Review: Hot and sweet and everything in between!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 7, 2013
After reading Feel the Heat, I was curious to see what drove Cara to be how she was. She wasn't unlikeable, but she was a bit hard to figure out, so reading her story intrigued me.Cara is a perfectionist. Troubled by many issues, she struggles to make it day to day while still maintaining her 'cool as a cucumber' faade. She hides all her problems well. Until she meets Shane and his Irish charming ways unravel her darkest secrets.Shane is no stranger to secrets. His childhood was not ideal and the secret he harbors affects many people. He hides behind his charming personality and his 'devil may care' grin, but when it comes to Cara, he can't help but want to let all his secrets out.Together, they embark on a friendship packed-full with sexual tension and share a secret that neither one of them wants to confront.Once again, Kate Meader delivers an awesome story. Cara and Shane are two troubled characters that hide behind well-established walls and only let people see what they want them to see. In reality, they are both fighting their demons night and day and letting their past dictate how they go about their future.I liked Cara in the previous book, but I came to admire the hell out of her in this one. All throughout the book the author made sure to make her growth as an individual a constant exploration of her inner feelings about herself and what was developing between her and Shane. She was strong and independent, but wanted so very much to belong, love and be loved. She hesitated with Shane, thinking herself unworthy of such a nice man when in reality she was the perfect match for him.On the other hand, Shane went all out on his pursue of Cara. Instantly attracted to her, he used every trick on his book to make her his, until the moment he came to realize she meant more to him that the usual women he used to go after. She awakened feelings in him that he thought long-forgotten and made him wish for things that he thought he could never have. He accepted her faults and through that acceptance he realized he needed to let his past go in order to have a future with her. He was adorably charming, sexy as all get out and sweet as can be. I loved him!Although All Fired Up is the second book in the Hot in the Kitchen series it can certainly be read as a stand alone, however I would suggest you pick up Feel the Heat . There you'll get to meet Lila and Jack, Cara's sister and brother-in-law, who appear in this story. Plus you'll get to meet the other characters that make this 'family' a great one.All in all, a sweet yet highly sensual and romantic read with intriguing characters, sizzling chemistry and a journey of self-acceptance in the hopes of a new beginning. I can't wait for the next book in the series.