Yes, Chef
(Dreamspun Desires Book 79)
by T. Neilson
Dreamspinner Press
A savory slice of first love.
Simon’s dad died when he was young, leaving Simon to take the reins of the family restaurant business—and the responsibility for his mother and brothers. His commitment to his duty left Simon time for little else, least of all romance.
Argentinian celebrity chef Luke Ferreya has wanted Simon since their culinary-school days, but for Simon, family always came first. Now Luke’s back in Simon’s life—briefly before he returns to South America—and he’s determined to give Simon a sample of everything he’s missed out on.
Simon’s brothers are grown, and his mother is doing fine on her own, and Luke is offering a second chance for a future full of the pleasures of fine food, wine, and especially love. Without his obligations to hide behind, can Simon finally allow himself to say “Yes, Chef”
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Cat gives this one 4 Meows with a 3 Purr heat index
Luke is a two Michelin star chef that is burned out and retiring from the business. He has decided to go back home to Argentina but wants to visit an old flame and a close friend, Simon, before he leaves.
Simon had feelings for Luke way back when they were in Culinary school, but where Luke was good at being a chef Simons field laid in other directions. After catching Luke in the throes of passion with another chef he heads back home to take over his dad’s business and help raise his brothers.
Simon's business is doing well, and he is preparing for Luminaria his biggest event of the year. He has mixed feeling when he sees Luke again. Will he tell Luke how he feels, or will he let him leave?
This is a book two in a series, but I think it stands alone ok. I didn't read the first, though I wish I did as there are many references to things in the first, however, I still followed along just fine. I love a good character and this book is full of them. I loved how it not only focused on Just Simon and Luke but Simon's staff as well. I loved seeing the business side and how close they all were. I am sure how we get poor Sam's story as I felt left hanging with him. I especially adored how this one ended though with a fabulous HEA that we expect from theses Dreamspun Desire books.
If you like Chefs, entrepreneurs, sweet romance, moderate heat, and a good feelgood story this is for you!
Excerpt…
Chapter One
“ALL RIGHT, let’s go. That’s one of the steak and frites—rare, Tommy—two of the ravioli, one lamb, and two trout.”There was a beat, and the kitchen staff all called in unison, “Yes, Chef!”
Simon smiled. It was like listening to call and response, or like soldiers using sign-countersign. The shout of “Yes, Chef!” unified and galvanized the kitchen and turned separate stations into a single unit. It wasn’t just an acknowledgment of the orders that had come from the dining room, or even each station checking in. It was more than that—something closer to the starting pistol for a race or the beep of a heart monitor.
A silent kitchen was a kitchen in trouble, struggling, with each station focused solely on its own work. And a chaotic kitchen was a kitchen where things were falling apart. But a kitchen like this one? With pans and grills sizzling, Marcus, the roundsman, checking each station, Jenny, the sous chef, setting out the garnishes, the butcher spatchcocking, the bussers thumping down trays of dishes, and steam-scowered dishwashers heaving them up again? This kitchen looked like chaos, but it wasn’t. And it was the response—Yes, Chef!—that let you know everything was running exactly as it should.
Simon raised his head from his notes and smiled at Mark, head chef and, increasingly, friend. Mark acknowledged the look with a nod. No smile—he had his game face on, which meant smiles would be dished out sparingly and only to those exceeding themselves in the kitchen. That was just fine by Simon.
Simon had poached Mark for head chef at Brasserie sur le Lac three years earlier, and every time he saw Mark in action in the kitchen, he was glad he’d done it. Mark started work on the first of June that year and never seemed to stop. He was always first in, and he was often last out. His “comic-book hero” jaw was always clean-shaven. His whites were impeccable and brilliant. Even though it was mid-August and so hot the outside air felt like the temperature of bathwater and it must have been ten or more degrees hotter in the kitchen, Mark looked calm, clean, and cool. His only concession to the heat was the little ice pack he rolled into the kerchief around his neck. And Simon only knew about that because Mark came into Simon’s office to change it every couple of hours. He wouldn’t do it in front of the under chefs because he felt it was a show of weakness. He had incredible standards but wouldn’t ask that the staff do anything he wouldn’t do himself. He was one hell of a chef.
Okay, maybe they’re also a little angsty in parts. After all, T grew up in the middle of nowhere rural British Columbia, in a family where everything was totally fine and nobody was an alcoholic, so she's used to living the angsty life. And, yeah, sometimes her books get a little heavy. But her books are also full of good things like mugs of coffee, and hamburgers on the grill, and nights at the beach, and cozy sweaters, and getting mush-mouth in front of a cutie, and his brain betraying him with a freudian slip, and that gorgeous guy he never thought he had a chance with suddenly, whoa, in his arms.
Because, I mean come on. Just because we have heavy stuff to deal with doesn't mean we can't get a happy ending too.
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Thank you for the review. It looks like an interesting read.
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