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Hot Sauce
Brad and Troy have it all. Brad, a celebrity chef before age 30, is one smart cookie. He knows that a while a good table may be all about display, it's the meal that counts.
Troy, a hip fashion designer, is the fabulous force behind a string of Boston's trendiest boutiques. He's got swanky digs in Beacon Hill, quality social credentials, and pecs you could break your teeth on. Brad's mad for Troy and vice-versa. In fact, the two are so for real they're getting ready to tie the lavender knot.
Enter Aria Shakespeare. Peroxide-pretty Aria, one of Troy's simmering old flames, tells Brad that his lover has been slutting around behind his back. And Aria says he's got proof! Truth or fairy tale, it's the start of a love-struck ride that will take Brad and Troy from tony Boston to torrid Bermuda and back again. On the way they'll learn that sometimes you just have to trust your heart...even if you can't believe your eyes.
Troy, a hip fashion designer, is the fabulous force behind a string of Boston's trendiest boutiques. He's got swanky digs in Beacon Hill, quality social credentials, and pecs you could break your teeth on. Brad's mad for Troy and vice-versa. In fact, the two are so for real they're getting ready to tie the lavender knot.
Enter Aria Shakespeare. Peroxide-pretty Aria, one of Troy's simmering old flames, tells Brad that his lover has been slutting around behind his back. And Aria says he's got proof! Truth or fairy tale, it's the start of a love-struck ride that will take Brad and Troy from tony Boston to torrid Bermuda and back again. On the way they'll learn that sometimes you just have to trust your heart...even if you can't believe your eyes.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
2 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Scott D. Pomfret
14 books48 followersScott Pomfret is author of Since My Last Confession: A Gay Catholic Memoir; Hot Sauce: A Novel; the Q Guide to Wine and Cocktails, and dozens of short stories published in, among other venues, Ecotone, The Short Story (UK), Post Road, New Orleans Review, Fiction International, and Fourteen Hills. Scott writes from the cramped confines of his tiny Provincetown beach shack, which he shares with his partner of twenty-one years. He is currently at work on a comic queer Know-Nothing alternative history novel set in antebellum New Orleans. www.scottpomfret.com.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 30, 2010
I don’t read romance novels; they are shallow and predictable, and diabetically-oversweet. I have no idea why I thought gay romance would be different. Gosh what a soap opera this was: Cinderella who stormed out of the ashes to find happiness (the path is as always ”per aspera ad astra” but this time in quite light variant); so much money and so little body fat. Oh yes, the bodies that would make poor Michelangeo’s David ashamed are everywhere you look. Of course there is an evil mother in law (who is transforming into unbeatable force when grab the bottle of hot sauce! That episode was utterly ridiculous!), a snake in the shape of Adonis (because the poison is always packed in the most tempting bottle) and supportive friends who are always there to offer a shoulder to our poor, whining Cinderella.
The characters are just too one dimensional and quite unrealistic. The perfect one is just too perfect (in spite the fact that on several places in the book there is a sentence which says that “perfect doesn’t exist”); bad ones are pure evil, crazy one is completely insane and there is Cinderella who is endlessly messed up: he wants to be loved but accepts possibility that he’s not, he wants to be courageous and firm but well … not right now, he wants to trust but can’t forced himself. He is so bloody insecure that when he starts his inner monologues (or with supportive friends) you’ll hear yourself saying “Oh not again”. No, I didn’t feel any empathy when listening him whining (while I’d gladly try some of those stuff he made when being depressed!). I was wondering why on earth they don’t speak openly??? What an epic lack of communication!
All this would normally lead to conclusion that I’ve read horrible book which bored me to death but that’s not the case. I mean after all I guess this is what romance novels are about: fluffy and predictable with happy ending that will make you wish to drink overpowerfull coffee without any sugar (if you drink it sweet which I don’t) to recover yourself. Indeed it was fun read. The story flowed nicely and I loved the language and the humour (since I’m not native English speaker it was sometimes challenging but it was nice nevertheless).
Maybe I should write one anecdote from last Saturday’s night.
