Neki to vole vruće

Rising Star Chef #2

by Louisa Edwards

Seksi, slobodan, i slađi od svojih kolača, njujorški slastičar Danny Lunden pokušava se usredotočiti više na svoj slastičarski zanat, a manje na žene. Ima i razloga za to: približava se veliko televizijsko kulinarsko natjecanje u kojemu mora pokazati sve što zna. Na putu u Chicago upoznat će producenticu koja vodi to natjecanje, razmaženu bogatašicu Evu koja mu se, na prvi pogled, neće učiniti odviše simpatičnom. No jedan susret u dizalu i poljubac na koji će ih natjerati strast i tako uzan prostor promijenit će mnogo toga. Za ljubav se ne smije saznati da se Evi ne bi pripisao sukob interesa i sklonost Dannyjevoj ekipi, ali tko će dočekati kraj natjecanja i izdržati tu silnu strast koja je u njima i čeka mjesto i vrijeme u kojemu će postati stvarnost? Kako je pronašao sreću Dannyjev brat Max može se pročitati u romanu Pregrijavanje, a Neki to vole vruće slična je priča o ljubavi koja se rađa na snimanju popularne televizijske emisije. Duhovita je to i napeta ljubavna priča začinjena slasnim receptima kojima će Louisa Edwards, novo veliko ime ljubavnog romana, zarobiti srca mnogih čitateljica.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction, Cooking, Chick Lit

372 pages, Paperback

First published November 29, 2011

About the author

Louisa Edwards was born in Austin, but grew up in Virginia, where she started reading romance around the age of eleven. She graduated with honors from Bryn Mawr College and landed her first job in publishing as an Editorial Assistant at Berkley and built her own list of authors, earning a promotion to Assistant Editor.

Then real life romance ensued: Louisa married a journalist and moved to a small town in Ohio where she critiqued restaurants for the local paper and began writing the Recipe for Love novels, a series of contemporary romances with a strong culinary theme. Her debut novel, CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, was released by St. Martin’s Press in September 2009 to rave reviews. The second novel in the series, ON THE STEAMY SIDE came out in March 2010, followed by JUST ONE TASTE in September 2010.

The series will continue with TOO HOT TO TOUCH (on sale August 2, 2011), SOME LIKE IT HOT (November 29, 2011), and HOT UNDER PRESSURE (April 2012), a trilogy about a team of talented chefs in a high-stakes culinary competition.

Louisa recently moved back to Austin with her husband. They and their two dogs are already completely in love with it!

Reviews

[Shawna]

HOLY $%*&@^#!!!! Why waste a studtastic hunk like him in the kitchen?! With a smokin' hot body like that...take-out in bed would more than suffice! *grins*

[Mandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying this book really frustrated and disappointed me. This is the first I’ve read of this author, and unfortunately, this is not the book for me.

Danny Lunden and his team of chefs from his family owned restaurant, Lunden Tavern, have arrived in Chicago to compete in the Rising Star Chef competition. Now, per Danny, this competition “..is for the family, for the restaurant, for the future.” Danny is very focused and intense on winning this competition which pairs up his team (which represents the east coast) against four other regions of the United States. But, I never really understood why he is so worried about the fate of his family restaurant, one of many things not fully fleshed out in this book.

On the way to Chicago, he meets Eva Jansen who is in charge of the entire competition. And this is where I immediately start to have problems. Eva has the very rich and spoiled attitude going on. Very into herself which immediately grated on my nerves. So when Danny first meets her on the airplane, and starts lusting after her, I said, huh? Really? Danny, who comes across very low-key and extremely focused all of a sudden falls for the gorgeous, but rudely rich Eva? Now, we do learn early on that Eva had a bad childhood – her mother died when she was young and her father was not much of a parent. So we are led to believe she has a vulnerable side hiding under her more fake, put together outward appearance. But that side is very hard to connect with.

Once they get to Chicago, the competition sets up. Basically, these five teams will have cooking challenges, where at the end of the specified time, a panel of judges will decide who moves forward, and who goes home. This year, Eva is totally in charge, and desperate to prove to her father that she can handle this competition, To make it an even bigger deal, she has decided to have the Cooking Channel televise it, making it a true reality television show.

As I said, from the first time they meet, Eva and Danny are attracted to each other – so much so they fall into bed together quite quickly. Again, I still didn’t believe in their attraction to each other. To make matters worse, Danny, who is a contestant in the show, is sleeping with the head producer. We are reminded that Eva is not a judge:

“Unlike some people, I’m not a judge – merely the lowly panel moderator, there to set up a nice patter and keep the action moving.”


But not really.

Eva is in charge of setting up and creating the competitions, She also sits on the panel and samples the food – and at some points in the story comments on what she tastes. So she DOES have influence. As said in the book:

“I’ll still be running the competition, and of course tasting your food right alongside my father and the other judges.”

Plus, another judge, Claire, is Eva’s best friend and almost mother figure, and knows Eva is sleeping and having issues with Danny. This should be against the rules. Or at least discussed in the book. No one brings it up as an issue. Why not make it part of the conflict? Also, if Danny is so concerned about his family restaurant, why is he putting himself at risk with Eva? Can they really not wait a few weeks until the competition is done? The ethical lines crossed here are way too much for me to be able to enjoy this book. I just didn’t see it as realistic.

Eva’s father is also brought into the conflict. He was a non-existent parent to Eva growing up, and now she is doing everything she can to gain his acceptance. But his character felt very wishy-washy. It felt like he maybe was going to be the more villain character, but there were many times he came across as supportive. So I didn’t understand why he was the “bad guy” in the book.

We also get lots from the supporting characters – who are the other teammates on Danny’s team. And Claire has a fling with one of the other judges, Kane, which again just didn’t seem fully fleshed out. Claire is much older than Kane, and I assume their relationship started in the previous book in this series. She is uncertain of her future with Kane, because of the age difference, but the conflict never really pans out.

By the end, while Danny does admit Eva did things that were not always ethical her redemption and resolution with Danny and her father felt weak and forced.

This book starts with an unlikable heroine who I don’t think is sufficiently redeemed. Paired with an unrealistic reality tv show, and supporting characters who are not fleshed out well, this book is a very disappointing read.

Rating: D

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am actually only giving this book 3 stars because I continually wanted to lick the cover!! HOLY SMOKIN'HOT EIGHT PACK!!

