For your eyes only! So creative & so fun. Packed with amazing recipes perfect for grilling. There is even vegetarian dishes so there is always something for everyone.
The recipes are easy to follow and simple to understand. I can't believe how easy it was to create meals like I was an expert. We had so much fun trying them out. I loved the recipes for extra things, like sauces & marinades. A wide variety of foods and ideas. Mouth Watering photos will have you wanting to try every single recipe. We found favorites like Chicken Kabobs, Peach Salad & a Coffee & Bourbon BBQ Sauce.
These recipes are to die for! Enjoy the deliciousness with your crowd.

"Innovative recipes? Check. Expert tips? Double-check. Whether you're a novice griller or a seasoned pitmaster, this book has something sizzling just for you!"

Ok, there were quite a few really good tips and ideas in here for new and more seasoned grillmeisters out there. Different meats, appetizers, sauces, marinades, and rubs, as well as side dishes that compliment your grilled delicacies are sprinkled throughout the book, with lots of very useful grilling techniques makes this book an extremely useful resource to have on hand.

The weird thing? Other than the title, there was NOTHING in this book about James Bond. Like, how odd. It didn't need anything, it just seemed strange to set the reader up to find.. I don't even know...Bond inspired recipes? Cocktails? I don't know. It just seemed... weird. HOWEVER. This is a great book that didn't need the Bond hook.

I received a free ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A simple, good grilling cookbook. The recipes are solid grilling recipes. The tips are helpful and solid. The pictures will make your mouth water. This would be a great gift for the James Bond loving griller in your life.

I was immediately drawn to License to Grill because of its title and cover. Anything that references James Bond has got to be good, in my opinion. While there are several exciting recipes in the book, sadly, it doesn’t live up to its potential.

Several of the recipes are the basics of grilling, including steak and burgers. Then there are a few that caught my attention, though I know we would never attempt them at home, such as the Octopus al Pastor.

The most exciting recipe I found in the book was the Pickled Grilled Pineapple. I haven’t attempted it because of timing (it needs three days to rest), cost (fresh pineapple is around $5), and inexperience in handling pineapple.

There are several recipes for rubs, sauces, and marinades that sound interesting. The most interesting has got to be the Epis. It is made with several peppers blended together into a paste. Then there’s a salsa recipe that includes peanuts.

Overall, License to Grill has a variety of recipes that may elevate your grilling game. I would suggest giving the book a look-through before purchasing, as there may not be many new recipes for you.

This is a great book for anyone who loves grilling. From meat to vegetables this book will have you grilling up a storm and enjoying every bite. All the recipes are easy and fairly basic but always tasty. It just proves that good quality and good cooking methods means you don't need a lot of crazy and obscure ingredients.

Great photos, great information adn great food. YUM!

Thank you NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

License to Grill is a nice barbecue cookbook with recipes curated by Coastal Kitchen. Released 1st July 2025 by Cider Mill Press, it's 224 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

Despite the cute cover, this is a standard grilling cookbook with emphasis on quality meats, rubs, sauces, and grilling technique. Recipes are arranged thematically: beef & lamb, poultry & pork, seafood, appetizers, sides & salads, and rubs marinades & sauces. The recipes include a short introduction, serving sizes/yields, ingredients in a bullet list, and step by step instructions. Ingredient measures are given in imperial (US) measurements only. The author/publisher have included metric conversions in the appendices in the back of the book, which also includes a cross-referenced index.

Cooking and alternative prep suggestions are given in highlighted text boxes throughout. The author(s) have some good and creative suggestions. The photography is standout (some of it is from stock photo suppliers). Prep and serving photos are appealing and professionally styled.

The recipes are fairly standard. Some of the salads and sauces are quite creative alternatives to the standard family barbecue staples. Recipe ingredients will be readily available at any well stocked grocery store in North America.

There are thousands of BBQ cookbooks in print, and as a hook, the Bond tie-in is pretty good, but it probably would've been better if the authors had leaned into it a little more. Bond fans who expect more movie tie-ins and trivia will be disappointed, and cooks who aren't at all into the film/fandom will likely pass on it, thinking it's full of trivia and light on recipes.

Four stars. It would be a nice choice for gift-giving, or for public library or home cooks.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Book Review: License to Grill by The Coastal Kitchen

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I recently picked up License to Grill by The Coastal Kitchen, and it’s a pretty solid BBQ cookbook that delivers on flavor and fun. If you’re into grilling—whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been manning the grill for years—this book offers a great mix of recipes and tips that can really up your game.

The book is packed with over 100 recipes spanning appetizers, sides, and mains, so there’s plenty to keep your taste buds entertained. Think juicy burgers, perfectly charred veggies, succulent steaks, and even some tasty seafood options. Plus, if you’re vegetarian or cooking for someone who is, there are plenty of dishes to satisfy those cravings too. What I really appreciated were the unique sauces, rubs, and marinades included—they add a nice twist and help you maximize flavor no matter what’s on the grill.

One of the best parts? The expert tips sprinkled throughout that guide you on everything from low-and-slow smoking to quick weeknight meals. It’s like having a seasoned pitmaster coaching you while you cook.

Now, a bit of honesty: I was initially drawn in by the cover and title because I expected some sort of fun James Bond or spy theme—something playful beyond just BBQ recipes. But other than the clever name and eye-catching cover, it’s pretty straightforward as a grilling cookbook. That was a little disappointing for me since I’m a sucker for themed cookbooks, but it doesn’t take away from how good the content actually is.

The recipes themselves are easy to follow, making this a practical pick for anyone wanting to try new grilling ideas without getting overwhelmed. And the photos? Let’s just say they’re definitely drool-worthy and will probably have you firing up the grill ASAP.

All in all, License to Grill earned a solid 3.5 stars from me. If you’re passionate about BBQ or looking to expand your grilling repertoire, this would be a worthy addition to your collection—even if it’s not quite the spy thriller cookbook I’d hoped for. Time to grab your apron and spatula—your next delicious BBQ adventure awaits!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Summertime is the perfect excuse to heat up the grill and prepare the main dish outside. License to Grill: 100 BBQ Recipes for Your Eyes Only by The Coastal Kitchen, is an excellent cookbook with plenty of ideas and tips to make your barbecue experience pleasant, and especially to make your grilled foods delicious.

This cookbook contains dozens of mouthwatering recipes for beef, pork, lamb, and seafood with lots of ways to prepare them on the grill. It also includes side dishes which are very appealing. At the end, there are recipes for rubs and marinades- plenty of variations for different tastes. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions that make it possible for anyone – from beginners to veteran grillers – to successfully grill and smoke dashes worthy of company. Unfortunately, there are no comments at the beginning of each recipe, which would make the cookbook a bit better. However, there are beautiful, professional photographs that give the reader some insight as to how the finished dish should look.

All told, this is a good cookbook for anyone who just wants recipes and doesn’t care about the personality and personal tips from the author. It is, however, a book barbecue enthusiasts will want to read and cook from.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This was a great cookbook. Very easy-to-follow recipes. I can't wait to try these recipes. I would highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.