Yes, Chef

by Grace Reilly

PRE-ORDER the first spicy, standalone novel from the USA Today bestselling author of the Beyond the Play series! Perfect for fans of The Bear and Tessa Bailey!***

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

Your favourite romance authors LOVE Grace for readers looking for a red hot read' B.K. Borison

'Charm, humor, and sizzling tension. Reilly writes the perfect blend of swoon and spice' Bal Khabra

'A sweet and spicy read that brings all the swoon' Lana Ferguson

'Opposites truly do attract in this true-to-form romantic comedy!' Peyton Corinne

'Sparkling banter, delicious tension, and page-melting dirty talk' Stephanie Archer

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Fiction, Adult

374 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication 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

[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 ☺️

[ivy]

˒˒🍰 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

[evi]

Pre read
Ii got the arc and im bored 😦

[maria (will I fully comeback?) · 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 😋

[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

[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᭡ (semi-hiatus)]

₊˚ ౿ 🍳 pre-read !!
This cover is super cute and just like my last read, a lot of my mutuals enjoyed this!! Apparently this books has the FWB trope, which I’m not a fan of, but I still have high hopes for the rest of this book’s storyline

⸝⸝ release date : july 21 ; 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this arc in an exchange for an honest review

[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.

[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.

[Hannah 🌺 (very busy - grad school)]

🩷 🧑‍🍳Pre-read 🧑‍🍳🩷

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

[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.”

[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.

[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.

[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 ⭐️

[Berry ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.)

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 ⋆ ೀ ⋆

[Sam Sellner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Thank you to Avon and Harper and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was a fun, charming contemporary romance that felt like the perfect summer read. I was hooked from the start, between the sunny setting, delicious food, and the opposites attract dynamic between a social media influencer and grumpy chef.

Jack and Poppy had great banter and undeniable chemistry throughout the story. My favorite aspect was Poppy's character growth. She starts out stuck in her sister’s shadow and trying to fit the mold her family expects of her. Over the course of the book she becomes more confident in herself and what she truly wants out of life. Seeing her become self assured and independent was the highlight of the book.

There were a few things that kept this from being a higher rating for me. Jack's emotional reactions were frustrating, and he occasionally came across as immature the way he dealt with his conflicts. That being said, it did contribute to his character development. There were also a handful of moments where the writing felt a bit awkward, but they were easy to overlook.

There is a third-act breakup (a trope I usually dread), but I thought it was handled well and it played an important role in both characters growth.

This isn't my first book by Grace Reilly, and it's been exciting to see her grow as a writer. I'm looking forward to picking up more of her work in the future!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly

Book Blurb: 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.

Rating: *****
Feels: Engaged, Amused, Cheering, Happy
Style: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity
First published July 21, 2026: 384 pages

Themes & Setting: Chef and Influencer thrown together trying to make their dreams happen. It literally is the best !!
FMC: I adored Poppy. She is effervescently engaged in living her best life on her terms. Willing to give every task her all and trying to find what she wants to do to be her best self.
MMC: Adorable grumpy chef who slowly realizes what a great thing he has. I just love the grumpy x sunshine dynamic and Jack fit the bill perfectly !!!
Conclusion: Sweet, Spicy and makes you want to come back for more. Not even talking about all the amazing food discussed in this book. I knew this book had hype going in and it’s so deserved. So many moments that just make you pause and think. Moments that made me so proud of Poppy and Jack in the sense that the author did such an amazing job bringing them to life and getting me so invested I was tearing up by the end. I loved the ADHD rep in this book and how well it’s done throughout. The story between Jack and Poppy just hits all the right notes and fully has you rooting for them in life and romance. The spice was amazing !!! The love story phenomenal. The plot was endearing. Highly recommend!!

Favorite Quote: "You don't want to go fishing for company with the guys in this town. None of them would be able to handle you."

This book has:
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Grumpy x Sunshine
Mental Health Rep (ADHD)
Found Family
Only One Bed

[yoanna lea. (updating reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What to Expect:
Forced Proximity
Chef x Influencer
Grumpy x Sunshine
Boss's Daughter

Poppy and Jack are fire together. Like, out of the pan, into the fire combustion and I could not get enough. When Jack and Poppy find themselves in need of a fresh start out of New York, they find themselves unlikely business partners creating a new restaurant in Florida. But for Jack to work with Poppy, she must learn how to cook.

The dynamic between Jack and Poppy was delicious. I love how they banter and push each other throughout the book. While they might have hated each other at the start, their feelings towards each other become complicated quickly. Jack and his protective nature was an instant favorite and I loved how his nickname for her turned into an endearment as they spent more time together.

Poppy and her open nature was my favorite character throughout the book. The way she was willing to dive into something new with all her energy and be willing to learn was fantastic. I loved seeing her growth and how she helped influence Jack to grow as well. The side characters were also fantastic. I especially loved Gator the cat and how much he brought to the couple.

This will definitely not be the last Grace Reilly book I will read. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Grace and Avon for the early copy of Yes Chef!

[bookandachai · Rating 4 out of 5]

It Happened One Summer meets the Bear.

I DEVOURED THIS BOOK.

[Megan Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 ✨

[ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 😉

[Kristina Pauls (ARC Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

PUBLISH DATE: July 21, 2026

Romance I a new genre for me, and this specific book was not for me. The foul language started immediately before I was even invested in the storyline and the spice was way too spicy for me.

I’m rating this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ only to be fair, as that was the average Goodreads rating at the time of my review. This simply wasn’t the right book for me, and that’s a matter of personal preference, not a reflection of the author’s or publisher’s work. This is. DNF for me.


PUBLISH DATE: July 21, 2026
BOOK TITLE: Yes, Chef
AUTHOR: Grace Reilly
NARRATOR: Samantha Summers; Troy Duran
PUBLISHER: Harper Audio Adult
FORMAT: audiobook
DURATION:
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Readaholic Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 I could see the third act break up coming and felt like it wasn't completely necessary . Overall, I really enjoyed Yes, Chef.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

[charisse ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!!

[cyd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. I may be in the minority but I hates this so much. The concept of this could’ve been so good but this was executed so horribly. The MMC was SO MEAN for no reason and he never redeemed himself for me. The FMC was also kind of annoying but nothing she did made it okay for the MMC to bully her for a majority of the book. They also had zero chemistry like none they just started kissing out of nowhere no build up no tension nothing. I don’t even have more to write because I was just so irritated and bored the entire time.