Review: Food Porn and a Sweet Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 6, 2014
I'd like to take a moment and apologize to the author, Rick R. Reed, that 'Dinner at Home' is the first book of his that I've read. I've heard many good things about his previous works, but I hadn't gotten around to any of them. With that said, let me just say "nom nom" for opening this book with detailed food porn and recipes. I probably shouldn't have read this while I was hungry, but too bad, the grocery store will have to forgive me my midnight run. I'm totally blaming you, Rick!It was difficult not to like Ollie from the get-go. He's a nice guy. Literally. He's sweet and kind, loving and good. What's not to like? And when his boyfriend breaks up with him on their first anniversary, my heart broke for him. When he goes to work on Monday morning and is let go due to downsizing, well, I thought he probably should've opted for more chocolate and a bigger bottle of wine. In the space of three days, Ollie has lost the man whom he believed was the love of his life, he's lost his home and had to move into a slightly downtrodden apartment, and he's lost his job. What's a guy to do? Start your own business doing what you love. Cooking. Thus, Dinner at Home was created.Hank. Hmm. He's abrasive, has a temper, is a recovering addict, spent time in prison, and is trying to turn his life around. Believe it or not, I liked him from the beginning, too. There was something unabashedly honest about Hank. He knew his faults. He knew his mistakes and he didn't apologize for being who he is. Hank is just working on being better and finding his own dream learning to cook at a homeless shelter. Until his mother shows up with his four-year-old niece, Addison. Hank's twin sister is in prison for drugs and his mom is dying of cancer, she only has a couple of months left, and she wants Hank to care for Addison. Whoa.The night Ollie meets Hank is truly fate for both of them, and Addison, too. They have so much love to bring and they found the one person in the universe who appreciates and wants that love. The home and family that Ollie, Hank, Addison, and Rose make together is beautiful. Rose is another vulnerable, young woman with a very traumatic past, whom Ollie and Hank find to help with cooking and watching over Addison. When Ollie and Hank think their world has been shattered, it is Rose who reminds them that they're family.This is a lovely, and oh so very sweet, gentle love story. It is truly beautiful. There is very little angst, but there is family, love, and a lot of food porn. I highly recommend as a wonderful comfort read.NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews