What do you think?
Rate this book
Romance Impossible
One man. One woman. One restaurant. A stormy temper, and a grudge that's been years in the making. It's the perfect recipe for Romance: Impossible.
But add a little heat, and anything can happen...
Jillian Brown needs a job. Chef Maxwell Dylan needs an employee who can put up with him. And for some reason, the notorious celebrity chef has his sights set on her. It's a match made in the deepest fires of hell, but Jill's desperate, and righteous indignation doesn't pay the bills.
Chef Dylan doesn't seem to remember their chance encounter years ago, when he embarrassed Jill in front of a restaurant full of customers. And Jill - well, she's willing to put the memory behind her, in the name of a steady paycheck.
But things get complicated. Tempers flare, verbal sparring soon gives way to a grudging mutual respect - and feelings that the once-bitten, twice-shy Jill isn't ready for. Especially not with a man like Chef Dylan. But with flames licking higher, can Jill resist the temptation? More importantly, does she really want to?
But add a little heat, and anything can happen...
Jillian Brown needs a job. Chef Maxwell Dylan needs an employee who can put up with him. And for some reason, the notorious celebrity chef has his sights set on her. It's a match made in the deepest fires of hell, but Jill's desperate, and righteous indignation doesn't pay the bills.
Chef Dylan doesn't seem to remember their chance encounter years ago, when he embarrassed Jill in front of a restaurant full of customers. And Jill - well, she's willing to put the memory behind her, in the name of a steady paycheck.
But things get complicated. Tempers flare, verbal sparring soon gives way to a grudging mutual respect - and feelings that the once-bitten, twice-shy Jill isn't ready for. Especially not with a man like Chef Dylan. But with flames licking higher, can Jill resist the temptation? More importantly, does she really want to?
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2014
9 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Marchande
54 books495 followersMelanie Marchande is the New York Times bestselling author of His Secretary: Undone. She loves sarcastic alpha billionaires, sassy curvy heroines, and pizza. Not necessarily in that order.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 23, 2014
3 Stars...
I'm a sucker for any kind of romance with food involved..since I love both so much! But I love to cook and these types of books draw me in. Although this one did not hit me with an OVER THE MOON LOVE story.. it was still cute...however, I feel like I would have enjoyed this one much more if I could have connected with the heroin more.
Meet Jillina.. well, Jillian had lots of potential.. she's a chef that's pretty much just starting out. She's worked with a lot of good chefs, mostly in the background but of course has dreams of being one of the very best one day. The problem with Jill is that she's pretty judgmental against Max and her constant bitchiness just grated on my nerves...
Jillian
Now on to the best part of this story,in my opinion...Chef Max Dylan... he's at the top of his game. He has reality shows and several 5 star restaurants around the globe. He's got a reputation as being ruthless, brutal, and obnoxious ( my favorite type of book boyfriend!) and he's about to open a new restaurant in Jillian's neighborhood. The thing about Max though, is his reputation does not really fit with the type of guy he ended up being.. He ended up being pretty sweet and patient. Sure, he liked things a certain way but the only time he was really an ass was in the beginning...
Chef Dylan
OK.. so Max is opening a new restaurant near Jill and she is in bad need of a job. But Max is the last person on Earth she wants to work for. They had a run in a few years back and it left a very bitter taste in her mouth. She can't stand Max.. but she needs a job and he wants her in his kitchen.. Jill thinks that he doesn't remember her or their run in and she hopes it stays that way. It was a very embarrassing moment for her personally..
But Max remembers Jill..he remembers everything about her and their first encounter. He sees and opportunity to help her be the very best chef that she can be and he's going to guide her. But Jillian keeps looking for every little fault she can in poor Max and I wanted to knock the crap out of her on multiple occasions...
I think this story had lots of potential.. but the bitchiness of Jillian and the chemistry that I felt just never really "got there" .. turned this into just a cute story for me. The characters danced around each other for so long and then when they finally FINALLY did something about it.. it was a quick "wam bam thank you mam" and that lacked the necessary emotion to put this couple over the rut I feel like they had been dug into. Then a misunderstanding caused a major time jump that had me all...
This time jump really bothered me and I think it was the wrong move.. they had so much trouble connecting while they were actually in the same room together that I think the time jump would have caused even more damage rather than help them out. I think they really needed a big emotional break through of some type and I was hoping for it. But didn't get it in my opinion.
Do we get an HEA.. yea...there's not cliffhanger and it's all wrapped up nicely, if not convincingly.
OK, so this one really didn't do it for me but it was still a cute read and I'm sure others will like this story. For me though, it lacked a likeable female, needed more chemistry, and Alex really needed more jerky qualities. In the beginning of the book he was pegged as a jerk but he turned out to be the opposite. I wish he would have called Jill out on her bitchiness and told her to take a hike.
That being said, I really did enjoy Melanie Marchande's writing style and even if I didn't connect with the story as much as I would have liked, there was still a good flow that only got interrupted at the end with the time jump that I'm still peeved about. I think I'll still check out her other titles and I'm sure I'll check out her next release.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review"
I'm a sucker for any kind of romance with food involved..since I love both so much! But I love to cook and these types of books draw me in. Although this one did not hit me with an OVER THE MOON LOVE story.. it was still cute...however, I feel like I would have enjoyed this one much more if I could have connected with the heroin more.
Meet Jillina.. well, Jillian had lots of potential.. she's a chef that's pretty much just starting out. She's worked with a lot of good chefs, mostly in the background but of course has dreams of being one of the very best one day. The problem with Jill is that she's pretty judgmental against Max and her constant bitchiness just grated on my nerves...
Jillian
Now on to the best part of this story,in my opinion...Chef Max Dylan... he's at the top of his game. He has reality shows and several 5 star restaurants around the globe. He's got a reputation as being ruthless, brutal, and obnoxious ( my favorite type of book boyfriend!) and he's about to open a new restaurant in Jillian's neighborhood. The thing about Max though, is his reputation does not really fit with the type of guy he ended up being.. He ended up being pretty sweet and patient. Sure, he liked things a certain way but the only time he was really an ass was in the beginning...
Chef Dylan
OK.. so Max is opening a new restaurant near Jill and she is in bad need of a job. But Max is the last person on Earth she wants to work for. They had a run in a few years back and it left a very bitter taste in her mouth. She can't stand Max.. but she needs a job and he wants her in his kitchen.. Jill thinks that he doesn't remember her or their run in and she hopes it stays that way. It was a very embarrassing moment for her personally..
But Max remembers Jill..he remembers everything about her and their first encounter. He sees and opportunity to help her be the very best chef that she can be and he's going to guide her. But Jillian keeps looking for every little fault she can in poor Max and I wanted to knock the crap out of her on multiple occasions...
I think this story had lots of potential.. but the bitchiness of Jillian and the chemistry that I felt just never really "got there" .. turned this into just a cute story for me. The characters danced around each other for so long and then when they finally FINALLY did something about it.. it was a quick "wam bam thank you mam" and that lacked the necessary emotion to put this couple over the rut I feel like they had been dug into. Then a misunderstanding caused a major time jump that had me all...
This time jump really bothered me and I think it was the wrong move.. they had so much trouble connecting while they were actually in the same room together that I think the time jump would have caused even more damage rather than help them out. I think they really needed a big emotional break through of some type and I was hoping for it. But didn't get it in my opinion.
Do we get an HEA.. yea...there's not cliffhanger and it's all wrapped up nicely, if not convincingly.
OK, so this one really didn't do it for me but it was still a cute read and I'm sure others will like this story. For me though, it lacked a likeable female, needed more chemistry, and Alex really needed more jerky qualities. In the beginning of the book he was pegged as a jerk but he turned out to be the opposite. I wish he would have called Jill out on her bitchiness and told her to take a hike.
That being said, I really did enjoy Melanie Marchande's writing style and even if I didn't connect with the story as much as I would have liked, there was still a good flow that only got interrupted at the end with the time jump that I'm still peeved about. I think I'll still check out her other titles and I'm sure I'll check out her next release.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review"
April 28, 2020
The romance was lost on me here, it was almost reading about the daily routine in a restaurant and the gourmet gastronomy world, but the MCs relationship was conflictive (not in a fun way) and their chemistry was nowhere to be found IMO...
I adored His Secretary: Undone and the plot of this one was extremely attractive for me since I love cooking and have worked many years in the culinary sector, so my expectations were high. Skipped through the last third of the book, I'm afraid, and by the end I didn't care much if the MCs ended up together or not.
This author can do much better than this, so I'll keep trying and consider this a miss.
I adored His Secretary: Undone and the plot of this one was extremely attractive for me since I love cooking and have worked many years in the culinary sector, so my expectations were high. Skipped through the last third of the book, I'm afraid, and by the end I didn't care much if the MCs ended up together or not.
This author can do much better than this, so I'll keep trying and consider this a miss.
June 13, 2021
Once titled Romance Impossible now republished as Grumpy Chef by Melanie Marchande is truly a page-turner. The novel grabbed me from the very first page. I love how each chapter started with excerpts from Dylan: A Lifetime of Recipes. Also, the explanation and definition of cooking terms used to set up the chapters is genius.
The author’s characters, Jillian, Max, Shelly, Beckett, Eric, and even Heidi, Jillian’s pit bull, are excellently developed. In addition, the settings and plot are fashioned in such a way, I felt connected to each scene.
The storyline of Jillian and Chef Dylan hit all the emotional buttons: happy, sad, angry, funny, and hope. The romance between Jillian and Chef Dylan did not disappoint. The love scenes were tastefully written.
The book’s flow: easy to read and desperate to know what comes next, earned a place in my top ten best contemporary romance reads thus far in 2021. Five Stars!
The author’s characters, Jillian, Max, Shelly, Beckett, Eric, and even Heidi, Jillian’s pit bull, are excellently developed. In addition, the settings and plot are fashioned in such a way, I felt connected to each scene.
The storyline of Jillian and Chef Dylan hit all the emotional buttons: happy, sad, angry, funny, and hope. The romance between Jillian and Chef Dylan did not disappoint. The love scenes were tastefully written.
The book’s flow: easy to read and desperate to know what comes next, earned a place in my top ten best contemporary romance reads thus far in 2021. Five Stars!
October 30, 2017
it was entertaining, a bit cliché at the end but I'm guessing that kind of love is that way.
February 20, 2014
I am also totally into food competition shows, and restaurant makeovers...which led me to Gordon Ramsay. Which led me to ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE. This contemporary romance is a love story for foodies, like me.
Here's what happens:
Jillian Brown is a chef. She has worked many kitchens around Boston, but is currently out of work due to so many restaurants failing in the depressed economy. Her bank account is nearly empty, and she's desperate.
Chef Maxwell Dylan (undoubtedly inspired by Chef Gordon Ramsay) is a demanding prick. He's brash and abrupt and honest. He is unflinchingly critical when it comes to cooking and has built a fortune through his hard work and exacting standards. He is opening a new restaurant. And he wants Jillian to be his sous chef.
Jill knows Chef Dylan, by reputation and by introduction. A few years ago he demanded to meet the chef who had prepared a meal he found lackluster. Jill never forgot that humiliation, and she'd rather eat her chef jacket that work for the notorious Chef Dylan, but that would likely be her last meal as broke and she is, so she accepts his job offer.
In the ramp up to opening the restaurant, Jill and Dylan develop a decent working relationship. She is submissive, as is to be expected, and he is steadfast in his resolve to not get involved with any woman--especially not Jill. He wants to stay focused on the restaurant, but doesn't miss the quiet confidence Jill exudes. Her patience and attention to detail are just as attractive as her trim physique and pleasant face.
Jill is enamored with Dylan, after a time she is able to get over that horrifying initial meeting. She sees the man behind the frosty rep, and begins to appreciate his confidence and companionship. Over the course of the year there are aborted forays into romance. A kiss here, an embrace there, but each time Dylan pulls back--unsure of so many things. He's never had a long-term relationship and won't risk his stable work environment for what he's sure will be a brief fling. Also, having amassed a fortune, he's never sure if a woman is interested in him personally, or financially. This is a real fear, because Dylan's personality is generally disagreeable.
Dylan seems to make extra effort to include Jill in his other endeavors, each time elevating her status and career. This includes recommending she be a part of a reality TV show to help 'soften' Dylan's brash appeal. While on location in LA, Jill's ex-fiance turns up. She and Eric had been together for 5 years and three weeks before their wedding she discovered he was dating another woman. Yet another humiliation, and one she had confessed to Dylan some months ago. With Eric trying to woo her back, Jill can only recognize how little she cares for him. He's a cheater who hides all his treachery behind a nice demeanor, unlike Dylan. She's about to tell all this to Eric, but another shoe had yet to drop, and Jill's shattered once more.
Not long after, Dylan's attempt to comfort Jill turns physical. Real physical. And Dylan panics. He's not confident enough to risk his heart and tries to strike the best balance he can--to Jill's great disappointment. She turns in her resignation and finds a new job as head chef in a prestigious restaurant. But fate isn't finished with Jill. And one chance encounter leads these two to the place that were meant to be.
It's a slow simmer of a romance, realistic in size and scope. Throughout there are tiny vignettes, excerpts of one of Dylan's 'cookbooks', to illustrate his passion for food and cooking. The passion he contains for Jill is just as potent--and magnifies his fear of rejection by ten-fold. Then he sees how gracefully Jill accepts continued rejections and finally casts his whole heart on the line. It's a joyful ending, and I really enjoyed the book. It's told from alternating point of view so we can wallow deliciously in the tension between these two strong characters.
Here's what happens:
Jillian Brown is a chef. She has worked many kitchens around Boston, but is currently out of work due to so many restaurants failing in the depressed economy. Her bank account is nearly empty, and she's desperate.
Chef Maxwell Dylan (undoubtedly inspired by Chef Gordon Ramsay) is a demanding prick. He's brash and abrupt and honest. He is unflinchingly critical when it comes to cooking and has built a fortune through his hard work and exacting standards. He is opening a new restaurant. And he wants Jillian to be his sous chef.
Jill knows Chef Dylan, by reputation and by introduction. A few years ago he demanded to meet the chef who had prepared a meal he found lackluster. Jill never forgot that humiliation, and she'd rather eat her chef jacket that work for the notorious Chef Dylan, but that would likely be her last meal as broke and she is, so she accepts his job offer.
In the ramp up to opening the restaurant, Jill and Dylan develop a decent working relationship. She is submissive, as is to be expected, and he is steadfast in his resolve to not get involved with any woman--especially not Jill. He wants to stay focused on the restaurant, but doesn't miss the quiet confidence Jill exudes. Her patience and attention to detail are just as attractive as her trim physique and pleasant face.
Jill is enamored with Dylan, after a time she is able to get over that horrifying initial meeting. She sees the man behind the frosty rep, and begins to appreciate his confidence and companionship. Over the course of the year there are aborted forays into romance. A kiss here, an embrace there, but each time Dylan pulls back--unsure of so many things. He's never had a long-term relationship and won't risk his stable work environment for what he's sure will be a brief fling. Also, having amassed a fortune, he's never sure if a woman is interested in him personally, or financially. This is a real fear, because Dylan's personality is generally disagreeable.
Dylan seems to make extra effort to include Jill in his other endeavors, each time elevating her status and career. This includes recommending she be a part of a reality TV show to help 'soften' Dylan's brash appeal. While on location in LA, Jill's ex-fiance turns up. She and Eric had been together for 5 years and three weeks before their wedding she discovered he was dating another woman. Yet another humiliation, and one she had confessed to Dylan some months ago. With Eric trying to woo her back, Jill can only recognize how little she cares for him. He's a cheater who hides all his treachery behind a nice demeanor, unlike Dylan. She's about to tell all this to Eric, but another shoe had yet to drop, and Jill's shattered once more.
Not long after, Dylan's attempt to comfort Jill turns physical. Real physical. And Dylan panics. He's not confident enough to risk his heart and tries to strike the best balance he can--to Jill's great disappointment. She turns in her resignation and finds a new job as head chef in a prestigious restaurant. But fate isn't finished with Jill. And one chance encounter leads these two to the place that were meant to be.
It's a slow simmer of a romance, realistic in size and scope. Throughout there are tiny vignettes, excerpts of one of Dylan's 'cookbooks', to illustrate his passion for food and cooking. The passion he contains for Jill is just as potent--and magnifies his fear of rejection by ten-fold. Then he sees how gracefully Jill accepts continued rejections and finally casts his whole heart on the line. It's a joyful ending, and I really enjoyed the book. It's told from alternating point of view so we can wallow deliciously in the tension between these two strong characters.
February 20, 2014
Loved the characters!
4.5 / 5 stars
I have had received an eARC copy of this book from the author in exchange of a honest review. Thank you.
My thoughts (Theo):
When it comes to cooking you need and beautiful chefs you must read this book! But you also need to read it because of the action and the characters that are amazingly interacting between them!
Everything starts with Jill being a second-chef at a sort-of important restaurant, but the budget is running low and sometimes people can tell the difference between fresh food and frozen one even though the chef is still as amazing as ever.
This is what happens to Jill. She is ready to make the best meal ever using frozen fish, but she is not prepared for the grand Chef Dylan Maxwell to show up at the restaurant and murder her career with a few words and glances at her. She is also not prepared for the humiliation and the fact that she is supposed to remain as calm as ever. But the unthinkable happens the chef gets up and leaves her and the food right there; a few months pass and the restaurant are closing.
Jill is affected by the closing, but she soon finds another job to take on, but she is shocked to find out that the new job will be ending soon too because of the soon to be closed restaurant. So now she starts to jump from restaurant to restaurant and every time she makes it to a stable job, the restaurants get closed.
Until one day when the Grand Chef Dylan is back in town and preparing to open a new restaurant in Boston and he needs a Chef for his restaurant. Chance or fate brings Jillian’s CV to his attention and he remembers the mistake that he has done a few years ago. That means that he has to hire her.
Then a lot of things happen. Jill gets onto Dylan’s hair every single time. Dylan is almost chocking her every time she speaks. But, most importantly? They are so close of killing each other that you start laughing so hard that you are sure you will be going to never stop.
The characters
Jillian is your strong, stubborn to the hell and back type of woman, but she is also very obsessed that her work is properly done and ready to make everyone see through the appearances!
Dylan is you asshole type of boss/friend. He is always annoying the shit out of me as a reader or of Jill, but this is what makes him... well, him.
I recommend this book to anyone ready to have a good laugh or to anyone ready to see a story of love that is not happening right away. For love to conquer all it needs time.
4.5 / 5 stars
I have had received an eARC copy of this book from the author in exchange of a honest review. Thank you.
My thoughts (Theo):
When it comes to cooking you need and beautiful chefs you must read this book! But you also need to read it because of the action and the characters that are amazingly interacting between them!
Everything starts with Jill being a second-chef at a sort-of important restaurant, but the budget is running low and sometimes people can tell the difference between fresh food and frozen one even though the chef is still as amazing as ever.
This is what happens to Jill. She is ready to make the best meal ever using frozen fish, but she is not prepared for the grand Chef Dylan Maxwell to show up at the restaurant and murder her career with a few words and glances at her. She is also not prepared for the humiliation and the fact that she is supposed to remain as calm as ever. But the unthinkable happens the chef gets up and leaves her and the food right there; a few months pass and the restaurant are closing.
Jill is affected by the closing, but she soon finds another job to take on, but she is shocked to find out that the new job will be ending soon too because of the soon to be closed restaurant. So now she starts to jump from restaurant to restaurant and every time she makes it to a stable job, the restaurants get closed.
Until one day when the Grand Chef Dylan is back in town and preparing to open a new restaurant in Boston and he needs a Chef for his restaurant. Chance or fate brings Jillian’s CV to his attention and he remembers the mistake that he has done a few years ago. That means that he has to hire her.
Then a lot of things happen. Jill gets onto Dylan’s hair every single time. Dylan is almost chocking her every time she speaks. But, most importantly? They are so close of killing each other that you start laughing so hard that you are sure you will be going to never stop.
The characters
Jillian is your strong, stubborn to the hell and back type of woman, but she is also very obsessed that her work is properly done and ready to make everyone see through the appearances!
Dylan is you asshole type of boss/friend. He is always annoying the shit out of me as a reader or of Jill, but this is what makes him... well, him.
I recommend this book to anyone ready to have a good laugh or to anyone ready to see a story of love that is not happening right away. For love to conquer all it needs time.
February 22, 2014
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first ARC I have received since I joined the Goodreads community, and let me say I totally loved this book.
At first I was a little bothered by the leading man, I mean talk about confident control freak. I really disliked him at first. But as soon as you begin to read more and more you understand how hard he has worked for what he has achieved and well yeah he sort of deserves to be a confident a-hole once or twice. His character began to show flaws that everyone has and along with Jill(the leading lady) that captured my attention. He made some questionable actions that I can't fully disclose on without giving to much away but in the end I understood him.
As for Jill, well she is your typical girl trying to be a successful chef in today's economy with some tough competition. I found that I could relate to her in more ways then one because honestly who hasn't had an a-hole once in their life? I guess what helps is that your boss is to die for.
I highly recommend this book if you want a light hate/love you read.
This is the first ARC I have received since I joined the Goodreads community, and let me say I totally loved this book.
At first I was a little bothered by the leading man, I mean talk about confident control freak. I really disliked him at first. But as soon as you begin to read more and more you understand how hard he has worked for what he has achieved and well yeah he sort of deserves to be a confident a-hole once or twice. His character began to show flaws that everyone has and along with Jill(the leading lady) that captured my attention. He made some questionable actions that I can't fully disclose on without giving to much away but in the end I understood him.
As for Jill, well she is your typical girl trying to be a successful chef in today's economy with some tough competition. I found that I could relate to her in more ways then one because honestly who hasn't had an a-hole once in their life? I guess what helps is that your boss is to die for.
I highly recommend this book if you want a light hate/love you read.
March 12, 2014
***ARC from NetGalley in Exchange for an honest review***
The Food Network has certainly opened up a brave new world for spicy (pun intended) romance. Yes, I watch Chopped, Next Food Network Star, Restaurant Impossible, etc. religiously and have been awed by the ego and the heart that these chef-lebrities display. With that being said, the protagonists in this romance are two such creatures...confident (egotistical, sometimes), talented, flawed, confused. The push and pull of love-hate was palpable throughout the read and I loved that the telling went from one point of view to another giving a 360 look into the evolving relationships (and not just a romantic one).
Though Jillian teeters from love-struck to bitchy continuously, I take that to reflect the confusion she has about what she really feels. Is it love, is it hate, is it both? Is it awe, disgust, hero-worship?
Max, for all his confidence, lacks a certain self-knowledge and maybe, a non-too-small feeling of never gonna be good enough.
Interesting. Intriguing. I was glued from beginning to end. A definite recommend. One nit-pick though…neither the cover nor the title seemed appropriate for the content.
The Food Network has certainly opened up a brave new world for spicy (pun intended) romance. Yes, I watch Chopped, Next Food Network Star, Restaurant Impossible, etc. religiously and have been awed by the ego and the heart that these chef-lebrities display. With that being said, the protagonists in this romance are two such creatures...confident (egotistical, sometimes), talented, flawed, confused. The push and pull of love-hate was palpable throughout the read and I loved that the telling went from one point of view to another giving a 360 look into the evolving relationships (and not just a romantic one).
Though Jillian teeters from love-struck to bitchy continuously, I take that to reflect the confusion she has about what she really feels. Is it love, is it hate, is it both? Is it awe, disgust, hero-worship?
Max, for all his confidence, lacks a certain self-knowledge and maybe, a non-too-small feeling of never gonna be good enough.
Interesting. Intriguing. I was glued from beginning to end. A definite recommend. One nit-pick though…neither the cover nor the title seemed appropriate for the content.
July 27, 2016
This could have been a cute rom-com but it falls flat. First of all, the cover doesn't go along with the tone of the story. The romance here never fully develops and is this constant pushing and pulling between the main couple who don't make sense with their actions regarding one another. The romance is very bland and uninspiring. And when the main couple acts on their attraction, it's so wam bam, done and over. The chemistry is non-existent and tepid.
The drama is next to nothing, even with the sudden re-appearance of the heroine's cheating ex-fiance that doesn't go anywhere. Why it was added makes no sense.
The ending is rushed and leaves you scratching your head. Honestly this book is a wallbanger of read that really goes nowhere.
A bland, forgettable. This gets 1.5 stars from me.
Big pass on this one.
The drama is next to nothing, even with the sudden re-appearance of the heroine's cheating ex-fiance that doesn't go anywhere. Why it was added makes no sense.
The ending is rushed and leaves you scratching your head. Honestly this book is a wallbanger of read that really goes nowhere.
A bland, forgettable. This gets 1.5 stars from me.
Big pass on this one.
February 26, 2014
Melanie has outdone herself!
Melanie has outdone herself!
I loved the Billionaire series but she gets better and better with each new release. I can't wait for part 2. There were times I wanted to kill each of the two main characters. There were times I wanted to just hug them. They are very much alike in many ways but, just enough of a difference between them to make it fiery. I only have one complaint...I WANT MORE!
Melanie has outdone herself!
I loved the Billionaire series but she gets better and better with each new release. I can't wait for part 2. There were times I wanted to kill each of the two main characters. There were times I wanted to just hug them. They are very much alike in many ways but, just enough of a difference between them to make it fiery. I only have one complaint...I WANT MORE!
February 24, 2014
Loved it!!
Not your usual 'falling for the boss' types.
We get to know both Max & Jill very well, you end up loving both of them & get annoyed at their blindness to one another!
Hooked from page one, this is no quick fling!
Not your usual 'falling for the boss' types.
We get to know both Max & Jill very well, you end up loving both of them & get annoyed at their blindness to one another!
Hooked from page one, this is no quick fling!
February 2, 2014
Loved this book.
February 24, 2014
I found that whilst reading this arc that you can relate to both the characters in this book and apply it to daily life.
It was well written and highly enjoyable
It was well written and highly enjoyable
March 16, 2017
I loved the premise on the book but I felt it was a bit long and repetitive. It was a great standalone, however the ending was just that...an ending. No epilogue or where the characters are now. I'd still recommend the book.
May 28, 2018
There's a lot of antagonism on Jillian's part as Maxwell severely critic'd her meal at a former restaurant she cooked for and it had lasting effect. She's now working for him in his new restaurant and halfway through the book they are still prickly with each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2014
The premise of this story was good and original. Jillian Brown is a good chef, struggling to make ends meet during hard economic times. She is offered a job by chef extraordinaire Maxwell Dylan (think Gordon Ramsey), who has a reputation for being incredible difficult to work for. Although Jill has a grudge against him because of a bad encounter from years ago, she agrees to the job. A strong working relationship is formed over time, which also eventually leads to even strong feelings.
One thing I like about this book is that it has an original story-line. I haven't come across many culinary romances, and thanks to the food network, the situations and details were easily to relate to. I also appreciated the strong heroine, who is mature, skilled, determined and independent.
I did, however find a few things lacking.
Details, for one. Many details given were redundant, while others were severely lacking. For example, we didn't get a physical description of the heroine until 21% of the way in, and even then "green eyes" were the only descriptor. The book mentions a dog very early on, but we don't find out the breed until 50% through. The author wrote a kiss, but failed to describe how the characters felt while it was happening. Little things are what help to paint a picture in the readers mind, in order for the reader to experience the story instead of just being told it.
Timelines for the majority of the book were also very vague.
Grammar was another hang up for me. While it wasn't terrible, it also wasn't good. I found the extreme number of sentences starting with "and" and/or "but" quite distracting, as well as the misuse and under use of commas.
If the hero was supposed to be an alpha male, as stated repeatedly, then I think the writer missed the mark. He took control of the kitchen, but not much else.
While it took a while to connect with the characters, I eventually did, and I liked how they both grew over time, as did their relationship. I never fully understood the strain from the beginning. I didn't see Max as being the jerk that Jill constantly painted him as. In fact, I was surprised at how patient he was with her.
Overall, I think this was a cute story that could have been great. My advice to the author would be to get yourself a BETA or two that you work well with, and/or an editor. With some more detail, descriptions of the right things, flirting and/or banter, this story could have been great.
*I received and ARC from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.*
One thing I like about this book is that it has an original story-line. I haven't come across many culinary romances, and thanks to the food network, the situations and details were easily to relate to. I also appreciated the strong heroine, who is mature, skilled, determined and independent.
I did, however find a few things lacking.
Details, for one. Many details given were redundant, while others were severely lacking. For example, we didn't get a physical description of the heroine until 21% of the way in, and even then "green eyes" were the only descriptor. The book mentions a dog very early on, but we don't find out the breed until 50% through. The author wrote a kiss, but failed to describe how the characters felt while it was happening. Little things are what help to paint a picture in the readers mind, in order for the reader to experience the story instead of just being told it.
Timelines for the majority of the book were also very vague.
Grammar was another hang up for me. While it wasn't terrible, it also wasn't good. I found the extreme number of sentences starting with "and" and/or "but" quite distracting, as well as the misuse and under use of commas.
If the hero was supposed to be an alpha male, as stated repeatedly, then I think the writer missed the mark. He took control of the kitchen, but not much else.
While it took a while to connect with the characters, I eventually did, and I liked how they both grew over time, as did their relationship. I never fully understood the strain from the beginning. I didn't see Max as being the jerk that Jill constantly painted him as. In fact, I was surprised at how patient he was with her.
Overall, I think this was a cute story that could have been great. My advice to the author would be to get yourself a BETA or two that you work well with, and/or an editor. With some more detail, descriptions of the right things, flirting and/or banter, this story could have been great.
*I received and ARC from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.*
February 24, 2014
Romance Impossible is a well-written book. It flows at a nice pace and the plot is very original and interesting. I am a huge book foodie fan, so after reading the book blurb, I just had to request it from NetGalley.
This story is about two people, Jillian Brown, an aspiring chef and an already established, very recognizable chef, Maxwell Dylan. Max's character is reminiscent of Chef Gordon Ramsay on reality TV. Jill and Max work together in Max's new restaurant and very slowly begin to form feelings for each other. I liked both characters, but their relationship left me unfulfilled and bereft. I wanted to spend more time with them together as a couple, without all the hazards surrounding their lives.
I really liked Max's brother Beckett. He is a sommelier and works with both Jill and Max at the restaurant. He comes across as a genuinely nice guy and is always looking out for his brother. He has a great personality and his looks aren't bad either. Maybe a book about him is in the future??
Overall, I liked this story. However, I would have loved it if it had more romance, flirting and passion.
