the setup…
It’s been five years since James Hamilton walked away from Harper Ritchie after she begged him to give them a chance. Now the former Marine is the owner and head chef of The Edge, London’s well-renowned and Michelin starred restaurant. Harper shows up in his kitchen to interview for the chef de partie (head of section) position. She needs this job and, to her surprise, comes out as the new sous chef. After weeks of trial by fire, she stands toe-to-toe with the demanding James who now needs to find a wife or lose funding for his new venture. So, he makes Harper an offer she can’t refuse.
the heart of the story…
There’s grumpy and then there’s James. He’s exacting and runs his kitchen with a rigidity that’s unnerving. It’s borne from his OCD exacerbated by PTSD from his military service. Harper is really good at what she does and isn’t cowed by James and knows how to handle him. Both never forgot the other and the fake marriage was an opportunity to shift things forward. I loved the kitchen scenes and how their romance was given a deserved slow burn.
the narration…
Shane East’s voice is just delicious and I still can’t get enough of him. He was a perfect James and Evelyn Rose was equally great as the sassy Harper. So glad I held out for the audio edition.
the bottom line…
I expected to like this story and ending up loving it. It’s a spinoff series but I never felt lost or confused about any of the secondary characters. I’m also loving the Hamilton family and am eager for whatever comes next. Oh, and the spice level is a 5+ so be prepared. After over 16 hours I still wanted more.
Book Info
- Release Date: June 2, 2026
- Series: The Hamiltons #1
- Narrators: Shane East & Evelyn Rose
- Audio Length: 16 hours, 52 minutes
- Publisher: Laxmi Hariharan
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