Can't Stand the Heat

by Wynter Daniels

From the moment Marissa met Billy when she was hired as his Sous Chef, she found everything about him delicious. Between his tall, muscular frame, his thick black hair and his piercing blue eyes, she couldn't resist her hunger for him. His Crepes Suzette weren't too bad, either! They created memorable dishes in the kitchen of the Savannah gourmet restaurant where they worked and eventually memorable heat in the bedroom as well. After several years, though, Billy's addiction to gambling destroyed the trust in their relationship. When the marriage went sour, he left Savannah and went to work at their boss's Atlanta restaurant. A year later the owner closed the Atlanta location, and just in the nick of time for Billy. Right before he leaves Atlanta, his bookie shows up demanding Billy settle his debts. When Billy explains he doesn't have the money, the bookie's henchman roughs him up. Billy swears he's starting a new job and will have the money soon. The men knock him out. When he awakens, he starts toward Savannah, but quickly realizes he's lost his cell phone. Not giving that much thought, he buys another, then continues on his way to Savannah to reclaim his old job and his ex-wife. When he shows up on Marissa's doorstep expecting to stay there, she's furious, although deep down, she finds him just as tasty as ever. When she sees Billy is injured, though, she relents and allows him to stay. Knowing she won't be able to resist him for long, she insists they compete for the Head Chef job, rather than work together on a permanent basis. Their boss calls and explains a magazine food critic will be paying the restaurant a surprise visit soon. He asks that they work together rather than compete, but Marissa assures him the competition will bring out their creative best. The boss then sweetens the pot with a ten thousand dollar bonus to the winner. Since that's the amount Billy owes his bookie, he's more determined than ever to win. If he wins, he can move on with his life. He truly wants to quit gambling and get back with Marissa, but will the demons from his past allow him to reclaim what he lost? As Marissa and Billy ramp up the competition in the kitchen, the intense attraction heats up as well. Marissa softens her resolve, but can she trust him not to fall back into the destructive behavior that sank their relationship the last time?

105 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Wynter Daniels has penned more than two dozen books in various romance genres including paranormal, romantic suspense and contemporary for several publishers including Entangled Publishing and Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls Universe. In 2019, she launched a brand new world with author Catherine Kean. Wynter lives in sunny Florida with her family and a spoiled cat. Find her at www.WynterDaniels.com, wwwCatsPawCoveRomance.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wynter...
or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WynterDaniels

Reviews

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good read for me. Billy had a gambling problem, or rather addiction, which ultimately leads to the end of his marriage to Marissa. That's not to say they ever stopped loving each other, and won't wind up back together again. Although Billy still has a gambling addiction when he and Marissa are brought together again, under work circumstances, he finally does make a solid effort to stop gambling. Like any addiction, it's not something easily given up, and I appreciated that the author created a realistic situation with Billy.

As far as the chemistry and love connection goes, Marissa and Billy's is amazing. There's no doubt while reading that they truly are meant for each other and love one another deeply. It was a sweet love story to watch have a happy ending. A nice quick read!

[Romancing the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review by Marissa

Can't Stand the Heat is spicy. I have to say I loved the title, it reminded me of the old saying if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. Since both Marissa and Billy are amazing chefs it is a perfect fit.

Marissa and Billy have an off and on relationship mainly because Billy is a gambling addict, who has lied to and broken Marissa's heart more times then she can remember. I could understand Marissa's attraction to Billy, he was amazing and cherished her, when he wasn't lying to her. But I couldn't help but dislike Billy, and think that Marissa deserved better. I hated that he kept lying to everyone about his gambling. If you don't believe you have a gambling problem, then I don't think you would feel the need to lie about making a bet.

Marissa loved Billy and no matter how many times he broke her heart and lied to her, she would always take him back, and to me that didn't sit well with me. I know that there are women out there that would do that, but I am not one of them. Every time Marissa took Billy back I thought it made her seem weak. Especially after he put Marissa's life in danger, and the loan shark came after Marissa. It just didn't make sense to me how someone could keep taking someone back after all the hurt.

Besides Marissa seeming weak, I really liked her. I loved how she put some much of herself into her cooking. Throughout Can't Stand the Heat I couldn't help but hope that Marissa would end up with someone that would cherish her the way that Billy did, but not lie to her. Even after Billy changed and stopped making bets, I couldn't help but think that he just hurt Marissa too many times for her to take him back.

Can't Stand the Heat can be purchased at Red Sage. It is currently only available in ebook.

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read several books by Wynter Daniels (writing as Dara Edmondson) and really liked them, so I expected to like this one as well. Unfortunately there wasn't much to recommend about it.

I'm going to be upfront and state right now that this book features one of my hot-button issues. Other readers may not have the reaction I did because they feel differently than I do about the main conflict.

This is the problem I had with this book. HE IS AN ADDICT. HE DOESN'T STOP GAMBLING. Throughout the entire book, he keeps gambling, putting Marissa in danger even though he says he won't. I'm all for second chances. They get a divorce and a year later he shows up - having been clean for that whole time time - and wants a second chance, great. But he hasn't ever stopped. He's still lying and stealing and generally being a douche.

But my problem continues from there because Marissa was nothing but a doormat. He pawned her jewelry, continued to lie to her and put her in mortal danger - and STILL she believed him when he said he was done. STILL she took him back. STILL she had sex with him. This makes no sense to me. At some point you have to say enough is enough - only Marissa never did. He came back the same man he left as, the one she swore she was done with, and SHE TOOK HIM BACK.

The only reason I ended up finishing was because I was hoping one - or both of them - would wind up either dead or with someone else. I'm afraid I was disappointed all the way around.

[Deviant Divas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can’t Stand The Heat by Wynter Daniels provides us with a provocative story of two Savannah chefs. Has all the heat that two sous chefs can produce in a kitchen. This book does have the undertone of gambling in it, a lot of friction between Marissa and Billy.Reviewed by Connie Spears

DIVA RATING: 3 Divas
HEAT RATING: Spark

Link: http://www.deviantdivaseroticbookrevi...

[T.M. Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Can't Stand the Heat
Author: Wynter Daniels
My Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Tammy - Book Nook Nuts

REVIEW
Marissa is an up and coming sous chef, she has a good life, she loves her husband only two problems.
Billy has a huge problem, one his wife is no longer willing to deal with.
Marissa's boss ruins her day a year later when he lets her know she will now have another chef in the kitchen. He can't say no it's his family member.
Billy boy is back and now Marissa has to figure out how to work with the man who broke her heart. Are his demons really gone though?
Time for a contest, last chef standing wins.
This book is super hot and funny.

**I read this book via Kindle Unlimited and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book**

Wynter Daniels

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book that is full of characters that are engaging and have undeniable chemistry throughout the pages and a storyline that flowed smoothly from beginning to the end. Not only heat in the kitchen but in other areas.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spicy, sexy and quick read set in Savannah is Can't Stand The Heat by Wynter Daniels. Billy and Marissa are Chefs and married to each other. Billy is the Head Chef and Marissa is his Sous Chef. They are in love and know exactly how to turn up the heat on each other, though they have one looming problem, Billy's gambling addiction. When Marissa finds out he has lied to her again and is continuing to gamble, that is the last straw and she kicks him out and Billy leaves. Forward to a year later and Billy is back and competing with Marissa for the Head Chef job again at the restaurant. He shows up on Marissa's door step, wanting to stay with her. When she see's Billy all the emotions come flooding back, yet she knows she can't trust him. Though working together in such a close environment is a reminder of just how hot they can be in and out of the kitchen. Though when thugs come and threaten Marissa, Billy realizes there are things more important in life than the feeling he gets from gambling. The only questions are is it too late to get Marissa back and can he fully trust himself to quit. I really enjoyed this story by Wynter Daniels. I felt the heat between the 2 main characters and also their issues. I liked the showing of their foibles and how human they were and the mistakes everyone makes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Anna Salamatin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marissa & Billy are Chef's at a high end restaurant. Very talented Chef's with a bright future.They are also in love. It would seem that a perfect life together is all theirs,. after all what more is there than a man who adores you and outwardly shows it? and a woman who unconditionally returns that love? But Billy has a secret. One that could challenge & maybe destroy all that they have.
This is a story of addiction, not to drugs but to gambling. And with that comes the lies and empty promises to stop.
Marissa stands by her man even though her heart is breaking a little more with each broken promise.
Then, the unthinkable happens. Billy gets in too deep with a loan shark who Billy's lies won't work on and they kidnap Marissa!
Is this a wake up call for Billy as he scrambles to save the only person to ever believe in him? The love of his life?, She quite simply is his life......Or...is this the end of everything? Has he gone to far? will he ever see her again?
This is a great read and I do recommend it as a story of absolute love and redemption.