A Taste of You

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS** I’m honestly not sure what to say about A Taste of You. I loved it and I hated it. It took me a long time to read, because every few pages, I would get ticked off enough at the characters that I would have to walk away. So who are the characters. We have Garrett – famous chef who can’t do relationships because he never learned how. And Giancarlo, his partner who has loved Garrett for forever and yet has felt the man would never fall for him. One fated day…Garrett realizes he might feel a little more for his partner than he thought. The problem? Garrett sucks at relationships. He knows he sucks at relationships and that at some point, he’s going to screw this up. Even Carlo knows this. And yet…he welcomes the man he loves with open arms. I will admit, I rooted for these two. And wanted to smack each one of them upside the head a few times. I think, for me, when a couple comes together, that if there is going to be sacrifice, that it needs to be on both sides. It felt like Carlo had to give everything up to be with Garrett. But that was author’s choice as she elected not to show what Garrett was doing at the time. The one thing that saved the story, was that Garrett revealed a little secret. After everything Carlo has been put through, I actually would have liked to see Garrett truly come to terms with a few things. But, still, overall, he did redeem himself with his pet and what he tried to do for Carlo. So, for that, it gets 4 stars. I could have done with less angst though Reviewed by a-nony-mouse for Crystal’s Many Reviewers *Copy provided for review*

m/m Business partners to lovers.  Carlo has been the longest relationship Garrett has ever had. They have been friends and partners for years but never lovers.  Garrett doesn’t do love and Carlo knows this but it doesn’t keep him from loving Garrett from afar.  But things are heating up in and out of the kitchen and changes are happening.  Maybe some good things maybe not but change it is happening. I enjoyed watching these two get together.  Still I don’t think that Garrett deserves Carlo but if he is who Carlo wants then I am happy for them both.

  A Taste of You,  Irene Preston Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews Genre: M/M Romance.   I love romance reads, and gravitate to M/M ones because they so often have that sensuality and real tenderness that others often lack, so when offered the chance for review I jumped at it.   Poor Carlo, he’s been in love with Garret for so many years, and yet Garret seems oblivious, doing his usual flit from man to man....and Carlo’s heart dies a little more each time. This time he gone too far though, when he returns from filming he’s not stuck to his usual routine, and Garret is ruled by routines and everything in its place, so Carlo is wondering what’s wrong...Then he meets Garret’s latest man, when he’s installed as Chef de Cuisine over the current chef. They are partners in business and always discuss changes together, but not this time. Not only that but Garret is opening a new restaurant that means he’ll be away even more than he currently is. Carlo doesn’t know how much more he can take and it affects him at work. He decides its time he had a back up plan and starts to organise reopening a new version of the restaurant his family ran for so many years, in partnership with his cousin Joey. The staff notice how distracted Carlo is, how upset he seems to be, how he’s different from his normal unflappable person. They’ve seen for ages how he feels though he doesn’t realise it, seems everyone bar Garret knows! Two of them are discussing it, without naming Garret when he hears them and decides he needs to separate Carlo from this jerk who’s using him....His words to himself over this made me smile, he just still couldn’t see who it was and what he was doing. Carlo thinks its a dream come true when Garret stays over, and soon they’re together more and more. Garret though is still very vague, makes it clear he’s not Carlos boyfriend and poor Carlo still isn’t really any better off, always waiting for the moment when Garret calls time on their relationship. There’s a host of side characters, from the Ransom staff to Carlo’s extended family, and its a book full of tenderness and also despair. A great mix so when it all comes right it feels so much sweeter. I loved this read, its shortish at 146 pages, but packed with emotion from sadness to laughter, along with some scorching sensuality at times.   Stars: Five, fun, spicy read. ARC supplied by author

I admit it - I am judging a book by its cover. ;) I saw this cover and I begged the author for the chance to review the book, because... yum! The premise is so unique. You see those cooking shows on TV all the time. The chef who is so demanding he makes the contestants cryut what might his personal life look like, after the camera stops rolling? What a neat idea! I fell in love with Carlo right away. Garrett took some time. He's a stubborn cuss and it was a bit frustrating to see how he treated his best friend, and how blind he was to the love right in front of his face. But the raw emotion by the end of the book... oh, happy sigh. So well done, and so worth the wait. And their backgrounds couldn't have been more different. I think that was a huge plus in my book. Opposites attract is always a winner -- but Preston took that concept a step further by creating one chef with a New York Italian background and another from England (picture stuffy and exacting). A great mix! Oh, and all the scrumptious mentions of food? You will be grateful that it's impossible to gain weight from just reading about all the delicious dishes in this book. Though I can't promise you won't want to snack while enjoying A Taste of You. Good luck with that.