His Missing Ingredient

by Jessa Kane

Chef Draven is known as a tyrant in the kitchen, but when the new dishwasher arrives, he finds himself spellbound by Claire's beauty. She's young, brave, in need of a guardian...and obviously running from something. At first touch, he's vowing to protect her from all harm and proclaiming himself as her man. She's his now. But there's something different about his girl. Her very presence, and a unique spice all her own, cause his cooking to improve to the point of inciting riots outside the restaurant. Could she be the missing ingredient he's been looking for all his life?

Genres: Novella, Contemporary Romance, Smut

98 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 18, 2026

About the author

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Romance Author aka Your New Favorite Peddler of Naughtiness.

Reviews

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now sir, that’s just a HEALTH CODE VIOLATION! This one just takes it too far even for me 👀

Chef Draven discovers his new dishwasher girlie has MAGICAL juices…and decides to mix it into a new sauce for his restaurant! Good lord, please no. Just no. 😩😩

The novella was classic JK smut: clueless fmc, huge grumpy mmc, insta love. However, I just couldn’t get passed them mixing her FLUIDS into the sauce for public consumption *screaming into the void* And the SAUCE MADE THEM ALL HORNY?! lol that was low-key hilarious but also what the hellie

workplace romance
possessive mmc
age gap 32m 18f
virgin fmc
chocking
daddy/lg kink
public sex
insta love
health code violations
HEA

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this the most ridiculous Jessa Kane? Of course not, she's got a time travelling tree story but this one is certainly up there. At least with a couple of health code violations but fuck me is it HOT. Carousel bang will always have my heart.

[girlwithhearteyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

Errrrrmmmm, too many food safety violations for me to properly enjoy this one. I did feel strongly while reading though, and I feel like Jessa Kane wrote this one for the reactions. 🤣

[Yesenia Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

unhinged queen

what a insane, wild ride that was. couldn’t have predicted the next sentence. made no sense and is ABSOLUTELY a health code violation. 5 stars 😂

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

“His secret ingredient” is the story of Claire and Draven.

This somewhat magical, health code violation filled smutty novella is a romance between a runaway girl and a chef who gets obsessed with her and her.. fluids.

Silly but enjoyed it

Safe
3/5

[Lolina ⋆]

This was quite literally a health inspector's worst nightmare 😭😭. Cheers to...secret sauces....I guess...

[Amy Bergesen]

Jessa strikes again! All the usuals: novella length, age gap, insta-love, virginity, tiny FMC and huge MMC, and… a hint of magic.

Head chef Draven meets his new dishwasher, Claire, on her first day working in his restaurant. Her body is his inspiration and more.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
HEA

[Emm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody say ANYTHING to the health department.

[Kellyythoralabatalla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quedé tiesa con toda esa vaina de ella siendo el toque secreto para la comida 🫠 y me hizo pensar en que uno va a un restaurante y no sabe que le pueden echar a la comida.

Pero no me sorprende porque Jessa Kane, solo me reí y ya.

[Daisy Winter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uh. No thanks. The villain was too creepy. Too much violence against women - kidnapping and murder. And the bodily fluids in restaurant food? Hard pass.

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading the title and the blurb, you'd think Aw, it's a pun...He's a chef and she's what's missing from his life, cute! .
But I forget its Jessa Kane. And she's unhinged.
The FMC is quite literally the "missing ingredient" he needs to put in his food.
Stirring with a spoon she licked is one thing. But he takes it further and puts her juices in food that gets served to the public.
Can you say HEALTH CODE VIOLATION!

[Megan Jabbar · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s just too weird for me

I dnf’d this at 60%.. normally I’m a lover of anything by Jessa Kane but this one is just odd. When they walk into the restaurant and start talking about orgys I put it down. Sorry. Just not for me!

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would’ve enjoyed it if not for the whole sauce thing. It kept taking me out of the story.

[Matt Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 🏆🥇 winner

For every reason you read Jessa Kane's books you need to continue with this one. It almost shocks me how much story she crams into such short, great reads. Great every time. She manages to blend sweet and sexy unlike just about any author I've read. And I've read 10,000 books in the past 25 years.

[aki · Rating 4 out of 5]

People are hating but this is very Jessa Kane coded, always has and always been 😂

[Rachel Hager · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was nasty.

[B.L. Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Surprise Ingredient

Kane never fails to surprise me with her storylines! They always are unique in a way you wouldn’t think works, but oh boy does it.

[Tatiana Sayodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐ 🌶️🔥
Draven is the definition of a grumpy, controlling chef barely holding his life together. Crushed by guilt, stuck in a creative rut, and drowning in the pressure of running a restaurant with his brother, he’s lost the spark that once made his cooking unforgettable…
Until Claire walks into his kitchen.
The new dishwasher is chaos wrapped in temptation, and for Draven it’s instant obsession at first sight. She doesn’t just ignite his desire — she becomes the missing ingredient in both his recipes and his life. 🔥
And when the words: “Do you want to be my daddy?” 😏 enter the conversation… things get dangerously spicy.
This novella was short, addictive, flirty, and packed with sizzling chemistry, playful tension, and enough heat to leave the kitchen on fire. If you love grumpy chef energy, spicy banter, and deliciously messy attraction, this one is definitely worth the read. 🤭🌶️😋

[Noel Kjosness · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jessa Kane books, but this one....

I have read every JK book and always look forward to the next one. This book is something quite different. The H and h are almost too OTT reacting to each other. What they do in a restaurant kitchen is both disgusting and just plain wrong. I finished the book, but I know that I will never read it again.... Which is a first for me with a JK book.

[Jada G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Jessa Kane but…

I typically love absolutely everything that Jessa Kane puts out. But this one was a miss for me. I’m very well versed in the world of insta-love but this one took me out of the fantasy. It was extremely fast, and then the “sauce” was a weird addition to have, the brother drama. It felt rushed and all over the place for me. Just not my favorite.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHAT did I just READ?? Setting aside the health code of it all, our heroine discovers that she possesses magical...fluids...that make foods into irresistible aphrodisiacs. And when her new chef boyfriend makes a sauce with her as the secret ingredient, the entire town loses its mind and she's in danger. But also, how is this not a serious health code violation??

[Shannai · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

Listen, I love me a Jessa novella as much as the next person, but i just couldn’t with the food tampering, what do you mean her bodily fluids is what was the missing ingredient in the sauce, and did everyone become horny because of it??

I’m all for one to suspend their beliefs, I am, but I thought I was bugging when I read that 😭

[Dani A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well then…

Not what I expected but I’m also not mad about it…I think. I like Jessa’s writing over all because she writes short stories but they always seem to have a beginning, middle, and end. This one had that however it did feel a little rushed towards the end. It was unique though. I will extra points for creativity.

[Lezel Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food For Thought

This story was definitely a twist of adventure. How many times I thought my man was the secret ingredient in my life makes me smile. This story was definitely a thought provoker in my circle with lots of different avenues of discussions. Very fun too! Age gap romance with a sweet HEA meant to make you sigh with longing. Yes, more please!

[1kittycow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird but Fun

So this story has a magical element. A steamy over the top element. A super hot, panty melting element! Have an open mind when reading this one. When JK writes she adds just enough of everything, background, character development, steam and romance. The perfect combination. Happy Reading❤

[Megan ~The Never Ending Book Basket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this book crazy and over the top? Yes. Did I love every second of it? Also yes. This was another super spicy & consuming read by Jessa Kane and I was here for every second of it! I can’t wait for more from her!

[SKY Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an insta love novella about Claire who works in a restaurant that belongs to Draven who the head chief , and where they both do things like breeding kink and daddy kink. So the book is very spicy 🌶️

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet

I’m a huge fan anyway the husky books, the one with the cooks I mean all your books are amazing and this was just another amazing book. I loved the Insta love. I love how I don’t have to worry about a happy ever after. Keep up the good work.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daddy kink - absolutely!
Age gap - yes please!
Boss/employee - yup!
Questionable workplace activities - sure!
Choking - here for it!

Special seasoning - perhaps a step too far LOLZ

This book is so unserious, pure Jessa Kane.

[Sampson DeMarks · Rating 2 out of 5]

More perverted than usual and highly stupid, 2 stars because it's Jessa and the instalove is always great.