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A review by samwise_reads
Turning up the heat by Lizzy Hunter
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
4.0
Thank you so much to Valentine PR and the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
When I read the premise for this book, I was SO excited. I mean, a food writer/chef romance set in Northern California (like literally name dropped my little farm town)?! Yes, please.
Living in the Bay Area myself, and being a former hostess that ended up marrying the hottie in the white chef coat, so much of this book resonated with me. The dymanic between Oskar and Kelsey was so relatable and it was honestly a mirror in many ways.
Being in a relationship with someone in the industry isn't always easy. My husband and I have been together for nearly 8 years, and trying to maintain a schedule that leaves time for us when we work opposite shifts, with many nights where I only see him for a brief moment as he comes home from a long shift, smelling of fire and salt. It isn't really a feeling or experience that I ever expected to see reflected in a book, and I am so grateful to Lizzy for giving a voice to this very niche, yet real, experience.
Also, not to out myself or anything, but naughty times in a kitchen?! Yeah, I don't blame Kelsey and Oskar for staining the steel, if you catch my drift.
The spice in this book was so well done and had me absolutely BLUSHING. Oskar was some delicious book boyfriend material and I loved how demanding and stern, yet soft and gentle, he could be.
I loved getting the dual POV between Kelsey and Oskar, and seeing the way their love unfolded through each of their perspectives was really well done.
I loved the side characters and I would absolutely not be mad if we had books about some of them because, honestly, they were all so special.
Overall, I had so much fun with this one! If you are looking for a food lover's dream, California coast setting, band of lovable characters, spicyspicy spice, insta-lust mashup, this is absolutely the one for you!
When I read the premise for this book, I was SO excited. I mean, a food writer/chef romance set in Northern California (like literally name dropped my little farm town)?! Yes, please.
Living in the Bay Area myself, and being a former hostess that ended up marrying the hottie in the white chef coat, so much of this book resonated with me. The dymanic between Oskar and Kelsey was so relatable and it was honestly a mirror in many ways.
Being in a relationship with someone in the industry isn't always easy. My husband and I have been together for nearly 8 years, and trying to maintain a schedule that leaves time for us when we work opposite shifts, with many nights where I only see him for a brief moment as he comes home from a long shift, smelling of fire and salt. It isn't really a feeling or experience that I ever expected to see reflected in a book, and I am so grateful to Lizzy for giving a voice to this very niche, yet real, experience.
Also, not to out myself or anything, but naughty times in a kitchen?! Yeah, I don't blame Kelsey and Oskar for staining the steel, if you catch my drift.
The spice in this book was so well done and had me absolutely BLUSHING. Oskar was some delicious book boyfriend material and I loved how demanding and stern, yet soft and gentle, he could be.
I loved getting the dual POV between Kelsey and Oskar, and seeing the way their love unfolded through each of their perspectives was really well done.
I loved the side characters and I would absolutely not be mad if we had books about some of them because, honestly, they were all so special.
Overall, I had so much fun with this one! If you are looking for a food lover's dream, California coast setting, band of lovable characters, spicyspicy spice, insta-lust mashup, this is absolutely the one for you!