
Chef's Kiss
A Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Em Grosland
-
By:
-
TJ Alexander
About this listen
“Like a dish of comfort food you’ll want to devour.” —The Washington Post
“It’s hard to say which aspect of TJ Alexander’s novel is sweeter: the slow-burn romance or the drool-worthy desserts.” —Time
A high-strung pastry chef’s professional goals are interrupted by an unexpected career transition and the introduction of her wildly attractive nonbinary kitchen manager in this deliciously fresh and witty queer rom-com.
Simone Larkspur is a perfectionist pastry expert with a dream job at The Discerning Chef, a venerable cookbook publisher in New York City. All she wants to do is create the perfect loaf of sourdough and develop recipes, but when The Discerning Chef decides to bring their brand into the 21st century by pivoting to video, Simone is thrust into the spotlight and finds herself failing at something for the first time in her life.
To make matters worse, Simone has to deal with Ray Lyton, the new test kitchen manager, whose obnoxious cheer and outgoing personality are like oil to Simone’s water. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral YouTube sensation with a series of homebrewing videos, their eccentric editor in chief forces Simone to work alongside the chipper upstart or else risk her beloved job. But the more they work together, the more Simone realizes her heart may be softening like butter for Ray.
Things get even more complicated when Ray comes out at work as nonbinary to mixed reactions—and Simone must choose between the career she fought so hard for and the person who just might take the cake (and her heart).
©2022 TJ Alexander. All rights reserved (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Love & Other Disasters
- By: Anita Kelly
- Narrated by: Lindsey Dorcus
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying - not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.
-
-
Ode to Cooking Competitions
- By BookishMarginalia on 02-26-22
By: Anita Kelly
-
Love at First Set
- A Novel
- By: Jennifer Dugan
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The gym is Lizzie’s life—it’s her passion, her job, and the only place that’s ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst. When their son, Lizzie’s best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at his perfect sister Cara’s wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culminate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women’s bathroom—except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.
-
-
excessive angst, panic, and toxicity
- By Jordan P on 05-17-24
By: Jennifer Dugan
-
Delilah Green Doesn't Care
- By: Ashley Herring Blake
- Narrated by: Kristen DiMercurio
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her.
-
-
THEE. BEST.
- By Marc T. on 04-24-22
-
Kiss Her Once for Me
- A Novel
- By: Alison Cochrun
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money. Finding work at a coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes.
-
-
Just bad
- By Jadyn G on 12-15-22
By: Alison Cochrun
-
Sugar
- A Novel
- By: Kimberly Stuart
- Narrated by: Stephanie Willis
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After realizing her coworkers at L'Ombre, a high-profile restaurant in NYC, will never appreciate or respect her, Charlie Garrett allows her ex-boyfriend, Avery Michaels, to convince her to work for him as executive pastry chef at his new Seattle hotspot, Thrill. She'll have her own kitchen, her own staff - everything she ever wanted professionally. When she arrives at Thrill, however, she realizes that Avery wanted more than a pastry chef for his restaurant - he wanted a costar for the reality show they're filming about the restaurant and its staff.
-
-
Food and cooking
- By Terje K on 02-18-24
By: Kimberly Stuart
-
Read Between the Lines
- A Novel (Ms. Right, Book 1)
- By: Rachel Lacey
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Books are Rosie Taft’s life. And ever since she took over her mother’s beloved Manhattan bookstore, they’ve become her home too. The only thing missing is her own real-life romance like the ones she loves to read about, and Rosie has an idea of who she might like to sweep her off her feet. She’s struck up a flirty online friendship with lesbian romance author Brie, and what could be more romantic than falling in love with her favorite author?
-
-
Decent story, sub-par Narration
- By LovelyD on 01-16-22
By: Rachel Lacey
-
Love & Other Disasters
- By: Anita Kelly
- Narrated by: Lindsey Dorcus
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying - not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.
-
-
Ode to Cooking Competitions
- By BookishMarginalia on 02-26-22
By: Anita Kelly
-
Love at First Set
- A Novel
- By: Jennifer Dugan
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The gym is Lizzie’s life—it’s her passion, her job, and the only place that’s ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst. When their son, Lizzie’s best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at his perfect sister Cara’s wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culminate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women’s bathroom—except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.
-
-
excessive angst, panic, and toxicity
- By Jordan P on 05-17-24
By: Jennifer Dugan
-
Delilah Green Doesn't Care
- By: Ashley Herring Blake
- Narrated by: Kristen DiMercurio
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her.
-
-
THEE. BEST.
- By Marc T. on 04-24-22
-
Kiss Her Once for Me
- A Novel
- By: Alison Cochrun
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money. Finding work at a coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes.
-
-
Just bad
- By Jadyn G on 12-15-22
By: Alison Cochrun
-
Sugar
- A Novel
- By: Kimberly Stuart
- Narrated by: Stephanie Willis
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After realizing her coworkers at L'Ombre, a high-profile restaurant in NYC, will never appreciate or respect her, Charlie Garrett allows her ex-boyfriend, Avery Michaels, to convince her to work for him as executive pastry chef at his new Seattle hotspot, Thrill. She'll have her own kitchen, her own staff - everything she ever wanted professionally. When she arrives at Thrill, however, she realizes that Avery wanted more than a pastry chef for his restaurant - he wanted a costar for the reality show they're filming about the restaurant and its staff.
-
-
Food and cooking
- By Terje K on 02-18-24
By: Kimberly Stuart
-
Read Between the Lines
- A Novel (Ms. Right, Book 1)
- By: Rachel Lacey
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Books are Rosie Taft’s life. And ever since she took over her mother’s beloved Manhattan bookstore, they’ve become her home too. The only thing missing is her own real-life romance like the ones she loves to read about, and Rosie has an idea of who she might like to sweep her off her feet. She’s struck up a flirty online friendship with lesbian romance author Brie, and what could be more romantic than falling in love with her favorite author?
-
-
Decent story, sub-par Narration
- By LovelyD on 01-16-22
By: Rachel Lacey
-
Presidential
- By: Lola Keeley
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
High-flying pediatric surgeon Emily Lawrence is new to Washington, DC. Her first week in her new job puts her on a collision course with the most powerful woman in America, President Calvin. Constance "Connie" Calvin's first term is proving turbulent thanks to trying to juggle work and life as a widowed single mother to a twelve-year-old boy. Running for re-election is imminent, and the critics are gunning for her. Worse, her famed icy cool is in danger of melting in the face of Emily's passion, commitment, and charm.
-
-
Blend of Sapphic Romance & National Politics
- By Out of Wisconsin on 06-24-23
By: Lola Keeley
-
A Kiss Doesn’t Lie
- By: Robin Alexander
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jodi Grant had plans—a job interview that held promise and a date with a real woman who didn't only exist in her mind. What she had not planned on was a trip . . . at gunpoint when her father dropped a bombshell in her lap . . . at his own funeral. Dr. Blair Whittington went to Peru in search of ancient artifacts. What she discovered was the illegal antiquities trade in which she had unwittingly become embroiled. Betrayed by Nicolas Grant, Blair must rely on his estranged daughter, the key to her freedom.
-
-
Excellent
- By Sab on 11-02-23
By: Robin Alexander
-
Behind the Scenes
- By: Karelia Stetz-Waters
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Business consultant Rose Josten might not have officially reached “pug lady” middle age, but she’s already got the pugs—along with their little Gucci coats and trash-lovin’ appetites. Still, life is good, with her work, her sisters, and a secret hobby creating incredibly tactile (if surprisingly sexy) mindfulness videos. So why does it feel like it’s not quite enough? Which is exactly when former filmmaker Ash Stewart enters camera left, and Rose’s world suddenly goes full technicolor . . .
-
-
Sweet romance, some tech issues that I got fixed!
- By Emma on 02-20-23
-
Stars Collide
- A Novel
- By: Rachel Lacey
- Narrated by: Quinn Riley
- Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever. The stage is the only place she’s ever felt like she truly belonged, and yet, her last album flopped, and her upcoming tour hasn’t sold out. Eden’s desperate for her star to shine bright again, but when her team suggests a collaboration with an up-and-coming young star to give her a boost, she balks.
-
-
One of the best celeb romances in the genre!
- By MissLynn on 05-14-23
By: Rachel Lacey
-
Mistakes Were Made
- A Novel
- By: Meryl Wilsner
- Narrated by: Quinn Riley, Stephanie Németh-Parker
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Cassie Klein goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school’s Family Weekend, she isn’t looking for a hookup—it just happens. Buying a drink for a stranger turns into what should be an uncomplicated, amazing one-night stand. But then the next morning rolls around and her friend drags her along to meet her mom—the hot, older woman Cassie slept with. What should have been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about it worth the cost?
-
-
Power dynamic
- By Anonymous User on 01-26-23
By: Meryl Wilsner
-
Integrity
- Halcyon Division, Book 1
- By: E. J. Noyes
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s an ordinary workday when intelligence analyst Lexie Martin learns about a horrific chemical weapon attack abroad. Just an ordinary day...until a stranger breaks into her house and warns her to forget what she saw and heard, setting off a chain of events Lexie thought only happened in movies. Falsely accused of stealing intelligence and unsure of who to trust, Lexie quickly realizes the significance of the intel and that she must do everything she can to keep it safe. And as she runs—maybe for her life—Lexie knows she needs something, or someone, to help her.
-
-
So Good!
- By csofthemidwest on 05-28-23
By: E. J. Noyes
-
For Her Consideration
- By: Amy Spalding
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss
- Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since a crushing breakup three years ago, Nina Rice has written romance, friends, her dreams of scriptwriting for TV, and even LA proper out of her life. Instead, she’s safely out in the suburbs in her aunt’s condo working her talent agency job from home, managing celebrity email accounts, and certain that’s plenty of writing—and plot—for her life. But a surprise meeting called by Ari Fox, a young actress on everyone’s radar, stirs up all kinds of feelings Nina thought she’d deleted for good . . .
-
-
Annoying main character
- By Laurie on 11-18-23
By: Amy Spalding
-
The Romance Recipe
- By: Ruby Barrett
- Narrated by: Chelsea Stephens, Natalie Naudus
- Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Amy Chambers: restaurant owner, micromanager, control freak. Amy will do anything to revive her ailing restaurant, including hiring a former reality-show finalist with good connections and a lot to prove. But her hopes that Sophie’s skills and celebrity status would bring her restaurant back from the brink of failure are beginning to wane… Sophie Brunet: grump in the kitchen/sunshine in the streets, took thirty years to figure out she was queer.
-
-
3 Stars
- By Jillian on 06-02-23
By: Ruby Barrett
-
Under the Stars with You
- By: Jaime Clevenger
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six months ago, Ty Sutherland dropped out of an online sex chat group. It was anonymous. No one knew their real identity. And it was a space where they could finally be themselves. Unfortunately, it was also a space where they fell in love with a woman whose name they promised to forget. Leslie Brandt would like to forget the online sex chat group she joined on a whim. In real life, she's a successful realtor with a professional image to maintain. She'd never want anyone to know the kinky things she's fantasized about—even if maybe she wishes some of those things could actually happen.
-
-
Looking for non-binary? Looking for b/f?
- By Sierrahtl on 10-07-23
By: Jaime Clevenger
-
The Forever Factor
- By: Melissa Brayden
- Narrated by: Lula Larkin
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Is it truly better to have loved and lost? Bethany Cahill says nope. Eleven years ago, her fellow cheerleader Reid Thatcher held her heart in her hand...and crushed it like a bug. Since then, Bethany avoids risk, reward, and anything romantic on TV. Just, no. When a new patient walks into her office, she’s catapulted into the past and staring into Reid’s eyes, who is still annoyingly stunning. Forgiveness doesn’t come easy, and Bethany isn’t about to let Reid in. Not after all she took.
-
-
Great story
- By Sab on 12-01-22
By: Melissa Brayden
-
Fly with Me
- A Novel
- By: Andie Burke
- Narrated by: Chelsea Stephens
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Flying-phobic ER nurse Olive Murphy is still gripping the armrest from her first-ever take-off when the pilot announces an in-flight medical emergency. Olive leaps into action and saves a life, but ends up getting stuck in the airport hours away from the marathon she's running in honor of her brother. Luckily for her, Stella Soriano, the stunning type A copilot, offers to give her a ride. After the two spend a magical day together, Stella makes a surprising request: Will Olive be her fake girlfriend?
-
-
Wow…. just wow
- By Deanna Rabara on 12-10-23
By: Andie Burke
-
The Last of the Loudens
- By: Robin Alexander
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Taryn Louden has inherited her father's family home and more money than she ever thought she'd see in a lifetime. There are just a few problems with it all. The house is expensive to maintain, local kids entertain themselves by pulling pranks on her, and there might be a few departed Loudens still hanging around. The only real bonus is the sexy contractor Taryn's aunt hired to restore the Louden family home back to its former glory.
-
-
Such a wonderful book…
- By Lisa on 04-06-23
By: Robin Alexander
What listeners say about Chef's Kiss
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- dimtalis
- 06-11-22
Loved it!
This was a fantastic romcom with a story that really matters. Great writing, nice slowburn, not overly spicy, amazing rep. Really enjoyed this!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- meredith fajardo
- 06-23-22
Perfect Queer Rom-Com
From start to finish, this book was delightful. The writing was smooth and unpretentious and the story cute and realistic. The bisexual and non-binary/trans representation was realistic and showed the Truth about getting to know and respect someone's identity even when you're uncertain about it. You learn, you love, you respect, and you fight for the people you care about.
The relationship between Rae and Simone was well developed and flirty (and sexy!).
And the detailed writing about the food profession is spot on. I'm picky as a chef and I really enjoyed all the accurate writing.
Highly recommend this book! It's the queer representation in books I've been longing for.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kyle
- 06-20-23
Beautiful Queer Rom-com
Loved this book. it was so sweet and refreshingly queer. I think it found a really great balance of remaining light and sweet, but also tossed in some really great examples of how examining how our cultures treatment of gender is tied to many other areas of oppression?? truly not what I was expecting going in but I am so pleasantly suprised.
Narration was also awesome. Em had such a steady tone that was comforting, precise, and fit the story well.
Definitely recommend this sweet queer ride.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dani Serena
- 05-05-22
Chef's Kiss is literally a 👩🍳💋
I just finished reading (well listening to the audiobook version) of Chef's Kiss and it's fucking awesome ♡
It's sweet and fun and romantical, but also a sharp view into the world of bs that the LGBTQ community have to deal with every day.
All the characters feel like real, solid people and while some I want to punch in the face, others I want to take out for a beer & a chat.
Go get a copy and see if you can put it down long enough to sleep or eat or do boring shit like work. Or get the audiobook & have the best of both worlds, like I did ♡
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Darlene
- 08-08-22
Interesting insight into gender fluidity
I’m very straight but thought I could use some insight into alternative genders. Love is love is love etc. it was very interesting and not very lurid. I enjoyed it and would recommend. A bit like Nora Roberts for the LGBTQ set.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Valeria
- 08-30-23
Amazing!!
The whole book was beautiful, all the characters were so lovely and relatable. This has been one of the best romance novels I've read!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Markus
- 07-10-24
The banter
SO CUTE!!! I listened to it in two days! I couldn’t stop listening! Imagining it all in my mind!🤩
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kfine
- 05-13-24
Heavy on the slow. Basically nil on the burn.
I wanted to like this. I did finish it, because the writing is good. But holy moly is it slow. I also couldn’t figure out what year it was supposed to take place in, because the way they discuss gender issues (in a major city, especially) just didn’t feel current to me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!