Best Served Hot by Amanda Elliot Published by Penguin on February 21, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Fiction / Women
Pages: 368
Format: ARC, eBook, Paperback
Buy on Amazon
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Amazon, Instagram
Two restaurant critics learn their opposing tastes might make for a five-star relationship in the next foodie romantic comedy from the author of Sadie on a Plate.
By day, Julie Zimmerman works as an executive assistant. After hours, she’s @JulieZeeEatsNYC, a social media restaurant reviewer with over fifty thousand followers. As much as she loves her self-employed side gig, what Julie really wants is to be a critic at a major newspaper, like the New York Scroll. The only thing worse than the Scroll’s rejection of her application is the fact that smarmy, social-media-averse society boy Bennett Richard Macalester Wright snagged her dream job.
While at the Central Park Food Festival, Julie confronts the annoyingly handsome Bennett about his outdated opinions on social media and posts the resulting video footage. Julie's follower count soars—and so does the Scroll’s. Julie and Bennett grudgingly agree to partner up for a few reviews to further their buzz. Online buzz, obviously.
Over tapas, burgers, and more, Julie and Bennett connect over their shared love of food. But when the competitive fire between them turns extra spicy, they'll have to decide how much heat their relationship can take.
The characters were all interesting and the banter between all of them was entertaining. ~ Kitty – Simply Love Books
Unfortunately, Best Served Hot did not appease my appetite for a fun, romantic comedy. It’s me. I’ll admit it. But, it just may be the book for you. I just could not get into the premise of the story. I’m not a foodie and just don’t buy into how one person’s opinion could influence so many people.
Please don’t get me wrong. The book was very well written if not overly descriptive. And, I think that may have been part of my problem with the story. The descriptions of the food were very detailed to the point where I felt the book read like a cookbook instead of a romance. And, that’s a foodie thing but not a romance reader thing. I know, my opinion.
But, Amanda Elliot built her characters so you understood why they were in the Food Reviewing business. You understood their love for all things food and their quirks. The story also flowed … from one restaurant to another … and from the Central Park Food Festival to online praises. The characters were all interesting and the banter between all of them was entertaining.
About Amanda Elliot
Amanda Elliot lives with her husband in New York City, where she collects way too many cookbooks for her tiny kitchen, runs in Central Park, and writes for teens and kids under the name Amanda Panitch. SADIE ON A PLATE is her debut novel for adults.