Nikki Carmichael is an amazing restaurant chef, but an old knee injury is forcing her into early retirement from the place she worked since cooking school. Instead, she advertises in Los Angeles neighborhoods that might be interested in a private chef, hoping she can rest her knee and avoid surgery. Her first inquiry comes from Jay Buchanan, editor of a hip men's magazine and all-around handsome charmer. Although he just needs a cook for the next month, Nikki is surprised to find that the job also requires that she pretend to be his girlfriend and keep an eye on his teenage houseguest. As Nikki becomes more involved in Jay's household, her employer becomes more interested in the life of his chef, even though Nikki doesn't talk much about herself, her past or how she injured her knee.

To escape her new workplace drama, Nikki discovers a local yarn shop -- Malibu & Ewe -- where she meets Cassandra, the owner, and gets her first knitting lesson. Talking with Cassandra gives Nikki some much-needed support and friendship, especially after she joins a group of knitters. When Jay decides that he wants to spice things up with his personal chef, Nikki knows that if she can't take the heat, she'll have to get out of his kitchen!

Christie Ridgway introduces readers to great lead characters and includes a handful of supporting characters with their own compelling stories. She takes a solitary woman, without family and friends, who doesn't want to depend on anyone for anything, and gives her both friends and family when she needs them. The playboy charmer in the big house turns out to be both sexy and sensitive. With the rising popularity of yarn and knitting, Ridgway could have just referenced the craft, but instead the yarn store and its owner become an integral part of the story and the main characters' lives. This fun and flirty romance has serious undertones of modern social issues that will keep the reader engaged and interested throughout the story.

Book Summary

The beachside knitting shop Malibu & Ewe is the perfect place for L.A.'s hip young crowd to enjoy colorful yarn and intimate conversation. For personal chef Nikki Carmichael, it could be the softest place to land if her new job falls through. Working for magazine writer Jay Buchanan has come with some strange conditions—like pretending to be his girlfriend. As for Jay, he finds himself drawn to the kitchen, where he's intrigued by his sexy cook's ability to withstand the heat between them. And now he thinks it's time to turn up the flames.