*4.5

if you’re a foodie, watched The Bear, have watched at 20 chopped episodes at a minimum and/or love a redemption story, you will enjoy this.

Queenie B is a hot mess celebrity chef who gives up fame to run a soup kitchen in New Haven where she meets Gale, a newly sober and aspiring chef, coping with the loss of his best friend.

I loved how food was centered in the story and the way it can be a source of healing and recovery for people impacted by alcoholism and drug addiction.

Regina (Queenie B) reminded me so much of Alex Guarnaschelli!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC.

This book was pretty fun, but probably not one I'd really go for again. I like a good dual timeline, so that led to my enjoyment overall.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This book was unfortunately not for me. I am not sure what it was that I didn't like about it. In fact, I did like this book in the beginning. I just lost interest with the second half of the book. I don't know if it was the authors writing style, or the plot, or something else. I am bummed because the cover is amazing (and literally fire!)

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Queenie B, beloved celebrity chef for her exacting skills in the kitchen and the uncontrolled mess in her personal life, disappeared from the public after a bender that cost her her marriage, her child, and her dignity. While Queenie still lives in infamy through her syndicated tv shows and her fleet of Michelin Star restaurants, Regina Benuzzi (the person behind Queenie B) prefers her day-to-day anonymity and running the day to day operations of her soup kitchen.

When line-cook Gale Carmichael enters her life, first as a patron, then as her assistant at the soup kitchen, Regina sees herself in the young man and his internal battles. She sees his talent and his struggle with addiction, the constant push and pull of fear and hope, which mirrors her own story so closely. When Gale has the opportunity of a lifetime to compete on the cooking show <I>Cut!<I/>, one Queenie B ironically laid the groundwork to create during her time on the network, Regina shocks herself by deciding to help-- despite the risk of losing her quiet existence.

Gale doesn't recognize Regina for who she was, but who she is now-- an amazing, spirited, hard working, and slightly cranky chef; and he jumps at the chance to become her unofficial protege. Haunted by the loss of his best friend to an overdose, and the role he played, and fighting to hold onto his sobriety; Gale needs the opportunity <I>Cut!</> can provide: notoriety, money, and the chance that doors will open if he wins. But he also needs to prove to himself, and those he loves, that he won't waste this second chance at life.

DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE QUEENIE B? was a tender, thoughtful, and surprisingly real story about addiction, heartbreak, forgiveness, fame, and love. DeFino handled sensitive topics of this book with care and sensitivity, and she really amazed me with the characters of Gale and Regina and their intertwining stories. This is my second of DeFino's books, and I have a feeling it won't be my last.

🦇 Didn't You Used to Be Queenie B? Book Review 🦇

❓ What's your favorite cooking show or favorite dish to make?

🦇 Regina Benuzzi is Queenie B—a culinary goddess with Michelin Star restaurants, a bestselling cookbook empire, and multimillion-dollar TV deals. She had it all. Until she didn’t. After an epic fall from grace, Queenie B vanishes from the public eye. Newly sober and struggling, Gale’s future dreams don’t hold space for culinary stardom; only earning enough to get by. Gale doesn’t recognize Regina, a local soup kitchen’s cranky proprietor. She sees Gale’s talent and takes him under her wing. Teaching Gale, Regina’s passion to create is reignited, and they both glimpse a shot at the redemption that had always seemed out of reach. When Gale is chosen to compete on the hit cooking show, it's Gale’s time to shine. And that means Queenie B might just have to come out of hiding.

💜 Did I immediately make Italian food after reading this book? Yes, yes I did. This is a stunning story of redemption that will leave your mouthwatering for more (have snacks ready as you read!). Let's break it down.

✨ Characters (4/5): There's something beautifully painful about Regina's headspace; a mix of regret, self-loathing, and that tiny spark of hope shielded by a crab's rough yet penetrable exterior. To match that with Gale's identical emotions--the cause wholly different, yet effect ultimately the same--gave the story such stunning balance. The longer you read this book, the more Regina feels like someone you've known for decades. There are bits to their characterization missing--delving into Regina being "unwanted" as a foster kid, exploring her initial journey into food, Gale's childhood friendship in the past more than the present--that would have strengthened both MCs and the story as a whole. Gale's internal dialogue with the ghost of his best friend does kill the pacing at times as well.

✨ Plot and Pacing (4/5): Though the story takes a moment to immerse yourself into, once you're there, the rest of the word ceases to exist. I lost myself to this story with such ease that, a week after finishing it, I'm still thinking about it, still missing it. There are a few moments when the story lags, though -- I was confused that, by the 50% mark, Gale's competition was over, but that left room for the story's ending to take me by surprise.

✨ World-Building (3/5): I needed more descriptive language, not only for the setting as a whole, but for each time Regina and Gale cooked. When we read about food, we want to taste it, want an explosion of flavor to taunt our tongues. Regina and Gale connect over food; the readers should have connected WITH them through their dishes.

✨ Romance (4/5): Both characters have romantic arcs that are natural, wholesome, and well done, but neither really matters to the story. Rather, it's the self-love they develop over time that I think is essential to their character development, especially given the dark place they're both in at the start.

✨ Mystery/Suspense (3/5): This story deeply relies on a balance between past and present. A few details are revealed too quickly (namely, we could have gone without connecting Regina to Queenie so quickly) that would have given the story a much-needed element of suspense.

✨ Tone/Prose (3/5): The prose faltered for me a few times. Again, the writing lacks descriptions. However, there are a few one-liners that snatch at your attention that will stick with you long after you're done reading.

🦇 Recommended for fans of The Bear, I'll Give You the Sun, and Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors.

✨ The Vibes ✨
🫒 Cooking / Cooking Competition
🍋 Redemption
🍝 Found Family & Mentorship
🧁 Addiction / Rehab
🌶 Celebrity
🍇 Past & Present POVs
🧄 Identity

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #DidntYouUsedToBeQueenieB

💬 Quotes
"Every personal disaster causes an uptick in her finances, even as it hammers another nail in her personal coffin."
"Tonight, she’s cooking. Elaborately. Simply. Deliciously. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. Only the next meals needing to be created. Food is all. It is everything. On this Queenie and Regina can agree. Wherever then end up, they will get there. One meal at a time."
"It would be easy to fall into the past, if only for a night. Familiar. Easy. Comforting. But down that path, there be dragons slain and slain again. Queenie is too tired to take up that sword."
"Everyone has issues. Everyone is entitled to love, to people who believe in them even if they don’t."
"To rise from the ashes meant first to burst into flame."

This book hooked me right from the first chapter! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like it!

Told in dual timelines, it’s the story of Queenie B, a celebrity chef whose addictions destiny her career and all her relationships. At rock bottom, she retreats to obscurity and starts a soup kitchen in her hometown. There she meets an aspiring young chef and fellow recovering addict, Gale. Her mentorship of this protégé helps both of them stop surviving and start living.

Both main characters were so memorable. Their highs and lows kept me riveted. As their stories unfolded, their relationships with all the minor characters brought so much emotion to the story.

Don’t read this book on an empty stomach! The joy and creativity these characters found in food made me so hungry. I want to try every dish they made!

This book is such a gem. I can’t wait to see it in print. I’ll definitely be getting a copy for my shelf!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the chance to review this ARC.

This was a miss for me. I wanted to love it but found myself rereading chapters- something I don’t typically do.

Regina was once a well known chef, but I preferred her as a local soup kitchen chef. She was easier to connect to, not only emotionally but her character development was stronger.

Maybe it’s Queenie B I didn’t care for.

I loved this new culinary-themed novel! If you are a fan of unforgettable characters and heartwarming tales of fresh starts, you should give Didn't You Use to Be Queenie B? a chance! This really was unlike any other book I've read, and yet the themes were familiar enough. I truly enjoyed the intimate look into the culinary world, primarily because of all the descriptions of the food throughout the book. I'm excited to see what other readers will think of it when it is released.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an uncompensated review. I am always drawn to books about cooking and chefs, so I was excited to receive this advance copy. The book is a portrait of two chefs whose paths cross by happenstance and whose lives become intimately intertwined, together with a supporting cast of others. (Don't want to have any spoilers here, so that's all I'm saying.) Queenie B and Gale Carmichael are both people with lots of skeletons in their closets. Their respective backstories alone make for a good story, but the book is so much more. The writing is descriptive but not florid, and the characters develop in a believable trajectory along with their story lines. Most impressive was DeFino's mastery of her plot: she manages to move the characters and the story back and forth in time without it being confusing, or obvious, or overdone. Really enjoyed this one.

A beautifully layered story of redemption, resilience, and the healing power of food, *Didn’t You Used to Be Queenie B?* is equal parts heartwarming and delicious. Terri-Lynne DeFino serves up a cast of complex, relatable characters—none more compelling than the sharp-tongued, once-famous Queenie B and the quietly struggling Gale. With rich emotional depth and mouthwatering culinary moments, this novel explores second chances in and out of the kitchen. It’s about finding your way back to yourself, even when the world has written you off. A warm, satisfying read that lingers like your favorite comfort meal.

For fans of high-stakes cooking competitions like Chopped and The Bear, this book delivers a compelling culinary showdown.

The story follows two characters: Queenie B, once the biggest name in the culinary world before a dramatic fall from fame, and Gale, a newly sober line cook who stumbles upon a soup kitchen serving food beyond his wildest expectations. When he meets Regina, the mastermind behind these incredible dishes, she takes him under her wing, mentoring him as he prepares to compete in a Chopped-style competition called CUT.

I found this book to be well-written and, at times, completely unputdownable. The tension in the kitchen, the passion for food, and the personal stakes made for an engaging read. However, there were moments where the pacing slowed, and certain sections dragged, making it harder to stay fully immersed. Despite this, the novel truly satisfied my foodie heart, and I had a great time reading it!

I absolutely LOVED Didn’t You Used to Be Queen B? by Terri-Lynne Defino! This book is an emotional, deeply layered story that weaves together the past and present in a breathtaking, compelling way. Gale's journey of self-discovery and healing unfolds alongside Queenie's rise, fall, and transformation, creating a masterfully intertwined narrative.

The nuanced portrayal of recovery stood out the most—how it’s not just a single choice but a series of choices made day after day. Regina and Gale’s struggles, relationships, and personal growth are written with such honesty and heart. It’s about overcoming addiction, embracing life, and believing in love.

The relationships in this book absolutely gutted me in the best way. Gale and Kyle’s friendship was one of the most touching male relationships I’ve read in a long time. Their raw, emotional conversations—like when Gale asks Kyle why he’s stuck around when nobody else has—broke my heart. We need more of this kind of unconditional, platonic love in books!

And the writing? Stunning. So many lines stuck with me, but this one hit hard: “Everyone has issues. Everyone is entitled to love, to people who believe in them even if they don’t.” That sentiment is at the heart of this novel—how love, in all its messy, complicated forms, is something we all deserve.

By the time Gale and Queenie’s stories fully intertwined, I was in awe. The way their trajectories come together is beautiful—each revelation leading to an ending that felt both deeply satisfying and left me desperate for more. And that ending... I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN ITALY! Terri-Lynne Defino, please, I am begging—give us a sequel!

Five glowing, heart-wrenching, soul-fulfilling stars. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Terri-Lynne DeFino’s "Didn’t You Use to Be Queenie B?" is an engaging story about redemption, mentorship, and the power of cooking to rebuild lives.

Regina Benuzzi, a once-famous chef with a glamorous life, has retreated into anonymity after a public downfall. Now running a soup kitchen, she meets Gale Carmichael, a struggling line cook trying to rebuild his life and looking for a fresh start after hitting rock bottom. Through their shared love of cooking, Regina and Gale form a unique bond. Regina sees promise in Gale and helps him rediscover his potential, while Gale reignites Regina’s passion for food and life. Their journey is heartfelt, with moments of struggle, growth, and triumph.

DeFino’s storytelling is warm and engaging, expertly balancing the complexities of public disgrace with the joys of finding new meaning in the simplest of moments. The kitchen is the heart of the story, where past mistakes are confronted, and new paths are forged. journey from glamorous culinary queen to an anonymous figure hiding from her past is both poignant and relatable. Gale’s struggles with sobriety and his unexpected culinary potential add depth to the narrative, creating a satisfying arc of personal growth.

With its engaging plot and richly drawn characters, "Didn’t You Use to Be Queenie B?" is a satisfying and uplifting read, perfect for anyone who loves stories about second chances and the magic of food bringing people together.

I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I thought it was a beautiful and messy story. I sometimes hate when there are a lot of flashbacks plus duel characters but it was very easy to understand. The two separate, but connected stories were an amazing combination for this story. I really loved this story and wanted to stay in this book longer!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.
This story was told on two different timelines. While slow at times it was overall a good read. Emotional. Moving. Honest. Characters and plot were well written.

Two chefs, one an icon in seclusion and the other just beginning his career, form an unlikely friendship when their paths cross due to happenstance. Gale is young and newly sober, still reeling from his friend’s overdose. Regina was once a celebrity chef but has been hiding in the soup kitchen she created since she hit rock bottom. As Regina begins to mentor Gale, her passion for cooking is reignited while his skills expand exponentially. However, with the pressure of succeeding comes the risk of relapse, and the personal growth of this story drives the plot. Author Terri-Lynne Defino created wonderfully complex characters, which is far more realistic than having the whole book be on an upward trajectory. Both Regina and Gale are a mix of frustrating and lovable, and they play off each other well. Including cooking and restaurant explanations at the beginning of each chapter is a nice touch, and this will be a good book for fans of food with an understanding of addiction that often coincides in the hospitality industry.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. I enjoyed this book a lot. The cover is beautiful and the plot had me hooked. The FMC was excellent as well. I would rate this book a 4.5 stars and I would recommend reading this book when it releases next month.

This was a such a great story and it would be a nice and inspiring read for any foodies.

The food takes second stage to the Queenie B herself, but ahhh, I can picture the kitchen smells and sounds, including the soup kitchen.

I was more interested in Regina's story than Gale's. Both were hard to get through at times, yet interesting.

Alternating timelines helped in the buildup to the final chapters and had me wanting to find out how their stories end.

I will say the story was a bit longer than necessary, but otherwise, I give it my chef's kiss.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an e-copy of DIDN'T YOU USE TO BE QUEENIE B? to review.

I rate DIDN'T YOU USE TO BE QUEENIE B? four out of five stars.

I DNF this book, I just couldn’t get into the story. Too slow moving for me. I have tried to read it two different times. Therefore, I will let other reviewers who enjoy this book promote it, so I will not be posting on social media or reviews on retail sites. That way, this book gets much deserved attention from those reviewers who loved it!

Queenie B was a celebrity chef who vanished from the publicity eye. Older and her famous black hair now streaked with grey, she works as Regina at a New Haven soup kitchen, where she meets Gale, an aspiring chef struggling with his new sobriety.

This one was way more than a book about cooking and a lot deeping than I was expecting. It has addition recovery storylines and a lot of past history that plays into it. Predictably the food descriptions were rich and made me hungry. I enjoyed the reality show aspect and wished there were even more of those scenes.

“Every personal disaster caused an uptick in her finances, even as it hammers another nail in her personal coffin. Because people love a bad girl, especially a bad girl who hurts no one as much as she hurts herself.”

Didn’t You Use to Be Queenie B comes out 4/15.