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Twice Baked

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When the pickiest eater in America is tapped to judge a cooking competition along with his chef ex-boyfriend, will it be a recipe for a second chance… or disaster?

Luke Walker’s humor about foods he can’t stand made him an internet celebrity and his blog, The Pickiest Eater in America, a huge hit. He plans to bring that same lighthearted comedy to the show—but he won’t be the only host.

Meyer Thibodeaux might be a famous chef, but he’s solemn, uptight, and closeted. He’s also  Luke's ex. As different as they are, the sparks between Luke and Meyer never really went out, and as they work together, each begins to see the other in a new light, and the passion between them reignites, hot as ever. But secrets, gossip, and rumors on the set could sour their reunion.

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2019

34 people are currently reading
141 people want to read

About the author

Andrew Grey

250 books1,996 followers

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5 stars
79 (37%)
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83 (39%)
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40 (18%)
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8 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Profile Image for Ed Davis.
2,889 reviews99 followers
September 29, 2021
I liked the story ok. Although, I found the “mystery “ to be a little half baked. I also had a problem with how quickly Luke jumped back into Meyer’s arms. Not my favorite Andrew Grey, but I liked it enough to finish it.
Profile Image for Daydreamer.
206 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2021
3 stars
Not great but a nice read. I thought it'd be more enemies to lovers but I'd describe it more like a second chance romance.
It was entertaining and sweet
Profile Image for True Loveislovereview.
2,851 reviews1 follower
October 8, 2019
Luke has a popular internet blog The Pickiest Eater in America, where he talks in his witty way about the food he loves and explicitly hates.

He got an invitation from The Cooking Network to be one of the judges at their cooking contest.
Luke loves the concept an goes along with this great opportunity.
But dang, now he understands who is also judging, his ex-boyfriend Meyer.
Meyer is a famous chef and owns several restaurants. Three years ago he flew to Los Angeles away from Luke, he was far in the closet and left a heartbroken Luke behind.
Meyer is rude and hostile; Luke just laughs and shows his sparkling character. When Meyer tries to get closer to Luke again, Luke hesitates. No way he wants a repeat like years ago. The attraction is still strong, Luke is again charmed by Meyer, he’s so afraid his heart will be broken again because Meyer still isn’t out. The food contest is a hit, only there are some disturbing things happening.

I love this author’s work, always, and this one was again wonderful. I read it in one sitting.
It had witty comments, the best snarky behavior, sweet romance, beautiful and delicious meals, there is even some mild angst. The magic and ugliness of TV were loud and clearly described. It’s all about keeping up appearances.
I loved Luke, he has a big personality, he was honest, open and considerate.
Meyer was far more reserved, has little joy and still holding himself back. Watching him in the kitchen preparing meals was awesome!
The way of storytelling was entertaining, with engaging mature characters, it was various and captivating, all written with a warm kindness. The whole plot was well thought out and well worked out, it had a good balance with romance, progress of work and relationships, it had also some beautiful side stories. I especially loved Felix, Louis, and Rosco, they gave this story a heart-melting swing.
Profile Image for Emeli Webb.
235 reviews63 followers
February 19, 2020
This was a perfect combinationi love second chance romance and i love cooking shows so this was a match made in heaven so hats off to andrew grwy for another great read
Profile Image for Ruthie Taylor.
3,723 reviews40 followers
September 26, 2019
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~

I really enjoyed this light-hearted romantic story based around a chef's challenge tv series. I love the idea of having a picky eater as a judge, but did feel sorry for him when he had to try his most hated foods anyway!

Meyer and Luke have a past, but now that they are working together things get interesting - and most of the crew and production team pick up that there is amazing chemistry between them. But have things have changed enough?

Be ready for the indisputable - well in his mind anyway - star of the book ... Rosco - Luke's pampered cat! He is a wonderful barometer of how the story and the possible romance is progressing.

If you want a fun story of a cookery show, and a lovely second chance romance ... with a clever cat ... then this is just what you should read next!

Wicked Reads Review Team
Profile Image for Katy Beth Mckee.
4,671 reviews65 followers
November 13, 2019
There was a great second chance story. It all relies on Meyer being true to himself and to others. He has to have the willingness to change. But Luke is there to support him but still stick to taking care of himself as well. I love how this story plays out. It was great read.
Profile Image for Becca.
3,213 reviews47 followers
October 15, 2019

Ok. So I have to confess. Lol. When I first read the title of this book, I hadn’t yet read the blurb or knew anything about it. And I immediately had to laugh. I hope I don’t offend anyone with this, and if I do I’m so sorry, but my first thoughts were this could be a stoner book. Blame it on the old days if you want, but yes, my mind went to being stoned and baked and I had to laugh.
Anyway, once I read the blurb and once I started reading the book, I was really a bit excited, because it’s a lot like the show Chopped. Just Andrew’s version of it and I have to say I loved it. If you guys love Chopped like I do, you will love this book. Because not only does it have the opinionated judges like the show but it’s a romance with some suspense thrown in. It was a really good book.
Luke was my favorite. I love that he didn’t hold back at all. He’s got his own blog, specifically highlighting foods he desperately despises. He holds back for no one and gives his honest and colorful opinion, which is often funny as hell. I think the comment about how even his cat wouldn’t eat it had me laughing so dang hard. He is a very picky man about food with an equally picky cat and it’s just too funny.
But even though, it was about the cooking show, it was also about second chances. At first, he and Meyer just sparked off each other because of unfinished business. But when Luke finally got to get some things off his chest, it seemed to put Meyer in thinking mode. And he decided he didn’t want to lose Luke again. But that meant he was finally going to have to come out of that closet he’s been white knuckling for years. And that’s a hard thing to do. But sometimes you have to do things that are uncomfortable in order to keep what means most to you. Now don’t get me wrong. Don’t come out for the wrong reasons, or let someone force you out. You have to make that choice on your own. But Meyer weighed the choices. And losing Luke again was not an option.
I loved these characters. I think my favorite out of everyone was little Louis. You have to read to meet him but he will melt your heart. There’s a nut job in this book too, that causes some drama and trouble, so you get a bit of suspense in this as well. It’s an all around good book.

http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Profile Image for Vicky.
Author 26 books69 followers
October 21, 2019
Luke is a food blogger—mostly about food he doesn’t like. He has a large following, so large that he gets asked to be a judge on a television cooking competition, but it means leaving Philadelphia and moving to LA for the filming. When he gets there, he discovers one of the other judges is Meyer, his ex. Meyer is solidly in the closet and kept Luke as his dirty little secret for years. For Meyer, it was a fling—but one that didn’t leave him alone. For Luke, it was real, but Meyer hurt him badly. Still, when the two meet again, things heat up in the kitchen—and bedroom. But there’s someone who’s trying to make things bad for them.

Things I liked: This is a cute romance that builds on the popularity of cooking competitions, but from the perspective of judges not the contestants. It puts the reader behind the scenes with the cameras, the daily stress that goes with this kind of work. The issues between Luke and Meyer are believable as is Meyer’s problems with his parents and with coming out in general. The ending was satisfying with a HEA for them (not giving this away. This is a romance which means it’s all about the relationship and ending with a HEA or at the very least, a HFN (happy for now). The villain caught me by surprise—nicely done.

Things I didn’t like: Really? Not much. It’s fun, light, romantic, with just a little bit of a mystery to ramp up the anxiety.

Recommendation: A good book for anyone who wants a nice, light M/M romance.

Thanks to Dreamspinner Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Cathy Brockman.
Author 5 books95 followers
October 11, 2019
The blurb pretty much tells you what you need to know about the story, I can’t say much else that won’t be spoilers.
This story is right up my alley because I love cooking competitions and blogging. I also have and adore cats and Luke’s cat is a great addition to the story.
I absolutely loved Luke and his snarky comments. I didn’t expect the touch of suspense and the twist of the culprit and how it affected the story was genius.
For those of you that are already Andrew Grey fans you know to expect high-quality writing, great characters and an intriguing story. I promise you won’t be disappointed. For those of you that have not read any Andrew Grey books…what are you waiting for. If you love hot chefs, funny bloggers, second chances, a touch of mystery suspense and a slow burn romance you will love this.
Profile Image for May.
46 reviews
July 19, 2020
DNF at 70% :(

The blurb definitely caught my attention. Exes with a history and sparks just waiting to be relit? I'm sold. And the story was good in the first half. Luke, our once bitten, twice baked MC has a good sense of humor, is a picky eater, and knows how to speak up for himself. Meyer, our closeted chef who has a tender heart waiting to be held in the right hands.

Pacing was good as they met each other and had some snippy moments, then actually had communication scenes early in the book. Unfortunately, as the book went on, all I saw was Meyer's efforts, like .

Meanwhile, what I mostly saw from Luke was how

I think this is a book you will enjoy if you like seeing the closeted party trying to make things right with the lover he regrets keeping mum about. It might not be the one for you if you're known to be overly(?) empathetic
Profile Image for Donna.
3,342 reviews42 followers
February 4, 2022
I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but I have NEVER watched a Reality show... ever!

So, imagine my surprise when I found myself intrigued by the day-to-day workings of this cooking show! Yes, I just about threw my reading device across the room when Luke (Walker/Skywalker... I couldn't help it, my mind just went there! *headdesk* LOL!!!) jumped right into bed with Meyer 15 seconds after saying he wasn't going to go there... talk about holding out with all of that newly found self-control. ;p

This read quickly and I was glad to see that Luke and Meyer weren't the only ones getting a second chance in this book. Real-life is hard and sometimes it takes a while for some to realize that there are more important things in life than what we perceive as right and wrong. Change... it won't kill you, but it might hurt just a bit.

BTW: I don't care for mushrooms or broccoli either! *grin*

Profile Image for James Hill.
700 reviews4 followers
November 26, 2022
Twice Baked by Andrew Grey
M/M romance

This is a 5/5 for me! I really enjoyed reading this book. Luke writes a blog about the foods that he likes and does not like. It is very successful. He gets a chance to be a judge on a very popular cooking show. He agrees to go to LA for the show. All is going well until he discovers one of his co-judges is his ex Meyer. The two men did not have an amicable parting three years ago. Both men are surprised. Meyer was not out and treated Luke like an option. As the two men work together, they begin to see each other in different ways. But will this be enough to rekindle the flames or will the men end up falling flat?
Profile Image for Maureen.
3,711 reviews39 followers
October 5, 2021
I've read a couple of stories that are centred around cooking shows and have enjoyed them all, even though I am definitely NOT a lover of cooking. This one had everything you could want, a broken heart, a rekindling, cooking contest, high drama, evil doings and a sweet sexy romance. Although I took an instant dislike to Meyer, and it took me a while to forgive him, he was a sweetheart really and his decision to abandon his lover for his career was something that plagued his conscious. A lovely tale, and enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Sarah Baines.
1,466 reviews11 followers
July 29, 2020
Happy Ordering Mistake!!

I freely admit that although Twice Baked had been on my wish list for a while, I didn't actually mean to order it - I actually meant to check the blurb again but hey ho!! I did enjoy it and the characters were great - particularly Luke, Meyer and Rosco and the food descriptions made me hungry! The only teensy gripe for me was that I honestly felt this book could have done with being a bit shorter.
Profile Image for Mae Hanley.
Author 2 books7 followers
December 9, 2021
I enjoyed the concept - former lovers reunited in unexpected ways - and the interactions between Luke and Meyer were realistic. I liked that the conflict between the two of them wasn't due to not talking, that troupe is tired and (IMO) lazy. The 'mystery' didn't feel too mysterious to me even though I believe that was what the author was hoping for. That part kind of felt a little like the old Saturday evening movie of the week plots. Still, overall a good read.
Profile Image for Beth.
2,907 reviews26 followers
June 30, 2024
Sweet second chance romance

This is a sweet second chance romance set in the world of reality tv cooking competition. All the drama of “reality” tv along with the real life drama of a closeted chef, his picky eater openly gay former lover, and other players whose livelihoods depend on how things go on the show. Drama inside drama!

The MCs are people you can root for and there are other interesting characters and a fun cat. It was a quick and enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Joseph.
788 reviews4 followers
December 20, 2020
Andrew Grey is one of my favorite authors and I just love how his books read. This is a cute story about second chances and that love can come back the second time around but you better not take it for granted! I enjoyed both of the MC’s and was really routing for them to work their things out. I loved the little mystery involved here too and the drama. All in all, a great story!
1,386 reviews19 followers
February 12, 2023
A good story about second chances.

I was confused about this story line and I think, it would have been far better, if there weren't so many replays of thoughts. It reminded me of football, where you see plays that are constantly repeated and repeated. Oh, there was the other behind the scenes story as well.
Profile Image for CB.
3,196 reviews6 followers
August 27, 2020
An enjoyable read. The angst (breakup) happened between the MC's before this book takes place and this was them in their 2nd chance phase so it was a nice to see them develop (re-develop?) their relationship. Sweet, loving, fun.
Profile Image for Weng Gwen.
13 reviews
September 25, 2021
It’s undercooked…….

Meyer & Luke’s chemistry are too bland for me, Sorry but I just don’t feel their connections at all….the concept is quite promising , coz I love cooking and watching cooking show, it’s just I expected more though Rosco’s 5 star for me…..
347 reviews6 followers
December 16, 2022
A well cooked up story

Get your taste buds ready for a delicious story. Lots of drama and tasty tidbits to enjoy along the way. Two past lovers meet again on the set of a cooking show, how much fun can that be? Read and find out. I am confident you will like the aftertaste.
12 reviews
October 8, 2021
Fun Reading.

Enjoyed the story. Couldn't wait to see what would happen. Is there another? I enjoyed both of these characters.. keep writing. Thanks.
Profile Image for Erth.
4,604 reviews
November 7, 2022
Perfect book for the beach or a rainy day.
Profile Image for Kat.
657 reviews5 followers
October 8, 2019
A light-hearted, quick read featuring Luke Walker, a food blogger with a huge following. He has become semi-famous writing about foods he dislikes. His real day job is as a graphic designer and he can work at home which gives him the luxury of writing his blog that he enjoys so much. Luke’s background was unusual as his mother had some very warped ideas on raising children. Since Luke was such a picky eater, she deliberately stocked the house with foods he detested. She was determined to make him like them. All this did was make Luke feel ashamed of his eating habits and it took years before he was able to turn his insecurities into a positive outlet with his blog.
Meyer Thibodeux is an established chef that is very uptight about his sexuality. His being in the closet and refusing to even peek out of it caused a rift between him and Luke and the ultimate demise of their 3-year-long relationship. Cooking Masters is a hit show on the Cooking Network and they need a new guest host/judge for the upcoming season and want Luke! They believe he will add an innovative spin as the chefs try to create dishes that will appease him using the foods he despises the most as the main ingredient. I could see this actually happening on a cooking show. Luke is definitely up to the challenge but Meyer who works on the show is upset to see Luke again. He is afraid that Luke may out him and he will lose his family and credibility as a chef.
At first, I really disliked Meyer. He was the one to leave the relationship and discarded Luke and now seeing him again, he is rude and mean spirited. Luke is not totally innocent in the break down of their relationship. He allowed Meyer to keep their time together a heavily guarded secret and it made him feel cheap and used. Luke now realizes he should have put his foot down and ended things sooner than Meyer did. He would never force someone out of the closet but Luke knows he can never repeat this past mistake of being a secret. He holds his own against Meyer’s foul mood and soon the barriers start to break down between the two wary men.
The show with Luke hosting is a success and Meyer realizes he can’t keep away from this bright bubbly man. Meyer wants a second chance and once the fear melts away, he becomes a kind and caring individual. It seems that Luke and Meyer have communicated more since being on the show for such a short period than during their three-year relationship. Unfortunately, tension rackets on the set as blackmail and backstabbing have everyone on edge. Someone wants to sabotage the show just when Meyer is starting to realize what really matters in his life.
I loved the innovative theme of the cooking show and Luke not only won over the audience but he kept me invested in the book. Can the two men stand the heat in the kitchen? A fun and flirty story I enjoyed and I believe you will, too.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.***
Profile Image for Aerielle Bondi.
620 reviews2 followers
September 16, 2019
Another enjoyable story from Andrew Grey. Luke and Meyer attempted a relationship in the past but Meyer’s refusal to be out caused the relationship to fail. Fast forward a few years and Luke is asked to be a judge on a popular cooking show, that Meyer just happens to also be a part of. You can pretty much guess the rest of the storyline. There is a little awkwardness between the two as they struggle with seeing each other again. Throw in a little drama from an unknown source. The only surprise in this book was the reveal of the “bad guy” totally not who I thought. This isn’t the most original of stories but it was enjoyable never the less.
Profile Image for Tj.
1,696 reviews20 followers
October 17, 2019
This one was so so. The pacing was just too slow making the book seem really long. Go to the studio, makeup, brief description of the cooking show, Luke’s apartment. Repeat again the next day, and the next, and the next. You get the idea.

Grey tossed in some unneeded drama toward the end. It was clumsy and read like a scene from Scooby Doo. I expected the Creeper to step out and blame those meddling kids. Grey is much better than this. This is not his best effort.

Also, Luke suffers from motion sickness, and takes drugs before flying. He and Meyer spend the day riding the attractions at Disney. This made no sense.
Profile Image for Jenn.
1,177 reviews7 followers
October 20, 2019
As a picky eater myself, I loved everything about this book and Luke and Meyer! I laughed and cringed at some of the food moments Luke endured. I also loved hearing Meyer describe cooking for him and the food he creates. Oh and yes, there’s a great second chance romance too!

I know now I can always count on Andrew Grey to deliver a great story and this is one of my favorites! The history Luke and Meyer share brings some added emotion to the story. I loved seeing Meyer wake up and realize how special Luke is to him! There’s also a good bit of mystery as they try to uncover who is leaving notes and potentially leaking secrets. A fantastic read that was fun and sweet and I just adored it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews

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