Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Best Served Hot by Amanda Elliot Published by Berkley on February 21, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
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While at the Central Park Food Festival, Julie confronts the annoyingly handsome Bennett about his outdated opinions on social media and posts the resulting video footage.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.
I loved the first book from this author, Sadie on a Plate. So naturally I wanted to read more. Best Served Hot is in the same world but can definitely be read as a standalone. I wasn’t sure I liked the main characters very well but they grew on me.
Julie has a day job as a personal assistant to a wealthy man. She is good at her job which gives her some flexibility to run her social media account @JulieZeeEatsNYC. Julie has a great best friend, Alice, who is an IT whiz, the only female in a department of misogynists. Julie reviews restaurants and food festivals and has thousands of followers. She would like to grow it enough to be her only job. Julie has applied to be the food reviewer for the Scroll but doesn’t get the job.
The guy who gets the job at the Scroll, of course, is a wealthy connected guy, who will review the mainstream stuffy restaurants as they do, in a printed paper. Julie and Alice go to a food festival and who should be there but the new reviewer, Bennett Richard Macalester Wright. They have a bit of a dust up which Julie happens to record because she is taking photos and recording things. He disparages the types of people on social media and her type of reviewing. Julie blocks out his face, but shares the video and what the Scroll reviewer thinks of her and her food blog.
Now, I thought Julie was a bit mean to do this; it made me uncomfortable. I get that she was angry how he got the job, not because of any skills or experience but because he is a society guy. True to her impressions, he wouldn’t have trouble or get fired over the video because he has those connections. But here is where I liked the real Bennett. He contacts Julie to do some joint reviews, which will promote both of their reviews. Bennett is rather kind and loves good food.
Julie and Bennett try visiting the same restaurant on the same night but not sitting together but that doesn’t work out. At all. So then they start going together, which is perfect for them to exchange snarky banter, compare delectable food and get to know each other. I loved the food descriptions but honestly, how are they not both plus size with how much they eat continually?
They do fall for each other, but then there is a misunderstanding. The class / wealth differences cause multiple issues for her. Julie then blows up her current job. She has to start over on all fronts, except she has great friends. Also, Bennett understands why she was upset and he’s not given up on her. The choices Julie makes are very exciting but that would be spoiling. I loved it though.
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.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- 🎧 Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson @ragnarjo#SamWoolf @MinotaurBooks @MacmillanAudio #LoveAudiobooks - September 12, 2024
- 🎧The Swimmer by Loreth Anne White @Loreth @rebabuhr #BrillianceAudio #LoveAudiobooks #KindleUnlimited - September 10, 2024
- 🎧The Brothers Kenney by Adam Mitzner @adam_mitzner #StacyCarolan @librofm @BlackstoneAudio #LoveAudiobooks - September 8, 2024
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
I’ve not heard of the author or the first book so thanks for featuring, Anne💜 These seem like my kind of stories so I’ll check them out.
Well you may not remember the first book but it was 5 hearts for me and on my top 10 list. I like foodie books or dog books if I’m going to read romance apparently.
I haven’t heard about this series before. I do love the sound of it.
Great review! I’m glad the characters grew on you.
I love all the foodie aspects.
I enjoyed this one too. I loved all the food descriptions! Made me hungry
Thanks Wendy. I love a book with food careers.
I always wonder how these people eat so much too! I do love the food descriptions, though, lol. Nice to hear you enjoyed this author again. I’ll have to give her a try sometime. 🙂
yes the first one was even better for me but I definitely enjoyed this one also. It’s a good job of food descriptions.
This sounds cute and I love foodie books.
The start was a bit prickly with the characters so I wasn’t sure I would like the people but I gradually liked them. All the time with food and restaurants didn’t hurt.
Sounds promising. I’ve not read this author before. I am not a huge fan of “enemies to lovers” for the reason you mention – I don’t like when they do really mean stuff to each other. But it’s good it works out in the end!
I didn’t like the mean things Julie did; it’s kind of passive-aggressive from jealousy. But it’s also true that even with all her hard work and talents, he was going to get the job because of money / connections or misogyny. So that’s discouraging.
I’m reviewing this one tomorrow. I enjoyed it too and agree that it took a little while to really like the characters. Julie came across as a little immature at first. The food descriptions were amazing though and made me so hungry, haha.
I always enjoy foodie books. The first one was a chef in a cooking competition and I enjoyed that even more.
Ooh, I wanted to read the other book by this author and this one sounds good too! Thanks to your review I’ll keep them on my TBR.
I liked the first one even more but they are both good. I hope you get to read them.
Huh. This sounds really good.
I think so. I like books with food and food related careers for the main character(s).
Sounds nice and cute. I liked Sadie on a Plate.
Thank Role. You get a glimpse of Sadie here. I liked that one more, but they are both good.