Yes, Chef: A Romance Novel
In-Store Location:
Small Town
The Bear meets It Happened One Summer in this delicious new romance from USA Today bestselling author Grace Reilly, in which a down-on-his-luck chef and a determined social media maven strike a reluctant deal to bring a beloved restaurant back to life.
If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.
After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield, the blond, bubbly, utterly infuriating daughter of his former boss, shows up at his dock.
Poppy needs to escape. From her disapproving family, her horrible ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself—and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, prickly, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.
She knows Jack is desperate to come back from his unceremonious firing, so she proposes a deal: working together to open a revamped version of his mentor’s restaurant. He’ll handle the menu, and she’ll use her skill as a social media influencer to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make the restaurant a success, it’ll be an accomplishment no one can deny—and a ticket for them both to return to New York.
Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: if Poppy’s going to work for him, she must learn the ropes of the entire business. Including how to cook. From him.
As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen and tensions reach a boiling point, Poppy and Jack are left wondering--could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?
TROPES
Grumpy-sunshine
Forced proximity
Friends with benefits
Opposites attract
Found family
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Grumpy × sunshine, enemies to lovers, chef × influencer, forced proximity, friends with benefits, workplace romance, opposites attract, big-city girl in a small town, rich girl × working-class hero, he teaches her to cook, restaurant renovation, reluctant partnership, slow burn, witty banter, ADHD representation, found family, emotional healing.
Death of a mentor, grief and guilt, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, victim blaming, emotionally unsupportive and critical family relationships, low self-esteem, public humiliation and breakup, food allergies, explicit sexual content. The book also includes ADHD representation and discussions of fostering and adoption.