Simmer Down by Sarah Smith

* * * *

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 beach goers, 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?

Source: advance copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

I'm all for no-brainer choices when it comes to picking my next book. Having read and loved Faker, I knew I couldn't pass up on Simmer Down. Sarah Smith brought that same effortless and whimsical flair to her second novel and threw in some amazing food, and what I got was a mouth-watering romance in what sounds like idyllic paradise.

Nikki runs a popular food truck with her mom of whom she's fiercely protective. It was her father's dream to own one but that never came to fruition until after his passed away. The food truck's success is a way to keep her father's legacy alive and be close to her mother so she can keep an eye on her. As she's pulling up to her usual spot one morning, she sees another food truck in their vicinity. One of the silent rules of food truck vendor etiquette is you don't infringe on someone else's turf. Callum, the owner, doesn't take Nikki's attempt at a welcome or her guidance seriously and so ensues one of the most ridiculous turf wars. They do silly things to sabotage each other - nothing harmful, just annoying enough to grate on the other's nerves. The locals eventually catch on when one of their very pubic blowouts goes viral. Callum rebuffs any attempt at civility from Nikki. In the midst of this, they both enter the Maui Food Festival where recognition and a massive amount of money are on the line. They also strike up a private agreement that the winner has the right to permanently keep their food truck in the coveted spot. 

I'm a sucker for rivals who become lovers and Simmer Down absolutely delivers on that. I like the process of uncovering the reasons why initial meetings don't go off well, and it's usually because of misconceptions. Nikki and Callum are adorable once they start flirting freely, and let's not forget the food! Oh my god...the descriptions made me so hungry! I really just wanted to be there and taste all the Filipino cuisine that Nikki and her mom were cooking up. I also loved when Nikki and Callum started to work together, melding their experiences to create some exquisite meals. Their different styles in action showed how simpatico they could be. 

The story hits a bump for me toward the end when Nikki's tendency to self-sabotage by jumping to conclusions and making rash decisions becomes a redundant occurrence. It felt a bit irksome to read it happening repeatedly in a short span of time. At least they're resolved quickly.

Simmer Down is warm and delightful, and ultimately it's a loving story about families healing and coming through difficult times together. The food truck world is equally fascinating as are the vendors who live the life 24/7, it seems like. And what's not to like about the setting of Hawaii? There's plenty to love in this so don't miss out!

~ Bel