Book Review: The Kitchen When It Sizzles by Chrissie Peria

8:31 AM

Okay. First of all, let me be honest by saying I don't really know how to review. I guess that's why I can't solely be a book or a food blogger. I don't know how to elaborate on things to make good descriptions. So forgive me, this is me trying my hardest. ;)

As I've shared in my last post, I have attended #AprilFeelsDay. I was with my good friend, Jang, but I also met new people and saw some familiar faces from when I joined #SparkNA (New Adult romance writing class) last year. One of those familiar faces was Chrissie Peria.

Admittedly, I haven't read any of Chrissie's books prior to meeting her, but I found her amusing (in a good way). I'm the kind of person who needs to warm up with someone before I can start being madaldal. Chrissie, on the other hand, is the kind of person who can just strike  a conversation with anybody and be comfortable with it. She was entertaining enough that as soon as I got home, I bought All's fair in Blog and War.  I super loved the idea of this book and I really don't understand why I didn't buy The Kitchen When It Sizzles right away.

So last Saturday, I met Chrissie again. She gave us her new calling card (super cute!) and a sticker that says "Nate puts the Bae in Bacon." I mean, what's not to love about that? Witty author, plus a reference to bacon! So when I got home that day, I bought The Kitchen When It Sizzles.

Summary:
Olivia Nadal is an almost perfect girl with an almost perfect life. She has stunning good looks, an exciting job that pays well, men lining up to date her, and a homey little condo she calls her own. The only thing keeping her from perfection is her utter inability to cook. 

Enter Nate Olivarez, a hotshot chef who's filling in for Olivia's cooking instructor. Sparks fly when they meet, but a fling with the visiting hottie is the last thing Olivia needs. But as things keep heating up in the kitchen, she can't help but wonder. Can things work out between her and Nate? Or is the sizzle all set to fizzle?

How do I love this? Let me count the ways!

  1. The names - Olivia and Nate - are just two of my favorites. Like Olivia Pope of Scandal and Nate Scott of One Tree Hill.
  2. A chef for a "boyfriend" - this must be every foodie's dream. I may not be a super fan of sticky ribs but this made me crave for salt and pepper spareribs which is my favorite! And hello, that scene where Olivia wakes up to the smell of bacon? That's what good days are made of. 
  3. Sexual tension - Olivia and Nate screamed sexual tension from the first time they met and I think that was cute. The sexy stuff wasn't too graphic, but the story did live up to it's title. It was definitely sizzling hot. 
  4. Relatable characters. I am not almost-perfect. I even dare say that I'm far from it. Olivia also annoyed me at times, but I totally related to her views on migrating:  "The truth was that migrating was never an option for Olivia. She was so deeply entrenched in her life here: her family, her friends, her career, her condo — everyone was so perfectly in place that she couldn’t imagine uprooting herself for whatever reason."
  5. Chrissie's writing - I'm not saying this because I know her, but she is definitely one talented writer. When you read her books, you'll know she did her research and you'll appreciate all the little tidbits you'll learn in the subject. In this case, it's cooking! Like All's Fair, this one was enjoyable to read. *puts Chrissie's name in auto-buy list*
So, there! What do you think of my first review? Should I write more or should I stop with this? Hit the comments box (or tweet me @braintabs) and please let me know! :)

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3 comments

  1. I'm buying this one ASAP. You review is awesome!!!

    Sil @ TBV

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sil! You're so kind.😊

      Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. ❤️

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed Chrissie's All's Fair in Blog and War so I better get my hands to this books of hers. Yes, I loved how she writes, it's witty, characters are well-developed and I love that all the elements of a love story is there: Feels, Laughs, Drama and a Happy Ending.

    - jang

    ReplyDelete