Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Growing up in a foster home in a small Midwest town, Sean Whitcomb planned from the day he turned sixteen to somehow escape. And he does to the big city of Des Moines at a lawyer’s firm. Now up for a shot at a partnership, he needs to deliver the goods, and it’s not what he thinks. No, it’s a family style meal for the founding partners and their spouses. Which causes Sean a major issue, because not only is he a single gay man, but he can’t cook to save his life, and his boss is expecting a home cooked meal — complete with a family or there will be no partnership offer.

In desperation, Sean turns to the man he left behind in his pursuit of the golden ring, Isaiah Waterston. Not only is Isaiah hot enough to still turn Sean’s crank but he’s also a world class chef at one of the hottest eateries in town. Now all he has to do is convince the man he’d left behind to give him a single night of his time, prepare a mouth-watering meal, and pretend to be his lover for a few hours. Sounds easy right? Well it is until Isaiah attaches his own stipulation – an entire weekend with Sean at his mercy.

 

Book Review

This story had me smiling when I read the blurb and I understood the title and its full implications for one of the main characters. Poor Sean, who is totally successful professionally, but a klutz where his personal life is concerned. But that is where the humor stops. While the idea of having a potential partner "tested" by seeing him deal in a personal situation isn't new, I am sure it is the bane of many a single person who wants to get ahead, yet is either unwilling or unable to accept society's dictates that those in powerful situations have a family. Luckily for Sean, it turns out to be a blessing to be "forced" to find an instant partner wiling to deal with the situation and Sean's bosses' demands.

Sean is ambitious, and for good reasons. A childhood in the foster system and the iron will to make something of himself have made him into a top lawyer, in line for promotion to partner. But the price he has paid is high, and it is the reason he is still single. Isaiah was his best friend since they were six, grew up with him, and they fell in love. But both were too stubborn to compromise where college education was concerned, so Sean left. He still regrets it, but he has no idea how deeply he has hurt Isaiah. He is about to find out, and it's not a pretty picture.

Isaiah, in his own way, is just as ambitious as Sean. He wanted to become a 3-star chef, and he was determined not to give in. While he wasn't the one who physically walked out and just vanished one day, he didn’t want to compromise either. The truth is, he is deeply hurt and afraid he will just fall for Sean again, only to be left behind when the man's career demands it. He takes this out on Sean, which may be understandable, but I thought it was a little harsh after ten years. It proved that both men hadn't really learned from their mistakes and let their ride get in the way of finding love.

I was ready to give up hope for the two stubborn fools when Sean's bosses decided to take matters in their own hands. Of course, the final decision was Sean and Isaiah's, but the nudging, okay – kicking them into action didn't hurt. If you like stories about stubborn men who love deeply but are unwilling to admit it, if you enjoy stories about professional intrigue and some great food descriptions, and if you're looking for a read with some hot physical interaction, then you will probably like this short novella. It's definitely entertaining and made me just a little hungry.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 29700 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-August-2013
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hisjustdesserts-1253824-340.html