Deep Autumn Heat: A Loveswept Contemporary Romance [Kindle Edition]

Elisabeth Barrett (Author)

Book Description

In this sexy new Star Harbor romance series, featuring the too-tempting Grayson brothers, a celebrity chef turns up the heat for a local café owner—and things start to sizzle.
 
Lexie Meyers decides there’s nothing sweeter than watching Sebastian Grayson’s perfect, wicked mouth devour her coconut cake. He’s hot, he’s hungry, and he’s sizing her up like she’s the best thing on the menu. But she’s been burned in the past and flings just aren’t her thing. Too bad Sebastian can’t resist a challenge.
 
Worldly, famous, and notorious with the ladies, Seb had planned a weekend of fishing and relaxation with his brothers. Until Lexie, with her kissable lips and frosty “get lost” attitude, makes him want to forget his culinary empire and create some magic with her. After he fires up his charm—including challenging her to a televised cook-off to break through her resistance—it’s now hotter in the bedroom than it is in the kitchen and Lexie isn’t sure whether she’s lost her mind . . . or just her heart.
 
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Here Comes the Bride, The Wedding Chase, and About Last Night.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book has all the ingredients of a great romance - sexy characters, intriguing plot, and a town I want to vist!" - Jennifer Probst, NYT and USA Today Bestselling author

"Deep Autumn Heat has a delicious hero and a sexy romance, a perfect combination!" - Molly O'Keefe, author of Can't Buy Me Love

"Elisabeth Barrett's Deep Autumn Heat is a delicious debut that leaves the reader hungry for more." - Emily March, NYT & USA Today Bestselling author of Nightingale Way

"Deep Autumn Heat serves up a heaping helping of sexy, with sweet and spicy on the side." - Heidi Betts, USA Today Bestselling author

"Elisabeth Barrett's Star Harbor debut offers New England charm, deeply felt emotion, and a whole lot of sizzle. A must read!" - Ruthie Knox, author of Ride with Me

Product Details

• File Size: 2020 KB
• Print Length: 322 pages
• Publisher: Loveswept (July 9, 2012)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0062OCP74
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #932 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #96 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction
  • #100 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction > Contemporary Women

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It brings the heat! July 9, 2012

By ejaygirl

Format:Kindle Edition

I'm a big fan of contemporary romance and love it even more when the focus of a series is primarily on the male characters. It's just so much more fun to be getting the male perspectives and these brothers are oh, so delicious on so many levels.

The first story in this four book series is about Sebastian (Seb) Grayson, a renowned master chef who lives in New York and has come home to Star Harbor, Massachusetts for the annual get together with his brothers on the anniversary of their father's death. He and his twin brother, Theo, are the youngest of the four. They are out fishing in the early morning and take a break for coffee and breakfast at the local LM Kitchen, operated by Lexie Meyers. Seb gets one look at her and decides he's game! Lexie thinks he's pretty arrogant (and gorgeous) but isn't up for any kind of relationship these days, casual or long-term. That just makes Seb even more determined.

There were often times when I teetered on liking Seb and thinking he may be just a bit too arrogant for my tastes. However, the author does a good job of keeping him from crossing the line into obnoxious and staying within the bounds of self confidence. That made it pretty authentic given he's a well known chef about to launch a new television show and operates one of the most famous upscale restaurants in New York City. Lexie's got a great sense of humor and isn't a slouch in the kitchen either. Where Seb has the creative skills, Lexie truly knows how to manage an operation and is infamous for her coconut cake recipe. She's got game, too, which really keeps them on equal footing.

While this isn't categorized as a romantic suspense, there is a mystery here that does create a level of suspense around Lexie.... Someone has issued threats to get her cake recipe and she left California to escape a really bad relationship. It adds to the story in a positive way (it was an unexpected surprise for me who loves that genre)and helps to accelerate some of the action. Lexie and Seb have good chemistry, even if her reluctance bordered on being tiresome at points. But, their romantic interludes more than compensated for her foot dragging.

There are some awkward parts of the story where there seems to be unnecessary dialogue with secondary characters that don't lead anywhere or move the storyline, the sort of talk that would be implied. Other than this, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the romance and the characters. I'm really pleased with the start of this series as the first book always has the burden of creating the foundation at the expense of a good story. Not so much with this one as I read it in one day. I cannot wait for all of the books as each brother was appealing in his own right.

Put this one on your TBR shelf if you like this genre, want to spend some time with some really delectable guys and are up for a little suspense. I'm in for the series.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley.) Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed July 10, 2012

By Under The Covers Book Blog

Format:Kindle Edition

(More like 3.5 feathers!)
Reviewed by Ann & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

In a brand new series called Star Harbor, Elisabeth Barrett introduces us to the se xy Grayson brothers. Each more hotter than the last, it seems that Elisabeth is planning on giving each brother a book in the series. You know what that means...there are only good things to come.

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT is the first book that features celebrity chef Sebastian Grayson and Lexie Meyers. When the worldly chef comes back to Star Harbor for awhile, Sebastian can't help but notice Lexie Meyers and her coconut cake. A chef in her own right, Lexie has built her reputation from the ground up and you can see all the hard work she has put in to make her kitchen run the way she wants it to run. However, Sebastian can't help but goad her as he tries to charm her. As se xual tension rises and tempers flare, the kitchen is just heating up between these two.

In the opening chapter, Barrett does a fantastic job of introducing the Grayson brothers in a way that made me immediately like them. I love the family dynamic and the "guy talk" between them is always very entertaining. I love small-town contemporary series that surround a family. It's brings a lot of heart to the stories and also adds another type of love other than the romantic kind. I can already sense that family will be a big part of this series.

Sebastian Grayson thrilled me because he is the type of guy who knows what he wants. He doesn't back down when there is an obstacle before him and I think that's why his career is so promising. The same goes with Lexie. She works just as hard, but for some reason I didn't connect with her so much.... The difference is that Sebastian had some charm even when he was being overbearing and too forward. Lexie wasn't very charming or endearing to me.

I had another issue with the plot. When Lexie receives threats tacked onto her door, she reads them, collects them, but doesn't do anything about them. Then, one night she gets attacked by a masked man. This causes for some great suspense and drama, but I felt it was at the expense of Lexie. I don't mind setting up a storyline that will pull the plot forward, but I just felt that it made Lexie's character look dumb. Because of her non-actions, all of this occurred. If she did something about it, then there would be no story.

So while I thought the idea of the series was great and it started off with a bang, the rest of the storyline became predictable and Lexie lost some respect in my eyes. I'm still looking forward to the next book in the series.

*Complimentary copy of the book provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I didn't want it to end and can't wait for the next~ United By Books Reviews July 9, 2012

By Lindsey Hutchison

Format:Kindle Edition

Seb is home for the weekend with his brothers. They go to the LM Kitchen where he meets Lexie. From the beginning, he puts on his full effect attitude and flirtation, but she is a person who will basically tells you exactly what she thinks. The fact that she isn't falling all over Seb, has his interest right away and he sees her as a challenge he can't resist. Lexie on the other hand, is fighting the attraction after getting burned in the past. Seb gets under her skin however and his kiss sparks a reaction she can't deny .

Elisabeth Barrett is a new author to me, but holy wow!!!! I can honestly say there hasn't been too many books that I read in one day lately, but this one I did not want to put down. Lexie is sassy, strong and caring. While Seb stole my heart with his sexy flirtations and bad boy persona. I was chuckling when the two would banter back and forth. Seb and Lexie were definitely heating up the pages in the kitchen and even more so in the bed. I felt like throwing my hands up in frustration at Lexie once towards the end of the book, but then thought hey it actually worked out. Barrett has strong characters, not only the leading, but all of them. You connect with all of them through her writing. There is romance, passion, and burning up the sheets intensity, as well as intrigue over a few mysteries. I did not want the book to end. When it did, I was already wanting to know when I could get the next Grayson brothers story and how long I will I have to wait. This is a definite must read. Barrett has just gained a new reader who will be anticipating her next book in me.

I got this book for an honest review

More About the Author

Elisabeth Barrett lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends her days teaching, editing, writing sexy contemporary romance, and enjoying time with her sometimes-bearded husband and three spirited children. She is constantly perfecting her home-work-writing juggling act, but in her free time she loves to hike open space preserves, grow orchids, bake sweet things her husband won't eat, and sing in grand choruses.