A Chef's Kiss

Small Town Secrets #1

by Nina Crespo

A welcome second chance…
Or a recipe for disaster?

After their ill-fated fling quashed her dreams, small-town chef Philippa Gayle’s onetime rival-turned-lover Dominic Crawford upended her life. But when Philippa’s forced together with the celebrity cook on a project that could change her life, there's no denying that the flames that were lit years ago were only banked, not extinguished. Can Philippa trust Dominic enough to let him in…or are they just cooking up another heartbreak?

Genres: Romance, Category Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary Romance

281 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 9, 2021

About the author

Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions -- the beach, a good glass of wine, date night with her own real-life hero and dancing. Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a "borrowing spree" in her older sister's bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel. Let Nina's sensual contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales satisfy your own craving for love, romance, and happily ever after.

Reviews

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chef’s Kiss by Nina Crespo
Small Town Secrets #1. Includes characters from the Tillbridge Stables series so best read after that series if order is important to you. Harlequin Special Edition. Diverse.
Philippa and Dominic had a brief relationship early in their careers but ended up walking away from each other. After a number of successful years for both, Dominic is hired for an event at Tillbridge and they learn to work together again, realizing their ideas still mess as does their passion. Can they make it more than just a passing fling?

A bit of angst as the two follow the pattern of romance. They talk to each other which I loved. A bit of outside drama for a richer conflict. Bees and farm to fork planning. Nix the cow.
Overall a great romance

[Just A Girl With Spirit · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75-4 ⭐️

I just love when a couple finds their way back to each other, and this second chance romance gave it to us! 6 years had past, but everything came crashing in. This book was good. It broke my heart and warmed it at the same time. Loved the angst. I felt it was sprinkled in perfectly, and was impactful. Being a foodie, and lover of the kitchen myself I LOVED all the food!! Chefs kiss 😘

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good second chance story. Philippa and Dominic knew each other six years ago when both competed for a sous-chef job in the Caribbean. Despite the competition, they became good friends, sharing dreams and having fun outside the kitchen. But when a distracted Philippa made a mistake with the wrong customer, she lost her chance at the job. After receiving some advice about distractions and priorities from the head chef, Philippa broke things off with Dominic and moved on.

Now, after a varied path of cooking jobs and an unexpected course change, Philippa is head chef at her own restaurant in Maryland. She has good friends, loves her work, and is preparing to cater a high-end film premiere on the property. So she is stunned to arrive at work one day to discover that she's been replaced for the event by a celebrity chef. Adding insult to injury, that chef is Dominic.

Dominic's path had been very different. He went from being a chef in a restaurant to being picked for a reality cooking show. His charisma, charm, and talent made him very popular, leading to his own cooking show, cookbooks, and restaurants. He's looking forward to working with Philippa again and is furious when he finds out that no one has given her a heads up about the change in plans.

Philippa and Dominic are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they don't work together, the rumors won't be good for either one. But if they do work together, they risk stirring up old feelings. I liked their honest conversation about their expectations but laughed at their belief that their past wouldn't matter. It was fun to watch them work together. Their styles are complementary, with each having particular strengths. Neither one is big-headed, and I especially liked Dominic's easy way with all of the kitchen employees. I loved watching him go to bat for them when the publicist tried to take over the cooking demo.

I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Philippa and Dominic. It was clear from the start that the sparks between them were still there, but Philippa was wary of risking her heart again. They spend as much time as they can together, both in the kitchen and out of it. There is a heartwrenching scene where Philippa shares some of what happened after they parted, but it goes a long way toward healing her heart also. I enjoyed the scenes where Dominic involved Philippa in his world, such as her guest appearance on one of his shows.

Though they are honest about their feelings for each other, their lives are very different. The tension builds as the day of the event draws near, and Dominic is called away because of his other commitments. A near-disaster almost derails things the night of the event, but Philippa works her magic, and all ends well. But their plans for Philippa to join him in California hit a snag when she realizes what she'll be giving up. I ached for both of them as choices had to be made. I wanted to shake Dominic for assuming what he did and hurt for them both as it seemed there was no way to fix it. I loved when Dominic was told to take a few days off to get his head together and the effect that being away from the pressure had on him. His solution didn't surprise me, and I loved his big moment at the end.

The setting of the story, involving the chefs of high-end restaurants, plus the reality and cooking show aspects, gave the story an added depth. I loved the behind-the-scenes looks at the kitchen activities and what goes into the shows. I especially enjoyed Dominic's reaction to the sudden appearance of his reality show "girlfriend" and what it meant to him and Philippa.

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

Video review available in Week 3: Jan 16 – Jan 22, 2022, total weekly book reviews on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.

For other bookish content, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chef's Kiss is the first in the spinoff series to the Tillbridge Stables series. In this book we follow Phillipa for is the head chef at Tillbridge's onsite restaurant. The screening of the movie that was filmed there during the previous series is happening. Phillipa and Dominic used to date when they were younger and working at a resort together. They had a bad falling out and haven't spoken to other since.

This was a sweet story. Fans of small town romance will enjoy this and if you've read the previous series you'll like seeing familiar characters make appearances.

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominic and Philippa have a second chance for happiness. Six year and a different span of career has changed who they both are as people but time could not dim the connection and attraction they felt with each other. This is a story of following your happiness and dreams, no matter where they take you or others expectations. Dominic and Philippa story is deep and as layered as their filtrations. this is a couple worth rooting for and was a great rainy day distraction.

[Crystal P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful second chance romance. I instantly liked both Philippa and Dominic and immensely enjoyed watching their story unfold. Nina Crespo does sweet contemporary romance so very well.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chef's Kiss is a sweet second chance love story. Philippa and Dominick met and started a relationship when they were working as sous chefs at a resort on a private island off the coast of Barbados. When Philippa left, their relationship ended. Fast forward 6 years and both have careers they are proud of. Philippa owns and manages a restaurant at a small inn in Maryland. Dominick is a celebrity chef with a t.v. show, best selling cookbooks and a high end restaurant in Los Angeles. When circumstances bring them back together, they eventually start a new relationship. There were a few ups and downs along the way, but it was easy to see the two are made for each other. The final chapter of the book is a sweet look 2 years into the future. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a relationship driven romance with just a little bit of drama.

[Kate Vale]

First in the Small Town Secrets series, in which two chefs who met earlier in their careers and then split when each took their careers to different cities meet again. But will it be a good reunion or one fraught with tension?

Phillipa isn't sure that Dominic really wants her, but when his celebrity as a chef overrides what she's been doing, she decides to suck up her hurt and go the professional detachment route. Too bad that Dominic doesn't buy it and convinces her to follow her heart. Which means what? Another break-up when his work is done in coastal Maryland and he returns to LA? Or does what she have feel right for Dom, too? Time to sit down for a delicious dinner and then decide.

[Suzanne Bourgeois]

this was cute, but a little short for my tastes. i feel like everything was resolved without resolving anything. I feel like Phillippa never really told Dominic the whole truth about her motivations and that seems like it should have been something discussed. but, on the other hand... they both got what they wanted in the end. and that is really all i need, the happy ever after.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second chances have many twists and turns. Crespo takes the heart on an endearing tale of missteps and new beginnings. A Chef's Kiss sprinkles a spoonful of sugar into a flavorful look at heartache. The end result is a delicious tale of deep emotions and heartwarming romance.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been eagerly awaiting Phillipa’s book, and it did not disappoint! I am so in love with her and Dominic! Their oast, their journey back to eacch other, all of it is just so womderful!

[Tara – The BookSirens Weekend Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good food and love have a way of ending up together. The same can also be said about the relationship between Phillipa and Dominic. A second chance romance around the culinary world, A Chef’s Kiss is a lovely read with spoonfuls of emotions, both happy and sad, just like real-life relationships tend to be.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love second chance romances. Phillippa and Dominic fell in love working as sous chef's on an island. I wish Phillippa would have talked to Dominic before walking away! Anyway, 6 years later they re brought together and work through pain, heartbreak and find love again was sweetly satisfying. The epilogue was perfect.

[Ashley Yungbluth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Chef's, Dominic and Philippa, have a past together and are reunited to work an event. I really enjoyed seeing them overcome their differences and be adults and figure out how to make things work. Nina Crespo sure knows how to reel you in to keep you reading. It is such a well written book and I will definitely read others by Nina.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philippa and Dominic were up for the same job six years ago on a private island. Philippa made a simple mistake and was let go from the competition. They met in the airport on the way to the island and were inseparable until she lost her spot. She opts to not stay in touch with Dominic after a conversation with the chef they were interviewing for – that it is hard to have a private life if you are to be successful as a chef. Six years later Dominic shows up at her restaurant to help with an event that Philippa thought she was in charge of. The chemistry is still there and there is history that needs to be worked out. There are a couple road bumps. It is a nice story of second chances.

[Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the second chance. From the first chapter you can't help but love Phillippa. When you learn more about her life and how she ended up at Tillbridge makes you love her more. She is a strong woman. I didn't like Dominic at first, but he grew on me.

[Tara Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 second chance stars
I really enjoyed reading Dominic and Phillipa's second chance romance. First loves are hard to get over, especially when you don't get closure. Emotions were high in this book; one minute I was smiling and happy the next I was sad. Meeting and falling in love while competing for a job is difficult and when a decision is made, one of them has to make a tough decision.
Seeing each other after years apart, the feelings are still there. He hasn't ever moved on and knows that he still wants a chance with her, at least one to get closure. She also hasn't truly moved on, but tries to keep him at a distance. When a heartbreaking secret is revealed, they have to decide if they are going to try again or stay friendly.
The ups and downs they face were realistic and I could picture it happening vividly. The books I have read by Nina have all kept me reading and I look forward to reading more by her. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in The Small Town Secret's series and it is Philippa and Dominic's story. Philippa and Dominic have history but things didn't go as planned and ended badly. They meet again six years later and things are so complicated yet again even though there chemistry is still as strong and intense as ever but there lives are totally different from each other but will this be there second chance or has too much water gone under the bridge for them to ever make it work this time only time will tell what the outcome will be for them. There are twists and turns along the way and I couldn't put this book down and had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next especially as they are so perfect together and compliment each other and I found myself hoping that they can sort out there problems and disagreements so that they could get the happy ending that they both deserve and I can't wait to read more books in this series.

I Voluntarily Reviewed a Copy of This Book.

[Dolorianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlequin romance readers are going to love this one.

I enjoyed the second chance trope and the easy way Philippa and Dominic were together after they sorted through their initial conflict. A source of that conflict had me giving Dominic a stern talking to for most of the book, but a scene near the end has me reconsidering the other person's motives in a better light. I felt for Philippa and the decisions she had to make, but I'm happy she was confident enough to make them.

** While this is the start of a new series and considered a standalone, it's set in the same world as Nina's Tillbridge Stables series. Most of the book takes place on the same property as the stables, and many of the characters (and the events of those books) appear or are heavily mentioned throughout A Chef's Kiss.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominic and Philippa have their differences and maybe they were too young and didn’t know what they really wanted during their original short romance at the begin of the book, but they are back working and cooking together. There is some current tension from how they parted, but the heat is definitely turned up in the kitchen. Despite all his successes Dominic needs to figure out what will make him happy. I loved that he didn’t have an ego and wanted to make sure the kitchen staff and not just the important patrons were appreciated too. I didn’t like that he assumed Philippa would change her life for him. Reading about all the yummy flavorful foods they created made me wish I could try them.

[Cheryl Jamai · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chef’s Kiss is the first book in a new series by Nina Crespo. Book one
features Philippa Gayle, the Executive chef of the Pasture Lane Restaurant at
Tillbridge. Readers will remember Philippa’s best friend Rina from the Tillbridge
Stables series. Six years ago, Philippa was in competition with Dominic
Crawford for a sous chef position at an exclusive resort. The two had a fling
that Philippa ended out of fear that she wasn’t good enough. In the present
day, Philippa is shocked to see Dominic enter her restaurant. Dominic is now a
celebrity who, unbeknownst to Philippa, is the featured chef tasked to work
with her on a star studded movie release party in the area.
Dominic’s career has taken off over the years. He is the owner of a successful
restaurant, has written two cookbooks and made it to the finals of a celebrity
chef cooking show. Despite his success, something has been missing for
Dominic. He’s excited to work with Philippa as her equal, but more
importantly, wants answers for why she ended things the way she did. Philippa
is passionate about the food and laser focused on ensuring the event is
successful.

As Philippa and Dominic work together it is interesting to see how they have
grown. Some of the dreams and goals they talked about when they were
together have come true. They are also reminded of the deep connection they
had, and continue to share. Once they are honest with themselves, feelings
come rushing back. The same passion they have for creating a wonderful dish,
is shared with each other.

Ms. Crespo features interesting food dishes as a side character in
her stories. This is especially true in A Chef’s Kiss. The story is rounded out
with characters from the Tillbridge Stables series and new characters as well.
This is a great start to a new series and I highly recommend it. See complete review at romanceincolor.com.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good story.

A Chef’s Kiss is book one in the Small Town Secrets series and it can easily be read as a standalone. However, it’s really more like book four in the Tillbridge Stables series as a lot of characters from the first three books appear in this one. Having said that, I only read the first book in the Tillbridge Stables series, and that was nearly 2 years ago so I didn’t remember a lot of it, and I never felt lost while reading this story.

This is a great friends-to-lover and second chance romance; these are probably my two favorite romance tropes to read. I liked how the story started out with a snapshot of Philippa and Dominic six years before the actual main story started. The events during that time come in to play later in the book and there were some surprises not disclosed during the prologue.

Philippa and Dominic have some work to do if their personal relationship has a chance at succeeding this time around. Both of them are older and wiser but will they really be able to make it work? It is a romance with an HEA so you can easily guess that the answer to that question is yes. 🥰

The secondary characters in this story were interesting and I know we’ll be hearing from them in the next books in this series.

[TLynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chef’s Kiss is the first book in the new Small Town Secrets series by Nina Crespo. It was a sweet second-chance romance with all the good feels of a small-town. I loved getting the chance to see some of the characters from other series while reading this book. It was a short book, but the storyline was developed and it had wonderful characters. Philippa and Dominic's lives were both affected by him winning the cooking contest. He became a celebrity cook who was recognized everywhere and lived in the media spotlight. Philippa ended up working in a small-town restaurant and forming close relationships over time with everyone. Can they overcome their differences to have a happy future together?
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

They met on a private island on the Caribbean where they had a fling and competed for the same sous-chef position. But Philippa Gayle lost because of a tiny mistake and a capricious client. So she left for a new opportunity and six years later, she own her restaurant located on her friends's ranch, Tillbridge Horse Stable and Guesthouse. Planning a menu for a special event, Philippa end up having to team up with Dominic, her ex-lover, who became a celebrity chef.

The MC have plenty of chemistry and I love how open they are with each other, even Phillipa who's a little wary at first when Dominic come back in her life. She's the one who had to share her kitchen so she could easily have been bitter about it but that's not who she is.

[Ash J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet but emotional second chance romance. I really enjoyed the characters Phillipa and Dominic and got really emotional over their love story. My emotions went from happy to sad and then right back to happy while reading this book. The story was very realistic and was easy to picture the events really happening. I haven't read many of Nino Crespo's stories but every time they are a very enjoyable read that i wouldn't mind reading again in the future. I received a review copy of this story and am leaving a voluntary honest review.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominic and Phillipa first met and fell in love when they were competing for the same job however there could only be one winner, so they went their separate ways until six years later their careers intersect once again.

The chemistry and connection between them is stronger than ever however with his life in LA and her life in Maryland will this be their second chance or are they destined for heartbreak a second time?

This is a heartwarming story about discovering what and who brings you happiness and fulfillment as Dominic and Phillip try to balance their love and careers.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phillippa Gayle was the executive chef at Pleasure Lane at Tillbridge near Bolan, Maryland. She found the job when she was at a crossroads in her life. An event was scheduled at Pleasure Lane and another chef was brought in to manage the event. Dominic Crawford was an ex of Phillippa. She took exception to being told he was taking over at the last minute and she would work under him. She refused to work that way. She and Dominic worked out an agreement. They realized their true feelings for each other.

[Becky Tatar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, offshoot of the Tillbridge Stables series. Philippa Gayle is head chef of the Pasture Lane Restaurant. And a big gala is planned for the release of the movie that was shot at the stables. But a spanner is thrown in the works when Philippa's one time love, Chef Dominic Crawford is brought into work on the meals. And the spark is still there. But Dominic's time isn't onlu for cooking. His attention is on his restaurants, expansion, television and more. All Philippa wants is to cook great food in her restaurant. But can she help Dominic see that her dream could be his?

[Mzlegz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ovens and skillets weren't the only thing that heated up between Dominic and Philippa, both in and out the kitchen. They tried to control the growing feelings that couldn't be stopped, but that was like counting the grains of sand on the beach. Rachel and Dom's sister got on my nerves with their pushy behavior but Philippa's friend was supportive and tried to stay in her lane, unlike the small town gossip groups. Staying true to who she was helped Philippa get her HEA with her Chef Extraordinaire!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.