Chef's Kiss
Ratings12
Average rating4.3
**A high-strung pastry chef’s professional goals are interrupted by an unexpected career transition and the introduction of her wildly attractive nonbinary kitchen manager in this deliciously fresh and witty queer rom-com.**
Simone Larkspur is a perfectionist pastry expert with a dream job at The Discerning Chef, a venerable cookbook publisher in New York City. All she wants to do is create the perfect loaf of sourdough and develop recipes, but when The Discerning Chef decides to bring their brand into the 21st century by pivoting to video, Simone is thrust into the spotlight and finds herself failing at something for the first time in her life.
To make matters worse, Simone has to deal with Ray Lyton, the new test kitchen manager, whose obnoxious cheer and outgoing personality are like oil to Simone’s water. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral YouTube sensation with a series of homebrewing videos, their eccentric editor in chief forces Simone to work alongside the chipper upstart or else risk her beloved job. But the more they work together, the more Simone realizes her heart may be softening like butter for Ray.
Things get even more complicated when Ray comes out at work as nonbinary to mixed reactions—and Simone must choose between the career she fought so hard for and the person who just might take the cake (and her heart).
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2 primary books#1 in Chef's Kiss
Chef's Kiss is a 2-book series with 2 released primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by TJ Alexander.
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I really just adored this book so much - I raced through it, in part because the hold list at the library was massive and I didn't want to lose out before finishing, but mostly because this was just so enjoyable and FUN. It dealt with some pretty intense topics - definite CW for biphobia/homophobia/transphobia - but I thought it did a good job with those while also staying true to the tone the author was going for. I couldn't tell if Simone was intended to be neurodivergent or not, but I definitely read her that way, and that was an interesting layer as well. I need to buy this one so I have it on hand for a reread. I definitely want to come back to it.
(2022 Summer Romance Bingo: food on cover. Would also work for work rivals, loosely.)
Chef's Kiss is my September book (well, author, really) recommended by a friend. Thanks, Lexi, for the most excellent recommendation! This is an extremely sweet (and mildly spicy) queer love story. Simone is a perfectionistic pastry chef whose world gets a bit more chaotic when she meets her kitchen's new manager. Then, the kitchen is in trouble and they have to work together to save it. I mean, romance PLUS baking?!? How could I not like this?? I sped through this book in about two days and I have the sequel waiting for me at the library as we speak. Need I say more?
I really liked the relationship between the main character and the love interest. I'm also always happy to find books with nonbinary characters
