"A fun romance"

On Cape Cod, Abby Coates worries that her restaurant The Coates Inn is going bankrupt. Still she advertises for a chef in Restaurant Monthly as she knows without one the place will go bust. Desperate, she accepts the weird offer of a stranger, chef Storm Dupre, whose only ambition in life is to make love to a myriad of women. Bored of the females in Los Angeles, Storm responded to Abby's ad, but insists that his recipes use secret ingredients that will bring in repeat patrons and ultimately make her inn the in spot of all of Eastern Massachusetts.

Storm develops an all-aphrodisiac menu that Abby buys into as she finds her body melts faster than heated butter when he kisses her. He enjoys the interlude with his "boss", but knows he must never allow dessert to interfere with the main course, stealing Abby's restaurant from her.

COOKING UP A STORM is a whimsical contemporary romance starring two intriguing lead characters. Abby is a delightful somewhat naive soul while Storm lives up to his name as he is a northeasterner causing havoc to the heart of heroine. The use of aphrodisiacs may turn off some readers and profanities others, but fans of a gourmet romance will enjoy the oysters served up by Emma Holly.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 19, 2004

Summary

The Coates Inn Restaurant in Cape Cod is about to go belly up when its attractive owner, Abby, jumps at a stranger's offer to help her -- both in her kitchen and her bed. The handsome chef claims to have an aphrodisiac menu that her patrons won't be able to resist. Can this playboy chef really save the day when Abby's body means more to him than her feelings? Beautifully written and evocative story of love, lust and haute cuisine.