Review: Sexy Romantic, Relatable- great end to the Winemaker's series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 30, 2013
To begin, it is important to read this book series in order.  Each book is a progression of the relationship between Jaden and Ivan.  To fully understand and appreciate the story, it is important to read the entire story.  If you have not read the first 2 books in the series, this review may contain some spoilers (not more than what's in the blurb though).  With that said, I have loved this series.  The Winemaker's Dinner trilogy is a love story with glitz, glamour, sentimental memories, and genuine emotions.  It is the story of a couple who try to make a relationship work amidst public careers, long-distance, and temptations.Desserts is different from the first two books in the series because Jaden and Ivan are at odds.  Both of them are trying to piece themselves back together after the challenges and disasters of book 2 (Entrée).  I was completely hooked on this story and I couldn't put it down, however, I felt conflicted for a good portion of this book.  Jaden made some huge mistakes in book 2 and I was angry with her for them, but she puts forth serious effort to atone for her actions.  The problem is that Ivan was not ready to move on.  He pushed issues off to the side instead of dealing with them, and he used sex as a salve to his damaged heart.  I felt for him, I completely understood why he would be devastated, but I was also irritated at how he handled (or ignored) Jaden.  Ivan went from being the wronged party to making some bad decisions himself.  Both characters had a lot to learn about themselves before they could make any relationship work again.I loved Jaden in this book.  She learned some serious lessons and she fought for what she wanted.  I loved that she proved to be such a strong woman who can own up to her mistakes and become stronger for them.  Part of why The Winemaker's Dinner trilogy appeals to me is the credibility and believability of the characters in the story.  Neither Jaden or Ivan have deep-seeded emotional damage to deal with, they are people who have flaws and make mistakes.  The actions and reactions of the characters made sense to me, I felt like I understood them and I was on the relationship journey with them.For me, I know a series is good when I become immersed in the story and start to think of the characters as actual, non-fiction people.  The Winemaker's Dinner is unique in that many of the stories come from Dr. Ivan Rusilko's personal experiences.  I think these more personal touches really added to the story and translated well in writing.  Desserts was written solely by Dr. Ivan Rusilko (the first two books were co-written with Everly Drummond), and he did an excellent job with this installment in the series.  Dessert was a deliciously fitting ending to this trilogy.  There was heat, character growth, and a satisfying resolution.  I really hope Dr. Ivan Rusilko continues writing, I would definitely read more from him in the future.Contemporary romance fans, if you like your books sexy, romantic, and relatable, I highly recommend reading The Winemaker's Dinner series, read the books in order though.*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*