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First Times in Trout Creek #4
Taught by the Chef
Emma As if falling asleep against a stranger’s shoulder during my flight back home isn’t bad enough, I wake up with my hand on his crown jewels. I’ve never gotten off a plane so fast, hoping to put this embarrassing situation behind me as soon as possible. But when the same guy saves me from a horrible blind date at the restaurant where he’s the chef, I’m left craving for more. Stuart I haven’t been able to get the gorgeous curvy girl from my flight out of my head, so imagine my surprise when I spot her having dinner at my restaurant. The only problem is the disrespectful jerk she’s on a date with. I can’t wait to boot him from his table so I can show Emma how a real man treats his woman. Bring out the whipped cream because I’m ready to devour her. Taught by the Chef is a steamy short instalove romance full of heat and heart with NO cliffhangers, NO cheating, and a Guaranteed HEA. This book is part of the First Times in Trout Creek series, a steamy romance series set in a small mountain town where every insanely hot guy finds a sweet & inexperienced curvy woman to love.
42 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 7, 2022
Four stars ☆☆☆☆
Such a sweet and funny instalove novella! Emma meets a man (Stuart) at the airport. They end up being seat neighbors. She wakes up with her hand on Stuart's lap. After that hilarious first encounter, fate brings them back together in Trout Creek. This is a short, safe read.
safety:
virgin heroine
no OM/OW (h had one date with OM, H took care of him)
no cheating/sharing
HEA ♡
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Such a sweet and funny instalove novella! Emma meets a man (Stuart) at the airport. They end up being seat neighbors. She wakes up with her hand on Stuart's lap. After that hilarious first encounter, fate brings them back together in Trout Creek. This is a short, safe read.
safety:
virgin heroine
no OM/OW (h had one date with OM, H took care of him)
no cheating/sharing
HEA ♡
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 31, 2023
Sweet story, but fully unbelievable. Still a fun read.
October 9, 2022
🎵 Love is in the Air . . .
Stuart and Emma certainly had an interesting first meeting as she was trying to buy the worst-tasting chocolates at the airport for her brother’s birthday. They always have a competition to see who can buy the worst gift for the other. The cashier was highly offended! But the man behind her got into a conversation with her when she wanted to instead buy awful-smelling cheese. For the sake of the other passengers who would have to smell it all the way home, the man she was chatting with suggested something else.
To their surprise, they were both on the same flight to Trout Creek! The woman sitting next to Stuart was annoyed that he and Emma, 3 rows away, kept flirting with each other as she was trying to read, so she traded seats to let them sit together. They both fall asleep on the long flight home and he is dreaming someone is squeezing… oops, not a dream! And if she doesn’t stop, he is going to embarrass himself! Emma is asleep with her head on his shoulder and moaning softly, so he gently wakes her. She is mortified to see what she had been doing. So when the plane lands, she runs off in a hurry, planning regretfully to never see him again.
With a long list of horrible dates behind her, Emma had figured there were no longer any decent men left. Her mother sets her up on yet another terrible date. But this one happens to be at Stuart’s restaurant. Stuart comes to her rescue when things turn bad and intends to do whatever he can to keep her in his life. But then she is called back to Spain where her job is. Will this end their relationship before it can begin?
This is a fun story and the main characters are instantly likable. Can Fate put them together again only to rip them apart? Grab your copy and see if there is any hope for a HEA for two people so right for each other.
Stuart and Emma certainly had an interesting first meeting as she was trying to buy the worst-tasting chocolates at the airport for her brother’s birthday. They always have a competition to see who can buy the worst gift for the other. The cashier was highly offended! But the man behind her got into a conversation with her when she wanted to instead buy awful-smelling cheese. For the sake of the other passengers who would have to smell it all the way home, the man she was chatting with suggested something else.
To their surprise, they were both on the same flight to Trout Creek! The woman sitting next to Stuart was annoyed that he and Emma, 3 rows away, kept flirting with each other as she was trying to read, so she traded seats to let them sit together. They both fall asleep on the long flight home and he is dreaming someone is squeezing… oops, not a dream! And if she doesn’t stop, he is going to embarrass himself! Emma is asleep with her head on his shoulder and moaning softly, so he gently wakes her. She is mortified to see what she had been doing. So when the plane lands, she runs off in a hurry, planning regretfully to never see him again.
With a long list of horrible dates behind her, Emma had figured there were no longer any decent men left. Her mother sets her up on yet another terrible date. But this one happens to be at Stuart’s restaurant. Stuart comes to her rescue when things turn bad and intends to do whatever he can to keep her in his life. But then she is called back to Spain where her job is. Will this end their relationship before it can begin?
This is a fun story and the main characters are instantly likable. Can Fate put them together again only to rip them apart? Grab your copy and see if there is any hope for a HEA for two people so right for each other.
September 27, 2023
Not Bad But…
This book has definitely a lot of lust at first sight and instalove going on, as it says in the title. Which, if I remember correctly, it’s less than 100 pages. So the author had to kinda cram it in there.
While I do think the characters had some real potential, I liked them both at first, that’s where it stops for me. Less than 100 pages, you can’t fit in the things you need in a story. The character growth, the plot development, and the lack of research for the jobs they held is also evident.
The smut bits are not well written either, and I won’t dive into that too much, but by the time I got 60% through the “book” I figured, might as well finish it.
This book has definitely a lot of lust at first sight and instalove going on, as it says in the title. Which, if I remember correctly, it’s less than 100 pages. So the author had to kinda cram it in there.
While I do think the characters had some real potential, I liked them both at first, that’s where it stops for me. Less than 100 pages, you can’t fit in the things you need in a story. The character growth, the plot development, and the lack of research for the jobs they held is also evident.
The smut bits are not well written either, and I won’t dive into that too much, but by the time I got 60% through the “book” I figured, might as well finish it.
January 28, 2025
This is the fourth book in this series. They can be read as standalone books. Emma and Stuart meet while on an airplane. She falls asleep against him and wakes up with her hands on his special area. She is mortified. They next time she sees him, he is saving her from a horrible first date. She has no idea why he wants anything to do with her. Stuart can't believe they way her date is talking to her. He can't boot him fast enough. Will Stuart be able to show Emma how a woman should really be treated? This a steamy, instalove, romance.
September 19, 2023
Emma and Stuart meet on a flight and have an instant connection, they spend hours together but when Emma gets embarrassed she leaves.
When Stuart sees her in his restaurant days later he's determined to not let her go this time.
These two were sweet, but then things got steamy at the end. Not sure why she's written as a virgin, as it makes no difference to the story.
- virgin fmc
- insta-attraction
- HEA
- epilogue
When Stuart sees her in his restaurant days later he's determined to not let her go this time.
These two were sweet, but then things got steamy at the end. Not sure why she's written as a virgin, as it makes no difference to the story.
- virgin fmc
- insta-attraction
- HEA
- epilogue
October 5, 2024
Yummy
Stuart and Emma. This started off so cute. Then theses two end up in an embarrassing predicament that has Emma running away. We are back in Trout Creek. Stuart is a chef and bonded with Emma in the plane home. When he sees her with a couch canoe in his restaurant. He decides to intervene. Emma doesn't want to be on a blind date. All she thinks about is Stuart. How can she face him? We he bust in and saves her from bor-zilla Kip. Things begin to heat up in the kitchen.
Stuart and Emma. This started off so cute. Then theses two end up in an embarrassing predicament that has Emma running away. We are back in Trout Creek. Stuart is a chef and bonded with Emma in the plane home. When he sees her with a couch canoe in his restaurant. He decides to intervene. Emma doesn't want to be on a blind date. All she thinks about is Stuart. How can she face him? We he bust in and saves her from bor-zilla Kip. Things begin to heat up in the kitchen.
Read
September 18, 20233.5 *
It starts strong, a good meet-cute.
But in my mind, most of the book took place in the first 24hrs they met, but according to dinner it was a few days.
There was definitely instalove, but I didn't really feel any heat.
Its ok, I would read the author again, see what the freebie at the start of the book is.
It starts strong, a good meet-cute.
But in my mind, most of the book took place in the first 24hrs they met, but according to dinner it was a few days.
There was definitely instalove, but I didn't really feel any heat.
Its ok, I would read the author again, see what the freebie at the start of the book is.
September 28, 2023
Sweet instalove story with a touch of steam.
I really enjoyed this quick instalove story. It was entertaining and enjoyable. The characters were likable. Emma and Stuart were sweet with a touch of steam and a dash of adventurous. The nap on the plane was hilarious and had me laughing. I liked the way the story ended. I recommend reading this book.
I really enjoyed this quick instalove story. It was entertaining and enjoyable. The characters were likable. Emma and Stuart were sweet with a touch of steam and a dash of adventurous. The nap on the plane was hilarious and had me laughing. I liked the way the story ended. I recommend reading this book.
July 2, 2023
Another Great Instalove
Emma and Stuart had quite the hilarious goodbye before she appeared again in his restaurant with a jerk of a date. At least things come together and they get their happily ever after. A quick read that I couldn't put down.
Emma and Stuart had quite the hilarious goodbye before she appeared again in his restaurant with a jerk of a date. At least things come together and they get their happily ever after. A quick read that I couldn't put down.
September 20, 2023
This was a little freebie I found on SYKD day, which caught my attention at the mention of the comedic way in which these two meet, so i figured why not give it a try!
There were plenty of sweet moments mixed in with the funny ones, and overall, this was a fun, light-hearted read
3/5 stars
There were plenty of sweet moments mixed in with the funny ones, and overall, this was a fun, light-hearted read
3/5 stars
September 20, 2023
Truly enjoyed it
I love this short instloves. I love how they met and what she did on the airplane. It was not long drawn out no arguments no third part break up. It was just a fun time and something fun to read.
I love this short instloves. I love how they met and what she did on the airplane. It was not long drawn out no arguments no third part break up. It was just a fun time and something fun to read.
January 12, 2024
I knew going into this that it was going to be insta love and guaranteed hea, but I feel like the story could’ve been longer and that some things didn’t need to happen right then and there…that’s just my opinion.
November 18, 2024
3 Stars
Taught by the Chef is the fourth book in the First Times in Trout Creek by Hazel J. North. This is a small-town insta-love romance with mountain men and plenty of steamy details.
While I did like the book/series- there was nothing that made it stand out from the 'crowd' for me.
Taught by the Chef is the fourth book in the First Times in Trout Creek by Hazel J. North. This is a small-town insta-love romance with mountain men and plenty of steamy details.
While I did like the book/series- there was nothing that made it stand out from the 'crowd' for me.
March 11, 2025
Short book, short review
Emma and Stuart meet on a flight to their hometown. It's a insta-love book, so everything happens very quickly; it's short, entertaining, and features a spicy scene, if that's what you looking for.
Emma and Stuart meet on a flight to their hometown. It's a insta-love book, so everything happens very quickly; it's short, entertaining, and features a spicy scene, if that's what you looking for.
September 20, 2023
Super short, but some spice? Just super short I guess it’s not for me.
September 22, 2023
Super cute ☺️ loved the plus size rep. Adored the silly meet cute.
September 23, 2023
Awe, this was such a cute instalove story about Stuart and Emma who fall in love on a plane trip home then met up again when he saves her from a horrible date! They’re absolutely adorable together!!
September 25, 2023
It's good for what it is. I knew it was short, but I still wanted a little more details and fleshing out of the story and characters.
September 27, 2023
This was a quick fun read with the right amount of sex and plot. I enjoyed it and will read more by Hazel North.
September 28, 2023
Unbelievable
Cute story nice characters but too short to develop the attachments needed to make it believable. Sweet idea but too big a leap for me.
Cute story nice characters but too short to develop the attachments needed to make it believable. Sweet idea but too big a leap for me.
February 16, 2024
Insta love with a meet cute all wrapped up in a sexy short story.
November 30, 2025
I liked this story. It seemed a little different from some of the other Hazel J. North stories. I think because it was a Chef. I loved it anyway. A quick read too. 5☆
October 24, 2022
Totally enjoyed reading this book
November 1, 2023
meet cute couple that just clicked during their airplane back home.
February 9, 2024
The author has given us a fast-paced story that pulls us into the lives of Emma and Stuart and does not let go. The story keeps us turning the pages with instant connection, humor and steam.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews