Review: Effie Olsen's Summer Special by Rochelle Bilow

 

Effie Olsen's Summer Special by Rochelle Bilow

Publication Date: April 30th 2024 by Berkley

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Effie’s back in her hometown of Alder Island, Maine after sixteen years roaming the globe as a chef. Effie’s there just for the summer to earn money and move on to her next assignment.

The small town holds a mix of good and bad memories for Effie. The good ones with her best friend, Ernie, until the night of their graduation, when he told her he didn’t want to speak to her again. Being on the island also brings back memories of her mother leaving. Effie had no choice but to tackle the feelings of abandonment caused by her mother’s actions. Her sister, Ingrid, was a great sounding board and source of wisdom for Effie.

I was thrilled that Ernie and Effie slipped back into friendship right away, and things weren’t super angsty. They just got each other. Their bucket list outings made it hard for Effie to ignore the love and attraction between them. It also highlighted some of the things she forgot she loved about Alder Island, which sounded so quaint and picturesque! Soon leaving Alder Island isn’t such an attractive prospect.

There’s drama at Brown Butter, the Michelin star restaurant they both work at. The head chef, Jared, is a jerk and there’s some shady practices gaining attention. I enjoyed how Effie bonded with all the other staff and made new friends along the way. Ms.Bilow's background as a chef comes through in her food descriptions and everything sounded delicious!

Effie Olsen’s Summer Special was such a wonderful story of healing, personal growth, and finding your niche in life. It was also a sweet, swoony, slow burn romance; the friends-to-lovers variety, that made my heart soar with joy!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

These childhood best friends swore they’d never speak again. But a surprise summer reunion changes everything when it gives them the chance to turn up the heat.
 
Effie Olsen thought she’d never live on the tiny Maine island where she grew up, but she’s returning from sixteen years as a professional chef in far-flung countries for one summer and one summer only. Her hometown boasts one of the best restaurants in the US, and lucky for her, Brown Butter needs a sous chef. Effie's eager for a chance at redemption after her last job went up in flames, but reluctant to set down roots in a place that reminds her of the ghosts of her past.

Until, that is, she runs into Ernie Callahan, her onetime best friend who now works in the very same restaurant. Early morning swims and late-night games of truth or dare with Ernie remind her of what she’s been missing while traveling the world. He knows her better than anyone, and it doesn’t hurt that his smile lights her up brighter than the lighthouses dotting the craggy coastline.

But their restaurant has a secret that’s bursting at the seams, and if Effie doesn’t keep it, her job will vanish into the foggy Maine air. As summer draws to a close, her dream job and the perfect guy are both within reach. Her salty seaside hometown might be the key to Effie’s sweet ending...if she can learn to let her heart lead the way in time.

About the Author

Rochelle Bilow is a food and romance writer who previously worked as the social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines. A graduate of The French Culinary Institute, she has held just about every job in the food industry. Her first book, The Call of the Farm, a swoony farming memoir, was published in 2014. Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year (2023) was her debut romance. Raised in Syracuse, New York, Rochelle now lives in northern Vermont. Learn more online at www.rochellebilowwriting.com.