A Chef's Kiss - Nina Crespo (HSE #2886 - Jan 2022)

Series: Small Town Secrets (Book 1)

A welcome second chance…
Or a recipe for disaster?
 
After their ill-fated fling quashed her dreams, small-town chef Philippa Gayle's onetime rival-turned-lover Dominic Crawford upended her life. But when Philippa's forced together with the celebrity cook on a project that could change her life, there's no denying that the flames that were lit years ago were only banked, not extinguished. Can Philippa trust Dominic enough to let him in…or are they just cooking up another heartbreak?
 
Good second chance story. Philippa and Dominic knew each other six years ago when both competed for a sous-chef job in the Caribbean. Despite the competition, they became good friends, sharing dreams and having fun outside the kitchen. But when a distracted Philippa made a mistake with the wrong customer, she lost her chance at the job. After receiving some advice about distractions and priorities from the head chef, Philippa broke things off with Dominic and moved on.
 
Now, after a varied path of cooking jobs and an unexpected course change, Philippa is head chef at her own restaurant in Maryland. She has good friends, loves her work, and is preparing to cater a high-end film premiere on the property. So she is stunned to arrive at work one day to discover that she's been replaced for the event by a celebrity chef. Adding insult to injury, that chef is Dominic.
 
Dominic's path had been very different. He went from being a chef in a restaurant to being picked for a reality cooking show. His charisma, charm, and talent made him very popular, leading to his own cooking show, cookbooks, and restaurants. He's looking forward to working with Philippa again and is furious when he finds out that no one has given her a heads up about the change in plans.
 
Philippa and Dominic are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they don't work together, the rumors won't be good for either one. But if they do work together, they risk stirring up old feelings. I liked their honest conversation about their expectations but laughed at their belief that their past wouldn't matter. It was fun to watch them work together. Their styles are complementary, with each having particular strengths. Neither one is big-headed, and I especially liked Dominic's easy way with all of the kitchen employees. I loved watching him go to bat for them when the publicist tried to take over the cooking demo.
 
I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Philippa and Dominic. It was clear from the start that the sparks between them were still there, but Philippa was wary of risking her heart again. They spend as much time as they can together, both in the kitchen and out of it. There is a heartwrenching scene where Philippa shares some of what happened after they parted, but it goes a long way toward healing her heart also. I enjoyed the scenes where Dominic involved Philippa in his world, such as her guest appearance on one of his shows.
 
Though they are honest about their feelings for each other, their lives are very different. The tension builds as the day of the event draws near, and Dominic is called away because of his other commitments. A near-disaster almost derails things the night of the event, but Philippa works her magic, and all ends well. But their plans for Philippa to join him in California hit a snag when she realizes what she'll be giving up. I ached for both of them as choices had to be made. I wanted to shake Dominic for assuming what he did and hurt for them both as it seemed there was no way to fix it. I loved when Dominic was told to take a few days off to get his head together and the effect that being away from the pressure had on him. His solution didn't surprise me, and I loved his big moment at the end.
 
The setting of the story, involving the chefs of high-end restaurants, plus the reality and cooking show aspects, gave the story an added depth. I loved the behind-the-scenes looks at the kitchen activities and what goes into the shows. I especially enjoyed Dominic's reaction to the sudden appearance of his reality show "girlfriend" and what it meant to him and Philippa.