The premise was interesting, but the execution didn’t fully hook me. There were too many moving parts at times, making the story feel cluttered, and some scenes came off as a bit cheesy or immature. It took me longer than expected to finish (literal slow burn), but there were still some enjoyable moments along the way, and I appreciated seeing both MCs grow by the end, which is always key.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was not my kind of book - the slow burn was SOOOOOO slow. However, I felt the connection growing between the characters and the plot moved along to a lovely romance. I enjoyed it overall. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain is a captivating contemporary romance that explores themes of love, patience, and emotional healing. The story follows two characters who are drawn to each other but face obstacles that challenge their connection. As they navigate their individual struggles and personal growth, their relationship develops slowly but steadily, with moments of tension, tenderness, and understanding. Chamberlain’s writing creates a slow-burn romance filled with rich character development and emotional depth, making it a perfect read for fans of heartfelt, character-driven love stories.

This was a really easy read. The characters were engaging. I felt it dealt really well with grief and people pleasing, as well as difficult family dynamics.

I appreciated a lot about this book. It didn’t bring much new to the genre, and was somewhat similar to another book I read recently, but I did like that both MCs weren’t the ideal body size as their respective romance counterparts. He’s short and she describes herself as fat. Which is a refreshing change of pace from the 6’5 MMC and the petite, thin FMC that’s usually represented.

Ellie is a ghostwriter and widow. Kieran is a chef who just won a tv contest. They’re going to be working together to write his cookbook, but they struggle to get along. This book blew through tropes one after the other, and that made it fast paced. While I didn’t personally connect with the characters, I still appreciated them.

Besides the body representation, this book doesn’t stand out much from other books in the romance genre. But sometimes it doesn’t need to. I do recommend this for fans of the romance genre looking for a comfort read.

I tried so hard to get into this one but I struggled connecting with the characters and the story wasn’t grasping me. I know if I had continues, it wouldn’t be more than an average rating of 3 stars.

Thank you for the opportunity!

This was a really delightful read, I enjoyed how real the characters all felt and how well the author wrote in the emotional turmoil that comes with both characters' lives and situations. There were times when the characters were 'cringey' but in a way that felt authentic. Overall, a solid read.

A tale of opposite attraction and 2 characters with a lot of personal baggage. Ellie is a recent widow who becomes a ghostwriter while coping with her loss, and her in=laws. I really like her father-in-law, Ben as he gave her great advice. This definitely was a slow burn romance and was slow at the beginning but picked up nicely.

This book was cute, but drug on a little in the middle. I really loved these characters and their growth, it was so fun to watch.

I enjoyed this cooking rom com complete with ghost writing a cookbook for an disorganized chef. But of course my favorite part of the book was the banter between Ellie and Kieran.

3.75 star

Dual POV
Slow Burn
Widow
ADHD/dyslexia

Ellie is a cookbook ghostwriter who's husband has passed away. She currently lives with her In laws and she is also raising her younger brother.

Kieran is a chef who has won a popular cooking tv show. After going viral his agent now wants him to put out his own cookbook. Due to his ADHD and Dyslexia he is nervous about working on this cookbook.

Ellie and Kieran are paired up to work on this cookbook together. They both have different styles which causes them to butt heads. They are opposites and Kieran does not tell her about his issues. Ellie is unimpressed with Kieran and He thinks she is bossy and judgmental. But you know they say opposites attract and these two ending up liking each other more than either one of them thought.

Both characters are working on building themselves. Kieran is working on building his career and Ellie is trying to move on from the loss of her husband.

This was a slow burn and I loved the Dual POV and the way he kissed her hand and made her his top priority was Chef's Kiss!!!

This book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and the writing was a bit choppy. First off, Ellie and Kieran felt like a weird combo to put together. Maybe it works for others, but I just didn’t jive with their vibes. Plus, Kieran says some of the strangest things. I couldn’t get the cottage yoga part of the book where Ellie asked him if he’s seen a fat woman do yoga before and what do you think he says?! Straight up NO. Not “oh you’re not fat”, or “I’ve never seen a person do a handstand for yoga”. Just No. 🤦🏻‍♀️
I’m a big fan of romance brewing in the kitchen, there’s some good ones out there! I just did not connect or feel the need to cook anything after reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook about which I will give my honest opinion.

