Stirring Up Love – ARC Book Review

After doing her time in corporate Chicago, Simone Blake returns to small-town Illinois to tackle a new venture: her grandfather’s barbecue restaurant. The secret, as they say, is in the sauce. Simone’s plan is to sell Honey and Hickory’s signature sauce to put her hometown on the map.

But she’s not the only one with a recipe and a plan: chef Finn Rimes from nearby Springfield has a similar vision. To jump-start his dream of opening a culinary school, he shows up at the local farmers’ market with his own barbecue sauce.

When Simone’s plan to outsell Finn falls flat, she auditions for a reality show to pitch her brand. But she’s horrified to discover Finn’s had the same idea. As Simone and Finn wage barbecue war on television, their feud turns into an undeniable attraction.

With their livelihoods on the line, it may not be so much about making the best sauce—but finding their way to each other.

This is a romance story between Simone and Finn who didn’t get along at the first sight and was enemies but later on turned to lovers, while on a road trip to attend a contest.

I thought the story was cute and was told from Simone’s and Finn’s points of views. There were some funny parts in the story as well and the writing was great. But unfortunately, I wasn’t really into the story and found myself bored at some parts of the story but maybe it was just me. The ending was predictable.

Overall, it was an OK romance story but if you like something you want to laugh about, then this one is for you–worth three stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.