Summer Kisses

Kiss Me #2

by Charlie Novak

Two chefs. Two summers. One shot at a second chance.

Aaron’s Plan
Then:
1. Get a better job
2. Learn more skills
3. Get money for restaurant
4. Don’t fall in love with Josh

Now:
1. Finesse menu
2. Stop being angry at Josh
3. Swear less (Ben’s idea)
4. Stop wanting to kiss Josh
5. Get Michelin stars
6. Stop being in love with Josh

Josh’s Plan
Then:
1. Start new job
2. Try not to burn out
3. Don’t fall in love with Aaron
4. Seriously. Don’t. It will only end badly…

Now:
1. Survive the summer
2. Get a new job?
3. Don’t get involved with Aaron again
4. Don’t think about kissing him
5. Don’t think about his smile
6. Don’t think about how much you still love him

Summer Kisses is a 78,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring two chefs with a complicated history, clashing egos, cheese toasties, and two summers that will change everything. It is part of the Kiss Me series and can be read as a standalone.

Content Warning: This novel contains mentions of drug use and issues of alcohol abuse.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers, LGBT, Audiobook

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2021

About the author

Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters – because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that love comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! I loved the book being split up with jumps to different time lines, it was so nice to read the characters growth as time and the story progressed. Really good and enjoyable overall.
I'll be honest though- so much of what they discussed cooking at their restaurant sounded so unappetizing to me 😬

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. What a wonderful narrative! The main characters Aaron and Josh, are two strong-headed, rude-mouthed men.
The story takes place over a period of more than ten years, with a good purpose, and is quite well done.

Ben and Aaron own and run The Pear Tree pastry restaurant. We already met them in Strawberry Kisses, the story about Patrick and Connor. That story was as sweet as the title, this one is a bit different. It’s harsh and has two stubborn rough talking guys as main characters.

It starts in 2020, where Josh and Aaron collide at a certain point, then the story went back to where it all began in 2012. After that, it jumps through time, back to 2020.

Josh works for The Pear Tree, in other words, also for Aaron. They have a past, a hard one. Josh left Aaron years before, they lived the path of destruction with alcohol and drugs.
But fate had other plans, Josh ends up working as a chef at Ben’s and Aaron’s restaurant.

They throw out thousands of curses and f-words at each other, there is hurt and frustration.
But there is also respect and hard work, there is healing, and deep feelings are involved.
Between the lines of all the rough, tough, rude talking, there is some honest sweetness and romantic gestures. My heart did strange things watching the two men.
I adored the protagonists, when they showed their vulnerability they showed also their kindness and beautiful hearts.
The parts about cooking and food were awesome, I loved it all.
The author did a great job with the timeline, back and forth it painted the whole picture clear.
Both men were meant for each other.
Overall a more than wonderfully layered story, consistently written, captivating, and hugely enjoyable!

Read and reviewed for LoveBytes LGBTQ bookreviews

[Megan [Jaded AF] · Rating 5 out of 5]

MM Romance
Second Chance Enemies To Lovers
TW: Drugs, substance abuse
5 Stars ⭐️



I loved this book because this is an enemies to lovers second chance book done right. I could feel the animosity between them but also the longing and overall need for each other even if they couldn’t admit it to each other or themselves.

”If anything, our animosity had increased. I wasn’t sure why, but every time I was around him, I forgot how to behave like an adult. I was like some fucking five-year-old pulling the hair of the kid he liked because he didn’t know how to use his words.”

Aaron and Josh have a past and it’s messy but unbeknownst to each other the destruction of their “relationship” is what led each man to get his shit together to have the future they dreamt of. And no one understands better than Josh what Aaron’s dreams are and it’s how he finds himself working side by side with Aaron for the past 5 years, animosity burning between them until it hits a breaking point. Once these two give in, it had all the passion that I need when reading a book like this and I loved how they still challenged each other but this time made the other better. This author made me really care about these characters which was a bit of a surprise because I really didn’t like book one in this series. Book one is definitely not needed to read this one but the plot line does overlap at times and I liked seeing Josh and Aaron’s dysfunction throughout it as it definitely helped show that level of “I don’t know whether to kiss you or kill you” level of crazy towards each other. Basically despite my issues with book one, it had the perfect setup for this one and made it even better. Also, there’s a lot of sex in this and it’s super hot because of their need for each other. This also surprised me because book one is what prompted me to make an “unsexy sex scenes” shelf. 🤣

This book has 6 parts to it. Part 1 is in the present, parts 2-4 take place in the past, part 5 returns us to the present and part 6 is the future and epilogue. While this had some angst, it wasn’t what I would consider a hard to read emotional book although it did make me cry at some points. I just loved Aaron and Josh and once we’re taken back to the present, I was crying because Aaron acts like a right bastard and yet underneath all that snark and assholery was the sweetest guy who finally had the balls to show Josh what he meant to him. His declaration of love was so damn swoony like I just melted reading it and then cried again. I’m not sure this is a book I’d normally cry reading but I’ve been really emotional lately with everything going on where I live and this book with all its snark, bickering, banter and longing just slayed me.

As much as I loved this I am not planning on reading the third book in this series as it just does not interest me but I will look into more offerings from this author. In the meantime I will be attempting to read what’s wasting away in my ku library as this one had been there since February. I wish I had read it sooner!

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
The intital jumping about of the timeline slowed the pace a little for me. Coupled with the quite heavy subject matter meant it took longer than it usually does to get into with a Charlie Novak book.
While drug use is mentioned, there is none on page, however there is alcohol abuse and addiction.
As the wife of a chef, I really felt like this was a fairly accurate representation of the realities of being with a chef (my younger husband's life insurance costs more monthly than mine because of his high stress job).
Aaron and Josh are messed up, antagonistic but well matched and their encounters are steamy.
I particularly enjoyed the visit to Aaron's brother Leo (from Natural Twenty) and all the character development Aaron showed

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down

As has become pretty common with this author's books, there was great potential here, but the execution didn't quite hit the right notes for me. It's hard to determine if this is something that will gradually improve, or if my Id is just slightly skewed from what this author writes...

I liked the characters, but I just didn't quite get all of the motivations and reactions. Josh and Aaron have a FWB situation that sort of enables addictive behaviors that Josh doesn't like, particularly because he's in love with Aaron and doesn't want him to sabotage himself, so his solution is... to dump Aaron without ever having any conversation with him or be supportive in any way? He frames it as "I'm breaking up with your for your own good because you're an addict and I make you worse" which makes zero sense and if he was actually concerned about Aaron's addiction, that's SO not the way to try and help? I mean, valid if he needed to cut Aaron out of his life for his own sanity, but the framing as some altruistic thing when it was actually pretty shitty really annoyed me.

Then, 2 years later, Aaron's best friend and business partner essentially hires Josh to work with them without any say-so from Aaron, despite the fact that he knows their history and that Aaron has a history of addiction that involved Josh... What the actual fuck? I was genuinely appalled that Ben is supposed to be Aaron's best friend because that was NOT the act of a best friend, nor does he actually act like one in the entire book.

The climactic drama is obvious from the jump, but I actually appreciated how the author handled it as it wasn't way overblown--it felt realistic. But then the book continues on for several more chapters. It felt like the book had 4 different endings, and somebody seriously needed to edit the shit out of the last 15% or really just cut it all. The epilogue was overly cheesy, which I am sure will please most readers but I am a grinch who doesn't need a fucking marriage ending in every goddamn book.

LOL, I sound angry because I'm disappointed, as there was actually a lot I enjoyed here but the things that bothered me were too big to ignore. Going to give this author a few more tries, but I'm starting to think they're not for me.

[ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since this is a GR review I can swear and say words like twat… which both of these characters were. Toxic was another word I could not help but think OFTEN…These characters were a toxic blend. Immature is another word I’d use as well. Their communication skills sucked too. All of this combination is why their relationship fizzled the first go around.

Fast forward 2 years. They start working together. Big mistake 🤔🤔
I know the banter was supposed to be pointed and mean. It was. Personally, both of these characters got on my nerves. They do this hate/ love thing for 5 YEARS?!?!? Then a kiss and a quick wank make them suddenly together again. NGL, it was an eye roll moment for me. 🙄🙄🙄
Did I hate read the rest?? You betcha, 😆.
Did they mature since their last go around?,slightly.
Did they finally break down and COMMUNICATE?,sure. I’d say they were toxic-light at this point.

There is a crossover from Aaron to Leo, the florist which I wasn’t expecting. Leo gave good advice that Aaron followed.. what was it? Communication! Face your fears. It’s ok to be vulnerable.

For me anyway, there was something missing with these two. I did not like them together. I just could not overcome that. Sadly, this was not the book for me.

[.Lili. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dig this angstier side of Charlie Novak; typically, her stories are rainbows and butterflies, but Summer Kisses carries a heavier undertone and mama likes.

We have-

-Two passionate chefs
-Addiction
-Chemistry. Smoking. Hot. chemistry.
-Character growth

I felt the topic of addiction was handled with care. You felt for Aaron and Josh and wanted them to succeed.

I loved the passion they had for their craft.

I have to shout out to Ben. May we all have someone in our lives like him.

Kudos to Charlie Novak for switching it up. I love when authors step out of their norm and try something different.

This was a slam dunk for me.

4.5 Stars

[Jazer (catching up on TBRs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I tried another book! I liked this one a lot. A second-chance romance with enough angst and drama. I was worried they would go into details for all the years they've been insufferable and antagonizing each other. However, the way their backstory was laid out made it so there's only enough scenes to show each of the year they've been pining and fighting. It's also chronological and I know that seems boring, but I prefer that over going back and forth between pasts and presents. So that's a plus!

As for Aaron and Josh as a couple, I like them better than Pads and Connor. The latter were too sweet for my teeth while the former were real and imperfect enough to keep the story interesting. Spicy and assholish in the surface but romantic and soft in private was a good personality combo and it made me appreciate all their encounters. 😍

As they said in the book. Like a house on fire. Their passion ignite and explode whenever they're together, be it in the kitchen or in bed. They may have been bad for each other at first, but in the end, they became the perfect partner for each other. 🥰

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more angsty but a satisfying HEA

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book at first, I'm not usually a fan of books with angst heavy themes like drink and drugs leading to addiction.

And both Aaron and Josh's early behaviour was super toxic, as was the hospitality industry they were working in

However, as the narrative flicked between past and present, and we got to see more of the disaster their sex-fueled early days were, the more I became invested in hoping they'd sort their act out.

That they did in such a way to cause a major blow out should be no surprise. What was a surprise though, was how much each wished they'd learnt to deal with the issues at the time, rather than just leave festering hurt behind.

There's so much delicious UST and fratching when their paths cross again, their language of love is like pulling hair in the playground. Thankfully, that takes up only a small part after they're back in the same orbit.

There's the obvious disaster imminent plot point you can see coming a mile away, but it's also thankfully not allowed to linger, and is dealt with through the grown up method of following advice and having a conversation!

Eventually, I found myself rooting hard for them both and cheering them on through each progressive relationship milestone.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Kisses (Kiss Me Book 2) MM Charlie Novak

Aaron part owner and Head Chef has an awful temper and a worse mouth, especially around his second chef Josh. Josh didn’t let him away and gave as good as he got.

These pair had a very passionate and traumatic past history from the time they worked in London 4 years ago. It eventually ended when Josh walked out, leaving Aaron devastated.

Now, Ben and Aaron are business partners, being owners of The Pear Tree Pub and Restaurant, in Nottingham. Ben is the business head and Aaron Restaurant Manager and Head Chef.

Business is so good that they need more staff and Ben has recruited another chef. Ben knew he was taking a huge risk but Josh was the best he’d interviewed.

However, Ben managed the situation and Josh started in the kitchens. Aaron is making it his mission to drive him out as soon as possible.

The Pear Tree Pub Restaurant must have been hard to work in with these two guys at each other’s throat every shift they worked together.

Some characters from Book 1 are featured here too, the adorable pair, Patrick the Pastry Chef and his partner Connor, the Pole Dancer. Plus the brothers Ben and Levi.

Aaron is a hard character to warm to and needs to get help with his issues. Josh is a sweet guy who has sorted himself out since his stressful time in London 4 years ago.

I really enjoyed this book even though some parts were sad. It’s been a good series which I will follow to the end. Charlie Novak never fails to provide interesting stories and I recommend this series as a good read, certainly not too fluffy, a bit of angst, and great side characters too.


Warning: Triggers in this one for alcohol and drug abuse.

[NurseRox · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟

[Airy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. The chemistry and the rivalry were perfectly described. There was a great development of both characters and the background story was really touching. What a great book.

[AshPenny37 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer Kisses is my first read by this author, though she's been on my radar for quite some time. Honestly, I think I might have taken the 'new-to-me' leap with the wrong book, but I was totally sold on the cheese toasties in the blurb.

The positives for me are the trope (I'm totally fine with lovers to enemies to lovers), the premise is great and the setting - being a Brit, I always appreciate books set in the UK and especially when they're outside of the capital. I really like that, although there are stereotypical depictions off a toxic professional kitchen, Aaron is determined to avoid that with his own staff.

The aspects I couldn't get on with, however, mostly revolve around the fact that I don't really like either of the MCs. I get the reasoning behind their constant sniping at each other (despite Aaron's rule about not being a jerk to his staff), but just find them to be childish. I actually like the staff in the Pear Tree kitchen more. The way in which the dependency issues were dealt with didn't quite feel right to me either. My other issue is that the pace doesn't feel balanced to me...a lot of the book feels like scene-setting, then there's a lot of kitchen banter and Aaron and Jason messing about; then there's a little bit of communication and an HEA all of a sudden.

Long story short, sadly this just isn't the book for me; but I would still like to explore this author's work more - I'm hopeful this is a 'it's not you, it's me' situation. 2.5* rounded up.

An ARC was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very freaking good 80% the last 20 bored me.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread via audio April 2022
Gosh I love this book so much. I think this series is my favorite of Charlie Novak's and it's 100% bc it's set in kitchens. My original review is long and raving and I'll keep the plot details there, but I do want to add a few things.

Aaron is an asshole and he is an asshole out of fear. He is worried that he isn't good enough and so instead of inviting in any sort of critique on his worth, he shuts people out. While Aaron and I are very different I relate to him intensely. His experience in kitchens is similar to my own and especially as someone who is self-taught and now running their own set up, there's always this underlying fear that someone's going to come in and be better than you and prove your purpose unnecessary.

I am a self-taught professional baker. That just means that I didn't go to culinary school and I don't have any sort of pastry certificates but I am fairly knowledgeable and a damn good baker. All of my knowledge and experience comes from past experience and mentors and trial and error. I am now at a point in my career where I am in charge of what gets put into cases and as a head baker it's stressful. I also worry that we'll hire someone in new who has more experience than me or more knowledge and all of a sudden in I won't be as important or necessary to the operation. And I feel like unless you have experience something similar it's really hard to understand where Aaron is coming from. Kitchens can be really toxic environments and another thing he and I have in common is that sometimes we're freaking jerks but we are never ever mean to staff and it's really important to have a creative, constructive, and safe work environment.

Why am I talking about this? What a great question. I have seen a couple reviews that kind of shit on Aaron a little bit and I want to put some of his experience into perspective. This book is messy and it's angsty but it is real and it's raw and unless you have worked in a professional kitchen I don't want your opinion on how to cope with such a potentially toxic environment. Aaron turns to sex and drugs and drinking and until he got a kick in the ass he was more than likely going to continue down that path. Even though he had dreams he had gotten himself into a rut. After pulling himself out of sad rut, he goes on to start his own business and work as hard as possible to not only stay sober but to combat the toxic kitchen culture that he knows. It takes a lot of work to create a healthy kitchen environment. Again, if you have not worked in a professional kitchen, your opinion is moot. I don't care. I just want readers to have a little bit of empathy and understanding for how hard it was for someone like Aaron who had only known toxicity to be able to turn it all around and eventually find happiness.

Anyway, have I gone all long enough? I really really love this book and I love The Pear Tree. The series always cracks me up with how different the three books are. The first book is as sweet and fluffy as can be, this second book is dramatic and angsty, and the last book is a beautiful blend of both. I highly recommend checking them out.


Original review
One day maybe there will be a Charlie Novak book that I don't fall in love with, but we're not there yet because this book is amazing. This is a companion novel to Strawberry Kisses and for as sweet and fluffy as Strawberry Kisses is, this one is angsty and dramatic.

TL;DR: two angsty chefs work through their addictions and emotional trauma. There's a lot of food and recipes and fizzy drinks, also quite a bit of sex. Then there's bowling and unexpected bets and a shit ton of sarcasm. The two chefs learned that they deserve to be happy and maybe that happiness can be found with each other.

Summer Kisses is a romance but not in the stereotypical hearts and roses type of way. As someone who has worked in kitchens for almost a decade now and has met a fair share of asshole head chefs, the way that both Aaron and Josh are written was really good. They are both chefs and they're both assholes, but they don't take it out on their staff which is just a small piece of information that I appreciated. But if you expect these two to be nice and kind and cute to each other, you've got another thing coming. Because Aaron and Josh are A+ level dicks. They both have a lot of issues to work out and a shared past that has fucked them up and multiple ways. But this book is about healing and about addiction and recovery and living with addiction. It's about finding coping mechanisms and things that you love and learning how to be the most authentic person you can be while also battling emotional trauma. I greatly appreciate that this book does not romanticize addiction and it doesn't shy away from confronting the harmful, dangerous, raw, messy attributes of drug and alcohol addiction.

So basically, Aaron and Josh have this history. They met in a bar in early 2010's and had this like fuck buddy relationship for about a year. It was toxic. They were both alcoholics and refused to confront any emotional aspects of the relationship. They were using drugs and trying to cope with the toxic restaurant industry and how taxing kitchen life is on people. There is also on page drug use that isn't very detailed but it is mentioned that it is cocaine at some point so content warning for that. Things end badly as you can imagine and the two go their separate ways. But they somehow find each other again years later when Aaron and his best friend Ben, are opening their restaurant and are looking for a sous chef. That's where Josh comes back in. The fact is that Aaron and Josh work phenomenally together in terms of food. They're both very talented and can create dishes that work perfectly for this restaurant. So the two of them end up working together for years but they take out all their anger and aggression on each other and even though they're not assholes to their staff they make their work environment hostile because of their interactions with each other.

This whole thing boils down to the fact that both of them have been in love with each other for years but neither one of them has the emotional maturity or capability to deal with it. This book is a dual POV nonlinear timeline a jumps around a little bit and it's messy guys. It is not a neat and tidy romantic cutesy book. It is hard and realistic and tough. It will also have you screaming that you just want them to talk about their emotions! 😂

I think my favorite part of this whole thing was how the ending was handled and how neither Aaron or Josh had big drastic changes to their inner personhood. They're both stills sarcastic and witty and dramatic but their anger and aggression has been tamed and they find ways to deal with it. They find hope and healing through their love for each other. They also each individually learn that they deserve respect from themselves. Aaron especially works through a lot of trauma about his worthiness as a human. He knows he's an excellent chef, but he's got it in his head that he deserves to be unhappy because he's an asshole and the last third of this book is him learning that he doesn't have to be an asshole and that his acting out was an unhealthy way of coping and that there are better ways to deal with it.

So, if you're looking for an angsty, messy, and dramatic romance book about two hot-headed chefs who learn to cope with their addictions, this one is for you. If you're looking for a sweet fluffy cutesy romance, check out the book before this called strawberry kisses.

Thank you to gay romance reviews for the gifted copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Rep: gay MC, British Indian gay MC

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Kisses solidified my need to read more books set in the kitchen/chef trope. I adored this so much. I loved the talk about food and the passion behind Aaron's and Josh's chef dreams. That being said, the story that went along with it, not to mention, the romance paired perfectly with this dish...

Aaron and Josh work in the same kitchen. They have worked alongside one another at The Pear Tree for years. And, for years, they have been at each other's throats. The rest of the kitchen staff is waiting for a total meltdown between the two, not knowing the history they share.

Years ago, they were hot and heavy, but Aaron's penchant for booze and drugs, combined with the way he still kept Josh at arm's length, caused their demise as a "couple." But when the current tension grows so thick between them and the breaking point results in a steamy kiss, the two have to decide if they have grown enough as individuals to try again.

Oh, this book was freaking phenomenal. Both Aaron and Josh battle their own demons throughout. Josh is kind and caring, while Aaron is a grump with a major potty mouth. And the two of them together is just perfection.

[Szidi ☼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

I was looking forward to this book so much, after finishing Strawberry Kisses I was shipping Josh and Aaron and wanted an enemies to lovers with kitchen sex so bad! So I'm happy that Charlie gave us this book, it was everything and more.

Loved both Josh and Aaron and loved how well they worked together (both in the kitchen and in the sheets). Their story is told in two different time lines, this way we got to see when they first met and how they relationship went, and in real time when they working together.

I loved both times, their younger selves were cute too, selfless and fearless. And I was glad that Josh was the clever one and knew what to do to survive.

Loved the kitchen scenes, oh god how I loved them! I miss so much working in a kitchen and this book gave me so many things back. Bit of nostalgia and longing. Charlie wrote the kitchen work space so well, I felt I was there with them.

Really enjoyed reading this book, it was both sweet and sour sometimes. Romantic and erotic, just perfect.

[Sharing The Book Love (Kelli Maree PA) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Kisses is a gritty almost behind the scenes look at the life of a chef. It has turmoil, grittiness, long hours and the partner you find needs to understand the stress.

Josh and Aaron's story, covers a number of years and we see the bad to the good.

Loved seeing visits from other Charlie characters.

The growth of Aaron as a person and his relationship and communication with Josh is perfectly written.

[Nick Vallina (MisterGhostReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t really care about Josh or Aaron that much. They have a snarky adversarial relationship. Sorta hate each other but obviously love each other.

I don’t think I’ll bother reading the third book in this series? This was far less good (for me) than the first book was tbh and the third one is promising to be another vague enemies to lovers vibe and meh.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was completely different in tone than the first book, which was actually so fun. This is basically an asshole x asshole pairing, but without needless toxicity.

[Lisa Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a tough one for me to rate. I found the beginning slow and hard to get through. The flashback felt too long for me, and I felt like some of it dragged. I kept reading since I love all the Charlie Novak books I've previously read. I'm glad I kept reading, since the book picked up about 50% in. I really enjoyed the second half of the book and got through it much easier and quicker.

Definitely make sure to pay attention to the trigger warnings listed at the beginning.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book deals with alcohol and drug addiction throughout

Aarons kind of a shit and I don't feel like he does enough to redeem himself. He's so mean to everyone even Ben. I don't need him to be the nicest person but I also need him to be nice to the people he loves.

Josh is fine, I like him, and I think he deserves better

We spend so much time in the past in this book. I wish we spent more time in the present, then there's like a quick little peak into the future which is not enough after all the bad history. I just needed more of the relationship flourishing

If I hadn’t liked the last book so much and wasn't looking forward to reading the next one I probably wouldn't have finished this. But because I love Patrick and Ben here I am.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer kisses was a different book but I loved it. It was written in the past and presences and I liked that. That I got to know what happened the first time Aaron and josh meet the fist time.

It can be a hard book to read because it has both alcoholism and drugs in it but for me that was a part of the book that fit.

I have to say that this is even better on audio!

[Zaza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐

Mon 1er Charlie Novak ! j'avais été séduite par la promesse d'un roman avec deux chefs et l'histoire d'une seconde chance, mais je ne savais pas pour autant trop à quoi m'attendre avec ce roman.
C'est une histoire qui s'étend sur un laps de temps assez long, avec des sauts en arrière dans le passé, ce qui nous permet de voir évoluer les personnages durant de nombreuses années. Porté par une narration à deux voix, le roman s'ouvre dans le présent, et on comprend tout de suite que A. Aaaron ne va pas être un personnage aimable (bon ok, c'est un c*nnard), et que B. entre lui et Josh, c'est ... compliqué.

Aaron et Josh ont une relation toxique et dysfonctionnelle, surtout à leurs débuts. Au départ c'est surtout une histoire de sexe, qui durera quand même assez longtemps, mais ce ne sera pas une relation saine, et finalement, leur rupture est ce qui pouvait leur arriver de mieux. Des années plus tard, ils décident de se donner une seconde chance, après avoir passé des années à se tirer dans les pattes, à s'envoyer des insultes et à se rembarrer mutuellement (car ils travaillent ensemble dans le même établissement). J'ai été déçue par la brutalité du changement de rapport entre eux. Pour moi, tout se fait sans transition, sans période d'adaptation, c'est un peu comme si toutes ces années de guerre étaient effacées d'un seul coup, et je trouve ça vraiment dommage, car il y a un contraste trop important entre l'amertume et la noirceur de leurs débuts, et la relation quasi idyllique qu'ils ont dans la seconde partie du livre.

Durant une bonne partie du roman, Aaron est un personnage peu aimable, vulgaire et colérique, il est excessif dans son comportement, dans sa consommation de drogues et d'alcool et n'est pas franchement sympathique. Néanmoins, c'est un personnage qui évolue au fil du temps, et je me suis très longtemps demandée s'il y avait une raison valable derrière son comportement, derrière cette agressivité qui le caractérise. Dans la seconde partie du livre, il change vraiment de visage et d'attitude, et j'ai trouvé ça brutal et assez déconcertant.
Josh paraît moins dysfonctionnel, plus ... posé, et pourtant, il s'est laissé entraîné dans une relation autodestructrice avec Aaron, toutes ces années auparavant. Si Aaron est odieux avec lui, Josh n'est pas une victime pour autant, il lui rend coup pour coup, et il sait lui tenir tête. Cela dit, Josh est tout de même plus aimable que son homme, il est plus calme et semble plus épanoui.

Si je ne suis pas convaincue par la romance et que je n'ai pas particulièrement apprécié les deux personnages principaux, j'ai en revanche apprécié tout le volet culinaire de ce roman. J'ai aimé l'ambiance des cuisines, la mention de certains plats m'a mis l'eau à la bouche, et j'ai trouvé ça sympa d'être dans cette ambiance de brigade (enfin pas quand Aaron joue au super c*nnard). Côté personnages secondaires, Ben et Patrick ont une patience de saint. Je ne comprends pas comment Ben fait pour ne pas balancer des claques à Aaron, comment il a supporté pendant toutes ces années cette attitude odieuse de son ami envers son collègue et ex (Josh donc) ... Ben a vraiment un cœur un or, c'est un ami fidèle et compréhensif (sans doute un peu trop ?), et Patrick a l'air d'être un type vraiment adorable.

Bilan mitigé donc, j'ai l'impression d'avoir lu deux romans en un, et j'aurais préféré qu'il y ait une vraie transition entre ces deux moments de la vie de Josh et Aaron.

[Xanthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer Kisses is definitely a little more hard hitting than book one of this series, Strawberry Kisses. It's a second chance romance with one very sweary chef and one who is not afraid to bite back, even after how things ended years ago. There is alcohol addiction and drug use so please don't read if this is a trigger.
I like how this story is laid out, giving readers a couple of chapters in the current time line then going back to see what happened between the MC's a few years ago and showing us how they got to be who they are in themselves and to each other.
Aaron comes across as quite an angry person, with no one really close to him except Ben, his best friend since first school, who stands by his side quietly supporting him through everything. Then there's Josh. Quietly going through life until he meets Aaron and the two are constantly drawn together but with it comes bad habits. Things escalate until it becomes too much for Josh and he takes a step back to save them both. Years later, upon applying for a chefs job in a new pub, he reconnects with Aaron. There is, what seems to be animosity and tension of all kinds that build up between them as they continue to work together but you know it can only end up one way for them. When they're together, their spark ignites in a totally different, and hot, way than in the kitchen and you can see how they work so well together but this time they're older, maybe wiser and have made different life choices after their ending last time.
Everything seems to be a constant battle with Aaron and most of the time it's entertaining and occasionally hot, especially as Josh is one of the few not afraid to bite back. It was a big step that Josh could took for them years ago and it definitely comes across as life saving, for me at least with the way things were going. I like how vulnerable being with each other makes them, seeming more human than when working in the kitchen where nothing can touch them. The time scale that the book is set up with works well as it doesn't stagnate in one time for two long, focusing on the important parts of their relationship before moving on to the next and being able to look back and see their first time together and how they moved on from that helps to understand them more in the current day.
The steps both men take when it comes to their alcohol problems isn't really spoken about much after the fact, which fits Aaron's character well, but there is one key moment between Aaron and Ben that shapes his future and therapy is spoken of positively here which has a big impact for both men.
I enjoyed this book and liked the darker route that it has taken compared to the sunshine of Patrick and Connor. There is a very good balance between light and dark, anger and love that all flows well together to give readers a very good story from start to finish.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Since reading Strawberry Kisses, I knew I was going to enjoy Aaron and Josh. The fact that they were always at each other's throats told the story of a secret or hidden past, and this book tells this story.

First of all, I fucking loved the beginning of the book - the darker story of how they met, and how their toxic relationship evolved. It absolutely broke my heart seeing Josh realise how bad they were for each other and finding the strength to leave. It was gritty and real and painful, and it was written so well! The anger, the addiction, the pain - it was just done beautifully. Kudos to the author!

The second part of the book is also great, with a massive dose of enemies to lovers when Josh and Aaron reunite at the Pear Tree again after a couple of years apart, and seeing them fight the obvious chemistry that still exists between them. They finally give in into their desires and commence their relationship. I won't say that this last part of the book was all sweet and romantic and swooney, because neither character is like that. However, it depicts a more real type of love - the one where two people just fit together and still have to fight to keep their relationship working.

Aaron's character development is simply beautiful. I love how he owned his issues and seeked help with his brother first and a therapist later (Had no idea Leo from Natural Twenty was his brother!). It took him a long time, but those things don't happen overnight. It was a very truthful depiction of addition and anger management. I also loved Ben and his constant and silent support of his friend.

I really hope this is not the last of The Pear Tree we get to read!!

[Florence . · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d realised that needing someone wasn’t the weakness I’d always imagined it was. Josh brought me more joy in one smile than I’d experienced over weeks of my life. He made everything better just by being there.

I had this book on my tbr for ages but then I was reminded that this is an grumpy x grumpy second chance romance where their love language is antagonizing each other and I felt like I could not go on one more day without reading this book, so here we are.

And let me tell you, I was so right. This was just MY book in so many specific ways, I was absolutely obsessed with it.

Second chance books with a mix of flashbacks to their previous relationship and scenes set in the present are my kryptonite and everything about the narrative structure of this book just really worked for me. I had the best of time seeing how their present interactions were and then seeing the exact moments in their history that shaped those interactions.

This was honestly the second chance romance of my wildest dreams. It was just everything I could have asked for: tons of banter, super angsty moments and two guys who would do everything to be deserving of the other, even when it's hard. I truly just had the best time reading this book.

My favourite feeling in the world is when I get so invested in a book and both main characters that I start crying my eyes out every time the smallest thing happens and this book definitely got to me, very badly.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Chefs Turn up the Heat in the Kitchen

If you read the sweet friends to lovers Strawberry Kisses with Patrick and Connor this is the sequel and there is not much that is sweet about Aaron and Josh’s story.

This story is set over 10 years and is about addiction, alcohol and drugs and the way two people can be in a destructive relationship and are just bad for each other but don’t realise how much they meant to each other until they part. When they meet up two years later they both hide their feelings beneath animosity and vitriol for the next few years, scared of getting hurt again.

Initially Aaron is a very difficult character to like or feel sorry for in fact my sympathies were with Ben, his best friend since school, who picked him up and was at his side through all the bad times, but Aaron came good eventually and it was heartwarming to see him try to change and be a nicer person for Josh.

This is a turbulent second chance romance with an eventual HEA. It is well written and the author covers the addiction and recovery sensitively. I would love to see the lovely Ben get his story and HEA next.

[Marilisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Summer Kisses was a journey, it follows Aaron and Josh in a very thoughtful way throughout the past and present, their highs, and their very low lows, their dreams, and fears.
They are both flawed characters and that makes them so real, even if you can't relate.
The way the book is constructed is the perfect build-up to the present and to these two stubborn and snarky guys, hiding years of pent-up emotion and frustration. Once all of that is unleashed, they prove themselves to be adorable sweethearts.

Trigger warning about on-page alcohol and substance abuse, if that's triggering to you, please take care of yourself and stay away, Charlie Novak has so many other adorable books that are worth a read!

The audiobook was beautifully narrated and I really enjoyed the experience :)

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

[Imanewreader ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

tw - drug use, alcoholism, addiction, unhealthy/toxic relationship

oh, this could have been a favorite. two souls finding each other at their worst, pulling each other down, taking the decision to end it because too toxic and finding each other when they are doing better and determined to stay this way doing better.
from red flag to green flag. understanding they could be something good when they are doing good themselves. the relationship being the cherry on top. loved it.

unfortunately, i got lost between 2015, 2018, and 2020, not knowing where i was who was talking and what was happening (mainly because i was listening to the audiobook).
still. i enjoyed it a lot and will probably go back to it with the ebook this time.