ARC Review: Hot Under Pressure by Louisa Edwards

Hot Under Pressure

by Louisa Edwards

(Rising Star Chef # 3)

Please let these covers fool you!  The heroes in this series are all drool worthy and sexy!  And Beck is no different.  He first caught my interest while being the "ass" and "mysterious" in book one.  Then he threw me for a loop in book two when we find out he actually has a wife!  And she just happens to be part of a team he'll be competing against.

Now they are down to three teams in the Rising Star Chef competition and Beck and Skye will have to confront their problems.  As their story unfolds and we find out more and more about their past relationship, I couldn't help but feel that some communication would've done wonders for their relationship.  But, refering to my first impression of Beck, he doesn't talk.  And he assumed and made decisions that in the end might've brought his life in a path different than where it should've gone.  At the same time, my heart was breaking for everything they had to go through.

However, the Lunden family did wonders for him and I think without them he wouldn't be able to face Skye again now.  Except Skye now wants a divorce.  Using the competition as a way to get Skye one more time, Beck finds himself enthralled with the hippie girl he fell in love with 10 years ago, and who he realizes he never stopped loving.

Their chemistry is amazing, even though there's a slow buildup because of their past issues, we also get some glimpses of their past together.  And be prepared for an emotional ending!  The final challenge won't be all about food, they will have to put their heart and soul into that last meal.

Of course there's also the side romance with Kane and Claire.  I've come to care for them a lot and seen the change in both their characters throughout the series, so I was very happy to see a resolution to their affair!

I will miss these sexy chefs! 

*ARC provided by publisher

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Some Like It Hot by Louisa Edwards

Some Like It Hot

by Louisa Edwards

(Rising Star Chef # 2)

Yes! Just look at THAT cover!  Ohhhh Danny boy!  I had a feeling I was going to like you, but I loved you! :)  So the Rising Star Chef competition continues and the remaining teams go to Chicago for the first real round of the competition.

Danny is feeling the heat because he's always been the teams Mom and now with Jules and Max a little preoccupied on other things he's picking up the slack.  But he's only human after all and his body is a traitorous thing because he seems to always gravitate toward the spoiled little rich girl, and the host for the competition, Eva Jensen.

But actually Eva is not what she pretends to be.  She's put on this act or mask all throughout her life but truly she's just a little girl looking for appreciation and understanding.  And Danny knows all about that, he feels much the same way about his role in his family.

In their very different worlds these characters were a lot alike and I can only say that these two had some amazing chemistry!

This is still a fluffy contemporary read but I enjoyed it a lot more than the first book.  I truly liked both characters and I'm sooo intrigued with the secondary story brewing in the background here which was the setup for the next book.  Beck and Skye have some history and I can't wait to see what it is.

And speaking of secondary stories, the saga continues between Kane and Claire.  I understand a bit more where the first book came from because I thought we were going to be left hanging but now I see their story will develop throughout the series.  And I really liked them in this book.  She's older and more sophisticated, he's the young rockstar.  Some highs and some lows with them in this book, I'm ready for the next one.

Favorite quote:
"Saint fucking Danny, patron of horny, self-denying chefs."

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Too Hot To Touch by Louisa Edwards

Too Hot To Touch

by Louisa Edwards

(Rising Star Chef # 1)

I was so excited to read this because, well, I'll admit, I'm a cover ho. And just look at that cover! Yeah, pretty drool worthy. So that was my sole reason for wanting to read this book. Bad, France!

I had never read this author so I didn't know what to expect and I think I got lucky that I needed a fluffy read at the moment, so this came at the right time.

The one thing I liked a lot about the book is the original concept of centering the series around a cooking reality show competition.  Lets face it, it's all about reality TV lately and it's made it into our books!

Jules was best friends growing up with Danny Lunden and in love with his older brother Max. She had a rough childhood, father was never in her life, mom always in and out of relationships, until she leaves home at 17 and the Lunden family takes her in.

Max has a care-free attitude from the beginning, which at times can come across as him being a jerk. He is just a lost soul, he doesn't know what he wants, can't communicate with the people around him and quite frankly doesn't understand himself.  So he wanders looking for that ever elusive feeling of home.

When he comes to back help out with the competition Jules, having had a huge crush on him, can't resist him. Even though she is a bit damaged by her past.  I think she was my least favorite character in the book, I felt at times she was just there, letting life happen to her.

This book also has a secondary romance story, if you can call it that. I felt that was a bit of a waste. It feels more like a hookup, all the leading up to it and then we get even cheated out of seeing what happens.

Like I said, it's a fluffy read. So if that's what you're in the mood for then you should read this!

Purchase Links: Amazon