Book Reviews

Book Blurb

With the buzz and drama of competition behind them, Alex is determined to focus on the one thing that matters most: his budding relationship with Nik. All the pieces seem to be finally falling into place, as he settles into his new living arrangements and gets back into the rhythm of the kitchen, while he and Nik spend all their precious free time together.

Life never stays smooth for long, however. The combined weight of family tragedy, television fame, and new, unexpected responsibilities strain the bonds of Alex and Nik's partnership, and conflict between them demands they settle the question of equality once and for all. Pulled in so many directions, it may be more than a new relationship can take.

First Edition published by Less Than Three Press, 2013.

Book Review

The third book in this excellent trilogy, which I am extremely sad to see end, truly is the crowning achievement in the series. The title is entirely justified, and not just because of the ending – that, of course, I will not give away. No, it is more than that. The entire story was a true "surfeit" for my reading senses as well. With an "overabundant supply, yield, or amount of something", it fulfills the dictionary definition rather well.

First, like in both other books, the food descriptions are delicious, the detail of food preparation and working as a chef are wonderful, and I was hungry throughout most of the "recipes" or chapters. Second, the characters of Nik and Alex come into their full right here, as each searches for and finds his place in the cooking world; not an easy feat after the upheaval of the reality cooking show in the second book, by any means. And third, and this is the part I enjoyed most, their relationship is truly front and center as everything they have struggled with and fought for finally comes to fruition.

Alex changed a lot in the second book, as he gained professional self-confidence as a chef, and personal certainty he wants to be with Nik, to share his life with him. He is ready for the final fight for Nik's heart and complete trust, and let me tell you, it is quite the fight! Not just are they both working long hours and end up too exhausted to date, they have some deeper issues to deal with, and Alex isn’t always the best at expressing his feelings or saying things without causing misunderstandings or hurting Nik. Inadvertently, of course, but still. Alex remains true to his feelings, and fights hard. It’s quite the ride to watch!

Nik also has come a long way over the course of the first two books, and has yet farther to go in this volume. While he clearly loves Alex, he still finds it very hard to trust, and Alex (and with that, me) finally finds out why. The emotional baggage he carries is heavy and even though he wants to get rid of it, that doesn’t make the pain and fear go away. He works hard at it, and Alex helps, and I was fascinated by the whole process.

If you like stories full of professional cooking and food detail, challenges and successes, if you enjoy romantic tension interweaves nicely and seamlessly with an interesting plot, and if you're looking for a read that will make you as hungry as it will make you want to see these guys finally acknowledge the full depth of their feelings for each other, then you will probably like this novel. I definitely loved it and am sorry there will be no more "Nik and Alex stories" in the foreseeable future. Unless I am wrong – and boy, do I want to be wrong this time! After all, there have been other "trilogies" with four volumes, right, Talya?

 

 

 

 

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

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 67000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	31-January-2018
Price	$6.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://bit.ly/2EvrBTP