Review: Fun, steamy read that certainly lives up to its name!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 22, 2014
Complimentary copy received by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.Jules Kilroy is a single mum to a toddler, a Brit transplanted in America where she followed her celebrity chef brother after she ended up pregnant. She quickly found herself amongst a new family of Italian Americans, a family that her brother had married into. Jules decides to make some changes in her life, starting with moving out of her brother’s home, as well as getting a job and getting back on the dating scene. Her sister-in-law Lili along with her cousins are quick to jump on that project and start Jules up in the Internet dating world. Turns out though, that everything Jules is looking for in a man is a whole lot closer to home than she had anticipated.Tad DeLuca is one of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors. He’s known for being a bit of a cad, not one for relationships, but there he has a special spot in his heart for Jules, his best friend. What Jules doesn’t know is that Tad is attracted to her, even though she is not necessarily his “type”. Tad however doesn’t think he deserves a girl like Jules, that she is far too good for him and doesn’t want to pursue the relationship beyond a “friends with benefits” agreement. Tad has his own demons he is fighting, blaming himself for a past tragedy that changed the course of his life forever.The relationship between Jules and Tad definitely sizzles! Jules goes to work for Tad in his new wine bar, and despite having no formal training, she is quick to impress him with her advanced palate and expertise in the kitchen. Spending more and more time with Tad, Jules learns that there is far more to the tall, dark, and handsome bachelor than anyone would ever give him credit for. But can Jules really find out why Tad has made some of the decisions he has, or will he even allow her to get that close.Hot and Bothered was a fun read that suckered me in from the very beginning. The energy of the book was very much like what you would expect from that of a big, extended, Italian family. The characters were boisterous and bigger than life, but more than anything, you could really get a sense for how much they cared for each other. The story was well written and the characters incredibly likeable and well developed. The plot was a little predictable, however it did not detract from my enjoyment of it. There were a few instances of the angst, or lack of communication that you see in these types of novels, which made me want to smack Jules and Tad upside the head a couple of times, but all in all, I enjoyed this book. It is a part of a series, however it can be read as a standalone and I will probably now go and catch up with the other books, to see what the rest of the Kilroy/DeLuca/Delaney clan is up to!