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A Love Story #3
Taste - A Love Story
If only life were as simple as following a recipe.
In her twenties, Kara Malendar found herself at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris , thousands of miles away from the bright, unkind lights that shined on her political family throughout her childhood. But all of that ended abruptly when she was summoned back home to Los Angeles to stand in again is as the perfect, primed, senator’s daughter.
Now, thirty, Kara has made a different kind of life for herself. As a food critic for The Los Angeles Times, Kara gets to shine the unkind light on other people. That is until her Paris-past finds its way back into town and opens a new restaurant.
Logan Rye, the youngest son of the Ryland Farms family, knows exactly what he's doing with his life. After a few years spent getting his head and heart together, he's opened his new restaurant in Los Angeles, The Yard. Logan manages the place with the same ethics his father taught him growing up on a farm—hard work, heart, and focus. Logan believes in all three and while he sees his restaurant, his personal urban farm, and his family roots as all part of his life, the LA Times sees it as a movement. He's suddenly a trend.
Kara and Logan haven't seen each other since she was ordered home from Le Cordon Bleu, but the memories they made in those few short months come flooding back when Kara is asked to write a feature on Logan. The two of them are soon cooking, laughing, and rediscovering the delicious parts of each other they were never able to forget. As the flame is turned up, all recipes are forgotten, as they realize they may have never really known each other at all in Paris. If Logan can learn to trust, he may be exactly what Kara needs if she's ever going to taste life again.
In her twenties, Kara Malendar found herself at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris , thousands of miles away from the bright, unkind lights that shined on her political family throughout her childhood. But all of that ended abruptly when she was summoned back home to Los Angeles to stand in again is as the perfect, primed, senator’s daughter.
Now, thirty, Kara has made a different kind of life for herself. As a food critic for The Los Angeles Times, Kara gets to shine the unkind light on other people. That is until her Paris-past finds its way back into town and opens a new restaurant.
Logan Rye, the youngest son of the Ryland Farms family, knows exactly what he's doing with his life. After a few years spent getting his head and heart together, he's opened his new restaurant in Los Angeles, The Yard. Logan manages the place with the same ethics his father taught him growing up on a farm—hard work, heart, and focus. Logan believes in all three and while he sees his restaurant, his personal urban farm, and his family roots as all part of his life, the LA Times sees it as a movement. He's suddenly a trend.
Kara and Logan haven't seen each other since she was ordered home from Le Cordon Bleu, but the memories they made in those few short months come flooding back when Kara is asked to write a feature on Logan. The two of them are soon cooking, laughing, and rediscovering the delicious parts of each other they were never able to forget. As the flame is turned up, all recipes are forgotten, as they realize they may have never really known each other at all in Paris. If Logan can learn to trust, he may be exactly what Kara needs if she's ever going to taste life again.
315 pages, ebook
Published October 27, 2015
66 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Ewens
15 books191 followersTracy Ewens is the contemporary romance author of fifteen Love Story books.
She lives and writes in Arizona, has a dog named Jack, and takes her tea with almond milk.
Stop by www.tracyewens.com to sign up for updates and news.
She lives and writes in Arizona, has a dog named Jack, and takes her tea with almond milk.
Stop by www.tracyewens.com to sign up for updates and news.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
October 28, 2015
4 Discovering Your True You Stars * * * *
Every once in a while you find a gem hidden away... waiting for discovery. At least, that is how I like to think of it when I find a book I haven't heard of or know the author.
Taste: A Love Story (Book Three) by Tracy Ewens has been this lovely reading experience. It was captivating and detailed with emotions and heart. The story provided huge growth arcs for the main characters and hints of possible books for others to come. It is part of a series but I was able to read this without needing the former books.
It is considered Women's Fiction/Romance. It had its romantic moments yet the focus was more on the internal understanding of these two people and how they could overcome their barriers to love one another.
Kara Malendar never had the opportunity to live like "normal people" except when she went to Paris and studied at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school during her last years at UCLA. There she wasn't the Senator's daughter constantly pressured to be perfect for the media or voting public. There she was able to see what it was like to not be watched and commented on...There she met another student from UCLA and they learned all the secrets of cracking eggs, making Hollandaise sauce and the first blush of love.
It was a magical time for a young woman like Kara. She had been raised in a political family for most of her life with all the trappings of image, responsibilities and fundraisers. Somewhere her mother became that woman... the Society Stepford Wife, the driving force behind the Senator. This meant Kara and her brother Grady were used for photo ops, background supporters and any other way to further the campaigns. The mother had a strict idea of how Kara should look and act. After a few situations, Kara learned it was just better to go along with the program rather than fight it.
Kara and Grady did have her Nana, though... This was the person who showed what unconditional love was. This was the one who taught them life lessons through phrases which sustained them as they became adults...they laughed and learned all was not fair... and they had to buckle up and just get on with it... "because it was what it was..."
Nana lived on with her quotes and both Grady and Kara keep her alive through the use of them long after she was gone.
It was this young woman who was yearning to just break free in Paris...to see what life was all about when she met Logan Rye, the youngest son of the Ryeland Farms family. There in Paris, both of them drawn to the art of cooking for various reasons, became drawn to each other.
Logan and Kara partnered together in class and over time, partnered in seeing France and experiencing the joy and warmth of each other...Each shared experience created a memory to last a lifetime...and one of these came crashing down on both when Kara's "normal" bubble burst and she was taken back to the political reality of her life. Logan's look on his face while she was leaving was just one of the many memories which still haunt her.
Now it is 8 years later and these two will cross paths again...they have both matured, made their way in life and have compartmentalized their Paris history.... locked it away.
Logan has opened a new restaurant, creating a place which has a unique charm and atmosphere. He took a building with a past life as a hardware store and re-purposed it into this gathering place with full bar and amazing farm to table food. His family's farm and other local suppliers all provide the best seafood, vegetables, fruits and proteins... all fresh, humane and seasonal. With his sister, brother and business partner Travis, The Yard is starting to get off the ground.
Kara has forged her own life as a food critic with the Los Angeles Times. She has done it without the help of her family's name and over the years has become a bit of a shadow of herself. Her cutthroat reviews of restaurants has brought her a following and she somehow has lost her appetite. Lately she has had a bit of remorse for what her words have done...the closing of a place six months after a scathing review. She knows she was correct in the assessment... but somehow it still doesn't feel quite right.
Once again, obligation calls and Kara has to present herself at a "Thank you for Volunteering" event for her family. Not only does she dread going but it is going to be held at The Yard. There is no way she can get out of this... She will just have to suck it up, be polite and handle seeing Logan again.
Logan also is thinking he will have to see Kara again... and what all of that means... He has locked away all of the hurt and feelings about that girl as best as he can. He has had no time for that... for he has always been the rock of his family from the very young age of 7. It was his need to take care of his family which got him interested in cooking. Never was there a time when he wasn't helping out... with his dad at the farm, his sister with her young daughter or others who needed a hand.
Logan looked out from the kitchen during the event and saw Kara...she was too thin, rigid and sitting ram straight at a table top. Ah...but then he saw her, eating his brisket...seeing the rapture on her face... reminding him of the same look she had when they had been together in Paris...She was loving his food...
Kara looked up knowing he must have seen her...there he was through the pass way...smiling that smile of his...Damn, still handsome and arrogant... Damn it to hell....
These two are both charged and feisty... but for different reasons...each not understanding what is happening in each others minds...Let the banter and bickering begin....
Naturally, Kara is directed to write a 3 part feature on Logan and The Yard for the Times...and whether she wants to or not...she will be involved for many weeks him, his restaurant and family.
Will both of these people be able to stay professional and distant... never crossing over to the past and what might have been...That is the question both of them juggle when the research for the article begins.
Logan and Kara's arcs were told through memories of Paris and their time together now. They were fleshed out and I was able to feel their pain and confusion... for both had misconceptions of how the past impacted them. The strength of their chemistry was evident and when they were together...you knew it was right and good. What was even more impressive was the way the author didn't make things easy...these people had a lot to work through and the road was rocky. Kara was a force on her own and once she new what she wanted... she did not give in or roll over for something half way. Loved that.
Also there were many side parts to this... the political life, the society life and what is a family...and how does one hold it together during really difficult times. All of the siblings of the main characters mattered... you felt their humor, love and support for one another. I can see where we may be treated to more books... the secondary characters were that interesting.
This story had everything a foodie would love. It talked about farm to table cooking, what needs to happen in the marketplace and how things seem to be changing.
So, a little light has shined on this gem of a book. If you enjoy second chance love, a descriptive style and affection for characters who have growth... then this would be the ticket. Besides...It's also about fabulous food, too.
A gifted copy was provided by Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Every once in a while you find a gem hidden away... waiting for discovery. At least, that is how I like to think of it when I find a book I haven't heard of or know the author.
Taste: A Love Story (Book Three) by Tracy Ewens has been this lovely reading experience. It was captivating and detailed with emotions and heart. The story provided huge growth arcs for the main characters and hints of possible books for others to come. It is part of a series but I was able to read this without needing the former books.
It is considered Women's Fiction/Romance. It had its romantic moments yet the focus was more on the internal understanding of these two people and how they could overcome their barriers to love one another.
Kara Malendar never had the opportunity to live like "normal people" except when she went to Paris and studied at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school during her last years at UCLA. There she wasn't the Senator's daughter constantly pressured to be perfect for the media or voting public. There she was able to see what it was like to not be watched and commented on...There she met another student from UCLA and they learned all the secrets of cracking eggs, making Hollandaise sauce and the first blush of love.
It was a magical time for a young woman like Kara. She had been raised in a political family for most of her life with all the trappings of image, responsibilities and fundraisers. Somewhere her mother became that woman... the Society Stepford Wife, the driving force behind the Senator. This meant Kara and her brother Grady were used for photo ops, background supporters and any other way to further the campaigns. The mother had a strict idea of how Kara should look and act. After a few situations, Kara learned it was just better to go along with the program rather than fight it.
Kara and Grady did have her Nana, though... This was the person who showed what unconditional love was. This was the one who taught them life lessons through phrases which sustained them as they became adults...they laughed and learned all was not fair... and they had to buckle up and just get on with it... "because it was what it was..."
Nana lived on with her quotes and both Grady and Kara keep her alive through the use of them long after she was gone.
It was this young woman who was yearning to just break free in Paris...to see what life was all about when she met Logan Rye, the youngest son of the Ryeland Farms family. There in Paris, both of them drawn to the art of cooking for various reasons, became drawn to each other.
Logan and Kara partnered together in class and over time, partnered in seeing France and experiencing the joy and warmth of each other...Each shared experience created a memory to last a lifetime...and one of these came crashing down on both when Kara's "normal" bubble burst and she was taken back to the political reality of her life. Logan's look on his face while she was leaving was just one of the many memories which still haunt her.
Now it is 8 years later and these two will cross paths again...they have both matured, made their way in life and have compartmentalized their Paris history.... locked it away.
Logan has opened a new restaurant, creating a place which has a unique charm and atmosphere. He took a building with a past life as a hardware store and re-purposed it into this gathering place with full bar and amazing farm to table food. His family's farm and other local suppliers all provide the best seafood, vegetables, fruits and proteins... all fresh, humane and seasonal. With his sister, brother and business partner Travis, The Yard is starting to get off the ground.
Kara has forged her own life as a food critic with the Los Angeles Times. She has done it without the help of her family's name and over the years has become a bit of a shadow of herself. Her cutthroat reviews of restaurants has brought her a following and she somehow has lost her appetite. Lately she has had a bit of remorse for what her words have done...the closing of a place six months after a scathing review. She knows she was correct in the assessment... but somehow it still doesn't feel quite right.
Once again, obligation calls and Kara has to present herself at a "Thank you for Volunteering" event for her family. Not only does she dread going but it is going to be held at The Yard. There is no way she can get out of this... She will just have to suck it up, be polite and handle seeing Logan again.
Logan also is thinking he will have to see Kara again... and what all of that means... He has locked away all of the hurt and feelings about that girl as best as he can. He has had no time for that... for he has always been the rock of his family from the very young age of 7. It was his need to take care of his family which got him interested in cooking. Never was there a time when he wasn't helping out... with his dad at the farm, his sister with her young daughter or others who needed a hand.
Logan looked out from the kitchen during the event and saw Kara...she was too thin, rigid and sitting ram straight at a table top. Ah...but then he saw her, eating his brisket...seeing the rapture on her face... reminding him of the same look she had when they had been together in Paris...She was loving his food...
Kara looked up knowing he must have seen her...there he was through the pass way...smiling that smile of his...Damn, still handsome and arrogant... Damn it to hell....
These two are both charged and feisty... but for different reasons...each not understanding what is happening in each others minds...Let the banter and bickering begin....
Naturally, Kara is directed to write a 3 part feature on Logan and The Yard for the Times...and whether she wants to or not...she will be involved for many weeks him, his restaurant and family.
Will both of these people be able to stay professional and distant... never crossing over to the past and what might have been...That is the question both of them juggle when the research for the article begins.
Logan and Kara's arcs were told through memories of Paris and their time together now. They were fleshed out and I was able to feel their pain and confusion... for both had misconceptions of how the past impacted them. The strength of their chemistry was evident and when they were together...you knew it was right and good. What was even more impressive was the way the author didn't make things easy...these people had a lot to work through and the road was rocky. Kara was a force on her own and once she new what she wanted... she did not give in or roll over for something half way. Loved that.
Also there were many side parts to this... the political life, the society life and what is a family...and how does one hold it together during really difficult times. All of the siblings of the main characters mattered... you felt their humor, love and support for one another. I can see where we may be treated to more books... the secondary characters were that interesting.
This story had everything a foodie would love. It talked about farm to table cooking, what needs to happen in the marketplace and how things seem to be changing.
So, a little light has shined on this gem of a book. If you enjoy second chance love, a descriptive style and affection for characters who have growth... then this would be the ticket. Besides...It's also about fabulous food, too.
A gifted copy was provided by Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
January 26, 2016
3.5 stars
Well, that made me cry. No, not the whole book, just the ending. It was perfect and had big fat tears rolling down my face.
If you're looking for a fast paced romance, this is NOT it. There were times I felt this dragged, but we got to see Kara and Logan falling in love. A big complaint lots of romance readers have about not seeing the couple fall in love is very true. But you got to witness it in here, and it was beautiful.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
Well, that made me cry. No, not the whole book, just the ending. It was perfect and had big fat tears rolling down my face.
If you're looking for a fast paced romance, this is NOT it. There were times I felt this dragged, but we got to see Kara and Logan falling in love. A big complaint lots of romance readers have about not seeing the couple fall in love is very true. But you got to witness it in here, and it was beautiful.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
May 17, 2016
*I received this book from NetGalley for review*
I read RESERVED last month, which is the fourth book in this series, after this one, and I loved it. Five stars loved it. So I was excited when I looked on NetGalley recently and discovered this one was also available.
I love the opening line: “Kara Malendar was a bitch.” Kara, a restaurant reviewer, is the heroine. She's a senator's daughter and has grown up in the spotlight of politics. She's spent her life conforming to what her parents, namely her mother, expects of her. The happiest time of her life was a brief period at a cooking school in Paris, where she used an assumed name and had a wild and hot affair with a fellow American student, Logan. And then her mother dragged her home and she never heard from or talked to Logan again. Until she's assigned a three part story about Logan's restaurant and farm.
Logan grew up taking care of his family, especially his younger sister, Kenna, after their mother walked out when they were kids. He still takes care of everyone and he doesn't do commitment. When Kara left Paris, he was hurt that she had lied about who she was, and he closed his heart off and told himself he didn't care.
Of course sparks fly when Logan and Kara meet again. But they both have a lot of issues to work through before they can even think about an HEA.
I liked Logan. He was a good guy, charming and funny. However, I struggled to connect with Kara. I could understand her issues, where she was coming from, but I found her a little blah. I loved the characters of Kenna and Travis in RESERVED. They were so incredibly vibrant and well written. Kara and, to a lesser extent, Logan, just didn't live up to my expectations. I laughed a lot less with Logan and Kara. But the ending was satisfying, and while overall the book just fell a little flat for me, I still want to read the rest of the books in the series.
I read RESERVED last month, which is the fourth book in this series, after this one, and I loved it. Five stars loved it. So I was excited when I looked on NetGalley recently and discovered this one was also available.
I love the opening line: “Kara Malendar was a bitch.” Kara, a restaurant reviewer, is the heroine. She's a senator's daughter and has grown up in the spotlight of politics. She's spent her life conforming to what her parents, namely her mother, expects of her. The happiest time of her life was a brief period at a cooking school in Paris, where she used an assumed name and had a wild and hot affair with a fellow American student, Logan. And then her mother dragged her home and she never heard from or talked to Logan again. Until she's assigned a three part story about Logan's restaurant and farm.
Logan grew up taking care of his family, especially his younger sister, Kenna, after their mother walked out when they were kids. He still takes care of everyone and he doesn't do commitment. When Kara left Paris, he was hurt that she had lied about who she was, and he closed his heart off and told himself he didn't care.
Of course sparks fly when Logan and Kara meet again. But they both have a lot of issues to work through before they can even think about an HEA.
I liked Logan. He was a good guy, charming and funny. However, I struggled to connect with Kara. I could understand her issues, where she was coming from, but I found her a little blah. I loved the characters of Kenna and Travis in RESERVED. They were so incredibly vibrant and well written. Kara and, to a lesser extent, Logan, just didn't live up to my expectations. I laughed a lot less with Logan and Kara. But the ending was satisfying, and while overall the book just fell a little flat for me, I still want to read the rest of the books in the series.
January 14, 2016
I received a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I struggled a bit with this book unfortunately but I'm not sure if it was because I had too high expectations before I started or if it was just the book. I love reading a good second chance romance and love spending time in the kitchen so was looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately for me I found it a bit difficult to get into the start of the book and that kind of set my mind to how I liked the rest of it as I tried so hard not to just skim read bits.
The story focuses on Kara and Logan who had known each other from cooking school in Paris, which is where they got together. Fast forward eight years and she's a food critic and he's a chef with a new trendy restaurant, which is how they are brought together again. I liked Logan as a character but somehow I didn't warm to Kara so much. There was some good flashbacks and banter with the characters but the story just didn't click for me. There were bits I really enjoyed and other bits I was just dragging myself through hoping for it to speed up and get to the point.
I've found reviewing this book kind of difficult really as I was somewhere in the middle opinion wise. There were definitely bits I loved that were extremely well written that flowed brilliantly but there just wasn't enough of those bits for me. However I do think based on that I wouldn't be put of reading more from this author as not all books click all the time and everyone deserves a second chance.
I struggled a bit with this book unfortunately but I'm not sure if it was because I had too high expectations before I started or if it was just the book. I love reading a good second chance romance and love spending time in the kitchen so was looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately for me I found it a bit difficult to get into the start of the book and that kind of set my mind to how I liked the rest of it as I tried so hard not to just skim read bits.
The story focuses on Kara and Logan who had known each other from cooking school in Paris, which is where they got together. Fast forward eight years and she's a food critic and he's a chef with a new trendy restaurant, which is how they are brought together again. I liked Logan as a character but somehow I didn't warm to Kara so much. There was some good flashbacks and banter with the characters but the story just didn't click for me. There were bits I really enjoyed and other bits I was just dragging myself through hoping for it to speed up and get to the point.
I've found reviewing this book kind of difficult really as I was somewhere in the middle opinion wise. There were definitely bits I loved that were extremely well written that flowed brilliantly but there just wasn't enough of those bits for me. However I do think based on that I wouldn't be put of reading more from this author as not all books click all the time and everyone deserves a second chance.
February 26, 2016
Rating: 2.5/5
(I received a free ecopy from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Kara Malendar, daughter of a US Senator, met Logan Rye at culinary school in Paris. They had a short romance before Kara was whisked home by her parents, leaving Logan surprised and heartbroken, whether he was willing to admit it or not. Several years later, Kara is now a food critic for the LA Times, and Logan is opening up a restaurant in LA. Asked to do a feature on Logan's new restaurant, his family, and his life growing up on the family farm, Kara reluctantly agrees, telling herself she will handle it professionally. Apart from residual hard feelings about having to leave Paris suddenly, their chemistry never went away. Kara is having a hard time staying away from him, but even if she is ready to accept him, will he accept her?
Unfortunately, I felt like this book went downhill for me. I liked the slow burn romance in this book, and how Kara and Logan's relationship slowly developed into something more. I was enjoying it a lot, and you could see the sexual tension from a mile away. Just as I found things were getting good, the book came to a standstill and there wasn't any action for an extremely long time. The parts that dragged brought down my rating quite a bit, since it was boring in a few parts. When a romance is at a standstill in a romance book, it's super boring until it picks up again.
I didn't really like Logan as a character. Kara was okay, but I didn't really understand Logan. He was quite the hypocrite. He was angry at Kara for hiding who she really was, but at the same time he's hiding things from her. He wants her to share all these parts of herself, while he isn't willing to do the same. It just didn't make sense to me, and it wasn't very fair. He was probably one of my least favourite characters in the book because of how hypocritical he was.
Overall, I thought this book had a strong first half but went downhill after that. It was a cute slow burn romance, but it dragged too much in some places. The male lead was quite annoying, but the female lead was okay. I may or may not read more from this author, depending on if I can get my hands on another from Netgalley. If you're interested in this book, it's available for request here: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/sho...
(I received a free ecopy from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Kara Malendar, daughter of a US Senator, met Logan Rye at culinary school in Paris. They had a short romance before Kara was whisked home by her parents, leaving Logan surprised and heartbroken, whether he was willing to admit it or not. Several years later, Kara is now a food critic for the LA Times, and Logan is opening up a restaurant in LA. Asked to do a feature on Logan's new restaurant, his family, and his life growing up on the family farm, Kara reluctantly agrees, telling herself she will handle it professionally. Apart from residual hard feelings about having to leave Paris suddenly, their chemistry never went away. Kara is having a hard time staying away from him, but even if she is ready to accept him, will he accept her?
Unfortunately, I felt like this book went downhill for me. I liked the slow burn romance in this book, and how Kara and Logan's relationship slowly developed into something more. I was enjoying it a lot, and you could see the sexual tension from a mile away. Just as I found things were getting good, the book came to a standstill and there wasn't any action for an extremely long time. The parts that dragged brought down my rating quite a bit, since it was boring in a few parts. When a romance is at a standstill in a romance book, it's super boring until it picks up again.
I didn't really like Logan as a character. Kara was okay, but I didn't really understand Logan. He was quite the hypocrite. He was angry at Kara for hiding who she really was, but at the same time he's hiding things from her. He wants her to share all these parts of herself, while he isn't willing to do the same. It just didn't make sense to me, and it wasn't very fair. He was probably one of my least favourite characters in the book because of how hypocritical he was.
Overall, I thought this book had a strong first half but went downhill after that. It was a cute slow burn romance, but it dragged too much in some places. The male lead was quite annoying, but the female lead was okay. I may or may not read more from this author, depending on if I can get my hands on another from Netgalley. If you're interested in this book, it's available for request here: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/sho...
January 10, 2016
Vorige week las ik het tweede deel en ik was heel enthousiast. Deel 1 had ik spijtig genoeg niet in mijn bezit maar deel 3 gelukkig wel. In het vorige boek volgden we Grady Malender op de voet en in dit boek speelt zijn zus, Kara, de hoofdrol.
Last week I read the previous part and I was very happy. Unfortunately I did not have part one but I could immediately continue with part 3. In part two, we followed Grady Malender and now the spotlights were on his sister, Kara.
Hoewel het om een liefdesverhaal gaat, met de voorspelbare afloop, komen er nog andere aspecten bij kijken. Het is mooi om te lezen waarom mensen zich vaak verstoppen. Is het om anderen te bedriegen of zit er meer achter?
Although it's a love story with the predictable ending, there is more to it. It's interesting to read why people hide. Is it to deceive other people or are there other reasons?
Ik vond het wel een leuk verhaal maar ergens was ik ook wat teleurgesteld. De boeken leken, naar mijn mening, te fel op elkaar. Natuurlijk waren er ook verschillen, maar het stramien was hetzelfde. Ik had soms de indruk dat ik in bepaalde stukken gewoon de namen kon wisselen met die uit het vorige deel en dat het op hetzelfde zou neerkomen. Jammer wel, want ik hou van de schrijfstijl en de humor die ze gebruikt.
I thought it was a nice story but I also was a bit dissapointed. In my opinion the books were to similar. Of course there were differences but the structure was more or less the same. I had the impression that in some parts I could simply replace the names with those of the previous book and it wouldn't have made any difference.
De cover vind ik aantrekkelijk en goed gekozen en ook de titel past perfect.
I liked the cover and title.
Conclusie
Ik heb het verhaal graag gelezen. Wat ik me afvraag, is hoe de andere delen opgevat zijn. Ik hoop echt dat ze een andere invalshoek kiest waardoor ze, voor mij persoonlijk, nog leuker zullen zijn. 3 sterren
I enjoyed the story. I wonder how the author will approach the other parts. I do hope she will chose a different angle because it will them even better. 3 stars.
Last week I read the previous part and I was very happy. Unfortunately I did not have part one but I could immediately continue with part 3. In part two, we followed Grady Malender and now the spotlights were on his sister, Kara.
Hoewel het om een liefdesverhaal gaat, met de voorspelbare afloop, komen er nog andere aspecten bij kijken. Het is mooi om te lezen waarom mensen zich vaak verstoppen. Is het om anderen te bedriegen of zit er meer achter?
Although it's a love story with the predictable ending, there is more to it. It's interesting to read why people hide. Is it to deceive other people or are there other reasons?
Ik vond het wel een leuk verhaal maar ergens was ik ook wat teleurgesteld. De boeken leken, naar mijn mening, te fel op elkaar. Natuurlijk waren er ook verschillen, maar het stramien was hetzelfde. Ik had soms de indruk dat ik in bepaalde stukken gewoon de namen kon wisselen met die uit het vorige deel en dat het op hetzelfde zou neerkomen. Jammer wel, want ik hou van de schrijfstijl en de humor die ze gebruikt.
I thought it was a nice story but I also was a bit dissapointed. In my opinion the books were to similar. Of course there were differences but the structure was more or less the same. I had the impression that in some parts I could simply replace the names with those of the previous book and it wouldn't have made any difference.
De cover vind ik aantrekkelijk en goed gekozen en ook de titel past perfect.
I liked the cover and title.
