Taste for Trouble

Blake Brothers Trilogy #1

by Susan Sey

On the field, soccer star James Blake is pure poetry. Off the field? He’s pure trouble. When his fondness for fast women and bar brawls lands him a suspension from the game, he’s prepared to take his punishment like a man. But since when does a suspension come with a live-in nanny?

TV baking maven Belinda West is the epitome of home-made hospitality, on-screen and off. The personal is the professional when you’re selling the good life, after all. But when her wedding day implodes in front of a live studio audience, Bel’s career goes into a death spiral. She’ll do anything to save it, even take charge of soccer’s most famous bad boy.

To hell with the morals clause in his contract; James isn’t about to shape up for some knock-off Mary Poppins. But since when does Mary Poppins laugh like a naughty angel and smell like sugar cookies? He’s not looking for love but that kiss of hers is practically perfect in every way. And James has a powerful taste for trouble.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Chick Lit, Amazon, Sports Romance

335 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 29, 2013

About the author

Some years back, Susan Sey gave up the glamorous world of software training to pursue a high powered career in diaper changing. Two children and millions of diapers later, she decided to branch out and started writing novels during nap time. The kids eventually gave up their naps, so now she writes when she's supposed to be doing the laundry. She currently resides in St. Paul, MN, with her wonderful husband, their charming children and a very tall pile of dirty clothes.

Reviews

[layla is a picky reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with Aly.

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crying/dying from laugh type. Mascara running, belly aching, wheezing breath ... well written too, with prime and proper sentences(prissy). Chick lit at its best!
If you need light and fun with endearing characters (the whole lot of them), go for it.

[Bungluna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The set-up was preposterous but it lead to a surprisingly touching story. I laughed out loud several places and came to care for all the characters, even Kate and William. Looking forward to #2.

[Aly is so frigging bored · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with Layla
It wasn't the worst book neither was it the best... I enjoyed reading it, but it didn't blow me away.

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I was hesitant to buy this book because of the lack of review on this site. The synopsis sounded cute and it was a recommended book on Amazon, so I decided to take a chance. I am SO glad I did!

The book starts off with a woman, Belinda (Bel) getting jilted at her wedding. Her fiancee runs off with her assistant. Not helping the situation is the neighbor, James, who is a train-wreck running his life into the ground. After she loses her job training to be the next Rachel Ray of sorts, she is contracted to help James and his 2 brothers, Will and Drew, put their lives back on track.

James is a soccer player who is currently suspended for fighting with a teammate. He has indulged his 2 brothers in a reckless lifestyle that is stunting all of their growths into men. Through a series of challenges over 4 weeks, the pair have to raise money for charity, help at risk youths, cater an engagement party, and plan a ball. Kate, Bel's ex employer, is challenging Bel to see if she can take over her show and challenging James to straighten up his life.

The romance between Belinda and James was natural. I didn't doubt it for a second. They developed a friendship first and then slowly, developed feeling for each other. Too many times in romance novels, the romance is just not believable. I also liked the set up for the next book. I hate when a second romance is thrown into a book...it seems like a distraction. I DID NOT get that feel from Will and Aubrey. You can tell something will develop but it wasn't the main story.

I CARED about these characters. I liked them all, even the crazy brothers. I can't wait to read the stories of Will and Drew.

What I would have liked MORE of and why I didn't give it 5 full stars is more of their relationship after coming back together in the end. I assume the following books will also feature their relationship and I can't wait for that. But I would have liked more lovey-dovey scenes between the two once they got over their issues. It was a lot of build up and was kind of fell flat on that accord.

Overall, GREAT book and worth the read!

[Brittany Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 4.5 stars!

I almost didn't buy this book because it's rather new and didn't have many reviews. The little I read on amazon sounded cute and it was one of many recommendations. I am very happy I decided to read this book.

I loved that this was a natural occurring romance between the main character Belinda (Bel) and James. The book went along really well. It built up the need to continue reading to see what happens next and I liked how it was ended. Perfect to tie into the next book about Will. I am looking forward to reading the next two books in this trilogy.


Overall, FANTASTIC book and worth the read!

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book frustrated me to no end. It started off so strong - I’m a sucker for jilted brides to be - and juts the synopsis gave me high expectation. Sadly though, said expectations weren’t met. Let’s discuss. First of all, what Bel and James had was absolute bollocks, there was no chemistry, they had nothing in common and it was just too fast for my liking. Bel’s character as a whole was also just terrible. She was meant to this strong character but she never stood up for anything. All the side characters were pretty meh, Drew was funny, I was fascinated by Will’s mental issues, Aubrey did my nut in (she speaks like she’s Bel’s best friend but we never actually see them have a conversation), Kate - omg Kate - she did not get the ending she deserved. She was a horrible, nasty, just all round unpleasant person and yet she just gets away with everything. I’ve decided that my favourite character was Bob. We barely saw him but I loved what we did see, he’s the only reason I cried at this book. His ending was just so heart wrenching.

Another problem I had with this is that we never actually saw any of the relationships develop. The main pair were given these “tasks”, we’d see barely a day of it and then it’d be done. Nuh uh honey, I ain’t having that.

Honestly, there were too many things I disliked to write them all so I’ll just leave it at that. Good day!

Oh yes, one more thing. Annie and Ford can go and do one. I hate them and I don’t understand why they came back. At the end they were just there as if it was some normal thing and for some reason they were included in the supposedly sweet, family filled conclusion. No, just no.

[Andrea B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I luv the Blake brothers!! Bel is polished and quirky but strong. I luv a headstrong leading lady wether I relate to her personality or not. I am not the polished Martha Stewart type but I still fell for her.
This is my 1st novel from this author and I am now a fan

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Sey's first book, and enjoyed her second. And this new, self-published title contains many of the same pleasures that those earlier books offered: humor, deft use of language and metaphor, charming characters (particularly the males), and a not-entirely-expected plotline. Bel West is poised to inherit the mantle of her mentor, the Martha Stewart of the south, when her reputation goes up in flames after her fiance runs off with her assistant on the morning their wedding is to be filmed for the opening season of the mentor's TV show. To prove herself still worthy, Bel agrees to supervise the reeducation of her mentor's neighbor (and client of Bel's own agent), James Blake, a professional soccer star whose off-field antics have his team's owners ready to fire him for failing to live up the morals clause of his contract. Will sugar cookies and table manners be able to lure James and his two brothers away from beer, brawls, and strip clubs?

Sey delivers far more than a high-concept premise here. Moving beyond the bad-boy and home-cooking-girl stereotypes, she gives both James and Bel their own personalities and backstories to explain why they've taken on the roles they've chosen, and then nudges each to recognize how the other is more than what the eye first sees. Family loyalty is an interesting theme to explore in the course of a romance novel, particularly when issues of social class come into play.

I would have liked to have seen the relationship with Bel and her agent threaded in a few times earlier in the story, so that her actions in the final act don't seem so very unmotivated. I also did not care for the book's ending, which accords Bel's mother none of the nuance the other characters are granted James threatens to have mom locked away in a mental hospital, a really ugly move, especially as it struck this reader that mom could really use some psychological help to deal with what seemed to be an obvious case of Borderline Personality Disorder and comes off as James rescuing Bel rather than Bel learning to deal with her mommy issues herself.

I'm really looking forward to reading the next two books in the Blake Brothers series, the first of which is set up well in this first book.

[Ela · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Jillian’s fine. She’s in her room with one of Drew’s e- readers.”
“Uh oh.” Drew sat forward. “Which one?” Audrey tensed.
“The blue one. The mini- tablet?”
“Okay.” Drew smiled. “That’s fine, then. Porn’s on the red one.” She stared for a moment.
“Right. I’ll remember that.”

I got this free on Kindle and my expectations for it were pretty much non-existent. Thankfully the characters were interesting, the dialogue was funny and the romance was enjoyable. It was also nice to read an ending that wasn't utterly predictable.

I'm not going to deny it, this book is fairly superficial; but it also doesn't try and fake depth like some more pretentious romance novels. Consequently I was able to enjoy its whimsy.

All in all a recommendable, enjoyable summer read.

[Yve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jilted on her wedding day on live TV, Bel is forced to reevalute not only her career but also her relationships, or lack there of. James Blake, while currently suspended from his soccer team for misconduct is a catalysts for Bel's recent status of unemployed bride left at the alter and as such is recruited to help her get her job back. And so Bel and James have to complete certain tasks to prove her worthy of her Suzie Q Homemaker Extrodinarie job title. While I liked James and Bel's quirky friends to lovers tale, I found the writing a bit too verbose and it just wasn't enough to have me rushing to one-click and download the next two books in the series.

[Jenn Herrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

ooh these two were soo awesome together when they were together and the brothers omg.. hot hot.. kinda sad at the end but not saying why...

Recommend this series ladies funny wow is it funny..I laughed soo hard lots of times and I wanted to kick a few brothers for being stupid at times..

Next please..

[Corrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am struggling with the urge to write an all-CAPS review, this was that good.

There was not even one single part of this book that disappointed me - I was hooked throughout.

I can't wait to read the remaining books in this series and explore this author's oeuvre.

[Karma Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful recommendation from my secret Santa. Thank you!

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the story but what is up with these non-ending books? I felt jilted and not in a good way. Will not be buying anything else from this author.

My Rating: 2 stars

[Dabney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally published at All About Romance 

The last Susan Sey book I read, Money Shot (2011) was set on a remote island in Lake Superior and had deadly money laundering villain, pagan ceremonies, and a smokin' ex Navy SEAL for a hero. This book, Taste for Trouble, is set in the suburbs of DC, has a scheming Martha Stewart wannabe, and a professional soccer playing sorta hot Southern gentleman for a hero. I loved Money Shot; I like Taste for Trouble.

Taste for Trouble opens with the familiar scene of a perfectionist female getting left at the altar by her "I've fallen in love with your assistant" fiance. The dumpee is Belinda West, a driven woman who is the second in command on "Kate Every Day," a popular syndicated daytime TV show. Belinda is upset about her jilting, but not because she loves her jilter. He is just a good friend who, until he fell for another woman, had agreed with Belinda that “Love is nothing more than an excuse to be fickle, impulsive and selfish. People shouldn’t build a lunch date around it, let alone a marriage." Belinda is, however, dismayed that the entire world, as well as Kate of "Kate Every Day", has just watched Belinda's non-wedding on national TV. Kate, who is poised to pick her successor - Belinda was sure it would be her - tells Belinda she's clearly not up to "Kate Every Day" standards and fires her.

Belinda and Kate's agent, a truly lovely man named Bob Beck, tells Belinda she can win her job back if she takes agrees to a (ludicrous) scheme Bob and Kate have cooked up. Another of Bob's clients, the man-child soccer star James Blake, is in need of a manners nanny. James is in danger of being kicked off the DC Statesmen because, as Bob says, "He drinks, he fights, and if he’s ever had a date he didn’t pick up in a strip club I’ve never met her.” Bob proposes that Belinda spend the four weeks supervising James and his two brothers, Will and Drew. When Belinda asks for clarification, Bob explains.

“It means that each week for the next four weeks, Kate will assign you a new social grace to teach our boy. At the end of each week, she’ll evaluate his performance and yours. Brutally. You pass and you get your job back in time for the Kate Every Day Christmas Special.”

Belinda, who has spent the last twelve years of her life, dreaming of living a "Kate Every Day" life, agrees.

The premise of this novel didn't do a thing for me. It seems forced, silly, and unbelievable. I doubted Ms. Sey, though herMoney books are excellently plotted, could make this work. I was wrong. Though the premise never became any less unlikely, the characters in Taste for Trouble sell the story. Belinda and James, as well as a host of well-developed secondary characters, are interesting, well-written, and emotionally engaging.

One of the truly striking things about this book is how profoundly it both shows and tells the reader that family is everything. James, Will, and Drew are a unit because that's who they are. As James explains to Belinda, the only child of a self-absorbed soul-wrecker of a mother, the Blakes have a code.

"...we know what’s important. We know that family is precious, that love is rare, that fate is unkind. We learned those lessons the hard way, and it taught us how to protect what we love against anybody and anything that threatens it.”

What's interesting is that Ms. Sey doesn't make the filial bonds the Blake boys share easy ones. In fact, my favorite part of the book is how bitter and angry Will (my favorite character as well), James's older brother, is about the ties that bind him to his brothers. Will is one unhappy man. He's a borderline alcoholic with a compulsive need to lash out and destroy. He is furious at the ease with which James gets everything: success, money, women, friends, and love. He tears down Drew's simple joy in everyday life every chance he gets. He hates who he is but he can't stop himself from being so self-destructive. Yet it clear he loves his brothers deeply and their love for him exists whether or not he's an utter ass. The next book is Will's story and I can't wait to read it.

Though their parents are dead, the Blakes are a clan (they even have a family crest). Their bonded life exists in sharp contrast to Belinda's (and her boss Kate's) very isolated one. This difference in life experience shapes how differently Belinda and James see their attraction to each other. Belinda fights it because not only is love a messy business, James is her job. Belinda has made her life work by living by a series of rules and one of those is that it is unprofessional to get involved with client. This distinction means nothing to James. He begins falling for Belinda from the moment he meets her. Soon, he cares deeply for her and, for James, that connection is all that matters. Their relationship is winning without being sappy, sexy without being overheated.

At times, this book felt like a Desert Island Keeper to me. In other places, it felt like an inchoate mess. But even when a plot-line didn't work or a character behaved incomprehensibly, I wanted to keep reading. This is a read that, in places, made my heart hurt. I cried at the end, the kind of tears that make you want to find those you love and hold them in your arms. I connected with the Blakes and Belinda, with Kate - poor, bitchy Kate - and Bob, and with Audrey (Will's love interest) and her little girl. I wanted all of these characters to find happiness. Not all do and that too makes this a stronger book than its plot would suggest. I'm glad I read it. I'll be waiting eagerly for Talent for Trouble, the next tale in the trilogy.

I give it a B.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Taste for Trouble (Blake Brothers Trilogy #1) by Susan Sey
Published: January 29th, 2013
Pages: 335
Genres: Romance, Athlete, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: September 12-13, 2017
Rating: 5 Stars

This book gets 5 glorious potato stars. Haha.

Where to begin with this review?

“You don’t have problems,” Drew said.
James considered the condition of his career and his unexpected predicament with Bel. “I don’t?”
“Yes,” Will said. “You do.” He glared at Drew. “He does.”
“He doesn’t,” Drew said to Will. He turned to James. “It’s not a problem,” he said, grinning. “It’s love.”
James stared at him while the ring of truth reverberated through his entire body. “Oh, Christ.”
Drew laughed. “This is awesome.”
Will smiled grimly. “Awesome. Right.”

I LOVED JAMES AND HIS BROTHERS! Yes, they could be annoying and self centered and sometimes made me want to reach into the book to slap them (more so Will than James and Drew) but I adored each one and I cannot wait to read their stories.

“It’s perfect.” He took that last step and caught her hands up in his. “You’re perfect.”
She laughed, his approval seeping into her bones like summer sunshine. “I’m hardly perfect.”
“Any more perfect and I’ll have to dig up a set of dueling pistols to defend your honor after some jerk tries to take liberties at that damn fountain.”

James and Bel were so perfect for each other that I was rooting for them as soon as she showed up at his house with her butter and eggs. This book was definitely a slow burn and I truly enjoyed reading it. It was refreshing to read about a couple that didn't fall into insta-love and live happily every after within a hundred pages.

Brava to Susan Say for writing such a riveting book that I absolutely did not want to put down. I'm off to explore the rest of this series!

This review can also be found on my blog The Book Potato

[Vanessa R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, but I didn't actually like the guys

I definitely enjoyed the writing, but the 3 brothers in the book were jerks at the beginning, stayed jerks through the middle, and didn't become less jerky, to my satisfaction, at the end. It was a bummer, because I really liked Bel. She felt real to me, she was tough AND sweet, and I felt like her character had nuance.

James, on the other hand, felt like a privileged asshole, taking only his feelings into account in every situation. I never read a scene where he finally understood that Audrey, or any woman really, had agency and he shouldn't have fucked with her life. Then there was the line about "pre civil war, when men where gentleman" (paraphrased), and that almost pulled me completely out of the story, cause of course this is what this dude thinks about in regards to pre civil war, and not literally slavery. It felt tone deaf.

But, like I said, I actually liked how it was written. Descriptions were interesting, and Bel really made the book for me. I guess I can believe that she loves James, but I also think it would be exhausting to love someone who reacts instinctively so often, causing him to apologize constantly. But I do believe in their happy ending.

Will, the oldest brother, is obviously a piece of shit for most of the book, but I'll reserve judgment on him until I read his book.

[Kendall Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
This book kept me decently entertained although I wasn't that invested in the characters until like 75% of the way through. Until that particular point, I could have cared less if I finished the book or not.

This book was about a girl named Bel who is Kate Every Day (basically Martha Stewart)'s protege. During the season premiere of Kate Every Day which also happened to be Bel's Wedding catastrophe strikes. Bel's fiance leaves her for her assistant. Because of her lack of insight, Martha Kate fires her. And then her manager forces her to be the live-in nanny to a grown man with a temper problem, James, and Tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum aka his brothers Will and Drew so that James can stop making stupid decisions but also so Bel can get back into the good graces of Kate.

Some of the relationships, I didn't see. Like Audrey and Will... he is a douche buggy and was terrible to her. I can see how she might forgive him after rehab and he starts to act better but for her to find him attractive now is beyond me. Also, Bob calling Bel the daughter he never had... was there any proof of that relationship other than the fact that he put her with kate at the beginning of her career??? I don't know whatever but like I said I did start to get invested albeit not until the very end.
it was okay, nothing to write home about though

[Frank Carver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very much a romance novel, of the aspirational "love among the wealthy" genre where cost never matters, and it is all about the sentiment and the gesture. It's obvious from very early in the book where the romance is going, so there are no real surprises or twists there - just a few well-placed setbacks to make the ending more significant.

It has a main protagonist (female, single, of course) whose overall story it is and who we follow for most of the book. It also has a strong cast of secondary characters, several of whom also take a moment in the spotlight from time to time. What I liked about the book is the way all the secondary characters are detailed and individually motivated. There is no cardboard love interest here, just complex and interesting interactions between secondary characters which give depth and significance to the "A" story. Cynically, this is obviously partly due to the fact that this is the first of a trilogy, and later books will presumably focus on other characters and their own romantic journeys.

I've not read many romance novels, but I really did enjoy this one, enough that I'd consider reading the sequels at some point.

[Ronnae Stately · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trouble is taste worthy

Belinda (Bel) is a cook of rare talents and all she wants is to take over the empire her boss has accumulated. But things go awkward from the start when she sets up a wedding between herself and her lawyer. It turns out he doesn’t love her but her assistant and mayhem ensues when the neighborly brothers start pitching golf balls into the pond where she has precious swans for the wedding. James, Drew, and Will Blake all live in the next door house known as the Annex and they seem to be on a tear to wreak havoc into anybody that lives near them. When they hijack Bel’s wedding and groom and succinctly get her fired they become Bel’s former boss’s problem as well. She decides to teach them and Bel a lesson on manners but things don’t seem to go as planned. In the end James and Bel fall in love with each other and Will finds himself on the verge of becoming an alcoholic of big proportions. To know how everyone fairs including all the minor characters you’re going to have to read for yourself this story of love and how a family is made. I can’t wait to read the next book about the Blake brothers.

[Cordise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too lazy for a review but I just have to say that the whole thing? Story, characters, elements, etc. was—is— waaaay better than the synopsis. I didn't expect much going in —yes,
Sorry — but finished happy. That's what she said. Anywaaay... Yeah okay, I'll say one more thing. I appeciate and loved that the author wove that entity— that beast —inside us that feels and thinks things that we know are not right so we ignore them even though sometimes they get the better of us. I'm just glad I'm not the only one 😅 Well, not just per se because I love and always feel satisfied when authors create characters that have human characteristics, especially our faults and flaws, outside the usually character characteristics. Or just something that screams REAL!! . I always feel good when I finish a novel like that.

[Heather Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

This had the potential to be a great book. Started off pretty good but very quickly slipped.

The story is supposed to be about James and Bel. Dual POV. Fine.

However the author felt the need to introduce a third POV. Brother Will. I understand wanted to lay the groundwork for what I assume will be the next book but given so much story time to Will caused distraction from the original story.

Lots of characters introduced in this book. Drew, Will, James, Ford, Annie, Kate, Audrey, Jillian, Bob and Bel. However more characters than story.

Then the book just ended but didn't actually end (some people will say it's a cliffhanger but this is supposed to be a standalone???) HEA? Lots left hanging.

[Leslie Ray-Sibley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a predictable trope romance

I read a lot of romance and after awhile, the trope get very repetitive and even boring. This book has a likeable main character and the romance is interesting and fun between them. I love when the men can be something other than cookie cutter pretty boys. This is the first of a trilogy. I read all three and it was refreshing to see the character development of the men as well as the women. The women were all strong and accomplished which I loved. The heat factor is pretty mild but the romance angsts it up to deliver some good feels. This is an author to watch.

[Frances Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Misunderstandings and love

The author of this book is a new-to-me author, I bought this book because of the title and the book description. This book had a little of everything in it, fear, angst, flirting, anger, misunderstandings, and eventually love. The meeting of James and Belinda, was so different from most books that I have read. The Blake brothers are funny, where Belinda is so uptight. Through several different situations, James and Belinda find true love and conquer all the adversity surrounding them. I enjoyed this book because the story had a good flow and I plan to read more books by this author.

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about 71% of this book before I admitted to myself that I didn't care about the characters and just gave up. The beginning of the book was promising but after that it was spotty for me. The conditions under which Bel would reform James and get both their jobs back weren't really spelled out to my satisfaction, and it was difficult for me to care for or even feel sorry for any of the characters.

[Cheryl Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smiles and laughs and tears

I loved every second it took me to read this story of Bel and James and their family and friends. From the very beginning to the last page, I smiled and laughed or frowned and cried at the depth of the story and the love and friendship and passion and angst and sadness. Susan Sey is a new author to me and I will definitely be reading the sequel!!

[Kyra Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taste for Trouble: Blake Brothers # 1

This is my first Susan Sey book, but it definitely will not be the last. The characters were so likable!
Bel and James were jacked up, but were so beautifully matched. The overextended foreplay of their courtship had me giggling and thrilling. The villains were complex, but human and pitiable. Bring on book two, I'm ready.

[Hope Vollm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute little book. I liked the characters we were introduced to. I also got interested in the characters, so I wanted to get the next book to see what happened to them.

Some parts dragged a little or I got bored with some parts, but overall it was engaging and interesting with some pretty funny little bits.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

James, a prof’l soccer player, is pretty immature and wild for a 28 yr old. Belinda is sent in to manage his behavior. While i never understood this part of the plot, I really enjoyed the Blake Bros and their dialogue. James was more than initially appeared and his and Bel’s romance was endearing. But i would have liked more to their romance.