Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

Where to start with this book? First off, you have two main characters who went through a form of trauma growing up and this shapes them to be how they are in the book. They come off very snotty, entitled, stubborn and a bit bratty. I love how Kieran fell for Ellie first. Even though he hated her guts, there's no denying that he was into her the moment they met. The storyline went very smoothly. I thought they were gonna fall in love when the "forced proximity" was put in place, but i think it was more of them discovering and getting to understand each other better. I found the story lacking further details about Kieran's past when it almost seemed like it would be a focal point (ei. sobriety, scars, him getting in deep trouble, etc). Ellie, on the other hand, is such a strong FMC. She had to grow up at such a young age that her maturity is quite immaculate. Having to take care of people is hard and it's even harder when it's the people you love. Another thing that bothered me was, I felt like Kieran should have gotten some heat for telling Diane about Ellie's plan. It wasn't his place and he kind of just got away with it. The ending was ok. I'm not much into the female being the one taking charge to proclaim their love. However, I definitely got very hungry while reading this book, so be warned, it will make you have cravings! Very cute book and a super easy read.

Thank you to St.Martin's Press and Net Galley for a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this cute romance com. The duel POV . Ellie and Kieren were very cute. He falls first. Live and food... 2 of my favorite things..

Kieran just won a cooking TV show and has a book deal. A book he has to work for with his ghostwriter Ellie. She is 30 and pationate about food and a widow. They must learn to work together, cook together, until they fall for each other.
It was a sweet book about cooking, loving food and family. I found some parts a little long at the beginning. I liked the relationship between the two main characters and also the story with the secondary one.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoy cooking and romance.

4.5 ⭐️

This was so cute and emotional I was giddy from start to finish!!
I absolutely loved the way grief is treated in this book how you can see three representation of it and very different from one another. Also anxiety is well represented and because of that I think this book has great representation (there’s also LGBTQA+ rep). The romance was, as the title said, a slow burn that made so much sense. The third act breakup as well made a lot of sense and I love how the characters learn to go through their fears in a logical way. Nothing is brushed off in this book and it’s super refreshing because even though it’s a happy silly romance book it’s has serious undertones to it and it’s so important to know that love is a struggle but it’s worth it !

At the heart of the story is Ellie Wasserman, a meticulous ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks, whose orderly life is disrupted by the arrival of Kieran O'Neill, an irreverent chef known for his culinary prowess and chaotic charm. Their initial clash of personalities—Ellie's cool efficiency versus Kieran's laid-back spontaneity—sets the stage for a sizzling dynamic as they're thrown together to collaborate on Kieran's debut cookbook.

As they labor side by side, their professional partnership evolves into a passionate romance, igniting long-buried desires and challenging them to confront their painful pasts. Through steamy days and even steamier nights, Ellie and Kieran embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing, discovering that love can be as sharp as it is sweet.

Told from alternating POVs, The Slowest Burn is about "happy pirate leprechaun" chef Kieran and play-by-the-rules Ellie, an uptight writer who is ghostwriting his cookbook. Opposites attract and sparks fly in the kitchen as they spend more and more time together.

First, what I liked about the book: I enjoyed the non-stereotypical representation of the characters. Kieran had ADHD and dyslexia, and unlike most MMC's, was on the shorter side and was a bit of a hot mess. Ellie was "curvy" and her marriage to her first husband wasn't as idyllic as it was first made out to be. There was also a non-binary character and a character struggling with depression, as well as a Filipino supporting character which is definitely not something I've seen often in books. Also, all the writing about food and recipes was mouthwatering and descriptive. I got hungry every time I picked up the book!

While I loved all the diverse characters and food descriptions, what I didn't love was the writing. I felt no chemistry between Ellie and Kieran. It all felt a little forced. And all the mushy talk between them just made me cringe it was so cheesy. I wanted to root for Ellie, but she kind of came across as spineless, until the end when her Big Romantic Gesture supposedly showed her bravery, but honestly feel kind of random and pointless.

Overall not my favorite, though I'm sure some people will enjoy this opposites-attract romance.

The characters feel genuine, and while there are a few typical rom-com scenarios placed, this really felt quite original. I'm food-centric and the imagery of cooking, meals and strategizing Kieran's coobook and story was really fun. Many moments felt similar to Lucy Score and Tessa Bailey books with a little less spice, which isn't a bad thing. Sometimes you need a nice happily ever after, and this is it.

The title,The Slowest Burn, is a play on words as in addition to an opposites attract romance, it features lots of cooking and writing about food. Told from the two lead characters’ points of view, we get why the two clash from the beginning. Ellie is the ghostwriter for chef Kieran’s cookbook. Since Kieran just won a cooking reality show, his agent and publisher want to capitalize on his fame. Although he is confident in the kitchen, years of feeling inadequate because of his dyslexia and ADHD make him very insecure in other aspects of his life. Ellie is super organized and a relentless planner because of the baggage that came from her unorthodox upbringing. The two have a terrible time getting started on their joint project, but the reader can see that they need to open up to each other to be understood.

I loved all the info about food, cooking, and the writing process. This was an escapist read, but there is definitely substance in seeing how the characters deal with many of life’s challenges.

The Slowest Burn is a cute blend of romance and culinary adventure, telling the stories of Ellie, a recent widow and ghostwriter for cookbooks, and Kieran, a vibrant sous chef with a troubled past. As they collaborate on Kieran's debut cookbook, their initial animosity gradually transforms into a heartwarming partnership and blossoming romance. The book beautifully explores themes of love after loss, self-discovery, and healing from past traumas, portraying both characters' emotional journeys with authenticity.

The chemistry between Ellie and Kieran is heavy, and their slow-burning romance is a joy to witness. It reminds me of early Tessa Bailey novels. Cute, not too much steam, and emotional.

Let me start by saying this book was not the slowest burn as the title leads you to believe. There was no slow burn at all in my opinion.

The guy kind of insta likes her while the girl hates him. He’s also described as “short and redheaded” like a leprechaun and she’s described as a cookie “ round and sweet”. I’m sorry what the ever loving hell is that!? That was legit in the first 2% of the book and I was immediately turned off.

This was a hard pass for me

Thank you to St.Martin's Press and Net Galley for a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This was a cute slow burn - I mean I would hope so, given the title of the book - the bickering was *chefs kiss* , the bonding they did through cooking together was so wholesome, and any book that has “worshipping” between the MCs is already a win for me.

You’ve got some amazing tropes in this book, we got:
- ❤️ slow burn (of course) ❤️
- ✨forced proximity ✨
- 🌦️reverse grumpy X sunshine ☀️

There was one scene that had fake dating, but I don’t think the story needed it; the trope felt kind of forced in that scenario.

We have a people-pleaser FMC and a neurodivergent MMC. Both characters have their own trauma and insecurities, and as the book develops and the relationship grows we see how both MCs help heal each other and themselves.

I enjoyed how their physical attraction- physical wanting- slowly blurs into an emotional attraction, until they fully realize their feelings for each other. I thought I would hate the “third-act breakup”, but I didn’t, I think the FMC needed that to really overcome her own issues before committing to anything.

I love that instead of being each other’s “other half”, they are two wholes that are so much more than the little things about them.

All in all, this is a solid story and I will definitely buy the physical copy of The Slowest Burn.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

✅ Ellie, 30, widowed, cookbook ghostwriter; Kieran, 27, chef who just won a reality TV show.
✅ dual POV
✅ grumpy - sunshine, but she’s the grumpy one
✅ ADHD rep
🌶️ : yes but the title does not lie.

The title of this one says it all, a slow burn romance that is SO worth it. I loved learning more about the writing process for cookbooks and how recipes evolve. The MCs were flawed & lovable which always makes for a good trip to HEA. The novel deals with the ramifications of grief on a family & the emotional aspect of absent parents, beware if this is not your thing. There are some fairly explicit sex scenes as well. Overall, a solid 4 star opposites attract romance!

i’m sure you can guess by the title, a slow burn! this book surprised me in the best way. it was so great getting to know both characters, especially with the dual POV. seeing and feeling the tension build between them both was so worth it in the end! i really loved both the tropes and the unique plot of this book!

thank you to the author, netgalley and st. martin’s griffin for the opportunity to receive an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute, fluffy romance with a major slow burn. Some parts were a bit slow, but interaction between Ellie and Kieran were so sweet.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy of this book.

Traditional format 📕 (digital). A TV celebrity chef meets a ghostwriting cookbook author and together they cook up more than just recipes.

This book was a bit more than a romance however. It was also about a widow finding herself and moving on in life and about a grieving family doing the same.

I generally enjoy books with a cooking theme but I found this book fairly average with not much plot to draw me in. I enjoyed the setting of the book (The Bay Area) and although I liked the characters I didn’t find a whole lot of slow burn chemistry like the title implied. It was also a little strange in that most of the book was “clean” but then at the end there was but if a spicy scene that just sort of fizzled.

Overall a mediocre read that I give a 2.5/5 to.

Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and Net Galley for a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review.

From the very beginning all the way to the end, I loved this story. I have always enjoyed watching cooking shows and cooking myself, so it was fun and interesting to read a story about a chef and the ghost writer for the cookbook they are working on together.
I really liked both characters and their emotional progressions through the book. Both characters have unresolved trauma they have to work through and it was satisfying to watch how they helped one another overcome and heal.
The title is correct and it’s definitely a slow burn, however I thought that the delayed gratification just added another element to the story. Kieran is absolutely swoon-worthy - the way he prioritized Ellie and the tender way he cares for her is just *chef’s kiss!*
Absolutely recommend checking this one out when it releases in September, especially if you are a foodie and love a sweet romance!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

What a fantastic debut from Sarah Chamberlain with, ‘The Slowest Burn’, we cannot wait to see what the future holds for her. Seriously, this book was something we didn’t know we needed, so if anyone needs us, we will officially be in our ‘chef romance’ era.

This delicious story brings to mind the sharp character intensity of ‘The Bear’ and the heart-pounding competition vibes of “MasterChef”. The enemies to lovers dynamic leads the way to some beautifully covered topics of finding love after loss and navigating the world as a neurodivergent individual.

At its very center, this story is a beautiful love letter to your inner self. The part of you that some people try to make you feel bad about because you aren’t who they want you to be. This book is a great reminder that, at the end of the day, nobody has to live your life but you, so celebrate your wins with the people who truly root for you.

Sweet story that starts a bit slow. Enemies to lovers is always my favorite trop! Love the relationship that develops between Ellie and Kieran.

this was a really cute read!! cozy, mixed some heavier topics in nicely without weighing down the book a ton, and complex characters that were very lovable. ellie was a great fmc, and for once i didn't hate the way that she handled every situation! kieran i was a little hesitant on at first but he really grows on you, especially as you understand more of his backstory. the fake dating trope was a little out of place and wasn't really explored in the way i thought it would be, and the time skips were a little confusing because it skips ahead at certain points more than others. but this was really cute, a good read if you're looking for a palate cleanser, something sweet and romantic!