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King of the Kitchen
Empires rivaux du monde de la gastronomie, les noms de Douglas et Walters se disputent la couronne depuis des temps immémoriaux. La presse s'arrache le moindre scoop sur les deux talentueux héritiers de ces magnats de la restauration, les jeunes Beck Douglas et Duncan Walters. Beck, qui anime une émission de cuisine à succès avec son oncle, est réputé pour son charme et sa cuisine traditionnelle. Duncan, quant à lui, n'a pas peur de sortir des sentiers battus et s'est construit une réputation de rebelle en refusant de travailler pour son père. Lorsqu'un cliché d'eux en train de se disputer violemment commence à circuler, les médias s'enflamment. Afin de contrôler les dommages qu'une rixe entre les deux familles pourrait porter à leur réputation, leurs chargés de communication respectifs orchestrent une réconciliation factice.
Au cours de cette mascarade, et malgré les projecteurs et la mise en scène, une étincelle naît secrètement entre les deux jeunes hommes. Beck ploie sous la pression continuelle que lui inflige son oncle, et les relations déjà tendues de Duncan avec son père se détériorent encore davantage lorsqu'il commence à soupçonner un rapprochement entre Duncan et Beck. Il faut dire qu'il est difficile d'ignorer l'alchimie qui brûle entre eux à l'écran, lorsque Duncan rejoindre Beck sur le plateau de son émission.
Une chose est sûre, au travail comme en amour, c'est un parcours semé d'embûches qui les attend, et comme dit le dicton, on ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs...
Au cours de cette mascarade, et malgré les projecteurs et la mise en scène, une étincelle naît secrètement entre les deux jeunes hommes. Beck ploie sous la pression continuelle que lui inflige son oncle, et les relations déjà tendues de Duncan avec son père se détériorent encore davantage lorsqu'il commence à soupçonner un rapprochement entre Duncan et Beck. Il faut dire qu'il est difficile d'ignorer l'alchimie qui brûle entre eux à l'écran, lorsque Duncan rejoindre Beck sur le plateau de son émission.
Une chose est sûre, au travail comme en amour, c'est un parcours semé d'embûches qui les attend, et comme dit le dicton, on ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs...
558 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2015
6 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Bru Baker
43 books122 followersBru Baker writes sophisticated gay romantic fiction with strong characters, real-world problems, and plenty of humor.
Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now balances her time between writing and working at a Midwestern library in the reference department. Whether it’s creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.
Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now balances her time between writing and working at a Midwestern library in the reference department. Whether it’s creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 17, 2015
I love cooking and I love M/M, A book that combines them? What's not to love?!
I was very excited to try this book after reading a few of Bru Baker's shorter stories. I think that she is an author to watch, and I was eagerly awaiting this release. While I'd say my hunger was met, I don't think that this fully satisfied my excellent-story cravings.
(Too heavy on the food puns?? Okay, I'll stop the jokes from boiling over... THAT WAS THE LAST ONE.)
Bru Baker did a great job doing the research for this very technically accurate foody story. I'm not sure if she is a cook or an amateur chef, but this lady knows her food preparations. My husband is a very serious home cook and we are really into food, and I found no flaws with any of the food info in the story. It is like written food porn. I mean, I was practically salivating while reading. So freakin' yummy sounding. I want to go to these chefs' restaurants!
The premise was also pretty interesting, and I was eager to see the chemistry between two chefs from competing food dynasties. I can honestly say that I have no issues with this book from a writing standpoint except for one itsy bitsy little issue...
I found this book to be pretty boring. And, for me, boring is a kiss of death.
I'm not sure exactly what my issue was with this one. Maybe it was the pacing? Maybe it was that it was so heavy on the information that I felt like the story got sidetracked a bit? I have trouble pinpointing why this story was only a pleasant read for me, one that I was easily able to put down. I can say that I truthfully liked it, at times a great deal, but something kept me from being unable to stop reading this story.
Not bad, not bad at all, but I'm still waiting for Bru Baker to blow me away.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
I was very excited to try this book after reading a few of Bru Baker's shorter stories. I think that she is an author to watch, and I was eagerly awaiting this release. While I'd say my hunger was met, I don't think that this fully satisfied my excellent-story cravings.
(Too heavy on the food puns?? Okay, I'll stop the jokes from boiling over... THAT WAS THE LAST ONE.)
Bru Baker did a great job doing the research for this very technically accurate foody story. I'm not sure if she is a cook or an amateur chef, but this lady knows her food preparations. My husband is a very serious home cook and we are really into food, and I found no flaws with any of the food info in the story. It is like written food porn. I mean, I was practically salivating while reading. So freakin' yummy sounding. I want to go to these chefs' restaurants!
The premise was also pretty interesting, and I was eager to see the chemistry between two chefs from competing food dynasties. I can honestly say that I have no issues with this book from a writing standpoint except for one itsy bitsy little issue...
I found this book to be pretty boring. And, for me, boring is a kiss of death.
I'm not sure exactly what my issue was with this one. Maybe it was the pacing? Maybe it was that it was so heavy on the information that I felt like the story got sidetracked a bit? I have trouble pinpointing why this story was only a pleasant read for me, one that I was easily able to put down. I can say that I truthfully liked it, at times a great deal, but something kept me from being unable to stop reading this story.
Not bad, not bad at all, but I'm still waiting for Bru Baker to blow me away.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
October 28, 2017
A Hearts On Fire Review
3.75 Hearts--Where to begin with King of the Kitchen?
I've been keeping an eye on Bru Baker's work. When I read the premise of rivaling culinary families with a sort of Hatfield/McCoy-esque enemies to lovers feel mixed with gourmet cooking on a television cooking show, I couldn't wait to read it. Interesting premise is interesting. I'm not a foodie by no means - I can cook but it's not like I'm running to by the latest knives or food processor out there. (When I follow a recipe and it comes out the way the picture looks I feel super accomplished)
But I am fascinated by chef romances. To me, the art of cooking is a science. So my inner geek was ecstatic that one of the main characters was a molecular gastronomist. And this novel truly treated cooking with the passion and art it's all about. There were hiccups (which I'll get to) but the romance was light and bubbly underneath the cooking.
Told in alternating POV and set in Chicago, thirty-something(?) chefs Duncan Walters and Beck Douglas meet each other at a chance meeting & a little hidden identity on one of their parts. That sets the tone of some of their animosity...and attraction for nearly a decade when they finally meet again.
Each man is a celebrity chef in their own right, Beck is under his controlling uncle's thumb working more than there are hours in the day on a daily basis including hosting a national cooking show, never getting a chance to be his own man. And Duncan, a food whiz, is a chef nomad and has degrees in molecular gastronomy and hates his bigoted zealot of a father. Though he and his father can cook like a dream, his father has hurt him in more ways than one over the years and Duncan's sexuality is the main point of contention.
The author takes time to set the stage while making interesting dishes. Now I expected a romance. What I didn't expect was the lightness to the men's characters. They were snarky, sweet and had depth. These things I liked muchly. Beck was the uptight stick in the mud who really wants to have fun with the right person vs Duncan's rolling stone who needed someone to give him a reason to believe you can have someone to have to your back. You know good old opposites attract, a fave of mine.
And the book really knew what it was doing in the kitchen with well researched techniques. And it worked with the chef's interactions with each other. They're cooking, they're living life. It flowed in that aspect.
But...there were a lot of words.
I think too much words. And even if the romance was sweet and effervescent, I have to discuss the story's biggest flaw - repetition. I'd read thoughts that were made over and over. I'm not a reader who needs to be spoon fed all the information and then reminded in case I forgot. I got it. I'm ready to move on. Why must I rehash the same point made in the first chapter again? Sometimes it read like it was trying to stretch the word count. And I have to take away a heart from my rating for that despite the easiness to the romance.
And while I was going to go for 4 Hearts as my rating, going over my notes, I can't. The pace got a little clunky for me. (Example: we get an altercation between the feuding families and then it gets pushed to the wayside or a chance to read a first time relationship's experience.) The ending was a little abrupt. The family dynamics was left unfinished. It was reflected on briefly but I think this story would have done even better with an epilogue. Duncan and Beck totally deserved it.
But the good certainly outweighs the missteps.
And there were surprises...like fake to real relationship surprises. There was sex and a few fun places *coughs*desk*coughs* and this is spoilerish: non-penetrative sex to boot! A plus in my book.
Is this book for everyone? Probably not.
I think readers who are foodies, like light, funny stories, don't mind extra explanation could probably enjoy this best.
3.75 Hearts--Where to begin with King of the Kitchen?
I've been keeping an eye on Bru Baker's work. When I read the premise of rivaling culinary families with a sort of Hatfield/McCoy-esque enemies to lovers feel mixed with gourmet cooking on a television cooking show, I couldn't wait to read it. Interesting premise is interesting. I'm not a foodie by no means - I can cook but it's not like I'm running to by the latest knives or food processor out there. (When I follow a recipe and it comes out the way the picture looks I feel super accomplished)
But I am fascinated by chef romances. To me, the art of cooking is a science. So my inner geek was ecstatic that one of the main characters was a molecular gastronomist. And this novel truly treated cooking with the passion and art it's all about. There were hiccups (which I'll get to) but the romance was light and bubbly underneath the cooking.
Told in alternating POV and set in Chicago, thirty-something(?) chefs Duncan Walters and Beck Douglas meet each other at a chance meeting & a little hidden identity on one of their parts. That sets the tone of some of their animosity...and attraction for nearly a decade when they finally meet again.
Each man is a celebrity chef in their own right, Beck is under his controlling uncle's thumb working more than there are hours in the day on a daily basis including hosting a national cooking show, never getting a chance to be his own man. And Duncan, a food whiz, is a chef nomad and has degrees in molecular gastronomy and hates his bigoted zealot of a father. Though he and his father can cook like a dream, his father has hurt him in more ways than one over the years and Duncan's sexuality is the main point of contention.
The author takes time to set the stage while making interesting dishes. Now I expected a romance. What I didn't expect was the lightness to the men's characters. They were snarky, sweet and had depth. These things I liked muchly. Beck was the uptight stick in the mud who really wants to have fun with the right person vs Duncan's rolling stone who needed someone to give him a reason to believe you can have someone to have to your back. You know good old opposites attract, a fave of mine.
And the book really knew what it was doing in the kitchen with well researched techniques. And it worked with the chef's interactions with each other. They're cooking, they're living life. It flowed in that aspect.
But...there were a lot of words.
I think too much words. And even if the romance was sweet and effervescent, I have to discuss the story's biggest flaw - repetition. I'd read thoughts that were made over and over. I'm not a reader who needs to be spoon fed all the information and then reminded in case I forgot. I got it. I'm ready to move on. Why must I rehash the same point made in the first chapter again? Sometimes it read like it was trying to stretch the word count. And I have to take away a heart from my rating for that despite the easiness to the romance.
And while I was going to go for 4 Hearts as my rating, going over my notes, I can't. The pace got a little clunky for me. (Example: we get an altercation between the feuding families and then it gets pushed to the wayside or a chance to read a first time relationship's experience.) The ending was a little abrupt. The family dynamics was left unfinished. It was reflected on briefly but I think this story would have done even better with an epilogue. Duncan and Beck totally deserved it.
But the good certainly outweighs the missteps.
And there were surprises...like fake to real relationship surprises. There was sex and a few fun places *coughs*desk*coughs* and this is spoilerish: non-penetrative sex to boot! A plus in my book.
Is this book for everyone? Probably not.
I think readers who are foodies, like light, funny stories, don't mind extra explanation could probably enjoy this best.
November 12, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed King of the Kitchen! You don't have to be a foodie and love all of the cooking shows and competitions to enjoy this novel, but it does make all that much sweeter. I wasn't certain how it could be pulled of in an interesting way in a novel, but Bru Baker did it, and how. Also, hand's down my favorite BJ scene in any book I've ever read, and I'm rarely impressed by a sex scenes,which make this worth mentioning. I was sad when the book ended because I just wanted to stay in their culinary world. Such a deliciously fun story! Wonderful!
January 2, 2016
3.5 stars
The story blurb hooked me in…two competing chefs, enemies to lovers…hotness in the kitchen…lots of good food… What’s not to love?
This was a pleasant read, not fantastic or earth-moving, but there were some good ingredients, some good fun. I really liked Beck and Duncan, they are up-and-coming young chefs, following in the footsteps of famous family members—their uncle and father, respectively—who’ve already built empires in the food business. Apart, Beck and Duncan are incredibly sweet guys despite all the shite they’ve taken growing up under the influence of their older mentors. But now, they are trying to forge their own culinary influences, wanting to separate and distinguish themselves. An interesting dynamic, but it kind of felt like the interactions between them and their older relatives were a little under-cooked.
I especially liked the differences between Beck and Duncan: Beck, the more prim, put-together TV celebrity, and Duncan, the hang-loose, love-em-and-leave-em nomad chef. Despite those differences, when they got together, things finally got cooking between them… and, well, they’re pretty hot.
But that’s just it. It takes a while for them to get together, romantically speaking. And before that, there’s way too much telling about why they do what they do, or don’t do, etc. And while I loved the food aspect, it felt at times as though the author was more into that than the romance. Things did pick up about halfway in when the two guys collaborate on a TV cooking show, but I wanted more between Beck and Duncan, and earlier. There was some teasing with dirty, naughty talk but, again, it was mostly talk and not much show.
This type of story works best when the plot versus romance is delicately balanced—like a soufflé coming out of the oven, everything depends on pacing and timing. For me, there was some good substance, but it fell a little flat.
September 5, 2016
I love this book. As a cook myself, and a person who watches cooking shows, I was excited to read this. The author did not disappoint with her knowledge of cooking techniques and insight into behind-the-scenes workings of making a cooking show.
I appreciate how the author prefaced this story by basically saying you don't need to be a gourmet cook to be able to read and understand this book. That's very encouraging.
The plot line appears basic: Boys have a crush on each other, meet and have a falling out, meet again, get to know each other then fall in love. The author, though, takes this and creates a sensational story. It's like taking a carton of eggs and making either scrambled eggs or a souffle out of it. The author has done just that.
The chemistry between the chefs is so perfect and adding the dads in there is like adding Tabasco to scrambled eggs.
One of my favorite things I looked forward to reading was what kind of shirt that Duncan would wear. He wore t-shirts that had a real funny food inspired saying on it. Like one of them was "Bakers do it for the dough".
Unfortunately, I have one issue with the book: the beginning handful of chapters were very wordy. Eventually the dialogue picked up and the book got a whole lot better. As I knew it would.
I highly recommend this book. All you cooks out there who love watching cooking shows will totally love this book. So grab yourself a copy.
The author provides a bonus at the end of this book. She has included some recipes that the chefs prepared in their cooking show. They look so good and delicious. I'm going to have to try some. Bon Appetit!
I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
I appreciate how the author prefaced this story by basically saying you don't need to be a gourmet cook to be able to read and understand this book. That's very encouraging.
The plot line appears basic: Boys have a crush on each other, meet and have a falling out, meet again, get to know each other then fall in love. The author, though, takes this and creates a sensational story. It's like taking a carton of eggs and making either scrambled eggs or a souffle out of it. The author has done just that.
The chemistry between the chefs is so perfect and adding the dads in there is like adding Tabasco to scrambled eggs.
One of my favorite things I looked forward to reading was what kind of shirt that Duncan would wear. He wore t-shirts that had a real funny food inspired saying on it. Like one of them was "Bakers do it for the dough".
Unfortunately, I have one issue with the book: the beginning handful of chapters were very wordy. Eventually the dialogue picked up and the book got a whole lot better. As I knew it would.
I highly recommend this book. All you cooks out there who love watching cooking shows will totally love this book. So grab yourself a copy.
The author provides a bonus at the end of this book. She has included some recipes that the chefs prepared in their cooking show. They look so good and delicious. I'm going to have to try some. Bon Appetit!
I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
November 7, 2015
The food in this story is amazing. Bru Baker definitely knows her food and her wonderful descriptions made me very hungry. Her men are pretty special too. Warring chefs Beck and Duncan have great chemistry as they join forces on Beck’s father’s TV show.
The story is good fun. Crossed wires and complicated father-son relationships add gentle angst but this is a pretty simple, easy read. Possibly at the expense of any genuine relationship development, the focus stays on the chef’s food, their restaurants and their show.
At times Duncan and Beck both seem a little bit childish but as we learn more about their fathers, their prolonged adolescence starts to make sense. At times insecure and at times arrogant, both men are believable chefs.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable story.
The story is good fun. Crossed wires and complicated father-son relationships add gentle angst but this is a pretty simple, easy read. Possibly at the expense of any genuine relationship development, the focus stays on the chef’s food, their restaurants and their show.
At times Duncan and Beck both seem a little bit childish but as we learn more about their fathers, their prolonged adolescence starts to make sense. At times insecure and at times arrogant, both men are believable chefs.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable story.
May 1, 2016
Cooking shows and celebrity chefs are not normally something I follow. But I admit to being a bit of a foodie myself and I have watched the odd “Kitchen Nightmares” show here or there, so I am aware of the genre. Reading the blurb for “King of the Kitchen had me laughing – celebrity chef empires? culinary royalty? heirs to entire food domains? – and I was curious enough to pick up this title. With two diametrically opposed main characters, public arguments, and a cooking show challenge it was bound to be fun. I am happy to report I was right! ‘King of the Kitchen’ is hilarious, has mouthwateringly delicious food described in fascinating detail, and both Beck and Duncan turned out to be characters who are much deeper than they seemed based on my initial impression. Highly recommended reading if you’re looking for a mix of serious and fun – just don’t attempt reading this novel on an empty stomach!
Beck is a public figure in his own right, something he is not comfortable with, but it’s an unavoidable consequence of being on TV. He is only the cohost though, and his uncle, Christian, is the one who runs the show – in more ways than one. Beck favors traditional food and local sourcing, but most of his recipes get overruled. But Beck is a passionate chef, loves cooking and helping to run Christian’s chain of restaurants, and knows how to pick his battles. He is also very organized, so when he runs into Duncan and his love for improvisation, Beck is at a loss. His attraction to the infuriatingly relaxed chef makes things worse, and even though Beck is interested, he refuses to do casual – which is all Duncan will consider.
Duncan has not really got a plan for his life. He knows that he doesn’t want any part of his homophobic father’s restaurants or business, no matter how much the man bugs him into joining. Duncan started out as a food scientist, and he is using his insights into chemistry in his more inspired recipes. He loves traveling from kitchen to kitchen, filling in for temporary absences, but has no idea where he wants to settle down. His approach to relationships is nonexistent – he does not do commitment. But when he runs into Beck and a public argument ensues that needs to be “managed” for PR reasons, everything changes for Duncan. Beck is not the man he thought he is, and working with him on the cooking show – as part of the PR plan - changes Duncan’s life in more ways than one.
Beck and Duncan’s relationship is not an easy one. They start out as enemies because the public thinks they are, but once they start talking, they discover that their differences on a personal and professional level will make things more difficult than expected. Both men have difficult mentors in their lives: Beck’s uncle is an overbearing control freak and Duncan’s father is a bigot of the first degree who has treated Duncan’s sexuality with disdain, and worse, for years. But where Beck mostly goes along and “manages” his uncle, Duncan’s way is to confront his father head-on. It was fascinating to watch them work through their issues – drawn to each other by their shared love of food and passion for cooking.
If you like adversarial relationships between stubborn men who know what they want – until they discover that love may be more important than being right, if you think competing is a good way of getting to know a potential partner, and if you’re looking for a read that is full of humor, interesting recipes, and a few very hot physical encounters, then you will probably like this novel. I think it’s a very successful mix of entertainment and romance.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Beck is a public figure in his own right, something he is not comfortable with, but it’s an unavoidable consequence of being on TV. He is only the cohost though, and his uncle, Christian, is the one who runs the show – in more ways than one. Beck favors traditional food and local sourcing, but most of his recipes get overruled. But Beck is a passionate chef, loves cooking and helping to run Christian’s chain of restaurants, and knows how to pick his battles. He is also very organized, so when he runs into Duncan and his love for improvisation, Beck is at a loss. His attraction to the infuriatingly relaxed chef makes things worse, and even though Beck is interested, he refuses to do casual – which is all Duncan will consider.
Duncan has not really got a plan for his life. He knows that he doesn’t want any part of his homophobic father’s restaurants or business, no matter how much the man bugs him into joining. Duncan started out as a food scientist, and he is using his insights into chemistry in his more inspired recipes. He loves traveling from kitchen to kitchen, filling in for temporary absences, but has no idea where he wants to settle down. His approach to relationships is nonexistent – he does not do commitment. But when he runs into Beck and a public argument ensues that needs to be “managed” for PR reasons, everything changes for Duncan. Beck is not the man he thought he is, and working with him on the cooking show – as part of the PR plan - changes Duncan’s life in more ways than one.
Beck and Duncan’s relationship is not an easy one. They start out as enemies because the public thinks they are, but once they start talking, they discover that their differences on a personal and professional level will make things more difficult than expected. Both men have difficult mentors in their lives: Beck’s uncle is an overbearing control freak and Duncan’s father is a bigot of the first degree who has treated Duncan’s sexuality with disdain, and worse, for years. But where Beck mostly goes along and “manages” his uncle, Duncan’s way is to confront his father head-on. It was fascinating to watch them work through their issues – drawn to each other by their shared love of food and passion for cooking.
If you like adversarial relationships between stubborn men who know what they want – until they discover that love may be more important than being right, if you think competing is a good way of getting to know a potential partner, and if you’re looking for a read that is full of humor, interesting recipes, and a few very hot physical encounters, then you will probably like this novel. I think it’s a very successful mix of entertainment and romance.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 5, 2015
Reviewed at The Blogger Girls.
4.5 stars
Beck and Duncan’s first meeting didn’t go too smoothly and now years later, they’re interactions are far from friendly. But when one interaction gets a little out of hand, they’re left with trying to save face with the media, which leads to a little friendly competition on Beck’s uncle’s cooking show. What started out as a way to settle bad press turns into much more when Beck and Duncan act on their attraction.
I’ve made no secret that I’m a fan of Bru Baker’s stories so when I saw this one coming out, I was super excited because I couldn’t wait to read it! I wasn’t disappointed either! I loved the banter between Beck and Duncan and how easy they were around each other once they got passed their initial problems. As individuals, I liked that they were so different. Beck was the one who did everything he was supposed to, tried to follow in his uncle’s footsteps, while Duncan was the bad boy who didn’t want to follow his dad or be like him. I just adored them together and couldn’t get enough of their chemistry.
This book was a deliciously slow burn but my biggest, and really only, issue was that it was a bit repetitive at times. Some things were thought/discussed in one POV and then reiterated in another POV, which grew a little excessive.
Even so, I absolutely loved this story. I loved that Duncan and Beck didn’t just jump into things and they had a little bit of a feud going on. I also liked that under that feud there was so much chemistry and I just LOVED all the recipes. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Duncan and Beck because I really want another story of them!
4.5 stars
Beck and Duncan’s first meeting didn’t go too smoothly and now years later, they’re interactions are far from friendly. But when one interaction gets a little out of hand, they’re left with trying to save face with the media, which leads to a little friendly competition on Beck’s uncle’s cooking show. What started out as a way to settle bad press turns into much more when Beck and Duncan act on their attraction.
I’ve made no secret that I’m a fan of Bru Baker’s stories so when I saw this one coming out, I was super excited because I couldn’t wait to read it! I wasn’t disappointed either! I loved the banter between Beck and Duncan and how easy they were around each other once they got passed their initial problems. As individuals, I liked that they were so different. Beck was the one who did everything he was supposed to, tried to follow in his uncle’s footsteps, while Duncan was the bad boy who didn’t want to follow his dad or be like him. I just adored them together and couldn’t get enough of their chemistry.
This book was a deliciously slow burn but my biggest, and really only, issue was that it was a bit repetitive at times. Some things were thought/discussed in one POV and then reiterated in another POV, which grew a little excessive.
Even so, I absolutely loved this story. I loved that Duncan and Beck didn’t just jump into things and they had a little bit of a feud going on. I also liked that under that feud there was so much chemistry and I just LOVED all the recipes. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Duncan and Beck because I really want another story of them!
October 30, 2015
So Duncan's father is a famous chef who does not understand why Duncan will not work at one of his restaurants. Which after reading this book I could understand why he would not want to.
Beck is a chef who is on a cooking TV show plus works at restaurants his famous uncle owns. Well there is a rivalry between Duncan's father and Becks uncle which has carried over to them but not as bad. You definitely get the sparks between these two from the start. This book was more of a slow burn to me which I did like but also not sure how I feel about the ending of this book... While I did like it, it was also a little to open for me. I was just hoping they would get a little more closer to each other then what they did. Otherwise I did really enjoy this book. It was fun to read the banter and back and forth between Duncan and Beck.
So with this book you get your angst and steam between these two MC's.
All together I really liked this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
Beck is a chef who is on a cooking TV show plus works at restaurants his famous uncle owns. Well there is a rivalry between Duncan's father and Becks uncle which has carried over to them but not as bad. You definitely get the sparks between these two from the start. This book was more of a slow burn to me which I did like but also not sure how I feel about the ending of this book... While I did like it, it was also a little to open for me. I was just hoping they would get a little more closer to each other then what they did. Otherwise I did really enjoy this book. It was fun to read the banter and back and forth between Duncan and Beck.
So with this book you get your angst and steam between these two MC's.
All together I really liked this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
November 21, 2015
3.5 stars
Very cute read, kinda made me imagine the whole time a fireworks-type of relationship between Bobby Flay (the chef from Food Network, who has many TV shows) and another hot TV chef I had to come up with, because I couldn't think of one hot enough. I wanted more dirty sex and some very inappropriate use of food and chemistry. Unfortunately I didn't get it, but I did get more than enough on-page cooking competitions. Bloody hell, don't tell me how you make that bacon foam, tell me how you're gonna lick it off of your boyfriend's dick.
Cute read nonetheless.
Very cute read, kinda made me imagine the whole time a fireworks-type of relationship between Bobby Flay (the chef from Food Network, who has many TV shows) and another hot TV chef I had to come up with, because I couldn't think of one hot enough. I wanted more dirty sex and some very inappropriate use of food and chemistry. Unfortunately I didn't get it, but I did get more than enough on-page cooking competitions. Bloody hell, don't tell me how you make that bacon foam, tell me how you're gonna lick it off of your boyfriend's dick.
Cute read nonetheless.
June 29, 2016
Rating for the first half of the book: 5/5*
It's amazing, very lovely and the chemistry between two main character is 100% real. Beside that, Beck just too precious for this world and I'm kind of sure that I want to steal him from Duncan.
Rating for the rest of the book: 2/5*
Suddenly every become boring and cliché. I was pretty disappointed when I reach the last part.
It's amazing, very lovely and the chemistry between two main character is 100% real. Beside that, Beck just too precious for this world and I'm kind of sure that I want to steal him from Duncan.
Rating for the rest of the book: 2/5*
Suddenly every become boring and cliché. I was pretty disappointed when I reach the last part.
December 27, 2016
I liked the MCs and the balance between romance and cooking. It's also good that the romance was slow burn, the amount of sex was appropriate, and the drama was minimal. I had fun reading about molecular gastronomy and I really want to try making that red wine caviar.
June 2, 2018
3.25 stars
Okay, I kinda enjoyed the food talks -- especially during the session where Beck and Duncan were cooking together for the show. The molecular gastronomy foods Duncan created sounds amazing (probably because I watched Heston Blumenthal did it several times during Masterchef Australia sessions).
I also appreciate that the romance took slowly to develop.
HOWEVER, I also had a difficult time to enjoy this book in its entirety. Maybe it was the pacing? This is enemies-to-lovers and I have hits and misses with this trope -- not my favorite, I admit. So I struggled to get into the romance, because the tension didn't feel delicious as the foods to me.
Plus the ending felt more HFN than HEA...
Okay, I kinda enjoyed the food talks -- especially during the session where Beck and Duncan were cooking together for the show. The molecular gastronomy foods Duncan created sounds amazing (probably because I watched Heston Blumenthal did it several times during Masterchef Australia sessions).
I also appreciate that the romance took slowly to develop.
HOWEVER, I also had a difficult time to enjoy this book in its entirety. Maybe it was the pacing? This is enemies-to-lovers and I have hits and misses with this trope -- not my favorite, I admit. So I struggled to get into the romance, because the tension didn't feel delicious as the foods to me.
Plus the ending felt more HFN than HEA...
September 5, 2017
Bru Baker pulled off a coup with this fun read. Filled with innuendo and outrageous flirting, King of the Kitchen is a book for everyone. The story flowed well and the characters were developed nicely. The chemistry between Beck and Duncan was entertaining to read.
November 19, 2015
5 Heart Review by Amber
Now this story was a delicious treat (pun intended!!) This is my first Bru Baker story and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I loved the dynamic this author created between these two strong characters. I truly enjoyed how the differences between Beck and Duncan complimented each other so incredibly well in the kitchen. The contention that was created just kept pulling me deeper and deeper into this story. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects.
Duncan Walters doesn’t like to fit in any mold. He knows what he likes and knows what he loves. He lives his life doing what he loves. Not one to be tied down to any one place he sprinkles his talents as a chef in any kitchen that needs him. Constantly at battle with his award winning chef father, Duncan likes to keep his options open.
Beck Douglas host of the very popular cooking show, King of the Kitchen, follows the path his Uncle Christian has laid out for him. He doesn’t deviate and he’s miserable not being able to express himself as he wishes. He’s also not happy with the feelings that overwhelm him whenever he’s around his rival, Duncan Walters.
After a bumpy run in Beck and Duncan are forced to work together to show they can get along. These two killed me and I LOVED it. In the kitchen they are cute, flirtatious and adorable. Outside the kitchen they are passionate, snarky and just fun. They’re also protective of each other which really melted my heart. Their food was amazing to read about as well.
I have to mention how much I really liked the cover. I think the symbolism of how the forks are actually wrapped around each other and not just merely touching was genius and perfect.
Overall, this was a fantastic book. I absolutely recommend to everyone!!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Now this story was a delicious treat (pun intended!!) This is my first Bru Baker story and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I loved the dynamic this author created between these two strong characters. I truly enjoyed how the differences between Beck and Duncan complimented each other so incredibly well in the kitchen. The contention that was created just kept pulling me deeper and deeper into this story. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects.
Duncan Walters doesn’t like to fit in any mold. He knows what he likes and knows what he loves. He lives his life doing what he loves. Not one to be tied down to any one place he sprinkles his talents as a chef in any kitchen that needs him. Constantly at battle with his award winning chef father, Duncan likes to keep his options open.
Beck Douglas host of the very popular cooking show, King of the Kitchen, follows the path his Uncle Christian has laid out for him. He doesn’t deviate and he’s miserable not being able to express himself as he wishes. He’s also not happy with the feelings that overwhelm him whenever he’s around his rival, Duncan Walters.
After a bumpy run in Beck and Duncan are forced to work together to show they can get along. These two killed me and I LOVED it. In the kitchen they are cute, flirtatious and adorable. Outside the kitchen they are passionate, snarky and just fun. They’re also protective of each other which really melted my heart. Their food was amazing to read about as well.
I have to mention how much I really liked the cover. I think the symbolism of how the forks are actually wrapped around each other and not just merely touching was genius and perfect.
Overall, this was a fantastic book. I absolutely recommend to everyone!!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
November 2, 2016
2016 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: King of the Kitchen by Bru Baker
1) I'm hesitant to give any book a perfect score of 40, but really, there wasn't anything about this book that I didn't like. The writing was solid from start to finish. The characters were likable, the story compelling, the banter genuinely fun. I'm not keen on sex scenes in general, as they can be quite laborious and difficult to get through, but those in the story were well-written and kept me reading. Restaurant life and cooking were detailed smoothly and believably. This was an enjoyable read from the first page to the last.
2) The book is fun. It was well written and the characters are very well developed. They are real and their tension is palpable as you read the book. Unfortunately, the writers don't follow through with their third person point of view and I was confused several times asa to who "he" was. But I really liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves cooking and gay men.
1) I'm hesitant to give any book a perfect score of 40, but really, there wasn't anything about this book that I didn't like. The writing was solid from start to finish. The characters were likable, the story compelling, the banter genuinely fun. I'm not keen on sex scenes in general, as they can be quite laborious and difficult to get through, but those in the story were well-written and kept me reading. Restaurant life and cooking were detailed smoothly and believably. This was an enjoyable read from the first page to the last.
2) The book is fun. It was well written and the characters are very well developed. They are real and their tension is palpable as you read the book. Unfortunately, the writers don't follow through with their third person point of view and I was confused several times asa to who "he" was. But I really liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves cooking and gay men.
June 15, 2016
I love reading, a good snarky enemies-to-lovers romance, and great food, so what could be more enjoyable than a book which combines all three? My only problem with King of the Kitchen was the abrupt ending. I flipped a page expecting more story, but there were only recipes. What a disappointment! I wanted to rate it higher, but for that reason I could only give it 3 Stars.
December 31, 2015
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. I loved the Hatfield and McCoy type of romance. It was one not done that often so it was a great that this author took this and made a very interesting type of book. I also loved all the food puns. I love cooking shows so I was excited to read this book and Bru Baker made it worthwhile. Will definitely look for more books by this author.
I was given this book by Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.
I was given this book by Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2016
I found the story very enjoyable to read. Both molecular gastronomy and slow food movement are fascinating. Also, there are recipes at the end of the book I want to try.
There are still a lot unfinished issues though. I hope there will be sequel to this book starring the same MCs.
There are still a lot unfinished issues though. I hope there will be sequel to this book starring the same MCs.
November 13, 2015
These boys were hot!! They also made me very hungry
February 12, 2016
3.75 Stars rounded up. As an amateur "foodie" I'm also a sucker for a good restaurant romance!
April 12, 2025
King of the Kitchen stars Beck Douglas, a traditional chef and TV celebrity, and Duncan Walters, an avant-garde and vagabond chef. This is told in third person from Beck and Duncan’s povs.
The blurb tells the basic plot, but here’s a little more info. This is a semi-competitive TV show cookoff using different cooking techniques. It’s sort of like a forced proximity because Beck and Duncan must work closely together over a long period of time. It’s also a mild enemies to lovers’ trope.
Beck and Duncan are the heirs to two well-known restauranteurs. Beck’s uncle’s restaurants offer the trendy foods. The uncle has promised Beck he can run one of the new restaurants but under the uncle’s strict guidance, which Beck doesn’t like. Beck wants to create traditional recipes and he’s stifled by his uncle’s demands. Duncan is stifled by his homophobic father’s haranguing to work at one of his restaurants. They don’t get along. Duncan can’t settle down, either working at one restaurant or in relationships. He jumps from one place to another until he gets the offer to appear on the show Beck hosts. Duncan accepts because he’s offered a lot of money, and he likes the idea of annoying Beck.
At first Duncan and Beck disliked each other. Duncan thought Beck was stuffy and a snob. Beck though Duncan was arrogant and a jerk. Beck is none of those things, but Duncan is both, especially a jerk. He makes snarky, insulting comments about a lot of things and people, but excuses himself that it’s just the way he is. Beck is kind-hearted, only putting on a tough exterior when he’s around his demanding uncle. I couldn’t figure out why Beck liked Duncan because Duncan isn’t a nice guy. I could see why Duncan liked Beck because Beck was supposedly very attractive, and kind. Because of Duncan, I couldn’t believe in them as a couple.
There’s a lot of internal monologue explaining what the characters are thinking, why they think it, along with what is happening around them. The monologue was boring and I caught my mind wandering so I’d have to go back and re-read what I spaced out on. I also noticed a lot of instances of head-hopping. It caused me to backtrack quite often to figure out whose pov I was in. It’s possible that the head-hopping was just poor execution of wording on whose pov it was. Whichever the case, it tossed me out of the story numerous times. There’s also what feels like a dropped subplot of Beck working at Brix, the uncle’s restaurant. It’s never mentioned that Beck is allowed to create his own menu and dishes at the restaurant, his uncle still has control, and Beck is unhappy with being the chef. So by the end of the story, he’s still working at Brix creating menus and recipes that he’s not enthusiastic about. That isn’t a happy situation for Beck. Lastly, the ending is abrupt. So abrupt it read like a cliff-hanger or like a couple pages were left off. The ending also gives the feeling of a HFN rather than a HEA, and that’s because Duncan never says he’s in love with Beck, and Duncan has said multiple times he doesn’t know how to have a relationship and he’s not good at them, which is not optimistic.
In the end, King of the Kitchen was monologue heavy, with a couple I couldn’t believe in because Duncan was not a sympathetic character. Also, the ending wasn’t that positive and felt more like a HFN. I give this book, 3 Stars. It was okay.
The blurb tells the basic plot, but here’s a little more info. This is a semi-competitive TV show cookoff using different cooking techniques. It’s sort of like a forced proximity because Beck and Duncan must work closely together over a long period of time. It’s also a mild enemies to lovers’ trope.
Beck and Duncan are the heirs to two well-known restauranteurs. Beck’s uncle’s restaurants offer the trendy foods. The uncle has promised Beck he can run one of the new restaurants but under the uncle’s strict guidance, which Beck doesn’t like. Beck wants to create traditional recipes and he’s stifled by his uncle’s demands. Duncan is stifled by his homophobic father’s haranguing to work at one of his restaurants. They don’t get along. Duncan can’t settle down, either working at one restaurant or in relationships. He jumps from one place to another until he gets the offer to appear on the show Beck hosts. Duncan accepts because he’s offered a lot of money, and he likes the idea of annoying Beck.
At first Duncan and Beck disliked each other. Duncan thought Beck was stuffy and a snob. Beck though Duncan was arrogant and a jerk. Beck is none of those things, but Duncan is both, especially a jerk. He makes snarky, insulting comments about a lot of things and people, but excuses himself that it’s just the way he is. Beck is kind-hearted, only putting on a tough exterior when he’s around his demanding uncle. I couldn’t figure out why Beck liked Duncan because Duncan isn’t a nice guy. I could see why Duncan liked Beck because Beck was supposedly very attractive, and kind. Because of Duncan, I couldn’t believe in them as a couple.
There’s a lot of internal monologue explaining what the characters are thinking, why they think it, along with what is happening around them. The monologue was boring and I caught my mind wandering so I’d have to go back and re-read what I spaced out on. I also noticed a lot of instances of head-hopping. It caused me to backtrack quite often to figure out whose pov I was in. It’s possible that the head-hopping was just poor execution of wording on whose pov it was. Whichever the case, it tossed me out of the story numerous times. There’s also what feels like a dropped subplot of Beck working at Brix, the uncle’s restaurant. It’s never mentioned that Beck is allowed to create his own menu and dishes at the restaurant, his uncle still has control, and Beck is unhappy with being the chef. So by the end of the story, he’s still working at Brix creating menus and recipes that he’s not enthusiastic about. That isn’t a happy situation for Beck. Lastly, the ending is abrupt. So abrupt it read like a cliff-hanger or like a couple pages were left off. The ending also gives the feeling of a HFN rather than a HEA, and that’s because Duncan never says he’s in love with Beck, and Duncan has said multiple times he doesn’t know how to have a relationship and he’s not good at them, which is not optimistic.
In the end, King of the Kitchen was monologue heavy, with a couple I couldn’t believe in because Duncan was not a sympathetic character. Also, the ending wasn’t that positive and felt more like a HFN. I give this book, 3 Stars. It was okay.
February 6, 2019
2.5/5
Pas de quoi se réveiller la nuit. J'ai aimé les personnages, mais c'est tout. Aussitôt lu, aussitôt oublié.
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J’ai commencé cette lecture car j’étais curieuse de cette auteur que je ne connaissais pas et qui allait être en dédicaces au Livre Paris 2019. Et donc, je me suis dit, pourquoi ne pas tenter.
Quand j’ai lu le 4ème de couverture, la première idée qui me vient c’est que c’est le Roméo et Roméo des fourneaux. Je pensais à un amour impossible, contrarié, caché et ça m’allait très très bien.
Sauf que la réalité est toute autre. Le récit commençait bien, on rencontre les personnages et on commence à les découvrir et cette partie était très intéressante. C’était le genre de personnages frais, vivants, solaires qui font plaisir à lire (du moins pour l’un d’eux)…et puis c’est tout. J’ai trouvé que le récit manquait un peu de cohérence, les deux familles sont censées ne pas se blairer mais au final, ce n’est pas aussi sanguin que ça. Ils ne s’aiment pas et ça ne semble pas du tout le gros souci complètement infranchissable.
Les deux personnages sont censés se détester mais au final ne se détestent pas tant que ça. Et ils finissent relativement rapidement proches. Encore une particularité du récit qui ne m’a pas convaincue.
Pour ce qui du style, je n’ai pas trouvé ça transcendant et pour être vraiment honnête, au moment où j’écris ces lignes, j’ai quasiment oublié ce livre. J’ai même réussi à trouver le livre long alors qu’il faisait moins de 200 pages.
Au final, à part les scènes d’interaction à l’écran des deux personnes (dont j’ai oublié le nom) que j’ai beaucoup aimées, ce livre m’a semblé vraiment très plat. Dommage !
Pas de quoi se réveiller la nuit. J'ai aimé les personnages, mais c'est tout. Aussitôt lu, aussitôt oublié.
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J’ai commencé cette lecture car j’étais curieuse de cette auteur que je ne connaissais pas et qui allait être en dédicaces au Livre Paris 2019. Et donc, je me suis dit, pourquoi ne pas tenter.
Quand j’ai lu le 4ème de couverture, la première idée qui me vient c’est que c’est le Roméo et Roméo des fourneaux. Je pensais à un amour impossible, contrarié, caché et ça m’allait très très bien.
Sauf que la réalité est toute autre. Le récit commençait bien, on rencontre les personnages et on commence à les découvrir et cette partie était très intéressante. C’était le genre de personnages frais, vivants, solaires qui font plaisir à lire (du moins pour l’un d’eux)…et puis c’est tout. J’ai trouvé que le récit manquait un peu de cohérence, les deux familles sont censées ne pas se blairer mais au final, ce n’est pas aussi sanguin que ça. Ils ne s’aiment pas et ça ne semble pas du tout le gros souci complètement infranchissable.
Les deux personnages sont censés se détester mais au final ne se détestent pas tant que ça. Et ils finissent relativement rapidement proches. Encore une particularité du récit qui ne m’a pas convaincue.
Pour ce qui du style, je n’ai pas trouvé ça transcendant et pour être vraiment honnête, au moment où j’écris ces lignes, j’ai quasiment oublié ce livre. J’ai même réussi à trouver le livre long alors qu’il faisait moins de 200 pages.
Au final, à part les scènes d’interaction à l’écran des deux personnes (dont j’ai oublié le nom) que j’ai beaucoup aimées, ce livre m’a semblé vraiment très plat. Dommage !
March 7, 2019
Liebe geht durch den Magen
Der erste Eindruck, den Beck bei Duncan vor einigen Jahren hinterlassen hat, ist alles andere als positiv. Duncan hält ihn für einen arroganten und überheblichen Mistkerl. Deshalb hat Duncan auch Vorbehalte, als er mit Beck in einer Kochsendung auftreten soll.
Die Story um einen Kochwettbewerb hat mir gefallen. Duncan und Beck sind längst keine Teenager mehr und beide haben familiäre Probleme. Beck mit seinem Onkel, der ihm kaum Platz für eigene Kreativität in der Küche lässt. Duncan mit einem homophoben Vater, der zudem noch Religionsfanatiker ist. Ein Grund dafür, dass Duncan seine sexuelle Orientierung nie an die große Glocke gehangen hat. In Anbetracht seiner diversen Affären bestand dafür auch nie ein Grund. Das wird erst anders, als sich Beck und Duncan ineinander verlieben.
Bru Baker nimmt die Leser mit hinter die Kulissen einer Fernsehsendung. Neben den vielen Hintergrundarbeiten gefielen mir auch die teils amüsanten Szenen mit den beiden Frischverliebten.
Die Story erhält von mir 4 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.
Mein Dank geht an Dreamspinner Press für das erhaltene Rezensionsexemplar.
Der erste Eindruck, den Beck bei Duncan vor einigen Jahren hinterlassen hat, ist alles andere als positiv. Duncan hält ihn für einen arroganten und überheblichen Mistkerl. Deshalb hat Duncan auch Vorbehalte, als er mit Beck in einer Kochsendung auftreten soll.
Die Story um einen Kochwettbewerb hat mir gefallen. Duncan und Beck sind längst keine Teenager mehr und beide haben familiäre Probleme. Beck mit seinem Onkel, der ihm kaum Platz für eigene Kreativität in der Küche lässt. Duncan mit einem homophoben Vater, der zudem noch Religionsfanatiker ist. Ein Grund dafür, dass Duncan seine sexuelle Orientierung nie an die große Glocke gehangen hat. In Anbetracht seiner diversen Affären bestand dafür auch nie ein Grund. Das wird erst anders, als sich Beck und Duncan ineinander verlieben.
Bru Baker nimmt die Leser mit hinter die Kulissen einer Fernsehsendung. Neben den vielen Hintergrundarbeiten gefielen mir auch die teils amüsanten Szenen mit den beiden Frischverliebten.
Die Story erhält von mir 4 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.
Mein Dank geht an Dreamspinner Press für das erhaltene Rezensionsexemplar.
July 27, 2019
First the book introduces Bacon foam and food. Plus includes recipes in the book. I love Beck and Duncan. Duncan and his laid back, sexy boy next door,and quick humor that carries over to his silly food theme T-shirts. Then you have Beck on the surface very structured perfectionist not much room to just be himself as he is always on with his tv persona and a controlling Uncle calling all the shots. I love the banter between Beck and Duncan. The protectiveness they developed for each other as they try to figure out where they fit in each other’s life. I would love to see more of these two in future books.
March 12, 2024
The story is cute but the storyline gets confusing very often.
The author jumps for one time frame to another without any hint, sometimes I find it difficult to follow the story properly.
The easiest thing to make the story more fluid would have been to add a few pages here and there but it's also very ripetitive, she keeps repeating the two characters names, explaining the same actions over and over...
Bru: we are reading the same story, we know who you are describing or talking about 🤦🏻♀️
This author short stories make sense now, I don't think she is capable to write a story longer than 80 pages
The author jumps for one time frame to another without any hint, sometimes I find it difficult to follow the story properly.
The easiest thing to make the story more fluid would have been to add a few pages here and there but it's also very ripetitive, she keeps repeating the two characters names, explaining the same actions over and over...
Bru: we are reading the same story, we know who you are describing or talking about 🤦🏻♀️
This author short stories make sense now, I don't think she is capable to write a story longer than 80 pages
March 14, 2019
mir hat diese Story gefallen,
interessante Geschichte um einen TV- Kochwettbewerb und die Vorstellung leckerer Gerichte
interessante Geschichte um einen TV- Kochwettbewerb und die Vorstellung leckerer Gerichte
January 31, 2022
3,75
Une lecture bien sympathique, la relation entre Beck et Duncan n'est pas précipitée et j'ai aimé que la cuisine soit présente dans différents environnements.
Une lecture bien sympathique, la relation entre Beck et Duncan n'est pas précipitée et j'ai aimé que la cuisine soit présente dans différents environnements.
March 23, 2022
3.75 stars
February 7, 2017
This was a fun M/M romance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews