Anything but Vanilla...

by Liz Fielding

Even more tempting than ice cream!

Sorrel Amery is determined to make her summer event the talk of the town, and she knows just the way into people's hearts—champagne sorbet! It's the perfect strategy… Until the ice cream parlor's owner runs off, leaving Sorrel's plans melting faster than a sundae in the summer sun.

All Sorrel wants is to get back into her comfort zone, but when the gorgeous Alexander West arrives to help pick up the pieces her life gets shaken up more than ever before! Especially as this globe-trotting adventurer is determined that nothing in Sorrel's life should ever be boring old vanilla again…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Category Romance, Harlequin, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Contemporary

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 15, 2013

About the author

Hi, I'm Liz Fielding, and I'm a best selling contemporary romance author with more than 15 million books in print and Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring me with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said - "Liz Fielding's books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre..."

And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."

Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.

My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.

For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter

Reviews

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can you say about Liz Fielding that hasn't been said before. This is the second in her series about the Amery sisters and Rosie the Ice-cream van.

Sorrel is the second of the three sisters and the one determined to succeed in business. When her good friend and ice-cream supplier vanishes just before an important event she wasn't about to let it phase her. But the appearance of Alexander West might be a different matter.

Sorrel's perfect plan for a perfect life started to come unstuck the moment the disreputable looking but very hot stranger made his appearance, tying up the loose end's of the Ice-cream parlour Sorrel relied on for her unique one of a kind event ices.

Alexander isn't as disreputable as he first appears but he is a man who has no intention of sticking around. His chosen career requires long periods of travel in obscure and distant places. He ticks none of the boxes for Sorrel's ideal man, but that one is the real deal breaker.

I love the way these two got together. There is a lot of humour but also a lot of pathos as we find out the past events that shaped their lives and set them on a collision course.

The ending was beautifully emotional and made me cry. Liz wrings out every last feeling and gives us such a great romantic adventure. Even closed door, the sizzle is there making it all so very believable. Loved Sorrel's story and loved Alexander. Am looking forward to seeing what happens with the next and last sister and revisiting Elle and Sorrel.

[SmartBitches · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Anything but Vanilla is a Harlequin Kiss romance about Alex and Sorrel, who bicker over running an ice cream shop. The ice cream added a nice comfort read quality to the book, but tragically all the parts of the book that did not involve ice cream were sexist, nonsensical, or both.

The romance unfolds over a short period of time as they work together to save the store. Initially Alex can’t take Sorrel seriously because the first time they meet she is wearing a tight skirt and a spaghetti-strap top. Alex’s repeated comments both to himself and out loud to Sorrel about her clothes made me wild with rage. Eventually, Alex realizes that even though she wears cute outfits, she’s also really smart. He becomes her champion, and they bond over emotional issues. Also he teaches her to like sex. I was so furious with Alex’s judging Sorrel’s intelligence by the neckline of her top and with Sorrel’s sexual issues that I ended up needing to eat a pint of ice cream myself just to calm the hell down. Sorrel’s sexual issues are too involved for me to list here but frankly they don’t make a lot of sense anyway. They exist only so that she can have the experience of being sexually initiated by Her Man, a trope I am 100% over already.

This romance left me with some unanswered questions:

- Why is Sorrel not furious with Ria? She seems pretty blasé about the whole “Ria has left without telling anyone where she’s going thus leaving Sorrel totally screwed” thing. Does Ria put tranquilizers in the ice cream? If so, can I have some?

- Are Sorrel and Graeme dating? Early on, we meet Graeme, a super uptight guy who seems determined to mold Sorrel into Wife Material. I never understood whether they were in a committed relationship or not. If they are, then Sorrel is totally cheating on Graeme, or at least considering cheating on Graeme, which is shitty. If they aren’t, then Graeme is grooming her for marriage without even dating her first. If there’s anything ickier than trying to turn your girlfriend into wife material, it’s trying to turn some random person into wife material by following them around until they become sufficiently perfect for you to date. Graeme is definitely a pain in the ass, but the question of just how much of a jerk Sorrel is remains open.

- Does Sorrel’s business plan include branching out into other cute gourmet desserts should the ice cream wave taper off? What if next year companies say to her, “We did gourmet savory ice cream at our corporate retreat last year so this year we want something different?” What if next year the Big Thing is candied pretzels, or marzipan, or interestingly flavored toffees? Adapt or die, Sorrel.
Why does the book prove 5000 times that Sorrel is good at what she does whereas almost no attempt is made to show that Alex is good at what he does? Could it be….SEXISM? Maybe Alex is a shitty botanist. We’ll never know.

- And BY THE WAY, I have a huge thing for science heroes but Alex doesn’t science much. Nor does he have the way of looking at the world that scientists so often do. In my experience, scientists, and I know a lot of them, are a diverse lot in every possible way, but they all have a particular, analytical way of seeing things. Alex is just a hot guy in a tight T-shirt who travels a lot.

- I don’t get the ending. Is Alex still going to travel the world studying botany? And if not, is Sorrel going to support them both by selling ice cream? I have doubts about this as a viable long-term plan.

I like battle of wits romances, so I enjoyed Sorrel and Alex’s verbal sparring matches. I also liked the fact that Sorrel tells Alex that while her family grows their own vegetables, it wasn’t originally because they were part of the locally-sourced foods movement; it was because they were poor. It’s a nice bit of reality in what is otherwise a very cutesy story. Some readers will find the adorable setting and Sorrel’s adorable house and her collection of adorably named relatives to be enchanting and other will find it cloying. I was in the perfect mood for a cutesy romance, but the sexism in this book combined with all the things that just didn’t make sense left me cold.

- Carrie S.

[Desere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since the world of 50 shades hit the books I have come across the "vanilla" phrase more and more. But it still amazes me that each time it has a different meaning. In Anything but Vanilla the author showed that life is about colour, flavour, everything sweet and spiced so not plain old vanilla.

The book tells the story of Sorrel, she has a business to run and nothing is going to stop her even if she has to buy the store that supplies her the deliciously sinful tasting ices. But she does not count on falling for the landlord or his delectably sweet as strawberry ice cream kisses.

Only Alex is your free spirit kind of man and goes from country to jungle hunting for plants that will save lives and staying in one place will never happen. Falling for Sorrel and her spicier than Cheyenne pepper touches will never do and soon he will have to let go and never look back, as they say when there is heat the ice cream melts, and he needs to get out before he melts to a puddle at Sorrel's feet.

The main characters of Sorrel and Alex were both kind of fun to read, I loved how Sorrel was the independent type willing to work hard towards her goals in life, I however did not like the fact that she struggled to stand up to her fiancée, but it did add spice to the read with him lurking in the background ready to stop the back and forth pop rocks fireworks between Sorrel and Alex.

Alex on the other hand I had a problem with as his inner turmoil almost made him too much of a emotional wreck to want to deal with and he just screamed "hands off baby", yet as the story progressed I could pick up the authors trail of thought and sense that he was indeed going to turn into a hero to love.

The backdrop setting was calm and serene, and I felt totally at peace whilst reading about the gardens and small town shops depicted by the author, but I could also picture the wild and bug infested jungles that the author described with vivid detail.

The dialogue was very sweet, sensual and laced with loads of references to ice cream making it a really sweet read. The sexual tension in this read was of the good and slow progressing kind building to the point of no return and sensual heat.

I recommend this read for all lovers of romances filled with words meeting the world of food of the iced and heated kind.

4/5 star review
"Melting his heart lick by delicious lick"

[Malvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Anything but Vanilla' totally suits the newish Harlequin Kiss line, sassy and romantic, and will leave you with a huge craving for ice-cream! The hero is scrumptious Alexander West, who turns up out of the blue to close the ice-cream parlour Sorrel Amery uses for her perfect, fun, catering events. We're not talking any old ice-cream parlour, it's all about ice-cream that 'sparkles on the tongue' with new and unusual flavours. Champagne sorbet, anyone? Chilli-chocolate? Their relationship kicks off badly after they are both confused at the start, but it fast becomes - actually, rather lovely by the end. Everything to enjoy!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for the perfect summer read, then look no further than Liz Fielding’s fabulous new novel for Harlequin Kiss – Anything But Vanilla…

Sorrel Amery has got big plans for the future. She wants to make her first million by the time she’s twenty-five and become one of the country’s most successful businesswomen. Sorrel is determined that she will not let anything or anyone stand in her way. She will not make the same mistakes that her mother had made and let a man turn her head and distract her from her path to success. Luckily for Sorrel everything seems to be going well for her. Her ice-cream business is flourishing and business is booming. Her love life might not be much to write home about, but who needs a man when you’ve got financial security and clients clamouring to sample your latest exquisite creations? Sorrel’s dream to become a successful businesswoman seems to finally be within her reach – until her associate disappears off the face of the earth! With the social event of the season to cater for, Sorrel feels like her world is tumbling down around her ears, but will Alexander West be able to help – or will he end up causing even more stress and upheaval for the panic-stricken ice cream entrepreneur?

Alexander West is the kind of man who is more likely to found getting up close and personal with nature than going through the haphazard accounts system of an ailing ice cream parlour in a tiny English village. But when an old family friend of his needed his help, Alexander had no qualms about dropping everything and coming back home to help her out. However, on his arrival in England, Alexander had been shocked and stunned to find that his friend had disappeared and that he’d been left to clear up the mess which she had left behind. As if Alexander hadn’t enough to contend with, he had an irate Sorrel Amery knocking on his door asking him to supply her with the cucumber ice cream which she’s going to be serving up at the village fete!

Alexander makes it perfectly clear that the ice cream parlour is closed for good. But he quickly realizes that the middle Amery sister is a stubborn and determined young woman who doesn’t like people telling her what to do. Sorrel loses no time in telling Alexander that she won’t budge unless she gets what she wants. But soon Alex realizes that cucumber ice cream and Earl Grey granitas are the least of his problems! Having had his fingers burnt in the relationship department once before, Alexander had vowed never to let another woman breach the defenses which he had built around his heart ever again. So, why can’t he stop himself from wanting to kiss Sorrel?

Will Sorrel and Alexander ever find the courage to admit the truth about their feelings for one another? Or will they let old fears and past mistakes ruin this second chance at happiness?

Fun, fast-paced, emotional and feel-good, Anything But Vanilla is a captivating contemporary romance guaranteed to tickle your funny bones and tug at the heartstrings. Award-winning author Liz Fielding continues to affirm her standing as one of romantic fiction’s most talented writers with this powerful tale about life’s unexpected twists and turns, taking a chance on love and healing from the past which you will not be able to put down.

With a fantastic heroine you’ll love and a gorgeous hero who is even more delicious than double chocolate ice cream, Anything But Vanilla is another compulsive page-turner from the sensational Liz Fielding!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, after FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, the word vanilla has taken on a whole new meaning, like 'boring' and 'predictable'. I know that Liz Fielding is a mistress of the craft of romance writing and yes, I know she can do hot, but I was wondering what was in store when I read this title. Well, I needn't have worried, Liz is a writer who knows how to make a relationship sizzle on the page, but she's still writes the kind of books you can give your teenage daughter (or your mother in law for that matter) without raising a blush. She's that reliable. And if in any doubt, remember, with the Harlequin KISS line you can be sure you won't be taken by surprise.

It's just that Sorrell Amery, the heroine of this novel, is an empress of ice cream. Cucumber ice cream, chocolate and chilli ice cream. In short, anything but vanilla....

There's not much I can say about Liz that hasn't already been said by hundreds of book critics more experienced and articulate than I am. She knows how to give a reader a good time. She can charm you and intrigue you and keep you glued to your e reader (or your book). I adore Liz's heroes, whom I visualize as tall, muscular English men with an innate sense of decency and fair play and while they may be dismissive of their heroine's often flighty appearance, once they get to know her, they are hooked forever. Alexander West will capture your heart, readers, as will Sorrell and her adorable family 'The Herbs'. Anyone remember the herbs? I do......

There's lots of lovely wisdom in there too, from 'Rosie's Little Book of Ice Cream'. It fairly made me want to rush out and buy a cornetto. Because as we all know, there's only one thing as nice as a good romance novel and a big bar of chocolate and that's a nice serving of ice cream. And yes, it can be vanilla. I'm not that particular, you know. Ice cream is ice cream, one of the nicest things in life....

Verdict? Yes, absolutely!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz Fieldings book is a very easy read a good story, interesting, made me want to run out and buy ice cream. Sorrel (intersting name) loses her partner in crime in the ice cream business just before a big event. Alexander shows up at the store where her partner puts the ice cream after it has been madde, adn the two meeet, and the sparks are there. They both try to ignore them, but eventually you know it is going to happen. I would imagine Liz has two more books about the other two sisters, I haven't read Liz Fieldings books before. I won her book and another that hasn't arrived yet, through a contest. This is a Harlequin "kiss" book. I did enjoy it and it was done before it seemed any time had passed.
The description of the book as found here on Good Reads: Even more tempting than ice cream!

Sorrel Amery is determined to make her summer event the talk of the town, and she knows just the way into people's hearts—champagne sorbet! It's the perfect strategy… Until the ice cream parlor's owner runs off, leaving Sorrel's plans melting faster than a sundae in the summer sun.

All Sorrel wants is to get back into her comfort zone, but when the gorgeous Alexander West arrives to help pick up the pieces her life gets shaken up more than ever before! Especially as this globe-trotting adventurer is determined that nothing in Sorrel's life should ever be boring old vanilla again.

[Lory Diocampo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twenty-three year old virgin falls for a Global-trotter, hunky and super yummy guy. Exciting? Yes!

I actually love this book and consider it as one of those easy reads, where it doesn't contain those heavy scenes that you sometimes hate and love at the same time. Sorrel, our heroine who wants to be a millionaire before shes reaches twenty five wants her ice-cream business to be known like the ones she sees on t.v., nothing and no one will stop her from achieving it, while our hero, Alexander who has an ugly past (being jilted by her fiancé for his best friend/best man and a very complicated family) just wants to be away, here today, gone tomorrow. He doesn't want some emotional tie up. But when you know it's love, you just got to go with the flow.

I like mutual attraction between the two. Though they try hard to deny it and it took longer for them to realize it, but it's worth the wait. The "sexual tension" is evident from the beginning of the book, so no boring moment.

And lastly, I love this line, :‘Did you ever have popping candy?’
‘The stuff that explodes on your tongue?’
‘Well, that’s how I felt when I saw you. As if I had popping candy under my skin.’

[Tali · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm really enjoying the new Modern Tempted range of books from Mills and Boon right now. They're starting to become my favourites over the normal Modern Romance ones and this book is no exception. The romance between Sorrel and Alexander in this story was very hot and full of sexual tension and yet it never felt unrealistic or rushed. The chemistry was all there and the inclusion of both characters' families in a larger role was a nice touch. I've got to stop reading books with food playing a major role though - in this case, luxury ice cream - it just makes me really hungry when reading.
A funny and perceptive romance that I fairly sped through. 4 stars.

[Hina Tabassum Khatri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything but Vanilla?

Yes, especially Cucumber!

Sorrel and Alex fall in the love at first sight couple who understood it well that their hearts were involved from the first. Coming to terms that their lives might be altered is a bit difficult and both of them are not there yet but who has seen the future?

Carpe Diem ;)

That is how they reach their happily ever after.

A happily ever after that would not have been possible if it was not for ice cream. Not like sharing a cone or scoop of one. Rather making a batch of one; coming up with special ingredient to make it all magical.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book by Liz Fielding made me want to dress like a neapolitan ice-cream and embrace the possibility of summer!

Sorrel and Alexander should fit like ice-cream and chicken soup. But like Sorrel's crazy menu Liz Fielding makes it all possible, throws in a lot of fun and adds a ripple of sweetness as Sorrel finds her life plans upended by sexy adventurer Alexander.

This is the first book I've read in this series and I love the whole premise of Rosie the ice-cream van and the Amery sisters. Now to chase the rest of them up!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story with wholesome characters and a believable story, but a little slow in the middle. I still enjoyed it and love the cover of it! I think the new kiss series book jackets are wonderful. Bright and colorful :)

[Harlequin Books]

"With a spunky heroine, playful banter and tender moments, Fielding's story has all the ingredients of perfect romance." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 1/2 stars

[Adeselna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to adore this book, however too much dialogue and inexistent plot turned a great idea into a dull novel :(

[Limau Nipis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flat story line, meh..

Should I say more?

[Danu the GODS of Writing · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 Columns: an excellent read
Harlequin Kiss
April/May 2013

Blurb
Sorrel Amery is determined to make her summer event the talk of the town, and she knows just the way into people's hearts-champagne sorbet! It's the perfect strategy... Until the ice cream parlour's owner runs off, leaving Sorrel's plans melting faster than a sundae in the summer sun.
All Sorrel wants is to get back into her comfort zone, but when the gorgeous Alexander West arrives to help pick up the pieces her life gets shaken up more than ever before! Especially as this globe-trotting adventurer is determined that nothing in Sorrel's life should ever be boring old vanilla again...


REVIEW
When Alexander West flies halfway across the world to rescue a close friend’s ice-cream parlour, he makes three alarming discoveries – the business has been issued with an insolvency notice, said friend has disappeared and… gorgeous, sexy businesswoman Sorrel Amery is in the shop’s stockroom, raiding the freezer.

But Sorrel is no thief. As the CEO of Scoop, it’s her job to deliver ice-cream experiences to special events — like the celebrity studded tennis party currently top of her agenda. If she doesn’t get the ices she’s ordered, her reputation will be in ruins.

So when Alex announces that he wants the stock back in the freezer and her off the premises, she takes a determined step forward, intending to search the kitchen for the rest of her order.

Only, Alex won’t let her past.

She tries pleading. But he’s adamant that nothing can leave the premises until he’s completed an inventory of the assets. In a last ditch attempt to change his mind, she offers a wide-screen, Technicolor, smile and murmurs 'Alexander.. this is important.'

Her action prompts him to ask in a low, dangerously soft voice “How important?”

The next moment he’s kissing her —and she’s making no attempt to stop him. Just the opposite in fact. Totally mesmerised, she arches towards him, lifting her arms and sliding them round his neck, “her body wanting more, wanting him.”

Abruptly he breaks the connection. Thanks to her inexplicable meltdown she’s managed to confirm his belief that she’s the type of girl who thinks she can get whatever she wants in business by flirting.

He couldn’t be more wrong. Sorrel has chosen career over romance and is totally focused on building her business. She does not do lust at first sight.

Her reaction to his kiss marked one of those rare occasions when she’d lost all sense and given into her mother’s wayward genes. A totally uncharacteristic lapse, given that Sorrell is determined not to be like her mother (a serial single mother with a propensity for rough-hewn travelling men.) Sorrell wants a man with drive and ambition. Somebody who’ll always be there for her – somebody like her secure, safe and totally dependable mentor, Graeme.

Alex might be overwhelmingly sexy with his “thick brown hair that brushed his shoulders and flopped untidily around his face…and the kind of skin deep tan you didn’t get from two weeks on a beach.” But how can she possibly allow herself to have a crazy fling with a man who clearly follows a beach bum lifestyle and will be gone in days?

Yet despite everything, she experiences such a strong sense of physical attraction that she’s sorely tempted to forget safe and dependable and seize the day in a “live-now-pay-later physical response.”

Seize the day is the book’s theme. Sorrel is locked into a vanilla lifestyle — seeking security and safety in everything she does. But until she learns to be less in control of her life and emotions, ditch her five-year plan and trust her instincts, she’ll never be truly happy .

And emotionally distant, detached, uninvolved Alex, who’s never had a home and is focused exclusively on exploring distant jungles, illustrates a different side of the theme.

Unlike Sorrel, Alex has no trouble seizing the moment. His life is full of fresh and exciting opportunities. But instead of experiencing these moments on his own, he needs to learn to open himself up to the warmth and fun of sharing them with another person.

Each leads the other towards emotional change, culminating in Sorrel giving into the attraction and seizing the moment in a night of passion with Alex. She knows full well that he’ll leave her in a few days, but is done with playing safe with her heart and her head.

Alex proves the more resistant one. Although he revels in Sorrel’s warm considerate emotionally connecting nature, and has come to a point where he can share confidences with openness and trust, he still backs away from emotional involvement and returns to his work in the rainforest determined to remain heart whole.

At this point it seems as though Alex will never change his belief about the type of life he wants or the person he is, but in wonderfully emotional final chapter, he experiences a shattering epiphany that totally changes the direction of his emotions and brings about the necessary happy ending.

This book was an absolute pleasure to review. The pacing is smooth (back story is kept to a minimum until well past the second half of the story ) the pages are packed with sizzling sexual tension, deeply experienced emotion and crisp, concise dialogue.

4 1/2 columns (I’d have liked just a hint at the start of the story that the hero’s present life felt a little empty — a suggestion of restlessness.)

[JoAnn M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorrel is an event planner – her specialty being events serving ice cream. She meets the attractive Alexander, who’s helping her ice cream supplier out of a financial jam. Sparks fly, but are complicated by Sorrel’s mentor Graeme, who’s looking out for her interests. The book was okay, but I didn’t get the instantaneous attraction between the couple. Side note: the author is from the U.K., so lots of British words (you might need a translation!) and spelling.

[Shruti · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn't that great

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious story with fabulous characters. I loved it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book in Fielding’s Ice Cream series was enjoyable but didn’t quite live up to the first book in the series. This book also revolves around the Herb sisters who have transformed their single ice cream truck into a thriving events catering business and tells the story of the middle sister, Sorrel.

For reasons I don’t understand this book was written for a different harlequin imprint, the KISS line, which may explain the difference between the two stories. They both had strong smart heroines, but the tone was quite different. Tempted reminded me of a Jill Mansell novel while this book read more like standard romance fare – from the start the two main characters are fixated on each other, pages and pages about body parts. This also meant the other characters were less developed. I probably would not have been as disappointed had I read the first one, but I felt the ad nauseum descriptions of Sorrel’s legs detracted rather than enhanced the story.

The third book in the series was released this year under the original imprint. I hope the style has shifted back as well.
3.5/5 on the romance scale

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. I mean, I liked it, I liked that it avoided a lot of my rage buttons, but I'm not sure I like HOW it avoided them.

To wit: the majority of the book takes place over a three day (I think) span. In this time, the hero and heroine fall hard for each other, but no declarations other than an oblique one are made. Yay! They commence an almost accidental long-distance romance, and after the hero completes his quest he comes home to declare himself. I like this too! But I didn't like the balance between the two, I think, the detail given to those three days (and seriously, there was a LOT about back taxes), and then the rushed conclusion of we're texting a lot and it's great and now we're in love. It was just an odd blend.

That said, it was mostly very charming and I want ice cream in the worst way now, so in that respect, it completely did its job.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Anything but Vanilla by Liz Fielding, Sorrell has a life/business plan - to make her and her sisters' business a huge success, to be a millionaire by the time she's 25, and to settle down with a stable man even if he isn't very exciting or doesn't light her torch! Her plans have to adjust dramatically when the woman (Ria) who helps her flavor her ice creams and supplies her with them, suddenly disappears the day before an important event for Sorrell - one that could make or break Scoop! In Ria's place is Alexander, a somewhat mysterious man who shows up to clean up the mess Ria has made of the business, sell or close it, and be on his way again. He does not expect to find a hot lady digging through the freezer!Read More

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Tempted by Trouble I already knew of the Amery sisters, so I was delighted to find that this book was about the middle sister Sorrel. This sister is just as stubborn as the one before her, and she has her sights set on success. But when Ria, the lady Sorrel relies on for her ice cream parlour business lets her down, chaos ensues, in the form of hunky Alexander West, and the inevitable romance ensues.

I reviewed the paperback format of this book and I think that they are perfect short reads, ideal to slip into your bag and the stories by Liz are anything but vanilla.

Thoroughly enjoyed this light escape. And now I want some ice cream...

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this story was good. What happens to the person left behind when someone messes up on their business dealings and gets shut down? We get to watch Sorrell try to figure out how to keep her business from crumbling when her supplier comes up AWOL. Problem solving at its best. And along the way she comes to realize that she can love someone and still have some fun in life! Quick read with an interesting story.

[Eti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I read by Liz Fielding and it is an enjoyable book and I adore this book,but it contained so many dialogues,which certainly made it difficult for me to comprehend(this might only be a problem with me) and it contained so many details about business(which I liked) but that made the story look dull and slow paced.Over all I enjoyed it.

The book contained sweet and tender moments,strong heroine and a sexy,playful and witty hero.I loved both of them. :)

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a "First Reads". I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read that made it go by fast. I didn't want to put the book down.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun read!!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book, but I didn't feel that I really connected and believed the story between the hero and heroine.

It seemed a little bogged down in details about the business really than about the two of them, so when they did get together it felt a little rushed.

[Bethany Michaels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story well written, although the pacing is a little off. Half the book is an extended first scene.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two characters sparked as soon as they met. Lots of sizzling, sexy fun in this book. Really enjoyed it. But then I do love Liz's style of writing.

[Kate ✨ is a dreamer · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very sweet, but again, the lack of foreplay/sex was disappointing.
Also, very cheesy.
I didn't like how they got together, it was unoriginal, disappointing, and "oh, that's it?".