When the pickiest eater in
America is tapped to judge a cooking competition along with his chef
ex-boyfriend, will it be a recipe for a second chance… or disaster?
Luke Walker’s humor about
foods he can’t stand made him an internet celebrity and his blog, The Pickiest
Eater in America, a huge hit. He plans to bring that same lighthearted comedy
to the show—but he won’t be the only host.
Meyer Thibodeaux might be
a famous chef, but he’s solemn, uptight, and closeted. He’s also Luke’s
ex. As different as they are, the sparks between Luke and Meyer never really
went out, and as they work together, each begins to see the other in a new
light, and the passion between them reignites, hot as ever. But secrets,
gossip, and rumors on the set could sour their reunion.
Buy links Dreamspinner Amazon
Cat gives this one 5
Meows with a 1 Purr heat index (slow burn…I couldn’t resist the pun)
The blurb pretty much tells
you what you need to know about the story, I can’t say much else that won’t be spoilers.
This story is right up my
alley because I love cooking competitions and blogging. I also have and adore
cats and Luke’s cat is a great addition to the story.
I absolutely loved Luke
and his snarky comments. I didn’t expect the touch of suspense and the twist of
the culprit and how it affected the story was genius.
For those of you that are
already Andrew Grey fans you know to expect high-quality writing, great
characters and an intriguing story. I promise you won’t be disappointed. For those
of you that have not read any Andrew Grey books…what are you waiting for. If
you love hot chefs, funny bloggers, second chances, a touch of mystery suspense
and a slow burn romance you will love this.
Excerpt…
IT ALL started with bananas. I
can’t believe it, but it’s true. I hate the things with a passion,
and I won’t deny it. But what I can’t fathom is that my life would turn on that
hatred. See, I usually keep the foods I don’t like a secret. When I dine with
friends, I tend to keep quiet and eat the things I don’t care for so I don’t
hurt anyone’s feelings. I have become quite adept at cutting my food into small
pieces and swallowing them whole so I don’t have to taste it. But there are
some things that I just cannot stand, like bananas—not even the smell of them.Clare, my assistant, leaned over my shoulder. “Are you writing about them again? I know you hate them, but more on bananas? Just give it a rest, Luke.” She smacked my arm.
“But it’s the third anniversary of the blog, and I need to write something about the post that started it all.” I knew what it was that my readers wanted to hear, and as long as I kept the post funny and a little irreverent, they would be pleased.
“Come on. You know I love you, but I still can’t figure out how you can write a blog about the food you don’t like and talk about restaurants that make a mess of everything, and become a huge internet sensation.” She read from behind me. “You know, I think you should include pictures of all the banana stuff that people have sent you over the years. Show them that you got the gifts.”
I liked that. “Go take the pictures for me, please. I’m going to finish this post, and we can include the pictures.” I flashed her a smile, but Clare glared back. “Is there something else? You are my assistant, after all. Are you going to stand there and watch me write or actually assist me?”
She rolled her eyes. The truth was, Clare was a gem, and I was lucky to have her to help me. “I’ll be off to do that.” She set three slips next to my computer on the desk. “You can return these calls when you’re done.” She hurried away, closing the door to the back room of my home, which I used as an office.
I finished the written portion of the entry and then hit Save before letting my attention wander. I didn’t want anything to happen to what I’d already written. Few things were more irritating than having to rewrite something.
Writing wasn’t a skill that came naturally to me. It never had. The only reason I even started the blog was because I was so tired of hiding behind a mask of civility regarding the foods I don’t like, and the blog gave me an outlet. What I didn’t expect was to find so many people who either thought I was kidding or felt the exact same way.
I returned the first two calls, and was surprised to see the third was from an old friend from college. I hadn’t heard from him in three or four years at least, but he and I had always had such a good time, so I called back right away.
“Justin,” I said with delight. “How is the big television mogul?”
He snorted. “I’m just an assistant to the assistant of the mogul.” Damn, it was good to hear his voice. “Beth asks about you all the time, and hopefully you’ll be able to pay us a visit before the baby comes.”
I swallowed. “Holy hell, you’re going to be a father?” Now that was worth making a trip all the way across the country, even if the thought nearly made me ill. Airline travel always upset my stomach. I took enough medication just to get on the plane, and I always had to hope I didn’t get sick anyway. If I was lucky, I just fell asleep. “I’ll have to put it on my calendar. Maybe I can stay a few weeks to make it worth my while, but I really want to see you and Beth.”
“Well…,” Justin drew out. “I’m hoping I can entice you out here for a little longer than that. I have a new job working for the Cooking Network, and I know you’re a fan because I read your blog. It’s so hilarious, and I’ve learned so much about you, including why you were so thin all through college. Did you eat a danged thing the entire four years?” He laughed. “Anyway, we’re mounting the next season of Cooking Masters, and we need a new guest judge. We bring someone new in each season to enliven the show and shake things up. This year we’d like you to be that judge. The network will fly you out and provide you a place to stay. We’ll film fourteen episodes in about four weeks, once taping actually starts. There will be two weeks of preparation and rehearsal once the contracts are signed.”
I was speechless, which was a situation I rarely found myself in. “You want me to judge a cooking competition?”
Andrew Grey is the author
of nearly 100 works of Contemporary Gay Romantic fiction. After twenty-seven
years in corporate America, he has now settled down in Central Pennsylvania
with his husband, Dominic, and his laptop. An interesting ménage. Andrew grew
up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who
loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled
throughout the world. He is a recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, has a
master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and now writes
full-time. Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving
his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing). He
considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the
world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in
beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Andrew Grey Twitter @andrewgreybooks
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