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Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly is an absolute feast of a romance that had me hooked from the very first page. Narrated by the incredible duo of Samantha Summers and Troy Duran, this audiobook is the perfect atmospheric read to get you in the mood for summer.
Book Description
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?
About Grace Reilly
Grace Reilly is the USA Today bestselling author of swoony, spicy romances with heart, including the Beyond the Play sports series about the Callahan siblings. Originally from New York, she now lives in Florida, which is troubling given her fear of alligators.
My Thoughts
Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly is an absolute feast of a romance that had me hooked from the very first page. Narrated by the incredible duo of Samantha Summers and Troy Duran, this audiobook is the perfect atmospheric read to get you in the mood for summer.
The story follows Jack Hartman, a grumpy, grieving Manhattan chef back in his South Florida hometown after a public meltdown, and Poppy Winfield, a bubbly social media maven trying to escape her family and prove she can take life seriously. When Poppy proposes a deal to revamp a local restaurant—Jack handling the menu while she handles the marketing—they enter a forced-proximity, grumpy-sunshine arrangement that forces Poppy to learn the ropes of the kitchen directly from the most arrogant, intimidating man she’s ever thrown a shrimp at.
As a Florida girl, reading about towns and settings so close to home was an absolute blast! The vivid, tender food descriptions had me totally obsessed (and completely starving), while the summer-job setting brought back the best kind of nostalgia. Grace Reilly excels at creating characters who feel genuinely human and relatable. Poppy is flawed and trying her best, and watching her navigate her situation to come out stronger was incredibly rewarding. Meanwhile, Jack’s journey through grief and his gradual willingness to allow himself to be vulnerable added great emotional depth.
A standout element of this book is the fantastic ADHD representation. It was refreshing to see the nuanced, realistic ways both Poppy and Jack experience ADHD, highlighting how coping mechanisms differ and exploring the distinct variances between how ADHD manifests in men versus women. Combined with some seriously fun banter that had me genuinely giggling out loud, the initial tension between the two was top-tier.
That being said, a few elements pulled me back as the story progressed. Jack starts out as a major asshole—giving off serious, stressful The Bear vibes—and some of his snappy comments made it difficult to fully root for him initially. Poppy’s intense clumsiness could also be a bit cringing at times. Additionally, while the romance features plenty of spice, the specific style and wording of the intimate scenes didn't completely align with my personal taste.
Ultimately, reading is a highly personal experience, and what didn't completely click for me might easily be another reader's favorite part of the book. Despite a few frustrations, Yes, Chef delivers a wonderful blend of opposites-attract, found-family goodness. It is a delicious, fun, and highly recommended contemporary romance, and I am definitely looking forward to diving into more of Grace Reilly's work!
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