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Beach Read #1
Grill Me, Baby
From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Sophia Knightly - a funny and sexy romantic comedy.
The heat is on...
Raised among women who taught him to cook at his family's Buenos Aires restaurant, master chef Paolo Santos deftly works his culinary wiles--and his gypsy charm--on post Flamingo Island's female clientele. The tastiest tidbit on the island, though, is cool, elegant Michaela Willoughby. The redhead's slender curves are as enticing as her rabbit-food menus are maddening. And she's his main competition for the chance of a lifetime.
Michaela overcame her own weight issues to become Flamingo Island's premiere spa chef. Now she has a chance to share her innovative recipes for healthy living on a new cooking show--if she can somehow outshine Paolo. His sizzling Latin-lover looks are more heart stopping than his decadent cooking. And she'd love nothing more than to stick a fork in his outsized ego.
When the stage lights ignite, so does the sexual chemistry no one--least of all Paolo and Michaela--saw coming. Suddenly, separating business from pleasure is as impossible as separating a scrambled egg. And the big question isn't whose knife cuts fastest...it's whose heart can take the most heat.
Contains two hot chefs duking it out in a lively showdown of sexy rivalry. Mix in family drama, luscious recipes and spicy mischief, and there's more than just steam rising out of the kitchen. May cause lusty cravings for midnight indulgences.
The heat is on...
Raised among women who taught him to cook at his family's Buenos Aires restaurant, master chef Paolo Santos deftly works his culinary wiles--and his gypsy charm--on post Flamingo Island's female clientele. The tastiest tidbit on the island, though, is cool, elegant Michaela Willoughby. The redhead's slender curves are as enticing as her rabbit-food menus are maddening. And she's his main competition for the chance of a lifetime.
Michaela overcame her own weight issues to become Flamingo Island's premiere spa chef. Now she has a chance to share her innovative recipes for healthy living on a new cooking show--if she can somehow outshine Paolo. His sizzling Latin-lover looks are more heart stopping than his decadent cooking. And she'd love nothing more than to stick a fork in his outsized ego.
When the stage lights ignite, so does the sexual chemistry no one--least of all Paolo and Michaela--saw coming. Suddenly, separating business from pleasure is as impossible as separating a scrambled egg. And the big question isn't whose knife cuts fastest...it's whose heart can take the most heat.
Contains two hot chefs duking it out in a lively showdown of sexy rivalry. Mix in family drama, luscious recipes and spicy mischief, and there's more than just steam rising out of the kitchen. May cause lusty cravings for midnight indulgences.
272 pages, ebook
First published June 12, 2012
543 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
About the author
Sophia Knightly
29 books494 followersNew York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Sophia Knightly cooks up hot romance and delicious humor in her sexy contemporary romances that pair hot, alpha heroes with strong, smart women and throw them on a challenging emotional journey. Traditionally published by St. Martin's Press, Kensington, and Samhain Publishing, her popular Tropical Heat Series and Heartthrob Series have consistently been on multiple best selling lists.
Sophia loves writing books that end with a sigh and a smile. In addition to traveling, foodie adventures, and the arts in all forms, one of her favorite pastimes is simply watching people--especially those in love!
She is also a beauty blogger on YouTube at www.youtube/sophiaknightly
Write to her at: sophiaknightly@gmail.com
Follow her on Twitter @SophiaKnightly
"Like" her Facebook author page at: www.facebook.com/sophiaknightly
Visit her website at: http://www.sophiaknightly.net
Sign up for her New Release & Giveaways Newsletter at:
http://sophiaknightly.net/newsletter-...
Book Trailers:
WILD FOR YOU Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/XtVlFBdaHvs
SOLD ON YOU Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/X20NbJElrvM
GRILL ME, BABY Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/6Y07iUPt3rg
Sophia loves writing books that end with a sigh and a smile. In addition to traveling, foodie adventures, and the arts in all forms, one of her favorite pastimes is simply watching people--especially those in love!
She is also a beauty blogger on YouTube at www.youtube/sophiaknightly
Write to her at: sophiaknightly@gmail.com
Follow her on Twitter @SophiaKnightly
"Like" her Facebook author page at: www.facebook.com/sophiaknightly
Visit her website at: http://www.sophiaknightly.net
Sign up for her New Release & Giveaways Newsletter at:
http://sophiaknightly.net/newsletter-...
Book Trailers:
WILD FOR YOU Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/XtVlFBdaHvs
SOLD ON YOU Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/X20NbJElrvM
GRILL ME, BABY Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/6Y07iUPt3rg
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
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July 30, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/30/2019)! 🎁
September 4, 2013
Grill Me, Baby by Sophia Knightly is a contemporary romance featuring health food chef Michaela and master chef Paolos Santos. Michaela and Paolos meet while competing for a spot on a daytime cooking show. Sparks quickly fly but with both of them competing for the same spot the romance grows slowly. I enjoyed the slow romance since most romances I have read lately seem to have a common theme of insta-relationships.
Grill Me, Baby also had a huge family theme which is nice, lots of interesting side characters and a few side plots. The story definitely kept me entertained. My only issue with the story is I felt like Paolo never took Michaela's cooking style seriously. I understood the initial conflict of different cooking styles but he never really stopped making fun of her "diet" cooking, that irked me. After falling in love he should have been a little more supportive of her cooking style. But that is just my opinion. Overall the story was great, love Sophia's writing style, love the family dynamics. Definitely recommend.
Grill Me, Baby also had a huge family theme which is nice, lots of interesting side characters and a few side plots. The story definitely kept me entertained. My only issue with the story is I felt like Paolo never took Michaela's cooking style seriously. I understood the initial conflict of different cooking styles but he never really stopped making fun of her "diet" cooking, that irked me. After falling in love he should have been a little more supportive of her cooking style. But that is just my opinion. Overall the story was great, love Sophia's writing style, love the family dynamics. Definitely recommend.
June 6, 2012
Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures
When I read the synopsis for this book, I knew it was one I had to read. Two chefs battling it out for a chance at their own cooking show with sparks flying left and right….yep, a must read. I’m so glad I requested it to review; I found it to be entertaining, fun, and extremely sexy.
Paolo Santos is a well known chef on Flamingo Island. His customers include A-List celebrities, powerful dignitaries, and the Miami elite. His Italian and Argentine heritage gives him scorching good looks, a sexy accent, and attitude in spades. He’s dedicated to his mother and sisters. He feels he owes his late father to take the very best care of them he can.
Michaela Willoughby is an accomplished chef as well. She works in the spa on Flamingo Island serving up delicious meals minus the fat and calories. Overweight as a child and teen, Michaela is determined to win the Miami Spice contest proving food doesn’t have to be laden with fat to be good. Michaela dropped out of law school much to her parent’s dismay to pursue a career as a chef. She feels she must win so she’ll be able to pay them back for the money they spent on her education and to prove to them she’s made something of herself.
When Paolo and Michaela meet, he tries to charm her and she immediately gives him the cold shoulder. She knows he’s a player. She’s been there and done that and has no intentions of doing it again. However, the sexual tension between these two is thicker than you can cut with the sharpest knife. During this story both Paolo and Michaela have family emergencies that interrupt their planning and preparing for the contest. What they discover is that they don’t always have to do it all on their own. Their connection grows deeper and eventually they succumb to their growing feelings. I also loved that these two who thought themselves so very different at the beginning realized they had much more in common than they thought. This is a romance story pure and simple and it’s delicious.
I thoroughly enjoyed Grill Me Baby from beginning to end. I will say that early on in the story there were a lot of cooking terms thrown out and I let out a little groan. I was afraid the whole story was going to be like that, but it wasn’t. There was also some unfinished storylines with secondary characters, so I’m putting it out there Sophia…I hope you have a sequel planned!
When I read the synopsis for this book, I knew it was one I had to read. Two chefs battling it out for a chance at their own cooking show with sparks flying left and right….yep, a must read. I’m so glad I requested it to review; I found it to be entertaining, fun, and extremely sexy.
Paolo Santos is a well known chef on Flamingo Island. His customers include A-List celebrities, powerful dignitaries, and the Miami elite. His Italian and Argentine heritage gives him scorching good looks, a sexy accent, and attitude in spades. He’s dedicated to his mother and sisters. He feels he owes his late father to take the very best care of them he can.
Michaela Willoughby is an accomplished chef as well. She works in the spa on Flamingo Island serving up delicious meals minus the fat and calories. Overweight as a child and teen, Michaela is determined to win the Miami Spice contest proving food doesn’t have to be laden with fat to be good. Michaela dropped out of law school much to her parent’s dismay to pursue a career as a chef. She feels she must win so she’ll be able to pay them back for the money they spent on her education and to prove to them she’s made something of herself.
When Paolo and Michaela meet, he tries to charm her and she immediately gives him the cold shoulder. She knows he’s a player. She’s been there and done that and has no intentions of doing it again. However, the sexual tension between these two is thicker than you can cut with the sharpest knife. During this story both Paolo and Michaela have family emergencies that interrupt their planning and preparing for the contest. What they discover is that they don’t always have to do it all on their own. Their connection grows deeper and eventually they succumb to their growing feelings. I also loved that these two who thought themselves so very different at the beginning realized they had much more in common than they thought. This is a romance story pure and simple and it’s delicious.
I thoroughly enjoyed Grill Me Baby from beginning to end. I will say that early on in the story there were a lot of cooking terms thrown out and I let out a little groan. I was afraid the whole story was going to be like that, but it wasn’t. There was also some unfinished storylines with secondary characters, so I’m putting it out there Sophia…I hope you have a sequel planned!
February 20, 2015
Finishing a book should never leave you with a "Why did I just read that?" feeling, but this one did for me, and I really didn't care for it. Samhain Publishing usually means sexy, erotic stories for me, but this book fell flat there as well. There was a lot of unnecessary drama and immaturity in this story, and it really overloaded everything else. The characters were hard to connect with, and didn't have enough background given for them to understand their motivations. There really wasn't much of a culinary showdown, and we never fully got the results of the competition. There are allusions made to it, but nothing truly clear cut. What sounded like such an interesting book from the blurb, wound up being a flop for me.
December 28, 2012
Grill Me, Baby is a fantastic book, with a love story that had me captivated from page one. I love Sophia Knightly books and this was no exception. Also who can resisted a romance that involves any kinda food, they are always a favorite for me.
April 22, 2020
I thought this book was good. It just didn't grab me and hold me, and that's nothing against the writing. I felt the writing was great, the story line was great. I just don't know why I wasn't connecting with it. I felt the story was a little all over the place at times, a lot of characters doing a lot of different things. Maybe I was just having a off moment in reading because I did enjoy the book, I just didn't LOVE it. Paolo and Michela are competing chefs with very different styles trying to win a TV show spot, the storyline is what attracted me to the book. Their competition was great and fun to read.
August 7, 2018
Just another book about a "Her" who has had bad luck in her love life...trying to live up to the expectations of overbearing critical parents. Made a career change that her parents don't support and now she has a chance to prove herself. BUT she must beat out a HOTTTT Latin Male Chef "with EGO" for a TV Cooking show.
An overabundance of family drama and short tempers mixed with miscommunications. Not even close to being realistic.
HOWEVER, if one wants a light, fast read with a predictable ending...go for it.....
An overabundance of family drama and short tempers mixed with miscommunications. Not even close to being realistic.
HOWEVER, if one wants a light, fast read with a predictable ending...go for it.....
July 29, 2018
Okay read but probably wouldn’t read it agin
I got this book for free and it sounded interesting with the two main characters being chefs trying to compete for a tv show. It was full of drama sometimes the rather silly unnecessary kind because someone is hot headed or just doesn’t stop to think before reacting. The two fall in love but it was difficult to believe how they got there. Really just seemed like lust. Easy read so probably would be a fine beach read I guess
I got this book for free and it sounded interesting with the two main characters being chefs trying to compete for a tv show. It was full of drama sometimes the rather silly unnecessary kind because someone is hot headed or just doesn’t stop to think before reacting. The two fall in love but it was difficult to believe how they got there. Really just seemed like lust. Easy read so probably would be a fine beach read I guess
August 2, 2018
Light easy read
Enjoyed the premise of the book and found the main characters charming and disarming at the same time. The secondary players added to the story in a positive way and the many sidebars were entertaining. Two chefs competing for a show on the Network is certainly a current topic as well as their different cooking methods. Read it, you will find it interesting and amusing 4 Stars ...from me!
Enjoyed the premise of the book and found the main characters charming and disarming at the same time. The secondary players added to the story in a positive way and the many sidebars were entertaining. Two chefs competing for a show on the Network is certainly a current topic as well as their different cooking methods. Read it, you will find it interesting and amusing 4 Stars ...from me!
September 12, 2019
This book did not work for me. Too many crazy dramatic things and both Hero and Heroine did and said things I did not care for. There were so many melodramatic upheavals and emotional scenes it reminded me of Prime Time Soap Opera plots or Telenovelas. Final Rating: 1.5 Stars Sorry, not my Cup of Tea. Did not keep to re-read in my Ebook Library.
May 23, 2017
Hot in the kitchen
Paolo and Micheala are two chefs competing for a cooking show. Sparks fly and they have to handle the attraction while competing. This was a entertaining romance and I hope to read more about this family.
Paolo and Micheala are two chefs competing for a cooking show. Sparks fly and they have to handle the attraction while competing. This was a entertaining romance and I hope to read more about this family.
July 29, 2018
Grill Me, Baby
This is a fun and quick book. She starts out being extremely irritated by him, but he grows on her as they compete for the privilege of hosting a cooking show. There is some sex, but it's not disgustingly explicit.
This is a fun and quick book. She starts out being extremely irritated by him, but he grows on her as they compete for the privilege of hosting a cooking show. There is some sex, but it's not disgustingly explicit.
September 5, 2018
What a great book!
I Loved the characters and family ties in this story! That she ended up with his sister at the hospital after he took the wrong pills...there was many good parts but the last two chapters were awesome!
I Loved the characters and family ties in this story! That she ended up with his sister at the hospital after he took the wrong pills...there was many good parts but the last two chapters were awesome!
January 6, 2019
Entertaining
Overall a good book. The characters were relatable and funny in parts. This isn't a typical romance book where they get together and fall out and then get back together. There was more than that and did keep you guessing for awhile. Enjoyed it.
Overall a good book. The characters were relatable and funny in parts. This isn't a typical romance book where they get together and fall out and then get back together. There was more than that and did keep you guessing for awhile. Enjoyed it.
Read
November 20, 2019Hot competition
Michaela and Pablo are both chefs but, with different approaches to cooking. She is into healthy alternatives while he is more traditional. They will face off on a TV show with the winner getting their own series.
Michaela and Pablo are both chefs but, with different approaches to cooking. She is into healthy alternatives while he is more traditional. They will face off on a TV show with the winner getting their own series.
July 11, 2020
Really good read
If you love crazy characters and food then this is the book for you! Hot chemistry in and out of the kitchen! Wonderful family bonding as well. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you love crazy characters and food then this is the book for you! Hot chemistry in and out of the kitchen! Wonderful family bonding as well. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
September 28, 2020
Hope to read more of you
Enjoyed the characters distinctive personalities and the backstory so skillfully woven in. The ethnic differences added a new wrinkle without a lot of verbage. Loved the strong woman.
Enjoyed the characters distinctive personalities and the backstory so skillfully woven in. The ethnic differences added a new wrinkle without a lot of verbage. Loved the strong woman.
August 2, 2018
Two chefs compete for a cooking show and fall for each other. Other characters are thrown in for orher books.
August 2, 2018
Loved this book
I loved this book from the very beginning.I liked the humor and connections with the two lead character.can't wait for another one
I loved this book from the very beginning.I liked the humor and connections with the two lead character.can't wait for another one
August 17, 2018
Good read
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me reading till the end. It also meshed more lives together than just the main characters which made it different and unique.
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me reading till the end. It also meshed more lives together than just the main characters which made it different and unique.
August 18, 2018
Loved the give and take between the characters. Clever plot, and a fun read.
October 4, 2018
Sweet
Lovely romantic read, that incorporates both male and female leads family very nicely. Things are hot in the kitchen for these two chefs trying to be a local TV celebrity .
Lovely romantic read, that incorporates both male and female leads family very nicely. Things are hot in the kitchen for these two chefs trying to be a local TV celebrity .
October 7, 2018
Cute
This book was cute and funny. I really enjoyed it. The sister subplot was a little much but it was really fun to read.
This book was cute and funny. I really enjoyed it. The sister subplot was a little much but it was really fun to read.
October 19, 2018
Cute book. I think they should do a show together.
November 13, 2018
It is a great book to read
February 18, 2019
Wow, this was a page turner that was very fast paced, sexy, funny and made you laugh st all their firsty antics. Loved the book from first word.
Currently reading
March 18, 2020Enjoyed this book
A fun read with believable characters that I liked. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre.
A fun read with believable characters that I liked. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre.
March 22, 2020
Fun read
A silly romantic comedy. A lighthearted but pleasurable read. If you enjoy romantic comedies with a little spice to them you'll enjoy this book.
A silly romantic comedy. A lighthearted but pleasurable read. If you enjoy romantic comedies with a little spice to them you'll enjoy this book.
June 6, 2024
The heart is there but it’s not well written.
September 3, 2021
This romance was just ‘meh’ for me. I feel like I was annoyed by Paolo for a good portion of this book with his condescending attitude towards Michaela even possibly winning the competition. The ‘Latin Lvoer’ vibe was overplayed a little too much and just made it cringeworthy any time his sex appeal got brought up. It wasn’t just Paolo, Michaela’s overbearing personality made it impossible to really connect with her either. It’s hard for me to really get into a romance story if I can’t connect or drum up any interest in either of the main characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews