-act breakup a bit predictable, the detailed portrayal of their struggles and the nuanced character development provide a compelling backdrop for their romance.

Despite some critiques about the book’s pacing and character portrayal, The Slowest Burn excels in its dual POV structure, allowing readers to intimately experience both Ellie and Kieran’s journeys. Chamberlain's debut novel delivers a heartfelt and well-crafted love story that captures the essence of healing and growth through both the trials of the past and the hope for a shared future. It’s a deliciously slow-burn romance that will satisfy those who appreciate a deep, character-driven story.

Thank you netgalley and st martins for the gifted arc.

I hate writing reviews like this but I’m not going to lie, this wasn’t a fun read for me. I was so excited for a slowwwww burn romance and expected lots of tension and banter. I really didn’t get that here.

I do think Chamberlains writing style is overall really nice, if a bit choppy. She had really great descriptors and I could envision the scenes. I was really excited to keep reading until about 35/40%. I do think the heavier topics in this book, like grief and trauma, were well done. I just would’ve liked to see more on page heading for these topics.

I really disliked almost every character in this book. Kieran was rude and immature. The way he was portrayed was so stereotypical of ADHD and seemed to infantilize him. Ellie was alright. I definitely understood her childhood trauma, but she was pretty bland. It seems like everyone’s trauma was their one defining personality trait.

I definitely didn’t get slow burn or enemies to lovers vibes from this. They were instantly attracted to each other but had immature bickering. I just didn’t really feel the tension. The chemistry between them was nonexistent to me and they were SO awkward. There were a couple moments I almost dnfed because I cringed so hard. Especially when Kieran randomly asked her to have sex while they were just chilling at the beach? 😭

When this book says slow burn, Sarah Chamberlain means slow burn 😅 Kieran is a famous chef from a reality show and Ellie is tasked with ghostwriting a cookbook with him. They get off on the wrong foot and their personalities couldn’t be any more different from each other. Kieran has ADHD and Ellie is type A and organized. Ellie is also a widower that is living in her in laws’ guesthouse.
Over time, they realize they work well together once they put their differences aside. I loved the banter and the tension was thick. Yes it was a slow burn but they built a real connection instead of just jumping into a relationship.
Tropes:
⭐️Reverse grumpy/sunshine
⭐️Forced proximity
⭐️Dual POV
⭐️Workplace romance

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

With a title like that, I was expecting a deliciously slow-cooked romance, simmering with tension and just the right amount of spice. Instead, what I got was a dish overloaded with heavy-handed drama that left me feeling more bloated than satisfied.

Kieran O’Neill should be living his best life—winning a reality TV show, opening a restaurant, and scoring a cookbook deal before thirty? That’s like the trifecta of culinary success! But instead of savoring his achievements, Kieran’s drowning in a stew of mental health struggles, and not the subtle kind. We’re talking grief, addiction, low self-worth, family drama, and an in-law who seems to have taken a page from the How to Be an Emotional Black Hole of Suck handbook. It’s like the author threw every tragic ingredient into the pot, stirred, and forgot to season it with any hope or lightness.

Then there’s Ellie Wasserman, our ghostwriter heroine, who’s just as weighed down by life. She’s got her own cookbook dreams, but they’re buried under the pressure of taking care of her in-laws and enabling her brother’s refusal to adult. And let’s not forget the looming specter of her late husband. You know, just in case things weren’t depressing enough.

Now, don’t get me wrong—books that tackle real, heavy issues can be powerful and moving. But it felt like I was being hit over the head with a frying pan of misery. The romance between Kieran and Ellie, which should’ve been the sweet, slow-building redemption arc, got lost in all the angst. By the time they finally started cooking up some chemistry, I was too emotionally exhausted to care whether they ended up together or just burned down the kitchen.

And speaking of chemistry, where was the fun? The enemies-to-lovers trope is usually a recipe for sharp banter and laugh-out-loud moments, but here, it was more like watching two people slog through mud while occasionally throwing wet noodles at each other. By the time they finally connected, I was ready to call it quits and order takeout.

In the end, The Slowest Burn just wasn’t to my taste. It tried to serve up a complex dish of love and healing, but instead, it felt more like being stuck in a never-ending episode of Kitchen Nightmares—without Gordon Ramsay to yell, “It’s raw!”

The premise had potential, but in the end, it left me with a bad case of heartburn.

The Slowest Burn follows ghost writing Ellie and hot-shot chef Kieran as they try to produce a cookbook after Kieran wins a big cooking show. This book is a lot more than just a slow burn romance (which in my opinion, was not as slow as some of the reviews made it out to be!) and we're getting insight into so many different parts of Ellie and Kieran's lives and backgrounds. Some of the biggest topics being grief, parental relationships, neurodivergence, and lots of guilt.

This dual POV follows our two MCs over almost an entire year and the chemistry keeps building as Ellie and Kieran get to know each other better, they compliment each other so well, and the growth that each has as individuals is a highlight. With so much personal drama boiling to the surface with Ellie's family members, the 3rd act break up felt inevitable. Unfortunately, I felt like the reconciliation was a little immature given the work they've both put in in the previous year.

This is still a great debut from Sarah Chamberlain and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the eARC copy. All opinions are my own.

I liked this one, but I didn’t love it. It sometimes felt like too slow of a burn, and I didn’t find myself motivated to read this one. I did like the depictions of grief within Ellie’s family.

I loved the premise of this, and I really enjoyed the setting; as someone who loves to cook (and eat), all the recipe talk and scenes of cooking were really enjoyable. I liked the story, but I feel like it wanted to be an enemies-to lovers but actually turned more into a dislike to friends to lovers with a fake date along the way; not bad, but not great either.

Diane's character annoyed me, I wanted to slap some sense into her, but I adored her husband Ben. Ellie also needed a good slap and to grow a backbone, she frustrated me to no end. Know your worth woman!!

The third act breakup didn't help matters either; in the end I enjoyed it enough to finish it, but it didn't make a lasting impression. I felt the Diane storyline didn't get a proper resolve, only a passing sentence in the epilogue, and I needed more from it.


Thank you to St-Martin's Publishing Group and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.