This was heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure. Kieran and Ellie are SO well balanced for each other that they actually fight against it at first because they’re not used to the feeling of not being under duress 😂

But Kieran sees Ellie denying herself happiness for others, and Ellie sees Kieran trying to bend himself out of shape for the same reasons. And instead of rubbing it in each others faces they work to help them figure it out on their own.

Ellie’s relationship with her in-laws is so devastating and also so infuriating. Her exhaustion is apparent to everyone but the people causing it.

Both of them have a lot of healing and growing to do and neither of them expects the other to do it for them or to be perfect. This was cute and sweet and I loved it.

Ellie Wasserman is a widowed ghost writer for cookbooks. She is a people pleaser to her own detriment. She’s tasked with ghost writing Kieran O’Neill’s cook book. He’s fresh off a reality cooking show win and is trying to impress the owner of the restaurant he works at so she’ll consider him to head a new restaurant. Ellie is a level headed and strait laced, but Kieran really pushes her buttons with his chaos and disorganization. They have to find a way to get along and finish the book.

This book was an absolute delight. You get to know Ellie and Kieran through dual POV and they are both completely lovable characters. When they do finally start getting along, the tension is so great. It is definitely a slower burn, but totally worth the wait. Seeing Ellie from Kieran’s POV was a real treat.

I really felt ALL the feelings reading this book. It was so hard to put down and I already want to reread and will definitely listen on audiobook when it’s available!! I recommend for any romance reader who likes dual pov and forced proximity. I can’t wait to read more from Sarah Chamberlain!!

I think I’d give this 3.75 stars if I could! This book is fun and sweet and a little bit achy, and hit so many good points for me personally!

I loved the way Sarah wrote about food, as a person who has a deep love and appreciation for food and cooking, that was very fun for me. I loved the MMC, he was so much like my own husband, like eerily similar, and it was so nice! I’ve not really read any books with an MMC like Kieran.

I absolutely adored both of their growth in understanding each other and what the other person needed in a partner. The tone of their separate POV’s was distinct and different, you really got a clear idea of how different they are but how much they care.

Overall I really enjoyed it. I think it was obvious that its a debut, theres just a few too many things going on, a few things that could have been cut or didn't need to happen, but you can tell they were written with excitement and love and thats really all that matters to me.


I’m definitely making my friends read this when it’s published! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read it early.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I really enjoyed this book. It was more than a romance, if dug deep into real issues like living with ADHD and dyslexia. I enjoyed the dual POV. Great read.

I really enjoyed the idea of a chef and ghost writer working on a cookbook together and the clashing of personalities. Ellie and Kerian were pretty realistic, and him being a bit younger than her helped make some of his more immature moments feel a bit more realistic. It was definitely a slow burn as the title implies. The side characters were interesting, but for the most part were pretty negative for the main characters' lives. Diane and Ben were understandably a mess, Diana more so, but having all of the family members be awful was just a bit exhausting. I think for a debut it was pretty strong, but I hope going forward the author doesn't focus so much on name dropping every city and town in California to sell the setting. At one point Ellie is talking about how she moved around a lot growing up and it was just like a Google list of somewhat recognizable to very recognizable cities in California that just felt unnecessary to the story.

Absolutely delicious!!!! I adored this story of Ellie, a ghostwriter of cookbooks and Kieran, a hot shot chef. They need to work together on his book, but there is a lot of tension.

Ellie is a widow and Kieran is not into relationships. They grow to like each other, but have a lot to work through, including Ellie’s in-laws and everyone who relies on her.

I LOVED all of the references to cooking and how childhood trauma was resolved throughout the book.

Told in Dual POV, Main characters Ellie and Kieran are assigned to write a cookbook together. Ellie is Kieran’s Ghost writer as he creates the dishes she writes the book.

A definite chef’s kiss on the really slowww burn but we can’t forget the relationship that forms between these two.

Tropes include:

☀️Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine

💋Forced Proximity

🫶Dual POV

🍷Foodies

🧠Neurodivergent MMC

🥰Hand kisses

🔥Open door romance (1.5🌶️)

“The Slowest Burn” is a deeper story than the cover portrays. It’s the story of Ellie, a young and serious widow, who is a successful ghost writer. She is asked by her publisher to work with a young, flash-in-the-pan reality tv award winning chef. Problems ensue.

This story is about much more than a rom-com. It’s about loss and it’s affect on families, how human connection can heal us, about living with ADHD and dyslexia and trying to use your strengths to propel your career.

I don’t want to say more and spoil this for anyone, but it was one of the most heart felt and well written stories I have read in a while. I loved these characters.

Thank you to Sarah Chamberlain, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader copy. I felt very lucky to read it. This book will be published September 24th a would be a great holiday gift. I highly recommend this story.

