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Sexy Chefs #1
Scrumptious
Alternate cover edition of: ISBN 1402259824 and 9781402259821
Sparks fly between love 'em and leave 'em pastry chef and poker sharp Marlene Bennet and traveling chef-for-hire Joe Rafferty when the two culinary perfectionists are forced to share a kitchen. But several suspicious accidents at the restaurant convince Marlene and Joe to work together to uncover the saboteur. Maybe a little intrigue and high-stakes poker will be the perfect ingredients for these commitment-phobic foodies to whip up a happily ever after.
Sparks fly between love 'em and leave 'em pastry chef and poker sharp Marlene Bennet and traveling chef-for-hire Joe Rafferty when the two culinary perfectionists are forced to share a kitchen. But several suspicious accidents at the restaurant convince Marlene and Joe to work together to uncover the saboteur. Maybe a little intrigue and high-stakes poker will be the perfect ingredients for these commitment-phobic foodies to whip up a happily ever after.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
12 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Usen
22 books227 followersAmanda Usen has spent most of her life immersed in story—and butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. After graduating from college, she fortified her English BA with a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, figuring a professional chef would never be a starving writer. Amanda loves chocolate, yoga, and carbs in all forms. When she isn’t writing or cooking, she can usually be found reading or hanging out with her small menagerie of cats, ducks, and mostly-grown children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 31, 2022
Besties long distance book club
January 9, 2012
Scrumptious had the potential to be a fun, sexy romance. I don't normally read romance novels where food is a big part of the plot, but I decided to give Scrumptious a chance because of the blurb and the cover. I really wanted to like this book but I had serious issues with two of the main characters and these issues ruined the book for me.
Marlene has been working at Chameleon since she was teen alongside her best friend, Olivia. Olivia's family owns the restaurant and took Marlene under their wing. While Olivia was off at culinary school for two years, Marlene ran Chameleon. Olivia then marries Keith and makes him the chef and to be in charge of the line, in essence exiling Marlene to the bake shop. When Olivia catches Keith cheating on the premises with an employee, she immediately fires him (even though he has been a total screw up since he got the chef gig at Chameleon). Olivia calls her good friend, Joe, and asks him to temporarily be chef while she looks for one to replace Keith. When Marlene and Joe are introduced, there's instant chemistry. Marlene wants to take a tumble with Joe but Joe is interested but doesn't want to give in. He made a promise to his dying mother that he will no longer date "sluts." And this is where Scrumptious started to lose me.
The ongoing theme throughout Scrumptious is the huge double standard. Joe is an admitted "man whore" who prefers one-night stands to relationships. Thanks to her daddy issues and a mother who is looking for husband #5, Marlene doesn't want to be in a relationship. She is a sexual woman, is confident in her sexuality and makes no apologies for it. But throughout Scrumptious, she is thought of by Joe and others as a slut. This thoroughly disgusted me the entire I was reading it. In a lot of romances, the heroine is always borderline virginal. She always has a "healthy sexual appetite" but hasn't slept with anyone in over a year. Ummm...that is not a healthy sexual appetite in my book. I was happy to finally see a heroine like Marlene who doesn't apologize for wanting what she wants. Of course, her behavior has to be explained by saying she's this way because of her parents. I guess an excuse has to be provided to make her "sluttiness" more palatable.
Olivia has to be the worse best friend ever. Marlene has continually had Olivia's back and covered her ass and yet Olivia has no appreciation for what Marlene has done for her. When weird things start happening at Chameleon, Olivia and Joe immediately point the finger at Marlene. Yes, Marlene did play a joke on Joe and admitted she wasn't happy that he was there but she owned up to it. Marlene denied being behind the sabotaging that was happening at Chameleon but neither Joe nor Olivia believed her. I can understand Joe not believing her but I was shocked that Olivia thought that her best friend was behind it. Again, Marlene has had Olivia's back and continued to have Olivia's back even though she was being treated the way she was.
At one point in Scrumptious, Olivia tells Marlene to be a big girl. I found this laughable because Olivia has no business running a restaurant because she is weak and has no spine. She doesn't know how to handle a crisis and Marlene and Joe had to constantly save her ass and tell her to buck up. She couldn't even acknowledge the fact that Keith was an incompetent chef and that he needed to be fired a long time ago. Why Marlene continued to be that woman's friend is beyond me. The friendship was one-sided, for sure.
Scrumptious wasn't a total loss. I loved the detailed descriptions of the food and the work that went into preparing a dish. The attention to detail was great without weighing the story down. I did enjoy Joe and Marlene's relationship when he wasn't constantly reminding himself about his "no sluts" rule. If that aspect had been left out, I would have liked Joe more. Again, huge hypocrite since he dips his peen in the strange pool frequently. I felt that Marlene got the short end of the stick and should have told Joe and Olivia to kiss her butt.
Scrumptious wasn't the book for me. My dislike of Joe and Olivia ruined the book for me. I was hoping that there would be some redemption for Olivia but it came too little, too late. Joe redeemed himself a little but not enough for me to want to see him and Marlene together. In a romance, you want to root for the h/h to be together but in this book, I couldn't muster up any enthusiasm for Joe and Marlene's HEA.
Marlene has been working at Chameleon since she was teen alongside her best friend, Olivia. Olivia's family owns the restaurant and took Marlene under their wing. While Olivia was off at culinary school for two years, Marlene ran Chameleon. Olivia then marries Keith and makes him the chef and to be in charge of the line, in essence exiling Marlene to the bake shop. When Olivia catches Keith cheating on the premises with an employee, she immediately fires him (even though he has been a total screw up since he got the chef gig at Chameleon). Olivia calls her good friend, Joe, and asks him to temporarily be chef while she looks for one to replace Keith. When Marlene and Joe are introduced, there's instant chemistry. Marlene wants to take a tumble with Joe but Joe is interested but doesn't want to give in. He made a promise to his dying mother that he will no longer date "sluts." And this is where Scrumptious started to lose me.
The ongoing theme throughout Scrumptious is the huge double standard. Joe is an admitted "man whore" who prefers one-night stands to relationships. Thanks to her daddy issues and a mother who is looking for husband #5, Marlene doesn't want to be in a relationship. She is a sexual woman, is confident in her sexuality and makes no apologies for it. But throughout Scrumptious, she is thought of by Joe and others as a slut. This thoroughly disgusted me the entire I was reading it. In a lot of romances, the heroine is always borderline virginal. She always has a "healthy sexual appetite" but hasn't slept with anyone in over a year. Ummm...that is not a healthy sexual appetite in my book. I was happy to finally see a heroine like Marlene who doesn't apologize for wanting what she wants. Of course, her behavior has to be explained by saying she's this way because of her parents. I guess an excuse has to be provided to make her "sluttiness" more palatable.
Olivia has to be the worse best friend ever. Marlene has continually had Olivia's back and covered her ass and yet Olivia has no appreciation for what Marlene has done for her. When weird things start happening at Chameleon, Olivia and Joe immediately point the finger at Marlene. Yes, Marlene did play a joke on Joe and admitted she wasn't happy that he was there but she owned up to it. Marlene denied being behind the sabotaging that was happening at Chameleon but neither Joe nor Olivia believed her. I can understand Joe not believing her but I was shocked that Olivia thought that her best friend was behind it. Again, Marlene has had Olivia's back and continued to have Olivia's back even though she was being treated the way she was.
At one point in Scrumptious, Olivia tells Marlene to be a big girl. I found this laughable because Olivia has no business running a restaurant because she is weak and has no spine. She doesn't know how to handle a crisis and Marlene and Joe had to constantly save her ass and tell her to buck up. She couldn't even acknowledge the fact that Keith was an incompetent chef and that he needed to be fired a long time ago. Why Marlene continued to be that woman's friend is beyond me. The friendship was one-sided, for sure.
Scrumptious wasn't a total loss. I loved the detailed descriptions of the food and the work that went into preparing a dish. The attention to detail was great without weighing the story down. I did enjoy Joe and Marlene's relationship when he wasn't constantly reminding himself about his "no sluts" rule. If that aspect had been left out, I would have liked Joe more. Again, huge hypocrite since he dips his peen in the strange pool frequently. I felt that Marlene got the short end of the stick and should have told Joe and Olivia to kiss her butt.
Scrumptious wasn't the book for me. My dislike of Joe and Olivia ruined the book for me. I was hoping that there would be some redemption for Olivia but it came too little, too late. Joe redeemed himself a little but not enough for me to want to see him and Marlene together. In a romance, you want to root for the h/h to be together but in this book, I couldn't muster up any enthusiasm for Joe and Marlene's HEA.
June 29, 2012
Rhys' review posted on Guilty Pleasures
Marly is a woman that knows what she wants, and tonight she wants Joe Rafferty. While Marly has lusted after Joe for years, since Olivia’s wedding and culinary school graduation, he has been off limits to her until tonight. Being back in town, Joe won’t know what hit hm. When accidents start to happen at Chameleon just when Joe walks in the door, can Marly trust that he is a good guy or will he just be another notch in her bedpost?
Joe Rafferty is tired. Tired of being a playboy and tired of moving from city to city with a new girl each night. When he drives through town to see Olivia before heading home, the punch of lust he feels towards Marly is nothing new for him, but resisting her is going to be a challenge. In order to change his ways Joe just needs to stay away from Marly, far away. When someone starts causing accidents at Olivia’s restaurant, Chameleon, can Joe trust that it isn’t a spurned Marly or could it be someone more sinister in the wings?
What a great start to the Chefs series by Amanda Usen. Scrumptious is so full of details not only in the kitchen but in the bedroom as well. Once i was pulled into the story (almost from page one it grabbed me) it didn’t let me go until the final page turn. Joe and Marly are such a great couple of characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with them. The chemistry that Amanda Usen fills her characters with makes them so life like that they almost come off the pages at some points. I can’t wait to see what else Amanda has in store for her readers in the next book. If you are looking for a great read with amazing chemistry and a little mystery thrown into the mix than this is the story for you.
Marly is a woman that knows what she wants, and tonight she wants Joe Rafferty. While Marly has lusted after Joe for years, since Olivia’s wedding and culinary school graduation, he has been off limits to her until tonight. Being back in town, Joe won’t know what hit hm. When accidents start to happen at Chameleon just when Joe walks in the door, can Marly trust that he is a good guy or will he just be another notch in her bedpost?
Joe Rafferty is tired. Tired of being a playboy and tired of moving from city to city with a new girl each night. When he drives through town to see Olivia before heading home, the punch of lust he feels towards Marly is nothing new for him, but resisting her is going to be a challenge. In order to change his ways Joe just needs to stay away from Marly, far away. When someone starts causing accidents at Olivia’s restaurant, Chameleon, can Joe trust that it isn’t a spurned Marly or could it be someone more sinister in the wings?
What a great start to the Chefs series by Amanda Usen. Scrumptious is so full of details not only in the kitchen but in the bedroom as well. Once i was pulled into the story (almost from page one it grabbed me) it didn’t let me go until the final page turn. Joe and Marly are such a great couple of characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with them. The chemistry that Amanda Usen fills her characters with makes them so life like that they almost come off the pages at some points. I can’t wait to see what else Amanda has in store for her readers in the next book. If you are looking for a great read with amazing chemistry and a little mystery thrown into the mix than this is the story for you.
January 7, 2012
Review At: I Read, I Think, I Share
Review Date: 20 Dec 2011
Review URL: http://littlemermybooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/scrumptious-by-amanda-usen.html
Summary:
This is light-hearted and easy read, and fun too. And reading the yummy food that they make really made me mouth watering. Due to their background and history, they thought the other one is not the right person for them despite the chemistry between them. They are definitely good cooking partner for the restaurant. I like to see both of them "in action" on handling the orders from the diners. And how cool they are when reacting to those incidents that come up unexpectedly. On the other hand, I don't quite like Olivia. If she's Marlene's best friend, how come she's not telling everything to Marlene. In fact, she's sharing more of her issues to Joe than to Marlene.
The story is well written consider this is the author's debut novel. The character is well developed too. The ending may be a little rush, but nevertheless is a good ending. I enjoy reading it very much.
I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
Note: I receive the digital copy of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Review Date: 20 Dec 2011
Review URL: http://littlemermybooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/scrumptious-by-amanda-usen.html
Summary:
This is light-hearted and easy read, and fun too. And reading the yummy food that they make really made me mouth watering. Due to their background and history, they thought the other one is not the right person for them despite the chemistry between them. They are definitely good cooking partner for the restaurant. I like to see both of them "in action" on handling the orders from the diners. And how cool they are when reacting to those incidents that come up unexpectedly. On the other hand, I don't quite like Olivia. If she's Marlene's best friend, how come she's not telling everything to Marlene. In fact, she's sharing more of her issues to Joe than to Marlene.
The story is well written consider this is the author's debut novel. The character is well developed too. The ending may be a little rush, but nevertheless is a good ending. I enjoy reading it very much.
I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
Note: I receive the digital copy of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
February 29, 2016
This book has a slow start with two characters I wasn't sure if I was going to like. It was refreshing to have the heroine be as much of a player as the hero was. Both the H/h had some serious parent issues and lack of commitment issues. I also enjoyed the look into the hard work and lifestyle of a chef. There was also an interesting mystery story that played into the plot as well. I didn't like that the H thought of the h as a slut for at least the first half of the book and even referred to her as one in his mind (even though her lifestyle was no different than his). It would have been nice if he had been a little less judgmental even though we all know there is a serious double standard when it comes to women who enjoy sex and playing around then men. The other thing that really bugged me was Olivia. Wow, she came across as a really horrible best friend. She was judgmental, jealous and took advantage of Marly so I'm not sure I want to read her book.
I loved the byplay and chemistry between Joe and Marly and both characters showed a lot of growth in the book. It had quite a bit of hot sex in the book as well. Overall an enjoyable read with characters that really grew on me.
I loved the byplay and chemistry between Joe and Marly and both characters showed a lot of growth in the book. It had quite a bit of hot sex in the book as well. Overall an enjoyable read with characters that really grew on me.
September 30, 2011
3.5 - would have been 4 but the last few chapters were a little silly. So let me tell you this book is hot and yummy- no seriously hunger inducing because the descriptions of food made my mouth water. Marly is a pastry chef at her friend Olivia's restaurant. When Olivia has to call in culinary school buddy Joe to help out chemistry is zinging back and forth between him and Marlene. The sex scenes are frequent and blush worthy but the story and characters was kicker for me - I really enjoyed this book. Now
January 5, 2012
You can find the complete review at Forever Book Lover.
This book combines two of my favorite things: cooking and romance. My mouth was watering reading about all the delicious dishes that were being cooked, I would have loved to see ...
The author built a strong "sister and best friend" bond between Marly and Olivia, they have been best friends forever. With that bond so strong, the one thing that bugged me…
There were parts of this book I truly enjoyed, and others that I didn't. I plan on reading reading more by Amanda Usen, if she continues to combine her love of cooking and romance, I enjoyed this unique combination.
This book combines two of my favorite things: cooking and romance. My mouth was watering reading about all the delicious dishes that were being cooked, I would have loved to see ...
The author built a strong "sister and best friend" bond between Marly and Olivia, they have been best friends forever. With that bond so strong, the one thing that bugged me…
There were parts of this book I truly enjoyed, and others that I didn't. I plan on reading reading more by Amanda Usen, if she continues to combine her love of cooking and romance, I enjoyed this unique combination.
February 24, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Although it was a bit steamier than my normal fare, it had a fun story that I enjoyed. Both Marley and Joe are players and chefs. When Joe sticks around for a couple weeks to help out his friend Olivia (who owns Marley's restaurant) they try and keep it light, but with outside forces trying to destroy the restaurant, both Marley and Joe seem like they might finally get over their parent issues and grow up some. I find the glimpses into being a chef really interesting, although it reinforces the idea that it is super hard and long work.
February 2, 2012
A sexy little romp between H/H who both professed love'em and leave'em status. Quick and fun debut book centered around chefs and restaurant environment.
January 10, 2021
Unlikeable heroine ruins story
2 stars
As someone who loves both romance novels and food - I've been keen to read stories that combine the two. Unfortunately I haven't found any that do justice to my expectations and this book was no exception.
My first, and main, complaint was about Marly. I just didn't like her. She was over-confident, happy (and proud) to sleep around, quite juvenile in her reactions and not someone I could either relate to or aspire to be like. I'm all for strong, confident women in stories but Marly's casual attitude turned me off.
Joe was a likeable character who was doing his best to make changes in his life although to be fair he wasn't particularly discerning either when it came to his relationships. His character was fairly well developed and I liked him but he certainly wasn't a hero that I would swoon over. Regardless, his relationship with Marly was, for me, clouded by the fact that I wanted him to find someone better!
The story was okay but towards the end it all went a little bit ridiculous and I was a little confused as to why it had changed for no apparent reason. I also couldn't really understand much of the tension or conflict in the book. Surely a conversation between best friends, Marly and Olivia (another unsympathetic character and owner of the restaurant) would have made much of the point of the book disappear.
Overall this wasn't my thing at all. The writing wasn't terrible which is why I've given the book 2 stars rather than 1, but it was really hard to finish and I can't recommend it, unfortunately.
May 16, 2018
Like many people these days, I spend more time than I should admit watching reruns of "Chopped" and "Cutthroat Kitchen," but I'll be the first to admit that, placed into a professional kitchen, my immediate reaction would be to curl up in the fetal position and sob. The next best thing, obviously, is to read about it, and Usen does a great job bringing her kitchen - and her characters - to life. I loved Marlene, who was unapologetic about her sexual desires and past, and she and Joe definitely sparked off the page; the secondary characters were also really well drawn. The plot definitely got overly complex and, at the very end, overly cutesy, but for a debut effort - amazing. I'm definitely going to be reading more of Usen's work, and probably making notes for future lunch attempts.
July 5, 2023
This was my first time reading anything by Amanda Usen. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.
Joe is an old friend of Olivia's and comes to town to help her save her restaurant. Marly is also an old friend of Olivia's and also determined to save the restaurant.
Olivia finally saw her husband Keith for the jerk he is and sent him packing. Keith was in deep with the mob and three mob brothers started sabotaging the restaurant. Joe and Marly worked together to take down Keith and the mob and fell in love along the way
Joe is an old friend of Olivia's and comes to town to help her save her restaurant. Marly is also an old friend of Olivia's and also determined to save the restaurant.
Olivia finally saw her husband Keith for the jerk he is and sent him packing. Keith was in deep with the mob and three mob brothers started sabotaging the restaurant. Joe and Marly worked together to take down Keith and the mob and fell in love along the way
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2024
This one took me a long time to get through, since it wasn’t really grasping my attention the 2nd half was better but why throw in associations to the mob at the end? Like it just seemed so random. The cooking aspect was enjoyable and Joe & Marly were cute together in the end when they finally realized their feelings but that took forever. Olivia was just a hot mess the whole book. Also who works at the same place for 15 years in a position that they are overqualified for.
August 21, 2025
This book starts out kinda slow, but it does start an uphill climb into a pretty decent book!oh, you better not be afraid of smutty things. It was clever, hot and very intriguing. I found myself very invested in the characters. Little spoiler This book is sizzling hot. It steams up the pages in and out of the kitchen. A definite page turner.BOY OH BOY!!
October 31, 2016
C- bad, even though it took place in Buffalo, too much description of cooking and not enough description of characters
October 22, 2017
This book was very funny and very well written. I had a lot of fun reading this book. This book is good for anyone who loves humor, backing and romance.
December 31, 2017
Umm, hello, it's a book about a hot guy and food...I loved it! You can't go wrong with that combo.
August 21, 2024
plot sounded fun. i tried i really did but it is such a boring book
i had to skip some pages just to finish it.
i had to skip some pages just to finish it.
June 20, 2025
Very good summer-beach read romance!
March 23, 2012
I’m one of those people who likes upscale food in fancy-schmancy restaurants. Being a hillbilly at heart, I also like down-home food where the atmosphere is relaxed and fun. Amanda Usen gives me all that and more in this fun and light-hearted read.
I don’t usually read books dealing with food. I’ve not found one that’s been written by a classically trained chef who make culinary delights believable and enjoyable. Until now. Ms. Usen is a chef in her own right, and she does a terrific job of describing life in a fast-paced kitchen, while also tantalizing the reader with dishes served up for lunch, dinner, and even Sunday brunch. I also like that the heroine, Marly, is not a school-taught chef. She’s one of those who just loves to cook, found her affinity for it early enough through the help of friends, and gets a thrill every time she steps into a kitchen, professional or not. She’s living my dream.
Olivia owns Chameleon, a family restaurant, and Marly is her best friend and has helped her out from day one, keeping the place running smoothly, especially after Olivia meets Keith in culinary school, marries him and then brings him back to restaurant and puts him on the line with Marly. The man is a total screw-up, and it’s Marly who’s making him look good all the time, until she’s had enough. Asking to be taken off the line, she retreats to the bakeshop where her desserts are as mouthwatering as her entrees. The lady is talented in every aspect of the kitchen. She ran Chameleon while Olivia was in school. Now when things begin to truly fall apart, Keith is tossed out after one too many of his shenanigans, Olivia doesn’t turn to her for help. She brings in an outsider.
A sexy outsider who Marly would dearly love to have in her bed. Joe Rafferty is the love’em and leave’em type of man and a master in the kitchen. He never stays in one place long enough to be more than that, but he’s trying to change. He promised his mother on her deathbed he’d find someone to fall in love with and start a family. No more sluts. But he’s just as attracted to Marly as she is to him, despite the bit of hard feelings when Joe does agree to put off his trip toward a new job in California to help Olivia until she finds a new chef. And so begins a sexy but battling dance between these two chefs.
After a couple of foolish and childish pranks on Marly’s part (which I’m glad didn’t go any further, didn’t sit well with me) and when strange things begin happening around the kitchen, Joe and Marly begin to work together to figure it all out and to keep Olivia from taking back the snake or even selling the restaurant. It’s Joe who finally realizes what they have, is willing to give up his plans to stay with Marly. But she’s just not there yet. Love and marriage aren’t for her, just like it’s never been for her mother. But with Joe? Her eyes should have opened much sooner than they did. After all they’ve been through, all the loving they’ve shared, Marly still drags her feet. A little too far for me, but at least she does wise up before it’s really too late.
I like the issue each of them has with their fathers. It takes a lot of long, hard looking to resolve those issues in the end. The mysterious goings-on in the restaurant are also solved, Marly ultimately being the cardsharp needed to get to the heart of it. All in all, you keep turning the pages for the fun in the kitchen, the food being served in the dining room,the lovemaking that is sizzling and sweet once it begin, and the laughs along the way.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
I don’t usually read books dealing with food. I’ve not found one that’s been written by a classically trained chef who make culinary delights believable and enjoyable. Until now. Ms. Usen is a chef in her own right, and she does a terrific job of describing life in a fast-paced kitchen, while also tantalizing the reader with dishes served up for lunch, dinner, and even Sunday brunch. I also like that the heroine, Marly, is not a school-taught chef. She’s one of those who just loves to cook, found her affinity for it early enough through the help of friends, and gets a thrill every time she steps into a kitchen, professional or not. She’s living my dream.
Olivia owns Chameleon, a family restaurant, and Marly is her best friend and has helped her out from day one, keeping the place running smoothly, especially after Olivia meets Keith in culinary school, marries him and then brings him back to restaurant and puts him on the line with Marly. The man is a total screw-up, and it’s Marly who’s making him look good all the time, until she’s had enough. Asking to be taken off the line, she retreats to the bakeshop where her desserts are as mouthwatering as her entrees. The lady is talented in every aspect of the kitchen. She ran Chameleon while Olivia was in school. Now when things begin to truly fall apart, Keith is tossed out after one too many of his shenanigans, Olivia doesn’t turn to her for help. She brings in an outsider.
A sexy outsider who Marly would dearly love to have in her bed. Joe Rafferty is the love’em and leave’em type of man and a master in the kitchen. He never stays in one place long enough to be more than that, but he’s trying to change. He promised his mother on her deathbed he’d find someone to fall in love with and start a family. No more sluts. But he’s just as attracted to Marly as she is to him, despite the bit of hard feelings when Joe does agree to put off his trip toward a new job in California to help Olivia until she finds a new chef. And so begins a sexy but battling dance between these two chefs.
After a couple of foolish and childish pranks on Marly’s part (which I’m glad didn’t go any further, didn’t sit well with me) and when strange things begin happening around the kitchen, Joe and Marly begin to work together to figure it all out and to keep Olivia from taking back the snake or even selling the restaurant. It’s Joe who finally realizes what they have, is willing to give up his plans to stay with Marly. But she’s just not there yet. Love and marriage aren’t for her, just like it’s never been for her mother. But with Joe? Her eyes should have opened much sooner than they did. After all they’ve been through, all the loving they’ve shared, Marly still drags her feet. A little too far for me, but at least she does wise up before it’s really too late.
I like the issue each of them has with their fathers. It takes a lot of long, hard looking to resolve those issues in the end. The mysterious goings-on in the restaurant are also solved, Marly ultimately being the cardsharp needed to get to the heart of it. All in all, you keep turning the pages for the fun in the kitchen, the food being served in the dining room,the lovemaking that is sizzling and sweet once it begin, and the laughs along the way.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
October 19, 2015
Originally posted on Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2011/12...
Chef Joe Rafferty made one promise to his dying mother – there will be “no more sluts.” He’s determined to keep that promise and settle down with a nice woman. But when he comes to the aid of his culinary school friend Olivia, Joe meets Olivia’s best friend Marlene. Marly is the exact opposite of the kind of girl Joe knows he should fall for, but what harm is there in taking a slight detour before he gets back on the path to finding Ms. Right?
Mr. Right Now is all Marly ever looks for; she’s seen enough damage caused by love and marriage, thank you very much. Joe would be the perfect candidate for a fling…if it weren’t for the fact that he’s trying to take over the restaurant she’s put her life’s blood into. If Marly wants to run Olivia’s restaurant, she needs to get rid of Joe. The only problem is, the more she’s around the too-sexy-for-her-peace-of-mind Joe, the more Marly wants him to stay.
Forget the frying pan – Scrumptious is all about fire. The fire between Marlene and Joe, that is. Amanda Usen’s debut novel sizzles with passion, but where it really shines isn’t in the romance or the love scenes, but in the food. Ms. Usen’s culinary background shows; the restaurant scenes in Scrumptious are to die for. Ms. Usen’s prose is effortless, light, and utterly charming when her chefs are in the kitchen.
Where Scrumptious falls short is in the characters. Marly has worked so hard to prove herself to Olivia that she’s understandably crushed by the fact that Olivia brings Joe to run the kitchen. And why does Olivia do so when Marly’s perfectly capable? Because Olivia and Marly – two life-long best friends – don’t have a simple thirty second conversation that could have cleared up their big misunderstanding. Joe, for his part, is the typical sexy hero, but it grated on my nerves that he thinks of Marly as a “slut” for most of the book. Yes, she revels in her sexuality…just as Joe does. When combined with a few other things he does in the book, the fact that Joe doesn’t see himself (or any other man) as a slut just shows him to be sexist, a trait I don’t find at all attractive. Both Marly and Joe just didn’t appeal to me as protagonists which made it easy for me to put Scrumptious down. As for the third major player, Olivia, she’s so blind on a number of issues that I wanted to shake her – hard – frequently.
The plot of Scrumptious mostly revolves around misunderstandings and the characters growing up. However, in the last quarter of the book the plot takes a turn into something strange, unnecessary, and way too over the top. I won’t spoil it by saying what happens, but I feel like Ms. Usen jumped the shark a bit in the end. Still, Ms. Usen’s skill at bringing the culinary world to life should not be overlooked. While Scrumptious didn’t hit the spot for me, I would give another one of Ms. Usen’s foodie romances a try in the future.
*ARC received courtesy of Sourcebooks and NetGalley
Chef Joe Rafferty made one promise to his dying mother – there will be “no more sluts.” He’s determined to keep that promise and settle down with a nice woman. But when he comes to the aid of his culinary school friend Olivia, Joe meets Olivia’s best friend Marlene. Marly is the exact opposite of the kind of girl Joe knows he should fall for, but what harm is there in taking a slight detour before he gets back on the path to finding Ms. Right?
Mr. Right Now is all Marly ever looks for; she’s seen enough damage caused by love and marriage, thank you very much. Joe would be the perfect candidate for a fling…if it weren’t for the fact that he’s trying to take over the restaurant she’s put her life’s blood into. If Marly wants to run Olivia’s restaurant, she needs to get rid of Joe. The only problem is, the more she’s around the too-sexy-for-her-peace-of-mind Joe, the more Marly wants him to stay.
Forget the frying pan – Scrumptious is all about fire. The fire between Marlene and Joe, that is. Amanda Usen’s debut novel sizzles with passion, but where it really shines isn’t in the romance or the love scenes, but in the food. Ms. Usen’s culinary background shows; the restaurant scenes in Scrumptious are to die for. Ms. Usen’s prose is effortless, light, and utterly charming when her chefs are in the kitchen.
Where Scrumptious falls short is in the characters. Marly has worked so hard to prove herself to Olivia that she’s understandably crushed by the fact that Olivia brings Joe to run the kitchen. And why does Olivia do so when Marly’s perfectly capable? Because Olivia and Marly – two life-long best friends – don’t have a simple thirty second conversation that could have cleared up their big misunderstanding. Joe, for his part, is the typical sexy hero, but it grated on my nerves that he thinks of Marly as a “slut” for most of the book. Yes, she revels in her sexuality…just as Joe does. When combined with a few other things he does in the book, the fact that Joe doesn’t see himself (or any other man) as a slut just shows him to be sexist, a trait I don’t find at all attractive. Both Marly and Joe just didn’t appeal to me as protagonists which made it easy for me to put Scrumptious down. As for the third major player, Olivia, she’s so blind on a number of issues that I wanted to shake her – hard – frequently.
The plot of Scrumptious mostly revolves around misunderstandings and the characters growing up. However, in the last quarter of the book the plot takes a turn into something strange, unnecessary, and way too over the top. I won’t spoil it by saying what happens, but I feel like Ms. Usen jumped the shark a bit in the end. Still, Ms. Usen’s skill at bringing the culinary world to life should not be overlooked. While Scrumptious didn’t hit the spot for me, I would give another one of Ms. Usen’s foodie romances a try in the future.
*ARC received courtesy of Sourcebooks and NetGalley
January 7, 2012
Scrumptious caught my eye because it sounded like it would be a light, fun yet hot read. It was all of the above, but Marlene's love interest Joe and her best friend Olivia drove me to distraction. Marlene was such a great character. I loved that she liked Joe, but didn't want anything too serious with him because she had issues from her moms multiple marriages and the fact that her dad left when she was in high school.
I wish that that there were more contemporary romance heroines like Marlene. She had a social life and wasn't afraid to admit it. What bothered me was that everyone else in the book had a problem with it. What's wrong with a girl in her 20s dating? Nothing, that's what. Then why is it that the love interest for Marlene and Marelene's best friend had problems with it? I still can't answer that question.
It bothered me that the reason Joe was fighting his attraction with her is because he promised his dying mother that he would settle down with a nice girl, and he thinks Marlene is a bit of a player.
That drove me crazy, because he admits to being a player himself before making that promise to his mother. This didn't make me stop reading it...I plugged away to discover he wasn't the only one with double standards in this book. Olivia, her best friend also had them. She told her that the reason Marly couldn't be head chef was because "she had too much of a social life and didn't want to hear it when she didn't get laid." This from a women who hired Joe knowing he was a player?? However, I still didn't stop reading it then...I plugged away.
One thing that bothered me were that there were a lot of screw ups in the restaurant, and even Olivia's ex who was dumped and fired was the obvious suspect Marlene kept being blamed for them. It bothered me that they didn't even ask anyone if they'd seen anything suspicious or talked to Olivia's ex. Still, I kept reading..even though these mishaps kept happening. There was a cute plot device to have the dog Marlene was dog sitting steal the vibrator she was about to use when Joe came over, and they had a good laugh over that, I plugged along.
The thing that finally made me stop reading was when Joe invited Marlene to Kentucky to visit his dad with him. He tells her that there will be a pig roast and she makes a comment about going there and the term hillbillies was used to describe the group going to the pig roast. I'll be honest. I've been to a pig roast or two or three. They are fairly common around where I live, and I don't consider myself a hillbilly. I'm still not sure why that line put me over the top with this book, but it did.
When I stopped reading at 52% I just found myself feeling so frustrated that I had to put it down. Marlene truly was a great heroine, and maybe things changed in the second half of the book, but for me it was just too late to hang around and see if things got better. Even though I had problems with this book, I think that most contemporary romance readers will love it. I'm just extra hard sometimes on this genre and I'm still trying to figure out why.
Also found on my blog A Buckeye Girl Reads
I wish that that there were more contemporary romance heroines like Marlene. She had a social life and wasn't afraid to admit it. What bothered me was that everyone else in the book had a problem with it. What's wrong with a girl in her 20s dating? Nothing, that's what. Then why is it that the love interest for Marlene and Marelene's best friend had problems with it? I still can't answer that question.
It bothered me that the reason Joe was fighting his attraction with her is because he promised his dying mother that he would settle down with a nice girl, and he thinks Marlene is a bit of a player.
That drove me crazy, because he admits to being a player himself before making that promise to his mother. This didn't make me stop reading it...I plugged away to discover he wasn't the only one with double standards in this book. Olivia, her best friend also had them. She told her that the reason Marly couldn't be head chef was because "she had too much of a social life and didn't want to hear it when she didn't get laid." This from a women who hired Joe knowing he was a player?? However, I still didn't stop reading it then...I plugged away.
One thing that bothered me were that there were a lot of screw ups in the restaurant, and even Olivia's ex who was dumped and fired was the obvious suspect Marlene kept being blamed for them. It bothered me that they didn't even ask anyone if they'd seen anything suspicious or talked to Olivia's ex. Still, I kept reading..even though these mishaps kept happening. There was a cute plot device to have the dog Marlene was dog sitting steal the vibrator she was about to use when Joe came over, and they had a good laugh over that, I plugged along.
The thing that finally made me stop reading was when Joe invited Marlene to Kentucky to visit his dad with him. He tells her that there will be a pig roast and she makes a comment about going there and the term hillbillies was used to describe the group going to the pig roast. I'll be honest. I've been to a pig roast or two or three. They are fairly common around where I live, and I don't consider myself a hillbilly. I'm still not sure why that line put me over the top with this book, but it did.
When I stopped reading at 52% I just found myself feeling so frustrated that I had to put it down. Marlene truly was a great heroine, and maybe things changed in the second half of the book, but for me it was just too late to hang around and see if things got better. Even though I had problems with this book, I think that most contemporary romance readers will love it. I'm just extra hard sometimes on this genre and I'm still trying to figure out why.
Also found on my blog A Buckeye Girl Reads
November 26, 2012
This and other reviews available at
Viviana, Enchantress of Books
Yes, the cover (original, shown here) grabbed my attention. The synopsis held it.
I have been “eyeing” this book ever since it came out. Like I said, the cover is awesome. Yummy …… cupcakes!! Jeez people (heheheh)!! However, the story – one that involves a chef and the culinary world peak my interest. I instantly grabbed it from the “Goodie Room” table at the RT Convention back in April where it’s been sitting on my book shelf ever since. I know, I know – just so many books, so little time. Thankfully, I was given the second book to review for fellow blogger “Reading Between the Wines Book Club” so I had to read the first book before. Deadlines! A great motivator!!
Yummy, delicious, mouth watering and yes truly scrumptious. I’m talking about the book! Seriously, I am! Okay, okay, yes, our hero, Joe as well fits that description. A hot guy, who can cook, works well under pressure, takes the lead when he sees the need and cares enough about a friend to help her out in her time of need. Yeah, all that makes him a sought after man (well, he’s fine and women flock to him at first sight due to that sexy smile, lips… uhm yeah book review). He has plans and heading out west to a culinary audition for a Chef position but his old buddy from Culinary School, Olivia, needs help at her restaurant after she had to fire her head chef. He agrees to stay for a few weeks to help her find one.
Marly has been busting her butt for years helping Olivia run Chameleon (restaurant) and she isn't about to let some fancy ass, “I have a Culinary Degree” guy waltz in and ruin it all. Marly couldn't afford to go to the culinary school with Olivia. Truth be told, she didn't have to attend as Marly is extremely talented and knows how to run the kitchen smoothly and efficiently. If only Olivia would see that!
Joe and Marly met a few years ago at Olivia’s wedding and were instantly attracted to one another but nothing because of it at all. Marly is known to be a fun girl and doesn't need or want to commitment. She thinks Joe is on the same page. Surprise! He’s not. He actually wants to find a nice girl to settle down with and is no longer interested in one night stands.
Add everything together and we have a great story filled with tension, funny/humors moments, and some drama and yup, some sexy, steamy scenes.
Read an excerpt from "Scrumptious here.
Amanda, the author, did a fantastic job of bringing in the professional culinary world into the homes of the readers. It was a perfect mixture of terminology and providing the information without make the reader feel lost or like an outsider. For me, it brought back fond memories of both culinary school and working in a kitchen. It made me miss the rush of getting the food to the table and that satisfaction of knowing that others are enjoying something you created. Her love and passion for the industry truly shows and shines through.
Yes, the cover (original, shown here) grabbed my attention. The synopsis held it.
I have been “eyeing” this book ever since it came out. Like I said, the cover is awesome. Yummy …… cupcakes!! Jeez people (heheheh)!! However, the story – one that involves a chef and the culinary world peak my interest. I instantly grabbed it from the “Goodie Room” table at the RT Convention back in April where it’s been sitting on my book shelf ever since. I know, I know – just so many books, so little time. Thankfully, I was given the second book to review for fellow blogger “Reading Between the Wines Book Club” so I had to read the first book before. Deadlines! A great motivator!!
Yummy, delicious, mouth watering and yes truly scrumptious. I’m talking about the book! Seriously, I am! Okay, okay, yes, our hero, Joe as well fits that description. A hot guy, who can cook, works well under pressure, takes the lead when he sees the need and cares enough about a friend to help her out in her time of need. Yeah, all that makes him a sought after man (well, he’s fine and women flock to him at first sight due to that sexy smile, lips… uhm yeah book review). He has plans and heading out west to a culinary audition for a Chef position but his old buddy from Culinary School, Olivia, needs help at her restaurant after she had to fire her head chef. He agrees to stay for a few weeks to help her find one.
Marly has been busting her butt for years helping Olivia run Chameleon (restaurant) and she isn't about to let some fancy ass, “I have a Culinary Degree” guy waltz in and ruin it all. Marly couldn't afford to go to the culinary school with Olivia. Truth be told, she didn't have to attend as Marly is extremely talented and knows how to run the kitchen smoothly and efficiently. If only Olivia would see that!
Joe and Marly met a few years ago at Olivia’s wedding and were instantly attracted to one another but nothing because of it at all. Marly is known to be a fun girl and doesn't need or want to commitment. She thinks Joe is on the same page. Surprise! He’s not. He actually wants to find a nice girl to settle down with and is no longer interested in one night stands.
Add everything together and we have a great story filled with tension, funny/humors moments, and some drama and yup, some sexy, steamy scenes.
Read an excerpt from "Scrumptious here.
Amanda, the author, did a fantastic job of bringing in the professional culinary world into the homes of the readers. It was a perfect mixture of terminology and providing the information without make the reader feel lost or like an outsider. For me, it brought back fond memories of both culinary school and working in a kitchen. It made me miss the rush of getting the food to the table and that satisfaction of knowing that others are enjoying something you created. Her love and passion for the industry truly shows and shines through.
December 27, 2011
Marly Bennett is a bakery chef working in Olivia's (her BFF) restaurant, Chameleon. Marly has worked at Chameleon for years - she grew up with Olivia's family and worked while Olivia went to culinary school. Things are not going well for Olivia - her rat of a husband has cheated on her for the last time and is trying to take the restaurant down with him. Marly knows they can keep Chameleon afloat but knows it's going to take some hard work.
Joe Rafferty is an old friend of Olivia's, passing through town on the way to fulfill his mother's deathbed wish - to visit his father and then settle down and marry a nice girl. After hearing about Olivia's predicament, Joe agrees to help out as chef, much to Marly's chagrin. Their mutual attraction is tempered by their ability to butt heads in and out of the kitchen. Besides, Marly is definitely not the type of girl Joe is looking for, and Marly does not want to settle down.
My thoughts:
Scrumptious was pretty sweet (pun intended). Even though I hate to cook, I love stories about cooks - go figure...anyhoo:
I had kind of a love/hate relationship with these two. I liked them both, they seemed like good, heardworking people, likeable, but with flaws. I also liked the back and forth between Marly and Olivia; their friendship was believable and realistic. The secondary characters were interesting and furthered the story without being obvious. I really enjoyed the scenes involving running the restaurant, I felt like I was getting a peek into the workings of a real restaurant kitchen. The mystery of how the kitchen was being sabatoged was interesting, I knew who was behind it but not how it was being accomplished.
What didn't I like? My problem with Marly was that she used one of the secondary characters to "scratch her itch" and to get back at Joe when she was mad at him. That's a no-no for me; not a good sign of character. Joe had a bit of a double-standard that got on my nerves: while he has a history of being a "himbo", he referred to Marly several times as a slut for the same behavior. I really had a problem with his quest to find a virgin/good girl and marry her. That seemed so 18th century and ridiculous given his own sexual history.
My other complaint was the ending was a bit far-fetched and fast. I would have preferred less of the excitement at the end and more of Marly/Joe.
All in all though, a cute, fun read. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more from this author.
3 1/2 stars
Joe Rafferty is an old friend of Olivia's, passing through town on the way to fulfill his mother's deathbed wish - to visit his father and then settle down and marry a nice girl. After hearing about Olivia's predicament, Joe agrees to help out as chef, much to Marly's chagrin. Their mutual attraction is tempered by their ability to butt heads in and out of the kitchen. Besides, Marly is definitely not the type of girl Joe is looking for, and Marly does not want to settle down.
My thoughts:
Scrumptious was pretty sweet (pun intended). Even though I hate to cook, I love stories about cooks - go figure...anyhoo:
I had kind of a love/hate relationship with these two. I liked them both, they seemed like good, heardworking people, likeable, but with flaws. I also liked the back and forth between Marly and Olivia; their friendship was believable and realistic. The secondary characters were interesting and furthered the story without being obvious. I really enjoyed the scenes involving running the restaurant, I felt like I was getting a peek into the workings of a real restaurant kitchen. The mystery of how the kitchen was being sabatoged was interesting, I knew who was behind it but not how it was being accomplished.
What didn't I like? My problem with Marly was that she used one of the secondary characters to "scratch her itch" and to get back at Joe when she was mad at him. That's a no-no for me; not a good sign of character. Joe had a bit of a double-standard that got on my nerves: while he has a history of being a "himbo", he referred to Marly several times as a slut for the same behavior. I really had a problem with his quest to find a virgin/good girl and marry her. That seemed so 18th century and ridiculous given his own sexual history.
My other complaint was the ending was a bit far-fetched and fast. I would have preferred less of the excitement at the end and more of Marly/Joe.
All in all though, a cute, fun read. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more from this author.
3 1/2 stars
February 13, 2012
Fans of Louisa Edwards Rising Star Chef and Recipe For Love series will absolutely LOVE this book. The cooking and sex are downright steamy and things boil over fast between Marly and Joe.
Malene (Marly) Bennett loves everything about restaurant Chameleon, except for the fact that--she will never be its Chef.
Her parents failed marriage leave an emotional scar and major commitment issues for this heroine-the main theme being that men do not stick around. Because of this, Marly decides to do the leaving first. Men are no more than a sexy, fun romp in the bedroom and the sheets never get cold between her lovers.
Joe Rafferty is a traveling Chef, never sticking around in one place too long--and like Marly, is the love 'em and leave 'em type. His two date maximum has provided him with plenty of meaningless sexual adventures.
After the death of his mother, he vows to settle down and stop seeking out the easy lay..."No more sluts, Joe".
Olivia, owner of Chameleon, and Marly's BFF, has had it with her cheating husband, Keith. Not to mention that his cooking skills are sub par. She has decided after catching her man boffing the staff in the walk-in that he must go. And things begin to unravel pretty fast with his departure. Someone is trying to sabotage Chameleon and put Olivia out of business.
Olivia begs her best friend Joe to stick around until she can hire a permanent Chef. Joe agrees to help and then meets his Achilles heel in the form of one very sexual, very attractive Marly. She is a determined woman who knows what she wants--and she wants Joe. His newly sworn vow to avoid any future easy women has flown out the proverbial window.
Things are way hotter in the kitchen at Chameleon's now that Marly and Joe are working together. And what happens when skin meets skin is sizzling HAWT. There is an instant sexual undertone that the reader can feel when these two characters are in the same room. And more importantly, they are so damn easy to like.
Amanda Usen has a talent for such vivid description of life behind the scenes of a busy restaurant. I swear, I found myself sweating as the staff worked furiously to put out supurb dishes for their patrons. My mouth watered at all the SCRUMPTIOUS recipes--it made me want to bang out a few meals of my own kitchen (and I loathe to cook).
All in all- I truly enjoyed this light read and will look for more by this talented author. A culinary piece de resistance!!
Malene (Marly) Bennett loves everything about restaurant Chameleon, except for the fact that--she will never be its Chef.
Her parents failed marriage leave an emotional scar and major commitment issues for this heroine-the main theme being that men do not stick around. Because of this, Marly decides to do the leaving first. Men are no more than a sexy, fun romp in the bedroom and the sheets never get cold between her lovers.
Joe Rafferty is a traveling Chef, never sticking around in one place too long--and like Marly, is the love 'em and leave 'em type. His two date maximum has provided him with plenty of meaningless sexual adventures.
After the death of his mother, he vows to settle down and stop seeking out the easy lay..."No more sluts, Joe".
Olivia, owner of Chameleon, and Marly's BFF, has had it with her cheating husband, Keith. Not to mention that his cooking skills are sub par. She has decided after catching her man boffing the staff in the walk-in that he must go. And things begin to unravel pretty fast with his departure. Someone is trying to sabotage Chameleon and put Olivia out of business.
Olivia begs her best friend Joe to stick around until she can hire a permanent Chef. Joe agrees to help and then meets his Achilles heel in the form of one very sexual, very attractive Marly. She is a determined woman who knows what she wants--and she wants Joe. His newly sworn vow to avoid any future easy women has flown out the proverbial window.
Things are way hotter in the kitchen at Chameleon's now that Marly and Joe are working together. And what happens when skin meets skin is sizzling HAWT. There is an instant sexual undertone that the reader can feel when these two characters are in the same room. And more importantly, they are so damn easy to like.
Amanda Usen has a talent for such vivid description of life behind the scenes of a busy restaurant. I swear, I found myself sweating as the staff worked furiously to put out supurb dishes for their patrons. My mouth watered at all the SCRUMPTIOUS recipes--it made me want to bang out a few meals of my own kitchen (and I loathe to cook).
All in all- I truly enjoyed this light read and will look for more by this talented author. A culinary piece de resistance!!
January 5, 2012
In the hot, steamy kitchen of the Chameleon restaurant, Marlene “Marly” Bennett is doing what she loves the most. Currently acting as pastry chef, she helps her best friend, Olivia run the family restaurant and can cook better than any other chef around. When Olivia’s husband and chef, Keith, is caught with his pants down literally, Marlene steps in to help Olivia run the line so Olivia doesn’t have a nervous breakdown. Olivia then decides that Chameleon needs a new chef and hires the infamous, Joe Rafferty, to fill in for a few weeks until she finds a suitable replacement.
Joe Rafferty has a reputation of being a great chef but also a great ladies man. One-night-stands are his specialty and he has Marlene in his sights as his next conquest. Marlene is also known as a party girl. She enjoys a little fun, but never brings her heart into the equation. When these two get together, things start to change as they find that they work well together and each romantic encounter leaves them wanting more. The longer Joe works at Chameleon he finds that he not only has a perfect place to work but also may have found the perfect partner in life. His plans to leave for California to start a new life begin to change, but he needs to convince Marlene to take a chance on love instead of playing it safe.
I love books that involve romance while being set in a culinary environment. This book was great for me because I loved the steamy romance between Marly and Joe as well as the action of a fast-paced restaurant. They both seemed unsure of each other even though they had this explosive chemistry both in the bedroom and the kitchen. Each wanted a simple good time with no attachments because they were afraid to fall into the same traps as their parents. It is easier to hide your heart when you pretend that this isn’t a serious relationship until you find that your heart has made the decision for you.
I loved the details of the restaurant life and how they created their culinary masterpieces. The side story of someone sabotaging the restaurant was very intriguing and had me guessing until the absolute end. I can’t wait to read more from this author because she kept me captivated up until the very end and I absolutely adored her characters.
Joe Rafferty has a reputation of being a great chef but also a great ladies man. One-night-stands are his specialty and he has Marlene in his sights as his next conquest. Marlene is also known as a party girl. She enjoys a little fun, but never brings her heart into the equation. When these two get together, things start to change as they find that they work well together and each romantic encounter leaves them wanting more. The longer Joe works at Chameleon he finds that he not only has a perfect place to work but also may have found the perfect partner in life. His plans to leave for California to start a new life begin to change, but he needs to convince Marlene to take a chance on love instead of playing it safe.
I love books that involve romance while being set in a culinary environment. This book was great for me because I loved the steamy romance between Marly and Joe as well as the action of a fast-paced restaurant. They both seemed unsure of each other even though they had this explosive chemistry both in the bedroom and the kitchen. Each wanted a simple good time with no attachments because they were afraid to fall into the same traps as their parents. It is easier to hide your heart when you pretend that this isn’t a serious relationship until you find that your heart has made the decision for you.
I loved the details of the restaurant life and how they created their culinary masterpieces. The side story of someone sabotaging the restaurant was very intriguing and had me guessing until the absolute end. I can’t wait to read more from this author because she kept me captivated up until the very end and I absolutely adored her characters.
February 19, 2016
Great food, a sexy chef, romance, a touch of suspense...this book had the potential to be amazing. But, in my option, there's too much casualness around, and it makes the story hard to believe and yucky in places.
There's casualness in the way the restaurant is run (trash shoved under the kitchen mats while food is being cooked) and in the relationships between the characters: Olivia, the owner, knows her husband is cheating on her, and slacking on his job because of if, but she only manages to admonish him when he's publicly found in a compromising situation; Marlene, the cook, is known for having slept with all the chefs in New York and she doesn't deny it for one minute - and when she hears that Joe is visiting Olivia, casual sex is all she has in mind.
Now, I'm not easily offended, and I don't object to sex scenes in books. And Scrumptious doesn't have more sex scenes than the average contemporary romance novels these days. But you know what? With so much casualness thrown around, the whole relationship between Marlene and Joe sounds cheap, as do the sex scenes. It's not love at first sight. It's not even lust at first sight. It's just two people getting together with little to no feelings involved. So when I got to the happily ever after, I was kind of wondering how did they really managed to make it happen.
In my opinion, this lack of consistency damages what could have been a great romance, so I can't bring myself to actively recommend this book. My first impulse was to give it two stars for making me lose time that could have been spent with a more interesting story, but in the end I'm settling for three stars. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt because other that what I mentioned above, it's well written and I don't want to diss the author just because the story and the romance don't reflect my personal preferences. So I'm leaving you the choice of picking it up or not.
There's casualness in the way the restaurant is run (trash shoved under the kitchen mats while food is being cooked) and in the relationships between the characters: Olivia, the owner, knows her husband is cheating on her, and slacking on his job because of if, but she only manages to admonish him when he's publicly found in a compromising situation; Marlene, the cook, is known for having slept with all the chefs in New York and she doesn't deny it for one minute - and when she hears that Joe is visiting Olivia, casual sex is all she has in mind.
Now, I'm not easily offended, and I don't object to sex scenes in books. And Scrumptious doesn't have more sex scenes than the average contemporary romance novels these days. But you know what? With so much casualness thrown around, the whole relationship between Marlene and Joe sounds cheap, as do the sex scenes. It's not love at first sight. It's not even lust at first sight. It's just two people getting together with little to no feelings involved. So when I got to the happily ever after, I was kind of wondering how did they really managed to make it happen.
In my opinion, this lack of consistency damages what could have been a great romance, so I can't bring myself to actively recommend this book. My first impulse was to give it two stars for making me lose time that could have been spent with a more interesting story, but in the end I'm settling for three stars. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt because other that what I mentioned above, it's well written and I don't want to diss the author just because the story and the romance don't reflect my personal preferences. So I'm leaving you the choice of picking it up or not.
December 30, 2011
My Review:
There were aspects of this book that I really loved. I loved the restaurant setting with the craziness that happens in the kitchen. I loved that BOTH Marly & Joe are players when it comes to sex. Usually in romance novels, it's just the guy be who can have blase sex. I liked the honesty of both Marly and Joe's attitudes.
But there were other aspects that just didn't quite work for me. At about the 3/4 mark, I felt like the conflict between the H/h (the fact that they just want sex with no commitment) had been drug out for too long. I wasn't buying it as a valid entity at that point. I also didn't like the resolution with the restaurant and the owner's ex. That whole scene just seemed a little too contrite for me, but that could have been because I was losing patience with the novel at that point rather than an actual issue within the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The details about the inner-workings of a restaurant kitchen were done brilliantly without bogging down the story at all which was amazing to me, because there is a lot of detail in this book about cooking, prep work, and how a kitchen staff flows within a restaurant. I liked both of the main characters and really liked how they initially came together. The other main character in the book is Olivia, the owner of the restaurant. Her character had issues and I am not sure how much of that was problems with defining her character or that is just the way that she is....seriously a wishy-washy character that drove me insane the last 1/4 of the book.
If this book had been resolved and ended at the 3/4 mark, I think that I would have rated it much higher. I was entertained and enjoying it up to that point, but then it just started to drag out for me. I will definitely be watching this author for more to come though, because I did enjoy her voice and creativity.
There were aspects of this book that I really loved. I loved the restaurant setting with the craziness that happens in the kitchen. I loved that BOTH Marly & Joe are players when it comes to sex. Usually in romance novels, it's just the guy be who can have blase sex. I liked the honesty of both Marly and Joe's attitudes.
But there were other aspects that just didn't quite work for me. At about the 3/4 mark, I felt like the conflict between the H/h (the fact that they just want sex with no commitment) had been drug out for too long. I wasn't buying it as a valid entity at that point. I also didn't like the resolution with the restaurant and the owner's ex. That whole scene just seemed a little too contrite for me, but that could have been because I was losing patience with the novel at that point rather than an actual issue within the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The details about the inner-workings of a restaurant kitchen were done brilliantly without bogging down the story at all which was amazing to me, because there is a lot of detail in this book about cooking, prep work, and how a kitchen staff flows within a restaurant. I liked both of the main characters and really liked how they initially came together. The other main character in the book is Olivia, the owner of the restaurant. Her character had issues and I am not sure how much of that was problems with defining her character or that is just the way that she is....seriously a wishy-washy character that drove me insane the last 1/4 of the book.
If this book had been resolved and ended at the 3/4 mark, I think that I would have rated it much higher. I was entertained and enjoying it up to that point, but then it just started to drag out for me. I will definitely be watching this author for more to come though, because I did enjoy her voice and creativity.
January 4, 2012
This is your general romance novel with a heavy dose of drool worthy food descriptions. Marly is a pastry chef at her friends restaurant Chameleon and when her friends sleazy cheating husband finally gets the boot, Olivia begs her friend Joe to come and fill in until she can find a replacement chef. Marly and Joe are instantly attracted to each other but Joe is looking for a serious relationship and Marly is just looking for some fun.
I liked the story but there was really nothing special to set it apart... except for the food descriptions. It's a story about two people that want to but don't think that they should get together, only to find out in the end that they were meant for each other all along. Olivia sort of got on my nerves, she didn't have a strong bone in her body. She was falling apart all over the place and contemplating taking her husband back after she say him doing the nasty with one of her other employees... at work! I was really glad that Marly was a stronger character and took the lead on a lot of things that were happening at the restaurant. One thing that confused me was the last couple of chapters. Everything was going good and then they bring in the mafia and there is a star crossed lovers moment out of the blue. It sort of felt like the author was reaching for a twist and plucked the first idea that came to mind. Not to mention how easily the "Boss" gives up on wanting to take over the restaurant.
Overall it is a good romance story with some amazing descriptions of food that anyone can appreciate.
Favorite quote...
“This is really enlightening. I didn't know life was supposed to be easy. How could I have lived all these years and not realized life was supposed to be easy? I feel really stupid now.” -Joe
I liked the story but there was really nothing special to set it apart... except for the food descriptions. It's a story about two people that want to but don't think that they should get together, only to find out in the end that they were meant for each other all along. Olivia sort of got on my nerves, she didn't have a strong bone in her body. She was falling apart all over the place and contemplating taking her husband back after she say him doing the nasty with one of her other employees... at work! I was really glad that Marly was a stronger character and took the lead on a lot of things that were happening at the restaurant. One thing that confused me was the last couple of chapters. Everything was going good and then they bring in the mafia and there is a star crossed lovers moment out of the blue. It sort of felt like the author was reaching for a twist and plucked the first idea that came to mind. Not to mention how easily the "Boss" gives up on wanting to take over the restaurant.
Overall it is a good romance story with some amazing descriptions of food that anyone can appreciate.
Favorite quote...
“This is really enlightening. I didn't know life was supposed to be easy. How could I have lived all these years and not realized life was supposed to be easy? I feel really stupid now.” -Joe
December 27, 2011
Marlene Bennett is the pastry chef at Chameleon, a restaurant owned by her childhood friend, Olivia. When Olivia’s husband Keith is caught in the cold room with his pants down and fired, Marlene thinks this is her chance to take over the line operation. Instead, Olivia brings in hunky chef Joe Rafferty. Marlene and Joe strike sparks from the beginning but they both have issues with trust and it takes some time for them to connect. Marlene resents his being at the restaurant and Joe judges her by her easy- going relationships with other men at the restaurant.
When several things go wrong in the restaurant, Joe thinks Marley is still trying to undermine him, but eventually they realize that something more serious is happening. Olivia cannot seem to get it together and waffles about whether she should bring Keith back or sell the restaurant. Joe and Marlene have to work together (other than just in bed) to achieve their hearts desire.
I always enjoy a book about foodies. There is so much that goes on in the back that we do not ever see and it is a lot of work for the staff to keep it that way. Marlene and Joe are both dedicated to their work and very similar in their personal life. It is interesting that Joe denigrates Marley for being sexually active when he is the same. On the other hand, Marlene gives him grief about his relationship with his father and she has a terrible one with her own father. Both characters have to let go of the baggage if they want to be together. External issues add to the stress on the relationship but the ending is satisfying and realistic. This was an enjoyable book and I look forward to future offerings by Ms. Usen.
When several things go wrong in the restaurant, Joe thinks Marley is still trying to undermine him, but eventually they realize that something more serious is happening. Olivia cannot seem to get it together and waffles about whether she should bring Keith back or sell the restaurant. Joe and Marlene have to work together (other than just in bed) to achieve their hearts desire.
I always enjoy a book about foodies. There is so much that goes on in the back that we do not ever see and it is a lot of work for the staff to keep it that way. Marlene and Joe are both dedicated to their work and very similar in their personal life. It is interesting that Joe denigrates Marley for being sexually active when he is the same. On the other hand, Marlene gives him grief about his relationship with his father and she has a terrible one with her own father. Both characters have to let go of the baggage if they want to be together. External issues add to the stress on the relationship but the ending is satisfying and realistic. This was an enjoyable book and I look forward to future offerings by Ms. Usen.
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