Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly: After a very public meltdown ends his career in New York, chef Jack Hartman returns to his Florida hometown with little more 
than his late mentor’s abandoned restaurant and no idea what comes next. Poppy Winfield is determined to prove she’s more than the bubbly influencer everyone assumes she is. When she proposes helping Jack reopen the restaurant, she’s convinced it’s exactly the fresh start they both need. Jack agrees…On one condition. Poppy has to earn her place in the kitchen. However, working together quickly becomes far more complicated than either expected.
YES, CHEF by Grace Reilly was a funny, warm and delicious contemporary romance about second chances.
Everyone around Poppy seems to underestimate her because of her online presence, but she never stops showing up, working hard, and proving she has so much more to offer. Beneath the gruff exterior Jack was someone carrying so much grief, guilt, and uncertainty about whether he even belonged in the kitchen anymore. Watching him slowly reconnect with the joy that first made him love cooking was rewarding. The more time he spent with Poppy, the easier it became to see the hopeful version of himself he’d been trying so hard to bury.
The chemistry between Poppy and Jack was full of playful teasing, kitchen sparks, and undeniable attraction, but I loved how naturally they brought out each other’s confidence. I loved watching their partnership become the foundation for a relationship built on mutual respect long before either was ready to admit how much they meant to each other.
Tropes & Vibes
👨🍳 Grumpy x sunshine
💕 Enemies to business partners
🍽️ Restaurant romance
🏡 Houseboat living
🌴 Small-town Florida
🐈 Found family
🦐 Forced proximity
📱 Influencer heroine
YES, CHEF blended heartfelt emotion with plenty of humor, delicious food, and a romance that unfolded as naturally as the restaurant’s transformation. Between the lively kitchen, Jack and Poppy’s partnership, and a community that rallied around them, this was the kind of feel-good romance that left me craving both another chapter and a really good meal.
Book Info:
Publication: Published: July 21, 2026 | Avon |
A tempting new romance from USA Today bestselling author Grace Reilly, in which a down-on-his-luck chef and a determined social media maven strike a reluctant deal to bring a beloved restaurant back to life.
If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.
After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield—the bubbly, infuriating daughter of his former boss—shows up at his dock.
Poppy needs to escape. From her family, her ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself—and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.
Poppy proposes a deal: they work together to open a revamped version of his mentor’s restaurant. Jack will handle the menu, and she’ll use her social media influence to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make it a success, it’ll be a ticket for them both to return to New York.
Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: If Poppy’s going to do this, she must learn the ropes of the business. From him.
As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen, Poppy and Jack are left wondering, could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?
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