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The Missing Ingredient
It can take losing everything to realize what you had all along.
Up-and-coming London chef Marcus Vine is poised on the edge of success, but the only men courting him are investors. That leaves Marcus with some free time—which is fortunate, because his godchildren need him.
A year ago, a horrible accident killed Marcus’s best friend, Raine, leaving her children without a mother and her husband, Tom, without a partner. Consumed by grief, Tom has been going it alone, refusing help, but when Marcus sees him out with the children, it’s obvious that Tom and his two daughters need someone. His persistent caring finally wears Tom down, allowing him to accept the comfort Marcus offers. Soon Marcus is up to his elbows in homework, home-cooked meals, and after-school activities. Over time he helps them rebuild their world, until soon their lives are approaching normal.
Then the unexpected Tom confesses he has romantic feelings for Marcus, and nothing can ever be the same.
Up-and-coming London chef Marcus Vine is poised on the edge of success, but the only men courting him are investors. That leaves Marcus with some free time—which is fortunate, because his godchildren need him.
A year ago, a horrible accident killed Marcus’s best friend, Raine, leaving her children without a mother and her husband, Tom, without a partner. Consumed by grief, Tom has been going it alone, refusing help, but when Marcus sees him out with the children, it’s obvious that Tom and his two daughters need someone. His persistent caring finally wears Tom down, allowing him to accept the comfort Marcus offers. Soon Marcus is up to his elbows in homework, home-cooked meals, and after-school activities. Over time he helps them rebuild their world, until soon their lives are approaching normal.
Then the unexpected Tom confesses he has romantic feelings for Marcus, and nothing can ever be the same.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2018
5 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Brian Lancaster
8 books75 followersBRIAN LANCASTER is an author of gay romantic fiction in multiple genres, including contemporary romance, paranormal, fantasy, crime, mystery, and anything else that tickles his muse’’s fancy.
Born in the sleepy South of England where most of his stories are set, he lived in Southeast Asia from 1998 until 2022. He returned to the rural south of the UK in 2022, where he shares a home with his husband and two of the laziest cats on the planet.
Brian loves to hear from readers. You can find his contact information, website details and author profile page at https://www.pride-publishing.com
Born in the sleepy South of England where most of his stories are set, he lived in Southeast Asia from 1998 until 2022. He returned to the rural south of the UK in 2022, where he shares a home with his husband and two of the laziest cats on the planet.
Brian loves to hear from readers. You can find his contact information, website details and author profile page at https://www.pride-publishing.com
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August 21, 20184.5 Hearts
There are books that you read that give you a sense of hope and this book did just that. With an organic friends to lovers’ romance that isn’t typical, Brian Lancaster has written a wonderful romance that makes this reader believe in the power of love more than ever.
Told from the POV of famous chef Marcus Vine we quickly learn that Marcus is all about the work and not so much about a relationship. He has the normal hookups to scratch the sexual frustration itch but remains unattached. While out with his friend and manager Tina, he sees Tom Bradford the widower of his best friend Raine out with his daughters. You see, Marcus is the girls’ godfather, but after a sharp and unfair plea from Tom at Raine’s funeral, Marcus has left the Bradford family alone. But seeing how ragged Tom looks, he knows he has to do something. Taking a stand and calling Tom’s mom, Marcus heads over to Tom’s to declare his intentions of being part of the family once again and helping Tom out with the girls.
I call this story organic because that’s how it felt. From the moment Tom and Marcus have a chat about Marcus wanting to help Tom to seeing how their friendship once was with playful banter, it was easy to get lost in the story. Of course it helped to know Marcus always fancied Tom, but with Tom being straight and married to his best friend, there was never a chance to act because Marcus isn’t like that.
So anyway.
Tom accepts Marcus’ help to shuffle the girls to and from school and activities and help out with meals, being a chef and all. He and Tom reconnect as friends and begin to deepen this new relationship they gave as co-caretakers of Charlie and Katie. The foursome go about on outings and are seen as a happy family with two dads a few times which tickles Marcus, but confuses Tom. When Marcus has to go away for a month to open a new restaurant in New York and comes back to a different attitude from Tom, we get to the bottom of what’s going on.
I loved the journey we get with Tom and his sexuality. Tom has always considered himself straight and never looked at a man the way he does now with Marcus. I have always believed that sexuality is fluid and we don’t fall in love with a gender but a person. It made sense for Tom to develop feelings for Marcus and not just because he’s eye candy. Tom and Marcus have a close friendship and taking care of Tom’s girls creates a domesticity that both men crave. The feelings Tom has make him see Marcus in a new light. Plus, his whole speech was amazing. Not as amazing as his moment at the end of the book, but I loved his rambling at how he sees Marcus now and that he needs Marcus to back off so Marcus doesn’t find him repulsive. Ugh. Tom, you are so lovely to read and all I wanted was for you and your girls to be happy and have Marcus in your life.
Marcus, goodness but I adored you. You are smart and cunning in business but so very loyal to your friends. You get to see so much of Tom and even help him to the mystery of where his wife was going the day she was killed in a car accident. You will do anything for Tom including denying your feelings and wants when it comes to Tom, letting him call all the shots. But you sir, are not a doormat and when it comes to being hidden away like a dirty little secret, you stand up for yourself even though you broke your own heart. You are a lovely and forgiving man who knows his own heart even if you are so confused by Tom in that epilogue, I loved being witness to everything you do in this book.
I really loved this book. It had everything that I needed to watch Marcus and Tom fall in love and be a family. The girls were delightful and even Tom’s parents and Jeanette were great additions to the story. I rooted for Marcus and Tom from the beginning, wish I could have seen Marcus in those trunks, would have teased Tom about that tux color and I still go a bit numb thinking of the incident with Katie.
I just adored this slow burn friends to lovers story with a bit of twist. That end, that very last bit was beautiful with what is symbolized.
There are books that you read that give you a sense of hope and this book did just that. With an organic friends to lovers’ romance that isn’t typical, Brian Lancaster has written a wonderful romance that makes this reader believe in the power of love more than ever.
Told from the POV of famous chef Marcus Vine we quickly learn that Marcus is all about the work and not so much about a relationship. He has the normal hookups to scratch the sexual frustration itch but remains unattached. While out with his friend and manager Tina, he sees Tom Bradford the widower of his best friend Raine out with his daughters. You see, Marcus is the girls’ godfather, but after a sharp and unfair plea from Tom at Raine’s funeral, Marcus has left the Bradford family alone. But seeing how ragged Tom looks, he knows he has to do something. Taking a stand and calling Tom’s mom, Marcus heads over to Tom’s to declare his intentions of being part of the family once again and helping Tom out with the girls.
I call this story organic because that’s how it felt. From the moment Tom and Marcus have a chat about Marcus wanting to help Tom to seeing how their friendship once was with playful banter, it was easy to get lost in the story. Of course it helped to know Marcus always fancied Tom, but with Tom being straight and married to his best friend, there was never a chance to act because Marcus isn’t like that.
So anyway.
Tom accepts Marcus’ help to shuffle the girls to and from school and activities and help out with meals, being a chef and all. He and Tom reconnect as friends and begin to deepen this new relationship they gave as co-caretakers of Charlie and Katie. The foursome go about on outings and are seen as a happy family with two dads a few times which tickles Marcus, but confuses Tom. When Marcus has to go away for a month to open a new restaurant in New York and comes back to a different attitude from Tom, we get to the bottom of what’s going on.
I loved the journey we get with Tom and his sexuality. Tom has always considered himself straight and never looked at a man the way he does now with Marcus. I have always believed that sexuality is fluid and we don’t fall in love with a gender but a person. It made sense for Tom to develop feelings for Marcus and not just because he’s eye candy. Tom and Marcus have a close friendship and taking care of Tom’s girls creates a domesticity that both men crave. The feelings Tom has make him see Marcus in a new light. Plus, his whole speech was amazing. Not as amazing as his moment at the end of the book, but I loved his rambling at how he sees Marcus now and that he needs Marcus to back off so Marcus doesn’t find him repulsive. Ugh. Tom, you are so lovely to read and all I wanted was for you and your girls to be happy and have Marcus in your life.
Marcus, goodness but I adored you. You are smart and cunning in business but so very loyal to your friends. You get to see so much of Tom and even help him to the mystery of where his wife was going the day she was killed in a car accident. You will do anything for Tom including denying your feelings and wants when it comes to Tom, letting him call all the shots. But you sir, are not a doormat and when it comes to being hidden away like a dirty little secret, you stand up for yourself even though you broke your own heart. You are a lovely and forgiving man who knows his own heart even if you are so confused by Tom in that epilogue, I loved being witness to everything you do in this book.
I really loved this book. It had everything that I needed to watch Marcus and Tom fall in love and be a family. The girls were delightful and even Tom’s parents and Jeanette were great additions to the story. I rooted for Marcus and Tom from the beginning, wish I could have seen Marcus in those trunks, would have teased Tom about that tux color and I still go a bit numb thinking of the incident with Katie.
I just adored this slow burn friends to lovers story with a bit of twist. That end, that very last bit was beautiful with what is symbolized.
August 8, 2018
About a year ago, Marcus, a busy chef in London, lost his best friend Raine in a car accident, and in one fell swoop, Raine's husband and their children as well, due to being asked to "give them time to grieve".
Marcus respected Tom's wishes, though he misses his two "nieces", never mind the grief of losing his friend and ersatz family.
But then he runs into them by chance and realizes that Tom doesn't look like's holding it together at all, and it's obvious that Marcus is needed. He immediately steps up despite Tom's feeble protests, and soon, he's caring for the girls and taking care of Tom as well. Obviously Tom is straight, and any resurrected attraction Marcus may be feeling mustn't be acted upon. Because Tom is straight.
Or is he?
This is by design a slow burn romance, covering almost a year's worth of time, and the relationship between the two men develops realistically and organically, as Marcus and Tom and the girls start to mesh their lives together, with Tom relying on Marcus, and Marcus giving more and more of himself to prop up his late friend's family.
There's also a bit of a side plot with the mystery of why Raine was in the location of the accident, with someone not her husband in the car. This side plot's resolution also serves as a point of conflict between Marcus and Tom, as Marcus relays to Tom what he found out, and as Tom has a hissy fit when he does.
Tom struggles with his feelings for Marcus, and even goes so far as to attempt to deny that part of himself by showing apparent interest in dating a woman. This leads to him using Marcus' revelation of the mystery behind Raine's travel that fateful day to break off their budding romance, and mostly cut off communication. I really, really didn't like this Tom at all. I felt for him while he was coming to terms with his feelings for Marcus, but he then treated Marcus abysmally, and the man didn't deserve that at all.
Despite the slowly developing romance, the book is actually quite fast-paced, and the pages just flew by. Marcus forgives Tom's behavior time and again, the fact that Tom is hiding him, until Tom does a really hurtful thing and Marcus has had enough.
And then Tom comes to his senses, finally, realizes what's he lost, and makes the "grand gesture" to regain the man he loves. That scene had me a wee bit choked up.
The epilogue - OMG! For a few moments there, I was in utter shock, not quite believing what I was reading, because seriously the epilogue is supposed to be where we get their HEA, and it just didn't seem to start out that way at all. I was all like "WTF?" and "WHY?" and then I turned the page and about died laughing. Clever, Brian Lancaster, real clever.
The supporting cast was well-rounded, with Tom's parents, Moira and John, Tom's two daughters who were front and center but never overshadowed the relationship building, Tina, who's Marcus assistant... even some of the more minor characters who all played a role in moving the plot forward.
The book is told entirely from Marcus' third person POV, and we thus don't get a whole lot of insight into what makes Tom act the way he does, but we do see them both grow, retreat, and grow some more. In many cases, due to the circumstances, Marcus felt like the more mature of the two, even though he's 10 years Tom's junior.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I think this would be a good choice for anyone who loves the hurt/comfort stories. Incidentally, while Tom's wife dies at the beginning of this book, it never feels as if this is simply a plot device to clear the way for Marcus and Tom - it's more that Raine's death leaves them both adrift, and they honor her memory in a myriad of ways, always mindful that they are in each other's lives because of what she meant to both of them - a wife to Tom, and Marcus' best friend, the person who's stood by him since their school days.
Recommended.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
Marcus respected Tom's wishes, though he misses his two "nieces", never mind the grief of losing his friend and ersatz family.
But then he runs into them by chance and realizes that Tom doesn't look like's holding it together at all, and it's obvious that Marcus is needed. He immediately steps up despite Tom's feeble protests, and soon, he's caring for the girls and taking care of Tom as well. Obviously Tom is straight, and any resurrected attraction Marcus may be feeling mustn't be acted upon. Because Tom is straight.
Or is he?
This is by design a slow burn romance, covering almost a year's worth of time, and the relationship between the two men develops realistically and organically, as Marcus and Tom and the girls start to mesh their lives together, with Tom relying on Marcus, and Marcus giving more and more of himself to prop up his late friend's family.
There's also a bit of a side plot with the mystery of why Raine was in the location of the accident, with someone not her husband in the car. This side plot's resolution also serves as a point of conflict between Marcus and Tom, as Marcus relays to Tom what he found out, and as Tom has a hissy fit when he does.
Tom struggles with his feelings for Marcus, and even goes so far as to attempt to deny that part of himself by showing apparent interest in dating a woman. This leads to him using Marcus' revelation of the mystery behind Raine's travel that fateful day to break off their budding romance, and mostly cut off communication. I really, really didn't like this Tom at all. I felt for him while he was coming to terms with his feelings for Marcus, but he then treated Marcus abysmally, and the man didn't deserve that at all.
Despite the slowly developing romance, the book is actually quite fast-paced, and the pages just flew by. Marcus forgives Tom's behavior time and again, the fact that Tom is hiding him, until Tom does a really hurtful thing and Marcus has had enough.
And then Tom comes to his senses, finally, realizes what's he lost, and makes the "grand gesture" to regain the man he loves. That scene had me a wee bit choked up.
The epilogue - OMG! For a few moments there, I was in utter shock, not quite believing what I was reading, because seriously the epilogue is supposed to be where we get their HEA, and it just didn't seem to start out that way at all. I was all like "WTF?" and "WHY?" and then I turned the page and about died laughing. Clever, Brian Lancaster, real clever.
The supporting cast was well-rounded, with Tom's parents, Moira and John, Tom's two daughters who were front and center but never overshadowed the relationship building, Tina, who's Marcus assistant... even some of the more minor characters who all played a role in moving the plot forward.
The book is told entirely from Marcus' third person POV, and we thus don't get a whole lot of insight into what makes Tom act the way he does, but we do see them both grow, retreat, and grow some more. In many cases, due to the circumstances, Marcus felt like the more mature of the two, even though he's 10 years Tom's junior.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I think this would be a good choice for anyone who loves the hurt/comfort stories. Incidentally, while Tom's wife dies at the beginning of this book, it never feels as if this is simply a plot device to clear the way for Marcus and Tom - it's more that Raine's death leaves them both adrift, and they honor her memory in a myriad of ways, always mindful that they are in each other's lives because of what she meant to both of them - a wife to Tom, and Marcus' best friend, the person who's stood by him since their school days.