This was a slow read to be clear. It's cute but there's not too much substance here. Enjoyable, like cotton candy, but won't stick with you long.

"The Slowest Burn" is about force-proximity romance about two wounded people who find strength in each other's orbits.

Ellie Wasserman is a young widow who has spent her entire life taking care of other people. Neglected as a child, she had to learn to take care of herself and her younger brother at a very young age since no one else would. And that meant that it's been engrained into her that her worth is tied up in what she has to offer others. She rarely ever thinks about what might make her happy, mostly because she doesn't believe she's worth it.

Kieran O’Neill is a dyslexic chef whose family has never understood his learning difficulty or his ADHD, so he's always been made to feel "less than" by those who should have been doing what they could to get him the help he needed.

When these two are paired up to work on a cookbook project together, they're like oil and water at first. Ellie's organization is an anathema to Kieran's puppy-like chaos. Yet when they are forced to take a week away to focus solely on the book, they begin to find common ground as they get to know one another and begin creatively partnering with one another. After a while, they each see that the thing that irritated them about the other is actually a superpower.

This is a sweet story about defining our own self-worth, setting boundaries, and being willing to be happy. I must also add that the romance is open-door and spicy, which is a detraction for me. I much prefer closed-door romances. But if you like the spice, this story has plenty of it.

Thank you to Sarah Chamberlain, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

The title definitely fits this book, and I really enjoyed it. This felt deeper than a lot of romance books, as we learn that Ellie is a young widow and is still reeling from the death of her husband a few years prior. Kiernan is a hotshot chef and their worlds collide. I liked how this was told in alternating perspectives and that we really saw the development of their relationship from ghostwriter and author who don't see eye to eye, to something more meaningful and deep. I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this one and how they helped move the story along. This was definitely a slow burn, but I really enjoyed it!

I requested this one because I thought the cover was super pretty but truly, I don't even like slow burns so idk what I was even doing here. Unfortunately, no longer interested in reading this title. Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader!

This was a first time read for me by this author. It's a heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers romance that mixes humor, tension, and emotional depth. Kieran is a young, successful chef, and Ellie is a grieving widow with her own dreams. They are forced to work together on a cookbook. Their contrasting personalities—Kieran's chaotic energy and Ellie's meticulous nature—lead to plenty of friction, but as their deadline approaches, sparks undoubtedly fly. The chemistry between them is undeniable. Both are dealing with personal baggage and unfulfilled dreams, making their journey toward love both heartfelt and relatable.
The story was enjoyable and entertaining with well-crafted characters. The blend of humor, wit, and heartfelt moments makes the eventual romance feel satisfying and earned.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I was not able to finish this book. I just didn’t vibe with it like I had hoped. I did not connect with the characters or the writing unfortunately. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book.

My thoughts on this book are all over the place. It was a slow burn for sure but not the slowest burn which I appreciated. The middle of this book was the strongest for me. I struggled to get through the beginning and I felt like there was something missing from the end. Kieran and Ellie’s relationship had so many things going against it that I felt relieved by the time they finally got together. I was happy with the character growth of both main characters. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

THIS BOOK! Ah, this book was so so much fun. I loved the characters so much. I think that Ellie and Kieran so perfectly balance each other out. I loved watching them fall together as they worked through their issues because of the way that they were together. I loved watching them both genuinely grow to be the best versions of themselves and believe the best of themselves because the other one treated them like they already were that version of themselves. That's a big sentence lol. I loved both Kieran and Ellie. I thought they were such well-written characters, so fleshed out, and so amazing and I loved getting to know them both. It was so interesting to see them in relation to each other vs the other people in their lives and see how they gave each other the opportunity to grow in a safe space.

I loved watching Ellie actually deal with her grief and fear when it came to writing her own book while finding out that there is more for her than her co-dependency with her inlaws, perpetually being a ghostwriter, and pleasing everyone in her life except for her by being in a healthy relationship with Kieran. I also loved watching Kieran finally believe that he could be in a committed relationship and have more faith and worth in himself than was given to him by his family by being with Ellie.

This was definitely a slow burn but in the best way possible. It was such a heartwarming, hopeful, and wholesome read and I was just so happy the entire time reading this. Would HIGHLY recommend.