This story is about two people, Jillian Brown, an aspiring chef and an already established, very recognizable chef, Maxwell Dylan. Max's character is reminiscent of Chef Gordon Ramsay on reality TV. Jill and Max work together in Max's new restaurant and very slowly begin to form feelings for each other. I liked both characters, but their relationship left me unfulfilled and bereft. I wanted to spend more time with them together as a couple, without all the hazards surrounding their lives.
I really liked Max's brother Beckett. He is a sommelier and works with both Jill and Max at the restaurant. He comes across as a genuinely nice guy and is always looking out for his brother. He has a great personality and his looks aren't bad either. Maybe a book about him is in the future??
Overall, I liked this story. However, I would have loved it if it had more romance, flirting and passion.
August 10, 2016
I just know some of you creative types out there LOVE to make graphics about the books you read - if you make any for ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE, make sure to share them with me! You can post them on my Facebook or email me and I'd LOVE to share them with everyone! Spoiler alert, there MIGHT be prizes involved for those who share their work...MAYBE...who can say??? ;)
February 21, 2014
Maxwell that boy is something else, "this will probably surprise you," he said. "But on the scale of head chefs, I'm actually not that hard to work for. If you're eager, if you're passionate, and above all, if you listen to effing directions -" Here, he briefly grinned again " - we'll get along just fine. And you come highly recommended." Jillian she's a good person, she brings Maxwell some things to feel better, "I brought you some things," I said, shoving the bag towards him. "I just...Lydia said nobody checked on you, so I wanted to make sure you were okay." And Maxwell that boy is just so damn charming, "shhh," he whispered, punctuating it with a flick of his thumb that sent a shock of pleasure up my spine. "The neighbors will hear, love." This book was alright it wasn't what I thought it would be.
February 3, 2015
I'm going to rate this one a little higher than the Billionaire Romance as I didn't find myself rolling my eyes as much.
This book kind of felt like an odd to Jamie Oliver. a what if scenario. what if the mean jack ass you see on tv isn't all there is to the man? What kind of person would he fall in love with?
This cover, nothing to do with the book. The guy doesn't even look like the love interest is described. Sigh....
There was a complete guffaw moment that I remembered took me out of the funk I was in at the time. So win for the book.
It was good, but it wasn't amazing if you know what I'm saying. Would I read it again. No. But if someone was like I want to read a romance about a chef I would be like OMG I know one. Here!
This book kind of felt like an odd to Jamie Oliver. a what if scenario. what if the mean jack ass you see on tv isn't all there is to the man? What kind of person would he fall in love with?
This cover, nothing to do with the book. The guy doesn't even look like the love interest is described. Sigh....
There was a complete guffaw moment that I remembered took me out of the funk I was in at the time. So win for the book.
It was good, but it wasn't amazing if you know what I'm saying. Would I read it again. No. But if someone was like I want to read a romance about a chef I would be like OMG I know one. Here!
July 18, 2016
For a book that's based around food, we didn't get to hear much about it!
Working in the restaurant and little else is the basic gist of this book. There was no passion (between the characters or the food). There was no romance either. No foodie talk, no recipes, ingredients, sauces....nothing food related. Honestly, the whole book was about working in the kitchen and little else. I kid you not when I say NOTHING HAPPENED throughout the entire book.
The ending was a little strange too. It didn't make much sense, didn't fit with the story.
This book flopped like a dead fish which is so odd because Melanie's Billionaire series was such a hit.
Working in the restaurant and little else is the basic gist of this book. There was no passion (between the characters or the food). There was no romance either. No foodie talk, no recipes, ingredients, sauces....nothing food related. Honestly, the whole book was about working in the kitchen and little else. I kid you not when I say NOTHING HAPPENED throughout the entire book.
The ending was a little strange too. It didn't make much sense, didn't fit with the story.
This book flopped like a dead fish which is so odd because Melanie's Billionaire series was such a hit.
March 5, 2014
**ARC Provided by NetGalley and Fido Publishing for an honest review**
First of all I was completely disappointed by this book. The write up held such promise, the writing itself was good, but the story itself, boring and the re-emergence of Jillian's ex-boyfriend was pointless.
Jillian and Max's romance was bland. Neither turned out how I expected and the bulk of the story was a big tug of war with their inner selves.
The first romantic moment was very much wam-bam-thank-you-mam, now lets forget this ever happened.
After the big time jump at the end the way things happened felt very unrealistic even if we did get a HEA and no cliff hangar.
First of all I was completely disappointed by this book. The write up held such promise, the writing itself was good, but the story itself, boring and the re-emergence of Jillian's ex-boyfriend was pointless.
Jillian and Max's romance was bland. Neither turned out how I expected and the bulk of the story was a big tug of war with their inner selves.
The first romantic moment was very much wam-bam-thank-you-mam, now lets forget this ever happened.
After the big time jump at the end the way things happened felt very unrealistic even if we did get a HEA and no cliff hangar.
February 25, 2014
I found Romance Impossible to be a light, easy read. The lead characters second chance at love story is a good premise. The characters themselves both primary and secondary were quite engaging. I would have liked the hero's hard edges a little more defined but I was impressed by his growth through the story. The story itself was fairly evenly paced with well drawn settings and appropriate dialogue. There were some time gaps to deal with, but they didn't slow the story down. A well plotted romance with a satisfying happily ever after.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2016
**ARC provided via NetGalley for an honest review**
What's sexier then an alpha male that can cook? I definitely can't think of anything sexier. Characters were pretty well developed. Chef Max Dylan is oh so yummy, I invision him as Eric Dane with Chef Gordon Ramsey's attitude. But unfortunately our beautiful alpha male, not so alpha around the lovely Jillian and continually screws up and is misunderstood through out the book. I kept yelling out my Kindle, "Just explain what you really mean dammit!" I'm a firm believer if an author can invoke more than one emotion with their word and neither is boredom than they've done a pretty good job.
What's sexier then an alpha male that can cook? I definitely can't think of anything sexier. Characters were pretty well developed. Chef Max Dylan is oh so yummy, I invision him as Eric Dane with Chef Gordon Ramsey's attitude. But unfortunately our beautiful alpha male, not so alpha around the lovely Jillian and continually screws up and is misunderstood through out the book. I kept yelling out my Kindle, "Just explain what you really mean dammit!" I'm a firm believer if an author can invoke more than one emotion with their word and neither is boredom than they've done a pretty good job.
October 28, 2014
Jill and Max meet at a Restraunt that Jill is a chef at but in walks Max who critizes her cooking skills .... years later they meet by him calling her in for an interview in which she felt like she should turn down but something told her to prove something to Chef Dylan aka Maxwell Dylan .. he is like the Simon Cowell of chefs instead of music he does this to cooks chefs at five star type restraunts... Jill makes a decision and things in a way are never the same feelings are stirred things are tested .. but fires ignite and fireworks happen .. to find out what i mean well buy, read and review and read more from Melanie ....
February 23, 2014
I received an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this story, yet didn't fall in love with the characters. I LOVE an alpha male, but he didn't cut it for me and Jill didn't have a strong enough backbone for me either. I did however LOVE Beckett and would love to read a story with him as the lead male character! I don't like to cook, so relating with it being a Chef story made it hard for me.
Overall, the book was written very well and wasn't a bad read. Nice story and I was excited to receive an ARC for this story!! Thank you!! ;))
I enjoyed this story, yet didn't fall in love with the characters. I LOVE an alpha male, but he didn't cut it for me and Jill didn't have a strong enough backbone for me either. I did however LOVE Beckett and would love to read a story with him as the lead male character! I don't like to cook, so relating with it being a Chef story made it hard for me.
Overall, the book was written very well and wasn't a bad read. Nice story and I was excited to receive an ARC for this story!! Thank you!! ;))
March 5, 2014
This was such a pleasant read. It was really well written, and the story was just captivating. I absolutely loved Maxwell, and enjoyed the environment Melanie created. It was very different from my normal reads, but was wonderful change. The character build was great, and loved the interactions and conflicts between characters. It was just enough that you got their issues, but not overly done where you begin to get irritated with the characters. I will definitely be recommending this book to others.
March 3, 2014
The book started out so good. I really loved it till like 80% thru and then it went downhill for me....
Spoiler Alert
Spoiler Alert
Spoiler Alert
The three year separation made absolutely no sense to me. He didn't seek her out. They just happened to be at the same place at the same time and now he wants got get back together. Sorry but that sucked and made no sense to me. And I still don't understand why he was leery of a relationship in the first place. Too many unanswered questions for me.
Spoiler Alert
Spoiler Alert
Spoiler Alert
The three year separation made absolutely no sense to me. He didn't seek her out. They just happened to be at the same place at the same time and now he wants got get back together. Sorry but that sucked and made no sense to me. And I still don't understand why he was leery of a relationship in the first place. Too many unanswered questions for me.
June 22, 2014
I was so disappointed with this book.
The dialogue was so one dimensional. No passion, no heat, and Max was such a wimp.
I was bored and I hated the structure of the chapters. Point of view switched every chapter and not when I actually wanted to know what was going through the character's heads.
And the sex.... just RANDOM.
like oh, right, sex scene... ummm, enie meanie miney let's put it there!
Ugh. I was so disappointed. This had such potential. I definitely won't be reading any more of her books.
The dialogue was so one dimensional. No passion, no heat, and Max was such a wimp.
I was bored and I hated the structure of the chapters. Point of view switched every chapter and not when I actually wanted to know what was going through the character's heads.
And the sex.... just RANDOM.
like oh, right, sex scene... ummm, enie meanie miney let's put it there!
Ugh. I was so disappointed. This had such potential. I definitely won't be reading any more of her books.
April 15, 2015
I was given this book by Melanie Marchande to write a review. Jillian Brown is a struggling Chef. Jillian has a chance encounter with famous Chef Maxwell Dylan. They both left impression on each other.
A few years later Jill is in need of a job and Max comes across her resume. She is desperate so she takes the job. Working with Max she learned a lot about herself. She learns a lot about being a great chef. She falls in love with Max but he doesn't believe her love is real.
A few years later they meet again and Max tells Jill everything.
A few years later Jill is in need of a job and Max comes across her resume. She is desperate so she takes the job. Working with Max she learned a lot about herself. She learns a lot about being a great chef. She falls in love with Max but he doesn't believe her love is real.
A few years later they meet again and Max tells Jill everything.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews