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Under The Knife
Season three of TV's hottest cooking competition, Under the Knife, is gearing up, and Nate is equal parts excited and terrified that he's one of the twelve competitors. But the prize is a quarter of a million dollars, and that's worth a few weeks of being stressed and afraid.
It may not, however, be worth weeks of putting up with Zachary, the cold, snotty competitor who definitely thinks he's better than everyone else. The man can cook, and he's the hottest man Nate has ever seen, but every time he opens his mouth Nate hates him all over again.
He came here to be driven crazy trying to prove he's the best chef in the world, but if Nate can't learn to block Zachary out it won't be the competition that pushes him to the breaking point.
It may not, however, be worth weeks of putting up with Zachary, the cold, snotty competitor who definitely thinks he's better than everyone else. The man can cook, and he's the hottest man Nate has ever seen, but every time he opens his mouth Nate hates him all over again.
He came here to be driven crazy trying to prove he's the best chef in the world, but if Nate can't learn to block Zachary out it won't be the competition that pushes him to the breaking point.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2013
7 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Laurin Kelly
5 books21 followersAuthor Laurin Kelly Laurin Kelly is somewhat of a late bloomer - she began writing fanfiction in her early 40's in 2010 and transitioned over to original fiction in 2013.
Between 2016 and 2019, Laurin published three books and a short story through Less Than Three Press. Her debut novel, Under the Knife, won second place for Best Gay Debut Book, and was a runner up for Best Gay Contemporary Romance and Best Gay Book in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. LT3 unfortunately went out of business in 2019, and in 2020 Laurin made the decision to self-publish her backlist and any future works.
In her non-writing life, Laurin has been married for over 20 years and is the mother of a college-aged daughter. Her family is her number one cheering squad and source of unending support and love. Laurin has worked day jobs in advertising, IT, accounting and logistics, as well as having a side career for over 10 years as a professional Belly Dance teacher and instructor.
Between 2016 and 2019, Laurin published three books and a short story through Less Than Three Press. Her debut novel, Under the Knife, won second place for Best Gay Debut Book, and was a runner up for Best Gay Contemporary Romance and Best Gay Book in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. LT3 unfortunately went out of business in 2019, and in 2020 Laurin made the decision to self-publish her backlist and any future works.
In her non-writing life, Laurin has been married for over 20 years and is the mother of a college-aged daughter. Her family is her number one cheering squad and source of unending support and love. Laurin has worked day jobs in advertising, IT, accounting and logistics, as well as having a side career for over 10 years as a professional Belly Dance teacher and instructor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 19, 2016
Caveat 1: Do not read this book if you're on a diet. You will fall, and you will fall hard.
Caveat 2: Do not read if you're not a foodie. This one's all about the food porn!
Caveat 3: Do not read if you don't enjoy cooking competition shows.
Under the Knife is based not so loosely on Top Chef, the only television show I've watched in recent years. Because DRAMA. And FOOD! And PADMA. (I have the biggest crush on Padma, you guys. She's just ... wow; she's WOW.)
I really loved the cooking and food descriptions in this book, but the cooking competition takes approximately 80 percent of page time. That really worked for me, but it won't work for everyone.
This is a slow burn story, and I do mean SLOW. Nate and Zachary barely touch until the 70 percent mark. This is realistic because the cameras are on them at all times. They can barely pee without interference.
But it's also hella frustrating, because, holy meatballs, but are these two the ultimate enemies to friends to lovers couple. Talk about hidden passion! SIZZLE, baby.
Don't expect oodles & oodles of steam. The two on-page sex scenes are smoldering, but I wanted just a bit more. It's kind of like eating a sundae without the whipping cream. Or cherry.
I adored both MCs, especially Nate, who is good-natured, patient, and sweet. Zachary is an ice queen initially, but he changes and matures as the story progresses. He becomes more compassionate and sees beyond winning to the ultimate goal: LOVE.
I wanted to know more about Zachary's family situation, and I desperately (and I mean DESPERATELY) wanted his POV. I think the story would have been even better had we been able to get Zachary's perspective.
The secondary characters (judges and other contestants) are really well sketched. I especially loved bubbly, kickass Carmen, who becomes a good friend to both Nate and Zachary.
Caveat 4: Not-so-awesome editing. My ARC had many, MANY typos: missing words, repeated phrases or sentences, and the wrong name used for an MC. These errors pulled me out of the story more than once, which is totally not cool. Granted, I read a preview copy and can only hope the book is re-edited prior to publication.
Despite my last caveat, I had a lot of fun with this story. It's a quick read with a saucy, sparkly epilogue that will make you smile.
I'm giving this one 4 stars. There is something comforting about these boys and their HEA.
Under the Knife is an (almost) angst-free, feel-good book with a delicious (buttery, sugary, lickable) HEA! Check it out.
Caveat 2: Do not read if you're not a foodie. This one's all about the food porn!
Caveat 3: Do not read if you don't enjoy cooking competition shows.
Under the Knife is based not so loosely on Top Chef, the only television show I've watched in recent years. Because DRAMA. And FOOD! And PADMA. (I have the biggest crush on Padma, you guys. She's just ... wow; she's WOW.)
I really loved the cooking and food descriptions in this book, but the cooking competition takes approximately 80 percent of page time. That really worked for me, but it won't work for everyone.
This is a slow burn story, and I do mean SLOW. Nate and Zachary barely touch until the 70 percent mark. This is realistic because the cameras are on them at all times. They can barely pee without interference.
But it's also hella frustrating, because, holy meatballs, but are these two the ultimate enemies to friends to lovers couple. Talk about hidden passion! SIZZLE, baby.
Don't expect oodles & oodles of steam. The two on-page sex scenes are smoldering, but I wanted just a bit more. It's kind of like eating a sundae without the whipping cream. Or cherry.
I adored both MCs, especially Nate, who is good-natured, patient, and sweet. Zachary is an ice queen initially, but he changes and matures as the story progresses. He becomes more compassionate and sees beyond winning to the ultimate goal: LOVE.
I wanted to know more about Zachary's family situation, and I desperately (and I mean DESPERATELY) wanted his POV. I think the story would have been even better had we been able to get Zachary's perspective.
The secondary characters (judges and other contestants) are really well sketched. I especially loved bubbly, kickass Carmen, who becomes a good friend to both Nate and Zachary.
Caveat 4: Not-so-awesome editing. My ARC had many, MANY typos: missing words, repeated phrases or sentences, and the wrong name used for an MC. These errors pulled me out of the story more than once, which is totally not cool. Granted, I read a preview copy and can only hope the book is re-edited prior to publication.
Despite my last caveat, I had a lot of fun with this story. It's a quick read with a saucy, sparkly epilogue that will make you smile.
I'm giving this one 4 stars. There is something comforting about these boys and their HEA.
Under the Knife is an (almost) angst-free, feel-good book with a delicious (buttery, sugary, lickable) HEA! Check it out.
July 31, 2016
If you're a fan of competitive cooking shows like I am this is a book for you. My all time favorite was the old school Iron Chef, the Japanese version with the bizarrely serene voice over commentary that was set up like a fucking cage match. Where did that show go? The American version was a solid follow up and then that disappeared too! So now we have Chopped. It's hard not love a show where the chefs get basket ingredients like duck mousse, half eaten birthday cake, rooibos tea and a box of tic tacs and are told they have 20 mins to make a restaurant quality dessert.
My face when they list the basket ingredients.
But the ones that are ongoing like choosing the next Iron Chef are the ones I invest in. I, like a lot of other people, always have a favorite. There may be a few that I like but I usually root for one and that one in this fictionalized show was Nate. I LOVED NATE!
Nate is a burly Jewish guy from a single parent home who never met a stranger and everyone loves him. Because he's that guy. He's kind, always has something positive to say and has that gravitational pull thing. People want to be around him because he puts people at ease. He's a mediator and your best friend and your big brother. And he can cook like nobody's business.
Almost immediately he and Carmen are best buds and from the moment she met him and started calling him osito...I knew. I knew they would form an alliance and this wouldn't be all undercutting and backstabbing which I hate. There is a bad apple because there's always a bad apple, but by and large everyone gets along.
Nate is instantly attracted to Zachary physically, but Zachary is aloof. He's extremely focused, kind of taciturn, keeps people at arms length and on the icy side. Zachary's cooking style is classic French and he's been trained at the CIA whereas Nate went to community college and has done pretty much every job there is to do in a restaurant and he favors hearty foods. They squabble quite a bit but their mutual attraction is clear even though the story is told exclusively through Nate. The scene where Nate comes back from a run on the beach shirtless and sweaty it's imminently clear that Zachary wants to climb him like a tree. And when Zachary came to join Nate and Carmen in the hot tub in his teeny tiny swim trunks with the flames on them... something was on fire alright and it was not the BBQ grill.
The cameras being ever present made for great UST and a slow burn. Lots of touching, furtive hand holding and fondling with longing looks and a whole bunch of teasing by their fellow competitors. They are in so much denial about how obvious they are and it's adorable. Really, it was a joy to read. Once they do get a break it was well worth the wait and hilarious. Zachary has a dirty dirty mouth and is ready for Nate's cock in the worst way. Needless to say they are both...
They can't get their clothes off fast enough. And afterwards... big teddy bear went directly to sleep. He did not pass go nor did he collect $200. I'm not sure he even got the condom off before he conked out.
Teddy bear worked HARD!
Zachary was a hard sell for me, but Kelly showed his transformation. By the end, I was rooting for them and that speech he gave had my face leaking.
I'm not sure how true this is as far as competitive cooking shows go but I had no idea they had to sit around for hours on end waiting for the judges to deliberate or that they had to be sequestered once eliminated. But when they were cooking it was so fun. It gets my juices flowing trying to figure out challenges and what to do with ingredients and Kelly did a great job balancing the cooking with the relationship development. I also really loved that the hunger in America issue was included.
Under the Knife captivated me and I barely put it down, but I do hope it got a final edit before it was released because there were a lot of errors. An entire line of dialogue was repeated, the recipe for simple syrup only contained water, sometimes the names and words were used incorrectly and sometimes it seemed like it switched to Zachary's perspective mid-paragraph. I had to reread several things more than once.
Recommend to foodies, cooking show enthusiasts, fans of the slow burn and feel good reads.
An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My face when they list the basket ingredients.
But the ones that are ongoing like choosing the next Iron Chef are the ones I invest in. I, like a lot of other people, always have a favorite. There may be a few that I like but I usually root for one and that one in this fictionalized show was Nate. I LOVED NATE!
Nate is a burly Jewish guy from a single parent home who never met a stranger and everyone loves him. Because he's that guy. He's kind, always has something positive to say and has that gravitational pull thing. People want to be around him because he puts people at ease. He's a mediator and your best friend and your big brother. And he can cook like nobody's business.
Almost immediately he and Carmen are best buds and from the moment she met him and started calling him osito...I knew. I knew they would form an alliance and this wouldn't be all undercutting and backstabbing which I hate. There is a bad apple because there's always a bad apple, but by and large everyone gets along.
Nate is instantly attracted to Zachary physically, but Zachary is aloof. He's extremely focused, kind of taciturn, keeps people at arms length and on the icy side. Zachary's cooking style is classic French and he's been trained at the CIA whereas Nate went to community college and has done pretty much every job there is to do in a restaurant and he favors hearty foods. They squabble quite a bit but their mutual attraction is clear even though the story is told exclusively through Nate. The scene where Nate comes back from a run on the beach shirtless and sweaty it's imminently clear that Zachary wants to climb him like a tree. And when Zachary came to join Nate and Carmen in the hot tub in his teeny tiny swim trunks with the flames on them... something was on fire alright and it was not the BBQ grill.
The cameras being ever present made for great UST and a slow burn. Lots of touching, furtive hand holding and fondling with longing looks and a whole bunch of teasing by their fellow competitors. They are in so much denial about how obvious they are and it's adorable. Really, it was a joy to read. Once they do get a break it was well worth the wait and hilarious. Zachary has a dirty dirty mouth and is ready for Nate's cock in the worst way. Needless to say they are both...
They can't get their clothes off fast enough. And afterwards... big teddy bear went directly to sleep. He did not pass go nor did he collect $200. I'm not sure he even got the condom off before he conked out.
Teddy bear worked HARD!
Zachary was a hard sell for me, but Kelly showed his transformation. By the end, I was rooting for them and that speech he gave had my face leaking.
I'm not sure how true this is as far as competitive cooking shows go but I had no idea they had to sit around for hours on end waiting for the judges to deliberate or that they had to be sequestered once eliminated. But when they were cooking it was so fun. It gets my juices flowing trying to figure out challenges and what to do with ingredients and Kelly did a great job balancing the cooking with the relationship development. I also really loved that the hunger in America issue was included.
Under the Knife captivated me and I barely put it down, but I do hope it got a final edit before it was released because there were a lot of errors. An entire line of dialogue was repeated, the recipe for simple syrup only contained water, sometimes the names and words were used incorrectly and sometimes it seemed like it switched to Zachary's perspective mid-paragraph. I had to reread several things more than once.
Recommend to foodies, cooking show enthusiasts, fans of the slow burn and feel good reads.
An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2014
Food porn and my latest buddy WIP read led me down this merry path.
Seriously, I thought it was going to be maybe 30-40K words, Bloody Hell! More than 142K words later and one day swept under the rug later, I'm done. Fun takeoff of "reality tv" cooking competition shows with a slow burn romance. Cute, fun and down right carnal once they finally get to debauching each other. I like the way Nate's palette worked around Zachary. Yum.
Items consumed while reading this:
homemade gnocchi with meat sauce
blueberry, strawberry and orange salad
white chocolate macadamia nut cookies (2-3)
15 oz. mug of PG Tips
Seriously, I thought it was going to be maybe 30-40K words, Bloody Hell! More than 142K words later and one day swept under the rug later, I'm done. Fun takeoff of "reality tv" cooking competition shows with a slow burn romance. Cute, fun and down right carnal once they finally get to debauching each other. I like the way Nate's palette worked around Zachary. Yum.
Items consumed while reading this:
homemade gnocchi with meat sauce
blueberry, strawberry and orange salad
white chocolate macadamia nut cookies (2-3)
15 oz. mug of PG Tips
February 16, 2017
OMG, this book! Thrillers? Mysteries? What are you talking about :) This is the book that made me gnaw my fingertips to the bones while it flew to its resolution. That suspense! :) Awesome.
The book itself was awesome. For me, at least - it was perfection. Nothing - nothing at all - I would have wanted differently.
There were many reasons for me to like this book. I love competition shows; all of them, whether they are about cooking, weight loss, drag or psychic abilities. Not that I watch them often but when I do, I feel really involved. I like it all - competition, drama, getting to know people and see them showing the best and the worst in them, see them change. Did the book give it all to me? Oh yes, it did! In two days while I read it, I felt like I lived all those weeks and months with the characters. I loved how bright and memorable they were - not just the MCs, about them later - but other contestants, the judges, the families. I felt like I really got to know them, came to love some of them and dislike others.
Reason number two: food. Oh boy, do I love it. Okay, eating it, looking at it, reading recipes. Not much for cooking, me :) And yeah, the book delivered all it could when the food was concerned. I loved it so much - the descriptions of cooking, how it was served - and especially, the ideas and philosophy behind this or that dish. And so much new to learn! I was googling so much while reading - and loved it. Can't describe how much I appreciated that the book wasn't skimping on anything, everything was so thorough, detailed and well researched.
And finally - m/m part. Enemies-to-lovers, my favorite dynamic, and how beautifully it is done. Nate was a wonderful character, impossible not to love, and oh, Carmen's nickname for him was so cute and really added to his personality. But... I have to admit, I probably was even more fascinated with Zachary. It doesn't usually happen - first, I prefer genuinely good and nice guys, and second, I usually favor the character whose p.o.v. we have. But Zachary was so... sexy? Cool? Vulnerable? Capable to grow and change? :) Anyway, I loved them both but Zachary a little more :) And another thing that was really perfect for me in this book - I strongly prefer single p.o.v. books. But when you can feel the other guy through the p.o.v. of the focal character, even when he himself doesn't always realize what he sees - it's a real treat.
So well - there were many reasons for me to like this book but they all wouldn't have mattered if the book had flopped. But it didn't, it soared. And what a lovely writing! Fast-paced and concise, reading it was like flying. I couldn't put the book away, couldn't go to sleep yesterday, wanted to read "just one more scene".
A couple of words on the ending.
Well, and do you know Murphy's law for fanfics? The one "everything is perfect, the pairing, the length, the kinks, the writing - and you run to read the author's other works... but she only has one." I guess the law works not only for fanfics. Right now I'd LOVE to read anything else by Laurin Kelly and she only has another one listed and the link gjves an error page. Well, I suppose I'll have to be patient and hope for more of her books.
The book itself was awesome. For me, at least - it was perfection. Nothing - nothing at all - I would have wanted differently.
There were many reasons for me to like this book. I love competition shows; all of them, whether they are about cooking, weight loss, drag or psychic abilities. Not that I watch them often but when I do, I feel really involved. I like it all - competition, drama, getting to know people and see them showing the best and the worst in them, see them change. Did the book give it all to me? Oh yes, it did! In two days while I read it, I felt like I lived all those weeks and months with the characters. I loved how bright and memorable they were - not just the MCs, about them later - but other contestants, the judges, the families. I felt like I really got to know them, came to love some of them and dislike others.
Reason number two: food. Oh boy, do I love it. Okay, eating it, looking at it, reading recipes. Not much for cooking, me :) And yeah, the book delivered all it could when the food was concerned. I loved it so much - the descriptions of cooking, how it was served - and especially, the ideas and philosophy behind this or that dish. And so much new to learn! I was googling so much while reading - and loved it. Can't describe how much I appreciated that the book wasn't skimping on anything, everything was so thorough, detailed and well researched.
And finally - m/m part. Enemies-to-lovers, my favorite dynamic, and how beautifully it is done. Nate was a wonderful character, impossible not to love, and oh, Carmen's nickname for him was so cute and really added to his personality. But... I have to admit, I probably was even more fascinated with Zachary. It doesn't usually happen - first, I prefer genuinely good and nice guys, and second, I usually favor the character whose p.o.v. we have. But Zachary was so... sexy? Cool? Vulnerable? Capable to grow and change? :) Anyway, I loved them both but Zachary a little more :) And another thing that was really perfect for me in this book - I strongly prefer single p.o.v. books. But when you can feel the other guy through the p.o.v. of the focal character, even when he himself doesn't always realize what he sees - it's a real treat.
So well - there were many reasons for me to like this book but they all wouldn't have mattered if the book had flopped. But it didn't, it soared. And what a lovely writing! Fast-paced and concise, reading it was like flying. I couldn't put the book away, couldn't go to sleep yesterday, wanted to read "just one more scene".
A couple of words on the ending.
Well, and do you know Murphy's law for fanfics? The one "everything is perfect, the pairing, the length, the kinks, the writing - and you run to read the author's other works... but she only has one." I guess the law works not only for fanfics. Right now I'd LOVE to read anything else by Laurin Kelly and she only has another one listed and the link gjves an error page. Well, I suppose I'll have to be patient and hope for more of her books.
August 5, 2014
4.5
Sexy, funny, delicious story. And the food!!!
OMG, THE FOOD!!!
I had more cravings during this story than I did during all three of my pregnancies combined. No exaggeration.
I got so caught up in this story, it was hard to put down. I loved the setting of a reality cooking show. Fast paced, the challenges kept things moving (and made me feel so hungry) and provided great backdrops for character interactions.
Nate was a sweetie, but no pushover. Open, honest, and smart about people, he was able to work with a wide range of personalities.
Zachary? He was intriguing. Although he took pleasure in his success, he appeared more formal, uptight, and a bit condescending. He was hiding behind some strong walls, but we got peeks of vulnerability. Only through subtle hints, though, because Zachary was determined to hide any emotional reactions.
When things started heating up...*fans self*
Let's just say there was a lot of sexual tension in this story.
And Zachary started to mellow out! It didn't fit comfortably on him, though, which just made it all the sweeter.
Between the initial competition and the finale, things slowed down a bit. I still liked it, but it didn't hold my attention quite as much. Plus, I was stressing out about the finale and wondering how everything would get resolved. And then the finale...intense, and emotional. I was even anxious during the wait, and when one contestant thought they were going to throw up, my stomach churned, too.
I am so glad I didn't read this as a WIP, because the suspense would have done me in. Real life intruded too much as it was. I'd recommend setting aside a nice block of time to read this story...with no interruptions!
Side notes:
Mixing up contestant names in the beginning created a bit of confusion and there were quite a few typos and line editing errors.
The whole Mara storyline felt off. It was too over the top for me, and she became too much of a caricature.
Carmen, on the other hand, was awesome! I loved her.
And Nate's career choice? Is that a real thing? Because it should be. Yum...
Sexy, funny, delicious story. And the food!!!
OMG, THE FOOD!!!
I had more cravings during this story than I did during all three of my pregnancies combined. No exaggeration.
I got so caught up in this story, it was hard to put down. I loved the setting of a reality cooking show. Fast paced, the challenges kept things moving (and made me feel so hungry) and provided great backdrops for character interactions.
Nate was a sweetie, but no pushover. Open, honest, and smart about people, he was able to work with a wide range of personalities.
Zachary? He was intriguing. Although he took pleasure in his success, he appeared more formal, uptight, and a bit condescending. He was hiding behind some strong walls, but we got peeks of vulnerability. Only through subtle hints, though, because Zachary was determined to hide any emotional reactions.
When things started heating up...*fans self*
Let's just say there was a lot of sexual tension in this story.
And Zachary started to mellow out! It didn't fit comfortably on him, though, which just made it all the sweeter.
Between the initial competition and the finale, things slowed down a bit. I still liked it, but it didn't hold my attention quite as much. Plus, I was stressing out about the finale and wondering how everything would get resolved. And then the finale...intense, and emotional. I was even anxious during the wait, and when one contestant thought they were going to throw up, my stomach churned, too.
I am so glad I didn't read this as a WIP, because the suspense would have done me in. Real life intruded too much as it was. I'd recommend setting aside a nice block of time to read this story...with no interruptions!
Side notes:
Mixing up contestant names in the beginning created a bit of confusion and there were quite a few typos and line editing errors.
The whole Mara storyline felt off. It was too over the top for me, and she became too much of a caricature.
Carmen, on the other hand, was awesome! I loved her.
And Nate's career choice? Is that a real thing? Because it should be. Yum...
July 30, 2016
4.25 stars
Now I just want to go out and eat lots of good food! Even though I don't watch cooking competitions in real life, I loved that aspect of this. This was really an engaging read getting to know all of the competitors, hearing about their creations each time and finding out who was going to succeed. Okay the romance was pretty sweet too. Nothing too angsty and not many obstacles in the way of the HEA, but sometimes that's just what you need!
Now I just want to go out and eat lots of good food! Even though I don't watch cooking competitions in real life, I loved that aspect of this. This was really an engaging read getting to know all of the competitors, hearing about their creations each time and finding out who was going to succeed. Okay the romance was pretty sweet too. Nothing too angsty and not many obstacles in the way of the HEA, but sometimes that's just what you need!
October 27, 2017
*huh* This was such a nice surprise, while at the same time reminding me EXACTLY why I don't watch TV anymore.
The 'excitement', and the NEED to 'watch' every episode to understand everything, stressed me out and ended up irritating me, putting me off the shows and TV in general.
This REALLY did read like a real competition, and it sucked me in, with the added benefit of 'only' lasting 4,5 hours:-)
I have to to take my hat off for Laurin Kelly, she has written a comprehensive, cohesive, well-reasearched, romantic story.
(Sidenote: do NOT read this if you're very hungry, OR if you're a clutz in the kitchen and can burn water #jealousy)
Nate was amazing, and I could see myself 'voting' for him, for being such a fantastic, GOOD guy.
I had a few issues with Zach in the beginning, that had me wondering why Nate would be attracted to such a detached, douche.
But then I remembered that somebody mentioned somewhere, that he could have an 'autism spectrum disorder' which sort of explained his weird AWKWARD and detached behavior, without making it a big deal, which I thought, suited the story well.
No excuses, but no limits either, and I liked that a lot.
The development of the relationship made sense, and I loved that Zach woke up during the story. It was very sweet, and made me smile, when he loosened up.
Also amazing smexy times, and Zach had a mouth on him, that I had not seen coming! *still blushing*
I liked it, but I had a few times, where the descriptions of preparation was *this close* to making me put the book down. I like food, but not food preparation and techniques THAT much. If you're not a fan of food (heh) or food competitions, this will not be for you.
All in all I was HOOKED though, and it never crossed the line for me. Also the romance was really freaking sweet and this will definitely be read again.
The 'excitement', and the NEED to 'watch' every episode to understand everything, stressed me out and ended up irritating me, putting me off the shows and TV in general.
This REALLY did read like a real competition, and it sucked me in, with the added benefit of 'only' lasting 4,5 hours:-)
I have to to take my hat off for Laurin Kelly, she has written a comprehensive, cohesive, well-reasearched, romantic story.
(Sidenote: do NOT read this if you're very hungry, OR if you're a clutz in the kitchen and can burn water #jealousy)
Nate was amazing, and I could see myself 'voting' for him, for being such a fantastic, GOOD guy.
I had a few issues with Zach in the beginning, that had me wondering why Nate would be attracted to such a detached, douche.
But then I remembered that somebody mentioned somewhere, that he could have an 'autism spectrum disorder' which sort of explained his weird AWKWARD and detached behavior, without making it a big deal, which I thought, suited the story well.
No excuses, but no limits either, and I liked that a lot.
The development of the relationship made sense, and I loved that Zach woke up during the story. It was very sweet, and made me smile, when he loosened up.
Also amazing smexy times, and Zach had a mouth on him, that I had not seen coming! *still blushing*
I liked it, but I had a few times, where the descriptions of preparation was *this close* to making me put the book down. I like food, but not food preparation and techniques THAT much. If you're not a fan of food (heh) or food competitions, this will not be for you.
All in all I was HOOKED though, and it never crossed the line for me. Also the romance was really freaking sweet and this will definitely be read again.
June 28, 2014
Under The Knife was fun, fast paced and really, really good, plus free! What more could you ask for? It was one of those stories that had me engrossed from the first few paragraphs and I ended up enjoying it more than most of the published (or unpublished) m/m romance that I've tried to slog through recently. I smiled, laughed and aww-ed my way through this story, and I even enjoyed the perfectly fluffy HEA ending. That's when I realized that my problem wasn't that I was losing interest in this genre, it was that I just needed to be more discerning in my choices of what to read. Thanks for that, Laurin Kelly.
If she wanted to, this author could publish this book pretty much as is. All it needs is some minor copy editing for words that were misused, and that's pretty damned awesome, I think.
I'll reiterate my previously posted warning for people that might have missed it: Do not start this book after 12 am on a work night. You will want to read it all in one sitting, which will then lead to you wanting to smack yourself for your stupidity as you finally force yourself to sleep at 6 am. However, if 2 hours of sleep is perfectly fine for you, go for it! Just don't say I didn't warn you.
4.5 stars, only rounded down for the word substitution issue (which ended up being inadvertently amusing rather than rage-inducing).
If she wanted to, this author could publish this book pretty much as is. All it needs is some minor copy editing for words that were misused, and that's pretty damned awesome, I think.
I'll reiterate my previously posted warning for people that might have missed it: Do not start this book after 12 am on a work night. You will want to read it all in one sitting, which will then lead to you wanting to smack yourself for your stupidity as you finally force yourself to sleep at 6 am. However, if 2 hours of sleep is perfectly fine for you, go for it! Just don't say I didn't warn you.
4.5 stars, only rounded down for the word substitution issue (which ended up being inadvertently amusing rather than rage-inducing).
June 21, 2014
This free-online original fiction is seriously addicting. A super-feel-good, competitive-reality-tv–absorbing, sexual-tension-filled, food-porn-loving-extravaganza! Highly recommended to any MM fans or reality tv junkies.
August 7, 2016
This review has been cross-posted on GBR. Formatting is really annoying when transferring to GR, so it's probably better if you read it there, but I tried.
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review will contain food porn, because I just discovered the term and can’t. look. away. Or get enough.
So, I’m sure everyone’s been sucked in by reality tv before. Before you know it, you’re invested. The drama, the shipping and the backstabbing. All integral to a reality tv show, which Ms. Kelly was sure to incorporate into her story – though the behind-the-scenes action, somehow didn’t overshadow the actual competition (much). At least the backstabbing was minimal, which one the one hand I appreciated, on the other I kind of missed.
There are many varieties of reality tv shows, of course. You can’t clump them all together.
There are the Jersey Shore and Geordie shore variety where everyone ends up screwing with each other in more ways than one.
There are those of the finding your soulmate variety like Love Island, The One and Bachelorette (or something like that) where you basically screw with everyone or try to win someone over. It’s a competition where if you don’t get chosen – you’re out. So, we’re moving into more competitive variety already.
Then there’s the one where there’s only one winner. It’s a competition. You’re stuck with a bunch of strangers for however long you’re still in the race for that coveted first price. Of course, you go in thinking that the usual drama bullshit will leave you out of it. You’re cool as a cucumber. Totally real. Then you start to form bonds, whether they’re those of friendship and/or love but you have to keep the goal in mind.
Let me start off by saying I’ve been meaning to read this book for over a year. First it was fan fiction of some cooking competition show I don’t bother with, so I was like *later*. But, the whole reality tv show aspect intrigued me because I hadn’t read anything like it before. ETA: Made a mistake there, this wasn't fan fiction originally. Totally original, just freely available online - not used to reading original free fiction, hence the misunderstanding. My apologies.
Sure, I’ve been sucked in by reality tv shows before. Watched an odd excerpt here and there of food competition shows (i.e. Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef etc), but I was like whateves.
Now I’m wondering why I never gave them more of a chance.
Because. Food Porn.
The descriptions had me open a google tab solely so that I could get pictures out on what they were making. Because there’s no way in hell I’d ever be able to afford it or make it, so it was kind of like window shopping. You can look, but you can’t touch. You can look and salivate all you want and wish you were able to cook (because I have like no skills in the kitchen).
It’s making me want to look up recipes. Watch cooking shows. Finally take my friend up on her offer to teach me how to cook.
Food Porn. Coupled with the sweetness of a blossoming relationship.
Not only did this book make my basically non-existent cooking drive come to life. It also had my heart running, wondering who was going to fall Under The Knife.
Carmen was an amazing side-character. I didn’t know who to root for, because having that many likeable characters was difficult to process.
Nate was a consistent nice guy, which I appreciated. He was the kind of guy you could root for with your heart because they’re easy to read and you know that what you see (or read) is what you get.
Zachary’s the one who developed as a character because of his interpersonal relationships after coming on the show which was amazing to watch. He transformed from this uptight stick wad into someone who was willing to allow himself to be open and vulnerable.
And the sex was hot.
It also gave me a ship that wasn’t just wishful thinking. See, I read fan fiction. A lot actually. It started last year, and I just kept adding shows upon shows to the mix. I’m at a point where two guys just need to look at each other for a second too long and trust me – I will likely start fangirling, and starting to ship both.
It doesn’t even have to be limited to one ship, I could be shipping one guy with every other character I like. It happens. I’ve hit rock bottom, and made my home there. I’m comfortable.
Anyways, back to the point. Those ships (especially if they’re mm-related – which 95% of them are) are wishful thinking. I know they’re not going to happen, which is why fan fiction is such a blessing. Why a show having fans is so amazing.
#Nachary is a ship. Though as a reader I knew that it wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part. The “subtle” glances and touches, the desire that was so obvious… I wasn’t the only one seeing it. Every other contestant was, and obviously the rest of America – when the episodes were released – was as well.
And the restraint both (tried to at least) showed while in the House surrounded by cameras, where your every move is documented was admirable. To try to keep the Big head in the game and the Little head in their pants. Not everyone succeeds, of course. But, unlike most reality tv where people go all the way regardless… What can I say? I completely dug it.
All my love being said for this book I have to mention that the editing was downright shoddy. Of course, I understand that the copy I received of this story was merely the ARC and it is very likely that this has been corrected by the time the book was released (I really hope so). However, it still had an effect on my reading experience, and therefore I cannot ignore.
I get the occasional typos sure, nobody’s perfect. I’m an avid fan fiction reader, trust me that among the gems there’s a lot of mediocrity (which is usually because of far from ideal execution) but also some terrible terrible writing.
Ms. Kelly, I’m not saying you aren’t a good writer, because you are. I have mentioned time and again that your book ended up pressing buttons I didn’t even know I had – at least when it came to books.
But the editing on the copy I received kind of put this constant damper on the other lovely aspects. If you notice typos in the first two pages you read, that kind of sets the tone for the rest of the book. While I was most definitely enjoying all the cuisine (did I mention food porn already?), the competitive aspects and the blossoming romance, bromance (#Namen) and friendships – they were usually undercut when I noticed the typos. The typos in the beginning had jumpstarted the editor within me, the perfectionist, and no matter how much I liked the story it dampened any emotions I was feeling.
That being said, I absolutely recommend reading this book because not only was it addictive like any reality tv show out there, it also had likeable characters you rooted for with your heart.
I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review will contain food porn, because I just discovered the term and can’t. look. away. Or get enough.
So, I’m sure everyone’s been sucked in by reality tv before. Before you know it, you’re invested. The drama, the shipping and the backstabbing. All integral to a reality tv show, which Ms. Kelly was sure to incorporate into her story – though the behind-the-scenes action, somehow didn’t overshadow the actual competition (much). At least the backstabbing was minimal, which one the one hand I appreciated, on the other I kind of missed.
There are many varieties of reality tv shows, of course. You can’t clump them all together.
There are the Jersey Shore and Geordie shore variety where everyone ends up screwing with each other in more ways than one.
There are those of the finding your soulmate variety like Love Island, The One and Bachelorette (or something like that) where you basically screw with everyone or try to win someone over. It’s a competition where if you don’t get chosen – you’re out. So, we’re moving into more competitive variety already.
Then there’s the one where there’s only one winner. It’s a competition. You’re stuck with a bunch of strangers for however long you’re still in the race for that coveted first price. Of course, you go in thinking that the usual drama bullshit will leave you out of it. You’re cool as a cucumber. Totally real. Then you start to form bonds, whether they’re those of friendship and/or love but you have to keep the goal in mind.
Let me start off by saying I’ve been meaning to read this book for over a year. First it was fan fiction of some cooking competition show I don’t bother with, so I was like *later*. But, the whole reality tv show aspect intrigued me because I hadn’t read anything like it before. ETA: Made a mistake there, this wasn't fan fiction originally. Totally original, just freely available online - not used to reading original free fiction, hence the misunderstanding. My apologies.
Sure, I’ve been sucked in by reality tv shows before. Watched an odd excerpt here and there of food competition shows (i.e. Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef etc), but I was like whateves.
Now I’m wondering why I never gave them more of a chance.
Because. Food Porn.
The descriptions had me open a google tab solely so that I could get pictures out on what they were making. Because there’s no way in hell I’d ever be able to afford it or make it, so it was kind of like window shopping. You can look, but you can’t touch. You can look and salivate all you want and wish you were able to cook (because I have like no skills in the kitchen).
It’s making me want to look up recipes. Watch cooking shows. Finally take my friend up on her offer to teach me how to cook.
Food Porn. Coupled with the sweetness of a blossoming relationship.
Not only did this book make my basically non-existent cooking drive come to life. It also had my heart running, wondering who was going to fall Under The Knife.
Carmen was an amazing side-character. I didn’t know who to root for, because having that many likeable characters was difficult to process.
“I don’t like bullies,” she responded, “and I don’t like people who put the blame on other people for their own weaknesses. I don’t care if I’ve made an enemy of her. I didn’t get where I am by backing down from that kind of posturing crap, and I’m not going to start now.”
Nate was a consistent nice guy, which I appreciated. He was the kind of guy you could root for with your heart because they’re easy to read and you know that what you see (or read) is what you get.
Zachary’s the one who developed as a character because of his interpersonal relationships after coming on the show which was amazing to watch. He transformed from this uptight stick wad into someone who was willing to allow himself to be open and vulnerable.
And the sex was hot.
“You’re mine, Zachary”
“Show me.”
It also gave me a ship that wasn’t just wishful thinking. See, I read fan fiction. A lot actually. It started last year, and I just kept adding shows upon shows to the mix. I’m at a point where two guys just need to look at each other for a second too long and trust me – I will likely start fangirling, and starting to ship both.
It doesn’t even have to be limited to one ship, I could be shipping one guy with every other character I like. It happens. I’ve hit rock bottom, and made my home there. I’m comfortable.
Anyways, back to the point. Those ships (especially if they’re mm-related – which 95% of them are) are wishful thinking. I know they’re not going to happen, which is why fan fiction is such a blessing. Why a show having fans is so amazing.
#Nachary is a ship. Though as a reader I knew that it wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part. The “subtle” glances and touches, the desire that was so obvious… I wasn’t the only one seeing it. Every other contestant was, and obviously the rest of America – when the episodes were released – was as well.
And the restraint both (tried to at least) showed while in the House surrounded by cameras, where your every move is documented was admirable. To try to keep the Big head in the game and the Little head in their pants. Not everyone succeeds, of course. But, unlike most reality tv where people go all the way regardless… What can I say? I completely dug it.
All my love being said for this book I have to mention that the editing was downright shoddy. Of course, I understand that the copy I received of this story was merely the ARC and it is very likely that this has been corrected by the time the book was released (I really hope so). However, it still had an effect on my reading experience, and therefore I cannot ignore.
I get the occasional typos sure, nobody’s perfect. I’m an avid fan fiction reader, trust me that among the gems there’s a lot of mediocrity (which is usually because of far from ideal execution) but also some terrible terrible writing.
Ms. Kelly, I’m not saying you aren’t a good writer, because you are. I have mentioned time and again that your book ended up pressing buttons I didn’t even know I had – at least when it came to books.
But the editing on the copy I received kind of put this constant damper on the other lovely aspects. If you notice typos in the first two pages you read, that kind of sets the tone for the rest of the book. While I was most definitely enjoying all the cuisine (did I mention food porn already?), the competitive aspects and the blossoming romance, bromance (#Namen) and friendships – they were usually undercut when I noticed the typos. The typos in the beginning had jumpstarted the editor within me, the perfectionist, and no matter how much I liked the story it dampened any emotions I was feeling.
That being said, I absolutely recommend reading this book because not only was it addictive like any reality tv show out there, it also had likeable characters you rooted for with your heart.
July 27, 2016
A quarter of a million dollars and a chance to make his dreams a reality. And all Nate has to do is outlast and out-cook 11 other contestants on the popular cooking show, Under the Knife. But you don’t make the final cut without at least being a really good cook, so Nate is gonna have to be the very best at all times. Unfortunately he is up against some of the very best, at their very best, and it will be no easy challenge. Especially when his competition is a woman who is rapidly becoming one of his best friends and a man who is at times both his dream and his nightmare. When winning the game suddenly means he might end up losing his heart, the show takes on a whole different dimension. But you never know what is up for grabs in this show, and all it might take is a bit of luck and some very careful handling to take home both the prize and his man.
Well, if you weren’t hungry before, you sure will be now!
I don’t know how it does it, but this book actually managed to be just as good–-and just as bad–-as some of my favorite cooking competitions. Despite the fact that you can’t see, smell, taste, feel, or hear any of these foods, you are still left desperately staring into your pantry with regret. Because nothing will taste quite as good as what you are reading about on the page.
Despite the fact that I tend to stay as far away as possible from reality tv, I have a weak spot for cooking competitions (though I will admit that the Big Brother, let’s create all this annoying fake tension because how dare we produce a show doesn’t reduce everyone to the lowest common denominator in hopes of checking off a box ones are my least favorite). I really enjoyed how well this book brought that part of the story to life. From the ridiculous canned dialogue that the judges/presenters seem to use, to the tension that is wracked up as the show goes along, this book seems to capture it all. But it also brought a lot of the human element to life as well, and that is where it really shines. I loved these characters, and Zachary and Nate just hit all the right notes in this book. The rivalry that goes from heated to friendly, the way the characters grow as the show goes along, it all made me not want to look away.
The only thing I really have to complain about is that I felt the whole thing with Mara went nowhere even after it felt like it was trying to build up to some Big Moment. She basically gets dealt with in flashback and that seemed a bit of a cop-out. I get that if you didn’t want the book to be a thousand pages long, you’d have to cut out some part of the competition, but the way the whole Mara thing was set-up, and then just discarded, didn’t feel right to me.
To be honest this book was just a lot of fun to read. And even if it gave me the munchies like nobody’s business, I loved that part of it as well. It was everything I loved about cooking shows, only better because of the great romance and the lack of artifice that I expected there to be in a book all about scripted reality.
The ending of the competition was also pretty great. (No spoilers!!)
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Well, if you weren’t hungry before, you sure will be now!
I don’t know how it does it, but this book actually managed to be just as good–-and just as bad–-as some of my favorite cooking competitions. Despite the fact that you can’t see, smell, taste, feel, or hear any of these foods, you are still left desperately staring into your pantry with regret. Because nothing will taste quite as good as what you are reading about on the page.
Despite the fact that I tend to stay as far away as possible from reality tv, I have a weak spot for cooking competitions (though I will admit that the Big Brother, let’s create all this annoying fake tension because how dare we produce a show doesn’t reduce everyone to the lowest common denominator in hopes of checking off a box ones are my least favorite). I really enjoyed how well this book brought that part of the story to life. From the ridiculous canned dialogue that the judges/presenters seem to use, to the tension that is wracked up as the show goes along, this book seems to capture it all. But it also brought a lot of the human element to life as well, and that is where it really shines. I loved these characters, and Zachary and Nate just hit all the right notes in this book. The rivalry that goes from heated to friendly, the way the characters grow as the show goes along, it all made me not want to look away.
The only thing I really have to complain about is that I felt the whole thing with Mara went nowhere even after it felt like it was trying to build up to some Big Moment. She basically gets dealt with in flashback and that seemed a bit of a cop-out. I get that if you didn’t want the book to be a thousand pages long, you’d have to cut out some part of the competition, but the way the whole Mara thing was set-up, and then just discarded, didn’t feel right to me.
To be honest this book was just a lot of fun to read. And even if it gave me the munchies like nobody’s business, I loved that part of it as well. It was everything I loved about cooking shows, only better because of the great romance and the lack of artifice that I expected there to be in a book all about scripted reality.
The ending of the competition was also pretty great. (No spoilers!!)
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
February 15, 2017
This is not my first read about a reality TV competition, and I think I vastly prefer books about them to the actual watching of the whole thing. It just saves so much time, and somehow emotions are better in the written form even though you can't actually see anything.
I like food and I often cook something exotic just to keep the process interesting, so a cooking competition was right up my alley. I loved that Laurin Kelly didn't pull her virtual punches when it came to food and she seemed to really know what she was writing about. I also enjoyed that, unlike, say, in True Brit, we get to know all contestants, which kept the intrigue. In short, I loved the food and competition side of the book.
In terms of romance (and sometimes just human interaction) I wish there was more... maturity to it, I guess. Sometimes the way Nate, Zachary and even other contestants acted towards each other reminded me of middle school way too much. And closer to the end, when romance has started, some grand declarations of love were thrown around that, I felt, weren't really supported by everything we've seen so far.
I think I might've actually enjoyed this book more if it had almost no romantic storyline.
I like food and I often cook something exotic just to keep the process interesting, so a cooking competition was right up my alley. I loved that Laurin Kelly didn't pull her virtual punches when it came to food and she seemed to really know what she was writing about. I also enjoyed that, unlike, say, in True Brit, we get to know all contestants, which kept the intrigue. In short, I loved the food and competition side of the book.
In terms of romance (and sometimes just human interaction) I wish there was more... maturity to it, I guess. Sometimes the way Nate, Zachary and even other contestants acted towards each other reminded me of middle school way too much. And closer to the end, when romance has started, some grand declarations of love were thrown around that, I felt, weren't really supported by everything we've seen so far.
I think I might've actually enjoyed this book more if it had almost no romantic storyline.
November 6, 2016
I'm such a foodie and I loved this book!!!! I'm a Food Network, Bravo, Cooking Network Girl. I watch cooking shows like cable television. Hell, I spent the entire weekend watching the Holiday Baking Championship(which I've seen already) in its entirety, while waiting on the new season to premiere tonight.
This book was based on the Top Chef competition which is another favorite of mine. I love all the background information that the author researched. It was thoroughly done, and I loved all she gave all the contestants different personalities. These are people that I've definitely seen on the show before.
There was certain times that Nate did get on my nerves. It probably how to do with me wanting him to focus on the competition. I know you have to live with these people, but at the end of the day you are competing for a large amount of money.
Zachary was so cold at the beginning of the book, but it wasn't that it had more to do with how he didn't want to let people in. I like that he eventually thawed out as a person and competitor. I definitely like the chemistry between him and Nate. I thought they were cute together, and yeah it was insta-love, but the environment that they were in was bound to happen. Close quarters for six weeks then yeah, you will being in insta-lust or love.
I did enjoy the end, and really liked the coming together of the finale and for Nate & Zach to be together. I think they both were able to bring something different in the relationship for it to make it last. Hopefully the author can write a baking love story next. I'm all game for it.
This book was based on the Top Chef competition which is another favorite of mine. I love all the background information that the author researched. It was thoroughly done, and I loved all she gave all the contestants different personalities. These are people that I've definitely seen on the show before.
There was certain times that Nate did get on my nerves. It probably how to do with me wanting him to focus on the competition. I know you have to live with these people, but at the end of the day you are competing for a large amount of money.
Zachary was so cold at the beginning of the book, but it wasn't that it had more to do with how he didn't want to let people in. I like that he eventually thawed out as a person and competitor. I definitely like the chemistry between him and Nate. I thought they were cute together, and yeah it was insta-love, but the environment that they were in was bound to happen. Close quarters for six weeks then yeah, you will being in insta-lust or love.
I did enjoy the end, and really liked the coming together of the finale and for Nate & Zach to be together. I think they both were able to bring something different in the relationship for it to make it last. Hopefully the author can write a baking love story next. I'm all game for it.
May 13, 2016
Talking about food porn!
Ok, so if you know me at all you're well aware that I love food and I love my gay ships.
Those two combined? It gives me bookgasm and foodgasm at the same time.
The story is super sweet. It's about contestans taking part TV show called "Under the Knife" which is basically Masterchef, Chopped or whatever cooking show there is.
The characters are likable and they all grew on me (even Zachary, who is kind of an asshole at the beginning) and I was rooting for Nate and Zach SO.MUCH.
And the kiss? So. Frikkin. Cute.
Yeah, exactly.
Well, but maybe not that awkward.
There are some nice sexytimes scenes, so if you're gay hating person, then this book is not for you.
There are some sweet scenes, especially those between Nate and his mom that got me teared up a bit.
Well, ok, to be completly honest I started to sob quietly on the bus today. This random guy who's usually sitting next to me during my morning commute was looking at me funny. Again. "Nobody died this time, ok!? Don't you dare judge me, starnger on the bus!".
I enjoyed epilogue very much, it was sweet and funny.
The ending is not the biggest surprise in the history of surprises, but it's cool and I really liked it.
The writing is pretty good, it was a fast read and I'm hoping to read some more of Laurin Kelly's work in the future.
~~~~
I received this book form the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Ok, so if you know me at all you're well aware that I love food and I love my gay ships.
Those two combined? It gives me bookgasm and foodgasm at the same time.
The story is super sweet. It's about contestans taking part TV show called "Under the Knife" which is basically Masterchef, Chopped or whatever cooking show there is.
The characters are likable and they all grew on me (even Zachary, who is kind of an asshole at the beginning) and I was rooting for Nate and Zach SO.MUCH.
And the kiss? So. Frikkin. Cute.
Yeah, exactly.
Well, but maybe not that awkward.
There are some nice sexytimes scenes, so if you're gay hating person, then this book is not for you.
There are some sweet scenes, especially those between Nate and his mom that got me teared up a bit.
Well, ok, to be completly honest I started to sob quietly on the bus today. This random guy who's usually sitting next to me during my morning commute was looking at me funny. Again. "Nobody died this time, ok!? Don't you dare judge me, starnger on the bus!".
I enjoyed epilogue very much, it was sweet and funny.
The ending is not the biggest surprise in the history of surprises, but it's cool and I really liked it.
The writing is pretty good, it was a fast read and I'm hoping to read some more of Laurin Kelly's work in the future.
~~~~
I received this book form the publisher in exchange for an honest review
May 23, 2016
I love cooking, and I love reality cooking shows, we don't have a show like Under the Knife in the UK, its a mix of Masterchef and X factor, but if we did - I would so watch it.
UTK at 330 pages is longer than your normal romance, but it didn't fell like it, the descriptions of the show, the contestants, crew the food challenges were fascinating. Then there was Nate and Carmen friends from the start and so warm hearted, and Zachary, the ice chef.
As the contestants are filmed 24/7 and live together there isn't much time for physical connection other than a touch here and there - and the slow burn between Nate and Zachary is so, so well done.
Its angst free as well.
One whinge, this has been re edited for publication, and there were some really glaring typos, honestly I loved the story and the characters so much it niggled but didn't detract - but then I got a review copy, I'd be more picky if I paid !
UTK at 330 pages is longer than your normal romance, but it didn't fell like it, the descriptions of the show, the contestants, crew the food challenges were fascinating. Then there was Nate and Carmen friends from the start and so warm hearted, and Zachary, the ice chef.
As the contestants are filmed 24/7 and live together there isn't much time for physical connection other than a touch here and there - and the slow burn between Nate and Zachary is so, so well done.
Its angst free as well.
One whinge, this has been re edited for publication, and there were some really glaring typos, honestly I loved the story and the characters so much it niggled but didn't detract - but then I got a review copy, I'd be more picky if I paid !
Read
January 20, 2018DNF at 40%
I hate TV's cooking shows. I watched them the last time maybe 4 years ago. At that time I would have probably liked this book. Though I like when men can cook and love to cook (not only in RL, but also in my books). So, I simply misinterpreted the cover and as always didn't read the blurb carefully. My fault.
The cooking show in Under The Knife is a lot more weirder than the shows I used to watch, and I disliked the TV's hottest cooking competition in this book even more than I normally do. It is actually the main explanation of my DNF.
I hate TV's cooking shows. I watched them the last time maybe 4 years ago. At that time I would have probably liked this book. Though I like when men can cook and love to cook (not only in RL, but also in my books). So, I simply misinterpreted the cover and as always didn't read the blurb carefully. My fault.
The cooking show in Under The Knife is a lot more weirder than the shows I used to watch, and I disliked the TV's hottest cooking competition in this book even more than I normally do. It is actually the main explanation of my DNF.
July 20, 2016
4 stars – If you’re like me and enjoy watching reality-TV cooking competitions, Laurin Kelly’s debut novel, Under the Knife, will be right up your alley. If, on the other hand, you’re in the group of people who really hate reality-TV competitions, the relatively simple and low-angst romance underneath it may not satisfactorily overcome your dislike of the book’s setting.
Nate Pasternak is one of the twelve competitors for the third season of the popular TV show, Under the Knife, the winner of which will go home with a quarter of a million dollars. Excitement, nervousness, and sheer terror are all emotions he expected to have when he arrived in Los Angeles for the show. Lust, on the other hand, was not an expectation, but that’s exactly what he feels at the welcoming mixer when another competitor walks in who is exactly Nate’s type. It doesn’t take long, however, for Nate to realize that Zachary Kasun is a conceited and standoffish snob. While that should have been enough to keep Nate from losing his focus on the competition, he can’t help being drawn to the man, especially since it turns out Zachary’s attitude is justified: the man is a phenomenal chef. He expected the pressure of the competition to drive him to the breaking point, but what if it’s Zachary that does it?
Based loosely (okay, maybe not so loosely) on Top Chef, at least three quarters of the page time in this novel is directly related to the cooking competition and the interactions among the contestants. Actually, it’s probably closer to 80 or 85%. It reads very much like a condensed version of watching an entire season, right down to talking about what the competitors made for each challenge and what the judges say about the dishes. Cooking shows are the only category of reality TV I like, so this format really worked for me. But I can’t stress this hard enough: if you aren’t interested in this concept, you may not enjoy the book. Another necessary caveat: in order to keep the story realistic, the author is not a bit sparing in her use of cooking terminology and in naming fancy dishes, and for the most part, it is assumed that the reader knows what these things are. This novel is on the long side already, so while it’s probably good that she made that decision to keep the book from being even longer—and for those of us who enjoy cooking and/or cooking shows, this isn’t a problem—be forewarned if you aren’t a food junkie, this too may hinder your enjoyment.
With all that in mind, the novel is fortunately about more than just the competition and food; after all, this is billed as a romance novel. To that end, we do get many behind-the-scenes interactions between the competitors. Everything is related through the point of view of Nate, so this allows us to get to know a few of the other competitors and see how Nate feels about Zachary throughout the competition. Their attraction is definitely a slow burn, partly because of Nate’s initial impression of Zachary’s personality but more because of the restrictions of having nearly every waking moment of their lives on camera, not just those during the competition. I’m a big fan of slow burn, so this also works for me, but I do need to state that if your preference in romance is for ample sexual interactions, you might be let down in this respect. That being said, the handful of one-on-one scenes between Nate and Zachary live up to the promise that a good slow burn should.
I mentioned earlier that Under the Knife is the debut novel for author Laurin Kelly. In some of my past reviews, I pointed out that I have a soft spot for new authors, but even if I didn’t, I could still happily say that not only is the story she presents one that I enjoyed, but the writing itself is also clear and solid, and the plot is without glaring holes and inconsistencies. While I liked Zachary and one of the secondary characters in particular, the story really centers around Nate, and the author did a fantastic job with him. He is the perfect character for this story in my opinion.
With the exception of the anxiety surrounding which competitor will be eliminated next in the competition, the story and the relationship between Nate and Zachary is about as low-angst as you can get. So this makes for an easy read overall. Granted, the setting for this story makes it somewhat easy to write as well—the research necessary has been on television for many seasons now. So while I enjoyed the similarity to watching such a show while I was reading this story, my only real complaint is that I wish she had spent a little more page space on the romantic aspect, not just the sexytimes but also on fleshing out some sort of conflict that would threaten to keep them apart in order to raise the intensity of the burn—there is a small something she talks about, but it amounts to almost nothing in the grand scheme of things. As such, if I hadn’t enjoyed the story behind the developing romance so much, these things may have affected my overall impression much more.
All in all, Under the Knife is a good first release from a new author. Even though it’s comparatively long in the romance genre, it’s an easy and fast read that I can recommend to most anyone. I look forward to seeing what Laurin Kelly comes up with for her sophomore effort.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Under the Knife in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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Nate Pasternak is one of the twelve competitors for the third season of the popular TV show, Under the Knife, the winner of which will go home with a quarter of a million dollars. Excitement, nervousness, and sheer terror are all emotions he expected to have when he arrived in Los Angeles for the show. Lust, on the other hand, was not an expectation, but that’s exactly what he feels at the welcoming mixer when another competitor walks in who is exactly Nate’s type. It doesn’t take long, however, for Nate to realize that Zachary Kasun is a conceited and standoffish snob. While that should have been enough to keep Nate from losing his focus on the competition, he can’t help being drawn to the man, especially since it turns out Zachary’s attitude is justified: the man is a phenomenal chef. He expected the pressure of the competition to drive him to the breaking point, but what if it’s Zachary that does it?
Based loosely (okay, maybe not so loosely) on Top Chef, at least three quarters of the page time in this novel is directly related to the cooking competition and the interactions among the contestants. Actually, it’s probably closer to 80 or 85%. It reads very much like a condensed version of watching an entire season, right down to talking about what the competitors made for each challenge and what the judges say about the dishes. Cooking shows are the only category of reality TV I like, so this format really worked for me. But I can’t stress this hard enough: if you aren’t interested in this concept, you may not enjoy the book. Another necessary caveat: in order to keep the story realistic, the author is not a bit sparing in her use of cooking terminology and in naming fancy dishes, and for the most part, it is assumed that the reader knows what these things are. This novel is on the long side already, so while it’s probably good that she made that decision to keep the book from being even longer—and for those of us who enjoy cooking and/or cooking shows, this isn’t a problem—be forewarned if you aren’t a food junkie, this too may hinder your enjoyment.
With all that in mind, the novel is fortunately about more than just the competition and food; after all, this is billed as a romance novel. To that end, we do get many behind-the-scenes interactions between the competitors. Everything is related through the point of view of Nate, so this allows us to get to know a few of the other competitors and see how Nate feels about Zachary throughout the competition. Their attraction is definitely a slow burn, partly because of Nate’s initial impression of Zachary’s personality but more because of the restrictions of having nearly every waking moment of their lives on camera, not just those during the competition. I’m a big fan of slow burn, so this also works for me, but I do need to state that if your preference in romance is for ample sexual interactions, you might be let down in this respect. That being said, the handful of one-on-one scenes between Nate and Zachary live up to the promise that a good slow burn should.
I mentioned earlier that Under the Knife is the debut novel for author Laurin Kelly. In some of my past reviews, I pointed out that I have a soft spot for new authors, but even if I didn’t, I could still happily say that not only is the story she presents one that I enjoyed, but the writing itself is also clear and solid, and the plot is without glaring holes and inconsistencies. While I liked Zachary and one of the secondary characters in particular, the story really centers around Nate, and the author did a fantastic job with him. He is the perfect character for this story in my opinion.
With the exception of the anxiety surrounding which competitor will be eliminated next in the competition, the story and the relationship between Nate and Zachary is about as low-angst as you can get. So this makes for an easy read overall. Granted, the setting for this story makes it somewhat easy to write as well—the research necessary has been on television for many seasons now. So while I enjoyed the similarity to watching such a show while I was reading this story, my only real complaint is that I wish she had spent a little more page space on the romantic aspect, not just the sexytimes but also on fleshing out some sort of conflict that would threaten to keep them apart in order to raise the intensity of the burn—there is a small something she talks about, but it amounts to almost nothing in the grand scheme of things. As such, if I hadn’t enjoyed the story behind the developing romance so much, these things may have affected my overall impression much more.
All in all, Under the Knife is a good first release from a new author. Even though it’s comparatively long in the romance genre, it’s an easy and fast read that I can recommend to most anyone. I look forward to seeing what Laurin Kelly comes up with for her sophomore effort.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Under the Knife in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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January 14, 2017
3.5 stars
Under the Knife is a really cute, lighthearted enemies-to-lovers story about two chefs falling in love during a reality television cooking competition.
Fair warning, half of the book is food porn, and most of the time I was salivating like a hungry dog.
There is a whole lot of stuff about cooking, and sadly, the love story suffers from it. Everything was going great right up until the romance kicks in at full force, and then I got bored and a bit disappointed. Instead of a yet another cooking process, I would've rather read the dirty notes that Nate and Zachary sneakily passed to each other.
All in all, I recommend it to food enthusiasts and fans of sweet, entertaining, feel-good stories.
Under the Knife is a really cute, lighthearted enemies-to-lovers story about two chefs falling in love during a reality television cooking competition.
Fair warning, half of the book is food porn, and most of the time I was salivating like a hungry dog.
There is a whole lot of stuff about cooking, and sadly, the love story suffers from it. Everything was going great right up until the romance kicks in at full force, and then I got bored and a bit disappointed. Instead of a yet another cooking process, I would've rather read the dirty notes that Nate and Zachary sneakily passed to each other.
All in all, I recommend it to food enthusiasts and fans of sweet, entertaining, feel-good stories.
August 17, 2025
Didn’t expect to enjoy the cooking competition more than the romance, but I did
September 2, 2016
Love, love, love. I absolutely loved this book. It had everything I love in a romance novel. It was fluffy, the romance so a bit of a slow burn, and it was hot. I already knew I was going to like Laurin's writing as I've read things she has written before. But her first professional and published work really blew me away. I had been in a bit of a reading slump but i just flew through this in one night and adored every second of it.
The characters were fun, relatable, and down to earth. The premise of a cooking show was so interesting. I love cooking shows and reading about it instead of seeing it was just as entertaining to me. I kept wanting to eat the foods she described. It was a fast, simple, and cute read that I would recommend to anyone who's looking for a bit of fluff to make them smile.
The characters were fun, relatable, and down to earth. The premise of a cooking show was so interesting. I love cooking shows and reading about it instead of seeing it was just as entertaining to me. I kept wanting to eat the foods she described. It was a fast, simple, and cute read that I would recommend to anyone who's looking for a bit of fluff to make them smile.
August 19, 2014
The writing started off a bit clunky and stiff to begin with, but as the story progressed the writing became smoother and more polished. This ended up a great story and managed to avoid the obvious choices in plotting. Despite the standard trope of the two main characters' antagonisms fueling their lust, watching Zachary's and Nate's relationship develop was a non-standard pleasure. I admit that I did smirk, snicker, and smile as it progressed. Plus the whole scenario is a foodie's delight. If there is one thing I love reading as much as m/m, it's food porn. Using a reality show and moving chronologically through the filming was a smart choice for the author. It naturally infused the story with the same forward momentum and breathlessness as watching one. Overall a great read.
November 23, 2022
DNF @ 43%
The premise of this book made me really excited to pick it up because I'm a huge fan of all those competition cooking shows (Masterchef, Top Chef, Iron Chef etc) but unfortunately, the execution didn't work for me. To the author's credit, she put a huge amount of effort into making this feel like a real season of a cooking competition. I have no idea if she cobbled together stuff from various shows and various seasons or if she made everything up herself, but the amount of work that went into creating this fake competition season was incredible. Every challenge was interesting, every dish was incredible and I loved how the behind-the-scenes elements were seamlessly woven into the stuff that viewers usually see on TV.
But the extreme focus on getting every single detail of the competition right ended up being this book's downfall for me for multiple reasons. First - there were many typos and formatting issues (like missing quotation marks) and they happened frequently enough that it was distracting.
Second - the story was 90% cooking competition and only 10% romance. I read nearly half of it and by that point, the MCs had only had a few scenes together and the one scene where I thought there would be a large amount of development (they were literally tied together while having to do a chopping challenge), the scene focuses on describing every tiny detail of how every item of food was chopped instead of any romantic development between the MCs.
Third - the enemies-to-lovers aspect was barely present. Zachary randomly switches back and forth between being an easy going normal dude and being Mr. Ice King. The switches happened randomly and because Nate got along with Zachary perfectly fine during their few moments together, I didn't believe Nate when he claimed to dislike Zachary at other times.
Fourth - the author's decision to make this story be as close as possible to a real-life cooking competition season meant that there was a large cast of side characters (competitors, judges, guest judges, producers etc) and all of them were given the same page time as they would have in a real version of such a show. I'm not a fan of large character casts anyway, never mind in a romance where I want the MCs being the center of attention.
Basically, this is a really, REALLY good novelization of a fake season of Top Chef and I highly recommend it to people who are fans of such shows. The details related to the challenges and the food were incredibly well done. Unfortunately, the romance wasn't given nearly as much attention as I wanted it to have.
The premise of this book made me really excited to pick it up because I'm a huge fan of all those competition cooking shows (Masterchef, Top Chef, Iron Chef etc) but unfortunately, the execution didn't work for me. To the author's credit, she put a huge amount of effort into making this feel like a real season of a cooking competition. I have no idea if she cobbled together stuff from various shows and various seasons or if she made everything up herself, but the amount of work that went into creating this fake competition season was incredible. Every challenge was interesting, every dish was incredible and I loved how the behind-the-scenes elements were seamlessly woven into the stuff that viewers usually see on TV.
But the extreme focus on getting every single detail of the competition right ended up being this book's downfall for me for multiple reasons. First - there were many typos and formatting issues (like missing quotation marks) and they happened frequently enough that it was distracting.
Second - the story was 90% cooking competition and only 10% romance. I read nearly half of it and by that point, the MCs had only had a few scenes together and the one scene where I thought there would be a large amount of development (they were literally tied together while having to do a chopping challenge), the scene focuses on describing every tiny detail of how every item of food was chopped instead of any romantic development between the MCs.
Third - the enemies-to-lovers aspect was barely present. Zachary randomly switches back and forth between being an easy going normal dude and being Mr. Ice King. The switches happened randomly and because Nate got along with Zachary perfectly fine during their few moments together, I didn't believe Nate when he claimed to dislike Zachary at other times.
Fourth - the author's decision to make this story be as close as possible to a real-life cooking competition season meant that there was a large cast of side characters (competitors, judges, guest judges, producers etc) and all of them were given the same page time as they would have in a real version of such a show. I'm not a fan of large character casts anyway, never mind in a romance where I want the MCs being the center of attention.
Basically, this is a really, REALLY good novelization of a fake season of Top Chef and I highly recommend it to people who are fans of such shows. The details related to the challenges and the food were incredibly well done. Unfortunately, the romance wasn't given nearly as much attention as I wanted it to have.
October 21, 2018
I loved the food competition part of this book, which is cool because most of this book is about said food competition. The romance part . . . not so much. I never did get Zachary, or understand his appeal, and his behavior seemed to be all over the place.
But the foodie parts were really fantastic. Reading about the cooking competition was almost as good as watching one.
But the foodie parts were really fantastic. Reading about the cooking competition was almost as good as watching one.
April 20, 2024
GRUMPY X SUNSHINE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS
buena trama final final de mierda pero los amo
buena trama final final de mierda pero los amo
January 17, 2017
3.5
What can I say, it's more a written competition show with the romance on the backpack. Actually there wasn't any romance for more than the first third - enough attraction on Nate's part to think about bending his opponent over the next kitchen table without a chance to do so but never a romance. That is changing in the 2nd half and then also nice steam is getting into the play which more or less starts with the most sexy holding-hands I read so far in M/M romance, so there are real orgasm on page additionally to all the foodgasm in every chapter but still then it's more about the show, the competitions and the recipes.
In the first half I enjoyed that we get the story only from Nate's PoV. It made Zachary's behavior strange and interesting at the same time, left me wonder how Nate might fall in love with a guy with such an attitude and how they get together but unfortunately Zachary was an enigma for me until the end. I saw him change and got my own ideas why he behaved like he did but ... you know ... I could be wrong and not all my ideas fit together.
Can one have a warm, cozy feeling while reading a romance and nevertheless be disappointed? Obviously I can.
What can I say, it's more a written competition show with the romance on the backpack. Actually there wasn't any romance for more than the first third - enough attraction on Nate's part to think about bending his opponent over the next kitchen table without a chance to do so but never a romance. That is changing in the 2nd half and then also nice steam is getting into the play which more or less starts with the most sexy holding-hands I read so far in M/M romance, so there are real orgasm on page additionally to all the foodgasm in every chapter but still then it's more about the show, the competitions and the recipes.
In the first half I enjoyed that we get the story only from Nate's PoV. It made Zachary's behavior strange and interesting at the same time, left me wonder how Nate might fall in love with a guy with such an attitude and how they get together but unfortunately Zachary was an enigma for me until the end. I saw him change and got my own ideas why he behaved like he did but ... you know ... I could be wrong and not all my ideas fit together.
Can one have a warm, cozy feeling while reading a romance and nevertheless be disappointed? Obviously I can.
October 29, 2016
Do you like food shows on television, specifically Top Chef? Are you a foodie person who also has a more salacious side and wonders what goes on when all those contestants are sequestered away from the world together during the competitions? Do you find yourself watching shows like The People’s Couch because you know they tell it like it “really is”?! Then you will love this book. This book is about two men who meet and fall in love while competing on the television show Under the Knife. I am warning you, though, there are way more explicit descriptions about the food than there are sex scenes, especially since these two guys don’t get together until roughly the 70% mark, but if you cook, you know it’s the mixing, the stirring, the dance in the kitchen that is the most fun, not necessarily the finished product. This book is so full of food porn that you will spend a large amount of time staring at your own pantry like it has let you down.
Laurin Kelly does a great job using the show as a backdrop for the romance between Nate and Zach. Using a medium that most of us are very familiar with to move the plot forward from challenge to challenge, and how these men react to their performances and feed off each other, was very clever. Haven’t you ever watched Chopped just to see which one wins??? You don’t really care about the food, you just want to make sure that the person who all of a sudden you have become so invested in, in such a short amount of time, wins. Laurin Kelly hooks you into reading just a bit more to see who wins the next challenge, and what will happen next between these two men, to the point that it’s hard to put the book down.
Nate is somewhat of a vagabond, finagling himself into a neighborhood kitchen when he was underage to help his mom with bills when his father died. He has gone from kitchen to kitchen learning new food techniques and making a name for himself in the culinary world. All this experience has made him a well-rounded chef and person. He doesn’t let much faze him, and that includes the food he is cooking and the people he is cooking with. He’s an affable guy, usually well-liked by everyone, so why does he let fellow contestant Zach get under his skin so bad? The book is written through Nate��s POV and as such, it stays just as light and humorous as the man himself.
Zach is focused. He wants to win; that prize money will help him to open his second restaurant in New York, and it’s important to him. Coming from a complicated background, he is somewhat of a social albatross. Social interactions are not his strong suit, and after all, why should he try to make friends with chefs he is just trying to beat? Oh, but he has never met someone like Nate before, and the push/pull of reality TV vs real life is more than Zach can navigate. I will say that the author does a great job of thawing this character. The way Zach melts and becomes human means you will go from hating him to sympathizing with him to loving him. I am not sure that the story could have been written from a dual POV, I think Zach’s insight would have been too heavy for the storyline, but I do wish we had been given more of a background to understand what made him the man we see in the beginning.
The secondary characters in this book really help to move the story along. As with any ensemble cast you get a plethora of personalities and motivations for being on the show, and Laurin Kelly uses these people like seasoning. I especially loved Carmen. Were some of her plot points trite or expected? Yes, but I enjoyed her character anyway. This is a full-length novel, not a short story, so be aware it won’t be read in a night even though you will want to. It will sit on your side table, taunting you to continue the story to find out who gets chopped. When and how will that final challenge go? This is a debut novel for this author and I have to say, well done! I definitely recommend this story if you are a fan of cooking shows, m/m romance, steamy scenes and happily ever afters.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
Laurin Kelly does a great job using the show as a backdrop for the romance between Nate and Zach. Using a medium that most of us are very familiar with to move the plot forward from challenge to challenge, and how these men react to their performances and feed off each other, was very clever. Haven’t you ever watched Chopped just to see which one wins??? You don’t really care about the food, you just want to make sure that the person who all of a sudden you have become so invested in, in such a short amount of time, wins. Laurin Kelly hooks you into reading just a bit more to see who wins the next challenge, and what will happen next between these two men, to the point that it’s hard to put the book down.
Nate is somewhat of a vagabond, finagling himself into a neighborhood kitchen when he was underage to help his mom with bills when his father died. He has gone from kitchen to kitchen learning new food techniques and making a name for himself in the culinary world. All this experience has made him a well-rounded chef and person. He doesn’t let much faze him, and that includes the food he is cooking and the people he is cooking with. He’s an affable guy, usually well-liked by everyone, so why does he let fellow contestant Zach get under his skin so bad? The book is written through Nate��s POV and as such, it stays just as light and humorous as the man himself.
Zach is focused. He wants to win; that prize money will help him to open his second restaurant in New York, and it’s important to him. Coming from a complicated background, he is somewhat of a social albatross. Social interactions are not his strong suit, and after all, why should he try to make friends with chefs he is just trying to beat? Oh, but he has never met someone like Nate before, and the push/pull of reality TV vs real life is more than Zach can navigate. I will say that the author does a great job of thawing this character. The way Zach melts and becomes human means you will go from hating him to sympathizing with him to loving him. I am not sure that the story could have been written from a dual POV, I think Zach’s insight would have been too heavy for the storyline, but I do wish we had been given more of a background to understand what made him the man we see in the beginning.
The secondary characters in this book really help to move the story along. As with any ensemble cast you get a plethora of personalities and motivations for being on the show, and Laurin Kelly uses these people like seasoning. I especially loved Carmen. Were some of her plot points trite or expected? Yes, but I enjoyed her character anyway. This is a full-length novel, not a short story, so be aware it won’t be read in a night even though you will want to. It will sit on your side table, taunting you to continue the story to find out who gets chopped. When and how will that final challenge go? This is a debut novel for this author and I have to say, well done! I definitely recommend this story if you are a fan of cooking shows, m/m romance, steamy scenes and happily ever afters.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
July 21, 2016
Reviewed for Just Love
Under the Knife is a story that centers around a cooking competition to be aired on television. Most people have either seen or heard of these shows. Have you ever wondered what went on behind the scenes of these shows? I guess I’ve never thought about it. I’m really only into the show for the food. But in this case, I just wanted to know who would win and what would happen in the end. Would it be possible for feelings not to be hurt? Would there be a grudge?
Nate is a pretty experienced chef in a room ranging from experienced to VERY experienced. Keeping his head in the game, eyes on the target, knives to the board, is difficult as soon as he spies Zachary. The moody, cold, and uppity chef is difficult to read, but the more Nate stares, the more they talk, and yes, the more they flirt, surface tension gives way to real feelings and finally, intimacy which leads to so much more.
Much of the book really does center around the competition. We get to know the other contestants, see them voted out, witness the caddyness. It kind of felt very high school. As the competition heats up, tempers flare, people get thrown under the bus, it’s all out war! The story surrounding the competition itself became a bit much after a while. It felt like I was in way too deep with each of the challenges when I just wanted more of the relationship that was building. I feel like I had a good handle on just who Nate was, but I wanted to get to know more about Nate and Zachary together.
At first, side characters were fun, but some took a lot attention away from the main story of the romance, because of the large secondary story of competition. But, the more people get kicked off the show, the better it got. I enjoyed how the competition was still very important to both Nate and Zachary. Each man continued to try and beat the other in everything they prepared, but they never let that come between the friendship they were building, and ultimately, the relationship that friendship stemmed from.
Bottom line: Are you a fan of cooking competition shows? If so, then this book might be for you. If not, or even if you have no major feelings at all about this type of entertainment, you may struggle a bit, but if you can stick it out, it is an enjoyable read.
Warning: Book may also make you hungry.
Under the Knife is a story that centers around a cooking competition to be aired on television. Most people have either seen or heard of these shows. Have you ever wondered what went on behind the scenes of these shows? I guess I’ve never thought about it. I’m really only into the show for the food. But in this case, I just wanted to know who would win and what would happen in the end. Would it be possible for feelings not to be hurt? Would there be a grudge?
Nate is a pretty experienced chef in a room ranging from experienced to VERY experienced. Keeping his head in the game, eyes on the target, knives to the board, is difficult as soon as he spies Zachary. The moody, cold, and uppity chef is difficult to read, but the more Nate stares, the more they talk, and yes, the more they flirt, surface tension gives way to real feelings and finally, intimacy which leads to so much more.
Much of the book really does center around the competition. We get to know the other contestants, see them voted out, witness the caddyness. It kind of felt very high school. As the competition heats up, tempers flare, people get thrown under the bus, it’s all out war! The story surrounding the competition itself became a bit much after a while. It felt like I was in way too deep with each of the challenges when I just wanted more of the relationship that was building. I feel like I had a good handle on just who Nate was, but I wanted to get to know more about Nate and Zachary together.
At first, side characters were fun, but some took a lot attention away from the main story of the romance, because of the large secondary story of competition. But, the more people get kicked off the show, the better it got. I enjoyed how the competition was still very important to both Nate and Zachary. Each man continued to try and beat the other in everything they prepared, but they never let that come between the friendship they were building, and ultimately, the relationship that friendship stemmed from.
Bottom line: Are you a fan of cooking competition shows? If so, then this book might be for you. If not, or even if you have no major feelings at all about this type of entertainment, you may struggle a bit, but if you can stick it out, it is an enjoyable read.
Warning: Book may also make you hungry.
May 21, 2016
>>I read an ARC of this book, courtesy of the publisher.<<
I don't expect any spoilers in this review really and that's mainly due to the fact that this story is a tale as old as time (I am trying to find a polite way to say predictable here!).
Meet Nate, a young aspiring and talented chef who enters My Kitchen Rules/ Big Brother type of competition where he meets a cocky, over confident Zachary... I know you can tell where this story goes.
I can appreciate the effort the author put into researching the cooking aspect and also, the amount of details that went into creating the world of the competition, the challenges and all that comes with it - the judges, the critics, the contestants. It really felt like I was watching it on the telly. However, it also means that it didn't feel very refreshing. Eventually, I found myself skipping big parts of the text when the actual competition was happening.
I liked the main character - Nate, but I didn't find it in myself to care too much about Zachary. I wish there was more banter between the two of them, I would like to root for them more. Some of the secondary characters were interesting, like Carmen, but I wish I got to know the judges a bit better.
Overall, it's a nice little read but it doesn't really surprise and I don't expect you'll be staying up till the wee hours of the morning only to find out will they or won't they ;)
***
All gifs provided by my uncle Google and the good people of internet.
I don't expect any spoilers in this review really and that's mainly due to the fact that this story is a tale as old as time (I am trying to find a polite way to say predictable here!).
Meet Nate, a young aspiring and talented chef who enters My Kitchen Rules/ Big Brother type of competition where he meets a cocky, over confident Zachary... I know you can tell where this story goes.
I can appreciate the effort the author put into researching the cooking aspect and also, the amount of details that went into creating the world of the competition, the challenges and all that comes with it - the judges, the critics, the contestants. It really felt like I was watching it on the telly. However, it also means that it didn't feel very refreshing. Eventually, I found myself skipping big parts of the text when the actual competition was happening.
I liked the main character - Nate, but I didn't find it in myself to care too much about Zachary. I wish there was more banter between the two of them, I would like to root for them more. Some of the secondary characters were interesting, like Carmen, but I wish I got to know the judges a bit better.
Overall, it's a nice little read but it doesn't really surprise and I don't expect you'll be staying up till the wee hours of the morning only to find out will they or won't they ;)
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All gifs provided by my uncle Google and the good people of internet.
May 4, 2016
Under the Knife by Lauren Kelly
If you've ever watched Top Chef, Chopped or any of the cooking competition reality shows, you'll appreciate Under the Knife. Reading the book was just like watching one of these shows, but you get the added bonus of "seeing" behind the scenes rather than just tuning in to the cooking portion of the program.
Zachary is a successful chef, business owner, and snotty pants at the age of twenty-four. He's a graduate of the CIA (Culinary Institute of America)
Nathan is a down to earth nomad who hasn't had much culinary instruction. All of his knowledge is from years of working in various kitchens across the country. Under the Knife is his chance to gain some recognition and funds to maybe open up his own restaurant.
Nathan is attracted to Zachary the instant he lays eyes on him, but one short conversation between the two men nibs that immediate attraction in the butt. Zachary's superior, high-maintenance attitude is an instant turn off for Nathan.
As the competition progresses both Nathan and Zachary come to a truce and romance blossoms. But there is only so much one can do while the cameras are watching. What will happen with the competition comes to an end?
While there budding relationship survive the stress of the competition?
Will it be strong enough to survive if one of them wins the competition and not the other?
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot, because it had drama, romance, suspense. It was exactly like watching a season of Top Chef, you didn't know who was going home or who would be safe or what kind of crazy challenge they would faced with.
If you've ever watched Top Chef, Chopped or any of the cooking competition reality shows, you'll appreciate Under the Knife. Reading the book was just like watching one of these shows, but you get the added bonus of "seeing" behind the scenes rather than just tuning in to the cooking portion of the program.
Zachary is a successful chef, business owner, and snotty pants at the age of twenty-four. He's a graduate of the CIA (Culinary Institute of America)
Nathan is a down to earth nomad who hasn't had much culinary instruction. All of his knowledge is from years of working in various kitchens across the country. Under the Knife is his chance to gain some recognition and funds to maybe open up his own restaurant.
Nathan is attracted to Zachary the instant he lays eyes on him, but one short conversation between the two men nibs that immediate attraction in the butt. Zachary's superior, high-maintenance attitude is an instant turn off for Nathan.
As the competition progresses both Nathan and Zachary come to a truce and romance blossoms. But there is only so much one can do while the cameras are watching. What will happen with the competition comes to an end?
While there budding relationship survive the stress of the competition?
Will it be strong enough to survive if one of them wins the competition and not the other?
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot, because it had drama, romance, suspense. It was exactly like watching a season of Top Chef, you didn't know who was going home or who would be safe or what kind of crazy challenge they would faced with.
July 26, 2016
Under the Knife was such a fun read! A few warnings: This book is long. It's good--but long. I'm a pretty fast reader but it took me nearly 9 hours to finish. Also, if you aren't a foodie, or aren't really into cooking/reality shows, this book may not hold your interest. The main focus of this book is the cooking show as much, if not more than, the romance between Nate and Zachary.
Nate is on a Chopped/Master Chef-esque reality show, competing for a quarter million dollars. There, he becomes fast friends with Carmen and builds a slow but really hot romance with Zachary. Yes, the romance here is sloooooooow burning but when it ignites, boy is it hot! The first half of this book is pretty much dedicated to the cooking show. It follows Nate and his progress on the show very closely, including in-depth descriptions of what he's cooking and how. As a food/cooking fanatic, I was totally enthralled by this. I was so into not only the cooking scenes but the relationship building between Nate and Zachary that I didn't even realize we were past the 50% mark before things started heating up between our guys. The plot and pacing moved along perfectly to me in this regard. Always things happening that added to character development. Nothing seemed gratuitous.
Totally loved this story. Definitely recommend it to fans of M/M romance, reality TV and food! It was an awesome, unique book.
A copy of this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review cross-posted on www.winebetweenthelines.com
Nate is on a Chopped/Master Chef-esque reality show, competing for a quarter million dollars. There, he becomes fast friends with Carmen and builds a slow but really hot romance with Zachary. Yes, the romance here is sloooooooow burning but when it ignites, boy is it hot! The first half of this book is pretty much dedicated to the cooking show. It follows Nate and his progress on the show very closely, including in-depth descriptions of what he's cooking and how. As a food/cooking fanatic, I was totally enthralled by this. I was so into not only the cooking scenes but the relationship building between Nate and Zachary that I didn't even realize we were past the 50% mark before things started heating up between our guys. The plot and pacing moved along perfectly to me in this regard. Always things happening that added to character development. Nothing seemed gratuitous.
Totally loved this story. Definitely recommend it to fans of M/M romance, reality TV and food! It was an awesome, unique book.
A copy of this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review cross-posted on www.winebetweenthelines.com
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