I wanted to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.

Ethan and Hazel couldn't be further in career paths. He's a budding movie star and she's a down on her luck chef. While Ethan is preparing to film his next movie, a sequel to the hit romcom 'Sit, Stay, Love', he requests some professional pet minding assistance for his dog Harry. While interviewing potential candidates, he is introduced to Hazel, and from then on their lives become acquaintances to friends to head over heels for each other.

When going into this, I didn't realise this novel was a sequel, and even if I hadn't known, it reads perfectly as a stand alone. I loved Ethan's character, I loved Hazel's character and together I loved their banter. They sounded like a genuinely fun couple to write and it made me very happy to see Ethan find love after his supposed shafting for another man in the first instalment.

There were some issues towards the beginning of the book with how choppy I felt the writing to be. It didn't seem to flow very well and was quite robotic in tone. However, as the novel progressed, I noticed this less over time as more dialogue was introduced into the book. Amy has a great way with writing characters conversing and I found myself laughing with all of her characters witty comments.

I would also really like to personally thank Amy for giving her characters a pet name and NOT OVERUSING IT! It's a huge peeve of mine and the nicknames felt really sweet, deliberate and personal. As they should!

I did at times think the editing might have chopped off bits of the story haphazardly. We would be reading about one scene and immediately the following paragraph could be hours or even the next day later. It was quite jarring and took me out of the book. This book is split POV, but not per chapter, so both characters perspectives and described events are concurrent.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I would totally recommend it to anyone who loves a cosy and light-hearted romance.

Hazel has moved to the Gold Coast to recover from a traumatic incident that caused her to lose her chef’s job in Sydney and to search for another suitable job to get here career back on track. She takes on short term work as a dog minder to Ethan, a star, while his latest movie is being filmed on the Gold Coast.

Hazel is disdainful of Ethan, regarding him as superficial like many famous people. He is pleased to find someone who is not fawning over him and is not impressed by his fame. Soon they discover that there is more to each other than they first realise.

The standard of writing and the characterisation is very good. Unlike many novels where the heroine is petite, Hazel is six foot tall which gives rise to some amusing exchanges such as Ethan’s comment that he can look at her from his six foot four without getting a crick in his neck and when Hazel rescues him from a gaggle of teenage fans one of whom asks if she is his body guard.

On the whole the book is readable and entertaining. My only criticism is that it is a shade too long. It is cut above the usual romance novel.

I really enjoyed this book! If you like light-hearted, easy to read rom-coms, this may be for you. I enjoyed the characters (including Harry the dog and Kevin the cat, whose attitudes are spot on) and had a few laugh out loud moments that I wasn’t expecting. I’ll definitely be reading this one again!

All I knew about this book before reading was that there was a cat. That’s all I needed. But I really enjoyed reading the book, I loved the characters (the animals the most too. Kevin is the best).

I love reading books set in Australia and I’m glad this is another one I’ve come across.

The MMC sounded soooo dreamy and I think I want one.

I love that the FMC is a tall goddess with amazing kitchen skills and it made me so hungry reading this book. I also learnt a fact about heritage tomatoes which was cool.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this!

Holy wow!!! “Love from Scratch” is a delightful rom-com that seamlessly weaves together humor, charm, and heart. At its core, the story revolves around Ethan James, a charismatic actor on the brink of a career-defining movie shoot, a cute dog named Harry who I have fallen in love with, and Hazel, a recently unemployed sous chef with a sarcastic wit and a grumpy cat named Kevin.

The premise is simple yet captivating: Ethan needs someone to care for his anxious dog, Harry, during filming, and Hazel, in desperate need of employment, reluctantly takes on the task. From the moment they meet, sparks fly between Ethan’s flashy charm and Hazel’s no-nonsense attitude, setting the stage for a series of hilarious misunderstandings and witty exchanges.

But perhaps the true scene-stealer is Kevin the cat, whose inexplicable fondness for Ethan adds an extra layer of intrigue to the plot. As Kevin’s affection for Ethan grows, so too does Hazel’s curiosity, leading her to question whether there’s more to Ethan than meets the eye.

As the story unfolds, readers are treated to a rollercoaster of emotions, from laugh-out-loud moments of hilarity to heartwarming scenes of connection and romance. With its witty dialogue, engaging plot, and memorable characters, “Love from Scratch” is a must-read for fans of romantic comedies and anyone in need of a feel-good escape.

Well, this was fun!
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an eARC of Love from Scratch.
Ethan James is an Aussie actor and heartthrob. Hazel Conor is a down on her luck chef.
When Hazel is employed as a dog sitter for Ethans dog, Harry, sparks fly, partly due to Hazel's cat, Kevin, falling for the movie star.
It was great to see that Hazel is no pushover and treats her career with serious consideration.
Will they get the happy ending they deserve? Read it yourself to find out.

Copy received from S & S Australia via Netgalley for an honest review

I flipped and flopped between 3.5 and 4 stars for this one,but settled on 3.5

It was cute enought, Harry and Kevin are adorableness - they dog and cat I am talking about here.

But at times, I found Hazel to be just down right rude, the way she spoke with Ethan, the way she was with her sister (who wasn't without fault either). And Ethan came across a bit clueless at times.

But I did like they way they dealt with his past traumas with dogs etc.

Overall, a pretty good story. And I have just gone and bought the first book - Sit, Stay, Love to where we first meet Ethan James.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
A fairly stock standard, paint-by-numbers rom com, but enjoyable enough and easy to read. Still needs to be heavily edited as there are quite a number of errors in there.

Love From Scratch is a sweet Aussie romance that'll make you smile. While it's the second book featuring the same protagonist (movie star heart throb Ethan James 😍), it stands strong on its own. Kevin the cat steals the show (he's a lucky black cat with big orange cat energy). It's cute and fun and made me want to up sticks and move to the Sunshine Coast.
Thanks very much for the opportunity to read and review!

I really enjoyed this book. It was predictable and cute but had me engrossed for what I knew would be the outcome. This is in many ways an old fashioned romantic novel away from the violence that we see so often. Sit back. Put your feet up and enjoy the magic of love

Love From Scratch was a beautiful light hearted read. I read it in 24 hours! I really enjoyed the reverse grumpy / sunshine feel to this book, the MMC had some serious golden retriever energy!

There was a strong theme of overcoming adversity in the book. We learn that both Ethan and Hazel's have things they are trying to bury in the past, but together, with eachother, they tackle them and chase down their dreams.

This was my first Amy Hutton novel, you definitely doke need to read her earlier novel to love this one!
I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters were complex, and I really loved their chemistry and banter!

Big thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the eARC

While the writing is good and the characters seem well developed, I couldn’t get past the ick of insta-attraction that seemed joltingly out of place every time it was brought up.

Love From Scratch is absolutely adorable! It follows Ethan, the movie star that we met in Sit, Stay, Love.

I really enjoyed the story progression and Ethan's character development in this second book. I loved Hazel and Ethan's chemistry, but my favourite characters were definitely Harry and Kevin.

I also liked the theme of overcoming adversity in the book. Hazel is currently working as a dog sitter, despite being a prominent chef, due to a bad experience with a customer. She struggles to reignite her passion for cooking, until she meets Ethan. Ethan also struggles with his past experiences with dogs, and finds that talking about it and being honest with himself helps him to overcome it.

I really enjoy Amy Hutton's writing, it's fun and easy to read. She also writes great banter, and threads her books with an Australian humour that I love. Super interested to see if there's another book to come, I want more Violet.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the eARC.

This was so cute - a lovely rom com with reverse grumpy/sunshine vibes! Ethan is down to earth and Hazel was full of life. I liked how both characters worked through their own challenges - combined with a mix of romance, humour and adorable animals

A delicious rom com featuring a celebrity pairing and reverse grumpy/ sunshine and he falls first tropes. I was prepared not to like up and coming movie star Ethan but I was once he stated he didn’t want to be typecast as the ‘rom com animal guy’ I was sold! I liked that he was down to earth despite his fame and seemed genuinely nice. Hazel was also a great character. I loved that she was a chef and lived in a tiny house. Their banter and chemistry was amazing and there was definitely some spice- both varieties!

I liked that both characters had their own issues to work through- Ethan his fear of dogs and Hazel trying to find a new job and get her cooking mojo back. A perfect mix of romance, humour and something a bit more meaty to keep you engaged. I’m keen to go back and read Amy’s first novel Sit Stay Love now.

I absolutely adored this book! It was the perfect light hearted romcom with its heart in your mouth moments waiting to see how Hazel and Ethan would get their happily ever after. Special mention of course to Kevin the car (whose attitude is 100% all cats everywhere) and Harry the dog who chewed too much but won hearts anyway. I haven't yet read Sit Stay Love despite having it on my shelf but will definitely be looking forward to going back and reading that story as well.

I want to start by saying this book is well written. The author has a nice way of creating atmosphere and being descriptive in a way this isn’t heavy-handed or over-wording. I like her style, I will definitely be giving her other books a read, I think I’ll enjoy them. Also, as someone with experience of where the book sets itself, it didn’t remove me from the story as much as other similarly set books have in the past.

That being said … Kevin and Harry are the best and only real redeemable part of this book. I found this couple to be insufferable and I have to PUSH myself to get to 158 pages (of 288) because DNF-ing. I kept wishing they would finally feel like there was any kind of connection or depth, and the FMC Hazel throwing out an “am I falling for him” completely outta nowhere was the straw that broke my spirit.

Hazel is kind of an insufferable, judgemental snob. To everyone around her, not just Ethan. The way she talks about Kevin was the first indicator, add to that the conversations with her sister and her bestie, but the first dinner with Ethan really sealed it for me. She is downright RUDE to him when he has been nothing but polite and personable to her. I get that she had a shit experience with a “celebrity” but she’s an asshole. Her sister is also pushy and bossy, and I really don’t like either of them.

Ethan is a milksop with such an incredible lack of self awareness, it’s almost impressive. His brother Chris is obviously jealous and resentful of the life he’s living. His mother straight up admits that she favours his older brother because he “needs” her more, whilst laying on a guilt trip that he should really forgive his brother for the years of bullshit because he’s “struggling” but pays Ethan no mind? Says she and his father gave him all their attention when he was BED RIDDEN?! You are his parent, that’s part of your fucking job, and that doesn’t stop when they don’t follow a path that you can’t understand.

Their flirting made me feel nothing. They are about as comparable and toast and concrete. It’s a no for me.

This is a fun read with lovely characters, a charming setting and plenty of cute animal moments. While it is a true romance, it avoids some of the annoying tropes by injecting some realism into the decision making by the characters, which is very refreshing. A perfect book for lying on the beach or sitting on the plane on the way to your next holiday,

This is the second book in a series and focuses on Ethan, a movie star, and his chef turned dog sitter, Hazel.

I loved Ethan in the previous book and was really keen to see him get his Happily Ever After.

Hazel is a bit prickly in the beginning which is a perfect foil to Ethan’s charming personality. She’s not impressed by his status and he finds that refreshing. She’s also attractive in an unconventional way. Not too polished and totally authentic.

I love Italian food so all I wanted to eat while reading this book was pasta. Be warned, you may get the urge to cook!

This was a really fun read. I liked this author. She writes dialogue well and these two characters has plenty of chemistry.

Steamy without being too blush inducing as well.

I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.