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Yes, Chef
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26The 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?
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?
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 21, 2026
24435 people want to read
About the author
Grace Reilly
9 books4,007 followersHi! I’m Grace.
I’m so glad you’re here! Originally from Long Island, I now live in Florida, where I pretend the lizards in my backyard are miniature dragons and soak up the sunshine. I can usually be found with a notebook in one hand and a paperback (or my Kindle!) in another. A storyteller at heart with a deep romantic streak, I write what I love to read: stories filled with swoon and steam, laughter and love, family and friendships, and authentic, earnest emotions and growth. I love drawing on my personal passions for my books, which is how my sports fanaticism resulted in the Beyond the Play series.
More about me: I collect earrings, the quirkier the better. I never turn down a good mint chocolate chip ice cream. I listen to way too much sports talk radio. And I adore writing about couples who are stronger together.
I’m so glad you’re here! Originally from Long Island, I now live in Florida, where I pretend the lizards in my backyard are miniature dragons and soak up the sunshine. I can usually be found with a notebook in one hand and a paperback (or my Kindle!) in another. A storyteller at heart with a deep romantic streak, I write what I love to read: stories filled with swoon and steam, laughter and love, family and friendships, and authentic, earnest emotions and growth. I love drawing on my personal passions for my books, which is how my sports fanaticism resulted in the Beyond the Play series.
More about me: I collect earrings, the quirkier the better. I never turn down a good mint chocolate chip ice cream. I listen to way too much sports talk radio. And I adore writing about couples who are stronger together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 493 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🥭 ꒱ ˎˊ˗ 5 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 ✰
╰┈➤ ❝ She's ridiculous. Ridiculously charming. Ridiculously pretty. Ridiculously magnetic, from her halo of hair down to her delicate ankles.❞
Am I overexaggerating? Or do I think I just found the romance book for the summer. As a longtime admirer of Grace Reilly's work, it is undeniable that her writing is sheer magic. I was captured by the immediate tension between Poppy and Jack. From the moment they met, they were unexplainably drawn to each other but at the same time were at each other's throats and I loved it.
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🌊 ꒱ ˎˊ ˗ 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🍍Grumpy x Sunshine
🍍Enemies to lovers
🍍Chef x Influencer
🍍Small town
🍍Boss's Daughter
Poppy, a lifestyle influencer, who, despite her millions of followers and multiple brand deals, struggles to find approval from her seemingly perfect and successful family.
Jack, despite being a esteemed Chef drowns under the weight of Sal's death, his mentor and father figure. After an unfortunate night where Jack gets fired from the high end restaurant, and Poppy gets broken up with, Poppy and Jack form a tentative friendship. That doesn't last long though. Jack returns to fix up Sal's restaurant the Sailfish, but there's one problem, he needs visibility and marketing if he's going to salvage the poor place. That's where Poppy comes in, despite her help being quite unwanted by Jack.
This creates the most electric enemies to lovers arc. Forced proximity in a kitchen that's practically falling apart, teaching Poppy how to cook on a line, and a magnetic attraction between them that's bound to implode at any moment. This was so entertaining to read, I was kicking my feet and giggling at some of Poppy and Jack's interactions.
Now, let's talk vibes: one word, immaculate. So fun and Summery, I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being the book of the Summer. I mean seriously, you can't beat the Florida atmosphere and the heat of the kitchen in the mist of dinner service. This book was marketed as It Happened One Summer meets The Bear. While I haven't read The Bear, I can certainly confirm that the vibes of this book and Tessa Bailey's book are identical in their small-town charm. Not to mention that Poppy is also an influencer who comes from a big city and is dropped into a small town. The only difference is that, Poppy is such a likable main character. I admire her tenacity and her willingness to not give up. It made it easy and enjoyable to root for her.
Throughout this book, I was generally charmed by Jack. My only problem was his tenancy to be a jerk to Poppy. I know that was part of his character arc, but I really do not like to root for a male lead who is rude to the female main character. I get being rude in the beginning, but I felt as though he was too rude at times even towards the end of the book. That's not to say he was all bad, there were definitely some things to appreciate. Like the tattoos?!! Hello? He was such a hot bad boy chef. Also, after Poppy and him started getting along, he was endlessly patient when teaching her the basics of cooking and the science behind it.
I'd like to take a quick moment to acknowledge the amazing side characters. Kiara and Chester added so much life in this book. I was as invested in their little side plot as I was in the main love story.
To conclude, I think that this book is absolute gold. Reilly does an amazing job on all the character work and the setting and vibes and everything in between. If you’re looking for your summer romance—this is it. ☀️
-------------------------
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own ☺️
╰┈➤ ❝ She's ridiculous. Ridiculously charming. Ridiculously pretty. Ridiculously magnetic, from her halo of hair down to her delicate ankles.❞
Am I overexaggerating? Or do I think I just found the romance book for the summer. As a longtime admirer of Grace Reilly's work, it is undeniable that her writing is sheer magic. I was captured by the immediate tension between Poppy and Jack. From the moment they met, they were unexplainably drawn to each other but at the same time were at each other's throats and I loved it.
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🌊 ꒱ ˎˊ ˗ 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🍍Grumpy x Sunshine
🍍Enemies to lovers
🍍Chef x Influencer
🍍Small town
🍍Boss's Daughter
Poppy, a lifestyle influencer, who, despite her millions of followers and multiple brand deals, struggles to find approval from her seemingly perfect and successful family.
Jack, despite being a esteemed Chef drowns under the weight of Sal's death, his mentor and father figure. After an unfortunate night where Jack gets fired from the high end restaurant, and Poppy gets broken up with, Poppy and Jack form a tentative friendship. That doesn't last long though. Jack returns to fix up Sal's restaurant the Sailfish, but there's one problem, he needs visibility and marketing if he's going to salvage the poor place. That's where Poppy comes in, despite her help being quite unwanted by Jack.
This creates the most electric enemies to lovers arc. Forced proximity in a kitchen that's practically falling apart, teaching Poppy how to cook on a line, and a magnetic attraction between them that's bound to implode at any moment. This was so entertaining to read, I was kicking my feet and giggling at some of Poppy and Jack's interactions.
Now, let's talk vibes: one word, immaculate. So fun and Summery, I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up being the book of the Summer. I mean seriously, you can't beat the Florida atmosphere and the heat of the kitchen in the mist of dinner service. This book was marketed as It Happened One Summer meets The Bear. While I haven't read The Bear, I can certainly confirm that the vibes of this book and Tessa Bailey's book are identical in their small-town charm. Not to mention that Poppy is also an influencer who comes from a big city and is dropped into a small town. The only difference is that, Poppy is such a likable main character. I admire her tenacity and her willingness to not give up. It made it easy and enjoyable to root for her.
Throughout this book, I was generally charmed by Jack. My only problem was his tenancy to be a jerk to Poppy. I know that was part of his character arc, but I really do not like to root for a male lead who is rude to the female main character. I get being rude in the beginning, but I felt as though he was too rude at times even towards the end of the book. That's not to say he was all bad, there were definitely some things to appreciate. Like the tattoos?!! Hello? He was such a hot bad boy chef. Also, after Poppy and him started getting along, he was endlessly patient when teaching her the basics of cooking and the science behind it.
I'd like to take a quick moment to acknowledge the amazing side characters. Kiara and Chester added so much life in this book. I was as invested in their little side plot as I was in the main love story.
To conclude, I think that this book is absolute gold. Reilly does an amazing job on all the character work and the setting and vibes and everything in between. If you’re looking for your summer romance—this is it. ☀️
-------------------------
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own ☺️
May 5, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.
this was so delicious ;) and so much fun!!!!
okay so obviously this book is about a chef & a restaurant so there’s quite a lot of food descriptions - so so vivid and tenderly written i was obsessed (and also hungry). also i love reading about books that very specifically take place over a summer where two characters are working at the same location (especially a restaurant) - this is because i met my boyfriend while working at a beach restaurant in the hamptons and i just eat that up every single time.
the setting was perfect and this had me ready for summer to start asap. i’m from south florida so it was a lot of fun getting to read about a town near many places i’m very familiar with. also pub sub supremacy for real!!!!!!!
i really really adore poppy as a character and i think my favorite thing about her is how human she is. she’s real and she’s flawed and she’s trying her best and i just loved how she navigated her way through her situation and came out stronger and happier.
i loved jack’s journey and being able to see him learn to deal with his grief and allow himself to have vulnerabilities and connections with those around him.
the banter was so much fun and i was genuinely giggling out loud reading a lot of the scenes between the two of them. also the tension was GOODDDD and i had such a fantastic time watching their relationship develop and turn into something solid.
also! the ADHD rep was (in my opinion) very well done & i really appreciated how we got to see the different ways poppy & jack experienced ADHD, what helped each of them vs what didn’t, and the variances between ADHD in men and women.
this was my first book by this author and i’m looking forward to reading more!! highly recommend this, especially for an atmospheric read to get you in the mood for summer.
this was so delicious ;) and so much fun!!!!
okay so obviously this book is about a chef & a restaurant so there’s quite a lot of food descriptions - so so vivid and tenderly written i was obsessed (and also hungry). also i love reading about books that very specifically take place over a summer where two characters are working at the same location (especially a restaurant) - this is because i met my boyfriend while working at a beach restaurant in the hamptons and i just eat that up every single time.
the setting was perfect and this had me ready for summer to start asap. i’m from south florida so it was a lot of fun getting to read about a town near many places i’m very familiar with. also pub sub supremacy for real!!!!!!!
i really really adore poppy as a character and i think my favorite thing about her is how human she is. she’s real and she’s flawed and she’s trying her best and i just loved how she navigated her way through her situation and came out stronger and happier.
i loved jack’s journey and being able to see him learn to deal with his grief and allow himself to have vulnerabilities and connections with those around him.
the banter was so much fun and i was genuinely giggling out loud reading a lot of the scenes between the two of them. also the tension was GOODDDD and i had such a fantastic time watching their relationship develop and turn into something solid.
also! the ADHD rep was (in my opinion) very well done & i really appreciated how we got to see the different ways poppy & jack experienced ADHD, what helped each of them vs what didn’t, and the variances between ADHD in men and women.
this was my first book by this author and i’m looking forward to reading more!! highly recommend this, especially for an atmospheric read to get you in the mood for summer.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⋆˙⟡ — 4 stars
⤷⊹ started: march 17th, finished: march 19th
୨ৎ thank you so much to my bestie har for reading this with me!! i loved being able to yap about poppy and jack with you 🥹💗
♡ ⋆｡˚ thoughts
this book was such a fun and cozy read 😩 i didn’t expect to get so attached to these characters, but their dynamic pulled me in so quickly. the kitchen setting made everything feel so alive, and i loved how much passion both of them had for what they do. i will say, jack will definitely piss you off if you read this 😭
♡ ⋆｡˚ characters
♡ ⋆｡˚ poppy
i loved poppy so much 🤭 she’s bubbly, hardworking, and always trying to prove that she deserves to be taken seriously. i also loved the fact that she was the youngest daughter. i swear i need more characters like her because i related to poppy so much 😩 i really liked how she never let other people’s expectations define her, even when it clearly hurt. she had such a strong presence throughout the story, and watching her grow more confident in both herself and her abilities made my heart so happy 🥹 she really brought so much warmth and personality to every scene she was in 😌
♡ ⋆｡˚ jack
jack pissed me off at first 😭 he’s definitely more guarded and closed off, and there were moments where i just wanted him to communicate better bc how else would they know what's going on?! but once his story started unfolding, i understood why he kept so many walls up. underneath all of that, he’s very soft and protective, especially in the way he shows up for poppy when it really matters 🥹 i still wanted to slap him sometimes, but i can understand why he did certain things.
♡ ⋆｡˚ poppy + jack
these two had such good chemistry together 🤭 i loved the contrast between poppy’s sunshine personality and jack’s more serious energy. their interactions felt playful but also emotional during certain times. watching them learn to trust each other and open up over time made their relationship feel very real. the tension between them kept me hooked the entire time 😩
♡ ⋆｡˚ final thoughts
overall this book was sooo much fun to read and i would definitely recommend this book 🤭 i hope you guys adore poppy just as much 🥹💗
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
— ⋆˙⟡ pre-read 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
i can’t wait to start reading this book omg 😩 everything i’ve seen about it has been amazing, so i have a feeling i’m gonna love it 🤭 and ofc i’m reading this with my bff har!! i swear our brs will always be my fav thing 😋 ilysfm and i can’t wait to yap about these two!! 😌💗
thank you so much Avon and Grace Reilly for the arc!!
⤷⊹ started: march 17th, finished: march 19th
୨ৎ thank you so much to my bestie har for reading this with me!! i loved being able to yap about poppy and jack with you 🥹💗
thank you so much avon and harper voyager and Grace Reilly for the arc!!
♡ ⋆｡˚ thoughts
this book was such a fun and cozy read 😩 i didn’t expect to get so attached to these characters, but their dynamic pulled me in so quickly. the kitchen setting made everything feel so alive, and i loved how much passion both of them had for what they do. i will say, jack will definitely piss you off if you read this 😭
♡ ⋆｡˚ characters
♡ ⋆｡˚ poppy
i loved poppy so much 🤭 she’s bubbly, hardworking, and always trying to prove that she deserves to be taken seriously. i also loved the fact that she was the youngest daughter. i swear i need more characters like her because i related to poppy so much 😩 i really liked how she never let other people’s expectations define her, even when it clearly hurt. she had such a strong presence throughout the story, and watching her grow more confident in both herself and her abilities made my heart so happy 🥹 she really brought so much warmth and personality to every scene she was in 😌
♡ ⋆｡˚ jack
jack pissed me off at first 😭 he’s definitely more guarded and closed off, and there were moments where i just wanted him to communicate better bc how else would they know what's going on?! but once his story started unfolding, i understood why he kept so many walls up. underneath all of that, he’s very soft and protective, especially in the way he shows up for poppy when it really matters 🥹 i still wanted to slap him sometimes, but i can understand why he did certain things.
♡ ⋆｡˚ poppy + jack
these two had such good chemistry together 🤭 i loved the contrast between poppy’s sunshine personality and jack’s more serious energy. their interactions felt playful but also emotional during certain times. watching them learn to trust each other and open up over time made their relationship feel very real. the tension between them kept me hooked the entire time 😩
♡ ⋆｡˚ final thoughts
overall this book was sooo much fun to read and i would definitely recommend this book 🤭 i hope you guys adore poppy just as much 🥹💗
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
— ⋆˙⟡ pre-read 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
i can’t wait to start reading this book omg 😩 everything i’ve seen about it has been amazing, so i have a feeling i’m gonna love it 🤭 and ofc i’m reading this with my bff har!! i swear our brs will always be my fav thing 😋 ilysfm and i can’t wait to yap about these two!! 😌💗
thank you so much Avon and Grace Reilly for the arc!!
arc-netgelley
March 9, 2026Yeah, I'm going to eat this one up. pun intended.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.
March 7, 2026
this book was everything i’d hoped it would be and more!! i have been chomping at the bit to read this since the moment i saw graces announcement and even more so after getting to yap about it a little with her at a book fest last year!!
everything about this book was perfection from start to finish, i couldnt stop giggling and kicking. my feet in the beginning when poppy and jack were at each others throats and absolutely adored the way the dynamic between the two of them started to slowly shift into friendship and then into real feelings for one another.
the chemistry between jack and poppy was absolutely insane, i think this is my most favorite banter within a romance book i’ve read in a long time. the way these two gave zero fucks about being at each others throats and teasing one another is actually one of the highlights of my year thus far, i can only imagine how much fun these two are going to be when brought to live via audiobook!!
this book while at its core is a cute summery romcom it also had the most amazing emotional depth to it. neither of the characters are perfect but do they try damn hard to be for one another and it was so beautiful to watch jacks journey through grieving and the way poppy was always there when he let down his guard more and more. the way this book handles ADHD rep with so much love and care and the way we get to see the differences of how it affects both poppy and jack in different ways and bringing attention how hard women have to fight for themselves to get diagnoses. the way jack helps reassure poppy that theres just simply nothing wrong with her like she believes there is and really fights for her to believe in herself and try new things as scary as they may be and that she is worth everything and more.
there are so many tender moments through out this book that just melted my heart completely and it was just so easy to fall in love with poppy, jack, gator, kiara, chester, fable and though we only get to know sal posthumously the way he loved was so visceral he was very easy to adore.
this book was just entirely too good and too much fun, i cannot wait to rotate it into my tbr constantly when i get my hands on the audiobook upon release. diamond bay is a place i will forever love to revisit.
everything about this book was perfection from start to finish, i couldnt stop giggling and kicking. my feet in the beginning when poppy and jack were at each others throats and absolutely adored the way the dynamic between the two of them started to slowly shift into friendship and then into real feelings for one another.
the chemistry between jack and poppy was absolutely insane, i think this is my most favorite banter within a romance book i’ve read in a long time. the way these two gave zero fucks about being at each others throats and teasing one another is actually one of the highlights of my year thus far, i can only imagine how much fun these two are going to be when brought to live via audiobook!!
this book while at its core is a cute summery romcom it also had the most amazing emotional depth to it. neither of the characters are perfect but do they try damn hard to be for one another and it was so beautiful to watch jacks journey through grieving and the way poppy was always there when he let down his guard more and more. the way this book handles ADHD rep with so much love and care and the way we get to see the differences of how it affects both poppy and jack in different ways and bringing attention how hard women have to fight for themselves to get diagnoses. the way jack helps reassure poppy that theres just simply nothing wrong with her like she believes there is and really fights for her to believe in herself and try new things as scary as they may be and that she is worth everything and more.
there are so many tender moments through out this book that just melted my heart completely and it was just so easy to fall in love with poppy, jack, gator, kiara, chester, fable and though we only get to know sal posthumously the way he loved was so visceral he was very easy to adore.
this book was just entirely too good and too much fun, i cannot wait to rotate it into my tbr constantly when i get my hands on the audiobook upon release. diamond bay is a place i will forever love to revisit.
