Customer Reviews

Some Like It Hot (Recipe for Love)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read every book Edwards has written and have loved this all. The latest in her series did NOT disappoint me. In fact, I stayed up late to finish it. This book continues the series but you could read it as a stand alone. You fall in love with Danny right from the start. It's my opinion that you would love it even more if you read the other books but it's not necessary. If you love Top Chef or any type of cooking competition shows you will really enjoy this book even more. It really is a mix of romance, cooking, and a little bit of drama. I think one of Edwards' biggest strengths is her pacing. You never get bored and you want to keep reading. The heat level between Danny and Eva is off the charts, and the cooking competition part of the book is totally believable. She does a great job of making the dialogue fun and at the same time believable. You are transported to the middle of this high stakes competition and feel like you are in the kitchen with them. I love all of her characters and will be reading her next book right when it comes out. I highly recommend all of her work!

What's not to like? HOT men that can cook both in and out of the kitchen. In this the second Rising Star Chef book Danny gets his girl, Claire is still having man problems, Wilson and Drew are on again / off again and we learn a lot more about Beck. Can probably be read as a stand-alone but is so much more fun with the back story provided by the first book Too Hot To Touch (Rising Star Chef #1). Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef #3) is already on my wish list.

I love both this series and the related "Recipe for Love" series, but unfortunately, I didn't like this book quite as much as the previous ones. Danny Lunden and Eva Jansen are great characters, and I like the cooking competition as the backdrop for the story, but...the development of the relationship between Danny and Eva takes place over 7-10 days. That's it. They go from slight acquaintances to true love in a very short amount of time, and they don't spend much of that time talking. The sex is steamy and awesome, but it takes more than great sex to make a relationship. *sigh*

I also didn't buy something that happened late in the book. Eva finds out information about two of the characters and uses that information to change one of the cooking show challenges in hopes fo creating drama. Other characters are outraged. I don't want to say what the she did because that involves a big spoiler, but problem is that I didn't think the change she made was really that big of a deal. I don't understand why it would have upset the characters in question because it involved something that years ago that they are clearly long past and even if the change reminded then of that, why would it create drama? I don't get it.

That said, I am definitely keeping this author on my auto-buy list. I like her writing and I like this series quite a bit.

My Review:

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining. It was engaging. I didn't want to put it down. But for some reason, this book just didn't have the normal "umph" that makes me normally fall in love with Louisa's books. The bad thing is...I have no idea why...maybe my hormones were out of whack when I read it?! I don't know, because I really wanted to love it. There just seemed to be too many things happening and not enough focus on the feelings between Danny & Eva.

What I did enjoy about this book was simply the food competition. I've watched tons of food challenges on the food networks and it's fun to see a fictionalized behind-the-scenes action that goes into it. I also really enjoyed all the character interactions. These characters in these books are so real and full of life. I talked about the various characters on my review of the first book, Too Hot to Touch, so I am not going to mention them all again, besides to say that I really like them and the variety of personalities that add so much to these books.

While I can't say that I loved this book quite as much as the others, it was still really good. I loved the competition. The friendships. The family issues between Max & Danny. The ongoing additional romance between Kane & Claire. The mystery about Skye & Beck. Win's gossiping. The differences between the teams. There is a lot going on in this book and all of it makes for good reading. I can't wait for the final book in this series!

Some Like It Hot by Louis Edwards is another sizzling story in and out of the kitchen.

Pasty chef Danny Lunden is excited to be in the next leg of the Rising Star competition. He is the glue that keeps his team together and focused. Danny though can't seem to keep his focus on the cooking instead his mind keeps straying to the delectable host of the competition, Eva Jensen.

Eva Jensen has something to prove by running the Rising Star competition. Her father finally has given her full reign and she wants to prove that she is ready to handle the pressure. Eva has trouble keeping her focus on the competition when hot and sexy chef Danny Lunden comes into her sights.

Their first kiss almost sets the hotel on fire and neither can ignore passion that is that explosive. They agree to a secret affair that is more then either bargained for when they started. Will Eva's drive to exceed at all cost, cost her a chance of a love of a lifetime?

Some Like It Hot is smoking hot and sexy. You feel the heat rising in and out of the competition. This book takes you right into the intense world of cooking competitions and doesn't let you go. The chemistry between Eva and Danny is just as intense and very satisfying. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this fun and tantalizing series.

Louisa Edwards brings us the second book in the Rising Star Chef series and for me it might just be the best out of the ENTIRE Recipe For Love Series!!

We are finally able to dive into the head of sexy Pastry Chef, Danny Lunden. Danny and Eva Jansen, the sassy socialite in charge of the entire RSC Competition, have sizzlin HOT chemistry, and that is just within the first few pages.

Eva knows that starting something with one of the RSC Contestants should be off limits, but fortunately for her, she was never one to follow the rules. After a steamy kiss in the Hotel elevator, its GAME ON for Danny and Eva, but what was supposed to be 'Just For Fun' has turned into a mutual respect and could it be....LOVE?

As the pair agrees to Simmer Down, the RSC competition seems to Heat Up, and some contestants get Burned.

Again I say, this is my FAVORITE book (so far) in the Rising Star Chef Series and out of the whole Recipe for Love series. I only say "so far" because I LOVE strong, silent Beck and I think I will absolutely adore getting to know him better!

Danny and Eva have this "thing" between them, that grabs your attention at page one and keeps you reading until the very last page. I know it seems cheesy to say this, but it was as though they were "MADE" for each other. (I know they were...but it was so...REAL)

After reading Too Hot To Touch, I wanted Danny to find someone who got him, who understood him and who needed him. Eva was all of those things, but she also had him smiling, having fun and breaking all his rules. She was exactly what he needed. You won't be disappointed by their affair of the Heart!!

The love story is GREAT! You find yourself routing for them the entire time!

Louisa is such a descriptive writer, using words that transport you to the pages. So real, you almost feel as if you are right there, beside the chefs, chopping away, as part of the team.

And the Kane/Claire relationship is KILLING ME!! Every time they finally take a step forward, something happens to boot them back three steps!! Ugh...Its killing me!! But I did really enjoy getting to know Kane better, catching a glimpse into the mind of the adorable, sensitive rocker....He is so cute when is is all insecure...Like a trembling Virgin!! haha

So, my vote is TWO THUMBS UP for Some Like It Hot.....get it, read it, love it!!

And we get a sneak peak at the Highly Anticipated, Hot Under Pressure, Henry Beck's story, which will be released March 2012...WOO HOO, Can't wait!!

Let me start by saying this book really frustrated and disappointed me. This is the first I've read of this author, and unfortunately, this is not the book for me.

Danny Lunden and his team of chefs from his family owned restaurant, Lunden Tavern, have arrived in Chicago to compete in the Rising Star Chef competition. Now, per Danny, this competition "..is for the family, for the restaurant, for the future." Danny is very focused and intense on winning this competition which pairs up his team (which represents the east coast) against four other regions of the United States. But, I never really understood why he is so worried about the fate of his family restaurant, one of many things not fully fleshed out in this book.

On the way to Chicago, he meets Eva Jansen who is in charge of the entire competition. And this is where I immediately start to have problems. Eva has the very rich and spoiled attitude going on. Very into herself which immediately grated on my nerves. So when Danny first meets her on the airplane, and starts lusting after her, I said, huh? Really? Danny, who comes across very low-key and extremely focused all of a sudden falls for the gorgeous, but rudely rich Eva? Now, we do learn early on that Eva had a bad childhood - her mother died when she was young and her father was not much of a parent. So we are led to believe she has a vulnerable side hiding under her more fake, put together outward appearance. But that side is very hard to connect with.

Once they get to Chicago, the competition sets up. Basically, these five teams will have cooking challenges, where at the end of the specified time, a panel of judges will decide who moves forward, and who goes home. This year, Eva is totally in charge, and desperate to prove to her father that she can handle this competition, To make it an even bigger deal, she has decided to have the Cooking Channel televise it, making it a true reality television show.

As I said, from the first time they meet, Eva and Danny are attracted to each other - so much so they fall into bed together quite quickly. Again, I still didn't believe in their attraction to each other. To make matters worse, Danny, who is a contestant in the show, is sleeping with the head producer. We are reminded that Eva is not a judge:

"Unlike some people, I'm not a judge - merely the lowly panel moderator, there to set up a nice patter and keep the action moving."

But not really.

Eva is in charge of setting up and creating the competitions, She also sits on the panel and samples the food - and at some points in the story comments on what she tastes. So she DOES have influence. As said in the book:

"I'll still be running the competition, and of course tasting your food right alongside my father and the other judges."

Plus, another judge, Claire, is Eva's best friend and almost mother figure, and knows Eva is sleeping and having issues with Danny. This should be against the rules. Or at least discussed in the book. No one brings it up as an issue. Why not make it part of the conflict? Also, if Danny is so concerned about his family restaurant, why is he putting himself at risk with Eva? Can they really not wait a few weeks until the competition is done? The ethical lines crossed here are way too much for me to be able to enjoy this book. I just didn't see it as realistic.

Eva's father is also brought into the conflict. He was a non-existent parent to Eva growing up, and now she is doing everything she can to gain his acceptance. But his character felt very wishy-washy. It felt like he maybe was going to be the more villain character, but there were many times he came across as supportive. So I didn't understand why he was the "bad guy" in the book.

We also get lots from the supporting characters - who are the other teammates on Danny's team. And Claire has a fling with one of the other judges, Kane, which again just didn't seem fully fleshed out. Claire is much older than Kane, and I assume their relationship started in the previous book in this series. She is uncertain of her future with Kane, because of the age difference, but the conflict never really pans out.

By the end, while Danny does admit Eva did things that were not always ethical her redemption and resolution with Danny and her father felt weak and forced.

This book starts with an unlikable heroine who I don't think is sufficiently redeemed. Paired with an unrealistic reality tv show, and supporting characters who are not fleshed out well, this book is a very disappointing read.

It's fun to read a romance where very well defined, distinctive characters interact in believable (and occasionally unbelievably hot) ways. The hero and heroine here couldn't be more different but they turn out to be perfectly suited for happiness ever after. My favorite characters, though, were the secondary couple: a darling, sensitive, rock star type who is passionate about music, food, and then ... an older woman! The very, very French editor of a food magazine! She finds him appealing but just too young and hip and hot and funny and smart and ... wait, what's not to like? Can she resist? Spoiler alert: we may not find out until the next novel in this series, which I'm eagerly awaiting.

I've been waiting for this book ever since I read Too Hot To Touch and fell in love with Danny Lunden. Ms. Edwards does not disappoint with the second in this trilogy, set around a culinary competition called the Rising Star Chef. Danny is a pastry chef, as decadent (and sometimes even sweeter) than the desserts he creates and his heroine, Eva "the diva" is feisty, funny and a perfect match for him. Like the first book, I found myself laughing out loud and rooting for the whole group of family and friends to make it through the next round of the competition. But mostly I fell for Danny, who stole my heart in every scene. Throw in some colorful secondary characters, a smokin' hot cougar rock star romance, and some of the sexiest scenes I've read in a long time and you have a winner! All I want for dessert is Beck's book!

New Yorker Danny Lunden joins his family and his team as they compete in Chicago in the Rising Star Chef Competition to be shown on the Cooking Channel. Eva Jansen replaces her father as the director of the competition. Both have in common a deep need not to let down their loved ones.

They meet and are instantly attracted to one another. Danny finds her fascinating with her take charge vulnerability but also thinks she is a spoiled rich brat; Eva finds him kind especially since he seems to ignore her affluence, but also thinks he is a know it all New Yorker. However, her father scrutinizes her every move so they agree to do nothing personal. As her dad wants the melodramatic embarrassments like food fights and affairs aired, Eva wonders if ratings are all that matter.

This is an engaging culinary romance starring two heated opposites in love. In some ways the kitchen combat and trysts supersedes the romantic subplot. Still sub-genre fans will enjoy the second Lunden Rising Star Chef tale (see Too Hot to Touch) as Danny and Eva fall in love amidst food fights and family drama.

Harriet Klausner