I could've read a whole book just about Ellie. She is a sweet, caring, eclectic soul & I wanted to be her best friend. Ellie's growth throughout this book was wonderfully done when relating to healing or moving on through grief. Kieran had a lot of struggles that are great to be written about as well. His ADHD and family problems were explained to where you saw his burden he carried but also the strength at which he tried to work through life with it was admirable. Honestly, between Ellie & Kieran there was a lot of issues touched on that really made this a relatable read. I was slow to read this book, but that was just because of my day to day life getting in the way! I would've finished this SO quick (in 1 day) if I was able to. This book has a great reading pace as well. I didn't feel like there were gaps in the story but I also didn't feel like explaining things to move through the plot dragged on, which is what I look for in a book. Ellie & Kieran are thrown together to put together a cookbook for Kieran's career. They hate each other and are COMPLETE opposites in how they tackle life. I was intrigued to see how different they were throughout but always where it mattered had the same principles for fighting for themselves and their growth.

I am a huge sucker for this trope and the author did an amazing job at executing it in this book! I loved the different elements of the story and the romance was beyond spectacular to read about.

This book was a 3.5 star book for me. I enjoyed the writing it was very easy for me to get into and it made me giggle at times. I loved Ellie's character so much, I must admit I relate to her a little too much. As a type A person much like Ellie, Kieran kind of stressed me out in the beginning. However, Kieran grew on me as the story went on. These characters are so opposite of each other but they work so well together and balance each other out. Overall, it was a cute read with some underlying dark themes. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this arc!

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC! Loved this so much!! The chemistry between both characters was perfect. Also loved the banter. Definitely will read more from this author.

I wish I could have devoured this book much faster than I was able to! Definitely a fitting title with the slow burn between main characters. I also enjoyed Ellie growth over the course of the book. She really finds herself and is easy to connect to as a character. Kieran is just so much fun and has such a big heart. I also found myself looking up YouTube videos on how to “supreme and orange” and other fun cooking skills and lingo! Perfect romance novel for foodies. Such a fun easy read. Can’t wait to see more from Sarah Chamberlain.

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

Such a cute book. I could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Thank you Net Galley and Sarah Chamberlain for the chance to read this arc.

The book is literally titled perfectly. It is slow burn, but in the best way. The chemistry between Ellie and Kieran is amazing and the banter and humor between them is great.

Ellie is a widow learning how to live her life while taking care of everyone else and lives life by the rules. Kieran has ADHD and lives life freely. He helps her learn to live a little and she helps him learn how to be more composed and adult like in a way. Together they learn how to be happy and love.

PS - I need these cookbooks and I love Floyd.

The Slowest Burn took me quite some time to really get into, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the pacing. I liked Ellie’s character and think the author did a good job making her and her grief feel realistic. Not sure how I feel about Kieran. Most of the time I didn’t enjoy his immaturity, though I suppose he acted that way because of his past. I do appreciate that he made Ellie face her fears.

Slow to get into, but it picks up after a while. A gentler comp for The Bear if The Bear was a romance between a writer and a cook and a partner who's passed away rather than a brother. Heavy but not. Solid writing and characters with a well deserved, sweet, happily ever after.

This book was great. The characters were enjoyable. The plot holds your attention. I would read another book by this author.

Grateful for the opportunity to read an ARC of "The Slowest Burn" through Kindle, courtesy of NetGalley, the author, and St Martin's Press. This charming tale follows Ellie, a recent widow and ghostwriter for cookbooks, as she collaborates with chef Kieran amidst their respective personal struggles. Despite its lighthearted rom-com vibe, the story delves into poignant themes such as loss, alcoholism, and childhood trauma with a delicate touch. The characters are authentic, and the blend of heavy topics with light-hearted moments gives the narrative a unique and engaging quality. The focus on food and cooking adds a delightful layer to the story, reminiscent of works by Lucy Score and Tessa Bailey but with a milder tone. Overall, "The Slowest Burn" offers a heartwarming happily-ever-after, making it a refreshing and enjoyable read for those seeking a feel-good romance.

Our story follows our MMC Kieran, who is determined to write a cookbook after his successful win on a popular cooking show. However, he knows nothing about writing. Enters our FMC, Ellie, who will be the ghostwriter on his book. Problem is, they don't exactly start off on the right foot. Ellie is uptight, organized, and meticulous,. The complete opposite of Kieran. Them working together proves to be difficult until they can learn to accept each other's personalities and pasts.

There honestly isn't anything I would change about this book! The pacing was wonderful, the characters were relatable and lovable, and I found myself rooting for everyone. As someone who has lost someone close to them, the representation of grief was incredible. I really found that Ellie's self discovery journey to be accurate. I also appreciated that her weight was not a major defining factor of her personality and that it was only mentioned once. I also loved how Kieran was portrayed. His learning disabilities felt realistic and we love a short king. Overall, I couldn't have asked for better main characters.

As always, thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy of this book!