All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore

All Stirred Up

by Brianne Moore

Inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion. She returned to save her family's dying legacy--but found the ghosts of her past alive and well.

Susan Napier's family once lived on the success of the high-end restaurants founded by her late grandfather. But bad luck and worse management has brought the business to the edge of financial ruin. Now it's up to Susan to save the last remaining restaurant: Elliot's, the flagship in Edinburgh.

But what awaits Susan in the charming city of Auld Reekie is more than she bargained for. Chris Baker, her grandfather's former protégé--and her ex-boyfriend--is also heading to the Scottish capital. After finding fame in New York as a chef and judge of a popular TV cooking competition, Chris is returning to his native Scotland to open his own restaurant. Although the storms have cleared after their intense and rocky breakup, Susan and Chris are re-drawn into each other's orbit--and their simmering attraction inevitably boils over.

As Chris's restaurant opens to great acclaim and Susan tries to haul Elliot's back from the brink, the future brims with new promise. But darkness looms as they find themselves in the crosshairs of a gossip blogger eager for a juicy story--and willing to do anything to get it. Can Susan and Chris reclaim their lost love, or will the tangled past ruin their last hope for happiness?

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

4 of 5 stars

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Once upon a time, Susan's family had a restaurant empire, but gross mismanagement following her grandfather's death had led to near bankruptcy. With only one restaurant left, Susan was determined to keep her family legacy alive, but she never planned on a blast from her past complicating things.

I had a lovely time cheering for Susan as she attempted to salvage her family's place in the restaurant world, and here are five things I really loved about ALL STIRRED UP.

• It's a second chance romance, and anyone who knows me is well aware that this is one of my favorite tropes. Susan and Chris were very much in love back when Chris was first starting out. While dealing with overwhelming grief after her mother's untimely death, Susan cut ties with Chris. Their reunion was bumpy and fraught with hurt feelings and guilt, but I found myself hoping for a reconciliation the whole time. It was easy to see the spark was still there, and oh, the history they shared! There was also more to the story, and I was eager to learn each and every detail.

• It's about family - both blood and found. I enjoyed getting to know Susan's family. They were far from perfect, and all seemed to still be grieving the loss of her mother in some way. It was beautiful watching them heal together and grow closer. I also adored the restaurant family. You work that hard, for that many hours, you tend to form some strong bonds. They were an interesting and eclectic bunch, who supported and encouraged each other.

• I loved being in Scotland. Moore showed us some of the sights and incorporated some local color which I always appreciate. I liked the way she worked the festivals into the storyline as well.

• Foodies will love the endless meals served in this book. The descriptions were mouthwatering, and there were also some really sweet food memories in there too. I got to watch Susan train a young pastry chef, concoct new and fresh desserts, and compete in a cooking showdown. I enjoyed it all, however, I wish the book had pictures and smells to round out my experience.

• Though this book dealt with multiple losses, it was also a lot of fun. There were a few secondary characters who often stole the show, and I must admit, Susan's nephews provided some sweet and giggly moments for me. I was a fan of those rom-com bits that kept popping up as well. I found I smiled a great deal as I read this book, and for me, that's a win.

Overall, I had a wonderful time rooting for Susan as she took her second chance at saving the restaurant and her second chance at getting her happily ever after. The book was fun and sweet and filled with many touching moments which left me with a smile on my face.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 17 August, 2020: Finished reading
  • 17 August, 2020: Reviewed