About the Book
A high-strung pastry chef’s professional goals are interrupted by an unexpected career transition and the introduction of her wildly attractive nonbinary kitchen manager in this deliciously fresh and witty queer rom-com.
Simone Larkspur is a perfectionist pastry expert with a dream job at The Discerning Chef, a venerable cookbook publisher in New York City. All she wants to do is create the perfect loaf of sourdough and develop recipes, but when The Discerning Chef decides to bring their brand into the 21st century by pivoting to video, Simone is thrust into the spotlight and finds herself failing at something for the first time in her life.
To make matters worse, Simone has to deal with Ray Lyton, the new test kitchen manager, whose obnoxious cheer and outgoing personality are like oil to Simone’s water. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral YouTube sensation with a series of homebrewing videos, their eccentric editor in chief forces Simone to work alongside the chipper upstart or else risk her beloved job. But the more they work together, the more Simone realizes her heart may be softening like butter for Ray.
Things get even more complicated when Ray comes out at work as nonbinary to mixed reactions—and Simone must choose between the career she fought so hard for and the person who just might take the cake (and her heart).
My Review
There is so much to appreciate and enjoy about this novel. Simone is a low-key pastry expert working for a cookbook publisher in NYC, but her calm world gets thrown for a loop with the addition of new players at her job. When that shakeup at work involves going viral on Youtube, Simone really feels like her life is suddenly out of control. Not only that, but the new test kitchen manager Ray has caught Simone’s eye, no matter how hard she tries to deny it. When Ray comes out as nonbinary and the workplace is enshrouded in toxicity, Simone has a lot to grapple with. How to stand up to homophobic bosses, how to authentically live your best life without fear of judgement – or worse – and even how to navigate the world of going viral on social media.
Chef’s Kiss is extremely well-written with a diverse cast of characters that do more than just show up on the pages – their stories are explained, their fears and struggles are highlighted and their triumphs shine. Add in a slow burn romance, plenty of delicious recipes to have your mouth watering, and the contemporary plot points of social media, viral videos and cancel culture, and this is a fantastic read for your 2022 list. The secondary cast all brings something to the table, and I learned a lot reading this one.
5 stars
