Stirring Up Love

Rival chefs are forced into a business partnership that sparks unlikely love in Blumberg’s sweet second Taste of Love romance (after Digging Up Love). Simone Blake was not her grandfather’s first choice to take over his barbecue joint, Honey and Hickory, so when she returns to her small hometown from Chicago, she feels she must prove herself to the townsfolk. She plans to do this by expanding the restaurant—but for the money to do so, she’ll need to win a business contract on the Shark Tank-esque show The Executives. She goes on the show to pitch her family’s barbecue sauce recipe—and she’s surprised to find that her farmers market nemesis, Finn Rimes, also hopes to win with his own line of barbecue sauces. Having grown up without a permanent home, Finn hopes to use the winnings to open a charity cooking school to help those in need of a fresh start. After fierce competition, they’re both offered a deal—but only if they work together. The pair’s initial animosity stems more from miscommunication than anything else, so it’s a relief once they finally realize their compatibility. Readers will root for this couple in both business and love. Agent: Rachel Brooks, Bookends Literary. (July)