4.5 stars
This is an entertaining, fun read. Kieran and Ellie are strong, complex, interesting, wounded intriguing, relatable, entertaining, fun characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. These two are fun to spend time with. I loved the growth of these characters through the course of the story. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. This story has emotional parts as it deals with the grief process and how it differs person to person.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain follows newly dubbed celebrity chef Kieran O'Neill and ghostwriter Eleanor "Ellie" Wasserman. Ellie thought writing a cookbook with celebrity chef and recent reality cooking show winner Kieran O'Neill would be a great opportunity for her. The only problem is the man himself is impossible. They are oil and water. Where she's tidy, he's messy. Where Ellie's organized, Kieran flies by the seat of his pants. When she's open, he's evasive. So of course, working on a consumer cookbook together is a nightmare...until it isn't. Until they start to work, blend, and add pinches of their past and personalities. Until they create a recipe for a brilliant book...and maybe even romance.

The Slowest Burn had everything I wanted in a contemporary rom-com. It had me cackling at the witty banter. Sniffling at their backstories. Shaking my fist in frustration. Kicking my feet at the sweetness. Clapping for consent and diversity and inclusion! It had a 👏WIDOWED 👏ADULT 👏female 👏main 👏character! There was therapy, self-awareness, and so much more. And are you a fan of romance tropes? This story has so many tropes in the best way.

The main characters/couple were lovely and had a lot of depth. I was rooting for Ellie and Kieran's happiness the entire time---and it was a long time. Though the book is a little sluggish at times, the title doesn't lie; it's the slowest of burns but in the most delicious way. The spice is light but worth the wait. I was so happy this story was told in Dual Pov and it helped to stretch that romantic and personal/internal tension. The side characters were also great and lent themselves to the found family trope. If there was a spin-off featuring them, I'd pick up another book.

Sarah Chamberlain cooked up a scrumptious, cozy debut romance that will have you hungry for more.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
📖 Forced Proximity
👨‍🍳 Slow Burn
📖 Widowed, over 30 FMC
📖 Found Family
👨‍🍳 Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
📖 Learning Disorder and Mental Health Rep
👨‍🍳 Opposites Attract
📖 Love after Loss
👨‍🍳 He's a short king

This book was so good! Such a respectful and healthy way to display emotions like grief and traits like ADHD. I loved the immediate pivots each MC took when discovering these things about the other.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the FMC being a widow, but it was beautifully done. The growth she had from her first marriage and being so confident in herself.

I loved the emotional maturity of the arguments and apologies. Each MC sitting down with themselves and self-reflecting where they went wrong in the moment. The ability to immediately apologize and acknowledge those wrongs. Such a healthy representation that I don't think a lot of books include, yet.

What I loved the most, is that we didn't get bogged down in the cooking. I've read a few cooking romances before and it would just go so down into the weeds of the act that I'd get bored and loose myself. Almost as though the author is trying to show off what they know? In fact, I'm currently listening to a different book about a chef and whiskey distiller and thought to myself, "This is it, no more food romances" and then I queued up this ARC and groaned. But, not once did I get that feeling with The Slowest Burn. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down, I stayed up way too late to finish it!

If this is Sarah Chamberlain's debut novel, I cannot wait to see what else she writes! I think she just may be my next auto-buy author.

I loved the initial will they won't they chemistry between Ellie and Kiernan. It was a fun take on the enemies to lovers trope. I thought that portion was really well done and didn't feel too cheesy, more like the perfect amount of cheese for a cute rom-com.

This was a really slow burn just as the the title advertised, and I didn't mind that for most of the book. There was a point about 3/4 of the way through this story just dropped off for me. Something about how their chemistry changed during that portion of the book made it hard to pick up the book again. The ending was a little over the top for me to the point where it stopped being interesting. This surprised me because I was quite invested in both characters. I liked the final resolution, but would have enjoyed it more if everything had been dialed back a bit.

I really appreciate that the author tackled some difficult themes despite this being a romantic comedy. I think it's important to show representation for ADHD, dyslexia, and mental health even in romance books.

I am stunned that this is Chamberlain's debut novel. It read as though it came from a seasoned, long-published, writing professional. While I'm sad I don't get any backlist, I am genuinely excited for what she does next. The way she treated the various ways that grief presents, as well as the differences in how love "shows up" for people, was done with care and empathy. I also adored that while the FMC was clearly not a size 6, and the MMC was not a jacked 6'5" muscular dude with abs for days, the author didn't beat the reader over the head with their "normalness" (not a word, got it!). I felt like I was reading about real people, with real problems, finding real love, and navigating life. Stellar, lovely first published novel! 💖

This was so sweet and funny! I loved the banter between Ellie and Kieran. While there are some very heavy topics covered (death of a spouse, depression), Chamberlain injects fun and joy throughout. A little slow at times (it's literally in the title), but honestly there was not much I could comment on to improve aside from there needing to be some actual recipes in a book about two people who create a cookbook together. ADHD rep; Jewish rep.

the slowest burn was a solid debut! the depth of the main characters is something refreshing to the romance genre, it gives this story an added layer and it makes the reading experience powerfully emotional. kieran and ellie's story is a story about love, friendship, trust, learning, and realizing what's best for you. i definitely recommend!

The title is definitely true! This burn was slowww & had me aching for the moment where these two characters would finally get together.

Fun tension. Grumpy x Sunshine. Opposites attract. Enemies to lovers vibe. Yes, Chef.

My first chef romance & I had so much fun with that aspect of the story. Definitely not for the faint of heart (aka you better enjoy a truly slow burn)

I should have know by the title this wouldn’t be for me. I’m definitely not a slow burn girlie! DNFd at 20%

RATING: 2/5 STARS

I did not vibe with the writing of this book right off the bat so it was hard to get myself to finish it. The cover is so lovely though.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of "The Slowest Burn" by Sarah Chamberlain. This one is a captivating read that masterfully builds tension and emotion. The slow-burn romance is beautifully paced, allowing the characters to develop organically and making their journey all the more satisfying. Chamberlain's writing is rich with depth and nuance, drawing readers into the intricate dynamics between the characters. This book is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys a story that unfolds with deliberate, heartfelt intensity. Highly recommended for fans of slow-burn romance!

Properly named, this book is a slow burn. Once the two main characters started getting along better the book becomes a lot more interesting. If you are a fan of cooking and romance you will enjoy this one. I prefer less of a slow burn, but I still found myself enjoying this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
🫶🏻 enemies to lovers
💜 opposites attract
🧑🏻‍🍳 Chef x ghostwriter
☀️ Reverse grumpy sunshine

The Slowest Burn was indeed the slowest burn 😛

Ellie and Kieran were at odds for half the book and it made me a little nervous we weren’t going to get an HEA but no worries, these two dummies work through their respective issues and earn their HEA.

Taking place over the course of nearly a year, you get to see Ellie, a ghostwriter, and Kieran, a chef, come together to work on Kieran’s debut cookbook while working on their own personal issues and falling in love in the process.

I really loved how much at odds these two were and how they slowly opened up to each other. The Slowest Burn is an ever so slightly spicy romance that is a must read for any foodie!

“The Slowest Burn” is a romance between two real people as they navigate writing a cook book together and finding love and growth along the way. I was surprised to find that this book, unlike many other romance books, is not smoothed over with glossy, perfect people. In this story, we find both characters navigating through a personal growth story - overcoming difficult family trauma, finding their purpose and choosing love. This story had sweet, romantic moments. It was heavy-hearted at times, and while that is not always attractive to readers, it’s important and true to real life.

For those who enjoy:
🥘 Slow Burn
🥘 Forced Proximity
🥘 Chef + Cookbook Writer
🥘 Family Issues
🥘 Neurodivergent Rep
🥘 Dual POV
🥘 Fake Dating
🥘 Grief

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book so much! Books with chefs? Give all of them! Ellie and Kieran start off not working together great due to some lack of communication from Kieran when Ellie is needing information to start ghost writing his cook book. Both Ellie and Kieran have personal issues they they both work in throughout the story. The banter and the heat between these two is so great, I cannot wait to read more from Sarah in the future

The Slowest Burn serves up a delightful mix of sizzling chemistry and slow-cooked romance. Ellie’s perfectly organized life is thrown into chaos when she’s paired with Kieran, a charmingly messy chef who brings the heat both in and out of the kitchen. Their opposites-attract dynamic is a recipe for a steamy, slow-burn love story that’s as satisfying as a well-seasoned dish.
Ellie’s journey from grief to rediscovery is heartwarming, and Kieran’s playful nature adds the perfect dash of spice. Their banter is sharp, their connection is undeniable, and the kitchen isn’t the only place where things get hot. This is a romance that simmers with just the right amount of tension and flavor—perfect for readers who enjoy their love stories with a bit of bite.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What better word to use to describe this book about two chefs than delicious! This enemies to lovers, opposites attract romance made my heart do all the fluttery things! Kieran and Ellie were endearing and special. He was incredibly charming, but hiding some deep pain behind a facade of being happy-go-lucky. She was more focused and serious, but has also been damaged by the people she loves. I loved that they each not only accepted their differences and their perceived flaws, but they celebrated them! They both brought out the best—and sometimes even the worst—in each other. Their emotions were raw and real and sincere, and nothing felt right to me when they weren’t together. Their path to their love and their future wasn’t easy, but never has a couple ever deserved a happy ending as Ellie and Kieran did.

Steamy Romance that follows a chef and a ghostwriter who're working together to produce a cookbook as they learn to let go of their past hurts to make room for new love.

4/5 stars: This is a stand-alone by Chamberlain which is a Steamy Romance that follows a chef and a ghostwriter who're working together to produce a cookbook must learn to let go of their past hurts to make room for new love. Written in dual POV, Chamberlain's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Ellie's a widow dealing with a complicated family situation who dreams of writing her own cookbook and own her own home and Kieran's, a recovering alcoholic who has dyslexia and ADHD, success should make him happy but he still finds himself trying to impress his family. I really liked seeing them working together to create the recipes for the cookbook. And how along the way they get to know each and fall in love and get their HEA. Plus I like that Ellie's plus size and that Kieran's a short ginger. And I love Floyd Ellie's feline escape artist. Chamberlain's humor shines and the banter and flirting are on high and will have you swooning. Oh and the OPS scenes are incredibly steamy. While there are plenty of heartfelt and humorous moments, Chamberlain does takes on some sensitive subjects; so take care and check the CWs.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

3.5/5 ⭐️
A great story of opposites attract, I really enjoyed this sweet book, loved the dual POV, as well as the fresh and sweet characters specially the MMC. I am looking forward reading more books by Sarah Chamberlain. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin”s Griffin for the opportunity to read this ARC

Woooo! This book was a SLOW burn.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. From the start I was genuinely pulled into the characters stories and narrative. I LIKED the characters and felt super invested in them, as they were both overcoming tough things in the book. That made them relatable and really easy to root for. Add in the chemistry and tension between them, and I couldn't wait until "IT" finally happened for them!

Loved the sweet love story, duel POV, and the opposites attract theme. These are all things that will bring me back to Chamberlin the next time she writes a novel!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!