Recommended.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
August 21, 2018
Ohh this was so so cute!
Tom lost his wife in a car crash. He’s left with 2 young girls and it’s very very hard on him to look after everything. He’s completely overwhelmed but he’s kind of proud so he doesn’t reach for help.
Fortunately some incredible circumstances made him crossed path with an old-friend Marcus. Marcus was the best friend of Tom’s wife. They've lost contact after Tom decided he needed to be alone with his kids.
Years later, with one look at Tom, Marcus decided to take things in his hands. He helps Tom all the ways he can. He’s the best friend anyone could hope for, after such a big loss. He’s amazing, loving, indispensable and irreplaceable.
I loved that Tom was the first to talk about his feelings. I really loved that Marcus was nice but he never let himself be stepped on. The epilogue was adorable, true to their story :)
If you search for a sweet story with a small drama in the end, you can start this :)
Tom lost his wife in a car crash. He’s left with 2 young girls and it’s very very hard on him to look after everything. He’s completely overwhelmed but he’s kind of proud so he doesn’t reach for help.
Fortunately some incredible circumstances made him crossed path with an old-friend Marcus. Marcus was the best friend of Tom’s wife. They've lost contact after Tom decided he needed to be alone with his kids.
Years later, with one look at Tom, Marcus decided to take things in his hands. He helps Tom all the ways he can. He’s the best friend anyone could hope for, after such a big loss. He’s amazing, loving, indispensable and irreplaceable.
I loved that Tom was the first to talk about his feelings. I really loved that Marcus was nice but he never let himself be stepped on. The epilogue was adorable, true to their story :)
If you search for a sweet story with a small drama in the end, you can start this :)
January 23, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Full review to follow soonish!
Some ingredients are harder to substitute than others...
Marcus Vine is on the cusp of success as a chef, but finds that having only investors interested in him leaves him with time to spare and following the loss of his best friend Raine, Marcus turns to helping Raine's husband Tom as he struggles to come to grips with losing his wife and the mother of his children...Marcus's godchildren, trying to rebuild their lives to a new normal.
Marcus days become filled with childcare and he finds himself becoming a part of a family as little by little Tom and his godchildren begin to rely on him for the stability he brings to their lives.
For Marcus what starts as simply helping his deceased best friend's husband care for his daughters and get back to being a family again puts him and Tom in close proximity to each other on a regular basis and Marcus is faced with his feelings for Tom becoming more than just that of a family friend and ultimately Tom also begins to realize that he has an attraction for Marcus that has nothing to do with friendship or gratitude but he's also not willing to step out of the safety of the closet he's been hiding in.
I liked the dynamics between Marcus and Tom. Marcus has an established career and he's confident about his choices. In general I liked Marcus and the fact that while he didn't push Tom nor did he just hide in the closet and hope that things would change. He kept his promises in regards to helping with the children and while he was willing to give Tom time...he wasn't willing to give forever. So while I may not have liked him quite as much as Marcus I did have a lot of empathy for Tom.
While I liked Marcus I wasn't quite as overly taken with Tom. I think he was trying but sometimes pride goes before the fall and that's what happened with Tom. He was so determined to care for his children without anyone's help that he let his pride get in toe way and lost sight of what was truly important...the well being of his children, but I don't think it was because he didn't love them...I think maybe he was just a little misguided about the fact that needing help and being weak aren't the same thing.
One of the best parts of this story for me was that so often in a story like this one MC or the other losses themselves in the life of the other as they try to help but that wasn't the case with Marcus. He didn't lose himself and we were shown more than one side of him as he helped take care of his godchildren, tried to be a friend to Tom and worked to pursue his own career goals.
I liked the story but for the most part it was just a case of like i wasn't until the last 10 or 20% that I really got enchanted by the story...especially the epilogue...it was freaking adorable and definitely added to the overall story for me...seriously cute stuff at the end.
'The Missing Ingredient' is only the second book that I've listened to by Seb Yarrick and once again he's done a solid job of creating an enjoyable audio book making a solid contribution to my enjoyment of this story and certainly keeping him on my radar as a narrator that I'll enjoy hearing more from in the future.
*************************
An audio book of 'The Missing Ingredient' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Some ingredients are harder to substitute than others...
Marcus Vine is on the cusp of success as a chef, but finds that having only investors interested in him leaves him with time to spare and following the loss of his best friend Raine, Marcus turns to helping Raine's husband Tom as he struggles to come to grips with losing his wife and the mother of his children...Marcus's godchildren, trying to rebuild their lives to a new normal.
Marcus days become filled with childcare and he finds himself becoming a part of a family as little by little Tom and his godchildren begin to rely on him for the stability he brings to their lives.
For Marcus what starts as simply helping his deceased best friend's husband care for his daughters and get back to being a family again puts him and Tom in close proximity to each other on a regular basis and Marcus is faced with his feelings for Tom becoming more than just that of a family friend and ultimately Tom also begins to realize that he has an attraction for Marcus that has nothing to do with friendship or gratitude but he's also not willing to step out of the safety of the closet he's been hiding in.
I liked the dynamics between Marcus and Tom. Marcus has an established career and he's confident about his choices. In general I liked Marcus and the fact that while he didn't push Tom nor did he just hide in the closet and hope that things would change. He kept his promises in regards to helping with the children and while he was willing to give Tom time...he wasn't willing to give forever. So while I may not have liked him quite as much as Marcus I did have a lot of empathy for Tom.
While I liked Marcus I wasn't quite as overly taken with Tom. I think he was trying but sometimes pride goes before the fall and that's what happened with Tom. He was so determined to care for his children without anyone's help that he let his pride get in toe way and lost sight of what was truly important...the well being of his children, but I don't think it was because he didn't love them...I think maybe he was just a little misguided about the fact that needing help and being weak aren't the same thing.
One of the best parts of this story for me was that so often in a story like this one MC or the other losses themselves in the life of the other as they try to help but that wasn't the case with Marcus. He didn't lose himself and we were shown more than one side of him as he helped take care of his godchildren, tried to be a friend to Tom and worked to pursue his own career goals.
I liked the story but for the most part it was just a case of like i wasn't until the last 10 or 20% that I really got enchanted by the story...especially the epilogue...it was freaking adorable and definitely added to the overall story for me...seriously cute stuff at the end.
'The Missing Ingredient' is only the second book that I've listened to by Seb Yarrick and once again he's done a solid job of creating an enjoyable audio book making a solid contribution to my enjoyment of this story and certainly keeping him on my radar as a narrator that I'll enjoy hearing more from in the future.
*************************
An audio book of 'The Missing Ingredient' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2019
This was entertaining but average. If not for the audio I am sure I would have stopped. It had it's great moments but then there were the dramatics that felt unnecessary. I will read this author again and do recommend the story because it has a good message in the end, that love is love and you should and can be proud to who you are.
October 15, 2021
3.5 stars
story 3 stars
audiobook 4 stars.
Super cute and sweet.
story 3 stars
audiobook 4 stars.
Super cute and sweet.
December 31, 2018
Tom is not only a horrible love interest but he is also a horrible friend. He treated Marcus like garbage the entire book and was just not likable at all.
January 31, 2019
Audiobook reviewWhen you, or at least I, pick up a Dreamspun Desires book, I'm not expecting a masterpiece. I'm not expecting anything remotely deep or a book that will keep me on my toes. I pick them for the fluff, the cuteness, to listen to a book where I don't have to engage my mind, but just simply get a way for a moment. This line gives me that, each and every time.
The Missing Ingredient is set in London. We follow Marcus Vine, a rising star in the culinary world. A car accident robbed him of his best friend and left his god children without a mother; then the unthinkable happens, Tom, the father and widower asks Marcus to leave them alone. Now a few years later, a chance meeting at a restaurant, makes Marcus go back on that promise as it is clear that the little family of three is still struggling. His offer to help out soon has him elbow deep in homework and cooking meals for the family. He soon realises that the crush he's had on Tom for the past 10 years has not gone away. Not only that, Tom seems to have developed feelings for him too, making the whole situation even more precarious.
The overall story was a good one. No major drama, except for the expected one around Toms newly realised bisexuality. But there is one thing that I just cannot get passed and that's Tom. I never warmed to him, not even a little bit. He was just too self-centred, selfish, rude and so many other adjectives that I'm not even going to try to list them all. The way he treated other people was just horrible, especially Marcus. I truly believed Marcus deserved someone better, someone that knows the meaning of give and take, respect and equal values. So in the end I just couldn't be happy for the two of them, because I feel that there has got to be someone better out there for Marcus, that Tom has more growing and maturing to do - not to mention grovelling, before he's deserving of Marcus.
Seb Yarrick was a new to me narrator, and after a quick search it seems he's kind of new in the field with only a couple of books under his belt. I loved his British accent, which alone brought me to London and made my afternoon a pleasant one. As for the voices, well I could have wished for a distinction between Marcus and Tom, the distinction that he did have were for male / female characters, and while he did mix them up a few times, it was still easy to follow along the story.
The Missing Ingredient was everything that I expected from the series and it wasn't. I was expecting, hoping, for main characters that I'd root for and liked. I didn't quite get that with this book and it did bring down my enjoyment of this book quite a lot. However, Seb did a strong effort with his narration, and with some more books I believe he has the potential to become a really good narrator.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher n exchange for an honest review
August 16, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
I’m not really sure where to start with this one. On the surface, The Missing Ingredient is an exploration of love after loss and learning to move forward. And it delivers that message well enough. The writing style is fine, though it lacks much true voice. But honestly, The Missing Ingredient just wasn’t very good. The first problem is the plot. At times it reads more like a melodrama than a believable piece of fiction. There is a mystery that never matters, a predictable medical emergency (several actually), and a romance that never feels romantic in the least. Tom and Marcus feel awkward together. There’s no passion, no sense that they actually belong to one another, and their interactions feel forced.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
I’m not really sure where to start with this one. On the surface, The Missing Ingredient is an exploration of love after loss and learning to move forward. And it delivers that message well enough. The writing style is fine, though it lacks much true voice. But honestly, The Missing Ingredient just wasn’t very good. The first problem is the plot. At times it reads more like a melodrama than a believable piece of fiction. There is a mystery that never matters, a predictable medical emergency (several actually), and a romance that never feels romantic in the least. Tom and Marcus feel awkward together. There’s no passion, no sense that they actually belong to one another, and their interactions feel forced.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
August 9, 2018
A steamy but also genuinely moving friends-to-lovers story--I love such things! Marcus and Tom's transition from family friends to a proper relationship, with all its rough complications and blissful moments, charmed me throughout. Bonus points for yummy British setting and dialect. (Yes, I'm an Anglophile; so rare among Americans, I know.) ;) Brian is an author worth watching and I'll always look forward to more of his books!
July 27, 2022
3.5 / 4 stars
In-depth thoughts to come in next week's reading vlog!
In-depth thoughts to come in next week's reading vlog!
June 14, 2021
It's A Family Thing!
The tragic death of his best friend brings together Marcus Vine, widower Tom Bradford and family in the best possible ways, eventually. I enjoyed the emotional ups and downs of this romantic tale. It’s low angst, cute kids, likable well-developed MCs, and an interesting enough premise. This author has a knack for telling simple but interesting tales that captures my attention immediately. Good stuff.
The tragic death of his best friend brings together Marcus Vine, widower Tom Bradford and family in the best possible ways, eventually. I enjoyed the emotional ups and downs of this romantic tale. It’s low angst, cute kids, likable well-developed MCs, and an interesting enough premise. This author has a knack for telling simple but interesting tales that captures my attention immediately. Good stuff.
August 8, 2018
“I believe forgiveness is the best form of love in any relationship. It takes a strong person to say they're sorry and an even stronger person to forgive.” ~ Yolanda Hadid
When Marcus Vine, of 'A Missing Ingredient' by Brian Lancaster, loses his best friend, Raine, in a fatal car crash, he, in essence, loses his two godchildren. Before the accident, he was deeply involved in the little girls' lives. Marcus was more like their uncle than their mother's good friend. At the funeral, their father, Tom, makes it clear that Marcus is no longer welcome in their lives. As much as it hurts, Marcus respects Tom's wishes and stays away A chance meeting makes it apparent that Tom is not able to manage his grief, as well as the childrens' care. Although Marcus is unbelievable busy, he knows that he has to step in before something unfortunate happens.
Although Tom said he didn't want help, he's relieved to have someone to share the burden with. Marcus, Tom, and the girls become like a well-oiled family unit, managing schedules, appointments, and basic care for the girls. They have no idea why he stopped coming around, but they are extremely happy to have “Uncle Marcus” back with them. Marcus has missed the girls dreadfully and is more than happy to have them back. Tom's gratitude and affection slowly but surely morphs into feelings he's afraid to admit even to himself. He has been straight all his life, or so he thought, but emotional and physical feelings are growing and he's not sure what to do about it. After a confusing, frustrating amount of time for both of them, Tom admits his feelings to Marcus who is totally taken back with surprise. Tom takes this to mean that Marcus is disgusted by the entire idea, but Marcus explains that this is so out of the blue that he has to take a while to absorb it. Marcus admits that he often joked with Raine about wishing Tom had a gay twin. Marcus also confessed that he has had a crush on Tom for a long time but it was so improbable that Marcus never seriously considered the possibility of Tom being attracted to him.
Things between them are strained for a while, but the attraction becomes so strong that Tom feels compelled to act upon it and kisses Marcus who quickly takes over the kiss. After some serious discussions, Tom convinces Marcus this is what he wants. Their sexual encounter is a mind-blowing experience, both physically and emotionally. Marcus tries to take it easy, but Tom is eager to do just about everything he has read and seen. The tricky thing is that they have to make time for each other. That amounts to sneaking around because they are concerned about the children's reaction and Tom is not ready to come out. Marcus is happy when Moria, Tom's mother, invites him to her fiftieth wedding anniversary dinner, until Moria announces that Tom is bringing someone. Marcus tries not to show his hurt and confusion, deciding he will wait and see what happens. At the dinner, Marcus meets Jeanette, the woman that Tom has been dating. The more talk there is about Jeanette and Tom's date', the more nauseated Marcus becomes. Broken-hearted, Marcus graciously says his goodbyes and leaves. He's in love with Tom and is not willing to be his dirty little secret.
'The Missing Ingredient' was a great ride on an emotional roller coaster invoking feelings from happiness to anger for me. Marcus is a wonderful character who epitomizes the kind of friend everyone needs; loving, compassionate, talented, and most of all forgiving. I'm still not completely happy with Tom, although I understand his predicament. He needed time for his brain to catch up with his heart. Thank you, Brian for reminding me that listening to my heart is as important as listening to my head.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
When Marcus Vine, of 'A Missing Ingredient' by Brian Lancaster, loses his best friend, Raine, in a fatal car crash, he, in essence, loses his two godchildren. Before the accident, he was deeply involved in the little girls' lives. Marcus was more like their uncle than their mother's good friend. At the funeral, their father, Tom, makes it clear that Marcus is no longer welcome in their lives. As much as it hurts, Marcus respects Tom's wishes and stays away A chance meeting makes it apparent that Tom is not able to manage his grief, as well as the childrens' care. Although Marcus is unbelievable busy, he knows that he has to step in before something unfortunate happens.
Although Tom said he didn't want help, he's relieved to have someone to share the burden with. Marcus, Tom, and the girls become like a well-oiled family unit, managing schedules, appointments, and basic care for the girls. They have no idea why he stopped coming around, but they are extremely happy to have “Uncle Marcus” back with them. Marcus has missed the girls dreadfully and is more than happy to have them back. Tom's gratitude and affection slowly but surely morphs into feelings he's afraid to admit even to himself. He has been straight all his life, or so he thought, but emotional and physical feelings are growing and he's not sure what to do about it. After a confusing, frustrating amount of time for both of them, Tom admits his feelings to Marcus who is totally taken back with surprise. Tom takes this to mean that Marcus is disgusted by the entire idea, but Marcus explains that this is so out of the blue that he has to take a while to absorb it. Marcus admits that he often joked with Raine about wishing Tom had a gay twin. Marcus also confessed that he has had a crush on Tom for a long time but it was so improbable that Marcus never seriously considered the possibility of Tom being attracted to him.
Things between them are strained for a while, but the attraction becomes so strong that Tom feels compelled to act upon it and kisses Marcus who quickly takes over the kiss. After some serious discussions, Tom convinces Marcus this is what he wants. Their sexual encounter is a mind-blowing experience, both physically and emotionally. Marcus tries to take it easy, but Tom is eager to do just about everything he has read and seen. The tricky thing is that they have to make time for each other. That amounts to sneaking around because they are concerned about the children's reaction and Tom is not ready to come out. Marcus is happy when Moria, Tom's mother, invites him to her fiftieth wedding anniversary dinner, until Moria announces that Tom is bringing someone. Marcus tries not to show his hurt and confusion, deciding he will wait and see what happens. At the dinner, Marcus meets Jeanette, the woman that Tom has been dating. The more talk there is about Jeanette and Tom's date', the more nauseated Marcus becomes. Broken-hearted, Marcus graciously says his goodbyes and leaves. He's in love with Tom and is not willing to be his dirty little secret.
'The Missing Ingredient' was a great ride on an emotional roller coaster invoking feelings from happiness to anger for me. Marcus is a wonderful character who epitomizes the kind of friend everyone needs; loving, compassionate, talented, and most of all forgiving. I'm still not completely happy with Tom, although I understand his predicament. He needed time for his brain to catch up with his heart. Thank you, Brian for reminding me that listening to my heart is as important as listening to my head.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
January 18, 2019
Audiobook provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
Chef Marcus Vine is a busy man, running his own popular restaurant in the UK and opening another with an investment partner in New York. But he finds time to step in and help out when he realizes his former best friend’s family needs him. Raine died a year ago and her husband, Tom, is struggling to be everything to his two daughters.
With Marcus’s help and support, their lives take a turn for the better. And along the way, Marcus’s feelings for Tom—unrequited love—take on a renewed life. And then one day, Tom confesses his attraction to Marcus. He’s not gay, of course. That’s reiterated a number of times. So much so, that this reviewer found it distasteful when they went from that declaration to a simple kiss to penetrative sex. If one isn’t gay, why not try frottage or fellatio first? It just felt wrong and rushed.
And then, of course, when Tom realizes Marcus has feelings for him, he backs off, and Marcus finds out he’s seeing a woman. So we have the heartbreak action, and the crisis comes when one of the girls needs medical attention and Marcus saves the day. But is Tom grateful? Nope. Now we have the period of breaking off, cooling down, and then the finale with the grand sweeping gesture. And the ending was… There’s not really a way to describe it. Granted, I was listening to an audiobook, but it seemed really bizarre to me—definitely from the pages of an old-fashioned dime novel romance.
Granted all these stories are based on old tropes. And granted, audiobooks pass quickly and there’s no chance to reread sections for clarity, so I could be wrong in my assessment. However, I will say that Seb Yarrick did a nice job on the narration. With a very British accent, he brought authenticity to the feel of the story. But I’m not a fan of gay for you when the character refuses to identify as anything but straight, even after sex, so I can’t rate this higher than 3 stars. As it is, the 3 stars were mostly earned by the narrator.
Chef Marcus Vine is a busy man, running his own popular restaurant in the UK and opening another with an investment partner in New York. But he finds time to step in and help out when he realizes his former best friend’s family needs him. Raine died a year ago and her husband, Tom, is struggling to be everything to his two daughters.
With Marcus’s help and support, their lives take a turn for the better. And along the way, Marcus’s feelings for Tom—unrequited love—take on a renewed life. And then one day, Tom confesses his attraction to Marcus. He’s not gay, of course. That’s reiterated a number of times. So much so, that this reviewer found it distasteful when they went from that declaration to a simple kiss to penetrative sex. If one isn’t gay, why not try frottage or fellatio first? It just felt wrong and rushed.
And then, of course, when Tom realizes Marcus has feelings for him, he backs off, and Marcus finds out he’s seeing a woman. So we have the heartbreak action, and the crisis comes when one of the girls needs medical attention and Marcus saves the day. But is Tom grateful? Nope. Now we have the period of breaking off, cooling down, and then the finale with the grand sweeping gesture. And the ending was… There’s not really a way to describe it. Granted, I was listening to an audiobook, but it seemed really bizarre to me—definitely from the pages of an old-fashioned dime novel romance.
Granted all these stories are based on old tropes. And granted, audiobooks pass quickly and there’s no chance to reread sections for clarity, so I could be wrong in my assessment. However, I will say that Seb Yarrick did a nice job on the narration. With a very British accent, he brought authenticity to the feel of the story. But I’m not a fan of gay for you when the character refuses to identify as anything but straight, even after sex, so I can’t rate this higher than 3 stars. As it is, the 3 stars were mostly earned by the narrator.
August 10, 2018
3.5 stars
At first, I was a bit uncomfortable with the situation -- . But then I thought, heh, I didn't encounter this much issue in M/F romance, so why the attitude, Ami?!? After I settled with the fact, I enjoyed the relationship progress. Loved reading how Marcus bonded with the kids and how he became integral part of the family, not simply as Uncle Marc.
Minus point for Tom being quite a douche near the end, though kudos to Marcus for confronting Marc. Oh, and thanks for making Tom's deceased ex-wife NOT . I have enough of having female characters being portrayed as the villains in MM romance.
At first, I was a bit uncomfortable with the situation -- . But then I thought, heh, I didn't encounter this much issue in M/F romance, so why the attitude, Ami?!? After I settled with the fact, I enjoyed the relationship progress. Loved reading how Marcus bonded with the kids and how he became integral part of the family, not simply as Uncle Marc.
Minus point for Tom being quite a douche near the end, though kudos to Marcus for confronting Marc. Oh, and thanks for making Tom's deceased ex-wife NOT . I have enough of having female characters being portrayed as the villains in MM romance.
January 11, 2021
0,5 stars
Meeeeeh it was an ok ofy romance between Tom a “straight” widower and Marcus, Tom’s dead wife best friend who has been crushing on Tom for 10 years. He came to help him with his kids.
It’s a little bit boring but my big issue was Tom, I didn’t like him, he was a dick to Marcus. I was happy when a Marcus dumped him.
Even if he fixed things in the end it wasn’t enough!
And the combined age birthday ?? What the heck is that?? 😆
Tom and Marcus 80th birthday.. Tom 45 + Marcus 35 = 80 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ it was Tom’s deceased who wanted to do that in their 70th birthday but she got sick and died before
I don’t recommend
Meeeeeh it was an ok ofy romance between Tom a “straight” widower and Marcus, Tom’s dead wife best friend who has been crushing on Tom for 10 years. He came to help him with his kids.
It’s a little bit boring but my big issue was Tom, I didn’t like him, he was a dick to Marcus. I was happy when a Marcus dumped him.
Even if he fixed things in the end it wasn’t enough!
And the combined age birthday ?? What the heck is that?? 😆
Tom and Marcus 80th birthday.. Tom 45 + Marcus 35 = 80 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ it was Tom’s deceased who wanted to do that in their 70th birthday but she got sick and died before
I don’t recommend
January 7, 2019
What a wonderfully heartwarming story. I know this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoy a sweet romance with two characters I want to get their happy ever after. Marcus and Tom were two such characters for me. I found this book at the library, but I’m certainly going to be checking for other books by Brian Lancaster.
September 22, 2019
I would say that this is a 3.5 stars rounded up because I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was lowish angst and super sweet but I thought it was well written. The only part I didn't like was the slightly abrupt ending. There was an epilogue but it was still not completely satisfying to me. Otherwise, I thought it was well done.
October 16, 2018
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This was a strong four star read until the very end ... the last word tipped it right up to a 5* just like that!
I am a huge fan of chef / restaurant romances, and I really liked how this one managed to combine the very talented, celebrity chef that is Marcus to the outside world, with the caring, friendly, best friend that he is to Tom and his children.
We know from the beginning that Marcus found Tom attractive, but as they work together to restore family order just a year after Tom's wife Raine's death, feelings develop on both sides. Tom certainly doesn't know how to deal with his new reality, and we can only sit back and watch the good, which is very sexy, and the bad, with is very disappointing. Luckily the author has a few twists to tease us with, and as I mentioned before, the most perfectly timed last word in a book, ever.
Grab a tissue, a coffee, and a comfy chair, this book will engage, amuse and move you - enjoy!
This was a strong four star read until the very end ... the last word tipped it right up to a 5* just like that!
I am a huge fan of chef / restaurant romances, and I really liked how this one managed to combine the very talented, celebrity chef that is Marcus to the outside world, with the caring, friendly, best friend that he is to Tom and his children.
We know from the beginning that Marcus found Tom attractive, but as they work together to restore family order just a year after Tom's wife Raine's death, feelings develop on both sides. Tom certainly doesn't know how to deal with his new reality, and we can only sit back and watch the good, which is very sexy, and the bad, with is very disappointing. Luckily the author has a few twists to tease us with, and as I mentioned before, the most perfectly timed last word in a book, ever.
Grab a tissue, a coffee, and a comfy chair, this book will engage, amuse and move you - enjoy!
November 21, 2018
This is a very clear GFY plot. Tom and his discurses about this are a bit confussing ... but the love story is not bad. They have pretty much cute moments together and a HEA !
I wish we had a secondary plot about Marcus friend (the cop) having his own story too! I don't like love triangles because that! Its always one out of the equation! :/
I wish we had a secondary plot about Marcus friend (the cop) having his own story too! I don't like love triangles because that! Its always one out of the equation! :/
October 21, 2018
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is a sweet and angsty romance about a celebrity chef who falls for his best friend’s grieving husband. Marcus’ life might be glamourous but he’s also lonely and missing his friend. A year after his wife’s death, Tom is a mess. When Marcus steps in to help Tom and his daughters restore some order to their lives, he quickly becomes part of the family.
A gay-for-you story that is further complicated by Marcus’ lifelong friendship with Tom’s late wife, this isn’t always an easy read. Tom’s kids save the story from becoming too dark but Marcus and Tom’s emotions are complicated and neither man has great communication skills.
I loved the complex characters in this book. The connection between Marcus and Tom is awkward and complicated. Tom hurts Marcus badly when he starts to question his sexuality. As Marcus starts to fall for Tom, he wrestles with his desires and his boundaries.
Brian Lancaster is a new author for me. I enjoyed the writing style and I loved Marcus and Tom. I’m not a fan of child centred romances and I’ll admit that this was way too domestic for me. But it works. It’s a thoughtful story about difficult circumstances and honest emotions. It’s a relatively low heat read and while the children are cute, they make for a story that is sweet rather than sexy.
While I enjoyed the book, I’m not sure this is a great fit for the Dreamspun Desires books. This is a very domestic story about two men whose lives revolve around young children. This is a story grounded in realism. The author doesn’t really make use of any traditional romance tropes and family days out to waterparks and petting zoos aren’t really fantasy material. The themes of grief and loss also feel a bit too dark and a bit too realistic for classic romance.
This is a sweet and angsty romance about a celebrity chef who falls for his best friend’s grieving husband. Marcus’ life might be glamourous but he’s also lonely and missing his friend. A year after his wife’s death, Tom is a mess. When Marcus steps in to help Tom and his daughters restore some order to their lives, he quickly becomes part of the family.
A gay-for-you story that is further complicated by Marcus’ lifelong friendship with Tom’s late wife, this isn’t always an easy read. Tom’s kids save the story from becoming too dark but Marcus and Tom’s emotions are complicated and neither man has great communication skills.
I loved the complex characters in this book. The connection between Marcus and Tom is awkward and complicated. Tom hurts Marcus badly when he starts to question his sexuality. As Marcus starts to fall for Tom, he wrestles with his desires and his boundaries.
Brian Lancaster is a new author for me. I enjoyed the writing style and I loved Marcus and Tom. I’m not a fan of child centred romances and I’ll admit that this was way too domestic for me. But it works. It’s a thoughtful story about difficult circumstances and honest emotions. It’s a relatively low heat read and while the children are cute, they make for a story that is sweet rather than sexy.
While I enjoyed the book, I’m not sure this is a great fit for the Dreamspun Desires books. This is a very domestic story about two men whose lives revolve around young children. This is a story grounded in realism. The author doesn’t really make use of any traditional romance tropes and family days out to waterparks and petting zoos aren’t really fantasy material. The themes of grief and loss also feel a bit too dark and a bit too realistic for classic romance.
August 7, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It is sad how the two men got together in the first place but in the end they made one another and the children that are involved happy so that made this an even better read.
Marcus is a famous chef. He loves his business, so much so that he is the process of trying to open another restaurant like the one he owns now but in New York City. Other then his business his personal life is pretty much a couple of short term relationships, if you could call it that. He has not found the man that makes him want to stick around for the long haul. Besides that he already has two goddaughters that he has not seen in a little over a year.
When he bumps into his goddaughter and their father, Tom, Marcus decides them and there that he is not going to let Tom push him away anymore. After Macus’s best friend and Tom’s wife died tragically in an automobile accident, Tom pushed Marcus away. Tom told Marcus that he wanted to settle in with the kids and start a new normal and then he would get in touch with him. But that time never came and now that Marcus has seen with his own eyes how things are fairing out, he will not be pushed away again.
What Marcus never expected was for Tom to develop feelings for him. Tom has always been very much straight but now it seems that Tom has opened his heart and eyes to someone new in his life and he will not let anyone scare that away for him.
Tom never thought he would be happy again, much less love someone else but now that he knows he wants Marcus, he will not let Marcus go.
These two men have many obstacles ahead of them if they truly want to be together. Will they be able to weather the storm together?
This is a Gay for you read. I really enjoyed how Tom was able to get a second chance at love and that Marcus was finally able to find love. Now if they can hold it together and not let the outside forces come between them, they will have exactly what they have both hoped for but did not dare to think was possible.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Marcus is a famous chef. He loves his business, so much so that he is the process of trying to open another restaurant like the one he owns now but in New York City. Other then his business his personal life is pretty much a couple of short term relationships, if you could call it that. He has not found the man that makes him want to stick around for the long haul. Besides that he already has two goddaughters that he has not seen in a little over a year.
When he bumps into his goddaughter and their father, Tom, Marcus decides them and there that he is not going to let Tom push him away anymore. After Macus’s best friend and Tom’s wife died tragically in an automobile accident, Tom pushed Marcus away. Tom told Marcus that he wanted to settle in with the kids and start a new normal and then he would get in touch with him. But that time never came and now that Marcus has seen with his own eyes how things are fairing out, he will not be pushed away again.
What Marcus never expected was for Tom to develop feelings for him. Tom has always been very much straight but now it seems that Tom has opened his heart and eyes to someone new in his life and he will not let anyone scare that away for him.
Tom never thought he would be happy again, much less love someone else but now that he knows he wants Marcus, he will not let Marcus go.
These two men have many obstacles ahead of them if they truly want to be together. Will they be able to weather the storm together?
This is a Gay for you read. I really enjoyed how Tom was able to get a second chance at love and that Marcus was finally able to find love. Now if they can hold it together and not let the outside forces come between them, they will have exactly what they have both hoped for but did not dare to think was possible.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
August 6, 2018
Total book hangover in progress here… What a touching, beautiful story. Tom was once married to Marcus’ best friend, Raine. Out and proud Marcus always had a thing for straight Tom, but kept it under wraps for over a decade. A year after Raine was killed in an auto accident, Tom and Marcus reconnect and sparks start to fly.
For some reason, I adore the gay-for-you trope and this one does not disappoint. In my opinion, the plot was both original and interesting with enough complexities to keep this from being a light and fluffy read, but it’s oh so heartwarming in the end. There were definitely times in this book I gasped, I cried, and I laughed out loud. I was so engaged, I barely put the book down, wanting to see how this all turned out for Marcus and Tom.
Having said that, Mr. Lancaster wrote some very compelling characters, in my opinion. Tom, the widower who was barely holding it together with his two young daughters. Marcus, their godfather, who was an up-and-coming chef/restaurateur. They seemed to be well-matched, though I really felt for Marcus since he’d always been attracted (both physically and emotionally) to Tom, but was constantly pushed away by him. The book even started on that note. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but find myself rooting for their HEA, especially when Marcus finally turns the tables on Tom and they had a “Sleepless in Seattle”/”Notting Hill”-ish moment. To see, in the end, both of them face their demons and not lose that something special was extremely gratifying.
I’m hoping this is the start to a series - I’d love the opportunity to see more of Tom and Marcus (and their girls) and the other potential couples teased at the tail-end of this book.
If you’re looking for something heartwarming, a little angsty, but witty/funny, this is exactly what you’re looking for.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
For some reason, I adore the gay-for-you trope and this one does not disappoint. In my opinion, the plot was both original and interesting with enough complexities to keep this from being a light and fluffy read, but it’s oh so heartwarming in the end. There were definitely times in this book I gasped, I cried, and I laughed out loud. I was so engaged, I barely put the book down, wanting to see how this all turned out for Marcus and Tom.
Having said that, Mr. Lancaster wrote some very compelling characters, in my opinion. Tom, the widower who was barely holding it together with his two young daughters. Marcus, their godfather, who was an up-and-coming chef/restaurateur. They seemed to be well-matched, though I really felt for Marcus since he’d always been attracted (both physically and emotionally) to Tom, but was constantly pushed away by him. The book even started on that note. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but find myself rooting for their HEA, especially when Marcus finally turns the tables on Tom and they had a “Sleepless in Seattle”/”Notting Hill”-ish moment. To see, in the end, both of them face their demons and not lose that something special was extremely gratifying.
I’m hoping this is the start to a series - I’d love the opportunity to see more of Tom and Marcus (and their girls) and the other potential couples teased at the tail-end of this book.
If you’re looking for something heartwarming, a little angsty, but witty/funny, this is exactly what you’re looking for.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
August 4, 2025
3.5 stars
This was a very sweet, mostly predictable romance. I say mostly because there was more strife than I expected. But I liked that. Usually these things—where a straight friend admits he romantically likes his gay bestie—goes way too smoothly with generally only one bump in the road.
One of the things I didn’t like was the scene early on where Tom revealed he had non-platonic feelings for Marcus. He made it sound freaky and almost gross that he found Marcus attractive and Marcus went along with it.
While I understand the point of Marcus’s restaurants, I don’t think Michelin would rate any restaurant with the word “country” in the name. In addition, the owner and chef would not have TV dinners in his house let alone eat one.
The kids were too perfect but I liked them anyway. The narrative referred to the grandmother Moira as though she were awful but I thought she was quite nice.
I don’t usually like contemporaries and usually only read them for challenges. I make sure I find ones that have some kind of conflict. I can’t say I was that fond of this over any other, but it was good enough that I might read more by the author.
The narrator, Seb Yarrick, has an excellent range of accents but the tone of all sounded the same as the pitch didn’t change much. He sounded much like the narrator of a true-crime tv show. It was frustrating because I love it when the reader does great accents.
This was a very sweet, mostly predictable romance. I say mostly because there was more strife than I expected. But I liked that. Usually these things—where a straight friend admits he romantically likes his gay bestie—goes way too smoothly with generally only one bump in the road.
One of the things I didn’t like was the scene early on where Tom revealed he had non-platonic feelings for Marcus. He made it sound freaky and almost gross that he found Marcus attractive and Marcus went along with it.
While I understand the point of Marcus’s restaurants, I don’t think Michelin would rate any restaurant with the word “country” in the name. In addition, the owner and chef would not have TV dinners in his house let alone eat one.
The kids were too perfect but I liked them anyway. The narrative referred to the grandmother Moira as though she were awful but I thought she was quite nice.
I don’t usually like contemporaries and usually only read them for challenges. I make sure I find ones that have some kind of conflict. I can’t say I was that fond of this over any other, but it was good enough that I might read more by the author.
The narrator, Seb Yarrick, has an excellent range of accents but the tone of all sounded the same as the pitch didn’t change much. He sounded much like the narrator of a true-crime tv show. It was frustrating because I love it when the reader does great accents.
August 6, 2018
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by DreamSpinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
The Missing Ingredient is the first book I’ve read by Brian Lancaster. It’s a friends to lovers with a verrrrrry sloooooow burn. Seriously slow. For the most part, I really liked Marcus. Though he was a chef with multiple restaurants, we wasn’t a jerk. He was grieving the loss of his best friend and her family that he was asked to step away from after her death. He worked hard and when his best friend’s family came back into his life, he added them to his life easily, with no question. I wasn’t a fan of Tom and thought Marcus could do a lot better. Tom was a man in over his head with the death of his wife and really just seemed to be on the verge of drowning and losing his children. Though I could understand his grief, I thought he was selfish in allowing it to consume him to the detriment of his children. Fortunately, Marcus picks up the pieces and puts his life back together.
This story was fast paced and kept me engaged regardless of my feelings for Tom. There was no quick instalove story. Tom and Marcus spent time together with the kids. They became friends. Marcus’ old feelings for Tom came back and Tom found feelings of his own, much to his annoyance. The kids in the story were entertaining and not too involved. Though they were the reason Marcus and Tom are spending time together, it never felt like the story was all about taking care of the kids, or just about the kids. So, if having kids in the story bothers you, I think you’ll enjoy this story. It’s a nice mixture for whatever side of the fence you fall on.
This was a well-written story, with well-fleshed out main and supporting characters. For readers who enjoy friends to lovers, this is a must read story! I loved the epilogue and was completely taken by surprise by it. It really ended the story well and supported the HEA ending.
Rating: 4 stars
The Missing Ingredient is the first book I’ve read by Brian Lancaster. It’s a friends to lovers with a verrrrrry sloooooow burn. Seriously slow. For the most part, I really liked Marcus. Though he was a chef with multiple restaurants, we wasn’t a jerk. He was grieving the loss of his best friend and her family that he was asked to step away from after her death. He worked hard and when his best friend’s family came back into his life, he added them to his life easily, with no question. I wasn’t a fan of Tom and thought Marcus could do a lot better. Tom was a man in over his head with the death of his wife and really just seemed to be on the verge of drowning and losing his children. Though I could understand his grief, I thought he was selfish in allowing it to consume him to the detriment of his children. Fortunately, Marcus picks up the pieces and puts his life back together.
This story was fast paced and kept me engaged regardless of my feelings for Tom. There was no quick instalove story. Tom and Marcus spent time together with the kids. They became friends. Marcus’ old feelings for Tom came back and Tom found feelings of his own, much to his annoyance. The kids in the story were entertaining and not too involved. Though they were the reason Marcus and Tom are spending time together, it never felt like the story was all about taking care of the kids, or just about the kids. So, if having kids in the story bothers you, I think you’ll enjoy this story. It’s a nice mixture for whatever side of the fence you fall on.
This was a well-written story, with well-fleshed out main and supporting characters. For readers who enjoy friends to lovers, this is a must read story! I loved the epilogue and was completely taken by surprise by it. It really ended the story well and supported the HEA ending.
Rating: 4 stars
January 23, 2019
Audio Review-
Marcus is a busy celebrity Chef but he misses his best friend Raine who was killed in a tragic car accident nearly a year ago. Tom her widower asked Marcus to give him and the kids space to grieve and he would call him and let him back in the kids lives but a year later and he hasn't.
Marcus runs into them in a restaurant and his friend encourages him to make the move and approach Tom. Tom looks rough and exhausted and finally agrees to let Marcus help him with the kids. Their friendship is resurrected and they get close, maybe too close for Tom.
I did like this story. I really liked Marcus a lot, probably because I love Chef stories. I do wish there had been more in there about the restaurant, cooking or him being a chef. Tom, I didn't connect with like I wanted to. Having said that... the story is sweet, a bit sad in spots, has some really nice family outings that were touching.
If you like celebrity chefs, single fathers, friends to lovers, hurt-comfort, coming out, and gay for you, this is the story for you!
Seb Yarrick is new to me Narrator. He did a great job bringing this story to life.
Marcus is a busy celebrity Chef but he misses his best friend Raine who was killed in a tragic car accident nearly a year ago. Tom her widower asked Marcus to give him and the kids space to grieve and he would call him and let him back in the kids lives but a year later and he hasn't.
Marcus runs into them in a restaurant and his friend encourages him to make the move and approach Tom. Tom looks rough and exhausted and finally agrees to let Marcus help him with the kids. Their friendship is resurrected and they get close, maybe too close for Tom.
I did like this story. I really liked Marcus a lot, probably because I love Chef stories. I do wish there had been more in there about the restaurant, cooking or him being a chef. Tom, I didn't connect with like I wanted to. Having said that... the story is sweet, a bit sad in spots, has some really nice family outings that were touching.
If you like celebrity chefs, single fathers, friends to lovers, hurt-comfort, coming out, and gay for you, this is the story for you!
Seb Yarrick is new to me Narrator. He did a great job bringing this story to life.
August 7, 2018
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit https://wp.me/p220KL-ejr
From that review: " The Missing Ingredient by Brian Lancaster is one of those contemporary romances that some normally label Gay For You, a tag I've never liked or been conformable with. This is a heartwarming, sweet romance about a widower who has lost his wife and finds love again with his wife's best friend....a man. It's a slow burn, come to the realization of attraction and feelings story but more than that, it shows the challenges a person faces when they've put themselves and their sexuality into a box and now have to step outside if they want another chance at love"
For all our reviews,check out http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit https://wp.me/p220KL-ejr
From that review: " The Missing Ingredient by Brian Lancaster is one of those contemporary romances that some normally label Gay For You, a tag I've never liked or been conformable with. This is a heartwarming, sweet romance about a widower who has lost his wife and finds love again with his wife's best friend....a man. It's a slow burn, come to the realization of attraction and feelings story but more than that, it shows the challenges a person faces when they've put themselves and their sexuality into a box and now have to step outside if they want another chance at love"
For all our reviews,check out http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
August 18, 2018
4.5/5 Definitely enough for me to check out this author's other stuff. I love finding new authors, especially British ones. I'm glad I took a chance and bought this one when my library didn't have it.
Tags- Bi/Pan: Tom is demisexual-ish, Blue Collar: Tom is in construction (seems to be semi-in charge he handles bids and business-y stuff and looks hot in a suit); England: takes place primarily in the London borough of Bromley with a few visits to NYC
I can see the start of a series with this: the high school friend Dan, Link the chef neighbor, Benny the maitre d', even the hastily mentioned bookkeeper at the end.
Tags- Bi/Pan: Tom is demisexual-ish, Blue Collar: Tom is in construction (seems to be semi-in charge he handles bids and business-y stuff and looks hot in a suit); England: takes place primarily in the London borough of Bromley with a few visits to NYC
I can see the start of a series with this: the high school friend Dan, Link the chef neighbor, Benny the maitre d', even the hastily mentioned bookkeeper at the end.
September 13, 2018
It was a good book but I was left with a feeling that something was missing for me emotionally.
Marcus is too perfect and I hated Tom for giving Marcus hope and keeping him on a side like a dirty secret for no apparent reason except his mental comfort.
His parents were open-minded, his work situation was secure, only his drinking buddies were potentially at risk of not wanting to hang around if they knew he was bisexual but they were not his best friends and true support unlike Marcus.
And super-successful Marcus who is so insecure. Does not make much sense either.
It was an easy read nonetheless and I liked the book.
Marcus is too perfect and I hated Tom for giving Marcus hope and keeping him on a side like a dirty secret for no apparent reason except his mental comfort.
His parents were open-minded, his work situation was secure, only his drinking buddies were potentially at risk of not wanting to hang around if they knew he was bisexual but they were not his best friends and true support unlike Marcus.
And super-successful Marcus who is so insecure. Does not make much sense either.
It was an easy read nonetheless and I liked the book.
February 7, 2024
2.5 —
This kind of premise is just my kind of shit so I had high hopes…but this ended up being pretty tepid.
This story was in desperate need of Tom’s POV. I’m so sorry but Tom came off kind of a loser. All we see of him makes him look pretty deadbeat-y which I understand is really unkind given the circumstances but seriously he was always losing his fucking grip!!! Always leaving Marcus to pick up the pieces of his own home life while we’re briefed on Marcus’ already hectic work schedule because his is *the only POV we see*. And man I hate how Tom treated him at the end. Social services came to him? Yeah I wonder why…
This kind of premise is just my kind of shit so I had high hopes…but this ended up being pretty tepid.
This story was in desperate need of Tom’s POV. I’m so sorry but Tom came off kind of a loser. All we see of him makes him look pretty deadbeat-y which I understand is really unkind given the circumstances but seriously he was always losing his fucking grip!!! Always leaving Marcus to pick up the pieces of his own home life while we’re briefed on Marcus’ already hectic work schedule because his is *the only POV we see*. And man I hate how Tom treated him at the end. Social services came to him? Yeah I wonder why…
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