March 20, 2026
┆ ⤿ 🍳 ⌗ started: march 17, finished: march 19
4 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ review with some spoilers.
read this with my best friend mads! 💌 i loved yapping and giggling so much with you, mwauh i love you sm!! 🌸💗
thank you avon and harper voyager, netgalley, and grace reilly for the e-arc in exchange for a honest review
tropes: ⋆˚࿔
.ᐟ rivals to lovers
.ᐟ forced proximity
.ᐟ grumpy boy x sunshine girl
.ᐟ chef x influencer
.ᐟ business partners
summary/thoughts: ⋆˚࿔
yes, chef follows jack, a talented but troubled chef who returns to his hometown after a public meltdown, and poppy, a determined social media influencer trying to prove herself. when the two reluctantly team up to revive his late mentor’s struggling restaurant, he handling the food and she handling the branding, they’re forced into close quarters despite clashing personalities. as tensions rise in the kitchen, so does the chemistry, and what starts as a strategic partnership slowly turns into something more as they both confront their pasts and figure out what they really want.
this was such an adorable and addicting read, i was honestly hooked the whole time. i will say… jack frustrated me quite a bit, especially at the beginning when we don’t fully understand his backstory. i get that he’s meant to be grumpy and dealing with a lot, but some of the way he treated poppy just didn’t sit right with me. i kept wishing he would handle situations better and communicate more clearly. but poppy really made this book for me. i loved her character so much. the youngest daughter representation was something i don’t see very often, and it actually made me feel seen in a way i wasn’t expecting. i loved watching her grow, prove herself, and step into her confidence. and the chemistry between them was so good. the tension, the back-and-forth, the slow build… it all worked really well and kept me invested!
overall, this was a fun and emotional read with great character dynamics. even though jack tested my patience at times, the story as a whole was engaging and easy to get lost in
── .✦ characters 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
poppy winfield: 𖦹₊ ⊹
poppy was honestly my favorite part of this book. she’s bubbly, underestimated, and constantly trying to prove that she’s more than what people assume about her. i loved seeing the youngest daughter representation through her character, it felt so real at times. she carries this pressure of not being taken seriously, but still pushes herself to grow and step outside her comfort zone. watching her become more confident and sure of herself throughout the story was so satisfying
jack hartman: 𖦹₊ ⊹
jack is very much the classic grumpy, closed-off chef dealing with grief and anger, which i understood… but he definitely frustrated me. especially in the beginning, when we don’t fully know his story, some of his behavior towards poppy just felt unfair. he has his moments, and you can see the depth underneath, but i do wish he handled certain situations better. he grew on me over time, but he tested my patience more than once. i had to stop reading at times just to not get mad. but towards the end, everything just made sense as to why he kept running away. he really deserved the biggest hug.
── .✦ quotes 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
“I love you, Poppy. You’re brilliant and clever and mine. On and off the desert island.”
“I love you, Poppy. I—god, I love you so much it terrifies me. You make me want to be a better man. A happy man.”
This is the place where I fell in love with food, and then fell in love with a woman who resists every category,definition, and expectation. There’s no one in the world like Poppy Winfield, and she wanted me, and I set it all on fire just as neatly and completely as I did more than a decade ago, when I could’ve had a family and chose to run. When I told myself I needed to leave for the good of my career.
“What are you doing here? This is a private event.” “That’s what your hostess said.” She pouts. “I was hoping we could—” “If my girlfriend said it,” he interrupts, emphasizing the word girlfriend softly, intensely, as his eyes flick to mine, “then you better listen.”
4 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ review with some spoilers.
“put on the jacket, let me be your sous chef, and i'll spend my life believing in you like you believe in me.”
read this with my best friend mads! 💌 i loved yapping and giggling so much with you, mwauh i love you sm!! 🌸💗
thank you avon and harper voyager, netgalley, and grace reilly for the e-arc in exchange for a honest review
tropes: ⋆˚࿔
.ᐟ rivals to lovers
.ᐟ forced proximity
.ᐟ grumpy boy x sunshine girl
.ᐟ chef x influencer
.ᐟ business partners
summary/thoughts: ⋆˚࿔
yes, chef follows jack, a talented but troubled chef who returns to his hometown after a public meltdown, and poppy, a determined social media influencer trying to prove herself. when the two reluctantly team up to revive his late mentor’s struggling restaurant, he handling the food and she handling the branding, they’re forced into close quarters despite clashing personalities. as tensions rise in the kitchen, so does the chemistry, and what starts as a strategic partnership slowly turns into something more as they both confront their pasts and figure out what they really want.
this was such an adorable and addicting read, i was honestly hooked the whole time. i will say… jack frustrated me quite a bit, especially at the beginning when we don’t fully understand his backstory. i get that he’s meant to be grumpy and dealing with a lot, but some of the way he treated poppy just didn’t sit right with me. i kept wishing he would handle situations better and communicate more clearly. but poppy really made this book for me. i loved her character so much. the youngest daughter representation was something i don’t see very often, and it actually made me feel seen in a way i wasn’t expecting. i loved watching her grow, prove herself, and step into her confidence. and the chemistry between them was so good. the tension, the back-and-forth, the slow build… it all worked really well and kept me invested!
overall, this was a fun and emotional read with great character dynamics. even though jack tested my patience at times, the story as a whole was engaging and easy to get lost in
── .✦ characters 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
poppy winfield: 𖦹₊ ⊹
poppy was honestly my favorite part of this book. she’s bubbly, underestimated, and constantly trying to prove that she’s more than what people assume about her. i loved seeing the youngest daughter representation through her character, it felt so real at times. she carries this pressure of not being taken seriously, but still pushes herself to grow and step outside her comfort zone. watching her become more confident and sure of herself throughout the story was so satisfying
jack hartman: 𖦹₊ ⊹
jack is very much the classic grumpy, closed-off chef dealing with grief and anger, which i understood… but he definitely frustrated me. especially in the beginning, when we don’t fully know his story, some of his behavior towards poppy just felt unfair. he has his moments, and you can see the depth underneath, but i do wish he handled certain situations better. he grew on me over time, but he tested my patience more than once. i had to stop reading at times just to not get mad. but towards the end, everything just made sense as to why he kept running away. he really deserved the biggest hug.
── .✦ quotes 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
“I love you, Poppy. You’re brilliant and clever and mine. On and off the desert island.”
“I love you, Poppy. I—god, I love you so much it terrifies me. You make me want to be a better man. A happy man.”
This is the place where I fell in love with food, and then fell in love with a woman who resists every category,definition, and expectation. There’s no one in the world like Poppy Winfield, and she wanted me, and I set it all on fire just as neatly and completely as I did more than a decade ago, when I could’ve had a family and chose to run. When I told myself I needed to leave for the good of my career.
“What are you doing here? This is a private event.” “That’s what your hostess said.” She pouts. “I was hoping we could—” “If my girlfriend said it,” he interrupts, emphasizing the word girlfriend softly, intensely, as his eyes flick to mine, “then you better listen.”
March 24, 2026
5🌟
I had seen many of my mutuals on bookstagram posting about their excitement in receiving this ARC. It made me so extremely curious that I requested it on NetGalley as well. I am so extremely glad that I made that decision. This book is one of the best contemporary romances that I have read in AWHILE. I just enjoyed it so much, it was so fun, and I genuinely could not put it down!
Poppy - my girl!!!! I will be honest when I read that the FMC of this book would be an influencer... I was nervous! I did not think that I would like it at all, but Grace Reilly did such a great job at portraying a quality character who is so much more than an influencer. Reading about Poppy's growth and her finding herself brought me so much joy. I related to her struggles with her mental health, struggling to find herself in a community that she has been around for so long, and her trying to broaden her horizons and step out of her comfort zone! Poppy is such a well-rounded book character. I will love her forever! My sunshine girl!!!
Jack - If you've seen The Bear, Jack is quite literally Carmy!!! His background, the reason he is reviving the restaurant, and his attitude are all so Carmy-esque. It made reading the book so much more fun, connecting it in my mind to one of my favorite shows. He is such a grumpy boy; however, his character development is everything!
The banter between Jack and Poppy literally had me audibly gasping, blushing, and kicking my feet!!! I could not get enough of these two, and I am so excited for release day so that this book can be a part of my bookshelves!
Also, as a Florida native of 22 years... Grace Reilly really captured the essence of Florida perfectly. When Poppy was describing her sweat, so relatable lol. I just had such a great time with this book, and reading it was so fun. Such a light and easy 5 stars!
Thank you, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager, for this free e-ARC! 🩷
I had seen many of my mutuals on bookstagram posting about their excitement in receiving this ARC. It made me so extremely curious that I requested it on NetGalley as well. I am so extremely glad that I made that decision. This book is one of the best contemporary romances that I have read in AWHILE. I just enjoyed it so much, it was so fun, and I genuinely could not put it down!
Poppy - my girl!!!! I will be honest when I read that the FMC of this book would be an influencer... I was nervous! I did not think that I would like it at all, but Grace Reilly did such a great job at portraying a quality character who is so much more than an influencer. Reading about Poppy's growth and her finding herself brought me so much joy. I related to her struggles with her mental health, struggling to find herself in a community that she has been around for so long, and her trying to broaden her horizons and step out of her comfort zone! Poppy is such a well-rounded book character. I will love her forever! My sunshine girl!!!
Jack - If you've seen The Bear, Jack is quite literally Carmy!!! His background, the reason he is reviving the restaurant, and his attitude are all so Carmy-esque. It made reading the book so much more fun, connecting it in my mind to one of my favorite shows. He is such a grumpy boy; however, his character development is everything!
The banter between Jack and Poppy literally had me audibly gasping, blushing, and kicking my feet!!! I could not get enough of these two, and I am so excited for release day so that this book can be a part of my bookshelves!
Also, as a Florida native of 22 years... Grace Reilly really captured the essence of Florida perfectly. When Poppy was describing her sweat, so relatable lol. I just had such a great time with this book, and reading it was so fun. Such a light and easy 5 stars!
Thank you, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager, for this free e-ARC! 🩷
April 8, 2026
❤️🔥🔥 Yes, Chef 🔥❤️🔥
The spice in this book was 🔥🔥
It shows up early, and it's so very satisfying! But the author also did a fantastic job with the relationship building between both MCs. The emotional relationship was a slow build up and equally satisfying.
Both of them are carrying a lot when it comes to family. Jack is dealing with grief after losing his mentor, someone who was basically family, while also trying to figure out how to move forward and redefine his relationship with his adopted sister.
Poppy is constantly underestimated by her parents and compared to her “perfect” sister, and you can really feel how much that weighs on her. There is a clear lack of respect and trust from her dad that really shapes how she sees herself.
I loved the ending. This is easily one of my favorites from the year! Also… I need this audiobook immediately.
👨🏾🍳 What to Expect
• Chef MMC
• Influencer FMC
• Grumpy x sunshine
• Forced proximity
• Friends with benefits
• Opposites attract
• Found family
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: July 21, 2026
📝 Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
The spice in this book was 🔥🔥
It shows up early, and it's so very satisfying! But the author also did a fantastic job with the relationship building between both MCs. The emotional relationship was a slow build up and equally satisfying.
Both of them are carrying a lot when it comes to family. Jack is dealing with grief after losing his mentor, someone who was basically family, while also trying to figure out how to move forward and redefine his relationship with his adopted sister.
Poppy is constantly underestimated by her parents and compared to her “perfect” sister, and you can really feel how much that weighs on her. There is a clear lack of respect and trust from her dad that really shapes how she sees herself.
I loved the ending. This is easily one of my favorites from the year! Also… I need this audiobook immediately.
👨🏾🍳 What to Expect
• Chef MMC
• Influencer FMC
• Grumpy x sunshine
• Forced proximity
• Friends with benefits
• Opposites attract
• Found family
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: July 21, 2026
📝 Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Grace Reilly, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
4 / 5 ⭐️
I ATE this book up. (A food pun. heh.)
Yes, Chef is a deliciously cute contemporary romance centered on cooking! Set along the coastline of Florida, this book had me yearning for summer, the smell of the ocean, and delicious food and drink.
Not only did the descriptions of food and cooking the food make me hungry af, I was also very interested in the dynamics and methodology of cooking! Grace Reilly did a wonderful job depicting all of the dishes and techniques chefs use within a restaurant!
Let's get onto the characters.
Poppy and Jack were so fun together. Their banter was entertaining, and their cooperation was even more so! I loved how sweet Jack was once he finally decided to let Poppy in. I felt that throughout the entire book, their chemistry was very prominent!
Poppy is an influencer from a rich family. Her struggles to impress and prove herself to her family were so heartfelt, and I really just wanted to jump into the book to give her a hug :(
I loved her growth, her journey into becoming more confident, and I especially loved the way Jack helped build that confidence up in her.
Jack is a chef who is no longer at his "prime." I could really feel his wants, and his dreams conveyed through the writing of the book! He also had his own insecurities to deal with, and his character growth was so heartwarming. I loved the way he learned to allow himself to be loved.
A good amount of my reasoning as to why this is only 4/5 stars is just because of the third act. I think I saw that third-act-breakup from across the continent lol! That's not to say it was bad, or even frustrating, but it did just feel a little predictable.
Overall, I loooved this book!! This was my first Grace Reilly book, and I'm so overjoyed I got the chance to read it.
♡ pre-read ♡
I can't wait to dig into this!! (There's a food pun in there somewhere.)
4 / 5 ⭐️
I ATE this book up. (A food pun. heh.)
Yes, Chef is a deliciously cute contemporary romance centered on cooking! Set along the coastline of Florida, this book had me yearning for summer, the smell of the ocean, and delicious food and drink.
Not only did the descriptions of food and cooking the food make me hungry af, I was also very interested in the dynamics and methodology of cooking! Grace Reilly did a wonderful job depicting all of the dishes and techniques chefs use within a restaurant!
Let's get onto the characters.
Poppy and Jack were so fun together. Their banter was entertaining, and their cooperation was even more so! I loved how sweet Jack was once he finally decided to let Poppy in. I felt that throughout the entire book, their chemistry was very prominent!
Poppy is an influencer from a rich family. Her struggles to impress and prove herself to her family were so heartfelt, and I really just wanted to jump into the book to give her a hug :(
I loved her growth, her journey into becoming more confident, and I especially loved the way Jack helped build that confidence up in her.
Jack is a chef who is no longer at his "prime." I could really feel his wants, and his dreams conveyed through the writing of the book! He also had his own insecurities to deal with, and his character growth was so heartwarming. I loved the way he learned to allow himself to be loved.
A good amount of my reasoning as to why this is only 4/5 stars is just because of the third act. I think I saw that third-act-breakup from across the continent lol! That's not to say it was bad, or even frustrating, but it did just feel a little predictable.
Overall, I loooved this book!! This was my first Grace Reilly book, and I'm so overjoyed I got the chance to read it.
♡ pre-read ♡
I can't wait to dig into this!! (There's a food pun in there somewhere.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 / 5 Stars
I really loved the vibes of this one. It just lost some steam for me at the end.
Poppy is a sunshine influencer and Jack is the grumpy chef who thinks Poppy is a spoiled little rich girl. Usually I find that this dynamic, where they go from dislike to love, can feel really abrasive and really mean (to get the dislike part across) but this book did a good job not leaning into that territory. I also liked that we didn’t have them hating each other but also ogling each other (which can often feel insta-lusty) and confusing. Poppy and Jack really balanced each other out and had a palpable chemistry that poured out of the pages. I also appreciated the conversation that was raised about the difference in men and women’s ADHD diagnoses and treatment.
One of the book’s biggest strengths was its deception of food. It was so well done, so easy to picture, and also really hot and sexy sometimes (like butchering a chicken is not usually hot but very hot here). The book is spicier than I thought it would be so I feel like there is something for everyone in terms of some different kinks and likes.
I found that sometimes there would be whacky or zany moments that felt kind of odd because the rest of the book felt so grounded in reality. You would get a scene with some really beautiful exploration of guilt and grief and then a completely whacky scene about a cockroach and I just couldn’t make sense of it. Those grounded moments were so meaningful that those other scenes felt like they undercut the book a bit.
I also found Poppy to be kind of tactless sometimes (she even says it herself). She was impulsive which I can understand but the tactlessness mixed with the impulsivity was a bit challenging. There were a few conversations that I felt like she could have handled differently. Same with Jack who sometimes ran hot and cold but at least his psychology was a little bit easier to understand. I am not sure where her tactlessness comes from.
The ending felt a bit rushed. There were some parts that just didn’t really make sense to me (why would someone’s boyfriend take them to their dad’s restaurant to break up with them? Does Poppy have any front of house training? Front of house is so often the reason chefs are eliminated on Top Chef that I was just expecting something around her training there. Oh, and how old are they?).
But overall, the vibes of the majority of the book were fun, steamy, and tasty.
Thank you, Kelsey, for the buddy read!
You will probably like this book if you like:
🍍 Grumpy x sunshine
🍍 Chef MMC
🍍 ADHD rep
🍍 Oops, there’s only one houseboat
🍍 Found family
🍍 Exploration of grief and self-worth
Thank you Avon and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 21, 2026
⋆ ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
I really loved the vibes of this one. It just lost some steam for me at the end.
Poppy is a sunshine influencer and Jack is the grumpy chef who thinks Poppy is a spoiled little rich girl. Usually I find that this dynamic, where they go from dislike to love, can feel really abrasive and really mean (to get the dislike part across) but this book did a good job not leaning into that territory. I also liked that we didn’t have them hating each other but also ogling each other (which can often feel insta-lusty) and confusing. Poppy and Jack really balanced each other out and had a palpable chemistry that poured out of the pages. I also appreciated the conversation that was raised about the difference in men and women’s ADHD diagnoses and treatment.
One of the book’s biggest strengths was its deception of food. It was so well done, so easy to picture, and also really hot and sexy sometimes (like butchering a chicken is not usually hot but very hot here). The book is spicier than I thought it would be so I feel like there is something for everyone in terms of some different kinks and likes.
I found that sometimes there would be whacky or zany moments that felt kind of odd because the rest of the book felt so grounded in reality. You would get a scene with some really beautiful exploration of guilt and grief and then a completely whacky scene about a cockroach and I just couldn’t make sense of it. Those grounded moments were so meaningful that those other scenes felt like they undercut the book a bit.
I also found Poppy to be kind of tactless sometimes (she even says it herself). She was impulsive which I can understand but the tactlessness mixed with the impulsivity was a bit challenging. There were a few conversations that I felt like she could have handled differently. Same with Jack who sometimes ran hot and cold but at least his psychology was a little bit easier to understand. I am not sure where her tactlessness comes from.
The ending felt a bit rushed. There were some parts that just didn’t really make sense to me (why would someone’s boyfriend take them to their dad’s restaurant to break up with them? Does Poppy have any front of house training? Front of house is so often the reason chefs are eliminated on Top Chef that I was just expecting something around her training there. Oh, and how old are they?).
But overall, the vibes of the majority of the book were fun, steamy, and tasty.
Thank you, Kelsey, for the buddy read!
You will probably like this book if you like:
🍍 Grumpy x sunshine
🍍 Chef MMC
🍍 ADHD rep
🍍 Oops, there’s only one houseboat
🍍 Found family
🍍 Exploration of grief and self-worth
Thank you Avon and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 21, 2026
⋆ ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you so much grace reilly, avon & netgalley, for the e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! yes, chef out on july 21
₊˚ʚ👩🏻🍳 ༘˚｡⋆🍝⋆→ three chef stars
⋆.˚ I love you, Poppy. You’re brilliant and clever and mine. On and off the desert island.
tropes ⋆˚࿔
⟢ workplace romance
⟢ found family
⟢ chef x influencer
⟢ forced proximity
thoughts ⋆˚࿔
had a good time with this, even if it didn’t fully hit the way I wanted. the restaurant setting was one of my favorite parts. It felt immersive, like I was watching the bear LOL.. + poppy really stood out to me, that's for sure. she’s driven, underestimated, and I loved watching her grow and prove to herself that she’s that girl. jack was more iffy for me. I understood his character, but some of his behavior, especially in the beginning, made it hard for me to fully like him. he does improve over time (a little), but it took a while for me to get there. like a whileeeeee 😅. the romance was okay. there were moments when the chemistry really worked, but it wasn’t always consistent… but still an enjoyable read with a good plot line. I just wanted a little more from it to fully love it.
characters ⋆˚࿔
⋮ 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 ── ⟡ ˙🤳🏼 ̟
If you ask me, what the highlight of the whole book was, it was poppy. she is literally full of personality, and it's so rare seeing that in FMCs that I was just admiring her. + I love how she stays true to herself, even though people didn't take her seriously. I really think she deserves better at times. there were parts where I feel like people really misunderstood her, only for her to be a person who just cares so deeply to be appreciated :(
⋮ 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐧 ── ⟡ ˙🧑🏽🍳 ̟
okay when it comes to jack, the vision is clear. I see it, I really do, a grumpy chef that is guarded. It just didn’t hit the way he was advertised (LOL 😭) he was making me mad more than anything. I get it, he had his reasons, but man on man, the way he handled things with poppy literally pissed me off. like please do better.
★: 3/5 chef stars.
₊˚ʚ👩🏻🍳 ༘˚｡⋆🍝⋆→ three chef stars
⋆.˚ I love you, Poppy. You’re brilliant and clever and mine. On and off the desert island.
tropes ⋆˚࿔
⟢ workplace romance
⟢ found family
⟢ chef x influencer
⟢ forced proximity
thoughts ⋆˚࿔
had a good time with this, even if it didn’t fully hit the way I wanted. the restaurant setting was one of my favorite parts. It felt immersive, like I was watching the bear LOL.. + poppy really stood out to me, that's for sure. she’s driven, underestimated, and I loved watching her grow and prove to herself that she’s that girl. jack was more iffy for me. I understood his character, but some of his behavior, especially in the beginning, made it hard for me to fully like him. he does improve over time (a little), but it took a while for me to get there. like a whileeeeee 😅. the romance was okay. there were moments when the chemistry really worked, but it wasn’t always consistent… but still an enjoyable read with a good plot line. I just wanted a little more from it to fully love it.
characters ⋆˚࿔
⋮ 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 ── ⟡ ˙🤳🏼 ̟
If you ask me, what the highlight of the whole book was, it was poppy. she is literally full of personality, and it's so rare seeing that in FMCs that I was just admiring her. + I love how she stays true to herself, even though people didn't take her seriously. I really think she deserves better at times. there were parts where I feel like people really misunderstood her, only for her to be a person who just cares so deeply to be appreciated :(
⋮ 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐧 ── ⟡ ˙🧑🏽🍳 ̟
okay when it comes to jack, the vision is clear. I see it, I really do, a grumpy chef that is guarded. It just didn’t hit the way he was advertised (LOL 😭) he was making me mad more than anything. I get it, he had his reasons, but man on man, the way he handled things with poppy literally pissed me off. like please do better.
★: 3/5 chef stars.
February 20, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
The vibes were vibing.
🍍🔪🌴
Ok I love cowboy romances / single dad x nanny don’t get me wrong but sometimes you can only read so many before you need something else.
Something fresher.
Something you haven’t read 100x.
And this was that something.
Jack & Poppy 💕
Chef x influencer
He worked for her dad
Little wrong side of the tracks boy x rich girl
Que the stereotyping.
Grumpy x sunshine
ADHD rep
He teaches her to cook.
She helps him with a restaurant.
There’s a cockroach.
There’s a Gator.
There’s a houseboat.
There’s spunk and banter.
And spice.
It’s hot in the kitchen in Florida.
Netgalley arc review ✨
The vibes were vibing.
🍍🔪🌴
Ok I love cowboy romances / single dad x nanny don’t get me wrong but sometimes you can only read so many before you need something else.
Something fresher.
Something you haven’t read 100x.
And this was that something.
Jack & Poppy 💕
Chef x influencer
He worked for her dad
Little wrong side of the tracks boy x rich girl
Que the stereotyping.
Grumpy x sunshine
ADHD rep
He teaches her to cook.
She helps him with a restaurant.
There’s a cockroach.
There’s a Gator.
There’s a houseboat.
There’s spunk and banter.
And spice.
It’s hot in the kitchen in Florida.
Netgalley arc review ✨
April 26, 2026
Grace Reilly, I could kiss you, I love this book 💋 (thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review)
4.5 🌟
This was so incredibly fun and if I wasn’t in the trenches of a reading slump, I would’ve read it in two days TOPS. Poppy is an influencer with a family in the restaurant business and Jack is a chef (working in the restaurant business, duh). When they both have public blowups at one of her dad’s restaurants, they briefly relocate to his “hometown” in Florida where they work together to rework and open up a new restaurant - he cooks, she does social media, he then teaches her how to cook, they get closer and closer, you know what happens next.
