My Thoughts

Self-Taught cook Ellie Wasserman doesn’t know how to deal with irreverent, time-challenged and chaotic Chef Kieran O’Neill when her publisher pairs the two for a collaboration on his cookbook.

Ellie is a ghostwriter and the person who has to bring ideas to life in a way that an average person can understand and use when cooking for themselves at home from the recipes provided.

The organized Ellie and the disorganized Kieran approach food prep very differently to say the least.

Their methods of cooking is also approached in a very different manner as well.

Once the pair get past their initial lack of connection they find that these very differences bring them ways to challenge each others creativity and what is then created between them becomes almost effortless over the course of nine months.

The story is indeed a slow starter and an even slower burn between the two characters but as it builds readers are treated to a very good look at what it takes for both Ellie and Kieran to get out of their respective comfort zones both privately as well as professionally.

I have to say creating and bringing to print a cookbook never sounded so delicious !

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for providing me with an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley.
[EArc from Netgalley]


On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Kieran is a famous TV chef *cough* short king *cough* and Ellie is a cookbook ghostwriter. When they get paired up to write together, their personalities clash immediately. After spending a week in the same house to work out the book outline though, they don’t dislike each other as much as they thought.

The title says it all. It is a slow burn. Maybe a little too slow, but not so slow that I gave up reading. They both had a lot to work through and I liked the dual POV.

I love a romance that involves cooking and it was a sweet read with a little spice.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really loved this one! It definitely lives up to the title. I was a little unsure at the beginning because the characters came off as pretty unlikable. As you go, you learn their backstory and that this is just a facade. I really enjoyed the character development (even the minor characters) throughout the story.

I rarely choose not to finish a book, but I could not keep going with this one. The title calls it out, “The Slowest Burn”, but at 12% they still had barely even spoken. I was bored and didn’t like either main character. I had high hopes for this one and the cover is beautiful but it just was not my jam.

I did enjoy the middle of this novel. The portion of going to the cabin, and his family's party and the build up of the book. However, I just felt the way the book wrapped up was not my cup of tea. She proposed to him?? The last chapter really did not do it for me unfortunately and I thought there were so many other ways that it could have went that would have made the story a little more resolved and wrapped up. It was an okay read - cute and spicy.

Reality cooking show champion Kieran O'Neill is publishing a cookbook with the help of ghost writer Ellie Wasserman. They are opposites in every way. Ellie is type-A, organized, efficient, a rule follower, and not up for much fun. Kieran is known as the "Pirate Leprechaun" and embodies the happy-go-lucky moniker.

What I liked:
These two had me giggling! I really liked their chemistry. They brought out the best in each other despite everything they went through individually. I really felt like they learned things about themselves in the process of opening up to the other.

The tropes:
Golden Retriever x Black Cat
Forced Proximity
Rivals to Lovers
He Feeds Her

What I took issues with:
Ellis is a widow and through her character arc we see her realize she was living her life for her late husband and not herself. It felt like a weird diss to a deceased character. There were several typos I noted in the book that caused me to reread sentences. I know this is called the SLOWEST burn but some of the timeline felt off, like the time jumps were not necessary.

3.5 stars rounded up!

I'm not entirely sure what I expected going into this. I don't usally lean toward "celebrity" romance but something about this cover is what drew me in and I am so glad it did.

Kieran is a hot shot chef, high off his recent win on a reality cooking show. He wants to keep going while the fame is hot and write a book. But his ghostwrite is the complete opposite of his chaos, wanting everything orderly. Complete opposites, it is a bumpy road in the beginning until they both realize they may understand each other much better than they think.

Ellie, a young widow, is a people pleaser (who I am glad to say is reformed by the end of this) who is used to sacrificing her own happiness in order to make sure everyone around her is comfortable. Her In-Laws, her boss, her brother, everyone. And she is drowning.

Kieran brings light and joy into her dark world and burns away all the fog and clouds.

