What do you think?
Rate this book
Pot Love #2
The Sinking Chef
Ashley has a YouTube channel, The Sinking Chef. It’s filmed right in her kitchen, so she doesn’t go out much. When James calls with an offer to take her to lunch – the same James that got her fired from her dream job three years ago – she accepts. Against her better judgement, of course.
Now Ashley has all kinds of secrets and things are only going to get worse.
The Sinking Chef (Pot Love 2) is a light, enjoyable and easy to read romantic comedy. With Sylvia Ashby's gift of humour there is plenty to laugh and smile about, but the book does have its serious moments.
Now Ashley has all kinds of secrets and things are only going to get worse.
The Sinking Chef (Pot Love 2) is a light, enjoyable and easy to read romantic comedy. With Sylvia Ashby's gift of humour there is plenty to laugh and smile about, but the book does have its serious moments.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2017
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia Ashby
6 books57 followersSylvia Ashby is fond of the written word: books, blog posts, recipes, even an explanation to the HM Revenue & Customs as to why she thinks skirts should be exempt from VAT - she's written it all!
She likes travelling and has lived all over Europe - London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Sofia, Bulgaria. Currently, she lives in Leuven, Belgium with her husband, daughter, son and a sparrow called Jack, who comes occasionally to peck the seeds she leaves for him on top of the garden shed.
She likes travelling and has lived all over Europe - London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Sofia, Bulgaria. Currently, she lives in Leuven, Belgium with her husband, daughter, son and a sparrow called Jack, who comes occasionally to peck the seeds she leaves for him on top of the garden shed.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 22, 2017
Ashley is back in the second installment of the Pot Love series and she once again made me smile while reading her adventures and she also made me hungry reading her recipes.
I've enjoyed this story so much,I was excited to read more about Ashley and Giacomo's journey. They have a nice relationship full of love and when they encounter some bumps on the road I was glad to see them face them together.
I adored to read about some of the old characters and the new ones I met only added to the fun.
Dear author I hope to read soon a third novel of this series because I need to know what troubles Ashley will do in the future
September 25, 2017
I haven’t read the first in this series but figured it would be reasonably easy to slide into a rom-com. The Sinking Chef Pot Love 2 begins with a fairly yummy looking recipe. So far so good. Then we meet Ashley, as soon as I spotted her loitering on the ‘mumsnet’ web forum I knew she was in trouble. A dedicated mix of mums and mum’s to be don’t take kindly to someone not in the same situation. Ashley must have been completely dense to get involved and from there on in my opinion of her didn’t rise much! When she is contacted by her ex James her spidey senses should really have kicked in that her ideal life was about to escalate out of control.
There are moments of humour that did detract from the annoyance of the pair. Giacomo her hot Italian lover is a sweetie, he really cares about her but she is intent on spinning a web of lies that could push him away. Why does Ashley think James will do anything to enrich her life .. once bitten, twice shy etc.
This is ideal for a light read, on the beach or public transport, entertaining enough to pass the time and if you like cooking there are some delicious recipes to tempt even the most basic of chef’s. I’m not sure if I just had a personality clash with Ashley or if she was intended to be loathed! A quick read that will appeal to many I’m sure but it didn’t quite hit the right spot for me.
Thanks to the author and Neverland Blog Tours for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
There are moments of humour that did detract from the annoyance of the pair. Giacomo her hot Italian lover is a sweetie, he really cares about her but she is intent on spinning a web of lies that could push him away. Why does Ashley think James will do anything to enrich her life .. once bitten, twice shy etc.
This is ideal for a light read, on the beach or public transport, entertaining enough to pass the time and if you like cooking there are some delicious recipes to tempt even the most basic of chef’s. I’m not sure if I just had a personality clash with Ashley or if she was intended to be loathed! A quick read that will appeal to many I’m sure but it didn’t quite hit the right spot for me.
Thanks to the author and Neverland Blog Tours for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
January 1, 2018
When I think of ChickLit, it's book series like this that should be at the top of your Must Read list! I loved Ashley and all her internal monologues, and good heart, and awkward mistakes, and her boyfriend, the very handsome, sexy, strong, generous, and kind Guicomo... SWOONWORTHY. (Dear God, If this book or series by Sylvia Ashby ever becomes a movie, please cast #GiulioBerruti as lead.) This second book in the series kept me turning kindle pages again until almost 5am. "The Sinking Chef" was more Suspense than previous "Pot Love". Delicious read.
eventually-to-read
September 11, 2017A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2017
Captivating read!!
I found myself charmed by Ashley- all her flaws and insecurities kept me reading page after page. In Ashley, we (as readers get to) face our most awkward moments, times where we make mistakes and find our courage. I do hope there's another one!!!
Well written! Love the recipes- of course the book has to have intriguing recipes that I must try! Also fell hard for the Italian men!
Well written, entertaining, G-rated.
I found myself charmed by Ashley- all her flaws and insecurities kept me reading page after page. In Ashley, we (as readers get to) face our most awkward moments, times where we make mistakes and find our courage. I do hope there's another one!!!
Well written! Love the recipes- of course the book has to have intriguing recipes that I must try! Also fell hard for the Italian men!
Well written, entertaining, G-rated.
December 23, 2017
Every girl has been Ashley at some point.
Her voice is charming, funny, and energetic from start to finish. Her characterisation is really clear and, though I found myself face-palming at some of her decisions, I ultimately rooted for her to come out on top in the end.
Every girl has also met a James and Giacomo. The literal personification of the patriarchy, with his guilt tripping, suit wearing, patronising smugness – or the well-meaning boy with a heart of gold, but too insecure to open up about his problems. They couldn’t be more different, but they are a boat load of fun to read.
The plot is a little predictable, but ultimately enjoyable. And the narration, even if it strayed a little too frequently tangents, was casual, chatty, and made me feel like I was sitting down and having a nice cup of tea with the main character.
The only flaw that I saw – and a rather major one, I feel – was the fact that Ashley is a Youtuber. Now, don’t get me wrong: The idea of her being a youtube chef is awesome. It’s not something I’ve seen tackled in a fictional book before, and can lead to some hilarious possibilities.
But I have to be honest: Ashley didn’t feel like a Youtuber to me.
One of my best friends is a Youtuber. Not a cooking one, but a Youtuber nonetheless. And with a subscriber count similar to Ashley’s – in the hundreds of thousands – I couldn’t help but get a little annoyed at the way Youtubing is portrayed in this book.
I have seen first-hand how hard he works. How he stays up late at night to edit his videos. How he is always brainstorming, or filming, or scripting, or re-filming, or booking tickets for tours, or working on props, or sorting out finances, how has to push himself everyday to keep his subscriber count growing.
So then, when one of the opening scenes in this book is Ashley, bored, with nothing to do, bemoaning the fact that her job keeps her inside all day with no one to talk to, and nothing to work on, I got a little peeved.
Being a Youtuber – especially one popular enough to get a cookbook – takes a lot of hard work. And this really wasn’t reflected in the book; she felt more like a stay-at-home-mum, with no children, than a Youtuber.
While I understand that you can’t have the book be just about her job, I felt that more research needed to be done into the Youtube lifestyle. Some really interesting storytelling and plot threads could have come from her trying to balance out her secret, her relationship, and her heavy work schedule. And whenever she talked about her Youtube channel, or how she operates with it, it just rang really, really false with me.
Yet, with that said, the book is harmless enough. It got a good few laughs out of me and, overlooking the Youtuber thing, the main character is compelling enough to keep you reading. If you are a fan of Bridget Jones, or any women’s fiction filled with cooking, then I recommend you give this a try.
If nothing else, you’ll have a pleasant read, a sweet tooth, and a few recipes to try out when you turn that final page.
Her voice is charming, funny, and energetic from start to finish. Her characterisation is really clear and, though I found myself face-palming at some of her decisions, I ultimately rooted for her to come out on top in the end.
Every girl has also met a James and Giacomo. The literal personification of the patriarchy, with his guilt tripping, suit wearing, patronising smugness – or the well-meaning boy with a heart of gold, but too insecure to open up about his problems. They couldn’t be more different, but they are a boat load of fun to read.
The plot is a little predictable, but ultimately enjoyable. And the narration, even if it strayed a little too frequently tangents, was casual, chatty, and made me feel like I was sitting down and having a nice cup of tea with the main character.
The only flaw that I saw – and a rather major one, I feel – was the fact that Ashley is a Youtuber. Now, don’t get me wrong: The idea of her being a youtube chef is awesome. It’s not something I’ve seen tackled in a fictional book before, and can lead to some hilarious possibilities.
But I have to be honest: Ashley didn’t feel like a Youtuber to me.
One of my best friends is a Youtuber. Not a cooking one, but a Youtuber nonetheless. And with a subscriber count similar to Ashley’s – in the hundreds of thousands – I couldn’t help but get a little annoyed at the way Youtubing is portrayed in this book.
I have seen first-hand how hard he works. How he stays up late at night to edit his videos. How he is always brainstorming, or filming, or scripting, or re-filming, or booking tickets for tours, or working on props, or sorting out finances, how has to push himself everyday to keep his subscriber count growing.
So then, when one of the opening scenes in this book is Ashley, bored, with nothing to do, bemoaning the fact that her job keeps her inside all day with no one to talk to, and nothing to work on, I got a little peeved.
Being a Youtuber – especially one popular enough to get a cookbook – takes a lot of hard work. And this really wasn’t reflected in the book; she felt more like a stay-at-home-mum, with no children, than a Youtuber.
While I understand that you can’t have the book be just about her job, I felt that more research needed to be done into the Youtube lifestyle. Some really interesting storytelling and plot threads could have come from her trying to balance out her secret, her relationship, and her heavy work schedule. And whenever she talked about her Youtube channel, or how she operates with it, it just rang really, really false with me.
Yet, with that said, the book is harmless enough. It got a good few laughs out of me and, overlooking the Youtuber thing, the main character is compelling enough to keep you reading. If you are a fan of Bridget Jones, or any women’s fiction filled with cooking, then I recommend you give this a try.
If nothing else, you’ll have a pleasant read, a sweet tooth, and a few recipes to try out when you turn that final page.
September 16, 2017
Some things you’ll already know from my previous reviews of The Treachery of Trains and Pot Love 1:
Sylvia Ashby can transport you straight to any part of the world with just a few words.
Her stories are captivating and she does romance and heat like no other (swoon!)
I’ve ‘met’ her through the internet and she’s beyond lovely!
So, now that’s out of the way: Pot Love 2. When I heard this was coming out I was very excited. I’ve told you all before how horrendous I am in the kitchen and so I lean towards all books where there’s talent or not shown in terms of food. I have to admit I worried a bit that it wouldn’t come close to Pot Love 1, where we watched Ashley struggle to overcome her culinary gremlins, but I needn’t have.
We begin the book (as we did last time) with a recipe, although this time it’s that of Pasta alla Puttanesca. The recipe was written in lay person’s language which really made me warm to the Pot Love series all over again. Our story, however, begins not in the kitchen, but back with Ashley. She’s wandered in error onto Mumsnet, and is speaking to a number of mothers, horrified at what she’s hearing. She has no children, but is being pressured into getting pregnant since her and the lovely Giacomo are together three years now. The comedy made me settle in, and I knew I was in for a treat.
As the story flowed on, I was reminded of how much I enjoy Ms. Ashby’s characters, with her mother, new husband and kids, who weren’t exactly au fait at showing Ashley love, then of course the lovely Giacomo and the re-introduction of her nemesis James, who I was sure was out to get her. In terms of comedy, there’s some oldies but goodies in there, from an employee who is worried about getting into trouble abandoning the phone with ‘a feeble voice saying “Hello!’ and “Is anyone there?” from the receiver,’ to Ashby’s pros and cons list for relationship issues : ‘PROS: I Can’t go back to dating I CAN’T! … CONS: I Can’t go back to dating I CAN’T!’ There is also a cookery book deal (yay to us seeing the inside of an agent’s office!), some underhanded dealings with Giacomo’s top restaurant and some backstabbing.
This is a lot perkier than either of Ms. Ashby’s previous books, and not one for people whose reviews tend to make sure to tell us all that something was fine for a book in this genre (chick lit) or that they don’t usually read books in this genre etc. For those who are fans of a good romantic comedy or chick lit book, however, this is a quirky fun read with a nice lashing of sophistication on the side. Extremely enjoyable and very much recommended.
Rating: 4.5/5
Oh by the way just to tell you that the recipes from the books are actually found in a new Pot Love Recipe book which I had to have as the recipes were written so simply even I felt I could have a go!
Sylvia Ashby can transport you straight to any part of the world with just a few words.
Her stories are captivating and she does romance and heat like no other (swoon!)
I’ve ‘met’ her through the internet and she’s beyond lovely!
So, now that’s out of the way: Pot Love 2. When I heard this was coming out I was very excited. I’ve told you all before how horrendous I am in the kitchen and so I lean towards all books where there’s talent or not shown in terms of food. I have to admit I worried a bit that it wouldn’t come close to Pot Love 1, where we watched Ashley struggle to overcome her culinary gremlins, but I needn’t have.
We begin the book (as we did last time) with a recipe, although this time it’s that of Pasta alla Puttanesca. The recipe was written in lay person’s language which really made me warm to the Pot Love series all over again. Our story, however, begins not in the kitchen, but back with Ashley. She’s wandered in error onto Mumsnet, and is speaking to a number of mothers, horrified at what she’s hearing. She has no children, but is being pressured into getting pregnant since her and the lovely Giacomo are together three years now. The comedy made me settle in, and I knew I was in for a treat.
As the story flowed on, I was reminded of how much I enjoy Ms. Ashby’s characters, with her mother, new husband and kids, who weren’t exactly au fait at showing Ashley love, then of course the lovely Giacomo and the re-introduction of her nemesis James, who I was sure was out to get her. In terms of comedy, there’s some oldies but goodies in there, from an employee who is worried about getting into trouble abandoning the phone with ‘a feeble voice saying “Hello!’ and “Is anyone there?” from the receiver,’ to Ashby’s pros and cons list for relationship issues : ‘PROS: I Can’t go back to dating I CAN’T! … CONS: I Can’t go back to dating I CAN’T!’ There is also a cookery book deal (yay to us seeing the inside of an agent’s office!), some underhanded dealings with Giacomo’s top restaurant and some backstabbing.
This is a lot perkier than either of Ms. Ashby’s previous books, and not one for people whose reviews tend to make sure to tell us all that something was fine for a book in this genre (chick lit) or that they don’t usually read books in this genre etc. For those who are fans of a good romantic comedy or chick lit book, however, this is a quirky fun read with a nice lashing of sophistication on the side. Extremely enjoyable and very much recommended.
Rating: 4.5/5
Oh by the way just to tell you that the recipes from the books are actually found in a new Pot Love Recipe book which I had to have as the recipes were written so simply even I felt I could have a go!
October 1, 2017
The Sinking Chef is right up my street. First of all, a word for that scrumptious cover. I'm a cupcake fan and they look divine. I love the words on the little sign: "it's not what it looks like". That just about sums up Ashley Burke, the protagonist in this book.
Despite not having read Pot Love, the first in the series, I didn't feel I had missed anything (I will go back and read it when I have time). The Sinking Chef works absolutely fine as a standalone book as everything that happened before is alluded to in just enough detail.
Ashley has a successful You Tube cookery channel and life is going great until James gets in touch out of the blue. He's the guy who led to her getting fired from her last job but when he suggests she write a cook book and his company will publish it she can't turn it down. But why on earth doesn't she tell her boyfriend? This is the premise behind this madcap, fun and endearing novel but there is more to it as things start to go in wrong Ashley and Giacomo's lives.
At times I wanted to reach into the book, grab Ashley and shake her for being so incredibly dim. But I guess all the fun of watching Ashley flutter and flail in every situation would be lost then. Despite this, I thought she was a fabulous character. She's one of those types who always seems to get herself in a pickle and has to find her way out of it.
And what can I say about Giacomo, her gorgeous Italian boyfriend? He's the strong and silent type, a chef and Ashley's mad about him (who wouldn't be?). The supporting characters are so fantastic too, with special mention for Paige and Jun, whom Ashley meets when she is invited to pitch to have her cookbook published. What a pair they are!
Every so often we are treated to a recipe for a dish that is then referred to in the story. I love little touches like this and the recipes are written in such a way that they are easy to follow if you fancy having a go at them yourself.
The Sinking Chef made me snigger many times. The author has a slightly sardonic writing style that was right up my alley. This is a fairly light read but it's not a fluffy one. I think there are shades of the Sophie Kinsella about it. I loved the ending and I'm very pleased to hear that book 3 is coming soon. All in all it was such a pleasure to spend time reading this book. Now, who's for a cupcake?
Despite not having read Pot Love, the first in the series, I didn't feel I had missed anything (I will go back and read it when I have time). The Sinking Chef works absolutely fine as a standalone book as everything that happened before is alluded to in just enough detail.
Ashley has a successful You Tube cookery channel and life is going great until James gets in touch out of the blue. He's the guy who led to her getting fired from her last job but when he suggests she write a cook book and his company will publish it she can't turn it down. But why on earth doesn't she tell her boyfriend? This is the premise behind this madcap, fun and endearing novel but there is more to it as things start to go in wrong Ashley and Giacomo's lives.
At times I wanted to reach into the book, grab Ashley and shake her for being so incredibly dim. But I guess all the fun of watching Ashley flutter and flail in every situation would be lost then. Despite this, I thought she was a fabulous character. She's one of those types who always seems to get herself in a pickle and has to find her way out of it.
And what can I say about Giacomo, her gorgeous Italian boyfriend? He's the strong and silent type, a chef and Ashley's mad about him (who wouldn't be?). The supporting characters are so fantastic too, with special mention for Paige and Jun, whom Ashley meets when she is invited to pitch to have her cookbook published. What a pair they are!
Every so often we are treated to a recipe for a dish that is then referred to in the story. I love little touches like this and the recipes are written in such a way that they are easy to follow if you fancy having a go at them yourself.
The Sinking Chef made me snigger many times. The author has a slightly sardonic writing style that was right up my alley. This is a fairly light read but it's not a fluffy one. I think there are shades of the Sophie Kinsella about it. I loved the ending and I'm very pleased to hear that book 3 is coming soon. All in all it was such a pleasure to spend time reading this book. Now, who's for a cupcake?
October 8, 2017
This is the second book in the Pot Love series, but I didn’t actually realise this until I had already read the book, so I think it is safe to say that it is fine as a standalone. I didn’t feel anything was missed out or that I was confused at all. Although, as always reading the first book first is better! There is also a free Pot Love book on Sylvia’s website which has recipes. (I assumed that was where the ‘2’ in Pot Love 2 came from. Duh me!).
As regular readers of my blog ChocolatePages would know, I do enjoy a good foodie book, and more recently I have taken a liking to books involving social media. When I read the description of this book a cookery channel on youtube and humorous, I was pretty sure I would enjoy the book. I did enjoy reading The Sinking Chef, very much. Ashley is a very likable character who I could relate to and often I would cringe for as she makes silly decisions which seem to make her life easier for the moment, but both she and I will know will make things much harder for the future! I wanted to shout at her that I could see what will happen if she does this that and the other. Ashley is like the girl next door, or the insecure girl that we are or were at one point. I think every woman will be able to understand part of Ashley.
As a chef, we have a few lovely recipes added in and also a few laughable ones too…… (Pot Noodle… shh!). No, really, as a Chef, Ashley is talented and I found the food talk quite delectable.
Ashley is a funny character as she tends to ‘read on the internet’ about everything and more often than not finds a reason or explanation for whatever it is ‘on the internet’.
“I’ve read on the internet how to recognise it. This particular one is called the silent treatment “
The Sinking Chef involves love, life, laughs and a good dose of scrumptious foodie talk. The Sinking Chef was an easy, funny read that gave me butterflies in my stomach on more than one occasion! I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Sylvia Ashby’s work.
As regular readers of my blog ChocolatePages would know, I do enjoy a good foodie book, and more recently I have taken a liking to books involving social media. When I read the description of this book a cookery channel on youtube and humorous, I was pretty sure I would enjoy the book. I did enjoy reading The Sinking Chef, very much. Ashley is a very likable character who I could relate to and often I would cringe for as she makes silly decisions which seem to make her life easier for the moment, but both she and I will know will make things much harder for the future! I wanted to shout at her that I could see what will happen if she does this that and the other. Ashley is like the girl next door, or the insecure girl that we are or were at one point. I think every woman will be able to understand part of Ashley.
As a chef, we have a few lovely recipes added in and also a few laughable ones too…… (Pot Noodle… shh!). No, really, as a Chef, Ashley is talented and I found the food talk quite delectable.
Ashley is a funny character as she tends to ‘read on the internet’ about everything and more often than not finds a reason or explanation for whatever it is ‘on the internet’.
“I’ve read on the internet how to recognise it. This particular one is called the silent treatment “
The Sinking Chef involves love, life, laughs and a good dose of scrumptious foodie talk. The Sinking Chef was an easy, funny read that gave me butterflies in my stomach on more than one occasion! I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Sylvia Ashby’s work.
September 27, 2017
This book has the makings of a cult classic. I found myself imagining Ashley as an older Juno (from movie of the same name.) She is impulsive and unconventional but follows her passions through with her whole heart. All of the characters in this book are a bit odd, eccentric, off, original.
Ashley fnds it difficult to be mean to others or even impolite without hesitation. That leads her to get involved too deeply at times more than she is comfortable with.
James is just a total shit. He is a loser who refuses to change. Even when he could make better choices he plays the victim card and would rather be an ass and act towards revernge.
The book is populated by characters you will form strong opinions about.
Full of secrets and slip ups and dysfunctional relationships, you will either love this book or hate it.
Ashley fnds it difficult to be mean to others or even impolite without hesitation. That leads her to get involved too deeply at times more than she is comfortable with.
James is just a total shit. He is a loser who refuses to change. Even when he could make better choices he plays the victim card and would rather be an ass and act towards revernge.
The book is populated by characters you will form strong opinions about.
Full of secrets and slip ups and dysfunctional relationships, you will either love this book or hate it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews