REVIEW: Spiced Right by Gigi Templeton

Spiced Right by Gigi Templeton: These days Jillian Parks is happy to stay at home and podcast about her speciality hybrid peppers, so when her producer informs her of an opportunity to step a bit out of her comfort zone a team up with a hot YouTube BBQ channel, Jillian thinks this would be a great way to push her own boundaries… only thing is she did not realise that the host of the show is non other than her college boyfriend Jack Reed. As it turns out ten years apart has not dampened the chemistry between Jack and Jillian, with their audiences salivating at their banter, Jack proposes a colab and invites Jillian to his Texas ranch. Could the charming cowboy be just the thing that Jillian needs to finally break free of her own shackles?

Spicy cowboy romance, hell yeah! I think the hot cowboy trope done right is always a winner and let me just tell you Templeton could not have done a better job than Spiced Right! This book was an incredible combination of steamy banter filled romance mixed together with a sweet southern style second chance love story. There was not much not to like about this book, with a couple that reconnects over their shared love for cook, how can you not get invested?

I really liked both main characters, they balanced each other out in a nice easy way. Even after spending so many years apart, they reconnect almost seamlessly. I loved getting to seem them reconnect while Jill stayed at the ranch but more than that I loved the fact that they did not rush into redefining their new relationship. They took the time to reacquaint and get to know these new versions of each other. Though one thing that did not change was their steamy flirtatious banter. Jack was a really great hero and I loved that he supported Jillian as she worked through her trauma. He did not rush her or put pressure on her. I really enjoyed getting to see these two characters bond over their passion for food and cooking, these were some of the best parts of this book.

All in all Spiced Right was a really good read, with a good mix of steamy passion and plot, this slow burn, second chance lover story is definitely worth checking out.

Book Info:

Publication: January 23, 2024 | Montlake |

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.