Title: Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish
Author: Bethany Turner
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Revell
Release date: 5 May 2020
Pages: 334
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About the Book
Celebrity chef Maxwell Cavanagh is known for many things: his multiple Michelin stars, his top-rated Culinary Channel show To the Max, and most of all his horrible temper. Hadley Beckett, host of the Culinary Channel’s other top-rated show, At Home with Hadley, is beloved for her Southern charm and for making her viewers feel like family.
When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum, he’s sent packing to get his life in order. When he returns, career in shambles, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public’s good graces is to work alongside Hadley.
As these polar-opposite celeb chefs begin to peel away the layers of public persona and reputation, they will not only discover the key ingredients for getting along, but also learn the secret recipe for unexpected forgiveness . . . and maybe even love. In the meantime, hide the knives.
Fan-favorite Bethany Turner serves up a heaping helping of humor and romance with this thoroughly modern story centered on cooking, enemies, and second chances.
Excerpt
First there were eight. Now there are two. Which of these landmark, on-the-brink-of-legend chefs will be crowned America’s Fiercest Chef? We’re about to find out.
I tried to listen to the host, Xavier Stone, as he gave a quick recap of all we had been through over the course of our two days of filming, which would play out as six separate episodes, spread out across six weeks of Culinary Channel can’t-miss viewing. But, as I had been for the entirety of two days, I was too distracted by my competitor to focus on a single thing happening in the moment.
“I’m sorry,” Max muttered, actually turning and facing my direction, not seeming to care one little bit that the cameras were on us. “Did he just say ‘on the brink’? Did he say we’re on-the-brink-of-legend?”
“Oh my gosh, please stop!” I seethed through my teeth.
“Cut!” The director called out the command, and everyone in the studio groaned. It was a familiar call-and-answer of which we’d all had enough. We’d all be professionals and prepare to do our jobs, Max Cavanagh would decide not to be a professional and not do his job, then we’d all have to stop and repeat the cycle from the top—over and over for two days, like a chicken on a rotisserie grill.
“Chef, what’s the problem this time?” Glenn, the director, asked from his chair.
Max shoved his knives aside and hopped up on the counter. As he did, the knives tumbled to the ground, taking a beautiful cut of unused Wagyu ribeye with them.
“The problem is, Glenn, that it’s insulting for you to refer to us as on-the-brink. I mean, considering the ratings we get for this network, and considering my nine Michelin stars, I’d say we deserve better. You’re with me on that, right, Hayley?”
Oh, where to begin.
Review
Bethany Turner is easily one of my favourite voices in contemporary romance, especially when she’s writing in first person. I wasn’t even finished the prologue before I was smiling—laughing, even—at her turns of phrase, completely caught up in the showdown between Max and Hadley. And Max…my goodness. He was magnificently obnoxious, and I’m tempted to share just how Hadley described him except that reading it for myself in context was such an enjoyable experience I don’t want to spoil it for you. And I reiterate, all this is just the prologue!
The story that follows begins a few months after their showdown, by which point Max has spent some time in rehab learning anger management. In many ways the story is a battle of wits played out in the kitchen, with Hadley and Max by turns suspicious of each other’s motives, not quite sure how to read each other, and teaming up to outwit others who have their own script for Hadley and Max. Throw in some romantic fireworks and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly engaging read.
And yet…
Amidst my enjoyment, a couple of things niggled at me. I thought the choice of third person point of view for Max was the right one, but unlike in Wooing Cadie McCaffrey, where Turner also used third person point of view for the hero, this didn’t feel like Turner’s natural voice. One of the things I love about her writing is how organic it is, almost as though she’s not really conscious of the fact that she’s writing a story. I didn’t get that feeling with Max’s point of view, particularly in the beginning. I was very conscious he was a character in a story, and although I became less conscious of that as I became more involved in the story, it was still on the fringes of my awareness.
The other niggle was that Max’s transformation felt too complete. I mean, there are still moments where he struggles, and he’s certainly not perfect—he even has moments of being obnoxious—but for someone who had a long-standing reputation for having a horrible temper, it felt as though he overcame those moments too easily. In that sense, I think I found his character growth a little idealistic, which is something I didn’t experience with Turner’s previous books.
These things notwithstanding, I have no hesitation in recommending any of Bethany Turner’s novels to readers who are looking for a thoroughly engaging romantic comedy.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Other Books by Bethany Turner
About the Author
Bethany Turner is the director of administration for Rock Springs Church in Southwest Colorado. A former VP/operations manager of a commercial bank and a three-time cancer survivor (all before she turned thirty-five), Bethany knows that when God has plans for your life, it doesn’t matter what anyone else has to say. Because of that, she’s chosen to follow his call to write. She lives with her husband and their two sons in Colorado, where she writes for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight.
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