Poppy is so unlike most influencer characters, and I absolutely love her. When you think of a character who does social media, you think of spoiled, stuck-up, full of themselves, maybe a bit prissy (this is a gross generalization of the stereotypes of influencers, it doesn’t reflect how I actually feel about them btw), but Poppy was so different from that caricature. She had depth and interests and struggles. Jack definitely has some elements of Carmen from The Bear, which I’m pretty sure was the inspiration for the story, but his familial struggles were far different. I loved his relationship with Kiara, Chester, and our other Floridian friends, and how patient he was with Poppy throughout the book.
I love how they both have their own flaws, but they compliment each other so well. When Poppy gets in her head, Jack brings her back. When Jack gets overwhelmed, Poppy calms him down. They have drastically different childhood-home-lives yet connect on a fundamental similarity. I love that Poppy isn’t afraid to yell at him and talk back a little, once she figured out what she wanted, she fought for it endlessly. I love that Jack became more open to talking about his feelings after staying so bottled up for pretty much his entire life. And most of all, I love that they both came to the same conclusion about what they want their lives to look like in the future and it wasn’t SOLELY because of their relationship — it’s so important (to me) for characters to have personality outside of the relationship and to want what they want because it’s actually what they want, regardless of their love interest. If they’re only doing something for love, it makes me hesitant to believe they’ll stay together 20-30 years down the road. With Poppy and Jack, their involvement in each other’s lives will only be a pleasant and welcome addition to what they want, and I love that.
I also don’t have a “foodie” bone in my body, in fact, I kind of hate food, which made it extra hard to connect to the main aspect of the book/MMC. With that being said, Grace Reilly is such a good author that she was able to make the food-talk comprehensible and even interesting to someone like me — not a small feat. All in all, I loved it and cannot WAIT to have it in my hands in just a few short months. Compliments to the chef 😉
4.5 🌟
This was so incredibly fun and if I wasn’t in the trenches of a reading slump, I would’ve read it in two days TOPS. Poppy is an influencer with a family in the restaurant business and Jack is a chef (working in the restaurant business, duh). When they both have public blowups at one of her dad’s restaurants, they briefly relocate to his “hometown” in Florida where they work together to rework and open up a new restaurant - he cooks, she does social media, he then teaches her how to cook, they get closer and closer, you know what happens next.
Poppy is so unlike most influencer characters, and I absolutely love her. When you think of a character who does social media, you think of spoiled, stuck-up, full of themselves, maybe a bit prissy (this is a gross generalization of the stereotypes of influencers, it doesn’t reflect how I actually feel about them btw), but Poppy was so different from that caricature. She had depth and interests and struggles. Jack definitely has some elements of Carmen from The Bear, which I’m pretty sure was the inspiration for the story, but his familial struggles were far different. I loved his relationship with Kiara, Chester, and our other Floridian friends, and how patient he was with Poppy throughout the book.
I love how they both have their own flaws, but they compliment each other so well. When Poppy gets in her head, Jack brings her back. When Jack gets overwhelmed, Poppy calms him down. They have drastically different childhood-home-lives yet connect on a fundamental similarity. I love that Poppy isn’t afraid to yell at him and talk back a little, once she figured out what she wanted, she fought for it endlessly. I love that Jack became more open to talking about his feelings after staying so bottled up for pretty much his entire life. And most of all, I love that they both came to the same conclusion about what they want their lives to look like in the future and it wasn’t SOLELY because of their relationship — it’s so important (to me) for characters to have personality outside of the relationship and to want what they want because it’s actually what they want, regardless of their love interest. If they’re only doing something for love, it makes me hesitant to believe they’ll stay together 20-30 years down the road. With Poppy and Jack, their involvement in each other’s lives will only be a pleasant and welcome addition to what they want, and I love that.
I also don’t have a “foodie” bone in my body, in fact, I kind of hate food, which made it extra hard to connect to the main aspect of the book/MMC. With that being said, Grace Reilly is such a good author that she was able to make the food-talk comprehensible and even interesting to someone like me — not a small feat. All in all, I loved it and cannot WAIT to have it in my hands in just a few short months. Compliments to the chef 😉
April 16, 2026
My rating 4.5 ⭐
This was such a fun and entertaining read! If you are a fan of the grumpy and sunshine trope, then you will definitely love this book!
Poppy and Jack come from two different backgrounds. Poppy is a socialite and a social media influencer and all she wants is to be taken seriously by her family. Jack was recently fired from his job as a chef and plans to revive the restaurant he inherited from his mentor. Both were struggling in their own ways, yet each had something to prove. They soon realized that despite their differences, they had much in common and could benefit from working together.
I found Poppy to be a likeable character who easily befriended everyone she met. Jack on the other hand, was grumpy and very closed off. Being back at his mentor’s restaurant meant confronting his past. I really enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the restaurant. From the menu planning, food prep, cooking, and naming signature dishes, it was very clear how much creativity and hardwork go into running a restaurant.
The ADHD rep was handled really well in this book. I appreciate how the author emphasizes that the symptoms of ADHD present themselves differently in men and women. Given their past, Poppy and Jack were met with a great deal of skepticism about their chances of success. I was really rooting for both the characters! It was amazing to see the character growth in both of them. They brought the best in each other and what started as a business partnership soon turned into something more.
Grace Reilly is a new-to-me author and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
This was such a fun and entertaining read! If you are a fan of the grumpy and sunshine trope, then you will definitely love this book!
Poppy and Jack come from two different backgrounds. Poppy is a socialite and a social media influencer and all she wants is to be taken seriously by her family. Jack was recently fired from his job as a chef and plans to revive the restaurant he inherited from his mentor. Both were struggling in their own ways, yet each had something to prove. They soon realized that despite their differences, they had much in common and could benefit from working together.
I found Poppy to be a likeable character who easily befriended everyone she met. Jack on the other hand, was grumpy and very closed off. Being back at his mentor’s restaurant meant confronting his past. I really enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the restaurant. From the menu planning, food prep, cooking, and naming signature dishes, it was very clear how much creativity and hardwork go into running a restaurant.
The ADHD rep was handled really well in this book. I appreciate how the author emphasizes that the symptoms of ADHD present themselves differently in men and women. Given their past, Poppy and Jack were met with a great deal of skepticism about their chances of success. I was really rooting for both the characters! It was amazing to see the character growth in both of them. They brought the best in each other and what started as a business partnership soon turned into something more.
Grace Reilly is a new-to-me author and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Chef Jack Hartman has been having a rough couple of months. Once, at the top of his career he had articles written about him and was given the chance to prove himself to eventually open his own restaurant. A dream he's had since he could remember. But a public melt down has him leaving town, going back to his roots in Florida. Poppy Winfield is a social media personality, something her family doesn't quite grasp. When a break-up gone wrongs makes headlines at her dad's most popular restaurant, Poppy needs a break and a way to prove to her family that she's more than an internet personality. When Poppy's path crosses with Jack's, sparks fly both in an out of the kitchen! Poppy will help Jack get back on track while he revamps his old mentors restaurant. What can go wrong with the both of them spending so much time together?!?
Yes, Chef is my first book by Grace Reilly and I really enjoyed it! I loved the banter between Jack and Poppy. They bickered, but it was so much fun. Yes, Chef is described as The Bear x It Happened One Summer and it totally was! I loved gruff and surly Jack who's secretly a soft teddy bear. And seeing Poppy's growth and how she slowly challenges herself in and out of the kitchen was amazing. Grace Reilly definitely knows how to bring the 🔥! I was living for the tension between Jack and Poppy.
I also really loved how vulnerable Poppy and Jack were with one another. And how real they kept their relationship. They're both going through their own journeys and it wasn't always easy. Some of my most favorite parts were when it was hard for them to show their vulnerabilities, and yet they still tried. I do love myself a swoony romance.
Knocking 1 star, because . Overall, I really enjoyed Yes, Chef.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Yes, Chef is my first book by Grace Reilly and I really enjoyed it! I loved the banter between Jack and Poppy. They bickered, but it was so much fun. Yes, Chef is described as The Bear x It Happened One Summer and it totally was! I loved gruff and surly Jack who's secretly a soft teddy bear. And seeing Poppy's growth and how she slowly challenges herself in and out of the kitchen was amazing. Grace Reilly definitely knows how to bring the 🔥! I was living for the tension between Jack and Poppy.
I also really loved how vulnerable Poppy and Jack were with one another. And how real they kept their relationship. They're both going through their own journeys and it wasn't always easy. Some of my most favorite parts were when it was hard for them to show their vulnerabilities, and yet they still tried. I do love myself a swoony romance.
Knocking 1 star, because . Overall, I really enjoyed Yes, Chef.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
April 28, 2026
book 7 of my 24hr arc readathon!
honestly this book might not be for me?? idk. maybe i came in with high expectations but i felt like the book didn't deliver? the premise sounded so good to so i'm a bit mad.. also the fact that he had knives tattooed on his knuckles so i couldn't take him seriously?? anyways full rtc!
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
SOO everyone and their mum's have been RAVING about this book and i was lwk jealous when i was still in pending purgatory.. anyways i got the arc and i cant wait to dive in!!
honestly this book might not be for me?? idk. maybe i came in with high expectations but i felt like the book didn't deliver? the premise sounded so good to so i'm a bit mad.. also the fact that he had knives tattooed on his knuckles so i couldn't take him seriously?? anyways full rtc!
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
SOO everyone and their mum's have been RAVING about this book and i was lwk jealous when i was still in pending purgatory.. anyways i got the arc and i cant wait to dive in!!
May 11, 2026
It Happened One Summer meets the Bear.
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK.
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK.
April 30, 2026
4.75⭐️
Read if you like:
• Dislike to lovers
• Found family
• Chef x influencer
• Forced proximity
• A cat named Gator
• It Happened One Summer x Hells Kitchen
I really really enjoyed this. Yes, Chef is the first book I’ve stayed up late to finish in…I genuinely can’t remember. Jack and Poppy are two peas in a pod, and I’m so sad my time with them is up.
🩷Poppy
Poppy is a fighter. She takes all the crap that life and all of the people in it (including Jack) throws at her and uses it as fuel to prove to HERSELF that she is capable and worthy. I loved watching her find a love for cooking. I love her huge heart — Gator, her friendship with Ki, Jack, — she treats everyone with care, and she made me feel safe and sunny.
🩷Jack
My grumpy, tattooed chef; my love. It took a WHILE for me but I finally came around to Jack. His love for food is so palpable, and it was such a cool experience to read about. And of course, his love for Poppy is...perfect. It is soft, tender, and all-consuming in the best way. My only gripe with Jack is the grumpiness was a bit TOO much at times, where he would say mean things to Poppy and she would also apologize when he was clearly in the wrong.
All of the side characters and the settings and the plot were so perfect. I felt so immersed in this book the whole time I was reading, so big kudos for that!
Thank you Avon for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read if you like:
• Dislike to lovers
• Found family
• Chef x influencer
• Forced proximity
• A cat named Gator
• It Happened One Summer x Hells Kitchen
I really really enjoyed this. Yes, Chef is the first book I’ve stayed up late to finish in…I genuinely can’t remember. Jack and Poppy are two peas in a pod, and I’m so sad my time with them is up.
🩷Poppy
Poppy is a fighter. She takes all the crap that life and all of the people in it (including Jack) throws at her and uses it as fuel to prove to HERSELF that she is capable and worthy. I loved watching her find a love for cooking. I love her huge heart — Gator, her friendship with Ki, Jack, — she treats everyone with care, and she made me feel safe and sunny.
🩷Jack
My grumpy, tattooed chef; my love. It took a WHILE for me but I finally came around to Jack. His love for food is so palpable, and it was such a cool experience to read about. And of course, his love for Poppy is...perfect. It is soft, tender, and all-consuming in the best way. My only gripe with Jack is the grumpiness was a bit TOO much at times, where he would say mean things to Poppy and she would also apologize when he was clearly in the wrong.
All of the side characters and the settings and the plot were so perfect. I felt so immersed in this book the whole time I was reading, so big kudos for that!
Thank you Avon for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Shoutout to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
4.5 ⭐
If you love grumpy chefs like Carmy from The Bear, then you will absolutely fall head over heels for Jack Hartman, a former foster kid turned James Beard Award winner, who loses himself after the passing of his mentor and ends up getting fired for being a grumpy asshole.
Enter Poppy, the bubbly influencer daughter of Jack's former boss, who, constantly belittled and underestimated by her family, is determined to prove her family (and everyone really) they're wrong about her.
The pair strike up a business venture—Jack remodeling and reopening his mentor's old restaurant, while Poppy uses her social media influencer skills to market and build up buzz around the restaurant. It's not easy going, Poppy and Jack get on like oil and water until they find a mutual connection through their struggles with ADHD. Despite their rough start though, the chemistry betweem them is sizzling and the banter is *chef's kiss*—no pun intended.
Things may heat up in and out of the kitchen for Pops and Jackie boy, but both of them still had a lot of growing and healing to do, which made their happy ending so much more satisfying. I loved seeing Poppy come into herself as she helped Jack, and seeing Jack heal and open up.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- chef + influencer
- grumpy x sunshine
- mutual ADHD disasters
- forced proximity
- only one houseboat
- friends with bennies
- found family
- cooking as foreplay
- explorations of grief, regret, self-worth, and self-love
4.5 ⭐
If you love grumpy chefs like Carmy from The Bear, then you will absolutely fall head over heels for Jack Hartman, a former foster kid turned James Beard Award winner, who loses himself after the passing of his mentor and ends up getting fired for being a grumpy asshole.
Enter Poppy, the bubbly influencer daughter of Jack's former boss, who, constantly belittled and underestimated by her family, is determined to prove her family (and everyone really) they're wrong about her.
The pair strike up a business venture—Jack remodeling and reopening his mentor's old restaurant, while Poppy uses her social media influencer skills to market and build up buzz around the restaurant. It's not easy going, Poppy and Jack get on like oil and water until they find a mutual connection through their struggles with ADHD. Despite their rough start though, the chemistry betweem them is sizzling and the banter is *chef's kiss*—no pun intended.
Things may heat up in and out of the kitchen for Pops and Jackie boy, but both of them still had a lot of growing and healing to do, which made their happy ending so much more satisfying. I loved seeing Poppy come into herself as she helped Jack, and seeing Jack heal and open up.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- chef + influencer
- grumpy x sunshine
- mutual ADHD disasters
- forced proximity
- only one houseboat
- friends with bennies
- found family
- cooking as foreplay
- explorations of grief, regret, self-worth, and self-love
April 4, 2026
Thank you author and avon/harper voyager for this arc 🫶
Classic grumpy x sunshine trope won’t let you down on a sunny summer day ✨
It is a perfect summer read for sure🫶
I really liked the banter between Jack and Poppy, how they first met and, of course, behind the scenes of restaurant kitchen 👏
Classic grumpy x sunshine trope won’t let you down on a sunny summer day ✨
It is a perfect summer read for sure🫶
I really liked the banter between Jack and Poppy, how they first met and, of course, behind the scenes of restaurant kitchen 👏
March 18, 2026
4,5*
i already can't wait for this book to come out so i can recommend it to EVERYONE. also i just realized that i read 3 books from Grace Reilly back in 2023 and i loved them so now i am not surprised that i adored this one 💕
i fell in love with poppy&jack and i seriously would've taken another 400 pages on them 😍
also the whole chef thing and teaching her really did it for me!!!
thanks to avon for an ARC of this book ❤️
i already can't wait for this book to come out so i can recommend it to EVERYONE. also i just realized that i read 3 books from Grace Reilly back in 2023 and i loved them so now i am not surprised that i adored this one 💕
i fell in love with poppy&jack and i seriously would've taken another 400 pages on them 😍
also the whole chef thing and teaching her really did it for me!!!
thanks to avon for an ARC of this book ❤️
Read
March 19, 2026“𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐦𝐲 ...” 𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲. 𝐌𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲.”
Ah Grace Reilly, how I missed your writing. As soon as I saw the teasers for this one I knew I had to read it. I have to admit I was not immediately sold on these two.. How he behaved towards Poppy was really giving - go get therapy my dude - however this may also be due to the fact that I’m a bit tired of the grumpy x sunshine trope (or the romance genre in general). He did end up growing on me towards the end. I’m also so obsessed with the fact that there was a cat, which is not something I see often (listen I like dogs but where is the cat love?). I also really liked the adhd representation and especially within Poppy and her journey to self-acceptance. A solid read and I do recommend it (because we all deserve a hot chef who learns us how to cook).
the vibes™:
- grumpy x sunshine
- adhd rep
- cat!!
- influencer x chef
👩🍳❤️🔥✨🎀
Ah Grace Reilly, how I missed your writing. As soon as I saw the teasers for this one I knew I had to read it. I have to admit I was not immediately sold on these two.. How he behaved towards Poppy was really giving - go get therapy my dude - however this may also be due to the fact that I’m a bit tired of the grumpy x sunshine trope (or the romance genre in general). He did end up growing on me towards the end. I’m also so obsessed with the fact that there was a cat, which is not something I see often (listen I like dogs but where is the cat love?). I also really liked the adhd representation and especially within Poppy and her journey to self-acceptance. A solid read and I do recommend it (because we all deserve a hot chef who learns us how to cook).
the vibes™:
- grumpy x sunshine
- adhd rep
- cat!!
- influencer x chef
👩🍳❤️🔥✨🎀
February 15, 2026
I have loved Grace’s writing for a long time! I remember reading First Down for the first time and just knowing that it was special. That whole series sits so close to my heart! And now we’re here! With something new and different and just as perfect! I feel like I say this every time I read a book so early!! But I can’t believe I got to read this already! It’s SO GOOD! I’m going to have to reread it because truly I think this is Grace at her best!
Jack and Poppy are EVERYTHING! There is nothing better than two people who are so different but also JUUUUST similar enough who then work together to prove themselves and then FALL IN LOOOOOVE on the way. The tension was DELICIOUS! The way they frustrated each other seemingly to no end. But they worked SO WELL together! And of course it helped that they were wildly attracted to each other!! and were able to be vulnerable and feel so safe to be themselves with each other!!
I really appreciated how both of their ADHD was written differently and we got to see what works for each of them and what doesn’t. I loved seeing Poppy really find herself, she’s never felt like she was enough. And with Jack’s she was really able to shine. The same was true for Jack too. He always thought there was something wrong with him, so he didn’t trust anything good that happened. But then Poppy happened and she forced him to see the good, to see a way to live and love and find a home - a home that’s been waiting for him!! And it was BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you so much to Avon for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!!
Jack and Poppy are EVERYTHING! There is nothing better than two people who are so different but also JUUUUST similar enough who then work together to prove themselves and then FALL IN LOOOOOVE on the way. The tension was DELICIOUS! The way they frustrated each other seemingly to no end. But they worked SO WELL together! And of course it helped that they were wildly attracted to each other!! and were able to be vulnerable and feel so safe to be themselves with each other!!
I really appreciated how both of their ADHD was written differently and we got to see what works for each of them and what doesn’t. I loved seeing Poppy really find herself, she’s never felt like she was enough. And with Jack’s she was really able to shine. The same was true for Jack too. He always thought there was something wrong with him, so he didn’t trust anything good that happened. But then Poppy happened and she forced him to see the good, to see a way to live and love and find a home - a home that’s been waiting for him!! And it was BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you so much to Avon for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It was incredibly easy to fall in love with this story and its characters. It follows the classic (and irresistible) recipe of two people from completely different worlds who can’t stand each other but are forced to work together to achieve their individual goals. The result? An amazing romantic story about finding each other—and discovering who you truly are along the way. It’s beautiful, it’s funny, and it’s so, so romantic.
I truly loved watching Poppy and Jack’s relationship unfold. They don’t exactly like each other at first, but they both understand what’s at stake and are willing to put in the effort to make things work. And what happens later? Let’s just say it’s really good. 😉
I absolutely fell in love with Poppy. She’s persistent, passionate, and knows what she wants. It takes time, but she finds herself in a way that feels genuine and well earned. I especially loved that she didn’t have to change who she was to feel fulfilled—she simply found a way to expand her love for her craft and grow into it even more.
Also, big kudos to the cover. It’s mesmerizing. The illustration of the characters is stunning, and the added details of the ingredients? Chef’s kiss.
Yes, Chef is the perfect story for anyone who wants to fall in love—not just romantically, but with the part of themselves that makes them feel alive.
Thanks to netgalley for the e-arc <3
February 27, 2026
This story just isn’t working for me. By 45% it still hasn’t hooked me at all and I sort of had to just push through the rest. I think there is a market for this but it isn’t me.
The FMC kind of drove me nuts. I really struggle with characters who just cannot get it together. I don’t want to hear any excuses about her having adhd, the person I love most in this world also has adhd and would never do half of this. Being out of control is not a cute character trait.
If this had been a faster pace then I would have liked it. Sometimes the story line would absolutely drag but then it would speed up so fast I thought it was editing errors. There’s just a lot of little things that I couldn’t get past, like everyone knows you don’t wear pearls in water…right? We all know that?
Again, it’s not bad I just didn’t click with it. If you’re into cooking, adhd rep, grumpy sunshine, then this could be for you.
**thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an arc of this book**
The FMC kind of drove me nuts. I really struggle with characters who just cannot get it together. I don’t want to hear any excuses about her having adhd, the person I love most in this world also has adhd and would never do half of this. Being out of control is not a cute character trait.
If this had been a faster pace then I would have liked it. Sometimes the story line would absolutely drag but then it would speed up so fast I thought it was editing errors. There’s just a lot of little things that I couldn’t get past, like everyone knows you don’t wear pearls in water…right? We all know that?
Again, it’s not bad I just didn’t click with it. If you’re into cooking, adhd rep, grumpy sunshine, then this could be for you.
**thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an arc of this book**
October 7, 2025
Beta read - Full review to come
April 1, 2026
Fast-paced, chaotic, and completely addictive, this was such a fun ride. The restaurant setting gave the whole story this electric energy, and I loved how much heart was tucked in between all the tension, pressure, and buildup. Poppy and Jack had that messy, magnetic, can-you-two-please-just-talk-already kind of chemistry that kept me fully invested from start to finish. 🔥🍽️
There was so much here about fitting in, finding your people, and learning how to let yourself be loved. I especially loved the found family element and the way the story explored ADHD, especially through the lens of a woman being diagnosed later and trying to understand herself in a world that was not built for the way her brain works. Sexy, emotional, healing, and full of energy, this was a really satisfying read for me. Four stars. 💛
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There was so much here about fitting in, finding your people, and learning how to let yourself be loved. I especially loved the found family element and the way the story explored ADHD, especially through the lens of a woman being diagnosed later and trying to understand herself in a world that was not built for the way her brain works. Sexy, emotional, healing, and full of energy, this was a really satisfying read for me. Four stars. 💛
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2026
I’m sad I didn’t love this book. I really enjoyed the other series she wrote but this one really fell flat for me. I enjoyed Poppy’s character growth and the different portrayals of ADHD, but I HATED Jack. I felt like he didn’t grow at all and was so mean to Poppy the entire book. It wasn’t even just him being grumpy he was just really mean and said hurtful things to her all the way up until the end. I really couldn’t see them as a good couple and almost DNFd multiple times.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc!
Thanks NetGalley for the arc!
March 24, 2026
This was definitely a cute and fun read, but it just wasn’t a favorite for me. I think I enjoyed the premise more than the actual story. I just always have a hard time connecting with the miscommunication trope and the second act breakup.
While I did laugh out loud a few times and loved Poppy dearly, especially with the amazing ADHD rep, the relationship with Poppy and Jack just fell short for me. I really liked Jack when him and Poppy were together, but then at other times I would really dislike him for coming off as a jerk and just flat out mean. I did feel for him and his past and definitely did see the good in him, I just couldn’t get over some of the things he put Poppy through.
This story may not have been for me, I can definitely see others looking past these issues and loving their relationship as a whole. It definitely made me laugh out loud at times and the spice was definitely top notch!
⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️/5
*Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and the author, Grace Reilly for the ARC!*
While I did laugh out loud a few times and loved Poppy dearly, especially with the amazing ADHD rep, the relationship with Poppy and Jack just fell short for me. I really liked Jack when him and Poppy were together, but then at other times I would really dislike him for coming off as a jerk and just flat out mean. I did feel for him and his past and definitely did see the good in him, I just couldn’t get over some of the things he put Poppy through.
This story may not have been for me, I can definitely see others looking past these issues and loving their relationship as a whole. It definitely made me laugh out loud at times and the spice was definitely top notch!
⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️/5
*Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and the author, Grace Reilly for the ARC!*
March 8, 2026
4.5 🌟 Yes yes yes this was fabulous and absolutely delicious. I’ve never read a romance which was chef x influencer before but I just adored this. I was sucked in from the start and couldn’t put it down.
I absolutely loved Poppy and Jacks characters, individually and together but especially the representation of ADHD and how it differs from male to female. This is coming from a very chaotic ADHD girl, I feel Poppy in my soul. She was so real in her feelings and flaws, she simply just wanted to do good and be seen for all her hard work. I love how they came into their own, how their characters and mentality changed for the better but they just worked perfectly together. Absolutely chefs kiss.
This was witty and flirting, the tension from Poppy and Jack was oh so good, I was thoroughly obsessed.
I would absolutely recommend this book to romance lovers without a doubt.
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for my arc copy, I absolutely adored this!!
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