That said, I was rather disappointed in this book. I am not a huge fan of the cooking, think I mentioned this before as I loathe the activity myself, but the characters in the first book intrigued me enough to make up for that. This one, not so much! I just couldn't bring myself to care to much about Danny or Eva, they were just Blah to me. It was actually the secondary characters that kept me reading this story. I love the relationship between sexy, southern rock star judge Kane Slater and Clair Durand, the classy French editor in chief of Delicieux Magazine. I would have loved to get more into that story. I know I am going to read book three simply to see where that relationship goes. Also because I know that the next book belongs to 'Beck' - the strong, silent brooding Chef on the team! Now he intrigues me, we get a little intro into his story in this book so I am actually looking forward to the next book in this series.

I think this one was just one of those books that I couldn't get into, nothing about it grabbed me, not the premise, not the characters, didn't really care about either all that much. Hope the next one in the series is better :)

[Ivana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first one

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining. It was engaging. I didn't want to put it down. But for some reason, this book just didn't have the normal "umph" that makes me normally fall in love with Louisa's books. The bad thing is...I have no idea why...maybe my hormones were out of whack when I read it?! I don't know, because I really wanted to love it. There just seemed to be too many things happening and not enough focus on the feelings between Danny & Eva.

What I did enjoy about this book was simply the food competition. I've watched tons of food challenges on the food networks and it's fun to see a fictionalized behind-the-scenes action that goes into it. I also really enjoyed all the character interactions. These characters in these books are so real and full of life. I talked about the various characters on my review of the first book, Too Hot to Touch, so I am not going to mention them all again, besides to say that I really like them and the variety of personalities that add so much to these books.

While I can't say that I loved this book quite as much as the others, it was still really good. I loved the competition. The friendships. The family issues between Max & Danny. The ongoing additional romance between Kane & Claire. The mystery about Skye & Beck. Win's gossiping. The differences between the teams. There is a lot going on in this book and all of it makes for good reading. I can't wait for the final book in this series!

[ineska · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totalno mi dodje da se zapitam gdje mi je glava kad biram ovako sta za citanje. Valjda izbija ono zensko u meni,pa pomislim da se hvatam kuharice .....a ne tamo nekog drparosa u koricama s tucenim slagom na vrhu. Radnja je ko i u svakom ispranom sundu za gnjusenje .... ono varnice na prvi pogled,sve se dimi,puca...to skace to vristi...to je jebozovno... a meni cijelo vrijeme na umu kako da se tavicom izlupam po glavi ili mikserom pocupam kosu od muke. Jedino sto je ova knjiga izazvala je glad...glad da obijem najblizu slasticarnicu i da se glavom bacim u prvu tortu (sahericu ako bas mogu birati) . jedino pozitivno je to sto je kuhar (slasticar) tamo neki sexy tip (a sta drugo) a ne neki debeli,masni,napaljenko koji se opija lavovom na saba zoru. valjda bi knjiga izgubila smisao... mada ju ni sad nema bas puno. Jednom rjecju ko voli nek izvoli...a ja od muke odo pravit palacinke... ovako nezadovoljena :D :D

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buku kedua dari RSC ini agak mengecewakan saya. Mungkin saya terlalu banyak berharap setelah buku pertamanya yg memuaskan saya. Di buku ini saya kehilangan banyak istilah-istilah eksotik ttg masakan timur dan barat. Lagipula novel kedua ini cenderung lebih ber-drama dan saya tidak suka itu.

Danny Lunden, si chef pastry ini gak menyangka akan tertarik pd Eva Jensen, si moderator yg kebetulan adalah anak dari bos pionir RSC ini. Saat semua mata terpaku penasaran pd Beck, si chef muka-sedatar-tembok tiba-tiba bisa memiliki emosi saat melihat Skye, chef dari Midwest, Danny sukses menyembunyikan hubungannya rapat-rapat dgn Eva. Tetapi Eva yg bekerja keras spy acara RSC-nya ini sukses membuat langkah kesalahan yg fatal. Eva berusaha mendramatisir hubungan Beck & Skye demi menggolkan rencana terselubungnya. Danny marah akan kelakuan Eva yg tidak punya integritas ini. Apakah mereka bisa berbaikan kembali?

Novel ini lebih seperti interregnum alias penghubung buku pertama dgn buku ketiga. Saya juga kurang demen dgn chemistry Danny dan Eva ini. Walau Eva mati-matian melawan stigma anak bos manja tapi saja tindakan-tindakannya (kebanyakan) membuktikan bhw Eva tidak mau dibantah/dilarang. Walau sesi kocak dari novel ini adalah saat Danny dan Eva kegep oleh bokapnya Eva.

Ketegangan kontes masak di novel ini gak se-tegang novel yg pertama. Tapi sesi finalnya masih menegangkan dan seru sih tapi ya entahlah... saya tetap merasa yg pertama itu lebih seru kontesnya.

Saya cuma berharap semoga buku terakhir, Beck & Skye mengembalikan aura keseruan kontes masak ini spt buku pertamanya saja.

[Nancy Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit slow to start, and not as spicy as some of the others in the series, but in the end it was a satisfying romance.

It may be that this was one was read out of order, but Louisa Edwards knows her food, her hot chefs, and the women who love them.

Danny Lunden, a pastry chef in his family's restaurant, is heading up the team of chefs representing the East Coast in a national contest that may end up on the Cooking Channel, but when he meets Eva Jansen, the contest coordinator, their chemistry may just derail his team's plans.

Eva, for her part, wants the contest to go well to please her father; she'll do almost anything to achieve it even if it means betrayal and jealousies among the chefs.

Is it possible to have a fair contest as well as a happily ever after for two ambitious, tightly strung people? Despite petty jealousies and betrayals, can romance prevail among not only the main protagonists, but some of the others as well?

There are always good recipes of some of the dishes the chefs prepare at the back of the book,too.

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gone Pecan

Favorite Quote: Danny slipped into the stool next to her, careful to keep his legs and arms from brushing against hers. He wasn't sure what would happen if they touched, but he was pretty sure it would get them thrown out of this bar and arrested for public indecency.

Danny Lunden takes care of people. He sees it as his responsibility to take care of those around him, make sure they have the kind of things they need, calm them down when they're anxious or upset. It's just the way he is. So when he sees his teammate and co-worker, Beck, is having a hard time on the airplane they're waiting to take off in to go to the RSC, he confronts the flight attendent and comes face to face with the reason for the hold up, Ms. Eva Jansen. Sparks fly, but Danny denies any attraction because he sees Eva as a spoiled princess.

Eva, on the contrary, is not really the diva she is known for being, but lets people think she is for appearance sake because her reputation in the restaurant community is essential to her and the Jansen image and empire. She takes one look and Danny and thinks, "Dessert!" She sets her sights on him just because she can and thinks a little mutual itch-scratching would be fun and entertaining. But Danny, despite his attraction to her, initially wants nothing to do with it because of her afore-mentioned reputation. But then they kiss and, damn, she's persistent. He doesn't stand a chance. And when she realizes how genuine Danny is, it's only a matter of time for Eva, too.

I am loving this series. I cannot lie that I was not all that interested in Danny's story initially. Maybe because he's not really an Alpha Man like I like, those take charge types that wear a girl down, but he seemed really laid back (aside from the constant fights he had with Max, his brother, in the first book of the series Too Hot to Touch) and he seemed like he would be the prey to Eva's predator. But that wasn't really the case after that first kiss.

I really liked Danny, he wasn't as docile as I thought he would be. He didn't just sit back and let things happen to him, he grabbed the reins a lot (wrestled them out of Eva's hands, actually). Danny showed vulnerability, but he wasn't a doormat. He was used to being the person who took care of things and that put him in a frame of mind that that's what people expect from him and made him somewhat resentful, but it was really more of a corner that he painted himself into.

Eva was another surprise. Really, that's always the case with people you think you know. Their behavior or demeanor shows one side, the side they think you want them to be, but inside they're full of contradictions and insecurities, even if it seems to be the opposite of their public face. Eva's relationship with her father was hard to witness. Their obvious love for each other belied expectations and disappointments on his part. She was very good at her job, which she made sure came first, but it never seemed to be enough for Theo Jansen. Every time he'd sigh and say, "so dramatic," I wanted to punch him...in the face...with a chair. Her behavior during the contest stemmed from trying to please him. So when Danny showed up, not really expecting anything, but willing to be there for her, take care of her, it made an impact on her. Eva expected her "relationship" with Danny to be limited, but they met each other at the most opportune time.

The auxiliary romance in this series is between Kane Slater, the twenty-something rock star, and Claire Durand, the forty-something French editor of a food magazine, both of them, along with Mr. Jansen, judges for the RSC. We were introduced to them in Too Hot to Touch and I loved their story.

All of the sudden, that look on her face made more sense. It was the same look he saw in the mirror every morning since he'd met her three months ago in New York.

It was hope.

And fear, too, with a little bit of impatience thrown in, because it was Claire, but still. Mostly hope.

They are very nearly complete opposites, but they are obviously made for each other. Again, it's all about perceptions. There is a lot of waffling on Claire's side because of the age difference and her need for privacy and their obvious lifestyle differences, but there is something about Kane that makes Claire not turn him away. We will get their resolution in the next book of the series, Beck's story, Hot Under Pressure. We do get a few peeks into Beck's mysterious background in this one and I liked it and cannot wait to read more about him.

I've kind of been in a reading funk lately, but I tore through this book. I think I liked this one better than it's predecessor. The main characters had more depth to them than I was expecting and I liked them more than I thought I would. And the competition itself was very well done, I enjoyed reading those parts of it. Eva and Danny burned the pages up, they were surprisingly made for each other.

4.75/5

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. –Harriet van Horne

Pastry chef, Danny Lunden is embarking on his first trip outside of his comfortable Manhattan life and heading to the windy city of Chicago to represent the East Coast in the second round of the Rising Star Chef Competition. A delay in takeoff causes the group to become antsy and Danny probes the stewardess about the hold up. He gets his answer when Eva Jansen, better known as “Eva the Diva,” steps onto the plane in five-inch Louboutins. After setting her eyes on Danny, she is all attitude and desire. This isSome Like It Hot not their first meeting, (she was the panel moderator in the competition’s first round) but this time, she is determined to add the sexy spice of Danny Lunden to her life while they are both involved in the competition.

Eva’s exterior is strong, straightforward, a little bitchy and a lot of steam. Inside, Eva is a very insecure, immature girl who has not quite grown up or given up the desire and drive to please her dad in the business world and prove to him that she can take over the competition when he retires. This drive proves to be a catalyst not only in her profession but also her personal life. Eva has no time for a relationship, let alone love. Danny questions if he has bit off more than he can chew by pursuing Eva and, in turn starts to doubt if his team will pull through to the finals. He further wonders if Eva’s sexual attraction and desire for him will fizzle out like a fallen soufflé once he returns home and she takes over as director of the competition.

Upon finishing the first book, Too Hot To Touch, my heart pulled for Danny. His character left a lasting impression in my mind and I could not wait for his book and well deserved HEA. Danny is the fixer, the protector, the encourager, and puts himself last among family and friends with regard to gratification and happiness. For me, it was unrealistic that Danny could be attracted to a woman like Eva. Eva. Whew! I expected her bold personality and drive for success after being introduced to her in the first book. What I did not expect was how flippant she was to using men and pursuing “no strings” sex. Eva’s first impression left me with an irritation that was hard to shake. There were too many incidents and miscommunications between Eva and Danny that when they did admit their feelings and became a couple, it felt forced and I didn’t know if I even wanted it. I had really hoped for an emotionally stronger woman for Danny and Eva just did not measure up.

Now on to what I enjoyed. My mixed feelings about the pairing were offset by Ms. Edward’s gift for penning multi-dimensional characters that the reader invests in from book one. Once again, we not only get the story of Eva and Danny, but we witness the continued fear and uncertainty of Claire’s feelings for her younger lover, Kane. We re-visit Max and Jules in the throws of bliss now that they have a solid relationship. (I was glad to confirm that Danny never viewed Jules as anything other than a sister figure after being best friends for so long.) Also, we get a better understanding of Beck’s personality and an introduction to who his love interest will be in his upcoming book.

Once again, Ms. Edward’s seasoned her love scenes with intensity and intricate detail, crafting memorable and steamy scenes that are so hot, you’ll need a fire extinguisher nearby. And while providing a savory pursuit of love, Ms. Edward’s subtlety shows the power of forgiveness between real, flawed characters. Finally, we witness more scrumptious dishes prepared with love and care as the East Coast team pulls out all the stops to qualify for the finals of the Rising Star Chef Competition. Although Eva was not initially my choice for Danny, in the end she took a great professional risk to prove how much she cared for Danny. This gesture of sincerity and honesty was believable and conveyed the start to a maturity I longed for in a mate for Danny.

Favorite Quote:“Licking her lips, Eva prepared to ignore Danny’s demand and dive back in for more of the addictive, smoke-salt flavor of him, which she could still taste on her tongue. But he shook his head, stopping her, and stroked the backs of his bandaged hands down the sides of her face. It was a strange sensation, the soft cotton gauze not as warm or as rough as his callused fingers, but it was the expression on his face that melted her insides. Danny looked as if he thought she was the edible one-and he was starving.”


Originally posted at: http://www.fictionvixen.com/2011/11/r...

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was posted at Under The Covers

Yes! Just look at THAT cover! Ohhhh Danny boy! I had a feeling I was going to like you, but I loved you! :) So the Rising Star Chef competition continues and the remaining teams go to Chicago for the first real round of the competition.

Danny is feeling the heat because he's always been the teams Mom and now with Jules and Max a little preoccupied on other things he's picking up the slack. But he's only human after all and his body is a traitorous thing because he seems to always gravitate toward the spoiled little rich girl, and the host for the competition, Eva Jensen.

But actually Eva is not what she pretends to be. She's put on this act or mask all throughout her life but truly she's just a little girl looking for appreciation and understanding. And Danny knows all about that, he feels much the same way about his role in his family.

In their very different worlds these characters were a lot alike and I can only say that these two had some amazing chemistry!

This is still a fluffy contemporary read but I enjoyed it a lot more than the first book. I truly liked both characters and I'm sooo intrigued with the secondary story brewing in the background here which was the setup for the next book. Beck and Skye have some history and I can't wait to see what it is.

And speaking of secondary stories, the saga continues between Kane and Claire. I understand a bit more where the first book came from because I thought we were going to be left hanging but now I see their story will develop throughout the series. And I really liked them in this book. She's older and more sophisticated, he's the young rockstar. Some highs and some lows with them in this book, I'm ready for the next one.

Favorite quote:
"Saint fucking Danny, patron of horny, self-denying chefs."

[fleurette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t like it. The first 40 percent was just boring and the rest was annoying.
Also, I hated Eva. She is so sex-oriented and selfish, she doesn’t care that Danny is in the most important competition in his life. It even doesn’t bother her that he is in a state of shock after burning his hands with a hot pot. The hell with shock, she is so heated up. And later on she makes some really stupid things.
Plus the ending is an unbearable bloodbath of love, forgiveness and joy. It is so sweet, it hurts.

[20012206 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5, me gusto más que la otra..

[sandra]

DNF 7%

Hace como 10 años que leí el primer libro (o cuarto, depende del orden) y ya daba por abandonada esta serie (vaya, que recuerdos de ese libro not found). Pero anoche lo vi y me picó la curiosidad, sobre todo después de leer en la sinopsis que el protagonista es chef pastelero. Y, en fin, la cabra tira para el monte y todo eso.

La cosa es que a las 10 páginas de empezar, justo cuando se topan los protagonistas en un avión, yo ya veía por donde iban los tiros. Una cosa que detesto cada vez más con el paso del tiempo es la lujuria inmediata. Ya ni siquiera es el isntalove, no, que también. Pero me revienta que en el primer encuentro entre los protagonistas ya estén babeando por el otro, con pensamientos posesivos y todo ese rollo que no me mola nada.

Por ejemplo:

«En un nivel visceral, todo lo que pudo pensar fue mía.»
3%

Esto piensa Danny justamente 3 segundos después de conocer a la protagonista.

Ella no se queda atrás:

«Ella se sentó en el sillón de cuero de su asiento de primera clase, con la cabeza llena de imágenes de la indescriptiblemente deliciosa boca de Daniel Lunden y la firmeza en su apretada mandíbula.»
4%

«Permitiéndose un delicioso escalofrío mientras recordaba el electrificante momento en que su cuerpo rozó el suyo cuando maniobraban en los estrechos confines del aeroplano, Eva trató de recordar la última vez que tuvo a un chef pastelero en su cama, con todo ese delicioso rigor dirigido hacia ella. Había pasado un tiempo. Tal vez era el momento de remediar eso.»
4%

Recordemos que ella acaba de tomar asiento en el avión, tras la... "disputa" que tiene con Danny, 3 segundos antes. Y ya está en ese plan.

«El reto Daniel Lunden presentaba fuego en sus nervios con más energía de la que hubiese sentido en los últimos dos meses.»
5%

«Pero cuando vio a Lunden de pie en el pasillo del avión, con sus manos de largos dedos descansando en sus caderas como un guerrero vengador, todo el cansancio, nerviosismo e inseguridad se fundieron en una hoguera de excitación y lujuria.»
5%

No lo jures, tía.

«Feliz y dulce, esa soy yo. O seré, una vez que consiga un poco del azúcar de ese atractivo chef pastelero.»
6%

Me puedo imaginar cómo sigue. Y no es una idea que me apasione. Así que,

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Contemporary romance is my favorite subgenre because the books in that category are filled with sexy and entertaining stories that are just plain fun to read. Louisa Edwards’ books are a fine example of the genre and Some Like It Hot is no exception.

This is the second book in the Rising Star Chef series and if you’re new to it you should know that the series follows our leads through a cooking competition where teams representing restaurants from all over the country battle it out in order to win. In the first book the protagonists were Juliet Cavanaugh and Max Lunden, both members of the same team, in this book the leads are Max’s younger brother, Danny, the team’s pastry chef, and Eva Jansen, the contest’s host and the person in charge of all the behind the scenes.

Eva is a socialite with a reputation of being a party girl, and Danny is the guy who takes care of everything and everyone, so at first he isn’t impressed by Eva’s antics and her apparent diva behavior. But when Danny starts to see the woman behind the socialite and realizes how hard she is working in order to have a successful competition, he realizes that there’s more than meet the eye and his attraction develops into something more. But when you decide to have an affair in the middle of a stressful competition, you could lose more than your heart.

The best part about this book is the characters, especially the main ones. I knew Danny was going to be special ever since reading the first book. He isn’t your typical alpha-male, possessive guy, that’s not the type of hero Ms. Edwards writes, there’s plenty of hotness there, but he also has a big heart and he isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. This is a guy who is used to be the voice of reason, the middle ground and the protector. Behind his laid back exterior lies a man who cares deeply for every person around him and is used to be the one everyone relies on. When his brother Max left town to be a wandering chef, he took charge of both his family and the family business, he made a lot of sacrifices in order to be what everyone else needed and lost himself a bit in the process. I liked him because it was obvious that he was somewhat resentful of his brother and of the whole situation, but he never indulged in self-pity, and made the best out of a crappy situation. And then he meets Eva, who happens to be just what the doctor ordered.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t like Eva. She is a bit of a wild child and very confident in her sexuality, I don’t particular like this type of characters, not because I want my heroines to be virgins, but because they don’t usually have much depth. That’s not the case with Eva. She isn’t afraid to get what she wants but she also has her issues. She has a very difficult relationship with her father and only wants to get his approval. But her daddy-issues were not the reason why she had such a long track record with men. Yes, she had commitment issues, but she also loved men, so what if she wants to have lots of sex and party all night? I was glad that Ms. Edwards didn’t go the easy route and magically turned her into a nice girl all of a sudden, by the end of the book she gets her happy ending with the man she loves, but she is still a party girl at heart.

There’s a recurring secondary romance that started in the previous book and continues here. It involves two of the competition’s judges and as usual there’s a twist because Ms. Edwards likes unconventional couples. In this case the romance is between forty-two-year-old Claire Durand, the sophisticated and very French editor of a prestigious magazine, and twenty-something Kane Slater, the sexy rock star and famous foodie. Their story doesn’t have a resolution yet but I like it very much, it’s an unlikely pairing, not so much because of the age difference but because of their lifestyles, but it works, there’s a lot of chemistry between them and as usual I’m trying to figure out how on earth are they going to make it work. I’ll have to wait and see.

If you are a fan of the series you will be happy to know that we find out more about Beck, the mysterious chef that’s an integral part of the team and the next book’s hero. Among other things we get just a tiny glimpse at his past, which is quite unexpected, and we meet his heroine, a very charming lady that couldn’t be more different from Beck even if she tried. I can’t wait to read their book and I have a feeling that it will be my favorite.

My main issue with this book was the obvious conflict of interest between Danny and Eva. There’s a lot of emphasis made on the fact that Eva isn’t a judge so she isn’t involved in the actual process of choosing the winner, but she is the host, she tastes the dishes and offers her opinion and she is the daughter of the competition’s owner, so how can someone see their relationship and not cry foul play? I was expecting this to be the main conflict of the book but it wasn’t, and I was very surprised by that. I appreciate the fact that the conflict came from within the characters and their issues and insecurities, but since the competition is such a huge part of the overall story I was not only surprised, but even a little disappointed by how this was downplayed. No one was concerned, not even the other teams. Granted, their relationship wasn’t really public, but enough people were aware of it as to raise some questions about the competition’s integrity. It definitely had me raising my eyebrow.

I think this book stands alone fairly well, but the overall story arch started in the first book and I think this series should be read in order to get the full extent. Also, Danny’s journey begins in Too Hot To Touch and you can actually see how he grows and matures so is best to read them in order.

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think you will too. If I had to define it using just one word I would say mouthwatering, there are plenty of food descriptions that are to die for, especially when it comes to the pastries, but there are some scorching hot sex scenes as well, so you will find yourself drooling more than once (and Danny was dreamy!).

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book from the author and publisher for review purposes.

[Paolita Arce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gustó. No puedo decir otra cosa más. Si bien ya sabes como termina todo desde el inicio, es decir, sabes que Danny y Eva van a terminar juntos, la forma en que se desarrolla la historia es buenísima. Amo los momentos románticos, que no son empalagosos, y te hacen decir "owwww", y las escenas de sexo no son descritas asquerosamente, lo que es perfecto. Hay ese toque erotico, pero no vulgar, porque el sexo no es lo más importante de esta historia, no se trata de dos tarados que tienen sexo capítulo tras capítulo. No. Es una historia de amor! Es la historia de como van evolucionando tanto Eva como Danny para por fin poder estar juntos. Amo también la competencia de la cocina, siento que estoy viéndolo en la tele, me emociono con los retos y siento que veo a los jurados y los concursantes. De verdad, me gustó mucho la historia. Ahora veamos si la tercera entrega logar mantener el ritmo y ser tan buena como sus predecesoras.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cooking competition was still the main attraction but this one offered more in the relationship field. I could feel the chemistry between Eva and Danny and the love affair between Claire and Kane took on a new level
I don't quite like that all the characters fell in love in first sight, but it might be forgivable due the short time the writer had, only within the competition. What was not great was Ms. Edwards has a tendency to only have spotlight for the main characters while others disappeared into background. For example, here the spotlight is for Danny and Eva, while Max and Jules who were the main characters from the first book almost invisible here. Only Winslow get the special treatment, but maybe because he won't get his own book
I am not crazy about the way things resolved between Eva and Theo, too easy for a complicated father-daughter relationship
But all the cakes and pastries, they made my mouth watered. Yummy

[HB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eva was kinda annoying. Louisa Edwards writes really selfish female characters. The other one I really didn't like was Miranda, from the first book in the series. Found myself being more invested in Beck and Skye. Skimmed through the parts between Danny and Eva because I really didn't like the premise of their relationship. Even if they claim that everything is above board, it is just not fair for the coordinator of the competition to date a contestant.

[Valentina Liber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Priča mi se jako svidjela i drago mi je što su Danny i Eva ostali zajedno usprkos svim nedaćama koje su ih zahvatile.

[Blessie (Mischievous Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review from: http://mischievousreads.blogspot.com/

Rating: 3.5

Some Like It Hot is a good read, but not something I would want to return to. This would be my 5th Louisa Edwards book, and I am slightly unhappy at how this book turned out to be.

In this second installment of the Rising Star Chef series, Daniel Lunden travels with the crew to Chicago to represent the East Coast in the Rising Star Chef Competition moderated by the spoiled, rich princess Eva Jansen. The competition gets hotter and heavier with eliminations and Danny plans to make sure his team makes it to the finals for the sake of his family and the business.

Danny Lunden looks after everyone. Despite being the second Lunden brother, he acts like the eldest, always putting other people first before himself. And it's always been that way. In every crisis, he's the one who stays sane and watches out for the welfare of every one in his team - and even other people.

So when the fancy Miss Eva managed to delay a flight's departure and made his teammate uncomfortable, he knew he was supposed to loathe her lifestyle and probably her personality. But why can't he keep away after a night of pure bliss?

Meanwhile, Eva Jansen, she may be a spoiled brat, but not for the reasons Danny thinks. She's an insecure motherless daughter with the sole dream of making her father, the real bossman of the competition, proud. She may be the wild child, but she's working on a change. Upon stepping up to be the producer of the Rising Star Chef competition, she vows to get the cooking competition on the national big screen, the way her late mother would have wanted it. But the moment she laid eyes on Danny, she knew she had to have him, even for just one night.

Despite their extreme differences - Danny a low-key family man and Eva the awfully gorgeous yet rude princess (with daddy issues)- they are attracted to each other, that they fall into bed a little too quickly.

Insert concern: Eva is the producer of the show and she's sleeping with Danny, a contestant. But the book reminds that she is not a judge... YET, she takes part in the food tasting. Isn't fraternizing romantically with the contestants supposed to be against the rules? But it was neither mentioned nor discussed properly, just a brief chat between her and her father. And with Danny showcased as someone who's a family man and that he aims to win for the family, why would he risk his team's standing in the competition? The secret affair between them both would have made the perfect conflict, or rather, an addition to the actual conflict mentioned in the story.

Their attraction to each other was not as appealing as I expected. I was expecting their relationship to be an entirely secret love affair, with high risks of getting disqualified from the competition once they've been found out. But instead, their relationship had been so obvious that even Eva's close friend and somehow "mother", Claire, also knows about it. AND EVEN HER DAD! And these people are the mind and body of the soul, with Claire being the head judge and Mr. Jansen, the army head of the competition. In fact, with these two knowing, it should pose as a total threat. But unfortunately, this was not one of the dramas included.

The way the food was written in the book was something I was fascinated in, because it felt truly realistic, and I could imagine a real reality cooking show in my head as I read. The dishes and the methods were elaborated properly, like a true chef was actually dictating a recipe for me.

But if I were to minus the food and cooking from the book, the whole story plot of Eva and Danny was truly bland that it did not appeal to me, unlike Max and Jules's relationship from Too Hot To Touch. For me, the characters lacked consistency, ergo, the relationship resulted to be too mixed up that it grew apart from what should have been the main conflict in the first place.

What actually got me to continue reading this book after a really long hiatus (probably like almost two weeks) are the auxiliary characters: Claire and Kane. With their extreme differences, from age, attitude, personality, lifestyle and what not, they make the are beautifully paradoxical. Claire is the angel, while Kane is the devil. A beautiful, classy, French woman of high status and a devishly gorgeous rockstar. What I wish was that these two should have had their own separate book. Oh the intensity of these two are absolutely beyond extreme. Even without elaborated sequences, I preferred their relationship to Danny and Eva's. And such a cliffhanger at that! Perhaps Ms. Edwards would talk about their relationship more in the third book.

FOR MORE REVIEWS:

[Ris · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Some Like It Hot we find pastry chef Danny Lunden and his crew in Chicago using their culinary expertise to wow the judges and hopefully move them forward to the final round of the competition which will take place in San Francisco in the third and upcoming book. If you’re a fan of the Food Network or the Cooking Channel you’ll find yourself immediately delighted by the complicated challenges each group of chefs must face. Seriously, you’ve seen these kinds of challenges on TV – challenges like “tell a story about the city of New York through food only using ingredients you can find in the gourmet store at Grand Central Station”. (Actually, that was a real challenge given to the chefs on the reality show “The Next Iron Chef”.) What I find particularly exciting is that Ms. Edwards puts you right in the action immediately giving you the feeling of tension, excitement and creativity as each chef has to create and execute the perfect winning dish in an amongst the madness that is a kitchen filled with egos, heat and deadlines.


If you love ‘opposites attract’ romances, then you’ll fall in love with Danny and Eva. They couldn’t be more different. But just like peanut butter and chocolate the odd combination seems to be the perfect bite of deliciousness. He’s a hard working New York pastry chef who has spent his entire life working in his family’s restaurant in the West Village. She’s a pampered only child of a wealthy restaurateur who has spent her life traveling the world as a party girl. In fact her nickname is ‘Eva the Diva’. He has a need to take care of everyone. She has a need to experience all that life has to offer; and they both have a need to please their fathers.

Eva is producing this year’s Rising Star Chef Competition and there’s a lot riding on this one. She needs to prove to her father that she can make this competition both successful and lucrative and she’ll do anything to make that happen. She’ll even go so far as to entice the Cooking Network to film this year’s competition as a reality show. However, she’s interested in showcasing new and emerging culinary talent while the Network is only interested only in the drama. The antics that are part and parcel of producing a reality show are pretty spot on. Being a television producer and having worked on shows exactly like this, I know from firsthand experience that there is always a mandate from the network to “bring more drama” - even if you have to create it.

Danny needs to put all his focus on the cooking, he wants his family’s restaurant back on top, and the one way to do that is to win this competition. He has absolutely no need for television cameras and drama, but drama is definitely on the menu. It’s kind of hard to avoid, in fact it’s a given since he’s falling hard for Eva, the moderator and sponsor for the competition.

The supporting characters are just as fleshed out and three dimensional as Eva and Danny. Their passion for food is a metaphor for their passion for life, and Ms. Edwards is able to bring all the ingredients together to give us a funny, sometimes poignant, but always spirited look at both food and romance.

Some Like it Hot is a unique, witty, and romantic read with characters that are challenging and interesting. The series as a whole is fun and exciting, and Ms. Edwards’ descriptions of each amazing and mouth watering meal had me running to the kitchen in search of a some tasty morsel, but it’s her ability to capture the heart with each new romance that keeps me reading her books.

[Natalia Paez · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating for this book is 4.2 stars.

Este es nuestro pastelero favorito Danny, el chico que cuida de todos y que pone a todos antes de pensar en el, PERO que aprende y conoce a esta chica loca que esta fuera de su alcance y por la que no quiere perder su tiempo, pues es una hija de papi.... o eso piensa.
Danny tiene que arreglar muchas cosas, con Max, con su vida y su forma de vivirla. No todo tiene que recaer en él y es algo que le cuesta, pero que a medida que transcurre la lectura puedes acompañar a Danny en ese proceso de cambios que se tienen que hacer para encontrar una paz interior y poder disfrutar la vida.

Esta pareja es algo extraña y poco peculiar, pues un sexy y sencillo pastelero y una ultra chica rica y famosa no son una combinación común y por eso, ellos deben sufrir muchas pruebas para darse cuenta que juntos son mejor y mas fuertes. Me gusta esta historia a pesar de que ocurre de una forma basica, casi ni te das cuenta, va como una corriente siempre constante hasta mas o menos el final.

Es buena y me gusto mucho.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars...???

These covers are killing me! What chef in his right mind cooks without a shirt? Yes, I know... bare male chests are selling books right now. You can tell simply by perusing book covers these days, and not just full-on romance genre books either.

The 2nd book in the series is about Danny and Eva... an unlikely combination. I'm still not sure how these two are going to make it work. Then again, Kane and Claire fascinate me with whether they can work, too.

The strangeness of this book is mostly in the timing. So much happens in such a compressed amount of time, and yet, we're told that this phase of the RSC competition is a month-long. Huh? How many chefs can afford to take a whole month off to compete? How many restaurants can give up their chefs for a whole month? And one restaurant is shut down for the entire month for the competition. Hmmm... Seems to me like this whole thing could have happened in a week or 2 at most. Yes, I realize these points are all mentioned as Eva's motivation for what she does to keep the RSC going, but still...

But there's plenty of heat! At the beginning, it's between more than just Danny and Eva, but soon, almost everyone else is forgotten, with the exception of Kane and Claire. I realize that authors have to zero in a bit on their main characters and story lines, and I also realize that book 3 will likely take care of the hanging part of this full story arc, but still... What happened to Max and Jules? They're there, but barely. Yes, they're shacked up in their own room, but during the competition, they're supposed to be in it. Yet, we barely see or hear of their existence during the competition. Towards the end, Jules seems to remember that she's Danny's friend again.

And when did DANNY become the leader of the group? I thought that was Jules or Max... or Jules and Max? Yes, Danny has a lot of the "responsibility" for the team on his back, always had; but he always ceded that to Jules. Suddenly, Danny's the guy who takes care of everyone and everything. In the 1st book, that seemed to be Jules; or was it Danny and Jules? See? I'm lost.

Not that Danny acts out of character. The focus is so sharpy on Danny and Eva, that the nuances of the whole Lunden Team just seems lost. And that's a bit sad to me. The book could be richer for the time that the team spends together being more like THEIR TEAM and less like the Danny-show.

When Danny burns his hands, it seems like the incident is just a convenient way to get Danny and Eva together. There is hardly any kick-back from Danny's team (OK a small explosion the next morning) or affect on Danny and his part in the competition after the incident. Again, what seems like it could have been a "good thing" is swept under the rug to hurry us into a very fast intimacy between these two, who've been hot for one another since the initial plane ride.

Hoping for more in book 3. But the series is enjoyable, and I like the mixing of the chef/cooking/judging/competition/recipe stuff with the romance.

[Valérie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second tome de sa série culinaire, j'ai replongé avec grand plaisir dans cet univers découvert avec Toqué de toi et la fine équipe du restaurant Au plaisir des sens. Cette comédie romantique au ton très moderne, vive et pétillante, légère est comme la précédente une romance contemporaine divertissante très agréable à lire. L’association cuisine et amour est toujours une vraie réussite et L’auteur Louise Edwards s’en donne à cœur joie pour nous raconter une histoire d’amour romantique et sensuelle entre un pâtissier craquant et une présentatrice au caractère bien trempé.


Notre héros c'est Danny le jeune frère de Max (héros du premier tome) le chef pâtissier de la brigade, ce n’est pas un alpha-mâle typique, possessif, c’’est juste un homme avec un grand cœur qui n'a pas peur d'être vulnérable, habitué à être raisonnable il passe pour conventionnel. Mais derrière son apparence décontractée se trouve un homme qui se soucie profondément de chaque personne autour de lui et est surtout celui sur lequel tout le monde on s'appuie. Lorsque son frère Max a quitté la ville pour être un chef errant, il a pris en charge sa famille et l'entreprise familiale, il a fait beaucoup de sacrifices pour maintenir l’ensemble. Eva Jansen, passe pour une diva capricieuse qui ne se refuse rien et est arrivée à cette position uniquement grâce à son riche papa, très confiante dans sa sexualité et son physique, on pourrait penser qu’elle n’a pas vraiment de profondeur. Ce n’est pas le cas d’Eva, elle n’a pas peur de se battre pour ce qu’elle veut obtenir, elle dissimule derrière un masque de nombreux problèmes dont un relationnel avec son père mais c’est un caractère fort et quand elle décide de croquer dans la délicieuse pâtisserie que représente Danny, le pauvre est perdu.


Le charme de ce second tome ne réside pas uniquement dans le couple formé par Danny et Eva, dans le précédent volume, il y avait une romance secondaire qui continue ici. Il s'agit de deux des juges de la compétition, un couple non conventionnel, constitué de Claire Durand, dans la quarantaine, éditrice sophistiquée et très française d'une revue prestigieuse, et de Kane Slater, star de rock sexy et célèbre fin gourmet. Ce n’est pas encore dans ce volume que vous trouverez une conclusion à leur histoire mais elle est un atout précieux non pas à cause de leur différence d’âge mais plutôt de leur mode de vie en complète opposition. On se demande comment malgré l’alchimie qui existe entre eux ils vont pouvoir réussir à construire une relation dans le temps.


Mon seul bémol mais alors tout petit c’est que Louisa Edwards a très peu mis en valeur le conflit qu’aurait pu engendrer le fait que Danny était en compétition et qu’Eva soit la fille de celui qui a créé la compétition. Aucun membre des équipes adverses ne semble perturbé par ce fait, certes leur relation n’est pas vraiment publique mais personne ne remet en question l’intégrité de la compétition. Mais cela ne m’a pas empêché de déguster cette comédie romantique parsemée de délicieuses scènes sensuelles.

[Book Binge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by Louisa Edwards that I read and I read it while I was fast sinking into a reading slump but I was able to finish this book and enjoy it as well. I'm a sucker for a baker hero and Danny was delicious. I thought that I'd like Max more than Danny but after finishing this book, I'm not so sure. Max is more fun loving and laugh out loud where Danny is more serious and reserved. Danny is the brother that stayed behind to help his parents run the family business while Max ran off around the world, living his own life. It wasn't hard to recognize the bitterness that was eating Danny up when Max finally came back. Max crashes back into their lives and shakes things up. He also took Danny's best friend away from him and while he wants to be happy for Jules, he can't help the bitterness that eats at him.

What I liked about Danny is that he didn't hide from the fact that he was feeling these things. He felt them, owned his emotions and tried to get through each day anyway. He was a man's man in the way that he dealt with things and I really liked that about him. His interactions with Eva were kept under control until he just couldn't help himself and I really liked seeing him let loose with Eva because he was much too serious all the time so I thought Eva was perfect for him.

Eva was a surprise because when she came onto the scene in Max and Jule's book, I thought the same things that Danny thought of her. She was a spoiled, rich heiress that had the world at her fingers and she knew it. I thought she was flighty and fluffy but she turned out to be so much more than that and I really enjoyed getting to know her character.

Danny and Eva together was a treat that I wasn't expecting and I really enjoyed the romance that blossomed between them. They complimented each other well and I think Edwards did a fabulous job of keeping us interested in them as a couple and as people as well.

This book was a treat and I'm glad that I read it. I'm pretty stoked to be able to dig right into Beck's book and I'm going to do that just as soon as I finish this review. Overall, this was another enjoyable addition to a series that is shaping up to be better than I expected. The characters are all wonderfully well rounded characters and I'm anxious for more.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Rowena.

[Shannel · Rating 4 out of 5]

We last left the Lunden Tavern crew after they won the spot to represent the East Coast in the Rising Star Chef Competition. In this second segment of the story, we’re experiencing the story from the younger Lunden, Danny.

Danny has been helping hold the family business together ever since his brother Max went on his own six years ago. Even now that Max is home (and dating his best friend Jules) he has a hard time letting go of the reigns. He’s incredibly dedicate to his team and would do just about anything for them; even if it meant that his own wants went on the back burner.

Eva is the no-bullshit, tough-as-nails host to the competition. Her father created the RSC to carry out his late-wife’s (and Eva’s mother) dream to showcase young talent. This year was her first chance to run the competition on her own and prove to her father she’s not a little girl anymore.

I liked the complexity in their relationship. They both have the “I’m in charge” attitude that was destined for turmoil before it even began…

“Just a friendly warning,” Danny said, reaching past her to push the door open. “In case you thought you were the one setting up the game. I’m here to win, sweetheart. And I don’t mess around.”

What I really loved is the commonality if of their relationship. Both were dealing with family issues. Danny kept his dreams at bay in order to protect his family’s tavern. While Eva, had to do everything (and just about anything) to be sure she didn’t disappoint her father. In their attempts to please everyone else, they forgot about what should be important; their own happiness.

“He wanted her. And an innocent, oh-so-reasonable voice kept repeating in his head: Is it really so bad to want something for yourself?”

Another solid win for this author.

I have to say, this may be a new favorite series for me; though I still have the same qualms that I had for the first one. 1) more smut please :)! 2) I really don’t know if I like the random chapters about Kane and Claire. I see that if you add all of the chapters together from 1 and 2 (and no doubt from 3) they’ll make a complete story, I just don’t know if it was necessary. It’s a cute story, don’t get me wrong, but their story wasn’t what got me reeled in.

I can’t wait to see how it all comes together.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am liking this series so far. Again, I love how Edwards uses food descriptions as metaphors and similes. "Soft and sticky like brioche dough." I can relate to that statement because I've worked with brioche dough. Although after you've added the butter, that shit is greasy, too. /tangent I just like how the food is as much as a feature character as the people.

I've wanted to see Danny and Eva's story after the first book started hinting at their eventual pairing. The main obstacle is Danny being able to put himself first for once instead of his team. Although Max and Jules from the first book have made it harder for him because now they're far too into their honeymoon phase to put forth their best work. There's just some things I wish Danny had said to Max and Jules instead of biting his words back. Kind of sucks that Edwards made me start disliking the first coupling. Who the fuck do the two of you think you are, hijacking the bed and the like and leave everybody else to sleep in discomfort?

We also start getting hints about Beck's past because we see his not-actually-ex-wife as the leader of the West Coast team. I've started it now and I have an idea of where it's going to go and if I'm right, it's going to annoy me.

Eva's father, Theo, is a grade-A douche. Especially when he's decided he wants Claire back, showing no signs of having changed himself from what made Claire dump him in the first place. And thinking he's the better option over Kane. And thinking that he can even begin to make up for years of neglectful and downright shitty parenting.

I'm looking forward to finishing out the series and seeing where things end up. Given the genre, I think the East Coast team is going to win the whole thing, but I get a feeling that they may not, which would tick me off. Don't get me invested in this team over the span of three books only to have them lose. That's not why I read this genre, yo.

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD

24/09 - I love cooking and I love cooking shows, both American and British, but mostly British. The cooking competition seems to be Top Chef under another name with familiar sounding teams, challenges, running around a supermarket and lots of idiotic backstabbing and clique-forming.
The early scenes between Danny's team and the Limestone team were annoying because I find it hard to believe a chef would purposefully attempt to cause another chef to dump a stock pot of boiling stock on themselves (something which would severely injure, possibly even kill them) just to disturb a third chef's equilibrium, and all while being filmed (I might be naive to think this, but that's me tending to think the best of people). A few pages later I was once again annoyed by what I think is a VERY fake reaction by Danny when he sees Eva's penthouse apartment, especially the kitchen. What, he's never seen a renovation show, never seen a movie, never seen a cooking show even? That just doesn't ring true for me, not for someone living in the modern age. His reaction reminds me of a Dickens-like American orphan, standing in the foyer of some grand hotel, craning his neck to look at the ceiling and saying "Wowee. In't dis sumthin'?"
4/4 - So yeah, didn't really like this romance (if that's what you'd call it). Eva, the heroine, didn't engender any empathy, sympathy or general good feelings towards her. She was way too aggressive, way too forward, it just didn't ring true. There was no seduction by either of them, she annoyed him by holding a plane up, she tried to placate the plane load of people with mojitos, they met in an elevator and furious groping ensued. I thought maybe Edwards was attempting to bring the romance novel into the 21st century, giving the two leads more up-to-date attitudes to sex and relationships, but that just pushed the romance right out of the story, leaving it as more of a wham-bam-thank-you-mam novel, no romance necessary.

[PointyEars42 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is just all over the place. There are 2 relationships carried over from book one, one cold case relationship, one new triangle that's also both a carryover and a cold case, and the main new relationship squashed into 350 pages and they all suffer from having too little of the author's attention.

The main couple have a bad case of insta-lust and all their so-called emotional connection is all tell and no show. Danny's good traits from book 1 have been diluted or discarded and I can't believe he just let's Jules and Max get away with being such a burden when their behaviour could cost them the competition. The heroine behaves so inappropriately & unprofessionally so often... if you've ever been a woman in a visible position in eventing or management or hospitality or just any large corporation, you'll cringe at her every few pages.

And then there's the food. Using seasons of Masterchef from 4 countries as a basis for comparison (and 2 Great ... Bake Offs for the baking side of it), and having read book 1, I had very low expectations of the American 'cuisine' I'd see in this book, and it lived down to my expectations. Familiar/comfort food is great, but I expect supposedly fab chefs to do better than tarting up stuff from mid-priced chain restaurant menus. Maybe she had to stick with very accessible items to get to a diverse audience, but I expect any book brave enough to target the foodie market (which it explicitly sneers at, BTW) to at least showcase dishes I can't get from a good take-away menu.

Sigh, I miss the tv show Leverage so much that I want to keep reading about the Elliot/Christian Kane fusion character the Claire/Kane relationship, but I know I'm going to regret picking up book 3.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5 Blue Ribbons
REVIEW COURTESY OF ROMANCE JUNKIES

Danny is coming to Chicago to participate in the Rising Star Chef competition. He is hoping to get his family's restaurant some more attention and is planning on doing whatever he can to win. Things do not start off so well when he has a run-in with the daughter of the founder of the Rising Star, Eva. He is instantly attracted to her but is determined to fend off her advances and stay serious about what he is there to accomplish. Just how long can a man hold out?!
Eva is supposed to be running things as panel moderator for the competition, but it does not take long for everything to start falling apart. Suddenly the cameraman is announcing that the competition is not interesting enough to film, and then one of the judges has a family emergency and has to leave, putting them in a bind. The real icing on the cake is when Eva makes a rash decision that just might jeopardize her newly-established relationship with Danny.
Praise to Lousia Edward's latest release in her "HOT" trilogy, SOME LIKE IT HOT. You will not want to miss who's cooking in the kitchen in this sizzler. Be prepared to be steamed, sautéed and left sizzling. We get a super-hot guy, Danny, who really knows his way around a kitchen. Team him up with sexy, adventurous Eva and you've got one powerful explosion just waiting to happen. The cooking element is what drew me to SOME LIKE IT HOT by Ms. Edwards, and after finishing it, I will be reading the rest of the series.