Product Warnings

Contains two hot chefs duking it out in a lively showdown of sexy rivalry. Mix in family drama, luscious recipes and spicy mischief, and there’s more than just steam rising out of the kitchen. May cause lusty cravings for midnight indulgences.

Michaela has overcome a number of obstacles to become Flamingo Island’s premiere spa chef. She tried hard to make her disapproving parents happy, even so far as making it through 3 years of law school before she walked away to pursue her own dream of becoming a chef. Having struggled with her own weight issues, she’s recognized for her tasty, healthy, low-calorie cuisine. Now she’s in the running to host Miami Spice on the Food Network. Having her own cooking show will allow her to pay back the money her parents spent on law school and promote her self-published cookbook. She won’t let anything stand in the way of getting this job, especially not her competition, even if he is charming and sexy.

Paolo Santos, playboy chef of Flamingo Island’s Bella Luna, is determined to be the host of Miami Spice. He knows how to entertain an audience and has a passion for cooking having been raised in his family’s restaurant in Argentina. Since the death of his father, he has carried the responsibility for his family on his shoulders. Working for the Food Network will give him the financial freedom to help his mother and sisters, especially 20-year-old Claudia who shows up at his door about to give birth and estranged from her husband. As much as he likes Michaela (and the more he knows her the more he really likes her), he’s determined to win. Can these two chefs see past the competition to what they could mean to each other?

GRILL ME, BABY is a fun read for foodies who love romance I know I do. Paolo and Michaela are equals who go toe-to-toe with wit and humor. They are each strong and independent yet compassionate and caring. Paolo comes off a little smug and inconsiderate at the beginning but that softens as the story progresses and you get to know him better. At heart, the story is a contemporary romance but Ms. Knightly artfully weaves in the complexities of following your dreams, unconditional love, and loving across cultural boundaries. The plot, characters, and dialogue in GRILL ME, BABY feels very authentic.

Grade A