This was a really enjoyable second-chance romance, with the right amount of heart and spice. There was great banter between the main characters, and a lot of chemistry. I also enjoyed the mutual love of food and cooking bringing them back together.

Thank you to Gigi Templeton, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book.

Jillian Parks doesn’t need her hybrid scorpion pepper to set her pulse racing. Wildly charismatic rancher Jack Reed does that all on his own in this scorcher from Gigi Templeton.

Don’t ever think I didn’t want more time with you, darlin’.

Those were her college boyfriend’s last words to her after a phone call summoned him home to Texas. In the ten years since, Jack Reed has taken over his family’s ranch, and Jillian Parks has experienced devastating losses with traumatic repercussions.

Now a reclusive insomniac, she podcasts about the specialty hybrid chili peppers she grows in her Seattle greenhouse, keeping a closed door between her and the past. But when Jillian’s producer coaxes her to make a surprise call in to Jack’s YouTube BBQ channel, their chemistry still sizzles!

An invite to the ranch for a follow-up collab is a scary proposal for Jillian. But forward movement is key to her recovery, and it’s time to take the bull by the horns. With Jack’s commanding yet soothing presence, maybe this charismatic cowboy is just the right ingredient to help her heal—while adding a different kind of spice to her life

I love the characters, the chemistry, the banter, and the plot. I love everything in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I instantly requested this arc and was so excited to read it, I give it 4 stars based solely for the fact that I am not a personal fan of 3rd person writing and was unable to finish it. For those who don’t mind it they will absolutely love it.

The banter!! Slay my heart was the banter ever the best part of this book! I loved the characters, their chemistry with one another, and how well the author did the banter aspect of this story. It was fun, interesting and had me absolutely hooked on the characters and their story.

I found the spice wasn't as prevelant as I expected it to be, which was a nice surprise because I really got into the story and the character growth throughout the entire book. The plot was so much fun and had me hooked from start to finish. I absolutely loved this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a pretty good second chance romance. Jillian has some obstacles to work through and I really liked that part of the book. Jack is a solid hero and a likable guy. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the "southern" accent & phrases are over done. I'm a native Texas and we don't talk like that, sorry to burst your bubble! I also felt there was a lot of repetition in this book and the chapters seemed to go on and on and on and on. Best parts of this book are when they are on camera together. Really cute scenes. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This was a great read that had a bit of everything! Jillian Parks reconnects with college sweetheart Jack Reed and the chemistry between the two of them is definitely still there! I really loved how Jack could see beyond how gorgeous Jillian is and thinks she is still beautiful even though she has scars that are external as well as internal. Great families, friendships and support networks, as well as sexy cowboys and plenty of steamy scenes. Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake publishers for the ARC

A delightful blend of romance and healing as Jillian Parks reconnects with her college boyfriend, Jack Reed, now a charismatic cowboy on his family's ranch. Jillian's journey from a reclusive podcaster to a collaborator on Jack's BBQ channel unfolds with sizzling chemistry and a healing touch. The story, flavoured with unique elements like specialty chili peppers, captures the transformative power of unexpected connections and adds a different kind of spice to the characters' lives. A heartwarming and engaging read

I loved this book!

It was a brilliant read, I loved it from start to finish.

The book had really endearing characters and it was a book that captured my heart

It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!

Jack Reed is the sexy cowboy who stole Jillian’s heart ten years ago. They were just getting started when a family emergency brought Jack back home and a future with Jillian left in the dust. Now, Jack and Jillian are brought together again by their love of cooking. Perhaps they can rediscover their love for each other as well.

The flirtatious banter between Jack and Jillian was epic. It was entertaining enough that I was almost distracted from the agonizing slow burn - almost, but still not quite.

Jillian and Jack’s connection was probably one of the easiest I have encountered. They seemed to pick back up right where they left off, despite all those years in between. I loved how neither one of them put pressure on each other or defined expectations during Jillian’s stay. Jack was extremely patient, selfless, and understanding of her condition.

While I fully understood their love of food and cooking is what ultimately brought them together again, the details of their times cooking together admittedly was not what I was looking forward to the most with this book, and seemed to drag it out a bit longer than necessary.

Overall, this book lived up to its title and it was definitely Spiced Right!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC, and the chance to share my honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this eArc in return for a honest review.

The spice, the sexy cowboy, the ultra supportive family and friends made for a perfect book! It took me a minute to get hooked but I could barely put it down. I love the way Jack was supportive of her needs and feelings right from the start, Mindy giving sought pushes to get Jillian out of her confined bubble was great to. I did feel like the ending was predictable but it was well written and I'm glad they got a very happily ever after.


Side note.....I NEED the recipes so when does the cook book come out?!

Seeing and working with a former boyfriend, with a lifetime of heartache and trauma is what Jillian has to face. Seeing Jack was just what she needed. I liked the characters and the setting of their story, I only wish the author concentrated more on them than spices and cooking. I was happy that Jack and Jillian got their happily ever after and did enjoy their story.

This was a fun one!

New author for me, but the blurb sounded good so I decided to give this a read. It was good! The characters and storyline were fun, and the writing made for a smooth read. I wished the ending was delineated a bit more, but that was my only complaint.

I'd read another book in this 'world' or by this author!

Really enjoyed this read! A sweet second chance romance whose title is the perfect description of what’s inside the covers— a story that is spiced right!

The characters are very well rounded, and easily pictured. The story flows well, and the dynamic between the main characters is great. I would definitely recommend this for fans of Hallmark with a little bit of spice.

𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐠𝐢 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐧
✨ARC Review ✨
My Rating: four stars
Release date: January 2024

A spicy and BBQ filled southern ranch romance

Tropes:
ღ Southern romance
ღ slow burn
ღ second chance
ღ pregnancy



Jack and Jillian have history from college, later reconnecting due to a surprise phone call for his cooking channel while using her popular spice business. Being apart for a decade has caused them to both grow and change into different people, Jillian facing some traumatic experiences that have left her being a recluse but the chemistry between these two has stayed rampant, even despite the years apart.

“Cowboys are sexy Jack, one who cooks….well…”

The fresh and fun spin on the classic cowboy romance made this an easy and enjoyable read, all while Jack maintains the classic sexy appeal of a cowboy. Who doesn’t love eye candy that can cook an amazing meal and make your mouth orgasm as well?

The cover has convinced me that this was gonna be mainly focused on smut, and I was pleasantly surprised the balance between plot, character/relationship development, and a decent side of smut. This story had me rooting for them despite all the challenges! I would definitely read another book by this author.

My thoughts:
Cowboys, BBQs and spice what more could you want from a book. I absolutely devoured this book. I had a really hard time putting it down to get on with my daily life. I loved that this book has some character growth that seems realistic and not forced.

Summary:
After a decade apart, Jack Reed runs a Texas ranch, and Jillian Parks grows peppers in her Seattle greenhouse for her podcast. A surprise call to Jack's BBQ channel reignites their chemistry. An invite to the ranch is daunting but essential for Jillian's healing from past trauma, with Jack offering a new spice to her life.

I couldn’t help but live vicariously through the MCs. It was fun, entertaining, adorable all rolled in one. Overall, fantastic and a wild ride. I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. With this let’s dive into my review;

Don’t let the half naked man in the cover fool you. Jack and Jillian were adorable, and this cover can be misleading. There wasn’t an excessive amount of spice, which I appreciate given the premise of the book.

Also spoiler!warning this book has pregnancy trope which is one of my favourites. I found the characters believable and real.

I received an arc via Netgalley, and am leaving an honest review about the book. I’m thankful to the publisher and the author for giving me this wonderful opportunity!

I found this incredibly adorable, and I read it consistently with a grin on my face. The MMC was smokin’ hot and I loved every bit of it. Cowboy romance with a chef MMC? Sign me up, for real.

The only “complaint” I have is the fact that she did, eventually, get pregnant. I kind of didn’t want that possibility to happen. I was also hoping if she really did want kids, she’d adopt, so it bummed me out. Why can we not just adopt???

Recieved the ARC via NetGalley. I absolutley adored this book, they cover is quite confusing. I thought it was going to be more of smut styled book but, it wasn't. It had just the right amout of spice. The premise was believable and the characters were relateable. Jack and Jillians banter and flirting the bet part. As a reader, you get to know the character especially when their backstories are revealed. I would definelty read another book based on these characters or even some of the side character that we meet such as Mindy or Luke.

Just the right amount of spicy but with an adorable plot. I’m so glad I read this book…I love the cowboy characters and the family on the ranch. The cooking show subplot really give it a unique twist. Your heart will break just a little for Jillian and Jack, until they find their way. Story line ended exactly as it should…worth the read!