3.5 stars, rounded down.

At its heart, this book is about making a choice between living a lie and bending to other people's expectations or living your truth and choosing your own path, when granted a second chance.

I didn't this one as much as the first one in this series, and that's primarily because of Simon Love. We met Simon in the first book when he did everything he possibly could to derail his little brother Tristan's romance with a guy who Simon considered to be from the wrong side of the tracks. And even though Tristan is happy as a clam, baking up a storm in his rebuild bakery, Simon is STILL trying to find a (according to Simon) better suited partner for Tristan.

Back when Simon was in culinary school, he shared a room with his best friend Luke Ferreya, now a Michelin-starred chef originally from Argentina, and only dated girls. Since he's straight. Until he observed a tete-a-tete between Luke and another aspiring chef that left Simon breathless and yet STILL in complete and utter denial about his sexuality. Simon couldn't deal with the unexpected emotions, tucked tail and dropped out of culinary school without so much as a good-bye to Luke. Some best friend, he is.

When his father died, Simon took over, and as the oldest son, he's been running the family restaurant ever since, looking after his younger siblings and his mother. Except his siblings are now all grown up, his mother doesn't really need him, and Simon doesn't know what the hell to do with himself now. He's still in complete denial, and blames his lack of relationships, his dismal love life, on the long hours he spends at the restaurant.

We are spending a lot of time in Simon's head, with all the angst and doubt and fear that occupies his mind. Other than the restaurant, he has nothing else to live for, and it shows in the way he does nothing but work, work, work, with an occasional side trip to mess with Tristan's love life.

When Luke comes to the restaurant on his way back to Argentina, burned out and having sold his own business, feelings Simon thought long buried are resurrected, with all the angst that entails. Back in the day, Luke had a crush on Simon, but thought him straight.

I d the story itself, and I definitely the author's writing style. The descriptions of the locale were really well done. I didn't Simon all that much, especially not at first, and for sure not after having read the first book. I did learn about his motives, though, and that helped soften me towards the character. Luke, on the other hand, is utterly adorable, sweet, kind, affectionate, compassionate, supportive, and still completely in love with Simon.

Obviously, with Simon in deep denial, the romance is sloooooow burn, and we don't get to see much of Simon and Luke as a couple. I did have a wee bit of difficulty buying that Luke was still in love with Simon after not having laid eyes on the man or spoken to him in 10 years. Since this is a romance novel, especially one in the Dreamspun Desires series, I kind of expected these kinds of long-held emotions, so I wasn't put off by it. Also, their first love scene was wonderfully written, with lots of emotions and intimacy.

There were times when I wanted to reach into the book and smack Simon right over the head, to stop him from acting a whole donkey. Alas, he finally pulls his head out of his rear end, and they ride off into the sunset together (not literally) even though we have to suffer through another bout of angst right before their happy ending. The book certainly kept me engaged, and I also d the many interactions with the supporting characters that work in the restaurant. The descriptions of yummy food being prepared made me hungry.

I really would have d to see Simon apologize to Tristan for being such an ass for so long. Perhaps we'll get that in a future book.

An enjoyable romance with a HEA, and thus a fitting addition to the Dreamspun Desires titles.


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **



2019-book-challenge angst-and-drama arc-publisher-direct ...more8 s Becca2,682 30

When you feel you have to take over for relatives who have passed on to keep things alive, and when you bottle yourself up and hide who you are, you do yourself a disservice. You aren't true to yourself, and it causes you to lose out on life, possibly love, and many other things. This is one of those stories. A kind of second chance story.
Simon and Luke met in their culinary days, years ago. In all that time, they've never forgotten each other. Luke has hope for a chance with Simon, but Simon only dated girls. Simon wasn't sure what he wanted, until one night he caught Luke in a compromising position. And he ran. Back home to the family business where he took over. For tens years, they've been apart. Until now. Luke is burned out. Sold his business and went on vacation. Before he returns to Argentina, he wants to see Simon once more. Maybe see if there's hope for a future. And Simon has to realize that maybe it's finally time for him to be happy and who he wants to be.
I have to say, when I look back, I'm glad I was never put in the position Simon was. To be expected to run the family business or take over things when someone retires or dies, it's not an easy thing. Especially if it's not something you want to do. Your heart is never truly in it and you end up burned out or resentful. Completely unhappy. You never really get to be you, unless there's a miracle. So, I can't even begin to express how sorry I feel for Simon. Yes, it's a book, but still. Feeling there's no way out. And the one person he felt something for, he ran from. Not knowing how to deal.
When Luke comes back along, looking for hope of a chance, it's not an easy thing. Still thinking Simon is straight, he plans to leave. It's a slow thing. They have to rebuild what trust was there and Simon has to finally acknowledge how he really feels. If he ever does. It horrible for Luke. That never quite knowing. The constant let down after so much hope and realizing maybe it's finally time to move on.
It's an emotional ride. It's a good one, though. Full of Hope and the chance to make things new and better.
http://lovebytes.com/1 Cee Brown1,306 36

•*´¨)? ¸.•*¨)
? (¸.•´3.5 stars

Slow down! Love is trying to catch you.

Where Luke had always been at the top of his game, Simon had gracefully bowed out. Too many things rested heavily on his shoulder, one of which was family. The other was Two starred Michelin chef, Luke Ferreya. The two had become instant friends, but one night had changed that all and the friends had gone their separate ways. Simon, to run the family's hotel and restaurant, while taking on the realm as head of his family. Luke as the chef people spoke highly off.

"You must be grateful for the love you are offered."

Ten years later, Luke was back. Burnt out and retired. Simon was at his wits end and needed bigger and better. When an unfortunate situation occurred, Luke happily stepped in despite his words of never running a kitchen again. Could this be the chance Simon needed to win Luke back? Or was the man ly going to walk out of his life this time?

Can we say so slow the flames are still burning? It was an interesting book and one that had a good plot line. The main focus should have been on the two men building a relationship and less on the restaurant and its issues.

I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from Dreamspinner Press
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
abc-reads1 Gustaf1,439 155

I read the first book in this series in september last year and have been putting this one on hold ever since. Mostly because I thought Simon was an obnoxious prick in the first book. But now I got a reason to read it.

Simon keeps being an obnoxious prick in this book. He is still trying to set Tristan (Mc from book one) up with guys even though Tristan has a boyfriend, just because he doesn’t think Tristans boyfriend is good enough for him. Simon is oblivious to the fact that he has feelings for Luke for a long, long time in this book. But he is also a sweetheart.

I don’t know what it is with this series but I keep in enjoying them even though I have a problem with the characters so something is done right. bingo-201 Lulu1,009 21

3.5*2020 age-40s audiobook ...more1 Stella ??????747 30

Yes Chef was a lovely surprise by a new to me author, a sweet story that ends with the promise of love and a future together between two men who finally decided to give their lives a second chance, this time as a couple. Luke already knew he was in love with Simon, after ten years apart, he came to his friend’s restaurant to say goodbye and go back to his Argentina for good. But then Simon started to understand that he might be interested in men, or just in Luke. Their meeting were sweet and simple, although nothing happened till the very ending, it was clear how much they were connected and attracted to each other even after all the years they spent apart.

I think the story was well done, interesting, quick to read and well written. The main characters well done, plus there were some second characters I would love to know more about. Maybe I will get more of them when I will read the first book in the series. In fact, although Yes, Chef is part of the Amuse Bouche series, I haven’t read the first title and this new one still worked well as a standalone. Now that it’s clear I d Yes, Chef, I will surely pick Sweet Nothings too. I’m a huge fan of stories about chef/food, I can’t miss it.

The cover art by Bree Archer is simple but I it, especially the colors.chef food series ...more1 Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews2,698 133

Yes, Chef is an interesting romance by T Neilson. Revolving around living the life one's expected to live, versus living the way one wants to live, it's a fantastic theme. The second of the Amuse Bouche series, it's easily read as a standalone.

Luke and Simon, former classmates and friends, meet up again, bringing up a whole lot of complications. I enjoy the way Luke dealt with his career and his desire to get out of his restaurant business. Simon's situation, however, is heart-breaking, as he was never given a choice.

Their romance is an emotional one. The two men are sweet together, as they help one another. Along the way, Luke and Simon have a lot of complications to deal with, including being honest with each other, and re-building trust. Simon's never been with a guy before, and their first time together is beautifully written.

Their romance deals with the struggle of figuring out who one wants to be, and how to deal with one's own expectations. The author does a wonderful job exploring the problem of not knowing what one wants, who one is, or who one wants to be.


The locations are well described, with the atmospheres being written is a great way. I could completely picture the land and the restaurants.

Yes, Chef is a good read, full of hope and a chance to take control of one's direction in life. T Neilson definitely entertains in this tender romance.
mm mm-1st-time mm-2nd-chance ...more1 Don Bradshaw2,427 100

I so enjoyed this sweet story. I needed something sweet after a brutal two months and this filled the bill. While not insta-love, the story builds off old feelings and a second chance. Great pacing and a laid back feel kept me burning though the pages.feel-good food friends-to-lovers1 Katherine2,722 9

This book was good, but a bit of a struggle at times because of the decisions of the main characters. In the blurb it is mentioned how Simon's brothers are grown and his mom has a stable happy life, so he can make decisions for himself. But that isn't how it is at all to Simon's mind. Despite the fact that his brothers truly are grown and happily making their won way, Simon still feels the need to butt into their lives, especially his baby brother Tristan. In fact, Simon is so set on hating Tristan's boyfriend (from the first book) that he spends half this book trying to set Tristan up with Luke, the very man he won't admit he has feelings for.

Luke has thrown himself into the life of a chef and lost almost everything because of it. In his drive to be the best he has estranged himself from his family, separated himself from his friends, and driven away any co-workers as he demanded perfection. Now he has found himself lost, burned out and uninterested in the kitchen that has consumed his whole life. He decides to go back to see the one person he ever wondered about, his one that got away. But frustratingly, Luke is unwilling to tell Simon his feelings over fears of losing this one person who doesn't use him for his celebrity status.

The two men spend a lot of time dancing around each other. Luke won't risk friendship, and Simon refuses to see that he could possibly have feelings for another man. Even when they each start feeling things for each other their distance and plans in life keep them from trying to reach out to each other. It feels so much of the book is waiting for these two to actually talk to each other. In the end it is actions more than anything that help to bring the together. It ends without a clear plan, a bit more of a starting step than anything, but there is hope, a connection, and talk of the future. It was a bit of a frustrating journey in the book, but a sweet possibility for the future. meep682 16

Yes, Chef is a book by T. Neilson. While it doesn't seem to be a part of a series, there is a book about Simon's younger brother who appears here, which can be read as a standalone.

Simon takes over his father’s restaurant after he dies and takes care of his younger siblings and mother. With everything going on he has no time for relationships.

Luke Ferreya has been into Simon since culinary school. Luke, and Simon himself, thinks he is straight, so neither of them has acted upon their mutual attraction. After Luke decides he is done with the toxic atmosphere of the kitchen, he decides to take a vacation and falls into Simon’s restaurant. Will they have a second chance?

The characters were great, very relatable. I love that Simon stepped up when his family needed him; I wish we would have had more of them - I think we saw two brothers. Luke, who was a 2-star chef, gave up everything because of the pressure. It is an interesting idea as it shows people that even if they burn out one career, there are still ways they can be a part of their chosen field while being under less stress.

Overall the book was good. It was slow burn, which I appreciate, but once the couple gets together the book is pretty much over. That made me sad, as I wish we got to know them more as a couple. The ending was pretty abrupt which left me wanting. Luke has other brothers, so I am wondering if each will get a book?

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***arc bbj Heather Martin1,511 10

Rating: 3.5 stars!!

Yes, Chef is book two in T. Neilson’s Amuse Bouche series. Though I’m a believer in reading a series in the appropriate order, you could read this book without reading the first one and not be lost or confused, because there’s very little interaction with Simon’s brother, the main character of the first book. I did read book one and was really looking forward to Simon’s story. I didn’t him most of that book but there was a brief glimpse I got of him that made me think he might have hidden depths.

This book really focused on the individual main characters, Simon and Luke. Each man had his own difficulties, mostly self-made, to overcome. The story focuses a lot on Simon’s business and his daily life, and on Luke, a man trying to figure life out. And, when Simon wasn’t completely focused on his business, he was trying to break up his brother’s relationship - a reminder of why I didn’t him in the first place. Simon has two gay brothers and I still struggle to understand his refusal to acknowledge that he was something other than straight.

This was a slow burn that never felt it reached burn for me. Almost all of the book was spent with Simon and Luke dancing around each other, never admitting their feelings and then it ended with them together. I had really hoped for more between the two men, more romance, more relationship, more than two friends occupying the same sphere. When they finally did become a couple, the book was over and it was a little bit of a letdown for me. I went through all that story just to end when the story was starting.

**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by DreamSpinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.** Serena YatesAuthor 97 books769

A new direction in life is something to be welcomed, a second chance at love needs to be celebrated, and when both happen at the same time, even in a totally unexpected way, it is a delight to behold. This novel offers all of these plus a few twists, some wonderful characters, and lots and lots of great food descriptions. The central topic is burnout—a danger in many professions, and professionals who face high pressure to perform on a daily (or nightly) basis are in much greater danger of getting there. In this story, both Simon, a hotel/restaurant manager, and Luke, a newly retired celebrity chef with two Michelin stars, face burnout. Luke has already “capitulated” and gotten out, but Simon has not yet recognized that he is heading for disaster as well – if he is not already there. Watching them interact and come to grips with their situation was fascinating and I loved every second.


Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
gay read-2019 Amy362 24

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I definitely will be searching and waiting for more. It was fantastic!! Two guys who meet in culinary school. Simon was going into the family business, though cooking was not his speciality. Luke was a natural and went on to be a huge success and now has burnt out. Simon took over when his Dad passed away, taking care of his siblings and mother, hired a chef and ran the restaurant.

When the two meet again, Luke wants a chance with Simon though he knows Simon is straight. This story brings friends back together, feelings that have been buried and now come alive. During the busy season for the restaurant, some unforeseen situations, can Luke help Simon and the staff out and will these two realize before Luke leaves for Argentina for good that love conquers all?

I definitely would recommend this book. Little angst and lots of love! I give it 5 Chef hats, it’s a great read! Katy Beth Mckee4,185 52

Luke has decided his life needs an over hall. Simon seems to be so caught up in just doing his duty from day to day that he doesn't think about his life at all, much. But when they are brought together again things shift for both of them. There is a past that neither one full understood or admitted to. I how both are reluctant to rock the boat and that others can see things more clearly than they can see themselves. But together they can both work together to something new and better for the future. food-cooking-chef-resturant m-m series-books Kobie2,871 3

Would think this were perfect if it were a tad bit longer. But, even so, it was lovely...a slow pace, but delicious.

I am halfway through and a little in love with this book. My first read by this author.

I also have a new POV rule...one should never use the word "you" in third person POV except in a direct quote. It's an immediate pull from the story...and can easily be reworked into proper POV. Mira144

Review of audiobook:

DNF -5% I couldn’t get past the first chapter. The narrator was really awful. It sounded an amateur actor, who was really nervous, reading a script out loud. It was stilted and made it really difficult to engage at all. I’ll have to try the ebook. Zane Kage2,887 28

3.5 stars zen_s1,844 18

[1.75 star] hmm~ book could be better. the chapters are pretty long and the characters only got together in the last 2 chapters.2-read RJ22

Cute and sweet. I would have d to see them as a couple for longer. Oiorpata77 1 followerRead

Dnf couldn't get into the story and didn't enjoy the audio Janeylou1,613 11

3.5 stars Cathy BrockmanAuthor 5 books92 Read

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