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A review by bookishnerdyandcurious
The Missing Ingredient by Marika Ray
4.0
This was book #3 for Romanceopoly 2020.
Elle Fierro is a successful chef in New York, on the verge of opening her own restaurant. We open with her final night at the restaurant where she was an Executive Chef for five years and will be heading to sunny Southern California to be the head judge on a Food-Network-type show called Taste Tests. (Think Chopped or The Next Food Network Star.) While she has never had any desire to be on tv, she knows that this is great publicity and will guarantee she has people interested in her new restaurant. She driven, scary, and commands respect - she wants nothing more than to ensure that her restaurant is successful and doesn't have time for anything else... until Austin.
Austin Cox is a man trying to get custody of his sister and get her out of the foster system, where she's been since their mother died. He's got a natural talent for cooking and ends up as a contestant on the show. He wants to win to become a chef and hold down a steady job so he can prove to the courts that he can support the both of them. While he's not professionally trained and he's not convinced that the network didn't bring him on just for comic relief, he's got his eye on the prize... until he meets Elle.
When Elle and Austin meet, there is incredible electricity between them - and not just because of the manner in which they meet. Their attraction is off the charts, full stop. However, they both have to struggle to keep it under wraps until one unplanned day off from filming...One of Elle's fellow judges notices and while Elle continues to rebuff this guy's advances, he tries to blackmail her into hiring him at her new restaurant - either she hires him (or sleeps with him, I don't think he's picky) or he goes public with the fact that she slept with Austin. Does she betray Austin to save her reputation or does she throw caution to the wind?
Yes, that's a lot to say about the book - yet, I still haven't really spoiled it. You get most of that from the blurb on Amazon. (Okay, I added more detail. Whatever.) I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and full of feels all at the same time - and I would be remiss if I didn't say it, the sex was HOT and well-written. While I could tell what was going to happen about halfway through, it still gutted me - and that was only at 60% in! This was my first Marika Ray book and I'm really looking forward to exploring more of her books once Romanceopoly is over.
- Square: Around Town, Farmer's Market
- Challenge Pack: Moon
- Challenge: Read a romance where the hero or heroine is a chef or works in the food industry, owns a bakery/restaurant/food or drink establishment.
Elle Fierro is a successful chef in New York, on the verge of opening her own restaurant. We open with her final night at the restaurant where she was an Executive Chef for five years and will be heading to sunny Southern California to be the head judge on a Food-Network-type show called Taste Tests. (Think Chopped or The Next Food Network Star.) While she has never had any desire to be on tv, she knows that this is great publicity and will guarantee she has people interested in her new restaurant. She driven, scary, and commands respect - she wants nothing more than to ensure that her restaurant is successful and doesn't have time for anything else... until Austin.
Austin Cox is a man trying to get custody of his sister and get her out of the foster system, where she's been since their mother died. He's got a natural talent for cooking and ends up as a contestant on the show. He wants to win to become a chef and hold down a steady job so he can prove to the courts that he can support the both of them. While he's not professionally trained and he's not convinced that the network didn't bring him on just for comic relief, he's got his eye on the prize... until he meets Elle.
When Elle and Austin meet, there is incredible electricity between them - and not just because of the manner in which they meet. Their attraction is off the charts, full stop. However, they both have to struggle to keep it under wraps until one unplanned day off from filming...
Yes, that's a lot to say about the book - yet, I still haven't really spoiled it. You get most of that from the blurb on Amazon. (Okay, I added more detail. Whatever.) I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and full of feels all at the same time - and I would be remiss if I didn't say it, the sex was HOT and well-written. While I could tell what was going to happen about halfway through, it still gutted me - and that was only at 60% in! This was my first Marika Ray book and I'm really looking forward to exploring more of her books once Romanceopoly is over.