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The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique
A talented chef discovers how spices and scents can transport her--and, more importantly, how self-confidence can unlock the greatest magic of all: love--in this perfectly seasoned new novel by Samantha Vérant.
Kate Jenkins doesn't believe in fate. She believes in a clear vision, meticulous planning, and hard work in order to achieve her culinary dreams. On the cusp of opening her own Parisian restaurant, Bistro Exotique, she isn't even concerned when her standoffish--and annoyingly sexy--neighbor dismisses her as a crazy American tourist or when she meets the wildly eccentric Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, who ominously warns her of the previous owner's failures.
Confident and optimistic, Kate keeps calm and cooks on. Until a series of unfortunate events derail her plans and her entire staff quits.
Kate is about to throw in the kitchen towel on her lifelong dream when Garrance offers to use her mastery of scents and spices to help her, but it comes at a price: Kate must work with Garrance's son, Charles, a world-class chef and total jerk. After Kate hesitantly concedes to the deal, she slowly learns to open her heart and mind to new concepts, not quite sure if the magic she's experiencing comes from Garrance's spices, from within herself, or from the growing chemistry with Charles. One thing is certain, though: her kitchen is getting increasingly hot.
Kate Jenkins doesn't believe in fate. She believes in a clear vision, meticulous planning, and hard work in order to achieve her culinary dreams. On the cusp of opening her own Parisian restaurant, Bistro Exotique, she isn't even concerned when her standoffish--and annoyingly sexy--neighbor dismisses her as a crazy American tourist or when she meets the wildly eccentric Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, who ominously warns her of the previous owner's failures.
Confident and optimistic, Kate keeps calm and cooks on. Until a series of unfortunate events derail her plans and her entire staff quits.
Kate is about to throw in the kitchen towel on her lifelong dream when Garrance offers to use her mastery of scents and spices to help her, but it comes at a price: Kate must work with Garrance's son, Charles, a world-class chef and total jerk. After Kate hesitantly concedes to the deal, she slowly learns to open her heart and mind to new concepts, not quite sure if the magic she's experiencing comes from Garrance's spices, from within herself, or from the growing chemistry with Charles. One thing is certain, though: her kitchen is getting increasingly hot.
352 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2022
48 people are currently reading
6731 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Verant
10 books460 followersSamantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, at-home French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously adorable Charteux cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
February 2, 2023
this book made me hungry (literally, because there is so much discussion of yummy sounding food and also the very mention of france is usually enough to make me crave soup / steak frites / macarons / fries / crêpes of the savory or sweet variety, etc.) and hungry (figuratively, because i was left wanting more).
it was silly and cute, but it wasn't really my cup of tea, which is a nice way of saying i didn't like it.
it had the vibe of a cozy mystery more than a romance, and while i WANT to like cozy mysteries, i have a similar relationship to them as i have to oysters, or to blazers — being the type of person who enjoys them seems elegant and fun and totally out of my reach.
they rarely align with my sense of humor, or my reading preferences. i felt like i wanted more from these characters and their stories, even as everything from emotions to instalove to menu building felt bizarrely over the top.
oh well.
bottom line: at least this was set in france!
(thanks to the author for the e-arc)
it was silly and cute, but it wasn't really my cup of tea, which is a nice way of saying i didn't like it.
it had the vibe of a cozy mystery more than a romance, and while i WANT to like cozy mysteries, i have a similar relationship to them as i have to oysters, or to blazers — being the type of person who enjoys them seems elegant and fun and totally out of my reach.
they rarely align with my sense of humor, or my reading preferences. i felt like i wanted more from these characters and their stories, even as everything from emotions to instalove to menu building felt bizarrely over the top.
oh well.
bottom line: at least this was set in france!
(thanks to the author for the e-arc)
September 30, 2022
Samantha Verant transported me to Paris in this charming story of food, love, and magic. Endearing characters, a dash of whimsy, a sprinkle of intrigue and a generous serving of romance made for pure rom-com entertainment!
December 6, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the e-ARC!
I’ll start off by saying that I was very excited to read this book. It was the first Berkley book I picked up after the curse ended… or so I thought. (But that’s a story for another day.)
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique tries to be everything that makes a good contemporary romance. It wants to be fun and charming, funny and zany, and most of all, romantic. This book wanted, so badly, to be all of these things that it never actually settled anywhere.
I try not to be too mean in my reviews (okay, that’s a lie), but if you check my notes for this book, it’s just a long, ranting document. The further down you travel in the sinkhole that was my thoughts of this book, the more you find me TALKING LIKE THIS and utterly losing my mind.
I’m going to try to be a critical academic about this and tell you some things that just. Did. Not. Work. I’ll even go in chronological order to make it easier on your heart and soul.
- The floors are porous enough that wine can drip down from one apartment into the other
- We’re 30% in and they haven’t had a single real conversation
- Kate (our main character) is annoying
- We’re 40% in and they haven’t had a single real conversation
- Why are we using “hangry” and “bae” and “fam” unironically? WHY???
- Too much unearned lust
- Stop describing the restaurant as your dream
- Kate is annoying
- How is there tension when there’s no chemistry? *mic drop*
- Am I reading an instruction manual? Why is everything so robotic?
- Stop saying “my dream” WE KNOW
- Kate is annoying (... are you starting to see the pattern?)
- “Dimples puckering” should not be a legal phrase
- What happened to her fear of cats and sex?
- Why is she upset that he called her funny?
- Stop gaslighting me into thinking you’ve given me information, Samantha
- Why are we suddenly hating models???
- Kate. Is. Annoying. The. Living. Hell. Out. Of. Me.
- The dialogue sounds like it was written by a humanoid robot (I’m sorry, Samantha)
- Why is her heart broken when NOTHING HAPPENED
- Nothing is making sense anymore and I still can’t stand Kate or Charles (our other main character)
- I hate how they’re insulting the model’s lashes and extensions, as if that automatically makes her some sort of bitch (what year are we in?)
- How are we 70% OF THE WAY THROUGH AND THERE HASN’T BEEN A SINGLE KISS
- She needs to throw her playlist in the trash
- Their dialogue is so awkward that it’s painful
- Samantha, darling, do you have a foot fetish? Why are you describing Charles’ toes as “sensual”?
- He called her funny and she flinched… my god
- No one has a character arc
- Why is this book validating her deadbeat father?
- I hope they break up and stay that way
- What happened to her anxiety about sleeping with someone?
- WHERE DID ALL OF THEIR ISSUES GO?????
This isn’t even half of it. Before I jump into a more formal critique, let me introduce you to the last sentence I wrote in my notes for this book:
This book tries to be so much that it ends up being nothing. Since this entire book hinges on food and a restaurant (*cough* her dream *cough*), I’ll give you a food analogy. It’s like Samantha had all of these ingredients in front of her, just sitting there, begging to be used. And instead of picking and choosing the important ones, she added every single one in, and so the dish that she finally created was a whole bunch of… nothing.
I sincerely wish that she had focused on one to three major plot points and let the rest be. Besides that point, Kate was one of the most annoying characters I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading through. Everything in her world centered around her, her, her, and it was like everyone bent around backwards to do everything for her. Why can’t we give people their own lives, too?
I’m sorry, Samantha. I wish I could have been nicer to your book. But just know that where there is one of me, a soulless book-eating ghoul, there are a dozen lovely people that love your story and your characters.
Okay, that’s it. I can’t go on about this. The more I talk about this book the more my body temperature rises.
I’ll start off by saying that I was very excited to read this book. It was the first Berkley book I picked up after the curse ended… or so I thought. (But that’s a story for another day.)
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique tries to be everything that makes a good contemporary romance. It wants to be fun and charming, funny and zany, and most of all, romantic. This book wanted, so badly, to be all of these things that it never actually settled anywhere.
I try not to be too mean in my reviews (okay, that’s a lie), but if you check my notes for this book, it’s just a long, ranting document. The further down you travel in the sinkhole that was my thoughts of this book, the more you find me TALKING LIKE THIS and utterly losing my mind.
I’m going to try to be a critical academic about this and tell you some things that just. Did. Not. Work. I’ll even go in chronological order to make it easier on your heart and soul.
- The floors are porous enough that wine can drip down from one apartment into the other
- We’re 30% in and they haven’t had a single real conversation
- Kate (our main character) is annoying
- We’re 40% in and they haven’t had a single real conversation
- Why are we using “hangry” and “bae” and “fam” unironically? WHY???
- Too much unearned lust
- Stop describing the restaurant as your dream
- Kate is annoying
- How is there tension when there’s no chemistry? *mic drop*
- Am I reading an instruction manual? Why is everything so robotic?
- Stop saying “my dream” WE KNOW
- Kate is annoying (... are you starting to see the pattern?)
- “Dimples puckering” should not be a legal phrase
- What happened to her fear of cats and sex?
- Why is she upset that he called her funny?
- Stop gaslighting me into thinking you’ve given me information, Samantha
- Why are we suddenly hating models???
- Kate. Is. Annoying. The. Living. Hell. Out. Of. Me.
- The dialogue sounds like it was written by a humanoid robot (I’m sorry, Samantha)
- Why is her heart broken when NOTHING HAPPENED
- Nothing is making sense anymore and I still can’t stand Kate or Charles (our other main character)
- I hate how they’re insulting the model’s lashes and extensions, as if that automatically makes her some sort of bitch (what year are we in?)
- How are we 70% OF THE WAY THROUGH AND THERE HASN’T BEEN A SINGLE KISS
- She needs to throw her playlist in the trash
- Their dialogue is so awkward that it’s painful
- Samantha, darling, do you have a foot fetish? Why are you describing Charles’ toes as “sensual”?
- He called her funny and she flinched… my god
- No one has a character arc
- Why is this book validating her deadbeat father?
- I hope they break up and stay that way
- What happened to her anxiety about sleeping with someone?
- WHERE DID ALL OF THEIR ISSUES GO?????
This isn’t even half of it. Before I jump into a more formal critique, let me introduce you to the last sentence I wrote in my notes for this book:
“I sincerely hope they break up and never see each other again and none of us ever have to hear from them again.”
This book tries to be so much that it ends up being nothing. Since this entire book hinges on food and a restaurant (*cough* her dream *cough*), I’ll give you a food analogy. It’s like Samantha had all of these ingredients in front of her, just sitting there, begging to be used. And instead of picking and choosing the important ones, she added every single one in, and so the dish that she finally created was a whole bunch of… nothing.
I sincerely wish that she had focused on one to three major plot points and let the rest be. Besides that point, Kate was one of the most annoying characters I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading through. Everything in her world centered around her, her, her, and it was like everyone bent around backwards to do everything for her. Why can’t we give people their own lives, too?
I’m sorry, Samantha. I wish I could have been nicer to your book. But just know that where there is one of me, a soulless book-eating ghoul, there are a dozen lovely people that love your story and your characters.
Okay, that’s it. I can’t go on about this. The more I talk about this book the more my body temperature rises.
March 23, 2022
I'm completely biased. Ignore me.
August 21, 2022
Samantha Verant has done it again. Her blend of food, France, and fantastic writing makes this another joy to read. Kate Jenkins is an up and coming chef who buys a restaurant in Paris and decides to reinvent it into the Bistro Exotique. With a charming cast of characters - we ALL need a Garrance in our lives, and "Anti-Keanu" is just hot - and a heroine coming into her own, this book was lovely.
My only ding on this book is that it wrapped up a bit too quickly for me. Now, I know that Ms. Verant has taken a stand alone book and make it into a duology before, so maybe there is a chance we can catch up with Kate and Charles again?
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book ahead of its publication.
My only ding on this book is that it wrapped up a bit too quickly for me. Now, I know that Ms. Verant has taken a stand alone book and make it into a duology before, so maybe there is a chance we can catch up with Kate and Charles again?
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book ahead of its publication.
dnf
December 13, 2022he gave me the ick
November 18, 2022
I adore Samantha Vérant's books, and her latest is another culinary romantic feast. Kate is near to opening Bistro Exotique, her restaurant in Paris, when her plan is derailed and her staff quits. Quelle horreur!
Don't despair; Vérant's characters always find a way, and in this case, help comes from Garrance, the Spice Master of Paris, and her talented arrogant son, Charles. Will Garrance's shared secrets bring Kate success? And what about the growing spice between Kate and Charles? A perfect read for the holiday season!
Don't despair; Vérant's characters always find a way, and in this case, help comes from Garrance, the Spice Master of Paris, and her talented arrogant son, Charles. Will Garrance's shared secrets bring Kate success? And what about the growing spice between Kate and Charles? A perfect read for the holiday season!
December 12, 2022
Kate Jenkins is finding herself quite distracted. She is about to open her own Parisian restaurant and she experiences problems from the very beginning. For one thing, running into her new neighbor is frustrating from the start. Then an accident almost ruins her restaurant’s opening. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. She strikes a deal with fellow business owner and another new neighbor Garrance. Garrance assures Kate that if she uses some of her exotic spices, her restaurant will be a sure success. The deal that Kate agrees to? Working with Garrance‘s son. Before Kate understands the implications of their agreement, she is bombarded with images and sensations that overwhelm her when gets any whiff of the exotic spices Garrance has to offer.
The other neighbor Kate disliked on site? None other than Garrance‘s son Charles. Kate might feel cornered, but she knows the reputation that Charles has when it comes to his cooking talents. Despite the friction that Kate and Charles have at the beginning, the pair begin to realize how drawn they are to each other. Could what is now happening between her and Charles have anything to do with those exotic spices of Garrance’s?
In this whimsical story by Samantha Vérant, chemistry is everything. Not only does the enemies-to lovers trope work will with this book, I love the humor in the story, especially when all Kate could ever call the gorgeous Charles was “Anti-Keanu”. She might be forced to work with him but she doesn’t have to like him. However, that seems to be completely out of her hands the more time they spend together.
A great setting, great food descriptions, enjoyable characters, including Kate’s delightful mother Cri-Cri, drama and chemistry all work well together to make this book quite a lovely read.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review -https://youtu.be/4peWtfLA32I
The other neighbor Kate disliked on site? None other than Garrance‘s son Charles. Kate might feel cornered, but she knows the reputation that Charles has when it comes to his cooking talents. Despite the friction that Kate and Charles have at the beginning, the pair begin to realize how drawn they are to each other. Could what is now happening between her and Charles have anything to do with those exotic spices of Garrance’s?
In this whimsical story by Samantha Vérant, chemistry is everything. Not only does the enemies-to lovers trope work will with this book, I love the humor in the story, especially when all Kate could ever call the gorgeous Charles was “Anti-Keanu”. She might be forced to work with him but she doesn’t have to like him. However, that seems to be completely out of her hands the more time they spend together.
A great setting, great food descriptions, enjoyable characters, including Kate’s delightful mother Cri-Cri, drama and chemistry all work well together to make this book quite a lovely read.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review -https://youtu.be/4peWtfLA32I
December 1, 2022
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique by Samantha Vérant is an enemies-to-lovers romance that transported me to Paris where I found beautiful ingredients and lovely food. This book gave me serious food cravings as well as strengthened my desire to go to live in Paris.
Story Recap:
Kate Jenkins has always dreamed of opening a restaurant in Paris. But, Kate is not a dreamer, she believes in hard work and a solid plan. Now, she’s on the verge of opening her restaurant after years of hard work and planning in a premium spot in Paris. Nothing will stop her success, not even the handsome man next door who thinks she’s a crazy American or his mother, Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, who ominously warns her of the previous owner's failures.
When a series of events leads Kate to believe she might be cursed, after most of her staff quit, her neighbor, Garrance offers up her mastery of scents and spices. The only catch is that Kate must work with her son, Charles, the man she just can’t get along with. But, eventually working Charles ends up being less of a chore and more of a friendship.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this enemies-to-lovers romance. First, I loved the setting. It’s clear that the author knows and loves Paris. Her descriptions of the farmer's markets and the city were beautiful. Second, I love all the food and descriptions of the food. This book should come with a warning, “Will Cause Serious Food Cravings”.
The characters were well-developed and sympathetic. First are the meddling mothers and they were both a delight! It’s obvious they love their children and only want the best for them, but I’ll admit, they are a bit meddlesome, which makes for a great story. Kate is a bit serious, but once she opens up and lets her guard down and we could see her vulnerability as well as her humor, I grew to like her very much and wanted her restaurant to succeed. And Charles was a bit snooty at first, but he has a great sense of humor and I learned to love him as well.
And there are recipes at the end of the book!
Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique by Samantha Vérant is an enemies-to-lovers romance that transported me to Paris where I found beautiful ingredients and lovely food. This book gave me serious food cravings as well as strengthened my desire to go to live in Paris.
Story Recap:
Kate Jenkins has always dreamed of opening a restaurant in Paris. But, Kate is not a dreamer, she believes in hard work and a solid plan. Now, she’s on the verge of opening her restaurant after years of hard work and planning in a premium spot in Paris. Nothing will stop her success, not even the handsome man next door who thinks she’s a crazy American or his mother, Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, who ominously warns her of the previous owner's failures.
When a series of events leads Kate to believe she might be cursed, after most of her staff quit, her neighbor, Garrance offers up her mastery of scents and spices. The only catch is that Kate must work with her son, Charles, the man she just can’t get along with. But, eventually working Charles ends up being less of a chore and more of a friendship.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this enemies-to-lovers romance. First, I loved the setting. It’s clear that the author knows and loves Paris. Her descriptions of the farmer's markets and the city were beautiful. Second, I love all the food and descriptions of the food. This book should come with a warning, “Will Cause Serious Food Cravings”.
The characters were well-developed and sympathetic. First are the meddling mothers and they were both a delight! It’s obvious they love their children and only want the best for them, but I’ll admit, they are a bit meddlesome, which makes for a great story. Kate is a bit serious, but once she opens up and lets her guard down and we could see her vulnerability as well as her humor, I grew to like her very much and wanted her restaurant to succeed. And Charles was a bit snooty at first, but he has a great sense of humor and I learned to love him as well.
And there are recipes at the end of the book!
Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 29, 2022
THE SPICE MASTER AT BISTRO EXOTIQUE by Samantha Vérant was a sweet rom-com with many savoury moments. It is the story of Kate, a chef, who wants to open a bistro in Paris. She will face many obstacles and might find love along the way. The story is full of delicious food references that will make you hungry. I wish the story would have been as spicy as all the wonderful dishes mentioned in it. The chemistry between Kate and Charles was hot but the author left the spicey moments to the imagination of the reader. This "enemies to lovers" romance was, nonetheless, a delicious read.
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December 14, 2022
review- https://booksteacupreviews.com/2022/1...
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique is heartwarming hate-to-love contemporary romance that follows Kate Jenkins finally about to live her dream of her own restaurant, Bistro Exotique. But A series of unfortunate events leads to failing of her restaurant. She has no choice but accept Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, and follow her condition that is to work with her Michelin star son, Charles, who also turns out annoying neighbor she hates.
Writing is entertaining, gripping and fast paced with first person narrative from Kate’s perspective. Plot and concept of magic of spices that transport to places or hitting with hypnotic wave of nostalgia was really good.
I loved the first half of the book which is all about Kate and her dream and meeting other characters. Kate is lovely, controlling but kind, confident, full of spirit and hope. Her passion for food was infectious. Charles is not as impressive as other male characters I’ve read in romcoms. There is interesting meddlesome mothers.
The setting of Paris is one of my favorites and it was interesting to see non-touristy part of it. the farmer’s market, street rules, customs was interesting to read. I have never seen them mentioned in other Paris setting books I read before. Description of food and effects of spices and scents was second best thing.
Romance was okay. I liked initial hate-to-love arc and how both Kate and Charles connected through their love for food. I liked the drama just before the climax but climax is anti-climatic. Charles’ action was unfairand there wasn’t solid eough reason for him to beahve like he did and then Kate forgave him too easily for my liking. The end is uplifting and lovely but I didn’t end up loving the book as I expected in the beginning.
Why 3.5 stars-
In the beginning I thought this will be sraight 5 star read but second half isn’t as good as first half. I didn’t feel the chemistry and dialogues between Kate and Charles are chunky. It didn’t feel romantic when they talked. Honestly, I liked both hating and bantering in first half more than both loving each other!
Overall, The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique is lovely, entertaining, and heartwarming contemporary foodie romance but I didn’t love it as much as I expected.
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique is heartwarming hate-to-love contemporary romance that follows Kate Jenkins finally about to live her dream of her own restaurant, Bistro Exotique. But A series of unfortunate events leads to failing of her restaurant. She has no choice but accept Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris, and follow her condition that is to work with her Michelin star son, Charles, who also turns out annoying neighbor she hates.
Writing is entertaining, gripping and fast paced with first person narrative from Kate’s perspective. Plot and concept of magic of spices that transport to places or hitting with hypnotic wave of nostalgia was really good.
I loved the first half of the book which is all about Kate and her dream and meeting other characters. Kate is lovely, controlling but kind, confident, full of spirit and hope. Her passion for food was infectious. Charles is not as impressive as other male characters I’ve read in romcoms. There is interesting meddlesome mothers.
The setting of Paris is one of my favorites and it was interesting to see non-touristy part of it. the farmer’s market, street rules, customs was interesting to read. I have never seen them mentioned in other Paris setting books I read before. Description of food and effects of spices and scents was second best thing.
Romance was okay. I liked initial hate-to-love arc and how both Kate and Charles connected through their love for food. I liked the drama just before the climax but climax is anti-climatic. Charles’ action was unfairand there wasn’t solid eough reason for him to beahve like he did and then Kate forgave him too easily for my liking. The end is uplifting and lovely but I didn’t end up loving the book as I expected in the beginning.
Why 3.5 stars-
In the beginning I thought this will be sraight 5 star read but second half isn’t as good as first half. I didn’t feel the chemistry and dialogues between Kate and Charles are chunky. It didn’t feel romantic when they talked. Honestly, I liked both hating and bantering in first half more than both loving each other!
Overall, The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique is lovely, entertaining, and heartwarming contemporary foodie romance but I didn’t love it as much as I expected.
March 23, 2022
I loved this book. The spices, the romance, the touch of magic.
I enjoyed Kate’s quirkiness and the enemies to lovers story. Plus all the food puns and exotic food descriptions.
Get read to fall in love
I enjoyed Kate’s quirkiness and the enemies to lovers story. Plus all the food puns and exotic food descriptions.
Get read to fall in love
August 26, 2022
Thank you for NetGalley and Berkley pub for this earc
This book tried to be too many things.
Enemies to lovers? Secret billionaire boyfriend? Magic cafe?
It also had too many clichés. Like wayyy too many. The hot dude she met on the street lives in her building? Check. He’s also son of her landlady? Check. He’s also a hot chef with a crazy model ex girlfriend.
Every character in this book just fell flat for me. Kate sounded like a teenager through most of this book. Her weird “visions”. Girl. You barely knows this guy and you imagining his babies.
And Charles? He’s cute and sweet one moment. Crazy and mad the next. He’s character like the rest of this book was totally all over the place. And don’t even get me started how many time he freaked out over everything.
And can we just talk about whole fake magic spices? Because I kept hoping tang would come to something but author completely through away the whole thing.
So basically what we got is a feels like a 15 is writing this ROV, with hot super cliche chef dude, who obviously has the most cliche model ex. Oh and don’t forget about super random made over chapter that completely took away from something nice and natural from Kate.
This book tried to be too many things.
Enemies to lovers? Secret billionaire boyfriend? Magic cafe?
It also had too many clichés. Like wayyy too many. The hot dude she met on the street lives in her building? Check. He’s also son of her landlady? Check. He’s also a hot chef with a crazy model ex girlfriend.
Every character in this book just fell flat for me. Kate sounded like a teenager through most of this book. Her weird “visions”. Girl. You barely knows this guy and you imagining his babies.
And Charles? He’s cute and sweet one moment. Crazy and mad the next. He’s character like the rest of this book was totally all over the place. And don’t even get me started how many time he freaked out over everything.
And can we just talk about whole fake magic spices? Because I kept hoping tang would come to something but author completely through away the whole thing.
So basically what we got is a feels like a 15 is writing this ROV, with hot super cliche chef dude, who obviously has the most cliche model ex. Oh and don’t forget about super random made over chapter that completely took away from something nice and natural from Kate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2023
I hate to criticize, but I guess that is the point of a review. This book just did not do it for me. To start off it took me a long time to get into it. The first 100 pages take you on a long introduction that seemed to be stretched out and lengthy. The book really starts sometime after that first 100 pages. The romance between the main characters, Charles and Kate made me physically cringe at every encounter they had in the book. This felt like a hallmark movie and I would not be surprised if it later is adapted into one. And to top it off the author had a romantic scene between the two include “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran play and I had to take a break. The relationship just felt very surface level and that they really did not have a true connection besides their passion for cooking. Anyways, not my favorite did not do much for me. If you liked the game Episode and want it in 300 pages than I recommend you grab this from the shelf.
November 3, 2022
A delectable feast for foodies, Francophiles, and fans of quirky, unpredictable stories you don’t want to end. Samantha Vérant works her magic in this enchanting page-turner.
Kate Jenkins has an exciting dream she is about to make come true …until she almost isn’t, as one catastrophe after another threatens the opening of her restaurant in Paris. But she’s an enterprising young woman and with, the sometimes misplaced, support from a collection of quirky characters, her determination and resolve kick in. Eccentricities abound between Kate’s mother, Cri-Cri, and neighbor/Spice Master, Garrance, as Kate tries to resolve her love/hate relationship with über-hot chef Charles in her kitchen.
Adding a dash of romance and suspense plus a sneaky orange-eyed cat, and stirring in some mouth-watering recipes (full details in the back matter), Samantha Vérant delivers a deliciously satisfying read.
Kate Jenkins has an exciting dream she is about to make come true …until she almost isn’t, as one catastrophe after another threatens the opening of her restaurant in Paris. But she’s an enterprising young woman and with, the sometimes misplaced, support from a collection of quirky characters, her determination and resolve kick in. Eccentricities abound between Kate’s mother, Cri-Cri, and neighbor/Spice Master, Garrance, as Kate tries to resolve her love/hate relationship with über-hot chef Charles in her kitchen.
Adding a dash of romance and suspense plus a sneaky orange-eyed cat, and stirring in some mouth-watering recipes (full details in the back matter), Samantha Vérant delivers a deliciously satisfying read.
December 6, 2022
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique was a beautifully written book that transported me to Paris. Verant's writing is so smooth and lyrical it just drew me right in and I found myself up way too late into the night reading this book. I loved the characters - Kate is bright and driven and she has no worries when starting her the restaurant of her dreams. She knows her brains and work ethic will carry her to success - even when the annoying guy next door, the "Spice Master" Garrance, tells her she's on a path to a crash landing. The chemistry between Kate and Garrance is great and their journey throughout the story is one of my favorites in a long time!
November 14, 2022
Thank you to @prhaudio for a complimentary audiobook copy of this newest book from Samantha Verant!
I enjoyed 90% of this enemies to lovers, foodie romance set in Paris that had meddling mothers, a sneaky cat and a touch of magic. I really loved that the story followed Kate (never to be called Kiki) who is trying to start up her own unique fusion food bistro and her grumpy, reclusive, billionaire neighbor, Charles who just happens to be a former Michelin starred chef.
These two are forced to work together by their mothers and slowly fall in love. The romance felt a little too formulaic for me and I didn't love how Kate fantasizes about Charles constantly but then when he's actually interested in trying to see where a relationship might go she sort of slams on the breaks. They two also don't end up in bed together until the last 10 minutes of the book and it's a fade to black, closed door situation (which I don't always hate but I felt like we got teased throughout the book and got a big let down).
On the plus side this book had great food, fun side characters and of course Paris, France!! Recommended for fans of the Netflix show Emily in Paris looking for a more adult romance or fans of books like Roselle Lim's Vanessa Yu's magical Paris tea shop. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
I enjoyed 90% of this enemies to lovers, foodie romance set in Paris that had meddling mothers, a sneaky cat and a touch of magic. I really loved that the story followed Kate (never to be called Kiki) who is trying to start up her own unique fusion food bistro and her grumpy, reclusive, billionaire neighbor, Charles who just happens to be a former Michelin starred chef.
These two are forced to work together by their mothers and slowly fall in love. The romance felt a little too formulaic for me and I didn't love how Kate fantasizes about Charles constantly but then when he's actually interested in trying to see where a relationship might go she sort of slams on the breaks. They two also don't end up in bed together until the last 10 minutes of the book and it's a fade to black, closed door situation (which I don't always hate but I felt like we got teased throughout the book and got a big let down).
On the plus side this book had great food, fun side characters and of course Paris, France!! Recommended for fans of the Netflix show Emily in Paris looking for a more adult romance or fans of books like Roselle Lim's Vanessa Yu's magical Paris tea shop. Much thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 6, 2022
This story is pure joy in a book! Samantha Verant has a knack for writing stories that transport you into a different world---a happier, tastier world. I absolutely loved the vivid descriptions of food and the setting. Kate was a character I rooted for from start to finish. The unique mixture of romance, magic, and self-love made this stand out from other reads. I can't wait to see what Verant writes next!
December 16, 2022
This is definition of a slow-burn which is nice, but I felt the chemistry was lacking. That being said, the FOOD was not. If Verant wants to try out cozy mysteries focused on food, I'd be game for that.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
November 8, 2022
Samantha Vérant’s Spice Master at Bistro Exotique is a winning recipe with memorable characters, a swoony romance, a dash of whimsy, and delectable food! (Oh, the food!!)
Keep calm and cook on is Kate’s motto as she opens her dream bistro in Paris, France to a series of disasters, all of which coincidentally align with the desires of her mysterious neighbor Garrance.
Kate is a humorous and compelling protagonist to follow and I had fun reading about her overcoming various challenges, culinary and otherwise, including heated run-ins with an attractive man appropriately referred to as Anti-Keanu. Highly recommend for foodies and fans of women’s fiction with a hint of magic!
Keep calm and cook on is Kate’s motto as she opens her dream bistro in Paris, France to a series of disasters, all of which coincidentally align with the desires of her mysterious neighbor Garrance.
Kate is a humorous and compelling protagonist to follow and I had fun reading about her overcoming various challenges, culinary and otherwise, including heated run-ins with an attractive man appropriately referred to as Anti-Keanu. Highly recommend for foodies and fans of women’s fiction with a hint of magic!
June 28, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ this book was perfect for atmosphere and vibes as this is set in Paris. we get so many wonderful descriptions of food, cocktails, and ingredients - which makes this book very fun in that regard —— BUT - as far as the chemistry goes - I didn’t feel immense chemistry between our 2 main characters. The enemies to lovers trope clears up pretty quickly between the two, and it really doesn’t develop into a strong connection on page after that. I loved the side characters, as well as the premise of the story - so I would still recommend it as a fluffy romance with little no spice if you are looking for that / it would be perfect for the beach / poolside.
But if you’re an avid romance reader - I feel like you will find the connection lack luster compared to so much of what’s out there
But if you’re an avid romance reader - I feel like you will find the connection lack luster compared to so much of what’s out there
August 31, 2022
I absolutely loved this book ! Be warned though, don’t read it hungry. Such a great fun story that transports you to Paris, for love, food and intrigue. A wonderful read, you won’t be sorry!
May 5, 2023
More a 2.5
I was determined to ignore the not so great average this book had here in GR and while at first the quirkiness seemed funny, which I was happy with, the fact this was first person narrator wasn't as interesting.
Still, the beginning was cute even with all the predictable situations and I thought the slight magical realism and the enemies to lovers trope would be great elements to convince me.
Sadly, the more things developed, the less amazing they were and I now understand the average being so poor... it gets to a point where the story feels written in a very juvenile manner and without the depth I expected would exist.
I was determined to ignore the not so great average this book had here in GR and while at first the quirkiness seemed funny, which I was happy with, the fact this was first person narrator wasn't as interesting.
Still, the beginning was cute even with all the predictable situations and I thought the slight magical realism and the enemies to lovers trope would be great elements to convince me.
Sadly, the more things developed, the less amazing they were and I now understand the average being so poor... it gets to a point where the story feels written in a very juvenile manner and without the depth I expected would exist.
July 5, 2023
Pretty slow read until Kate and Charles properly met. Full of food and emotions would've been better if the book was shorter and they didn't met after like 150 pages
January 29, 2023
A story about love, food, possibly magic and some very unique characters (including a wonderful cat).
Kate is about to open her dream restaurant but everything is going wrong. First a piano goes through part of her building. Then she meets a grouchy stranger. And then all of the food she ordered for her menu is wrong.
She meets a unique lady named Garrance (and her cat Juju!) around this time. Garrance is a bit strange at first and Kate is actually a bit afraid of her at first.
But when Kate’s restaurant opening does not go well, Garrance steps in and offers to help make it a success. And Kate accepts.
Kate is cautious of Garrance’s unique spices. Every time Kate uses them she starts having vivid fantasies about the grouchy stranger. She’s run into him a few times since their first meeting and he’s been nothing but grumpy every time.
One of Garrance’s conditions is that Kate work with her son Charles. Kate is not very happy about this at all.
I’m a bit split on this book. I really really wanted/needed a bigger explanation about the spices. I could have gone for less time spent on Kate and Charles and more time on how the spices work (are they magic? Is Garrance magic? Did they explain any of these things? Is Juju magic? I won’t say because I don’t want to risk spoiling anything.)
But I will say that I absolutely tore through this book. I finished it in about a day and a half. I jumped into the storyline very easily.
I also really enjoyed the foodie talk. I absolutely loved the cat Juju (he was absolutely safe through this entire book, they didn’t even scare us). And this book reminded me of a movie I love called Simply Irresistible which was especially ironic because the characters themselves referenced this movie towards the end of the story.
Kate is about to open her dream restaurant but everything is going wrong. First a piano goes through part of her building. Then she meets a grouchy stranger. And then all of the food she ordered for her menu is wrong.
She meets a unique lady named Garrance (and her cat Juju!) around this time. Garrance is a bit strange at first and Kate is actually a bit afraid of her at first.
But when Kate’s restaurant opening does not go well, Garrance steps in and offers to help make it a success. And Kate accepts.
Kate is cautious of Garrance’s unique spices. Every time Kate uses them she starts having vivid fantasies about the grouchy stranger. She’s run into him a few times since their first meeting and he’s been nothing but grumpy every time.
One of Garrance’s conditions is that Kate work with her son Charles. Kate is not very happy about this at all.
I’m a bit split on this book. I really really wanted/needed a bigger explanation about the spices. I could have gone for less time spent on Kate and Charles and more time on how the spices work (are they magic? Is Garrance magic? Did they explain any of these things? Is Juju magic? I won’t say because I don’t want to risk spoiling anything.)
But I will say that I absolutely tore through this book. I finished it in about a day and a half. I jumped into the storyline very easily.
I also really enjoyed the foodie talk. I absolutely loved the cat Juju (he was absolutely safe through this entire book, they didn’t even scare us). And this book reminded me of a movie I love called Simply Irresistible which was especially ironic because the characters themselves referenced this movie towards the end of the story.
December 3, 2022
Read/Listen If You Like:
♥️ Enemies to Lovers Romances
👩🏼🍳 Books Based in Paris
🇫🇷 French Phrasing Added In
✨ Magical Realism
🥖 All the Food
🎬 Keanu Reeves
🎶 Ed Sheeran’s Music
😆 Puns
My Thoughts:
This one was such a trip! I loved the crew of misfits that make up this story and what each of them brought to the table because they all had a purpose in this story, even the big boned cat.
I loved how Kate’s mom was so utterly inappropriate and eccentric and everything was about sex that came out of her mouth. I also loved how eccentric and plotting Garrance was as well. The two of them together were a dynamic duo.
I loved the magical realism playing into the story with the way the spices transported those smelling their aromas and eating them in different dishes to places of fantasy, love, and lust.
The romance aspects of this one had me feeling a bit of whiplash as Kate and Charles were hot and cold with one another for a good portion of this book, but when they came together finally, it was quickly done.
Thank you Berkley Romance for my ARC copy of this one in exchange for my honest thoughts!
♥️ Enemies to Lovers Romances
👩🏼🍳 Books Based in Paris
🇫🇷 French Phrasing Added In
✨ Magical Realism
🥖 All the Food
🎬 Keanu Reeves
🎶 Ed Sheeran’s Music
😆 Puns
My Thoughts:
This one was such a trip! I loved the crew of misfits that make up this story and what each of them brought to the table because they all had a purpose in this story, even the big boned cat.
I loved how Kate’s mom was so utterly inappropriate and eccentric and everything was about sex that came out of her mouth. I also loved how eccentric and plotting Garrance was as well. The two of them together were a dynamic duo.
I loved the magical realism playing into the story with the way the spices transported those smelling their aromas and eating them in different dishes to places of fantasy, love, and lust.
The romance aspects of this one had me feeling a bit of whiplash as Kate and Charles were hot and cold with one another for a good portion of this book, but when they came together finally, it was quickly done.
Thank you Berkley Romance for my ARC copy of this one in exchange for my honest thoughts!
December 15, 2022
This was a rough one to get through. I was so looking forward to this book because I love romance and I love cooking, but unfortunately, this was a complete miss for me. The main character was beyond annoying. If you played a drinking game reading this book and drank every time she talked about “her dream” you’d probably end up having to have your stomach pumped. There were too many pop culture references for me. It felt a bit juvenile with so many. Cringey at times. While I loved that there was French mixed in the book, I also felt lost most of the time, because the phrases used really were not explained well so you were left wondering what was said. The romance felt rushed while at the same time going from hot to cold to will they or won’t they. Needless to say, I was so glad to see the end of this book.
February 12, 2023
I found Kate to be very annoying. She’s so insecure that it is ridiculous that she could think of opening her own restaurant. She is a planner without a real plan. Charles Garrance and Kate’s mom are over the top.
The recipes all seemed to have too many ingredients. She forgot about the man who came to have lunch with his dead wife. The visions were too much.
I love that the cat was named JUJU — that’s what got me to read the book and I like that he got to go places.
Book had potential, but did not meet it
The recipes all seemed to have too many ingredients. She forgot about the man who came to have lunch with his dead wife. The visions were too much.
I love that the cat was named JUJU — that’s what got me to read the book and I like that he got to go places.
Book had potential, but did not meet it
October 3, 2022
Review galley from Berkley and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I enjoyed the author's first two novels and looked forward to a new 'foodie story". Instead it read more like a New Adult novel (a genre I'm not drawn to) and I quickly grew impatient with the main character. I didn't find the warmth and charm as in the previous novels. Clearly it wasn't a good match for me but I think it will be for many readers. I will give Verant's next book a try, for sure.
I enjoyed the author's first two novels and looked forward to a new 'foodie story". Instead it read more like a New Adult novel (a genre I'm not drawn to) and I quickly grew impatient with the main character. I didn't find the warmth and charm as in the previous novels. Clearly it wasn't a good match for me but I think it will be for many readers. I will give Verant's next book a try, for sure.
October 8, 2022
The main character was very annoying, as was the love interest . the romance was sickenly sweet and full of unnecessary dramatics of highs and lows. The cast of characters were all messy and I just didn’t mesh with this story. The ending felt very abrupt, and wanted to hear more about why those spices were so “magical.”
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
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