A review by quicksilvermoon
The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique by Samantha Verant

4.0

When the world at large is going cuckoo bananas, sometimes a fluffy comfort read is what you need to stay sane. Meet Kate, a high-strung chef who dreams of opening her own bistro in Paris. She wants it so bad, the universe sends her a colourful cast of characters to help her out - from her free-spirited and off-colour mom Cri-Cri, to her enigmatic and fabulous benefactor Garrance, the charming musician Oded, and just to add more heat, the moody, broody sexy Charles. The plot is formula, but with so much heart and flavour, it is immensely satisfying.
For me, it ticks off all the boxes - Grumpy meets Sunshine, delicious food descriptions (and working recipes!), character growth, comedy, tension, chaos. I’m not the biggest fan of smut, so it was a bonus that this book has so little of it. A most satisfying day spent.