Intercepting the Chef

Rachel Goodman

May 2017 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

“Smart, sexy, and funny” (Publishers Weekly) contemporary romance writer Rachel Goodman is back with a brand new series about a quarterback trying to score in the most important game of his life—the game of love.

Gwen Lalonde is a rising star in the eyes of the elite restaurateurs of the world. But when her celebrity chef boss and now ex-boyfriend fires her, she finds herself playing a different game. Forced to flee San Francisco and return home to Denver, Gwen lands a spot as the executive chef at Stonestreet’s, a new restaurant owned by NFL golden boy and Colorado Blizzards quarterback Logan Stonestreet. When Logan starts pursuing Gwen romantically, she pulls a classic duck and weave and avoids any advances by throwing herself into reestablishing her reputation in Denver.

But Logan Stonestreet is persistent—he didn’t become one of the best football players in the league by throwing in the towel at the first rejection. Something about Logan’s unwavering determination—and amazing body—keeps Gwen around, and soon there’s more that’s sizzling than just the steak on the grill. Things are getting more serious than either side cares to admit, and when Logan suffers a severe injury in the playoffs, they’re both forced to make game-time decisions. The perfect romance for football fans and foodies alike, Intercepting the Chef is a delicious read that’ll have you hooked until the very last play.

Ratings and reviews

***3 Stars*** The combination of food and football, two of my favorite things outside of rugby, reading and music, was what grabbed my attention and had me wanting to see how things would play out for Gwen and Logan. And though I found their journey, both as couple and separately, interesting I didn’t become as emotionally invested in it all as much as I thought I would. Logan is the NFL’s golden boy who has brought an ailing team back to life. He’s been groomed for it since he was born and is determined to achieve the ultimate prize. What I liked about Logan was that he viewed his celebrity as part of his job as the QB and not as a right. He acknowledged that it did garner him certain perks, but he didn’t abuse it. Gwen has spent her entire life with one goal in mind. Becoming a chef and running her own restaurant, but after the rug is unexpectedly pulled out from under her, that goal appears almost impossible. I’m of two minds when it comes to Gwen in that I admired her, but didn’t always like her. I admired her passion for food and cooking and her drive to be an acclaimed chef since that road is extremely rough, but I didn’t care for how she looked down on anything she deemed ‘pedestrian’. Her tendency to keep her emotions contained was understandable, but it made her feel cold and distant and I had a hard time truly connecting with her, even in the end. With my tepid feelings towards Logan and Gwen separately, it should come as no surprise that I didn’t become fully invested in their romance, but there were some facets of it that I enjoyed. I actually loved their more playful interactions because it at least gave me a glimpse into who they could be if they allowed their walls to fully drop. I also liked how they forced each other to take a long hard look at where they were currently at and what they wanted their future to be. Although this book didn’t give me the emotional gut punch I wanted, I still found it to be an interesting read. Each step in Logan and Gwen’s personal journey’s were well thought out and I liked seeing how they dealt with everything tossed in their way. The descriptions of the food made me hungry and the details of all things football made it easy to envision all that was happening on and off the field. ~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley ~

I really enjoyed this one! Rachel Goodman is a new to me author and I am delighted to have found her. This is the first book in what should be a fun series to read. I loved her writing style and how she develops her characters. There is a nice easy flow to the story with very little angst, a touch of humor, and a good amount of heat. Logan is just about perfect. Athlete, sweet, and sexy. Gwen is a little harder to warm up to but in the end I did enjoy her. Overall it's a great story that kept me very entertained. I would definitely recommend this one.

About the author

Rachel Goodman is the critically acclaimed author of the Blue Plate series. She was raised in Colorado on Roald Dahl books and her mother’s award-worthy cooking. Now an engineering professor at her alma mater, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, she has not lost her passion for culinary discovery or a well-told story. A member of RWA, she continues to hone her craft through the Writer’s Path at SMU while seeking to create the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe.