Review: Admitting I was wrong and Loving that I am!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2014
Taste for Love is the latest addition to Tia Kelly's Wilkersons In Love series and is the much anticipated story of Carlos Ortiz and Shelly Gauthier.  I have to admit that as much as I could not wait for Carlos' story to be told I was less than thrilled when I found out that Ms. Kelly was paring him with Shelly. However any doubts that I had started to unravel as soon as I started reading excerpts of the story prior to its release. By the time I purchased the book and read half way through the first chapter all doubts were pretty much demolished.We are first introduced to Shelly and Carlos in Playing For Love (PFL) the first book in the series. In PFL Carlos was kind of the hero to me. He was a good guy that did unbelievable and truly unselfish things for his friend Paige. I struggled with wanting him to end up with Paige but in the end she wisely chose someone else.  Because of his unselfish love I became more than a little enamored with him and wanted to see him find love as well; with someone who was deserving of all that he was and what he was to become.  So when I found out that Shelly, who in PFL was definitely a villainess was his match, I was a little beside myself. How could my Carlos end up with that shady wench?!  I mean Shelly did begin to redeem herself in the second installment of the series The Engagement Season but did I think she deserved Carlos, umm no. Hadn't he given enough of himself to others to warrant a good and loving woman? All I could think was Ms. Kelly better come through on this one. She had preformed miracles in previous books but I took this one personally. :)Did Ms. Kelly come through for me? Yes she most certainly did. This is an amazing read and I did not want it to end! For me this is her best work yet. She weaved a story that not just dealt with the insecurities that led Shelly to make the unfortunate decisions of her past but made her so real and vulnerable that her story allowed me as the reader gain a better understanding of who she was. She made me like her and made me want to see Shelly happy and whole again.I really enjoyed the chemistry between them; it was electric and tense.  However what I loved most about this story is how the relationship evolved. They were friends first which allowed Shelly to feel safe enough to be vulnerable around him. There is one part where Shelly asks Carlos to help teach her something. The fact that she felt secure enough with him to even address what she did made the friendship aspect of their relationship that much more believable. The evolution of the friendship made the relationship that grew from it that more special.It is very evident how Carlos breaks down Shelly's barriers but what I thought was most genius was they subtle way that Shelly broke down his. She opened him up to love and forgiveness making him want things he never thought he would. By the end of the book I loved him even more and I did not think that could be possible.This is truly a story that shows love can overcome any obstacle even betrayal or abandonment. It stands on its own merit and while I enthusiastically recommend Playing For Love and The Engagement Season I don't think you have to read them first to enjoy this book.Ms. Kelly created a lovely and beautiful love story for Carlos and Shelly and I will have to admit that I am glad she did.