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Start giftingEffie Olsen's Summer Special
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Learn moreThese childhood best friends swore they’d never speak again. But a surprise summer reunion changes everything when it gives them the chance to turn up the heat.
Effie Olsen thought she’d never live on the tiny Maine island where she grew up, but she’s returning from sixteen years as a professional chef in far-flung countries for one summer and one summer only. Her hometown boasts one of the best restaurants in the US, and lucky for her, Brown Butter needs a sous chef. Effie's eager for a chance at redemption after her last job went up in flames, but reluctant to set down roots in a place that reminds her of the ghosts of her past.
Until, that is, she runs into Ernie Callahan, her onetime best friend who now works in the very same restaurant. Early morning swims and late-night games of truth or dare with Ernie remind her of what she’s been missing while traveling the world. He knows her better than anyone, and it doesn’t hurt that his smile lights her up brighter than the lighthouses dotting the craggy coastline.
But their restaurant has a secret that’s bursting at the seams, and if Effie doesn’t keep it, her job will vanish into the foggy Maine air. As summer draws to a close, her dream job and the perfect guy are both within reach. Her salty seaside hometown might be the key to Effie’s sweet ending...if she can learn to let her heart lead the way in time.
Rochelle Bilow is a food and romance writer who previously worked as the social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines. A graduate of The French Culinary Institute, she has also worked as a line cook, a baker, and a wine spokesperson. Her first book, The Call of the Farm, a swoony farming memoir, was published in 2014. Raised in Syracuse, New York, Rochelle now lives in northern Vermont.
Reviews
"With fizzy writing, a dreamy seaside setting, and hunger-inducing descriptions of food, Bilow captures that sentimental yearning of summer and ticks all the boxes of a satisfying, read-in-a-weekend beach book."—Eater"Effie Olsen's Summer Special is what summer romance dreams are made of. It's the perfect mix of nostalgia, warmth, and complex emotions that made my heart ache, with breezy seaside magic threaded through every word. Rochelle Bilow writes so evocatively that I could feel the salt air on my skin as I read, could taste every mouthwatering meal described, and had no choice but to hold my breath while the tension between Effie and Ernie boiled over and then melted beautifully into a second chance at love. An instant addition to my favorites shelf."—Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of You, with a View
“Sweet and sumptuous, Effie Olsen’s Summer Special combines each of its flavors to perfection, pairing a lovely childhood-friends-to-lovers summer romance with enlightening, insightful commentary on contemporary food. A rich and rare delight of a novel.”—Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Breakup Tour
"Effie Olsen's Summer Special is a delightful and deeply satisfying romance that hits all the right notes - sweet, salty, nostalgic, with the perfect amount of spice. Bilow's beautiful writing whisked me away to the magical Maine coast, where I was immersed in a rich community, tempted by fabulous food, and met one of my favorite couples of all time. I devoured it in a day and am already craving a re-read!"—Libby Hubscher, author of Play for Me
"If you’ve ever wished you could read a romance version of the hit TV show The Bear set on a small Maine island, featuring two childhood friends who find themselves falling for each other as adults, then don’t miss Effie Olsen's Summer Special. You’ll laugh, cry, and swoon as Effie navigates her complicated feelings about her hometown, her family, and most of all, her former best friend Ernie. A delightful summer read you’ll want to savor!"—Ali Brady, author of The Comeback Summer
"[A] delicious tale of friends to enemies to lovers."—WBUR
"A much less intense version of The Bear, but with all the same familial bonds and restaurant drama. Bilow, a classically trained chef and food writer, serves up a full dish of romance, humor, and meaty plot, with a perfect portion of sexiness on the side."—Library Journal (starred review)
"Bilow’s sweet and summery sophomore outing delivers a tender second-chance romance…Bilow slowly turns up the heat on the central romance as the protagonists try and fail to stifle their feelings. Readers will have no trouble seeing that these two belong together.”—Publisher's Weekly
Praise for Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year
“This book doesn’t just have a phenomenal romance at its heart—and a sexy Scotsman to swoon over—but a truly immersive sense of place, one that you’ll never want to leave once you’ve allowed yourself to discover Thistlecross’s inherent charms and the hilarious locals who inhabit this cozy village.”—Paste Magazine
“Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year is utterly charming. Rochelle Bilow’s evocative writing made me feel like I was in a cozy Scottish cottage right alongside her irrepressible heroine, swooning over the local food, whisky, and strapping bearded handyman. I finished the book, my heart full and my stomach rumbling, then immediately googled ‘plane tickets to Scotland’.”—Laura Hankin, author of A Special Place for Women
“Rochelle Bilow’s debut is a transportive delight! The humor and warmth are like a sip of fine single malt, with all the depth and complexity of flavor to make you plan your own escape to Scotland. If you’re in search of a love story to make you feel like you’ve come home, don’t miss your chance to fall in love with this book.”—Denise Williams, author of Do You Take This Man
“The perfect cozy read for a chilly winter day.”—Culturess
“Bilow has written a romance that should be savored slowly, if only to thoroughly appreciate her poetic prose and immersive sense of place….A charming, lyrical debut about love and self-discovery.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Bilow’s debut is perfect for readers enamored of Scotland and friends-to-lovers romances.”—Booklist
“Food writer Bilow’s debut romance is just as charming as its Scottish village setting.”—Library Journal Expand reviews