Afraid of jeopordizing her career and ruining the faith her boss has in her, she tries to resist the pull toward Kieran but it becomes too strong and they both give in.

Both Ellie and Kieran have their own indiviual childhood traumas and demons. Kieran was forced by his parents to fit into a box not meant for him until he rebels. Ellie was parentified and forced to grow up too quickly.

Together, they see each other for all their magic and the HEA is what real life dreams are made of.

Absolutely superb!

An opposites attract, slow burn romance set in the world of professional chefs. Kieran is an up and coming chef making a name for himself via reality TV competition. When given the chance to write his own cookbook, he's paired with Ellie who a ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks. Ellie has baggage of her own as a widow who still lives with her in-laws. Their time spent together in the kitchen reveals their mutual attraction. A sweet and spicy HEA.

This book was painful to get through and took forever! (not helpful when you've got an endless TBR and are falling short on your reading goals) I love most books from St. Martin's Press, but nothing about this novel was good, with the clunky dialogue, absolutely no flow, and always feeling like I've been shoved into a scene with no context. This ain't a slow burn, just a very slow read. I'm also annoyed that this stunning cover and pretty interesting blurb didn't get justice.

I'm not sure how I ended up with this book twice, because I already read and reviewed this book through netGalley before.

The title of this book is dead on because this story was the slowest burn ever. I’m talking glacial 🤣 it was a fine little romcom, nothing earth shattering to report. The characters were flawed which I enjoyed, but the story itself was too slow moving for me.

Two people who are broken in their own ways find each other, and it's not good. They must work together for his career and they slowly get to know each other.

I loved all the characters in this book. Both main characters want are limbo wanting more but not knowing how.

This was a great read and definitely recommend it.

I will preface this: this is not a slow burn. More of a slow story and slow build. I wasn’t hooked from the beginning and it took longer for me to get through than most books because I didn’t feel connected to their story. I hope none of us ever can relate to being a widow in our 20s/30s, but I know that’s not the reality. There is a lot of sadness in this book around family dynamics that were rough to read through.

There’s a lot of buzz around this debut novel focused on opposites attract. While I normally love a good contemporary romance, and I wanted to love it, this wasn’t my cuppa.

Ellie and Kieran find their way together while writing his book. There is a third act breakup which is a bit on the nose pertaining to how women are viewed and treated differently in their careers… With the side character best friends, the traumatic family dynamics, and two working professionals so stuck in their people pleasing ways that they don’t even know what they truly want, it is giving meh 90s/00s “straight to VHS/DVD” vibes.
2.5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

Commentary below…

TROPES
Widow
Ghostwriter/Celebrity Chef
Forced Proximity
Opposites attract
He falls first

Neurodivergent rep: ADHD, dyslexia
Sober rep

Debut novel focused on opposites attracts.

What I want to say based on my original hopes for the hype around this book:
Short Kings rejoice. Kieran O’Neill is here to save your day at 5’7”.
Short and curvy gals rejoice! Ellie is our queeeeen.
…but I don’t know if either are truly worthy of wearing a crown.

Kieran’s parents are absolute trash towards him and cannot forgive him for his adolescent angst and struggle to believe in the adult he has become. No wonder why he is estranged from them and avoided them successfully for 5 years. Ellie comes in and sticks it to both his parents while celebrating the man Kieran is. This was a cute moment in the book where we see Ellie show up and believe in him.

On the flip side, Ellie comes with a lot of baggage. Broken family, widow, living in the cottage behind her in-laws house, with a co-dependent little brother, and people pleasing her way to stay numb while everyone else around her gets what they want from her. Kieran does help her see her worth, because it is a HEA.


Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

The title of this book is the perfect description of it! It literally is "The Slowest Burn!"

I actually adored this book and thought it was just lovely! I'm an avid lover of cooking which is what sparked my interest in the first place! The MC's are perfect, both having to overcome their own trauma while trying to heal at the same time.

Their chemistry and connection was 🥵 with just a little spice! 🌶

I really enjoyed this book and thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Sarah Chamberlain's debut, "The Slowest Burn," offers an engaging mix of romance, gourmet cooking, and personal growth. The story centers around Ellie Wasserman, a meticulous ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks, and Kieran O'Neill, an unorganized yet talented chef who recently gained fame from a reality TV competition. The two are thrown together to write Kieran's debut cookbook, and as expected in a romance novel, sparks fly amidst the kitchen chaos.

Chamberlain has crafted relatable characters who each bring their own baggage. Ellie, a widow still entangled with her in-laws and codependent brother, and Kieran, a man trying to prove his worth despite an unsupportive family background and struggles with ADHD, are both compelling in their own right. Their journey is well-paced and heartwarming, making their eventual romance feel well-earned.

However, a couple of aspects fell short for me. The title, "The Slowest Burn," feels misleading. The narrative unfolds within a calendar year, not over decades as the title might suggest. Additionally, the resolution of the family dynamics was somewhat disappointing. The toxic behavior of family members is brushed aside and forgiven without substantial reckoning or growth, which felt unrealistic and unsatisfying.

Despite these critiques, "The Slowest Burn" is an enjoyable read. If you love a foodie romance with well-developed characters and are willing to overlook some narrative shortcomings, this book is worth a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Slowest Burn was way better than I thought it would be. I was expecting a cheesy love story, but it was so much more. It had so much substance and just the right amount of romance. Based on the other reviews I thought it would start off slow, but I never felt this way. If anything I felt hungry! What a great debut book from Sarah Chamberlain.

This book gets ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.5 stars! Super easy and enjoyable enemies to lovers romance.

The title is super appropriate for this book….it was a slow burn with a lot of build up to the main characters getting together. Sarah Chamberlain really develops their dislike for each other 🤣 before they realize that opposites attract. I did really enjoy having flawed characters who deserve a happy ending and how they grew emotionally through the story. I also enjoy cooking and all the cooking and California references. I would recommend this book to someone looking for a nice enemies to lovers book with more nuance with the characters..you just have to wait a little longer before they actually get together.

The Slowest Burn takes readers on a journey with Ellie, a dedicated ghostwriter and widow. Known for her exceptional performance, Ellie is determined to excel with her latest client, Kieran. However, as she gets to know him, she realizes his commitment to the project is uncertain. Despite initial challenges, their collaboration reveals deeply personal aspects of their lives, bringing them closer in unexpected ways.

The book shines with its authentic representation of a neurodivergent character and the nuanced portrayal of widowhood. Filled with moments of tenderness and honesty, it reflects on the diverse roles supporting characters play in the protagonists' lives. This novel is a compelling and heartwarming read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my favorite books I have read this year. The storyline was the perfect mix of heartwrenching and heartwarming, and all aspects were incredibly well done. I loved the characters so much, I was rooting for them so hard. Incredible read.

I am not the biggest fans of slow burn romances but the premise of the story sounded too good so I just couldn't resist clicking into this book! And the literally author wasn't kidding when she mentioned a slow burn. It seemed like for half of the book, the main characters were constantly at odds with each other, but gradually, they began to warm up to each other; a development I quite rather seemed to like!

Aside from the simmering tension between them, there were many other elements at play in this book. Ellie had to navigate through intense grief while also trying to move forward with her life.
The guilt in this story is palpable!
We also see themes of parental neglect, unlikable characters, and various other tropes making appearances throughout the book.
There was a lot to unpack here. Some of the supporting characters were truly despicable!
Once the main characters started working together instead of against each other, I found myself truly invested in the story. Their connection was heartwarming and allowed for emotions to blossom. The romance was sweet and not too steamy, but in the end, they stood by each other.

In conclusion, The Slowest Burn presents a captivating plot that gradually unfolds into a beautiful love story. I enjoyed the creative dishes they cooked up together. I would definitely love to read more works by this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!