What’s more likely to go viral? A chef’s meltdown in front of a food critic or an NBA superstar breaking up with his influencer girlfriend? As it turns out, both, because they happen at the same place, at the same time.
Jack Hartman is back in Florida after being fired/ quitting his dream job at a Michelin-star restaurant. But this is not a fun homecoming. He needs to face all the people and memories he left behind. The only way back to New York City is through an outdated restaurant his foster father has left behind for him.
Meanwhile, Poppy Winfield is desperate to escape her infamous breakup, both in real life and on social media. Her family is not much help, as they disapprove of her influencer lifestyle. So, she ends up in South Florida in front of Jack with a proposition he cannot refuse: revamp the old restaurant and build back the reputation they have lost.
As they work side by side, Jack and Poppy discover that they are creating more than a successful restaurant. Between cooking lessons, loyal friends, and trauma bonding over mental health issues, their partnership slowly blossoms into something neither of them expected.
Author Grace Reilly has cooked a beautiful story of second chances and found family, and has sprinkled it with a generous amount of chemistry. The grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, and reluctant allies tropes work very well.
Jack and Poppy are likable protagonists to root for. Kiara and Chester, Jack’s foster sister and best friend, respectively, have their own subplot which I thoroughly enjoyed. All other supporting characters are well written and contribute to the story. Overall, this summer romance worked for me.
The Bear meets It Happened One Summer in this delicious new romance from USA Today bestselling author Grace Reilly, in which a down-on-his-luck chef and a determined social media maven strike a reluctant deal to bring a beloved restaurant back to life.
If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.
After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield, the blond, bubbly, utterly infuriating daughter of his former boss, shows up at his dock.
Poppy needs to escape. From her disapproving family, her horrible ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself—and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, prickly, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.
She knows Jack is desperate to come back from his unceremonious firing, so she proposes a deal: working together to open a revamped version of his mentor’s restaurant. He’ll handle the menu, and she’ll use her skill as a social media influencer to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make the restaurant a success, it’ll be an accomplishment no one can deny—and a ticket for them both to return to New York.
Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: if Poppy’s going to work for him, she must learn the ropes of the entire business. Including how to cook. From him.
As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen and tensions reach a boiling point, Poppy and Jack are left wondering--could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?
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