Simmer Down

By: Sarah Smith

Narrated by: Donnabella Mortel

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A PopSugar Must-Read for October!

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 beachgoers, 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?

©2020 Sarah Smith (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“This food truck romance serves up an enemies-to-lovers story that is spicy, salty and sweet. Delicious!” (Mia Hopkins, author of Thirsty)

"While the enemies-to-lovers romance is irresistible, it’s the sincere, well-developed characters and heart-tugging family dynamics that make this fulfilling love story stand out. This is a winner." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

This is a good read

This book Brings out family values, genuine love And steamy Love as well...

Mabuhay Philippines....😍😍😍😇😇😇

Hallmark Channel'ish kinda enemies-to-lovers trope

I've also listened to Sarah Smith's Faker, and Simmer Down continues in her laid back writing style. It's a lighthearted, Hallmark Channel'ish enemies-to-lovers trope so you have to be in an easygoing kinda mood.

If you like Mariana Zapata's literary style, you'll enjoy this too. Both authors write exhaustively about insecure, indecisive heroines who win you over in the end.

The narrator was great and the British accent is passable, at least to this Midwestern girl.

Another hit from Sarah Smith!

Holy cow! This book was awesome. It was so steamy and so sweet. I could barely stand to put it down. The chemistry between Callum & Nikki was so real, and I was truly invested in their relationship. I also appreciate that they didn’t hate each other for too long. A lot of enemies to lovers romances spend too much time with the main characters being at odds with one another and not enough time with them falling for each other. And the forbidden part of their relationship was too fun. Lastly I adore Lemon & her kittens. I was a fan of Faker, but I’m a huge fan of Simmer Down. Can’t wait for Sarah’s next book!

Frustrating

The main character was a hot mess. Constantly push pull, her mind wants one thing and her words say another so much that it was frustrating to listen to. You just know she’s going to ruin it every time she has a good thing. I couldn’t get through the whole book. Constantly flying off the handle when good things come her way.

Enjoyable

Sarah Smith always writes such entertaining stories. I loved the food truck premise of this! The narration was excellent! But ah I would have loved a duet narration with a male narrator however Donnabella is superb and her male voices are excellent - she does not disappoint

Sappy

Thought I was listening to a Harlequin Romance. Compelled enough to finished but wanted several times to wash all the sticky off....Very predictable and trite.

Promising start gives way to tedium

This island girl was stoked for a Maui rom-com with local flair. It started out feisty and flavorful with an enemies to lovers foodtruck war and some colorful supporting characters in her mom and his brother. But, once they bury the hatchet only four hours in, the next seven hours is an unnecessary slog through Nikki’s misunderstandings and insecurities. This book could have been half its length if either of them communicated. Instead, Nikki’s constantly thinking the worst, such as seeing him with a pretty woman and concluding he’s romantically involved. For his part, Callum makes zero effort to see what’s behind her cold shoulders.

While some cliches are expected in rom-coms, others should have been retired in the 80s. Take the schtick where Callum’s response to a man grabbing her arm is to caveman the guy’s head onto the bar… because real men go alpha and solve things with fists? And he saves cats and damsels whose cars breakdown. 🙄 And, he’s the bestest, most amazing, stupendous lover ever! 🙄 🙄 Add in a smattering of unnecessary F bombs, limp dialogue and an overdone food competition (yet another rom-com cliche) and this ended up being a chore to finish.