The Wrong Heat: A Novel

Her implant says she's in range. Her body disagrees. Nora Vásquez lost her restaurant. Now she has fourteen days, forty-one cameras, and one shot at Open Flame's $500,000 prize to get it back. The plan is simple: cook flawlessly, trust the system, and never let anyone think of her as the omega chef. Then a firmware update breaks her implant-and her heat arrives three weeks early, live on national television. There's only one place on set without cameras: the walk-in cooler. And only one man she can't stop thinking about. Teo Marchetti is a beta from South Philly with a food truck, a famous sandwich, and the insult that made her a punchline two years ago. He's wrong in every way her app knows how to measure. He's also the only man who asks. Every time. So they write rules on a kitchen ticket pad. Nobody knows. Ask every time. No one says "nest." But a sponsor is hiding a secret, a showrunner smells a storyline, and the chef who never needed anyone is about to find out what she wants when there's no scent to blame. No cameras in the walk-in. Perfect for readers who love: - Rivals to lovers with a one-night-stand past- A competent, prickly heroine and a funny, devoted beta hero- Reality-TV chaos, kitchen banter and found family- Forced proximity, secret hookups and a ticking clock- Consent-forward heat that is hot, frequent and on the page- A guaranteed happily ever after A steamy standalone omegaverse romantic comedy. Intended for adult readers (18+). Contains explicit sexual content, strong language, and themes of a medical device malfunction and media manipulation.