I absolutely loved this book, it took me a week to Read but that’s only because I was reading it on my phone (I hate doing that) if she wrote a second book with these characters I’d read that too. The banter, the chemistry, the hallmark feel, from start to finish I loved these characters and I truly can’t wait to read more from her!

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc !

The book was decent, the premise was definitely good and also something that you don’t see that much in books.
Personally, I feel like it moved a little bit too fast for my liking and I couldn’t really like that much the FMC
But it is definitely worth a try
Thank you Netgalley for the arc🫶🏻

This checked off everything I look for in a book. Was not disappointed. Really enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author. Must read. Spiced all right to me.

This is a beautiful tale of two people getting a second chance when their professional careers overlap.
Jillian Parks is working from home inventing and selling her homegrown speciality chilli peppers. She runs a regular podcast and has recently published a cook book which she's promoting.

Jack Reed is busy keeping the family ranch running and making money. To make ends meet he runs a cooking show and his good looks definitely brings the viewers in.

Their producers convince them to do a collab - showcasing Jillian's spices and Jack's meat in what turns out to be a sizzling hot encounter which has the producers asking for more.

I loved the chemistry between Jillian and Jack, and how they both help each other to become happier.

A sweet southern ranch style romance with pinches of steam.
Second chance passion that was never truly lost between them.
I thoroughly enjoyed the recipes and cooking between them.

Pet peeves a bit too much of the southern twang for me, and the cover should have been maybe clipart of him and her and ollie. Don’t get me wrong, the guy on the cover is sizzling hot… but looks much older imo.

Overall it was super sweet, fun and a delight to read. Who doesn’t love BBQ, watching cooking videos with fun people making something you’d love? A slow burn to an unexpected secret HEA.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Netgalley you can read this ARC now.

Second chance romance with some out-of-the ordinary obstacles and not so typical environment. Engaging characters, sometimes a bit wordy, but still a good read for the weekend or vacation.

This book was impossible to put down. The premise was believable. Characters well developed. Loved the healing the characters went through. Ready for more from this author!

This was a pretty decent book. I liked the Reed family and how fun they were. I am happy that Jillian was able to make a lot of progress towards healing, and I am super happy with the ending of the book. My biggest complaints are that I felt like Jack and Jillian’s relationship had no build up and that the chapters were pretty long so I would get bored in the middle of some chapters. But, overall, the book was pretty good. I would recommend this book!

Despite what the cover insinuates, this is a plot-dominated book and it’s actually very sweet with great writing. In fact, this was a 4 star book for me until the end. Note: the reason for the star deduction at the end is entirely due to a personal preference of myself as a reader, not some universal misstep on the writer.

Jillian and Jack hooked up in college for a few weeks and reconnect 10 years later for a business promotional collaboration: Jillian makes her own hot sauce and Jack has a cooking channel that he streams from his family’s ranch. Jillian had some really traumatic experiences in those 10 years that gave her a fear of crowds and turned her into a recluse. Jack is so sweet about listening to her back story, making sure her boundaries are respected, and that she never feels like a burden.

This was a fresh spin on the cowboy romance genre I really appreciated. Yes, Jack has all the classic cowboy sex appeal, but the primary focus of this book is Jack and Jillian cooking together. Where Jillian is mostly alone in life, Jack’s ranch is a family affair with everyone together all the time, and they’re all supportive and lovely. The relationship gives Jillian not just a partner, but a found family.

No spoilers, but the prevalence of pregnancy/having children as a theme is the reason I ended up taking it down to 3 stars. To Templelton's credit, it does thematically flow with the rest of the book and doesn't feel as superfluous as I typically see it. Personally, I think it's tough to put this trope into a romance book without making implicit (or sometimes explicit!) insinuations that a woman's worth and desirability as a partner is tied to her ability and desire to have children. If you're not someone with similar reservations, I think this is easily a 4 star book.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Oh my my my....Gigi took me on adventure so detailed I felt I was there. If you're looking for a breathtaking adventure full of twists and turns this is the story that will expel you into an adventure that you will never forget.

Jillian and Jack are fantastic! I love to cook so the storyline drew me in and had me pulling for them to get together despite all the challenges. All the food they mentioned made me hungry and go hunting for the recipes.