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bfdbookblog's review
4.0
This is a quick, sweet read that will lift your spirits and leave a smile on your face! While there is a bit of ‘insta-love’ the characters really have to work hard to make a go at a real relationship.
Darwin is definitely a fairy tale prince! Looks, money, heart and soul, he has it all! Unfortunately, when dealt a tragedy he basically stops living. I love how he treats his ‘staff’ and his employees. He is such a good man. When he meets Ricky and he comes to life we see he’s quite adorable in his shyness. I love that he’s willing to give up everything to prove how he feels about Ricky.
Ricky has lived unapologetically; and he’s a good guy even though he can be a bit of a brat at times. As much as Ricky brought Darwin back to life and taught him things he never knew about, Darwin showed Ricky that he isn’t as open minded as he thought. It takes Ricky a bit to realize that Darwin is the best man for him and to look past what Darwin has to offer to see the man beneath it all.
I loved Henley…and wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of his story (hint, hint). The rest of the supporting cast was great as well!
Definitely a light-hearted book that is perfect when you want to just escape!
Darwin is definitely a fairy tale prince! Looks, money, heart and soul, he has it all! Unfortunately, when dealt a tragedy he basically stops living. I love how he treats his ‘staff’ and his employees. He is such a good man. When he meets Ricky and he comes to life we see he’s quite adorable in his shyness. I love that he’s willing to give up everything to prove how he feels about Ricky.
Ricky has lived unapologetically; and he’s a good guy even though he can be a bit of a brat at times. As much as Ricky brought Darwin back to life and taught him things he never knew about, Darwin showed Ricky that he isn’t as open minded as he thought. It takes Ricky a bit to realize that Darwin is the best man for him and to look past what Darwin has to offer to see the man beneath it all.
I loved Henley…and wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of his story (hint, hint). The rest of the supporting cast was great as well!
Definitely a light-hearted book that is perfect when you want to just escape!
the_novel_approach's review
4.0
If you are looking for a tender romance with relatively no angst and a fairy tale-like ending, then you need look no further than Parker Williams’ novel Of Love and Corn Dogs. While it could be defined as a rags-to-riches love story, you just need to look a bit deeper to see that there is, at the heart of this story, a quiet statement about taking chances and finding love all over again after great loss.
Darwin Kincade is no stranger to love. He had found the love of his life, once upon a time, only to lose him to cancer far too soon. After that, he threw himself into the family business he had inherited, with a passion. He is genuinely one of the good guys, looking out for his employees and even giving his own foolish brother more second chances than he may have deserved. But he is also incredibly lonely, and after spending months pining after a waiter in an upscale restaurant, he returns one week to find his eye candy gone, and the replacement not quite what he expected.
Ricky Donnelly is barely scraping by, paying off student loans and trying to make ends meet while pursuing his dream of one day opening his own restaurant. But while he enjoys being a waiter, his new boss seems to take real delight in riding him and constantly reminding him that he is not upscale restaurant material. When he sees the disappointment in his current customer’s eyes, Ricky knows he has to do something to help the guy out. So what better thing than to suggest his own favorite food—corn dogs? Darwin has never had one, nor has he ever been so taken with a wait staff person before. Sure, the other guy was nice on the eyes, but this waiter was something more. But will Ricky still look at Darwin with such compassion and excitement once he finds out just exactly who Darwin is?
The thing that really worked in this tender romance was Darwin. He was so incredibly likable and immediately tugged at your heartstrings. It wasn’t that he was some “poor, lonely rich boy” who was so misunderstood—not at all. In fact, he had a true support system of hired staff that were more like family, and who genuinely cared for him, and he for them. This, coupled with the realistic air of innocence that he carried about him, made Darwin someone you really rooted for, someone who deserved to find true happiness. While it seemed a bit of a stretch that Ricky would have such a difficult time with Darwin’s staggering wealth, when the author unwrapped the root of Ricky’s unease it all made sense and, for me, made the story that much more realistic. I could see someone like Ricky truly being taken aback by Darwin’s wealth, and the way in which he responded to the revelation that Darwin was indeed a corporate magnate made Ricky more three dimensional than he had been throughout the entire novel.
Of Love and Corn Dogs is just the ticket for someone who is looking for a sweet romance where a happy ending is guaranteed. Low on angst, fast paced and tender, this is a genuine love story from beginning to end.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach Reviews
Darwin Kincade is no stranger to love. He had found the love of his life, once upon a time, only to lose him to cancer far too soon. After that, he threw himself into the family business he had inherited, with a passion. He is genuinely one of the good guys, looking out for his employees and even giving his own foolish brother more second chances than he may have deserved. But he is also incredibly lonely, and after spending months pining after a waiter in an upscale restaurant, he returns one week to find his eye candy gone, and the replacement not quite what he expected.
Ricky Donnelly is barely scraping by, paying off student loans and trying to make ends meet while pursuing his dream of one day opening his own restaurant. But while he enjoys being a waiter, his new boss seems to take real delight in riding him and constantly reminding him that he is not upscale restaurant material. When he sees the disappointment in his current customer’s eyes, Ricky knows he has to do something to help the guy out. So what better thing than to suggest his own favorite food—corn dogs? Darwin has never had one, nor has he ever been so taken with a wait staff person before. Sure, the other guy was nice on the eyes, but this waiter was something more. But will Ricky still look at Darwin with such compassion and excitement once he finds out just exactly who Darwin is?
The thing that really worked in this tender romance was Darwin. He was so incredibly likable and immediately tugged at your heartstrings. It wasn’t that he was some “poor, lonely rich boy” who was so misunderstood—not at all. In fact, he had a true support system of hired staff that were more like family, and who genuinely cared for him, and he for them. This, coupled with the realistic air of innocence that he carried about him, made Darwin someone you really rooted for, someone who deserved to find true happiness. While it seemed a bit of a stretch that Ricky would have such a difficult time with Darwin’s staggering wealth, when the author unwrapped the root of Ricky’s unease it all made sense and, for me, made the story that much more realistic. I could see someone like Ricky truly being taken aback by Darwin’s wealth, and the way in which he responded to the revelation that Darwin was indeed a corporate magnate made Ricky more three dimensional than he had been throughout the entire novel.
Of Love and Corn Dogs is just the ticket for someone who is looking for a sweet romance where a happy ending is guaranteed. Low on angst, fast paced and tender, this is a genuine love story from beginning to end.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach Reviews
ktomp17's review
4.0
This was sweet. Darwin is a super rich CEO, and Ricky is a waiter struggling to pay his bills. It was a nice story of seeing two guys experience how the other lived. Darwin was excited about all of the things he was never able to do as a child (like eat corn dogs and sundaes and play mini-golf), and he loved that Ricky didn’t know he had money so he could be sure he liked him for him. Ricky struggled with the money at first. He’s fiercely independent, and he really thought of himself as not being able to contribute to their relationship. Ricky was a little over the top at times, but I can understand how he would be uncomfortable. I’m glad they were able to make it all work out.
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