I was at the opening of some paint exhibition which was completely crazy. The title of the exhibition was: "Sadomasochists from the deepness of the grave" and the paints where so fitting the title. After opening there was a party in some club. I wasn't too much interested because I was still recovering from my own birthday party night before but in the end some friends persuaded me to meet them there after midnight. Finding the club was as easy as finding a needle in the haystack; entrance was one big iron door some 5 meters bellow the ground level in some dark passage. But the club itself was enormous, it was underworld so I liked that instantly. It reminded me for some reason on one club from this book but I dismissed that thought instantly. It was strange at the entrance of the club they opened my bag looking for weapon (that's very NOT usual). Anyway I found my friends and we were drinking and drinking and .... dancing and I didn't find any female candidate to "take my heart" (that’s how they persuaded me to come) but I wasn’t glued on that possibility anyway.
I should knew better, it was suspicious from the very entrance but when you're drunk and little stoned your ratio is on standby. Anyway, one guy on the dance floor started to talk with me and I thought he's a friend of my friends (I wrongly believed he was there with us). It was pleasant chat until he asked me:
- "Are you often coming in "Loud & Queer"?
- "Say that again? Loud and what?"
- "Loud & Queer"
- "Is that where I am now?"
- "Umm, yes"
- "No I don't. I believe I accidentally went astray here"
- "Ok since you're here already ..."
- "Oh, indeed temptation is really huge but sadly I'm not drunk that much"
Those idiots of my friends forgot to tell me it's a gay club. "Oh mister since when you became so conservative?" I’m not whatsoever… oh well, in the case of emergency at least I know I have chances on the other side *shrug*
The characters are just too one dimensional and quite unrealistic. The perfect one is just too perfect (in spite the fact that on several places in the book there is a sentence which says that “perfect doesn’t exist”); bad ones are pure evil, crazy one is completely insane and there is Cinderella who is endlessly messed up: he wants to be loved but accepts possibility that he’s not, he wants to be courageous and firm but well … not right now, he wants to trust but can’t forced himself. He is so bloody insecure that when he starts his inner monologues (or with supportive friends) you’ll hear yourself saying “Oh not again”. No, I didn’t feel any empathy when listening him whining (while I’d gladly try some of those stuff he made when being depressed!). I was wondering why on earth they don’t speak openly??? What an epic lack of communication!
All this would normally lead to conclusion that I’ve read horrible book which bored me to death but that’s not the case. I mean after all I guess this is what romance novels are about: fluffy and predictable with happy ending that will make you wish to drink overpowerfull coffee without any sugar (if you drink it sweet which I don’t) to recover yourself. Indeed it was fun read. The story flowed nicely and I loved the language and the humour (since I’m not native English speaker it was sometimes challenging but it was nice nevertheless).
Maybe I should write one anecdote from last Saturday’s night.
I was at the opening of some paint exhibition which was completely crazy. The title of the exhibition was: "Sadomasochists from the deepness of the grave" and the paints where so fitting the title. After opening there was a party in some club. I wasn't too much interested because I was still recovering from my own birthday party night before but in the end some friends persuaded me to meet them there after midnight. Finding the club was as easy as finding a needle in the haystack; entrance was one big iron door some 5 meters bellow the ground level in some dark passage. But the club itself was enormous, it was underworld so I liked that instantly. It reminded me for some reason on one club from this book but I dismissed that thought instantly. It was strange at the entrance of the club they opened my bag looking for weapon (that's very NOT usual). Anyway I found my friends and we were drinking and drinking and .... dancing and I didn't find any female candidate to "take my heart" (that’s how they persuaded me to come) but I wasn’t glued on that possibility anyway.
I should knew better, it was suspicious from the very entrance but when you're drunk and little stoned your ratio is on standby. Anyway, one guy on the dance floor started to talk with me and I thought he's a friend of my friends (I wrongly believed he was there with us). It was pleasant chat until he asked me:
- "Are you often coming in "Loud & Queer"?
- "Say that again? Loud and what?"
- "Loud & Queer"
- "Is that where I am now?"
- "Umm, yes"
- "No I don't. I believe I accidentally went astray here"
- "Ok since you're here already ..."
- "Oh, indeed temptation is really huge but sadly I'm not drunk that much"
Those idiots of my friends forgot to tell me it's a gay club. "Oh mister since when you became so conservative?" I’m not whatsoever… oh well, in the case of emergency at least I know I have chances on the other side *shrug*
October 14, 2012
OK I'll admit it. I'm a die hard romantic. I love a good love story and revel in the idea that there's someone out there for everyone, waiting in the wings to sweep you off your feet. Unfortunately, society has also let reality sink into this concept as well, and I'm also constantly awaiting the other shoe to drop as well. Juggling these two concepts has kept much of my love life in a constant contact tizzy. That is, if you call what I have a "love life".
I picked up the book "Hot Sauce" because of the initial concept: a series of love stories for gay men (from Boston writers, no doubt). I also took in the cynical reviews I'd read of this said book as well as the other books in the "Romentics" series. I figured if anything, it can't be any worse than a majority of the other wretched gay books I've read in my day.
My how this taste of crow tastes in my mouth! This book is not only lyrical, it's incisive and fun. True, it plays out a bit like the cartoonish cover and doesn't fully deliver the bite you expect of a love story. But it's absolute fun to sit around on a hot afternoon and take in a budding love story. Mr. Pomfret & Mr. Whittier aren't going to win a Pulitzer Prize after this book, but did you ever really expect them to?
In the end, it's the unique writing style that won me over despite the predictable farce of a plot. I could've done without the Sex & the City-ish mother-in-law or the club kid narcissist and his equally phony name, but I did end of feeling strongly for the two main lovebirds and did honestly want them to get married in the end. (True, it took some suspension of belief. But it ultimately got me there.)
I only hope the other novels in this collection grow with their writing talents and knack for relaying a story. It's not an entrée, but it's definitely a snack!
I picked up the book "Hot Sauce" because of the initial concept: a series of love stories for gay men (from Boston writers, no doubt). I also took in the cynical reviews I'd read of this said book as well as the other books in the "Romentics" series. I figured if anything, it can't be any worse than a majority of the other wretched gay books I've read in my day.
My how this taste of crow tastes in my mouth! This book is not only lyrical, it's incisive and fun. True, it plays out a bit like the cartoonish cover and doesn't fully deliver the bite you expect of a love story. But it's absolute fun to sit around on a hot afternoon and take in a budding love story. Mr. Pomfret & Mr. Whittier aren't going to win a Pulitzer Prize after this book, but did you ever really expect them to?
In the end, it's the unique writing style that won me over despite the predictable farce of a plot. I could've done without the Sex & the City-ish mother-in-law or the club kid narcissist and his equally phony name, but I did end of feeling strongly for the two main lovebirds and did honestly want them to get married in the end. (True, it took some suspension of belief. But it ultimately got me there.)
I only hope the other novels in this collection grow with their writing talents and knack for relaying a story. It's not an entrée, but it's definitely a snack!
June 1, 2012
While this goes into the various machinations, friendships, angst, anxiety and partying that goes on in and out of gay relationships, let’s face it, the book has some truly smoking sexual scenes in it. There are so many it’s hard to say what kind of PWP this is: Porn with Plot or Porn without Plot.
I’m not complaining. In books about homosexual relationships, I don’t mind the sexual aspects one little bit, especially when they’re so well described as they are here. The relationship aspect isn’t allowed to go begging however as we see how one man fights with his own unease about his emotionally elusive partner’s increasing evasions. I found myself sympathizing with Brad’s plight as he struggled with his love affair, his business and the advice of his well-meaning friends. Did I mention the great sex?
I’m not complaining. In books about homosexual relationships, I don’t mind the sexual aspects one little bit, especially when they’re so well described as they are here. The relationship aspect isn’t allowed to go begging however as we see how one man fights with his own unease about his emotionally elusive partner’s increasing evasions. I found myself sympathizing with Brad’s plight as he struggled with his love affair, his business and the advice of his well-meaning friends. Did I mention the great sex?
February 10, 2012
Hot Sauce didn't hold my attention like Razor Burn did. Razor Burn took place in a business world I understand — marketing. High fashion and gourmet cooking are not my thing so all the descriptions of cooking and dressing got rather boring after awhile. That leaves a man, Brad, who is too insecure to confide in his boyfriend and the boyfriend, Troy, who is too clueless to ask Brad what's on his mind. Then there is Aria the overdone killjoy who is so obviously not Troy's type to be an unbelievable character. All of the "tension" between the two men is forced and the chemistry just doesn't seem as believable as it was for the main characters in Razor Burn.
March 18, 2008
This book provides laughs and raunchy sex scenes. Pretty fun combination. Not amazing, but a good way to pass the time.
April 1, 2016
Trusting people is the hardest thing to do... Showing that you can trust that person mean the world. Very good book!!!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews