Poppy Winfield’s family disapproves of her life choices; they don’t understand her job as an influencer. She’s tired of no one taking her seriously. It doesn’t help that she’s gone viral again, this time for her famous boyfriend breaking up with her in the middle of the restaurant.
There were two melt-downs in the restaurant that night. Jack was tired of creating all the dishes and having another chef given the credit for his work. He’s supposed to be biding his time until the owner of the restaurant creates a new place for him as the chef. But after a very public argument, Jack quits. Without direction or hope for his future, he heads back to the only place that’s ever felt like home.
Jack inherited a restaurant in Florida that his mentor left him. He feels guilty about the way they last spoke; he wishes he never inherited the place. However, the restaurant could be his ticket back to New York City. If he can make a name for himself, everything else will fall into place.
Poppy proposes a deal. She’ll help put the restaurant on the map from a social media and PR standpoint and in return, it will save them both. For him, he’ll get back to New York quicker. For her, she will finally earn her family’s approval.
Jack reluctantly agrees, but decides that if Poppy’s going to work with him, then she’s got to learn the entire restaurant business. That means starting with dishwashing and working her way up to sous chef training. It’s exhausting and Poppy almost quits a dozen times, but she’s determined to see this through. The feelings between then are surprisingly strong: enemies at first but then something more.
YES, CHEF is an enemies-to-lovers story that is about redemption, proving your worth, and found family. Both Poppy and Jack have ADHD that influences their behavior; while it’s not the same for both of them, they find a common thread in the language that sets them apart from others. The chemistry between them is off the charts. Their banter is funny and a little cruel at times. But you can’t help but root for the both of them. Don’t miss out on this sizzling romance!
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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