Yes, Chef

by Grace Reilly

A tempting 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 one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman must return to his small Florida hometown. The only upside? He’ll be far away from Poppy Winfield – his former boss’s blonde, beautiful, utterly infuriating daughter – and the shrimp she threw at his head.

Poppy is also desperate for an escape – from her disapproving family and from her infamy as an influencer without a serious bone in her body. With their reputations in ruins, Jack’s only ticket back to New York is turning the unloved restaurant of his childhood into the newest dining hotspot on the East Coast. And unfortunately for him, Poppy’s is using her well-honed social media skills to sell out his grand opening.

As sparks fly and tensions reach boiling point, will Poppy and Jack be a recipe for disaster? Or could they be a perfect pairing …?


☀️Grumpy x sunshine

🔪Chef romance

🏙️Big city girl in a small town

👩‍❤️‍👨Forced proximity

🔥Friends with benefits

🧠ADHD Rep

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, Audiobook, Enemies To Lovers, Found Family

384 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 2026

About the author

Hi! 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.

Reviews

[levi (speak tf up about 🇵🇸 and &#x1f1f1]

Pre read
Ii got the arc and im bored 😦

[ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star 🍧🍯

i'm so disappointed rn 😭 idk how a book with a chef mmc ended with me being disappointed... but it did.

first off,
↣ mmc was incredibly rude & had the fmc feeling terrible about herself for the first half of the book
↣ had EXCESSIVE amounts of sex scenes after they got together. EXCESSIVE. i jumped 5% forward each time it happened because that's how much they liked it.
↣ very boring ☹️
↣ nothing new

i tried to give this book some grace and thought about giving it a 2 star rating ... but upon further reflection 🥴, it's a solid 1 star.

thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹

˒˒🍰 pre read ˒˒࿐· started jun 15・xvii 𖦞.˖
i need to catch up on my ARCs because my feedback ratio is not amazing right now ! i've been seeing so many of my best friends love this, so hopefully it's good 🪷🍧💌 & chef mmc ?? say less

ꗃ thank you netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! ഒ

[Grace Quan · Rating 5 out of 5]

˗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 ☺️

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️ As someone who has a love/hate relationship with rom-coms and contemporary romances, Yes, Chef was delicious. It was better than I expected! I am a huge fan of food-centric settings and this book definitely delivered on the hunger, pun intended. It had great plot, great ADHD rep, character development, fantastic banter, loads of funny scenes that had me laughing out loud. Oh and let's not forget the spice, tension and their magnetic energy was all chefs kiss! Add this to your list you will not be disappointed!

Chef Jack Hartmann has had it rough. His life has been tough the last couple of years and he's grumpy, angry..and he just got fired from his job. Poppy, the bubbly ray of sunshine, is never enough for her family and has grown up in the shadows of her sister's success..annnddd she was just publicly broken up with in the very same restaurant where Jack works. After a very public meltdown, Jack leaves off to South Florida and Poppy has a plan to prove herself and that plan involves Jack Hartmann. They agree to work together on a restaurant that has been handed off to Jack after his mentors passing. Jack is to handle the menu, Poppy is to handle the social success--with them working together, what can possibly go wrong? They low-key sort of hate one another but are forced to proximity from the very start. As sparks begin to fly, the kitchen is burning up and a masterpiece begins to flourish.

My goodness, this was so good. I can't believe I'm saying this, but this book just entered by top 10 books for contemporary reads for this year. I always look out for emotional depth (a big must!) and meaningful conversations in contemporary romances because for me to really enjoy a romance or rom-com, it needs to be light, heartfelt and something that speaks to me. Yes, Chef was all of that and much more--poignant, relatable, sizzling hot! I liked how different yet the same both love interests were. Jack had a rough exterior shaped by turbulent childhood while Poppy has been let down too many times to count. Her father didn't believe in her hard work and grind, despite being a well established influencer. Both faced many setbacks than gains and yet wanted to prove something, first and foremost to themselves. Poppy's insecurities felt very real and valid. A lot of women can relate to what she was going through. Jack's ADHD representation was also very well done and I loved how he used his kitchen, his love for cooking as a self-soothing mechanism to cope with his personal struggles. Together, they elevated each other and had frank conversations that helped them work through their personal friction and fears.

The spice was definitely spicing in this book. Their magnetism was sizzling hot, like 3-4 chili peppers hot. I loved how food-centric this book was and how it just made things more steamier. Being in the kitchen, cooking together, exploring ingredients and each other, talk about the heat! Honestly, don't hesitate to pick this one up, it's going to make you hungry. The food thats described in this book was seriously mouth watering.

Nothing but praise for the narrators because they really brought two voices to life and I too can tell, they were having fun while narrating this story!


Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author, Grace Reilly for an early ARC!

Many thanks to NetGalley & HarperAudio Adult/Avon imprint for an early ALC!

Narrators: Samantha Summers, Troy Duran
Duration: 13 hours 1 minute
Speed: 1.5-1.75x


Publication date: July 21, 2026

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡]

pre-read:

reading another arc because i’m catching up with their publishing dates 🌟💞 i have eyeing this book for quite some time now because i just know it’s gonna be HOT 🙂‍↕️ and let’s be fr, who doesn’t want a hot book, right? 🤭 i’ve also heard good things about this one, so consider me intrigued and sat!!

[Brianna ᥫ᭡ (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

— Rating: 4 ★ .ᐟ

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ I am beyond glad that I picked this book back up after my initial DNF because it was ten times more enjoyable when reading it during the summer! Yes, Chef is definitely not for everyone and I can recognize the aspects that may be why certain people didn’t like it, but for me I was completely immersed in the story. Whenever I had to put this book down, I was longing to pick it up again because I was so invested in Poppy and Jack’s relationship. This book wasn’t anything extraordinary, it didn’t have any life-changing or emotionally destroying moments, but it was so entertaining that it kept me utterly addicted to the plot and romance.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ Now, I haven’t read many romance books, but I felt that this one had such a unique plot! Seeing both main characters work together despite their differences to build up a practically abandoned restaurant was so interesting. I was completely invested in their journey, flipping each page with excitement to see what the restaurant would become once they were finished. The other plot lines were just as entertaining, like the cooking lessons that had such descriptive writing it made me hungry. Obviously there were some downsides, like the rather repetitive points in the book that occurred after the main characters had officiated a friend’s with benefits arrangement, but I had such fun reading this otherwise. I truthfully rarely got bored while reading Yes, Chef and I enjoyed seeing all the small events the main characters went through with each other!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ The pacing for this book was decent, not too fast but not too slow, which allowed for a realistic timeline with not only the development of the restaurant but also the development of Poppy and Jack’s feelings. Albeit there was a lot of instant lust from both characters, it took months for their chemistry to truly bloom which had me extremely pleased with the lack of instant-love. The tension was okay, it wasn’t spectacular but at least it didn’t feel absolutely absent? I did really enjoy Poppy and Jack’s banter which was introduced on the very first pages. Yes, at times Jack specifically could just be straight up mean when it came to their back and forth, but aside from that their banter was mostly amusing.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ My one big problem with their relationship was the smut. I don’t think there were that many spicy scenes, the problem was how long it lasted when said scenes did occur. I also wasn’t a fan of the friends with benefits trope being implemented, which is what caused the lengthy spice, but then again I’ve never been a fan of said trope. Other than the smut though I really enjoyed the main character’s dynamic! The sunshine x grumpy thing they had going on was adorable and I loved seeing how they slowly warmed up to each other despite their different personalities. They definitely could’ve had some better communication, especially near the end, but the way they helped each other heal from their respective insecurities was really compelling.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ As much as I liked their dynamic, the main characters individually had some problems. Don’t get me wrong, they kept me intrigued in them and their stories throughout the entire book, but some of their actions were sort of iffy. Like Poppy bringing up a sensitive topic in the middle of sex for no reason or Jack constantly criticizing Poppy when he didn’t truly know her yet. They still had great personalities and I did like them, but they weren’t perfect characters by any means. I did really love the ADHD representation in both Poppy and Jack though! Their stories were enticing and I enjoyed seeing the depth each of them got when it came to their differing family situations. Like I said before, the depth didn’t emotionally destroy me, but it was sufficient enough to allow for a captivating time while reading. I’m also very grateful we got to see how they each got closure with their family problems rather than it being forgotten about.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ The writing did take some getting used to, it felt like a lot of sentences were longer than they had to be, but once I immersed myself in the book it was so easy to read! Yes, there were undoubtedly extremely cringey moments that had me wincing, but I enjoyed how hooked I was by Yes, Chef in the end. Also, the writing was so descriptive when it came to food and I adored it! I’ve never heard of half of the things made in this book, but I have to admit the foods were so beautifully illustrated in vibrant detail. I also really liked seeing enjoyable side characters that all helped Poppy and Jack. Kiara and Chester, two of the side character’s, were so adorable and entertaining! At times the writing could get repetitive, but this was such a cute, fun summer read.

౨ৎ Poppy Winfield.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ As much as she gave me second-hand embarrassment, I really liked Poppy’s character. Like I said before, the ADHD representation was so interesting and I loved seeing how she adapted to the difficulties it brought her. Her character was illustrated so vibrantly and I really enjoyed the sunshine-y vibes she brought to the book. She was kind to everyone who deserved it but didn’t hesitate to put anyone unworthy of her kindness in their place. Yes, she had me cringing and annoyed a few times, but she was also super interesting! I loved how she finally found her passion without her family’s help.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ The depth she got wasn’t extraordinarily perfect but I honestly don’t think it needed to be. Despite having what looks like a perfect life, Poppy still experienced realistic problems and the turmoil it caused her was described greatly. I didn’t really relate to her at all, but I was still able to understand why she felt the way she did thanks to the writing. Also, I loved that the author didn’t make her character solely about her ADHD. Instead it was a small part of her big, bubbly personality. We learned about her interests which I liked and although she was similar to a lot of other sunshine-y FMC’s, I think she got a decent amount of individuality.

౨ৎ Jack Hartman.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ I might be the only one, but I didn’t hate Jack’s character. He was certainly rude for no reason at times, and I truthfully didn’t love him, but I think he had a decent amount of character development to make up for it. Unfortunately this development didn’t really happen until the very end of this book, but he also had his kind moments woven throughout the story. Him baking Poppy pop-tarts from scratch after she mentioned them once was really cute! He didn’t give me much second-hand embarrassment, but he was sadly as as cringey as Poppy. His little knife tattoos had me cringing from the first chapter. However, I do love seeing MMC’s with interesting jobs, so I guess that can make up for his chef-related tattoos?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ I think the depth he got was, alike to Poppy’s, good enough to help me understand the way he acted. Maybe it’s because I cry over the smallest things, but I did tear up when it came to his relationship with Sal. Seeing how Sal’s death affected him and how he later healed from it was so endearing, I was completely addicted to their storyline. Jack finally getting the family he never fully got was so refreshing, I loved seeing his closed off, self-destructive demeanor change after Poppy entered his life. Again, he undoubtedly had his questionably rude moments, but I certainly enjoyed his character.

⤿ read: july 08 - july 15

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

I think a lot of people are going to absolutely adore this book!! I have to start by saying that my rating comes down to personal preference due to a few things that just didn't work for me. A 3.5 FOR ME, is still a good rating! I also want to mention that I LOVE Grace Reilly and think she's an amazing writer, but unfortunately this one didn't hit quite the same way her previous books have for me.

If you've watched The Bear and love Carmy, then you'll probably fall head over heels for Chef Jack. The story follows Jack, a chef who gets fired from his job and heads to Florida to prove himself by becoming the owner and head chef of his own restaurant. Enter Poppy, an influencer and marketing expert who's also trying to prove to her family that she's serious about her career. She agrees to help Jack put the restaurant on the map. The only problem? They can't stand each other I GIGGLE BECAUSE CLASSIC!!! 😂

I really enjoyed the storyline, the banter, and the humor throughout the book. One thing Grace does incredibly well is create characters and situations that feel very realistic and relatable. Unfortunately, some aspects of the romance and character personalities is what started to lose me as a reader while the story progressed.

Poppy could be a little frustrating at times, and she was clumsy as hell!!! I know people like that exist in real life, but wow I was cringing some times.. And Jack? He was an asshole. Like, Carmy level asshole 😭 Between the way he treated Poppy at the beginning and some of his snappy comments throughout the book, I struggled to actually like him for a good part of the story.

As for the spicy scenes, don't get me wrong I love a good dirty sex scene 🌶️ But the style and wording of some of the intimate moments just weren't for me. That though is completely a matter of personal taste, and what didn't work for me might be your favorite thing about this book!

At the end of the day, I still recommend anything Grace Reilly writes, and I know this book is going to be a hit for a lot of readers. So take this review for what it is: my personal reading experience 💕

Thank you Netgalley & Avon for my earc!

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ YES,CHEF !!! I just know is gonna cook

[kimberly ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎❝ it's as though she reached into my chest and scooped out my heart. and now it's hers for safekeeping. ❞

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎this book single-handedly convinced me that if a tattooed chef with unresolved grief yelled at me in a professional kitchen, i would simply stand there and say, "yes, chef." my self-respect and dignity would be sautéed in garlic butter and served on a pretty platter.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ i. plot. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎yes, chef follows jack hartman, a grumpy chef whose already fragile life completely implodes after a public meltdown gets him fired from a michelin-starred restaurant. at the exact same restaurant, poppy winfield, an influencer and the owner's daughter, is publicly dumped by her nba-star boyfriend.

the two reluctantly team up to reopen sailfish, the beloved florida restaurant jack inherited from his late mentor, sal. jack handles the kitchen, poppy handles the marketing, and somewhere between teaching her how to cook, renovating the restaurant, and arguing every five minutes, they accidentally catch feelings.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ ii. jack hartman. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎jack, sir, have you considered smiling?

i understood why he was the way he was. he was grieving the loss of sal, drowning in guilt, and carrying enough emotional baggage to require its own checked suitcase. but my GOD this man spent the first third of the book acting like happiness personally insulted him.

that being said, i am unfortunately weak for tattooed fictional chefs. it's a character flaw. watching him slowly soften around poppy was genuinely one of my favorite parts of the book. every tiny crack in that grumpy exterior felt earned instead of magically disappearing overnight.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ iii. poppy supremacy. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎POPPY YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS. i adored her.

i loved that beneath the influencer persona was someone who desperately wanted to be taken seriously by her family instead of constantly being dismissed. watching her prove that social media marketing is an actual skill made me so irrationally happy as a marketing student. she wasn't just an influencer. she understood branding, audience engagement, storytelling, and how to get people invested in a business. she carried this restaurant on her beautifully moisturized back.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ iv. the food. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ this book should honestly come with a grocery list. every chapter had me starving. every description of seafood made me hungry. every kitchen scene made me briefly consider culinary school before remembering i once burned water somehow.

the restaurant atmosphere was honestly one of the strongest parts of the book. you could feel the pressure of service, the chaos of the kitchen, and the love that went into rebuilding sailfish. the setting feel incredibly immersive for me.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ v. romance. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the banter was genuinely fun. like, poppy would say something slightly unhinged and jack would respond like a man actively trying not to throw a knife across the room. there were moments where their dialogue had me smiling into my book like an idiot, especially when they were sniping at each other while also clearly clocking each other's attractiveness in real time.

the forced proximity was actually really well done though. them being stuck together in the restaurant, constantly in each other's space, sharing a kitchen where everything is sharp and flammable and emotionally charged? that part worked. and the cooking lessons?? i ate that up. living and working together also gave us some really good tension.

jack, specifically, was also a bit hard for me to fully warm up to at first. i understood his grief, his anger, his whole "i live in the kitchen and emotionally repress everything" thing, but there were stretches where i wanted just a little more softness earlier on. his emotional arc was strong, and i did appreciate the growth, but i think i needed more consistent glimpses of vulnerability to fully buy into the romance hitting that top-tier level. so yeah, very good meal, slightly under-seasoned obsession.

also, one thing i really appreciated was the adhd representation. both jack and poppy have adhd, but they experience it so differently that it never felt repetitive. jack throws himself so completely into the kitchen that everything else disappears. poppy's brain is constantly bouncing between ideas, conversations, and projects at lightning speed.

i also loved that neither of them had to "grow out of it" for the romance to work. they simply found someone who understood how the other's brain worked instead of trying to change it. as someone whose attention span sucks ass, i appreciated seeing two characters whose brains weren't treated like problems to solve. they were messy, forgetful, impulsive, hyperfocused, occasionally chaotic, and still completely deserving of love.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ vi. conclusion. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
overall, yes, chef was a fun, summery romance with great food, an immersive restaurant setting, a lovable heroine, and enough sexual tension to keep me turning the pages.

— 3.5 stars. ⋆˚☆˖°.ᐟ


‎── ⟡ ˙ 🪻༘ ₊ main tropes. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
⟢ grumpy chef x sunshine influencer
⟢ forced proximity
⟢ friends with benefits
⟢ adhd + mental health rep
⟢ found family
⟢ dual pov


₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-review:
⤿ if someone threw shrimp at me i'd simply throw hands. poppy, however, turned it into a slow burn. she’s stronger than me. rtc!

₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-read:
⤿ my last chef-esque romance was king of gluttony and it left me with traumatizing emotional third-degree burns, so i'm cautiously re-entering the culinary romance genre if that's even a thing. hoping this book restores my faith in fictional men who own aprons.

⌗ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎started: jul. 24th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌝
‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌞ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎finished: aug. 5th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✦

[maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot chef with tattoos + ADHD representation = perfection.

Started this yesterday and I already know it’s going to become one of my favorite books ever!!!! Might have been a bad decision to start it when I have finals because now I can’t focus on what I have to do but I for sure don’t regret it 😋

[Hannah 🌺 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, author Grace Reilly, and publisher Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🏻✨ pub date is July 21, 2026!

I feel like I’m in the minority here but this was 3.5/5 stars ✨ for me rounded down to 3 😭 I’ve loved other books by this author before but this one just fell short for me.

I couldn’t get over how harsh Jack was towards Poppy so many times. Like you’re a grown man, yes you have trauma, but it’s your responsibility to work through that and not take it out on others 😩 especially towards Poppy, who was there to help and is literally the SWEETEST FMC everrrr 💖💖

The breeding kink… also a no from me. This book is very spicy, so I just skimmed over that. I do think a strong point was the build up of romance for Jack and Poppy, it definitely wasn’t insta-lust/love which was refreshing!

Kiara and Chester are great supporting characters and I would LOVE a book for them 🥺 Gator is also a ✨star✨ of the book 🐈‍⬛

Poppy’s family was AWFUL. No matter how much they apologized, I’m holding a grudge against them 😑

This book is great for those who love these tropes:

✨grumpy x sunshine
✨enemies to lovers
✨opposites attract

Overall, the romance was very cute and didn’t move too fast 🫶🏻 💖


——————————————-——————————————



🩷 🧑‍🍳Pre-read 🧑‍🍳🩷

Thank you to NetGalley, author Grace Reilly, and publisher Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🏻✨🩷

[ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 ˚. ᵎᵎ

ⓘ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑠 ⋆

꒰ 🍨 ꒱ 𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑡. for me to like a book i have to be hooked from the start, and when i tell you this book had me giggling by page 1 , i mean it. i’m so glad i got this arc because otherwise i’m not sure if i would have discovered this masterpiece, the plot was mostly character driven which to me is what i like to see, unlike some other books where the characters literally have no depth and the plot tells them what to do. if you know me then you know what book i’m referring to.

in a quick summary of the plot poppy our fmc is underestimated by her family and she feels like she is being seen as a failure through their eyes compared to her ‘prefect’ sister. while jack the mmc who was fired by poppys father now has to prove himself. which leads to poppy and jack ( who don’t get along well) to work together to try and earn her father's approval, both for different reasons. this book just gives you everything you could possibly want – forced proximity , enemies to lovers , praise kink , grumpy x sunshine. i mean what else could you even want.

꒰ 🧀 ꒱ 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠. i adore the people in this book so much its not even funny, they feel like my best friends and i just loved how they actually had a fricking personality, because what i see a lot of times is characters only personality trait being a problem there dealing with, which is not the case at all for this book. and the relationships in these just were so adorable, and precious and everything to me.

𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 is the 𝐟𝐦𝐜 of 𝐲𝐞𝐬 ,𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐟 and she has to be one of my favorite fmc of all times. she was so funny and wasn’t just some weak boring girl who had no personality. it genuinely was a breath of fresh air for me and i also loved how her and jack’s banter so , so much. the only problem with her for me was that i kept imagining her as poppy from the trolls movie 😭 which i got over pretty quickly, thankfully , and this isn’t the actual characters fault at all, i’m just immature and need to grow up. the whole influencer thing i know could cringe some people out because alot of people don’t really like the mention of social media apps and stuff in books, but that stuff didn’t really bother me, but this is just a heads up for those people out there. but otherwise poppy has my heart just as much as jack.

𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤 is the 𝐦𝐦𝐜 of 𝐲𝐞𝐬 ,𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐟 and oml he is so, so , so hawttt. the way this man had me weak in the knees, needs to be studied. he can TALK HER THROUGH IT. iykyk. i have so many highlights in this book of him just saying random shit because everything he does is just sooooo hot. also i have always enjoyed a praise kink here and there but it never really did anything for me, cause it just never really fit and felt like it was thrown into the diolgue to try and make it feel hot, but jack praises poppy so fricking good, my face was like a tomato through half of this book, because damn, this man and his mouth.

꒰ 🧁 ꒱ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠. first off poppys dad can go suck it, i don’t give a shyte if he redeemed himself or whatever, i don’t like him at all, but without his problems i guess we wouldn’t be getting this book, so i gotta give him some credit. the other side characters were fine and i loved that they actually added to the story instead of just being useless brain dead people, my only problem was that there was this one guy side character who would just like appear and then disappear throughout the story. i thought he would be more prominent in the story line and he was just sometimes there and other times no one even mentioned him or where he was, which bothered me a bit.

꒰ 🍞 ꒱ 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙. this is my third arc that i ever read and my second arc that i’m giving five stars too which is actually crazy to me, since i feel like i’m a pretty picky person, but this book is just absolute perfection, ‘ 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑓'𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠 ’. this book made me feel things i have never experienced with a book before , and i realized that i actually adore a slow burn a lot more than i realized. i will be needing to read the authors other books asap.

𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 ⌗ 07.14.26

⟡🍽️₊˚⊹♡ pre read ♡

i need to catch up on a lot of arcs right now, because i have two other arcs after this one that are due around the same time … but this is the first one due so here we are. a lot of people seem to really like this one so i’m hoping its chef’s kiss 😚

ⓘ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑐 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤

[DianaRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

4.5 stars — i had severe fomo seeing so many mutuals read this and have enjoyed it, so i finally dove into my arc and alc and literally ate this romcom up! (pun intended)🙂‍↕️🩵

yes, chef was a delicious romcom and absolutely a fun listen! the narrators did a great job

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a good book with an interesting concept and good character development but I had a few issues with it that affected my overall enjoyment.

Mainly that the last half of the book had way too many sex scenes instead of actual relationship development. All the intimacy and feelings were expressed only through sex, which felt off balance to me. Personally I have like a two sex scene limit before I get bored with them and start skipping. This one had about 8 or 9. I’d have preferred several of those scenes were instead scenes of time spent together, like early in the book when they went fishing and he taught her to cook. Once they got into bed all of those sweet moments were replaced with sex. Many may enjoy that, I know I’m on the prudish side lately, but I’m very over abundant sex and it now feels like filler in lieu of plot.


Notes on the audiobook: The audiobook was well done, I always enjoy Troy Duran. The female narrator had a terrible male voice though, but I guess it’s hard to do dual narration next to Troy. Duet narration would be better, if you have the money to invest in it.






Thanks Harper Audio for the Audiobook ARC.

[hailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Christine Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, Chef serves up an enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of heat—both in the kitchen and between its leads.

When celebrity chef Jack is fired by his mentor (who also happens to be Poppy’s father) and influencer Poppy goes viral for all the wrong reasons after a spectacularly public breakup, neither of them is in a good place. There’s obviously history between them, though Grace Reilly wisely lets those details simmer before revealing exactly what happened.

Jack and Poppy immediately feel like opposites. Jack is the tattooed, cynical chef with all the brooding confidence romance readers expect from the fictional “bad boy.” Poppy is the privileged heiress to a restaurant dynasty whose razor-sharp humor is often aimed at her own disastrous love life. She cries; he broods. They both know exactly which role they’re supposed to play.

When circumstances force them to work together restoring a struggling Florida restaurant, the sparks aren’t limited to Jack’s cooking. Their constant bickering gradually transforms into playful, flirtatious banter, and watching that shift unfold is one of the book’s biggest strengths. Poppy’s running commentary had me laughing more than once, while Jack’s increasingly desperate attempts to convince himself he isn’t falling for her made for an entertaining counterpoint.

One aspect I especially appreciated was how much care went into the restaurant itself. This isn’t simply a backdrop for the romance. The mouthwatering food descriptions will leave you hungry, the renovation of the aging building is surprisingly engaging, and Poppy’s work developing the restaurant’s marketing reminds readers that influencing is more than simply posting attractive photos online. Both characters grow as they rebuild the business—and themselves.

The audiobook is equally enjoyable overall. Samantha Summers perfectly captures Poppy’s blend of embarrassment, optimism, and wit. Troy Duran’s deep, gravelly voice is ideal for Jack and adds plenty of appeal to his chapters. His female voices aren’t quite as convincing, though that’s less a criticism than a reminder of how difficult that transition is for any narrator with such a naturally low register. It’s one of the reasons I always enjoy full-cast productions or dual narration woven throughout each chapter, even if those formats aren’t always practical.

The romance itself doesn’t reinvent many familiar tropes, but the restaurant setting gives it a fresh flavor. At times it felt like The Bear had been blended with a romantic comedy. Beneath all the witty arguments and growing attraction is an undercurrent of frustration, ambition, and longing as two people carrying plenty of emotional baggage slowly figure out who they want to become.

If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers romances, restaurant settings, witty banter, and enough culinary detail to make you crave your next meal, Yes, Chef is an entertaining recipe that delivers.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[madi · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆˙⟡ — 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 🥹💗

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!!

[Saray]

Yeah, I'm going to eat this one up. pun intended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

[Aisvarya [back ig] · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, quick, spicy rom-com!!

What to expect -
🥪 Chef MMC × influencer FMC
🥪 Grumpy x sunshine
🥪 Witty banter
🥪 Opposites attract
🥪 Hate to love (more like reluctant allies to lovers)
🥪 ADHD representation
🥪 Self-discovery
🥪 Small-town vibes (close-knit community)
🥪 Female friendship

Chef Jack Hartman has a public meltdown at the elite restaurant where he's working and returns to his hometown in South Florida, the very place he once ran away from. His mentor has left him his restaurant, but Jack doesn't feel like he deserves it. On the other hand, Poppy, who's recently had her heart broken, decides it's finally time to run away from her own life too. She wants to prove to her family that she can handle things on her own and doesn't always need them to clean up her messes. Her plan? Revamp the restaurant Jack has inherited from his mentor, prove to her family that she's capable of much more than just being a beauty influencer, and help Jack get his career back on track.

This was such an easy audiobook to get through, and the narrators made the experience even better. That being said, it just didn't hit all the right notes for me.

Our MMC, Jack, was a tough guy to like because he was constantly grumpy and irritable. Even the smallest things Poppy did seemed to annoy him, and he'd lash out at her, only to regret it and apologize later. While I understood where a lot of his resentment toward the world, his past, and even Poppy came from, it still felt like he had an unnecessarily short temper at times, and that just didn't sit right with me. What disappointed me even more was that, even after he and Poppy bonded over their ADHD and how overwhelming it can be to constantly have so many thoughts racing through your mind, he'd still lose his temper with her so easily.

But he wasn't all flaws either. He genuinely celebrated Poppy's accomplishments and always made her feel proud of how far she'd come. He even attempted to bake one of her favorite desserts after hearing her talk about a special memory attached to it, even though he isn't a baker. Like... isn't that the sweetest thing?!!🥹 I also loved watching him slowly soften as he fell for her. He became more open to listening to her opinions about the restaurant and even welcomed her ideas for the menu. (And trust me, convincing a chef who's fiercely protective of their kitchen to accept someone else's ideas is no easy feat. 😭) Unfortunately... he completely ruined a lot of that character growth by refusing to open up when it mattered most. This man listens to Poppy, comforts her, protects her, and does everything for her... yet he stays emotionally guarded until the very end. I just wish he'd opened up about his feelings and his trust issues much earlier. 😭😭

On the other hand, I absolutely adored Poppy and wouldn't hesitate to fight for her because she's the sweetest, bubbliest, and most lovable person🥹💖 She constantly feels like she's never enough, and because of her ADHD and the struggles she had with academics, she's always felt inferior to her sister. Even as a successful influencer, she believes people only admire her because of her wealthy family and her appearance, and that nobody truly sees her.

When she arrives in Florida to help Jack, she throws herself wholeheartedly into making the restaurant succeed. Even though Jack treats her terribly at first, she sticks with it, learns everything from working the front of the restaurant to helping in the kitchen, and even contributes ideas for the menu by suggesting different ingredient and sauce combinations. Watching her grow from an insecure rich girl into a woman who could practically run a restaurant from the ground up made me so incredibly proud of her.🥺💖

Another character I absolutely loved was Kiara, Jack's mentor's daughter. She welcomed Poppy with so much warmth and kindness, and despite everything that had happened between Jack and her father, she was willing to forgive him and give him a second chance. I really admired her for that.

Now... the other thing that didn't work for me, besides our MMC, was the spice. 😫 Tell me why every single time they got close after their first kiss... it immediately led to sex.😭 I completely understand that they're attracted to each other and couldn't keep their hands off one another, but almost every sweet moment in the kitchen or during their brainstorming sessions ended with them making out. And it wasn't just a page or two - it went on for pages.😭😭

Personally, I just wish some of those moments had remained soft, romantic moments instead of always ending in the bedroom. It often took away from the sweetness of Jack complimenting Poppy or doing thoughtful things for her because the scene almost always shifted into spice. This could totally just be a me thing, though, because I have a pretty low tolerance for spice in romance, so definitely take my opinion with a grain of salt. 🤭

Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced rom-com where two complete opposites work together to save a small-town restaurant, slowly fall in love, and share plenty of steamy moments along the way, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try.

✨Pre-read:
I asked you guys to pick my next read and this has been winning from the start and I need an audiobook for my commute, so let's see if this one's a good pick or not😉

[har · Rating 4 out of 5]

┆ ⤿ 🍳 ⌗ started: march 17, finished: march 19

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.”

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book but I didn’t. I understand the hype around it but I found it boring. I didn’t like Jack as much as I thought I would. I found him quite mean and in need of so much therapy. Poppy on the other hand was so preppy as times that it just pissed me off and she also needs therapy. At this point everyone in this book needs therapy.

I also don’t see the chemistry between them. It literally started with her moving with him to his boathouse because she saw a cockroach. Yes a cockroach, that mind you he killed. They had so so much tension with each other that just suddenly turned into lust. They really love fucking, like really love it. As soon as they start having sex he’s out here imaging getting her pregnant like what.

Imagine this, he’s won’t give answers, while she’s demands them. This is honestly such a rollercoaster between them. The third act break up if you want to call it that basically starts off with Poppy dad telling him to keep an eye on her and then she finds out, mind you at the grand opening of their restaurants and has a whole freak out. This then results in so so much miscommunication that I could not stand.

At this point I felt like a therapist for them. They really need to learn to comunicate better.



Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.




————————————————

𐙚⋆°. preread

Buddy reading with my bestie kat, I hope we both love this book.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔. 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅?” 𝑯𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒘.

i almost dnf this book pretty early on, but i will say that the second half was better than the first. i loved all the cooking and the moments where Jack opened up to Poppy about his upbringing. i just found Poppy to be a bit dense in certain scenarios, while Jack had this tendency to be so unnecessarily mean and too stoic.

i was never completely sold on their chemistry, they just didn’t strike me as two people who would realistically gravitate towards each other. i absolutely loved Kiara and Chester though, i feel like i cared about everything else besides the main couple. i kept getting put off by certain things Jack would say and the way Poppy’s personality prevented her from speaking up when she should. the restaurant restoration was fun, but ultimately, i wasn’t impressed by this book as a whole.

➙ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Harper Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own.

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Haneen · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰3.75 Stars✰
Chef cooked!!

This book was aaaahhhh. There are many aspects here that I liked. Poppy's character development being my favorite. Jack's development was good, too. I love how this book focused on their individual development, and not just the development of their relationship. I also liked how the relationship progressed. It was a tad quick, though considering the book's length. But the given developments were nice, so I didn't mind them being together to quick into the book. The writing and vivid descriptions of the food and flavors was so perfect. I freaking inhaled the book. The ending to me felt a tad bit rushed? They got over the point of conflict too quick and it was underwhelming. Also, a breeding kink? Really? Idk how I feel about it. 😂

(1/8/2026)

-

Pre-read 30/7:
You better cook, chef.

[bailey! · Rating 5 out of 5]

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! 🩷

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️‍🔥🔥 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.

[Kalena ୨୧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

⋆.˚✮ 1.75 stars ✮˚.⋆

⤿ Thank you to Avon for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

i am truly the saddest person alive that i did not like this book...it sounds SO delectable and cute but unfortunately it just did not hit the right marks for me 🤧 i'm especially sad because so many people have been loving this online and i wish i was able to jump on that bandwagon. while i did not like this overall, there is definitely praise that should be directed at the food pieces in this book. i'm not a chef, but i DO love cooking and baking so i was really excited to see how the cooking part of this book would play out. frequently Jack and Poppy make new dishes, try flavors together and describe these dishes in really interesting ways. i loved seeing this part, but unfortunately it was not able to carry the book for me.

my biggest issue with this book was Jack Hartman as a character. it's revealed through the book that he grew up in foster care, was in juvie and had a rough childhood until he landed with this restaurant owner and his daughter. he ended up growing up with them and then leaving when this owner said he wanted him to take over the restaurant, later regretting it as the owner died before he could say goodbye (as he never came back). i totally understand that all those experiences definitely have an impact on a person, and Jack had a really hard life he is definitely afforded a high level of grace and empathy. but those explain his actions, they don't excuse them. throughout almost the entire book he's just straight up mean to Poppy, he snaps at her like she's supposed to know everything about a kitchen when she is LEARNING. he doesn't apologize and also is just the most avoidant person ever. i get it, he needs to learn how to not do that, but he continually hurts others around him by doing this (knowing full well he is and not trying to change). i got annoyed with him pretty quickly, as i understood why he was the way he was but was unable to excuse his actions because he was just rude and hurtful to those around him.

Poppy herself was a fine main character, she was sweet and a bit ditzy at times, but she grew up kind of sheltered. what made her compelling was despite not knowing anything about cooking, she was super willing to learn and always try things herself- even if Jack was saying she couldn't do it. i did really enjoy this about her and i loved her positive attitude as well. she goes through some tough things in this book as well, but she chooses to be as kind as possible and i appreciated it. also, finding a stray cat and naming him Gator because she's in florida is hilarious. i approve.

i could see why the two of them could have a romantic connection, mostly built upon being polar opposites but i never felt there was really time for the tension to simmer. they went from fighting, to suddenly both thinking about what each other looks like under their clothes. it was about halfway through the book, but i needed more time in between for me to fully believe in their romance. not just jump from one extreme to the other.

this was unfortunately just not for me, i really wanted to love it and get attached to these characters but it was not meant to be. though if you enjoy food descriptions and a touch of romance, this would be a book to check out for you!

↬ trigger warnings: depictions of grief about abandonment, death of a parent, cancer and medical illness mentioned

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I like the rain here,”
“It doesn’t hold back.”
“Like you.”

-------
This came out on my birthday, have to try it :)

Very cute
ADHD rep

Didn't care for the breeding kink but that just me...

[Genni · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️ 5/5 Stars
The absolute perfect recipe for a grumpy-meets-sunshine romance!

This was my first time reading Grace Reilly, and I was hooked with Yes Chef! This is a beautiful story about finding home again and proving your self-worth, and it completely stole my heart. Jack and Poppy are wonderfully imperfect. Were their flaws annoying and aggravating at times? Yes! But they felt incredibly real, raw, and human. Jack is a brooding, tattooed, serious chef, and Poppy is a bright, colorful, chaotic influencer. Their sharp, witty, high-friction banter was absolute fire. Trapped together in a high-stress restaurant kitchen and living side-by-side on a houseboat? The tension was off the charts!

As a total foodie, the food elements were beautifully done. I was practically salivating over every single culinary description. The cozy, small-town coastal Florida vibe was a gorgeous escape from Jack’s high-stress NYC past. The lovable, tight-knit supporting cast of restaurant staff and locals added the perfect "found family" touch. I highly recommend to add to your TBR if you enjoy:

🍒Grumpy vs. Sunshine
🍉Enemies-to-Lovers
🍳Forced Proximity
🔪Workplace Romance
🌮He Falls First
🥩Neurodivergent Representation-ADHD
🍇Small-Town Vibe
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Found Family
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[joni ౨ৎ (ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was alright, RTC


𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
this has been on my radar for a hot minute and i got the arc a while ago! what perfect time to read than july!!! this book is out july 21 and screams hot summer read! i saw a bunch of mixed reviews but i have a good feeling about this!!! and tbh i just want a simple, easy to listen, and fun book! all of the posts ive seen on insta for this has me very excited and grace's teasers on insta!!!!



thank you avon for the e-ARC and libro fm for the ALC!!!

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY cute chef x influencer romance

He’s a chef at one of her fathers restaurants & she’s an influencer trying to make a name for herself to impress her family

It’s been forever since I read a chef romance (does Butcher & Blackbird count??) & I was so excited to dive into this

Fun & light in a summery setting in Florida. Makes me want to book a warm vacation where I can eat seafood for a week straight

things to know:
- dual pov
- grumpy chef x sunshine influencer
- he teaches her to cook
- close proximity

4.5 ⭐️