What do you think?
Rate this book
Empire of Titans #1
Chasing What's Mine
I don't have time for guys like him.
Self-made billionaires are used to getting their way. Flash enough cash and one can even convince a Michelin-star chef like me to take a night off from her restaurant to cater a private dinner. Despite all the careful preparation, the dinner goes up in smoke. Literally. Because I accidentally burn down his kitchen.Also up in flames—his hot date. I am now officially his sworn enemy and he tries to destroy my career. Too bad for him, I'm the best at what I do.Guess the rich guy doesn’t always get what he wants. Until he sets his sights on me once more, this time not to ruin me but to have me. I wasn’t planning on putting down my knives for anyone.But no one could predict what happened next, a surprise to say the least…
Author's Note: this book was previously published as Hard No. Same great story with a cover and title upgrade!
Self-made billionaires are used to getting their way. Flash enough cash and one can even convince a Michelin-star chef like me to take a night off from her restaurant to cater a private dinner. Despite all the careful preparation, the dinner goes up in smoke. Literally. Because I accidentally burn down his kitchen.Also up in flames—his hot date. I am now officially his sworn enemy and he tries to destroy my career. Too bad for him, I'm the best at what I do.Guess the rich guy doesn’t always get what he wants. Until he sets his sights on me once more, this time not to ruin me but to have me. I wasn’t planning on putting down my knives for anyone.But no one could predict what happened next, a surprise to say the least…
Author's Note: this book was previously published as Hard No. Same great story with a cover and title upgrade!
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2021
39 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 7, 2021
DNF
I hate saying bad things about a book, because I can't write to save my life.
i found this book on KU, and I decided to read it because I wanted a ''enemies to lovers romance'', but I read 50% of this book and they didn't hate each other.
let me tell you what this book is about: she's a chef and he hires her to cook for him and his date. she accidentally set his kitchen on fire. he's angry and he decides to ruin her career, but that lasts two seconds.
i tried reading the rest, but I was so tired that I couldn't read a page.
I hate saying bad things about a book, because I can't write to save my life.
i found this book on KU, and I decided to read it because I wanted a ''enemies to lovers romance'', but I read 50% of this book and they didn't hate each other.
let me tell you what this book is about: she's a chef and he hires her to cook for him and his date. she accidentally set his kitchen on fire. he's angry and he decides to ruin her career, but that lasts two seconds.
i tried reading the rest, but I was so tired that I couldn't read a page.
January 25, 2023
"Love me?"
"Yes."
"Stay with me?"
"Yes. Always."
It's actually sweet. Ngl it was kinda unexpected to me haha. I love it tho. I needed some light read:)
"Yes."
"Stay with me?"
"Yes. Always."
It's actually sweet. Ngl it was kinda unexpected to me haha. I love it tho. I needed some light read:)
June 8, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Cute little (shorter) story about an award winning chef who burns down the kitchen of a billionaire after he chased her down incessantly to cook him a private meal.
This is the catalyst for their relationship, and they get to know each other pretty quickly. Since they're both workaholics, they understand that the other will be busy and they make time for each other where they can. Seems like a match made in heaven, until the billionaire oversteps his bounds and orchestrates a private job on a yacht for the chef behind her back. She becomes humiliated and they have a huge fight, during which he leaves to work from London for a few weeks. While he's there, the chef realizes that not only did she possibly overreact, but she's also pregnant. When she calls him to smooth things over, the billionaire's ex-romantic fling answers the phone. Little does the chef know, but the ex-fling just showed up at the billionaire's hotel room, and when she tried to make a move, he turned her down and left his room to go to the hotel bar. And of course he forgot his phone in his room. So ex-fling answered just to be a witch.
While the chef is reeling from what the female voice on the other end of the phone could've meant, one of her three restaurants goes up in flames.
When the billionaire hears the news, he immediately hops on his private jet and heads home. But instead of running to her side, he learns a crash course in construction to spend his nights working on the reconstruction of her restaurant after the crew goes home. When she finds him there one night after the day-crew has gone home, she invites him to her apartment to talk. When he gets there, she tells him she's pregnant and he hits her with the "I love you" bomb they've both been tiptoeing around.
In the epilogue, HE cooks dinner for HER while she's overseeing the grand reopening of her restaurant. When she gets home, he proposes. After she says yes, she gives him a baby onesie that lets him know he's having a daughter.
It was a super sweet story, even though the insta-love was very strong. They had great banter between them, and the side characters were great. Her best friend was so wise and always came in clutch with the best advice.
It was a good story, but probably not one that will stick with me. It took me quite a few times of putting it down and picking it back up to finish it, and being as short as it was, I don't know if that's the best sign.
I can't say if I'd recommend it, because it just wasn't something that would stand out to me as a "must read" but if someone was looking for something safe to kind of cleanse their pallet between books, I think this would be perfect.
Cute little (shorter) story about an award winning chef who burns down the kitchen of a billionaire after he chased her down incessantly to cook him a private meal.
This is the catalyst for their relationship, and they get to know each other pretty quickly. Since they're both workaholics, they understand that the other will be busy and they make time for each other where they can. Seems like a match made in heaven, until the billionaire oversteps his bounds and orchestrates a private job on a yacht for the chef behind her back. She becomes humiliated and they have a huge fight, during which he leaves to work from London for a few weeks. While he's there, the chef realizes that not only did she possibly overreact, but she's also pregnant. When she calls him to smooth things over, the billionaire's ex-romantic fling answers the phone. Little does the chef know, but the ex-fling just showed up at the billionaire's hotel room, and when she tried to make a move, he turned her down and left his room to go to the hotel bar. And of course he forgot his phone in his room. So ex-fling answered just to be a witch.
While the chef is reeling from what the female voice on the other end of the phone could've meant, one of her three restaurants goes up in flames.
When the billionaire hears the news, he immediately hops on his private jet and heads home. But instead of running to her side, he learns a crash course in construction to spend his nights working on the reconstruction of her restaurant after the crew goes home. When she finds him there one night after the day-crew has gone home, she invites him to her apartment to talk. When he gets there, she tells him she's pregnant and he hits her with the "I love you" bomb they've both been tiptoeing around.
In the epilogue, HE cooks dinner for HER while she's overseeing the grand reopening of her restaurant. When she gets home, he proposes. After she says yes, she gives him a baby onesie that lets him know he's having a daughter.
It was a super sweet story, even though the insta-love was very strong. They had great banter between them, and the side characters were great. Her best friend was so wise and always came in clutch with the best advice.
It was a good story, but probably not one that will stick with me. It took me quite a few times of putting it down and picking it back up to finish it, and being as short as it was, I don't know if that's the best sign.
I can't say if I'd recommend it, because it just wasn't something that would stand out to me as a "must read" but if someone was looking for something safe to kind of cleanse their pallet between books, I think this would be perfect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2021
Trent Stone was a billionaire several times over. He did like to enjoy the best and that is why he would not accept Stephanie White's NO when she refused to prepare a meal for him; he did not give up until his bid for said meal would cover the price of completely remodeling one of her three restaurants and she finally accepted the job. She purchased the ingredients, showed up, cooked the meal, then accidentally set his kitchen on fire while she made a trip to the restroom! She tried to apologize but Trent sent her home in a hurry and started planning his revenge. After the crankiest restaurant reviewer was cajoled into reviewing her three-star establishment right before his gall bladder surgery, Trent decides to have her come back and try again at his home when she gets rave reviews. He invites her to join him dining and they find they have a few interests in common--mostly that they are both admitted workaholics, Trent having lost his wife because he was always at the office. It turns out they have great chemistry but Trent goes past Steph's hard boundaries in his attempts to court her. This story has a great plot, lots of angst, separation, and making up. I volunteered this review from an ARC having enjoyed it very much.
April 23, 2021
An interesting start to the book, burning down your client’s kitchen! Totally the same type of people, Steph and Trent, total workaholics. “Your house, your rules.”, that’s the opening for the two of them to get started again after a disastrous first meeting. His wonderful romantic ideas are very sweet and they start to get over their differences. They truly get along even though they both have their careers to flourish in. It only takes one overstep by one party and it all falls apart, both too stubborn to reach out to one another. I loved the special way that finally bridged the gap between them. It’s a sweep you off your feet read, it really made me smile.
I voluntarily reviewed this book.
I voluntarily reviewed this book.
March 25, 2024
This read very much like one of those amateur fiction reading apps that Instagram advertises, which absolutely surprised me given the high rating on this book and the series in its entirety. The animosity proclaimed in the summary lasted all of a sunrise and then the story flew at warp speed. Like, if this book were a person, they would beat Hussain Bolt in a sprint by double the time. I love novellas so I have zero problem with how short it was, but you blink and you'll miss the entire plot. I would have DNF'd if I didn't already read at the speed of light myself.
April 25, 2021
This is a great read with two strong MC who are dedicated to their respective careers. Our heroine is pursued to cook dinner in a client's home, tragedy strikes and she burns his kitchen to embers. They do manage to become more, boundaries are overstepped, then an ex interferes and causes even more destruction. The road to a HEA is definitely a twisted and bumpy one. I liked this book. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.
April 26, 2021
Trent is a billionaire who would anything to get what he wants! What he wants is Steph, one of the best chef`s in the business and owner of three restaurants. She agrees reluctantly to cook a private diner for him and his date, but things turns south and he wants to take it out on her. But these two opposites are attracted to each other and they might be a match made in heaven! I volunteered ot review this fun story.
May 4, 2021
An enjoyable clean romance
While I enjoyed the characters of this book I am having a difficult time finishing it because there is no passionate “spark” or punch between these two people except when they’re in the bedroom but sadly that is short lived. Maybe I’m used to the billionaire men being sexy and dominant but in my opinion I didn’t find that here. However I’m willing to give the second book a try because maybe my expectations are too high.
While I enjoyed the characters of this book I am having a difficult time finishing it because there is no passionate “spark” or punch between these two people except when they’re in the bedroom but sadly that is short lived. Maybe I’m used to the billionaire men being sexy and dominant but in my opinion I didn’t find that here. However I’m willing to give the second book a try because maybe my expectations are too high.
April 22, 2021
Billionaire Trent hires Steph to cook a private dinner for him and she ends up burning down his kitchen. Now he has is sights set on her. Fast-paced read with plenty of drama, fun and romance. I liked it.
May 4, 2021
This book is really good and I loved it. Steph is my kind of girl and she cooks. Trent is of course swoon worthy. And that first meal she cooked epic. Your fans are gonna split their sides with this one. Cause you and this book rock. I volunteered to read and review an advance reader copy.
October 28, 2021
Hot for you
A billionaire and a chef who rocks his world! The beauty of this story is the friendships, support for each other and a little snark to spark a romance and voila an exceptional read!
A billionaire and a chef who rocks his world! The beauty of this story is the friendships, support for each other and a little snark to spark a romance and voila an exceptional read!
June 1, 2022
Smith
I really enjoyed this book I can't wait to read the next book in the series. It's really good that found each other later in life so they knew exactly what to look for in each other.
I really enjoyed this book I can't wait to read the next book in the series. It's really good that found each other later in life so they knew exactly what to look for in each other.
May 4, 2021
Hard No: Secret Baby Enemies
Love this book! The way they got together and the fights where so cute . But I wouldn’t want her bad luck she had!
Love this book! The way they got together and the fights where so cute . But I wouldn’t want her bad luck she had!
June 26, 2021
Great book
I loved how this boom weaved between the two workaholics. It was a sweet read, with a bit of, "really?!"
I loved how this boom weaved between the two workaholics. It was a sweet read, with a bit of, "really?!"
April 16, 2024
This was a good read. Stephanie was cooking for Trent one night. Unfortunately, she accidentally set the kitchen on fire. This complicates things between them. However, they still managed to fall in love.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews