Hungry Heart
by Meg Benjamin
Peace, love, and barbecue—with
a big order of sexy on the side.
Sous chef Darcy Cunningham is
less than entranced with small-town Konigsburg’s obsession with barbecue. But
her future career as a chef de cuisine requires expanding her culinary
horizons, so she talks the Barbecue King, a.k.a. Harris Temple, into taking her
on as his apprentice.
However, learning Harris’s
professional secrets wasn’t supposed to include falling for his spicy blend of
smoky sexiness and laid-back charm.
Chico Burnside specializes in
flying under Konigsburg’s small-town radar, but lately life has been going a
little too smoothly, even for him. Hoping to shake things up a bit, he talks
Harris into teaming up for Konigsburg’s first barbecue cook-off. But once shy
scientist Andy Wells catches his eye, Chico’s got more on his mind than
brisket. Like enticing her out of her shell to show her just how tenderly a big
guy can love.
As the competition ignites, so
does the romance. Until a natural disaster threatens to derail Konigsburg’s
dream team before the grills even get good and warmed up.
I really enjoyed this book, I
wasn’t expecting to enjoy it this much, but I very much loved it. I love that
it isn’t just a one couple love story, but instead highlights two couples, I
felt like I got a bonus story.
I loved the characters and
became so in love with them that I didn’t want the story to ever end. This is
book eight, and I haven’t read the other books but this one was very enjoyable without
reading them.
I know I love barbecue and I
loved that Darcy just doesn’t understand the appeal of barbecue. It led to some
great moments between her and Harris. Throw in Andy and Chico who are were a
great sweet edition to this story.
This was my first time reading
Meg Benjamin, but it will not be the last time!
I received a copy in exchange
for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.
Excerpt:
He leaned forward slowly, maybe
giving her a chance to run. A chance she wasn’t going to take. His lips brushed
hers, lightly, as his hands cupped her face. He rubbed his thumbs across her
cheekbones, dark eyes watching her carefully.
The flecks of green had
deepened, making his eyes even darker now. She leaned forward, placing her
hands on his shoulders, bringing her mouth against his more firmly. The contact
seemed to send an arrow of heat through her body, making her nipples ache, her
pulse warm again.
His mouth opened against hers
and she let him inside, rubbing her tongue against his, feeling it rasp against
her teeth. She sucked his lower lip for a moment, nipping him lightly, hearing
the catch in his breath.
His hands dropped to her
breasts, cupping, then rubbing them, his palms brushing her nipples to hard
points. She felt cool air against her back as he pushed her shirt up, his
fingers fumbling with the catch on her bra. His lips drifted down the side of
her throat, leaving a trail of heat as he did.
She pushed his shirt up,
running her fingers through the slight dusting of hair across his chest, then
down along the ripple of muscle over his stomach.
His hands cupped her breasts,
pushing the bra aside. He leaned down, taking one nipple into his mouth,
sucking, his tongue laving the aching peak.
Somewhere behind them something
beeped loudly. Porky came awake with a woof.
“Shit.” His hands dropped to
her hips, his forehead pressed against her breasts. “Shit. Fuck. Goddamn.”
“Timer’s beeping,” she
muttered. “And Porky’s awake.”
He nodded, his forehead still
resting on her collarbone.
“Fire’s ready. And you’re
behind with the meat as it is.”
He raised his head to look at
her. “I didn’t plan this.”
“I know.” She wasn’t entirely
sure what he meant—the timing with the meat or the timing with the two of them.
She brushed a hand across his cheek, pushing his hair back from his face.
“I don’t want to stop.”
“I don’t either.” She slid back
a few inches, moving her hands to his shoulders. “But like you once said,
barbecue waits for no man.”
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ReplyDeleteI love the premise!
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Thanks so much for hosting me!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about this one and how it would work without the others. Good to hear it's fine! (and dang I love that cover) Glad to hear it's a good one :)
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