Conclusie
Ik heb het verhaal graag gelezen. Wat ik me afvraag, is hoe de andere delen opgevat zijn. Ik hoop echt dat ze een andere invalshoek kiest waardoor ze, voor mij persoonlijk, nog leuker zullen zijn. 3 sterren
I enjoyed the story. I wonder how the author will approach the other parts. I do hope she will chose a different angle because it will them even better. 3 stars.
August 2, 2020
#3 in the A Love Story romance series
I'd rate this 4.5 stars, if I could, but I'll round up for Goodreads. What really makes this story for me are the characters. We revisit with Grady (hero of the previous book and brother to the heroine here), and he's just as wonderful as a supporting character. He and Kara are the adult children of a U.S. senator, and they have grown up in a fishbowl, always finding themselves helping out with the campaign, with photo ops, interviews, etc. Ten years ago, Kara went to Paris for a brief time, and there she met Logan and fell in love with him. Now she is back, working as a food critic, and she's been asked to do a feature on Logan's new and trendy restaurant. It's definitely awkward as they both work through their feelings about their past relationship and how they want to deal with their current feelings. Kara has learned to hide her thoughts and much of her life from the public, protecting herself from negative press. Logan, for his part, seems like an open book, but he's actually set himself in the role of caregiver for his family, and he has a hard time letting himself be vulnerable. I loved their closeness despite their differences, and I loved that they were willing to put themselves out there against their strong emotional reservations. And I'm always a sucker for a guy who is close to and loves his family. There's some great banter in various combinations, and this made the more intimate and intense moments feel much more light-hearted. I totally loved Kara's best friend Jake, who provided some great advice. And Travis, Logan's friend, who offered some humorous comments. This brings us to the next in the series, which is the first book I read--about Travis and Makenna (Logan's sister). I loved that one and gave it a 5-star rating, which is what prompted me to go back to start this series from the beginning. Now I'm caught up and looking forward to reading about Garrett (Logan's brother) and Sage (the bartender at Logan's restaurant). This series just keeps getting better.
I'd rate this 4.5 stars, if I could, but I'll round up for Goodreads. What really makes this story for me are the characters. We revisit with Grady (hero of the previous book and brother to the heroine here), and he's just as wonderful as a supporting character. He and Kara are the adult children of a U.S. senator, and they have grown up in a fishbowl, always finding themselves helping out with the campaign, with photo ops, interviews, etc. Ten years ago, Kara went to Paris for a brief time, and there she met Logan and fell in love with him. Now she is back, working as a food critic, and she's been asked to do a feature on Logan's new and trendy restaurant. It's definitely awkward as they both work through their feelings about their past relationship and how they want to deal with their current feelings. Kara has learned to hide her thoughts and much of her life from the public, protecting herself from negative press. Logan, for his part, seems like an open book, but he's actually set himself in the role of caregiver for his family, and he has a hard time letting himself be vulnerable. I loved their closeness despite their differences, and I loved that they were willing to put themselves out there against their strong emotional reservations. And I'm always a sucker for a guy who is close to and loves his family. There's some great banter in various combinations, and this made the more intimate and intense moments feel much more light-hearted. I totally loved Kara's best friend Jake, who provided some great advice. And Travis, Logan's friend, who offered some humorous comments. This brings us to the next in the series, which is the first book I read--about Travis and Makenna (Logan's sister). I loved that one and gave it a 5-star rating, which is what prompted me to go back to start this series from the beginning. Now I'm caught up and looking forward to reading about Garrett (Logan's brother) and Sage (the bartender at Logan's restaurant). This series just keeps getting better.
July 19, 2016
This was a beautiful read. It's a slow burn, but never stalls. It felt like I was right there in the story with them. She has quite the number of supporting characters that I loved just as much as the Main characters. I can't wait to read the others books in the series. I am a sucker for a foodie book and this had everything I loved in it. Great restaurant vibe, hot chef, and gardening; described in great detail, but not boring or bogged down. They main characters are witty and their banter is cute. Just a relaxing book, like comfort food!
This book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
This book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
May 7, 2020
Overall I liked this book. Kara and Logan had met while in Paris. Things didn't end well and neither though they would see each other again. That is until Kara has to write an article about his restaurant. Things between them are still messy and it doesn't help that he hasn't gotten over his mother leaving. Thankfully in the end he is finally able to make things work and they get their happy ending.
July 24, 2016
Great book
these books are so sweet. I really enjoyed reading it. the series so far is fantastic, they can be read as stand alone but the characters and events intermingled. so in order is how to read them. Great stories and characters. also a happy ever after. couldn't ask for more. definitely recommending
these books are so sweet. I really enjoyed reading it. the series so far is fantastic, they can be read as stand alone but the characters and events intermingled. so in order is how to read them. Great stories and characters. also a happy ever after. couldn't ask for more. definitely recommending
January 27, 2017
Good series so far.
February 22, 2017
Being a foodie, I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the food, the hero's restaurant, and the heroine's work as a food critic. It's a good second chance at love romance.
October 27, 2015
Foodie romance enthusiasts, who love a second chance at love with the main couple slowly working their way back to each other, may very well find Taste by Tracy Ewens quite to their liking. My fellow romance book-loving friends, the kitchen does not get overly steamy in this one. There is no dirty talk or uncomfortably graphic/overly done steamy scenes to embarrass you or highjack the storyline. The language of love here is spoken mostly with amorous caresses and kisses, with fade to black/racy scenes kept for the most part privately behind closed doors. Not to say there isn’t some heat/spiciness going on…especially in Logan’s kitchen. Yeah, that particular scene happens about 70% into the story, very passionate but also tastefully done. This is definitely a slow, gradually unfolding romantic rekindling of Kara and Logan’s relationship, despite the instant attraction/chemistry they still feel long after their Paris affair when they were college students.
Since Kara, a food critic, is currently writing a three part article about Logan’s farm-to-table restaurant, there is a lot of focus on him and his family’s business. Pretty much an equal amount of time is spent on Kara’s dysfunctional relationship with her parents/charming brother, her childhood, current occupation, and struggle to live her while in the spotlight of being a Senator’s daughter. Throw in quite a large cast of sub characters, and I often found myself wishing there was more interaction between the main couple. For those reasons, this book really wasn’t just about romance, but family, as well.
Towards the end you fully appreciate how hard Logan has worked, not only to establish his restaurant, but to keep his family together after his mother’s departure. Unfortunately, his sacrifices have come at a price. He thinks he doesn’t have the ability to open his heart fully and ends up pushing Kara away. Hence, the major angst near the end. Frankly, I was frustrated that Kara simply didn’t back-off and give him more time. Certainly puzzled as to why it was an “all or nothing right now” deal breaker with her. Since I am a sucker for angst and the hero having to grovel to get his girl back, can’t say I was disappointed in the sweet, romantic ending. Here’s to hoping you will enjoy it, too. Rating: 4 stars.
Title: Taste: A Love Story, Pages: 312, Author: Tracy Ewens, stand-alone, HEA, few mildly steamy scenes/mostly behind closed doors, fade to black steaminess.
Book 1 – Premier: A Love Story, 10/27/14 (Peter & Samantha)
Book 2 – Candidate: A Love Story, 6/23/15 (Grady & Kate)
Book 3 – Taste: A Love Story, 10/27/15 (Logan and Kara)
(This review is based on NetGalley ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
Since Kara, a food critic, is currently writing a three part article about Logan’s farm-to-table restaurant, there is a lot of focus on him and his family’s business. Pretty much an equal amount of time is spent on Kara’s dysfunctional relationship with her parents/charming brother, her childhood, current occupation, and struggle to live her while in the spotlight of being a Senator’s daughter. Throw in quite a large cast of sub characters, and I often found myself wishing there was more interaction between the main couple. For those reasons, this book really wasn’t just about romance, but family, as well.
Towards the end you fully appreciate how hard Logan has worked, not only to establish his restaurant, but to keep his family together after his mother’s departure. Unfortunately, his sacrifices have come at a price. He thinks he doesn’t have the ability to open his heart fully and ends up pushing Kara away. Hence, the major angst near the end. Frankly, I was frustrated that Kara simply didn’t back-off and give him more time. Certainly puzzled as to why it was an “all or nothing right now” deal breaker with her. Since I am a sucker for angst and the hero having to grovel to get his girl back, can’t say I was disappointed in the sweet, romantic ending. Here’s to hoping you will enjoy it, too. Rating: 4 stars.
Title: Taste: A Love Story, Pages: 312, Author: Tracy Ewens, stand-alone, HEA, few mildly steamy scenes/mostly behind closed doors, fade to black steaminess.
Book 1 – Premier: A Love Story, 10/27/14 (Peter & Samantha)
Book 2 – Candidate: A Love Story, 6/23/15 (Grady & Kate)
Book 3 – Taste: A Love Story, 10/27/15 (Logan and Kara)
(This review is based on NetGalley ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
October 26, 2015
Anyone will tell you that the restaurant business is tough, and food critics like Kara Malendar make it even tougher. Kara is known for her scathing reviews in the LA Times food section and the word is that her recent review of the Marco Polo was “the last nail in the coffin.” Kara loves the power of her job, but she feels a twinge of guilt when she sees the Marco Polo shutting down. What kind of career is being a food critic anyway? Kara’s not even sure she likes eating anymore.
As the daughter of U.S. Senator Patrick Malendar from California, Kara has spent most of her life in the public eye. And since she was a young girl, her mother Bindi has instructed Kara on all points of public life, what to wear, how to stand, where to look, how to smile. Kara’s just about fed up and somewhere deep inside her a change is beginning to take place.
Meanwhile, Logan Rye is putting all his energy into his new restaurant, The Yard, which is quickly becoming the hip place to eat. Logan and his friend, Travis are great cooks with high standards and they insist on using fresh meats and home grown produce from the Rye family’s farm. In addition to the best ingredients, Logan knows that hard work is the key to The Yard’s success. After all, hard work is all Logan knows. He’s been his family’s caretaker ever since he can remember.
Logan is working too hard to have a personal life, but no matter. He was stung before, by a certain LA Times food critic and there’s no way he’ll let that happen again with her or any woman. He’ll leave the womanizing to Travis. But when Kara is assigned to write a three-part feature on The Yard, it’s only a matter of time before these two worlds collide. Can Kara and Logan overcome past hurts and let love in?
In Taste, Tracy Ewens has set the stage for another hip, modern romance with plenty of good-looking characters, tantalizing dialogue, and a classy amount of spice and steam. But there are also realistic ups and downs, grounding moments of family conflict and consistent themes of friendship, family and love because in the end, that’s what it all comes down to, isn’t it?
Taste is the third in the series of love stories by Tracy Ewens, which was brought to life by her first romantic novel, Catalina Kiss. In each love story, Ewens focuses on one or two characters, but all her characters’ lives and histories overlap, making for a nice continuum. Each book stands alone and I believe the series can be read in any order.
Taste is full of references to mouthwatering foods, sharp dressing, with a good amount of humor. It’s a fun escape with a fantastic finish, confirming the author’s belief in love and romance.
I received an ARC to review Taste, which will be released on October 27, 2015.
As the daughter of U.S. Senator Patrick Malendar from California, Kara has spent most of her life in the public eye. And since she was a young girl, her mother Bindi has instructed Kara on all points of public life, what to wear, how to stand, where to look, how to smile. Kara’s just about fed up and somewhere deep inside her a change is beginning to take place.
Meanwhile, Logan Rye is putting all his energy into his new restaurant, The Yard, which is quickly becoming the hip place to eat. Logan and his friend, Travis are great cooks with high standards and they insist on using fresh meats and home grown produce from the Rye family’s farm. In addition to the best ingredients, Logan knows that hard work is the key to The Yard’s success. After all, hard work is all Logan knows. He’s been his family’s caretaker ever since he can remember.
Logan is working too hard to have a personal life, but no matter. He was stung before, by a certain LA Times food critic and there’s no way he’ll let that happen again with her or any woman. He’ll leave the womanizing to Travis. But when Kara is assigned to write a three-part feature on The Yard, it’s only a matter of time before these two worlds collide. Can Kara and Logan overcome past hurts and let love in?
In Taste, Tracy Ewens has set the stage for another hip, modern romance with plenty of good-looking characters, tantalizing dialogue, and a classy amount of spice and steam. But there are also realistic ups and downs, grounding moments of family conflict and consistent themes of friendship, family and love because in the end, that’s what it all comes down to, isn’t it?
Taste is the third in the series of love stories by Tracy Ewens, which was brought to life by her first romantic novel, Catalina Kiss. In each love story, Ewens focuses on one or two characters, but all her characters’ lives and histories overlap, making for a nice continuum. Each book stands alone and I believe the series can be read in any order.
Taste is full of references to mouthwatering foods, sharp dressing, with a good amount of humor. It’s a fun escape with a fantastic finish, confirming the author’s belief in love and romance.
I received an ARC to review Taste, which will be released on October 27, 2015.
June 12, 2016
This was a free book from NetGalley.
Logan and Kara's liaison began 8 yrs from present day, when they met in Paris while attending college.They had a brief affair which was interrupted by the call of duty for Kara and her politically minded family and which left a bad taste in Logan's mouth.Fast forward a few years, and they meet again under different circumstances, when Kara is commissioned to write an article on Logan's newly opened and family run restaurant.Their initial meeting is peppered with resentment, double entendres and scathing remarks, but eventually they find a place of mutual respect and are able to proceed with the task at hand.As they get to know each other better and while Logan secretly fattens Kara up, they come to a realization that there were some half truths and secrets on both sides,and that their different lifestyles were a barrier to truly being open with each other.Kara begins to take control of her life, shedding her signature color in defiance of her parent's expectations, and with the approval and encouragement of her irreverent brother Grady.Logan in the meantime, tries to acclimatize to her world and does a spectacular job of it.No story would truly be worth reading if there weren't some sort of conflict that prevented happy ever after.Throughout the story, I really liked Logan and loved his convivial, fun-loving close-knit family, but at this point I began to see his snarky,jerk-like tendencies coming out.Kara was a saint not only in enduring this type of behavior, but still leaving herself vulnerable to him, while I quietly seethed at how non-confrontational she was.Logan's niece Paige, Kara's boss Olivia and Kara's late grandmother's Nana'isms provided light relief in the midst of all the emotional upheavals taking place.
This is not my first book from this author and once again she did not disappoint.I was anxious to read and know the back story about this member of the family, as he was mentioned in another book in the series.Miss Ewen is a great storyteller and her plots are realistic for the most part and well articulated,and she is able to easily evoke our sentiments and pull us into the story .We see acceptance and redemption take place once the characters painstakingly acknowledge their faults and take the necessary corrective steps.It was interesting to see how the title of the book was interwoven into the story at the end.I gave this book 4 stars only,not because of the author,but because I was really disliking Logan and thought he got off too lightly and I needed to express that.
I recommend reading the other books in this series.
Logan and Kara's liaison began 8 yrs from present day, when they met in Paris while attending college.They had a brief affair which was interrupted by the call of duty for Kara and her politically minded family and which left a bad taste in Logan's mouth.Fast forward a few years, and they meet again under different circumstances, when Kara is commissioned to write an article on Logan's newly opened and family run restaurant.Their initial meeting is peppered with resentment, double entendres and scathing remarks, but eventually they find a place of mutual respect and are able to proceed with the task at hand.As they get to know each other better and while Logan secretly fattens Kara up, they come to a realization that there were some half truths and secrets on both sides,and that their different lifestyles were a barrier to truly being open with each other.Kara begins to take control of her life, shedding her signature color in defiance of her parent's expectations, and with the approval and encouragement of her irreverent brother Grady.Logan in the meantime, tries to acclimatize to her world and does a spectacular job of it.No story would truly be worth reading if there weren't some sort of conflict that prevented happy ever after.Throughout the story, I really liked Logan and loved his convivial, fun-loving close-knit family, but at this point I began to see his snarky,jerk-like tendencies coming out.Kara was a saint not only in enduring this type of behavior, but still leaving herself vulnerable to him, while I quietly seethed at how non-confrontational she was.Logan's niece Paige, Kara's boss Olivia and Kara's late grandmother's Nana'isms provided light relief in the midst of all the emotional upheavals taking place.
This is not my first book from this author and once again she did not disappoint.I was anxious to read and know the back story about this member of the family, as he was mentioned in another book in the series.Miss Ewen is a great storyteller and her plots are realistic for the most part and well articulated,and she is able to easily evoke our sentiments and pull us into the story .We see acceptance and redemption take place once the characters painstakingly acknowledge their faults and take the necessary corrective steps.It was interesting to see how the title of the book was interwoven into the story at the end.I gave this book 4 stars only,not because of the author,but because I was really disliking Logan and thought he got off too lightly and I needed to express that.
I recommend reading the other books in this series.
November 2, 2015
This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com]
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
♦ I love finding a new author to enjoy. I liked Tracy Ewen's book Candidate: A Love Story as it was a romance that was different. So I was excited to read her third book in the series Taste. And I was pleased that it matched the tone and pace of Candidate. Sometimes a second or third book is not as good as the first you read and that was not the case here. There was a throw away scene in the previous book that I was very intrigued by and this book is the result. Taste features Kara, a senator's daughter, who is incredibly structured and follows her parent's decrees to the letter, including dressing in a signature color selected by her mother. The one bright spot in her life was a semester in Paris when she was 21. There she met Logan, a budding chef who helped to bring her out of her shell. Now, eight years later, Logan has a hopping new restaurant and Kara has retreated into herself once again. The blend of food, love and family made this a fantastic read. The world that Ewens has created in her A Love Story series is very real and I have high hopes for the next (fingers crossed) two books as I saw two distinct possibilities for new pairings in Taste. So I can confidently say Tracy Ewens is an author I will follow. She is also my Author Tuesday author for this week, so check out her interview and giveaway of Taste here.
◊ Favorite lines - "A hurricane-that's what you are. Beautiful, out of nowhere, cool rains on a hot day, incredible storm. I want a closer look, I want to close my eyes and soak the whole damn thing in, but I should know better. There's dust and wind. Shit, people get killed in hurricanes."
¤ Biggest cliché - "I have no room for love in my life. I have it all planned out."
Δ What author have you discovered lately?
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
♦ I love finding a new author to enjoy. I liked Tracy Ewen's book Candidate: A Love Story as it was a romance that was different. So I was excited to read her third book in the series Taste. And I was pleased that it matched the tone and pace of Candidate. Sometimes a second or third book is not as good as the first you read and that was not the case here. There was a throw away scene in the previous book that I was very intrigued by and this book is the result. Taste features Kara, a senator's daughter, who is incredibly structured and follows her parent's decrees to the letter, including dressing in a signature color selected by her mother. The one bright spot in her life was a semester in Paris when she was 21. There she met Logan, a budding chef who helped to bring her out of her shell. Now, eight years later, Logan has a hopping new restaurant and Kara has retreated into herself once again. The blend of food, love and family made this a fantastic read. The world that Ewens has created in her A Love Story series is very real and I have high hopes for the next (fingers crossed) two books as I saw two distinct possibilities for new pairings in Taste. So I can confidently say Tracy Ewens is an author I will follow. She is also my Author Tuesday author for this week, so check out her interview and giveaway of Taste here.
◊ Favorite lines - "A hurricane-that's what you are. Beautiful, out of nowhere, cool rains on a hot day, incredible storm. I want a closer look, I want to close my eyes and soak the whole damn thing in, but I should know better. There's dust and wind. Shit, people get killed in hurricanes."
¤ Biggest cliché - "I have no room for love in my life. I have it all planned out."
Δ What author have you discovered lately?
December 1, 2015
I enjoyed Taste: A Love Story by Tracy Ewens very much; so much so that I found myself staying up extra late to read this well written novel. The story revolves around the relationship between Logan Rye, a chef and restaurant owner, and Kara Malendar, a food critic and closeted artisan. They come from disparate backgrounds that deeply influence their present day lives. Logan's family owns a large farm and he even grows a garden that helps supply the restaurant with sustainable produce. Kara's father is the senior senator from the state of California and, from a young age, she has been pressured to be the perfect, always picture ready, daughter. Family plays a huge part in this book. In Logan's case, his is incomplete: his mother left when he was seven and her loss impacted him hugely. But his remaining family is warm, close and supportive. Kara's family dynamics are completely different and she frequently feels at odds with her mother, but there is still love. I liked all the characters in Logan's family and would enjoy reading more about them if they were featured in other books. I thought Grady, Kara's brother, was a wonderful brother: kind, loving, and always supportive of her. Though unseen, Kara's Nana has left her a legacy of love, sayings and a down to earth way of viewing the world.
I liked the pace and tenor of the book. While the attraction between Logan and Kara is strong and dates back to a few weeks in Paris years earlier, their current relationship develops and deepens over weeks and months, not days. I enjoyed the Southern California setting and the references to different places, including UCLA and Malibu.
While this book is "a love story," it is also about personal exploration and growth; the walls people erect to cope; the value of honesty in a relationship.
For all these reasons, I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are solely my own.
I liked the pace and tenor of the book. While the attraction between Logan and Kara is strong and dates back to a few weeks in Paris years earlier, their current relationship develops and deepens over weeks and months, not days. I enjoyed the Southern California setting and the references to different places, including UCLA and Malibu.
While this book is "a love story," it is also about personal exploration and growth; the walls people erect to cope; the value of honesty in a relationship.
For all these reasons, I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed are solely my own.
May 17, 2016
This book caught my interest the first few pages and kept it until it was finished. It was funny, touching, and basically everything felt very natural. The characters, both primary and secondary, were well-shaped, multi-dimensional, relatable, and likable. The story was mostly believable with just enough fantasy to keep it interesting, and I felt it was very well paced. The details about the area (Pasadena, primarily), food, restaurants, farms, journalism, political campaigns, etc. were just enough to paint the picture without killing it. (It can really bother me when an author goes into TOO MUCH detail about a characters career, hobby, lifestyle, etc.) The style really reminded me of a good rom-com movie that I might watch at least a few times.
Also like a good rom-com, their was enough sexual tension and just enough steaminess without crossing into the territory of traditional "romance novels." The sexy scenes weren't graphic, but weren't Doris-Day-Fall-onto-a-bed-end-scene either. :)
I really enjoyed the twists and didn't actually see them coming.
The fact that this is the 3rd in this series of books makes me pretty happy because that means Tracy Ewens has two more books I haven't read yet! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading something light but touching "romantic comedy" style.
* I received an ARC copy of this book from Tracy Ewens through NetGalley.
Also like a good rom-com, their was enough sexual tension and just enough steaminess without crossing into the territory of traditional "romance novels." The sexy scenes weren't graphic, but weren't Doris-Day-Fall-onto-a-bed-end-scene either. :)
I really enjoyed the twists and didn't actually see them coming.
The fact that this is the 3rd in this series of books makes me pretty happy because that means Tracy Ewens has two more books I haven't read yet! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading something light but touching "romantic comedy" style.
* I received an ARC copy of this book from Tracy Ewens through NetGalley.
November 9, 2015
I feel like I gained ten pounds while reading this. All of the food discussed made me hungry and made me want to run to my kitchen and start cooking something fancy and delicious. Fresh corn and tomato salad, melt-in-your-mouth brisket, freshly baked bread, grilled cheese sandwiches made with brie and granny smith apples and fig jam, olive oil hand-pressed by monks...seriously - I'm glad I'm going out to eat downtown tonight, because the lonely carton of eggs and yogurt in my fridge isn't going to cut it after reading about all of this good food.
The story itself centers on Kara and Logan. She, the "princess" daughter of a US Senator, and he, the "farm boy" son of an organic farmer, come from totally different backgrounds. They met in Paris while both were studying abroad at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, and had a short whirlwind romance, before parting ways on not so good terms. Fast forward eight years, and Kara is now a cutthroat restaurant critic for the LA Times, and Logan has just opened a trendy new restaurant called The Yard in an old hardware store and lumber yard. They meet again as Kara's father's election campaign leads them to a dinner hosted at Logan's restaurant. Soon after, her employer asks her to write a feature story on Logan, and they find themselves forced to deal with the past and with their true selves as they interact for the piece.
From Montmartre and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to an organic farm and Malibu beach house in California, this story and its imagery kept my attention. I really liked it and recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of the book to review.
The story itself centers on Kara and Logan. She, the "princess" daughter of a US Senator, and he, the "farm boy" son of an organic farmer, come from totally different backgrounds. They met in Paris while both were studying abroad at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, and had a short whirlwind romance, before parting ways on not so good terms. Fast forward eight years, and Kara is now a cutthroat restaurant critic for the LA Times, and Logan has just opened a trendy new restaurant called The Yard in an old hardware store and lumber yard. They meet again as Kara's father's election campaign leads them to a dinner hosted at Logan's restaurant. Soon after, her employer asks her to write a feature story on Logan, and they find themselves forced to deal with the past and with their true selves as they interact for the piece.
From Montmartre and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to an organic farm and Malibu beach house in California, this story and its imagery kept my attention. I really liked it and recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of the book to review.
December 6, 2015
This book has a lot going for it. Believable characters rediscovering romance eight years after a magical time together in Paris. And who wouldn't get turned on by a guy who loves to cook for a woman? The heroine, Kara, studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris where she met Logan. They shared Paris and gourmet cooking together. But their idyllic time together ended when she had to go back to her life as the daughter of a senator who has to be perfect so it doesn’t interfere with her father’s ambitions.
Now she’s lost that ability to live as the person she really is instead of as her father’s perfect daughter. She now writes nasty, but witty restaurant reviews that may destroy a family-owned business in one moment. She doesn’t like who she has become and is starting to feel remorse for being so witchy.
Logan now has poured everything into opening a new restaurant. He has never overcome the hurt he felt when she left him in Paris. And now they meet again when she is assigned to cover his new restaurant.
Of course, sparks, misunderstandings, and recriminations fly as well as great food. If you enjoy second-chance love stories and lovely, sexually-charged descriptions of eating wonderful food, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s well-written and I found myself caring about these characters and for their ability to work it out. And I wanted to go eat at Logan’s restaurant.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Now she’s lost that ability to live as the person she really is instead of as her father’s perfect daughter. She now writes nasty, but witty restaurant reviews that may destroy a family-owned business in one moment. She doesn’t like who she has become and is starting to feel remorse for being so witchy.
Logan now has poured everything into opening a new restaurant. He has never overcome the hurt he felt when she left him in Paris. And now they meet again when she is assigned to cover his new restaurant.
Of course, sparks, misunderstandings, and recriminations fly as well as great food. If you enjoy second-chance love stories and lovely, sexually-charged descriptions of eating wonderful food, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s well-written and I found myself caring about these characters and for their ability to work it out. And I wanted to go eat at Logan’s restaurant.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2016
Another good love story by Tracy Ewens
This is the second book I’ve read by Tracy Ewens and I liked it a lot. I’m not sure why but I had trouble getting into the book at first so I put it away for a while. When I picked it up again I had trouble putting it down to do things that life demanded of me. It’s a second chance love story – one of my favorite romance tropes.
This story is connected to Candidate but it stands totally on its own with an HEA and you won’t feel like you’re missing out if you don’t read Candidate (but you should read it because it’s good).
Logan and Kara met in Paris several years ago and had a “thing.” Kara’s real life pulled her back and Logan couldn’t accept that she’d lied to him about who she is. They meet again when Kara is assigned to do a feature story on Logan’s new restaurant. Whether they want it to be there or not the connection and sparks they felt in Paris are still there but both of them have things they must overcome to find their HEA. Logan is one of the most touching and vulnerable heroes that I’ve read in a while and Kara is a strong, yet tender hearted, heroine.
As I read more and more of this book I came to the conclusion that the reason I had trouble getting into it was not the writing but things that were going on in my life. This book is not a quick read; it’s meaty and feels realistic to me. There are several interesting secondary characters that I hope get their own books.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book I’ve read by Tracy Ewens and I liked it a lot. I’m not sure why but I had trouble getting into the book at first so I put it away for a while. When I picked it up again I had trouble putting it down to do things that life demanded of me. It’s a second chance love story – one of my favorite romance tropes.
This story is connected to Candidate but it stands totally on its own with an HEA and you won’t feel like you’re missing out if you don’t read Candidate (but you should read it because it’s good).
Logan and Kara met in Paris several years ago and had a “thing.” Kara’s real life pulled her back and Logan couldn’t accept that she’d lied to him about who she is. They meet again when Kara is assigned to do a feature story on Logan’s new restaurant. Whether they want it to be there or not the connection and sparks they felt in Paris are still there but both of them have things they must overcome to find their HEA. Logan is one of the most touching and vulnerable heroes that I’ve read in a while and Kara is a strong, yet tender hearted, heroine.
As I read more and more of this book I came to the conclusion that the reason I had trouble getting into it was not the writing but things that were going on in my life. This book is not a quick read; it’s meaty and feels realistic to me. There are several interesting secondary characters that I hope get their own books.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2016
* I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *
When I saw the synopsis for this book, I thought I was going to love it. I was so excited when it hit my Kindle that I couldn't wait to get started reading it. But then something strange happened: right away I disliked Kara, actually I *really* disliked her (that whole: "your food is crap" bit at the volunteer party was just unforgivable and pretty much set the nail in this character's coffin for me). I liked Logan and hoped that through his eyes I'd see a Kara who wasn't coming through when she wasn't with him, but nope. Regarding Logan, the author did a good job of giving me a feel for the type of man he was based on his interactions with his restaurant workers and his family, but when he interacted with Kara I often felt like I was reading a completely different character. Nothing about their interactions gave me any indication why he'd be so into her, and often times I had to re-read whole paragraphs to see if I was missing some important element or had skimmed over that aha! moment. Alas, no. I finished this book wondering if it would have been better if the author had created a story where Logan and Kara didn't have a backstory and the two had to fall in love based on who they were *now,* now who they had been in college. That said, given that I never felt that spark between them in the here and now I don't know how that would have played out. It seemed the author relied too much on their shared memories.
When I saw the synopsis for this book, I thought I was going to love it. I was so excited when it hit my Kindle that I couldn't wait to get started reading it. But then something strange happened: right away I disliked Kara, actually I *really* disliked her (that whole: "your food is crap" bit at the volunteer party was just unforgivable and pretty much set the nail in this character's coffin for me). I liked Logan and hoped that through his eyes I'd see a Kara who wasn't coming through when she wasn't with him, but nope. Regarding Logan, the author did a good job of giving me a feel for the type of man he was based on his interactions with his restaurant workers and his family, but when he interacted with Kara I often felt like I was reading a completely different character. Nothing about their interactions gave me any indication why he'd be so into her, and often times I had to re-read whole paragraphs to see if I was missing some important element or had skimmed over that aha! moment. Alas, no. I finished this book wondering if it would have been better if the author had created a story where Logan and Kara didn't have a backstory and the two had to fall in love based on who they were *now,* now who they had been in college. That said, given that I never felt that spark between them in the here and now I don't know how that would have played out. It seemed the author relied too much on their shared memories.
October 25, 2015
Kara met a guy named Logan when she was in Paris at culinary school. They hit it off right away, until she got summoned home by her parents for his senator campaign. Eight years later they meet again because Logan owns a restaurant that is catering an event for her father. After word gets out about his restaurant, Kara's boss wants her to write a feature for the paper about him and his restaurant. After spending time together working on the story their old feelings start to return but they both have a lot of baggage to work out if they want to be together.
I REALLY loved the first two books in this series, but found that I didn't love this one quite as much. It started out really good but then I thought it lost a bit of steam in the middle and dragged a bit. I think I expected there to be more conflict about how Kara left Logan in Paris. Especially after learning about how his mother abandoned him when he was 7 years old. He starts out saying that "she threw his heart in a meat grinder" but then towards the end he says he was relieved that things ended when they did because he didn't want her to get any closer anyway..? That was a little confusing to me. I DID love the way they tested each other and their playful banter. There were a few secondary characters introduced in this story that I am REALLY hoping get their own story. It was fun "seeing" Peter and Grady again too! I always love when past characters are included.
I REALLY loved the first two books in this series, but found that I didn't love this one quite as much. It started out really good but then I thought it lost a bit of steam in the middle and dragged a bit. I think I expected there to be more conflict about how Kara left Logan in Paris. Especially after learning about how his mother abandoned him when he was 7 years old. He starts out saying that "she threw his heart in a meat grinder" but then towards the end he says he was relieved that things ended when they did because he didn't want her to get any closer anyway..? That was a little confusing to me. I DID love the way they tested each other and their playful banter. There were a few secondary characters introduced in this story that I am REALLY hoping get their own story. It was fun "seeing" Peter and Grady again too! I always love when past characters are included.
December 2, 2015
This is the first book by Tracy Ewen I've read and I'm in awe of her ability to create such "alive" characters. There is no other word I can think of to describe how much Kara and Logan seem real, as if they are in the same room with me as I'm living their lives with them.
The way that this author weaves the back story with the present is seamless in that there is no momentum lost in the memories which serve to give poignancy to both Kara and Logan for so much time lost between their discovery of each other in Paris to reconnecting eight years later in Southern California.
The way Ms Ewen gave Logan the heart to nurture his fractured family after the loss of their mother, nearly brought me to tears. How Kara is effortless in her ability to see her own faults, and strengths, to find her true self on the way to helping Logan find his brought forth so many sighing moments...and a tear or two.
I especially enjoyed the humorous personalities of all the characters and the easy banter which brought forth the love they shared for each other is another stand out ability this author has. I am now looking forward to reading more of her work as I am now fixated on continuing with the stories of these characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The above is my own opinion and not a paid review.
The way that this author weaves the back story with the present is seamless in that there is no momentum lost in the memories which serve to give poignancy to both Kara and Logan for so much time lost between their discovery of each other in Paris to reconnecting eight years later in Southern California.
The way Ms Ewen gave Logan the heart to nurture his fractured family after the loss of their mother, nearly brought me to tears. How Kara is effortless in her ability to see her own faults, and strengths, to find her true self on the way to helping Logan find his brought forth so many sighing moments...and a tear or two.
I especially enjoyed the humorous personalities of all the characters and the easy banter which brought forth the love they shared for each other is another stand out ability this author has. I am now looking forward to reading more of her work as I am now fixated on continuing with the stories of these characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The above is my own opinion and not a paid review.
February 7, 2016
I absolutely adored this book! You meet Kara, a US Senator's daughter who is constantly in the spotlight of the media...and her critical mother's eye. She has kept her true self so hidden from the world that she almost feels she has lost who she is. Somehow she became a food critic for an LA paper.
Then you have Logan Rye who grew up on a farm and has opened a trendy farm to table restaurant in LA.
Kara and Logan met in Paris back when they were in college. Logan knew Kara as Winnie Parker then and they had the perfect relationship blooming. That was until Kara's parents sent someone to come bring her back home. Kara left Logan in Paris and broke both of their hearts.
Kara is now given the task of doing a three part write up on Logan's new restaurant. Will their love be given a second chance?
This book was considered Women's Fiction/Romance. This isn't some fast pace romance book where the characters are constantly in bed. This is much more about the struggles these two have to overcome and in their relationship as well as with their own selves. This is a love story that builds and builds over time. So much so that I felt there was a spot or two where the book dragged a little, but it was more to build depth to these characters.
Bottom Line: If you love a book about second chances, then check this one out! I loved it!
*I was provided a copy of Taste: A Love Story by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Then you have Logan Rye who grew up on a farm and has opened a trendy farm to table restaurant in LA.
Kara and Logan met in Paris back when they were in college. Logan knew Kara as Winnie Parker then and they had the perfect relationship blooming. That was until Kara's parents sent someone to come bring her back home. Kara left Logan in Paris and broke both of their hearts.
Kara is now given the task of doing a three part write up on Logan's new restaurant. Will their love be given a second chance?
This book was considered Women's Fiction/Romance. This isn't some fast pace romance book where the characters are constantly in bed. This is much more about the struggles these two have to overcome and in their relationship as well as with their own selves. This is a love story that builds and builds over time. So much so that I felt there was a spot or two where the book dragged a little, but it was more to build depth to these characters.
Bottom Line: If you love a book about second chances, then check this one out! I loved it!
*I was provided a copy of Taste: A Love Story by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
October 31, 2015
Thank you Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review!
Taste follows the story of Kara and Logan. Kara and Logan met in Paris 5 years ago while attending a culinary school. Things were seemingly perfect between them until a lie was exposed and it tore them apart. Now 5 years later, they are pushed back together when Kara must write a three part article on Logan's new restaurant, The Yard. Will their past continue to cause issues between them? Can they move on? Or will new secrets drive them further apart?
I really enjoyed this book. I previously read Candidate by the same author and loved it, and I loved Taste just as much. I loved the characters and their parents playfulness throughout the story along with their undeniable chemistry. I especially loved the way that both Kara and Logan's characters grew and evolved from beginning to end. I love when a story can showcase characters finding themselves along the way. The story was very well written and I enjoyed the storyline. One of my favorite things about the story was Kara's 'nanaisms', or quotes that her nana had said, as it reminded me very much of my own nana whom I loved deeply. It made this book a little more special to me. Overall this was a wonderful read and I would definitely recommend. I can't wait to read more from this author!
Taste follows the story of Kara and Logan. Kara and Logan met in Paris 5 years ago while attending a culinary school. Things were seemingly perfect between them until a lie was exposed and it tore them apart. Now 5 years later, they are pushed back together when Kara must write a three part article on Logan's new restaurant, The Yard. Will their past continue to cause issues between them? Can they move on? Or will new secrets drive them further apart?
I really enjoyed this book. I previously read Candidate by the same author and loved it, and I loved Taste just as much. I loved the characters and their parents playfulness throughout the story along with their undeniable chemistry. I especially loved the way that both Kara and Logan's characters grew and evolved from beginning to end. I love when a story can showcase characters finding themselves along the way. The story was very well written and I enjoyed the storyline. One of my favorite things about the story was Kara's 'nanaisms', or quotes that her nana had said, as it reminded me very much of my own nana whom I loved deeply. It made this book a little more special to me. Overall this was a wonderful read and I would definitely recommend. I can't wait to read more from this author!
April 2, 2016
5 stars
Taste is the first book by Tracy Ewans that I've read and I enjoyed it immensely and will certainly be on the lookout for more work from this author. The two main characters, Kara Malendar and Logan Rye, have a past. They met years ago, in Paris while attending the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, during their senior year of college. Things ended suddenly for them, and they never had contact again, until now.
Now Logan is back in southern California opening a new restaurant and helping out on his family's farm and Kara is a restaurant critic for the LA Times. Honestly, at first Kara seems like a real bitch, but as the story progresses it becomes clear there are reasons for her attitude. Logan on the other hand seems to have it all together at first, however as their relationship progresses it becomes clear that he has issues from the past of his own.
The pacing of the story was good and I enjoyed getting to know a lot of the secondary characters and finding out about the history of our H/h and of their families. Logan and Kara's is a story of a love lost and now found again. Miss Ewans has done a very nice job of building a world full of family, and food, and new beginnings. I happily give it five stars and I would definitely recommend this book to romance readers.
I received a copy from NetGalley in return for my honest review.
Taste is the first book by Tracy Ewans that I've read and I enjoyed it immensely and will certainly be on the lookout for more work from this author. The two main characters, Kara Malendar and Logan Rye, have a past. They met years ago, in Paris while attending the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, during their senior year of college. Things ended suddenly for them, and they never had contact again, until now.
Now Logan is back in southern California opening a new restaurant and helping out on his family's farm and Kara is a restaurant critic for the LA Times. Honestly, at first Kara seems like a real bitch, but as the story progresses it becomes clear there are reasons for her attitude. Logan on the other hand seems to have it all together at first, however as their relationship progresses it becomes clear that he has issues from the past of his own.
The pacing of the story was good and I enjoyed getting to know a lot of the secondary characters and finding out about the history of our H/h and of their families. Logan and Kara's is a story of a love lost and now found again. Miss Ewans has done a very nice job of building a world full of family, and food, and new beginnings. I happily give it five stars and I would definitely recommend this book to romance readers.
I received a copy from NetGalley in return for my honest review.
May 16, 2016
Kara Malendar misses the days when she was someone else. When Paris was her home and a gorgeous, talented young chef was into her. But life isn't about dreams or getting what you want. At least not when you are the daughter of a US Senator and his overbearing wife. She has a part to play. For God's sake she even has a color! One she detests mind you, but a color nevertheless. When her job as a food critic brings Logan Rye back into her life, Kara has to face her past and hope that being around the only man she's ever loved won't leave her broken forever. Logan Rye, the youngest son of the Ryeland Farms family, is a chef and knows exactly what he's doing with his life. Paris might have done a number on him, but he's recovered and now he has a restaurant run. He never expected to see the woman who broke his heart in his kitchen or to spend so much time together, but he would do it if it meant helping his business succeed. Too bad the more time they are together, the more things look like Paris all over again. Their desire is still there and while sleeping with Kara was never in his plans, he knows he will never turn her down. Kara and Logan's story is sweet, funny and has a few unexpected twists. Kara rediscovers herself, while Logan loses himself. They fall in love again and finding forever takes some give and take, but it is sweet and oh so sexy…
January 24, 2016
NOTE: I received a free copy through NetGalley.
2.5 stars (rounded to 3). I had a couple of issues with it, but cried a lot (that’s a good thing in my book).
Much as I love Beyonce and Fall Out Boy, the pop culture references got old fast. Why date your novel?
Some things blew over too fast:
The middle abandoned the topic of food and that was sad. I want the romance and the food!! It is called Taste, after all, and is a major connecting point between the h/H (both when they first met in Paris, and in the present day when they are re-connecting).
In addition to the fact that it didn’t make me laugh at all, even though it felt like it was trying to be somewhat funny. HOWEVER, it did make me cry multiple times, and I think that’s what makes such a satisfying book. I was reading part of it on a semi-crowded bus, and I still cried. And I’m really hoping something’s going on with Travis and McKenna.
2.5 stars (rounded to 3). I had a couple of issues with it, but cried a lot (that’s a good thing in my book).
Much as I love Beyonce and Fall Out Boy, the pop culture references got old fast. Why date your novel?
Some things blew over too fast:
The middle abandoned the topic of food and that was sad. I want the romance and the food!! It is called Taste, after all, and is a major connecting point between the h/H (both when they first met in Paris, and in the present day when they are re-connecting).
In addition to the fact that it didn’t make me laugh at all, even though it felt like it was trying to be somewhat funny. HOWEVER, it did make me cry multiple times, and I think that’s what makes such a satisfying book. I was reading part of it on a semi-crowded bus, and I still cried. And I’m really hoping something’s going on with Travis and McKenna.
October 28, 2016
I was given an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
This is my first book by this author. This is the third in the series. While previous characters were mentioned, I don’t feel like I missed anything by starting with this one.
Kara and Logan come from very different backgrounds. Kara’s father is a Senator. She has spent her life in the “political world” where she was expected to always be “on” and perfect. She built a separate life where she could be herself, involving food and art. I love Kara and Grady’s (her brother) relationship.
Logan is a chef who opens his own restaurant, going from farm to table. His mother left the family when he was young, and he never got over it. His dad and brother run the farm, and his sister runs the business part of the restaurant. They are a tight knit group.
These two have a lot to overcome, separate and together. While I felt the story dragged a little in the middle, I enjoyed this book. I like that it developed over months, not a week or two. I like the secondary characters. Seems like a bit of unfinished business with a couple of them, so I’m hoping to read about them in the next books! I already have book four cued up!
This is my first book by this author. This is the third in the series. While previous characters were mentioned, I don’t feel like I missed anything by starting with this one.
Kara and Logan come from very different backgrounds. Kara’s father is a Senator. She has spent her life in the “political world” where she was expected to always be “on” and perfect. She built a separate life where she could be herself, involving food and art. I love Kara and Grady’s (her brother) relationship.
Logan is a chef who opens his own restaurant, going from farm to table. His mother left the family when he was young, and he never got over it. His dad and brother run the farm, and his sister runs the business part of the restaurant. They are a tight knit group.
These two have a lot to overcome, separate and together. While I felt the story dragged a little in the middle, I enjoyed this book. I like that it developed over months, not a week or two. I like the secondary characters. Seems like a bit of unfinished business with a couple of them, so I’m hoping to read about them in the next books! I already have book four cued up!
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