Too Hot To Touch

For Mature Audiences

I recently read a movie review in the New York Times in which the reviewer observed that the "old screwball idea of heterosexual courtship as a battle of equally matched, contending forces is close to extinct." That may be true in films these days but not in romance novels. Equally matched grown-up lovers can still be found, especially in the work of Louisa Edwards. Her first three books, the "Recipe for Love" series, featured hot chefs and smart, determined, and happily sexy women, who found adult relationships challenging and satisfying-physically, emotionally, and mentally. The first book in her second trilogy promises more of the same. In Too Hot to Touch, the hero and heroine knew each other as adolescents but meet again to find romance (and crazy hot sex) as adults. Adam, a world-traveling seeker of philosophical enlightenment and esoteric cooking techniques, has a broader range of experience than Juliet, who grew into womanhood and achieved professional standing right in the kitchen of his own family's restaurant in New York. Even so, Jules has some hard-earned wisdom of her own to share as the two learn things about each other, and themselves, in the process of falling in love while competing on the same team for a prestigious award which they hope will give the restaurant a much needed boost. They're surrounded by interesting characters, especially the judges in the contest, who include an ultra-sophisticated French woman of a certain age and a young rock-star food enthusiast who thinks she's the hottest thing since sliced baguettes. In short, Too Hot to Touch is a rich concoction for mature readers, and "mature" there doesn't just reference the sex scenes. It's a great read with characters who are just like real people we all know, except they're better looking, wittier, and lead more glamorous lives. Fun!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Definitely Hot with Plenty of Touching

Ms. Edwards has done it again with the first book of the new Rising Star Chef Series, Too Hot To Touch. Too Hot features Lundens Tavern, a New York City steak house owned by Gus and Nina Lunden, and their two sons, Max (the wanderer) and Danny (the loyal). Max is called home to help win the East Coast slot for the national challenge, with the help of Danny, Beck, Win and the beautiful Jules, who Max has known for as long as Danny and her have been best friends. He just didn't remember how beautiful she was, and he definitely hadn't felt anything back then for her, but now, oh boy does he like feeling her...I mean the way he feels when they are around each other.

The only issue among many is that Jules is more a part of the Lunden family now than Max is, and she has one rule, Never date a co-worker again! What will happen when the kitchen heats up from all the sexual energy between Max and Jules? Can they make it as a couple even if Max is leaving for Italy as soon as the competition is over? You are going to have to go out and purchase the book to find out!!

But I will tell you that the chemistry between Max and Jules is heating up from page one!! The pantry...oh boy, I did not think a pantry could be so HOT! I really loved Max, he was no hold bard about his feelings and just because Jules was a little gun shy about her feelings didn't mean that she couldn't appreciate the way Max just put it all out there for the world to see. Max helped Jules to see the best of herself and I like that in a hero!!

Can't wait for Danny's book coming this winter, Some Like It Hot, where he heats it up with Ms. Eva.......and who wants more Claire and Kane...um meeeeeee!! Loved their chemistry and sexual tension....cant wait to see what happens......

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A fun read!!!

Review by Jen: I've been a fan of Louisa Edwards since I read her first book. In fact, we've been honored to have Louisa as a guest several times. I'm also a huge fan of cooking competition shows. The mixing of Louisa's writings and the plot of this ongoing cooking competition is very intriguing to me. So, when I received a review copy of Too Hot to Touch, I was excited to read. I was looking forward to this new series... and I wasn't disappointed.

I think what I like most about Louisa's writing is the characters she creates. I always find that I am able to relate to them and in the end care about how their story is going to turn out. And Max and Jules are no exception. Jules is a tough girl who has found a home with her best friend's family and Max was her girlhood crush. So when he returns home to help the family restaurant, where Jules now works, and he begins hitting on her... well, what's a girl supposed to do?

In the midst of Max and Jules budding relationship, their family restaurant was chosen to compete in a national cooking competition. It was fun to watch the competition begin to unfold, meet the chefs comprising of their team and then be left hanging for the next book in the series to see what's going to happen in the next. I for one, can't wait for Some Like It Hot (release date is November 29, 2011) to read Danny's story -- he's Max's brother and Jules' best friend.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Loved this!!

Juliet Cavanagh leaves home at 17 after a huge fight with her mother and moves in with her best friend's family (best friend being Danny Lunden). The Lundens have room because Danny's older bother, Max, has left home after numerous all-out fights with his father about how best to run the family restaurant. Seven years later, Jules (as she's now known) is the restaurant's sous chef, but the restaurant is losing business. Max's parents ask him to come home to compete in the Rising Star Chef competition, in hopes that when they win, diners will return to the restaurant. Max has been traveling the world, studying with master chefs, but feels obligated to come home to help (his parents hide the fact that the restaurant is on the decline and that his father is suffering from a heart problem). Sparks fly between Max and Jules, but they both acknowledge that once the first round of competition is over, Max will head to Italy to continue his studies. Both characters have deep-seeded issues that they need to overcome to make the relationship work. I loved the interplay between the two, the hot sex and the well-drawn other characters. Definitely a read-again keeper - not to mention whetting my appetitie (pun intended) for Edwards' other books.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A sorcher

Louisa Edwards pens another sizzling story in Too Hot To Touch.

Max Lunden is a master chef who has spent the last six years traveling the world to expand his skills. With his long awaited training with a master in Italy at his fingertips, he receives a call from his mother to come home. Max left home with a lot of unresolved issues with his father and how their restaurant Lunden's Tavern was being run. He returns home to find his place in the family has been taken over by Jules Cavanaugh.

Jules Cavanaugh has become like a beloved daughter to Gus and Nina Lunden. They were there for her when her own mother threw her out in the cold six years ago.
Jules has become an integral part with her chef skills in the kitchen of Lunden's Tavern.
But with Gus Lunden health not at its best they need the cooking skills of his son to win the Rising Star Chef competition. Jules is thrilled to have Max home but less then thrilled that her youthful attraction to Max has not dimmed one little bit.

Working with Max so closely has Jules giving into her desires for the Lunden's oldest son. Jules knows max is only home for a short time but can't let this chance of being with Max being wasted. Max's growing feelings for Jules causes him to rethink what is really important to him. But once he finds out the real reasons he was summoned home will he stay or run again?

Too Hot To Touch is a scorcher in and out of the kitchen. The tension of the competition and the family dynamics play major rules in this compelling story. You can feel the pressure building as Max and Jules team advances in the Rising Star competition. The chemistry between Max and Jules cooks on high in and out of the kitchen. This is a must have book for any romance reader. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

It's a good read short and fun.

This is about more then a cooking competition and a long time crush. It is also about a boy who is now a grown man who walked out on his family restaurant leaving his parents to depend on the younger son. The problems of the teen girl they took when he left. Who now is the chef keeping what is left of the restaurant going. Then you add in the heat between max and jules and they could cook any dish on their own.

It's a good read short and fun.

Sweet Romance

Nice cooking, family, romance

Pretty Good!

This book was pretty good. I enjoyed the story line. There was time though that I thought it left a little to be desired so to speak. Not sure if I will read the next in the series???

I loved this book!

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