Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Simmer Down
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
In this finger-licking good rom-com, two is the perfect number of cooks in the kitchen. Nikki DiMarco knew life wouldn't be all sunshine and coconuts when she quit her dream job to help her mom serve up mouthwatering Filipino dishes to hungry beach goers, but she didn't expect the Maui food truck scene to be so eat-or-be-eaten--or the competition to be so smoking hot. But Tiva's Filipina Kusina has faced bigger road bumps than the arrival of Callum James. Nikki doesn't care how delectable the British food truck owner is--he rudely set up shop next to her coveted beach parking spot. He's stealing her customers and fanning the flames of a public feud that makes her see sparks. The solution? Let the upcoming Maui Food Festival decide their fate. Winner keeps the spot. Loser pounds sand. But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts to see a different side of Callum...a sweet, protective side. Is she brave enough to call a truce? Or will trusting Callum with her heart mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
TamTracy
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

I love any book about chefs or cooking or restaurants. Throw in some spice and a good romance and it‘ll definitely keep my attention. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

review
DanaManiac
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Panpan

2 ⭐️
While reading the book, there were so many times where I thought "If the roles were reversed, Nikki's abusive behavior would be extremely obvious and we'd be telling Callum to get some self-respect". Nikki is BEYOND insufferable- she is self-centered, abusive and obtuse. I get it- we all have trauma and we all have things that we fear deeply...but it's no excuse to belittle others, lash out or use people..

review
BookLove4Ever
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

This book checked a lot of boxes for me that made me love the story. Maui setting, man who loves animals, cuddling while watching ‘The Office‘, yummy food truck food, and plenty of romance. Yes to all of it! My only issue was that the female lead couldn‘t admit to her feelings about the male lead. It got annoying and dragged the story down. But overall very enjoyable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ stars.

blurb
TheLucindaLife
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith

Enemies to friends w benefits/secret dating to lovers!!

review
Meaw_catlady
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Mehso-so

Quick . Easy . Spicy read . Typical romance trope enemies to lovers . Love that it was food truck scene and descriptions of food was amazing made me hungry. But I was bored by the usual romance . There wasn‘t even a queer character . Missed the mark in my opinion.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Just checking to see if you got my email about #LitsyLove? ❤️ 3y
31 likes1 comment
blurb
sb3626
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image

While I should be doing some more wedding planning I‘m ignoring that and focusing on Nikki and her food truck

review
booksaremyfavorite
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

Just what I needed...a light, easy read.

13 likes1 stack add
review
MeganMarieWrites
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

Exactly what I needed after such a let down in my previous read. This is a classic enemies-to-lovers rom-com. Humor, drama, and a whole lot of heart. Nikki and Callum are fun characters, and they compliment each other nicely, there‘s character growth (which is refreshing after the last book I read!), and a beautiful story. Highly recommend.

review
Nitpickyabouttrains
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

Romance about cooking!

review
The_Heeler_Booklife
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Bailedbailed

Rating: ⭐️ (DNF)
Okay, the premise of this is stupid. They become rivals over a freaking parking spot. A parking spot! Callum took Nikki‘s spot and parked close to them, which is not food truck etiquette. That starts the rivalry. Like, seriously? Then, Nikki goes on a trip to London and guess who is her seat partner? Callum! Not even realistic. The only good thing about this was a pregnant cat named Lemon.
#bookstagram #bibliophile #litsy

review
ChasingOm
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Mehso-so

A solid food-centered romance.

This one had a few moments of “oh, wow, we‘re at that point already?!,” but overall it was a decent enemies-to-lovers-to-conflict-to-HEA story. The Filipino and British food was sprinkled in, although I never got totally wrapped up in the food. The Hawaiian location, however, was perfectly evoked.

Not the best romance I‘ve read but it entertained me for the evening. 😄

Content Warning hidden below.

ChasingOm Content Warning: death of a parent 4y
33 likes1 comment
review
xxjenadanxx
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

Set in Hawaii & featuring food trucks, competition, personal tragedy, & an arrogant male w/a swoon-worthy British accent this enemies-to-lovers book checked ALL THE BOXES for me. I loved how real Nikki is. She doesn't have a perfect life, is struggling financially & doesn't know how to deal w/her grief. I adored her & Callum's low key date night tradition of drinking champagne & watching The Office bc of the relatability. I adored this one!

mcipher Stacked- this sounds cute!! 4y
46 likes4 stack adds1 comment
review
Owlizabeth
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Panpan

This was SO BORING. I was excited about an enemies-to-lovers food truck battle between a Brit and Filipina set in Maui. But, except for referencing lumpia every other page, you‘d have no idea that Nikki is Filipina. And there is basically no character development for...Liam? I honestly can‘t remember and I spent the entire day reading the book. I love romance for it‘s inevitability, I want an HEA, but there‘s gotta be some sizzle. Ugh, so bland.

Reggie Yes, I agree. It‘s not enough to say they are a diverse character. The character needs to feel real also. Also side note: I‘ve never been a seafood person but just by how many times Gordon has made chefs redo scallops, I always want to try them. Lol 4y
Owlizabeth @Reggie I mean, part of me is like, I don‘t want a caricature of a person‘s culture, right? And maybe it‘s a progress of sorts to have a Filipina character who only relates to the food? Like, I‘m not trying to say BE MORE ETHNIC. But, idk, a little? Maybe it‘s some internal personal stuff I need to sort that “boring generic American female” means “white” to me? Diversify my notion of basic?? 4y
Reggie So I read this romance earlier from Tess Bailey that I liked. She had a MC woman whose parents were from Argentina and she was married to a guy whose parents were from Puerto Rico. He called her honey girl which drove me nuts because if you know any Latino/x culture, and I know we‘re not all the same but if his parents are from there he would have called her Amor, mi vida, mi Alma, something that would have signified his character was 👇🏼 4y
Reggie authentic. Can I suggest trying Mia Hopkins Eastside Brewery series. I felt her characters were of a Latino/x background and they felt real. Just if you‘re interested. 4y
Flingogal Oh no, it looked good 4y
47 likes5 comments
review
ReadingEnvy
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Mehso-so

Nikki relocates to Maui after her father's death to help her mother run a food truck serving Filipino food, and has an encounter with the new food truck owner who parks in her space. #romantsy

I like ...

ReadingEnvy the foodie elements and the location, the tension between the characters, but the author gets sidetracked and adds elements to the story that actually detract from the central romance. I also do not like epilogues especially in romance. Give me my happy ending and walk away! 4y
50 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
AmberWB
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

This was a cute read- nothing earth shattering, and I knew how it would end, but I still enjoyed it. It helped take my mind off of everything else happening in the world.

review
MaidaMalby
Simmer Down | Sarah Smith
post image
Pickpick

4.5 stars

Any time I see myself in the book I‘m reading, I give it high marks. Every time I cry while reading a book, I give it top ratings. Whenever a book promotes the Filipino culture, I only had positive things to say about it. Simmer Down, with its part-Filipina heroine, her tight-knit bond with her parents, its multicultural romance, and its proud celebration of Filipino food, gets my enthusiastic rave.