Review: 3.5 - She was a model student. Minimum hesitation. Maximum obedience. Stars!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 26, 2014
Book three of the Madewood Brothers series, brings us Finn O'Reilly's tale. Finn throughout the first two books has been mediator and peacekeeper, and in Recipe for Seduction, we are given the back-story as to why he is constantly trying to keep everyone else happy, and not make waves."Being with me is the one place you don't have to worry about anyone elses feelings. I give you complete control. In my bed. You can take what you want. You can do what you want, whenever you want."Veronica has been in love with Finn for years. Her brother Mark's best friend (who incidentally I think is prime for his own book/novella), he has been with her through all the good and the bad, the from being in foster care as a child, to helping her now deal with her errant teenage brother Cal. Thinking she is finally going to get her life back after spending the last 8 years raising her younger siblings, V is looking to have some fun, live outside of the box she has been stuck in, and expand her Wedding-Planning business.After being caught in a sexy, but compromising position by Finn, Veronica decides it's time to take the bull-by-the-horns, or in this case the chef-by-his-spatula and seduce Finn, not knowing that his sexual tastes run over to the kinkier side of play, she is definitely up for a little experimentation, even if it does mean she has to do a little persuading initially."You think I'm a straight laced dweeb who doesn't know a penis from a finger.""You're beautiful everyday, V, half naked or not. You're always the most beautiful woman in the room."Veronica was an easy character to like, a woman approaching her thirties with goals and determination. