Queen B’s Decree: I love a grumpy/sunshine trope, especially when the characters are queer. Our grump is Simone, a pastry chef who spends her days writing and testing out new recipes for a dying magazine. Enter Ray, her new kitchen manager—and whom she is begrudgingly attracted to.
I related to Simone; change can be hard. Her quiet, work-focused life gets turned upside down when she ends up doing social media videos with the loud and friendly Ray. But the more time she spends with Ray, the more they become friends. Their relationship was a bit of a slow burn, with some push and pull and misunderstandings along the way.
I think what I enjoyed the most was how Chef’s Kiss also addressed workplace politics and how gender identity isn’t always accepted by colleagues. Ray’s struggles in coming out as nonbinary felt authentic and important.
Sweet, with a little spice, and wildly delicious sounding dishes, Chef’s Kiss was a cute little read.
Book: Chef’s Kiss by T.J. Alexander
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary
Hotness: medium salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: grumpy/sunshine
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