The book took me too long to get through. The book was a huge slow burn. While it had some good parts the whole book was not my cup.of tea.

I love a rom com that centers around food. The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain delivers on all fronts. I will look forward to more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

"The Slowest Burn" is a rom-com that is aptly named. The book definitely is a slow burn and it honestly took me a while to get invested in Ellie and Kieran.

Both Ellie and Kieran have lots of flaws and seem uncertain about their current chapters in life. When the chemistry finally reaches its boiling point between the two, it felt a little underwhelming for me personally. I had some mixed feelings regarding the storyline as I found some moments enjoyable and others slightly irritating.

However, I do think fans of slow burn will definitely enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for selecting me for this ARC.

Sadly I just lost interest in this one. Kept picking it up and putting it down. Thank you for the opportunity to review.

If a book is about a cooking competition show and a romance, I will pick it up. This one takes place after the reality show and is about the winner, Kieran, who needs someone to write his cookbook with him. Enter Ellie, who desperately needs this job. The two are oil and water, and their interactions are annoyingly immature. I liked Ellie and could see myself in her. I did not enjoy Kieran and found him insufferable. He becomes more relatable as we learn more about him, but I feel that happened too late to make a difference.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I absolutely loved this friends-to-lovers slow burn of a romance. The setting (San Fran), the premise (cookbook ghostwriter + newly-famous chef collaborating on a cookbook), and the problems (overbearing ex-in-laws + ADHD and unfocused chef + a family who was never present) made this one of my favorites of the year.

DNF at 27%. I probably shouldn’t have tried this one because I know romance hasn’t been working for me lately but I was intrigued by a cookbook ghostwriter. All ghostwriting is interesting to me. Unfortunately the story didn’t work for me and when a main character let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and I rolled my eyes - decided it was time to stop. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Ellie and Kieran. Ellie is a ghostwriter, she has contracted to write a cookbook with Kieran. Kieran is a chef at a restaurant. There is an instant attraction. They are opposite personalities. They start trying to write the cookbook. It takes time to start trying out recipes for everyday cooks. They start dating. They each have issues but together they worked them out and fall in love.

4.5 ⭐️

I adored this book so much! It really was a joy to read. It is a good idea to check triggers because it does deal with some heavy content which could be triggering to some people.

I loved Kieran and Ellie. Their whole relationship from starting out as working together to forming a friendship and then a relationship was just a delight to experience.

My heart hurt for Ellie but I loved that Kieran was there for her and understood her.

I definitely look forward to more from this author.

The sweetest romance between two relatable individuals! This slow burn was so well written. I was thoroughly invested in the characters and loved how the author depicted them- scars and all. I adored this couple and was cheering for them from the beginning.

Format - EARC (Netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶 🌶

Series- N/A

Troupes- Enemies to lovers, Forced Proximity, grumpy sunshine, he makes her playful she helps him calm.

Representation- ADHD, Widow

CW- Mentions of the death of a loved one


This is my first book from Sarah and it most certainly will not be my last. I am writing this review many months after reading this book. So while I ca not give you small details about this book I can tell you that my Brain loved it. I love an ADHD hero and its even better cause this one cooks! And of course a badass sad girl who needs her life shaken up.

This book was spicy and Fun and did pull at the heart strings but it also made me hopeful and that’s all a good Romance can hope for.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. I really enjoyed this romantic comedy! The characters were likable and well thought out and I found myself routing for them right from the start! It is fairly predictable and has a happily ever after, but the journey was definitely worth it! I would recommend to anyone who loves romance revolving around cooking!

This was a sweet book. Kieran a chef just won a cooking show and his agent is trying to capitalize on it and write a book. But Kieran has some stuff going on that prevents him from writing his book so they entail a ghost writer who is the complete opposite of him. What will happen between Ellie the ghost writer and Kieran.
3.5 stars

Liked both characters a lot and the storyline was generally godo with a focus on how grief can keep you back and nmoveyour forward, but the lead female character also had some additionals frustrations for me

It was cheesy and a little embarassing at times, but I didn't mind so much because the characters made me laugh. Honestly not what I expected from the cover because I usually try to go into books blind except for a few notes like genre and author in case I know them but it was sweet. Would definitely recommend for when you need a nice book to help you feel better during a slump

This was very cute and I loved the romance, the characters, dialogue, everything. Will definitely read more from this author.

This was such a lovely debut! I adored the setting and all the food references. I am looking forward to what Sarah Chamberlain writes next!

4.5 rounded up… maybe a 4.75?

Either way, loved this book. Dual POV will always be my favorite and Sarah Chamberlain knocked this one out of the park. She wasn’t kidding with the slow burn but the pacing is fantastic and I love how these characters grow throughout the book. Their banter is fantastic and I want the cookbook they wrote together because it sounds amazing.

My only issue was when Ellie finally goes for it, it feels a little out of character? Maybe that was the point but it felt a little jarring, otherwise this would’ve been a 5 stars.

I cannot wait to read more by Sarah Chamberlain, this was a fantastic debut.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this debut romance, widow Ellie Wasserman, struggling with the loss of her husband, is hired to ghostwrite a cookbook for reality chef Kieran O’Neill, who’s at the peak of his career but grappling with ADHD. Their partnership is full of tension and chemistry as they clash over their contrasting personalities—Ellie’s organized and controlled approach versus Kieran’s chaotic, impulsive nature. As the story unfolds, both characters must confront their personal struggles, including grief, family dynamics, and neurodivergence, while navigating their growing feelings for each other.

The book is a slow burn romance, with substantial emotional depth that explores not just the love story but also the characters' journeys of self-discovery. The dual POV allows readers to connect with both Ellie and Kieran as they work through their individual issues and their developing relationship. One of the standout elements is Ellie’s relationship with her father-in-law, Ben, whose deep affection for her adds warmth and complexity to the story. While the pacing can feel uneven at times, with jumps from one day to the next or months passing without explanation, the emotional payoff of the romance and character growth is well worth the wait. With a mix of real-world issues, a touch of humor, and the behind-the-scenes process of writing a cookbook, this debut novel is an engaging read that leaves a lasting impression.