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Rival Appetites: a spicy instalove enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance
I don't have time for pretentious restaurant owners who think food trucks are beneath them. So when Anthony Romano storms over to tell me my "cafeteria slop" is ruining his precious culinary reputation, I tell him exactly where he can shove his overpriced pasta.
When my best friend bullies me into trying a new dating app, I match with a chef who shares my passion and isn't afraid of a little heat in the kitchen. The kind of heat that has nothing to do with cooking. When he asks if I can handle what a real chef would give me, I dare him to prove it.
Except the sexy, dominant voice on the other end of those messages? It's not who I think.
It's Anthony. My enemy. The man I've been publicly humiliating while privately confessing my deepest fantasies to.
And now that he knows exactly what I want, he's determined to give it to me.
A steamy standalone romance about mistaken identities, rivals-to-lovers, and learning that sometimes the person who pushes all your buttons is the only one who can satisfy your deepest hunger.
When my best friend bullies me into trying a new dating app, I match with a chef who shares my passion and isn't afraid of a little heat in the kitchen. The kind of heat that has nothing to do with cooking. When he asks if I can handle what a real chef would give me, I dare him to prove it.
Except the sexy, dominant voice on the other end of those messages? It's not who I think.
It's Anthony. My enemy. The man I've been publicly humiliating while privately confessing my deepest fantasies to.
And now that he knows exactly what I want, he's determined to give it to me.
A steamy standalone romance about mistaken identities, rivals-to-lovers, and learning that sometimes the person who pushes all your buttons is the only one who can satisfy your deepest hunger.
Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 13, 2026
Foodies
I enjoyed their back and forth. The attraction was apparent from first meeting. The white board interaction was great and creative. Time to read the bonus chapter.
I enjoyed their back and forth. The attraction was apparent from first meeting. The white board interaction was great and creative. Time to read the bonus chapter.
February 5, 2026
He Was the Competition… Now He’s the Craving
ARC Review: This book doesn’t just simmer — it straight-up sizzles. Rival Appetites serves enemies-to-lovers intensity infused with sharp banter and raw emotion, blending playful chaos with genuine vulnerability into one dangerously addictive romance. It appears light and flirtatious on the surface, but underneath? Pure slow-burn tension ready to boil over. 😈🔥
Sage is out here hustling her food truck like her life depends on it — because it kind of does. She’s proud, talented, and sick of being underestimated in a culinary world that worships polish over passion. Enter Anthony Romano: fine-dining royalty, reputation on lock, ego sharp enough to julienne vegetables and feelings alike. He’s controlled, calculated, and very used to winning. Put them in the same culinary scene and it’s war — plated with sarcasm, garnished with insults, and served hot.
What makes this story deliciously messy is the secret layer underneath. While they spar in public, they secretly connect through a mistaken-identity twist that allows them to share desires and feelings they’d never admit face-to-face. That pesky ‘I can’t stand you… So why do I want you?” Spiral hits hard, fueled by chemistry driven by dominance, defiance, and shifting power dynamics that never feel one-sided. 🌶️
Anthony sees through Sage’s fiery exterior to the vulnerability she keeps hidden, the way she boxes up emotions to stay in control. And when he realizes how desperately she yearns to let go with someone she trusts? Game over. Meanwhile, Sage is scared of what she feels, refusing to face the truth right in front of her — because falling for him could wreck both her heart and everything she’s built.
The stakes go beyond emotion — they’re professional as well. Their rivalry plays out amidst a buzzing food scene full of watchful customers, gossip, and pride on the line. From cramped food truck to sleek restaurant kitchens, the setting mirrors their personalities — raw versus refined — and the heat between them is constant, whether on or off the stove. 🍽️🔥
And can we talk side characters? Lex is an icon. The whole vibe! 💅🏽 Front-row seat, popcorn energy, living for the drama like it’s premium reality TV. The daily lunch special showdowns are packed with double meanings and unspoken feelings, turning menu boards into emotional battlefields. Even Anthony starts telling his story through food, using the one language both he and Sage truly understand. It’s intimate, vulnerable, and surprisingly tender in a story that otherwise runs on sass and spice.
Told in dual POV, you get front-row access to every misunderstanding, every bruised ego, every forbidden attraction crackles with energy. The big question — can they choose love over pride when the truth explodes? — keeps the tension tight all the way to a satisfying happily-ever-after. Yes, you get the payoff. Yes, it’s worth the emotional chaos. Yes, you will be grinning like you got away with something. 😏
It’s flirty, filthy-minded, and emotionally messy in the best way, balancing laugh-out-loud banter with that tight, aching pull of two people who absolutely should not want each other… and absolutely do.
Spice level? 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.
Romance level? Obsessive.
Rivalry level? Petty, passionate, and fiercely hot.
Stevie Sinclair has done it again. This series keeps getting better, and I’m already craving the next book. Rival Appetites proves that the person who pushes every button might just be the one who knows exactly how to satisfy your deepest cravings… and once you’ve tasted it, there’s no turning back. Consider this your warning: don’t read this hungry — in any sense of the word. 😉
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
ARC Review: This book doesn’t just simmer — it straight-up sizzles. Rival Appetites serves enemies-to-lovers intensity infused with sharp banter and raw emotion, blending playful chaos with genuine vulnerability into one dangerously addictive romance. It appears light and flirtatious on the surface, but underneath? Pure slow-burn tension ready to boil over. 😈🔥
Sage is out here hustling her food truck like her life depends on it — because it kind of does. She’s proud, talented, and sick of being underestimated in a culinary world that worships polish over passion. Enter Anthony Romano: fine-dining royalty, reputation on lock, ego sharp enough to julienne vegetables and feelings alike. He’s controlled, calculated, and very used to winning. Put them in the same culinary scene and it’s war — plated with sarcasm, garnished with insults, and served hot.
What makes this story deliciously messy is the secret layer underneath. While they spar in public, they secretly connect through a mistaken-identity twist that allows them to share desires and feelings they’d never admit face-to-face. That pesky ‘I can’t stand you… So why do I want you?” Spiral hits hard, fueled by chemistry driven by dominance, defiance, and shifting power dynamics that never feel one-sided. 🌶️
Anthony sees through Sage’s fiery exterior to the vulnerability she keeps hidden, the way she boxes up emotions to stay in control. And when he realizes how desperately she yearns to let go with someone she trusts? Game over. Meanwhile, Sage is scared of what she feels, refusing to face the truth right in front of her — because falling for him could wreck both her heart and everything she’s built.
The stakes go beyond emotion — they’re professional as well. Their rivalry plays out amidst a buzzing food scene full of watchful customers, gossip, and pride on the line. From cramped food truck to sleek restaurant kitchens, the setting mirrors their personalities — raw versus refined — and the heat between them is constant, whether on or off the stove. 🍽️🔥
And can we talk side characters? Lex is an icon. The whole vibe! 💅🏽 Front-row seat, popcorn energy, living for the drama like it’s premium reality TV. The daily lunch special showdowns are packed with double meanings and unspoken feelings, turning menu boards into emotional battlefields. Even Anthony starts telling his story through food, using the one language both he and Sage truly understand. It’s intimate, vulnerable, and surprisingly tender in a story that otherwise runs on sass and spice.
Told in dual POV, you get front-row access to every misunderstanding, every bruised ego, every forbidden attraction crackles with energy. The big question — can they choose love over pride when the truth explodes? — keeps the tension tight all the way to a satisfying happily-ever-after. Yes, you get the payoff. Yes, it’s worth the emotional chaos. Yes, you will be grinning like you got away with something. 😏
It’s flirty, filthy-minded, and emotionally messy in the best way, balancing laugh-out-loud banter with that tight, aching pull of two people who absolutely should not want each other… and absolutely do.
Spice level? 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.
Romance level? Obsessive.
Rivalry level? Petty, passionate, and fiercely hot.
Stevie Sinclair has done it again. This series keeps getting better, and I’m already craving the next book. Rival Appetites proves that the person who pushes every button might just be the one who knows exactly how to satisfy your deepest cravings… and once you’ve tasted it, there’s no turning back. Consider this your warning: don’t read this hungry — in any sense of the word. 😉
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 14, 2026
★“Because I’m not willing to sacrifice my career for a fling.”★
Review Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars - This was a fun novella, starring a chef rivalry between Anthony of Romano’s, a third-generation restaurant and Sage, owner of her food truck Sage & Smoke. A misunderstanding on TruMatch creates an opportunity for them to meet, but when the chemistry draws them together, will what they have be put on the back burner forever, or will they be feasting on what they create off the menu? CORNY, I know. Sweet, funny with their billboard antics, and steamy when paired!
Review Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars - This was a fun novella, starring a chef rivalry between Anthony of Romano’s, a third-generation restaurant and Sage, owner of her food truck Sage & Smoke. A misunderstanding on TruMatch creates an opportunity for them to meet, but when the chemistry draws them together, will what they have be put on the back burner forever, or will they be feasting on what they create off the menu? CORNY, I know. Sweet, funny with their billboard antics, and steamy when paired!
February 9, 2026
this was a very unique take on a steamy romance. I liked that this was outside of the box. I enjoyed reading something that wasn't the same ole same ole. but the characters were awesome. I loved the outside catty banter, and the inside longing. this was a really good read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews