Cooking and romance. It’s a perfect match for readers who want to feed their desires with cutesy love stories and appetizing imagery of all things cuisine. From enemies to lovers (there’s a lot) to a grump and a sweetheart, feast your eyes and hearts with these delightfully indulging reads while also learning the art of cooking and baking. You bet you’ll want to head to the kitchen and whip up something worth a chef’s kiss!
Cooking School, a Love Story: A Novel by Diana Lee Mercer
Charlotte is a desperate woman looking for sparks after her ex-husband leaves her for their marriage counselor. Once she sees her previous fling make it big as a famous chef as a judge on a show called Chopped, she jumps at the chance to rekindle their past romance. It won’t be as easy as Charlotte thought, however. Traveling to Toulouse, France, to attend his cooking school, Charlotte finds her spark already in a relationship. But that won’t stop her from pursuing him, her inner voice louder and more humorous than the self-doubt Charlotte puts herself as she learns to cook.
Chef’s Kiss by TJ Alexander
With a delicious slow burn to go with even delicious pastries and desserts, Simone Larkspur and Ray Lyton take the lead as enemies to lovers. Simone is a pasty expert who dreams of working at The Discerning Chef, a cookbook publishing company in New York City. But when the company moves on to working with video and digital formatting, Simone is thrust into an unknown setting with an insufferably optimistic Ray. With Ray gaining internet fame after posting their homebrewing videos, Simone begrudgingly works with them (Ray’s nonbinary), slowly changing her view of them. Will Simone risk losing her dream job for Ray, or will she stay firm and pursue her career?
Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez
Same title as the one above, but a different premise. It’s relatable for those who are in the same situation as Ben. Fresh English graduate Ben Cook is out hunting for his first job in anything related to his passion for reading and writing. After many interviews and hiring committees, Ben doesn’t find anything. After finally getting a job as a chef, Ben discovers that he has a knack for cooking. Having to pass many cooking tests to prove he can be a chef full-time, Ben reevaluates his career path. The job was only supposed to be temporary until he found an English-related job, but does Ben want to leave behind his new aspiration? With handsome chef Liam, the choice will be hard for Ben to make.
Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg
Archeology and baking: a match made in heaven! Alisha Blake is a talented baker aspiring to manage her cookie shop in Chicago. Working in her grandfather’s restaurant in rural Illinois, she couldn’t have expected to find out of the ordinary. Discovering dinosaur bones behind her grandfather’s backyard, Alisha couldn’t have imagined the public attention such a site would get, especially from Quentin Harris. An archeologist looking for instant credibility with this groundbreaking fossil find, Quentin hopes to use the time to forget his failed relationship and, luckily, does so with Alisha. But is their connection enough to forgo their worries and goals? The dinosaur bones might provide more than a sign of the past.
Make it Sweet by Kristen Callihan
Emma is an actor known for her portrayal of Princess Anya in Dark Castle. She thought her acting gig would play out until her character got killed. Along with kicking the bucket, Emma then finds out her boyfriend cheated on her with another woman. Distraught, Emma decides to destress in an estate called Rosemont, meeting the handsome ex-hockey player Lucian Osmond. Love blossoms between the two, but it’s hard for them to break their walls, both opting to ignore their mutual attraction. After a skinny dip that only enforces their desire, Lucian makes the first move. Leaving Emma with homemade sweets makes her feel more alive than ever, and she might consider opening herself up to the possibility of a better relationship.
Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown
When infamously renowned pirate Mad Hannah Mabbot kidnaps Owen Wedgwood, he doesn’t expect to have to cook for the lady pirate. Coming up with dishes with whatever ingredients Owen can find on the ship, he also finds companionship within the mad pirate’s vessel. But that’s not enough to withstand Hannah’s tight hold on the boat, following Owen’s every move as she suspects a traitor amidst her crew. Desperate, she exhausts her crew members as she sails to find Brass Fox. In the middle of the sea’s chaos is a growing fondness between the captain and the cook. Owen will deeply know what makes Hannah Mabbot the infamous mad pirate, and she will find support in the cook.
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert
With adoration for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Coincidence of Coconut Cake tells a complicated story between Lou, the owner of a struggling French restaurant, and Al, a food critic who dismantles Lou’s restaurant with a scathing review. When they meet at a pub, instant chemistry flies between them, neither knowing their professional occupations. With a bet for Lou to show Al the best foods Milwaukee has to offer, it’s only a matter of time before Lou learns of Al’s review gaining him popularity. When the truth comes out, will she be able to look past Al’s demolishing words and truly be with him? With her restaurant at stake, Lou must decide what she wants.
Best Served Hot by Amanda Elliot
Julie Zimmerman is an executive assistant with a social media account under the username @JulieZeeEatsNYC. As a self-proclaimed restaurant critic, Julie aspires to officially work as a critic for a newspaper company, the New York Scroll. Unfortunately, her application was rejected, and Bennett Richard Macalester Wright took the position. What annoys Julie is Bennett’s outdated views of the modern world. His loud displeasure makes him sound like an elder. But as is the case of the enemies-to-lovers trope, these two will butt heads as they’re forced to work together for the growing publicity of the newspaper. They’ll slowly fall in love with the power of good food and excellent restaurants that might as well be considered dates.
Beyond the Thistles by Samantha Young
Walker Ironside and Sloane Harrow find warmth in the peaceful outskirts of the Scottish Highlands. A brooding bodyguard and a single mother on the run, they make a gush-worthy relationship that’ll make you crave their dynamic in real life. Just imagine a big guy like Walker munching down on Sloane’s sweets as she tries to seduce him by filling his stomach. Sloane thought she could make a peaceful living as a baker with her daughter away from her abusive ex-partner. But trouble finds her in her new home with an unwanted arrival in town. It’s up to Walker to protect Sloane and her daughter, but doing so will open the door to Walker’s demons he doesn’t want Sloane to witness.
Beard Science by Penny Reid
A book series comparable to the Bridgerton siblings, Beard Science follows Cletus Winston. What’s interesting about this Winston sibling is his disguise as a simpleton playing his banjo (think Wander Over Yonder). In reality, Cletus is a conniving genius who ends up helping Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen, Jennifer Sylvester. A meek woman who doesn’t talk back to those who unapologetically use her (her mother and father), Jennifer wants to break from her title and fame as a baker. Jennifer pleads with Cletus to help her by using the dirt he has over the town to regain control of her life. This partnership will change something in Cletus as he knows more about Jennifer under the niceness and obedience.
There are a lot of enemies to lovers centered around cooking. Is it a coincidence or just a popular trope that works better with food and sweets?
Want more romance? Get in the fall mood with The Best Cozy Fantasy Romance Novels Perfect For Autumn!
For those inspired to cook, check out Bookshop.org’s Creative Culinary Cookbooks for Your Tastebuds!
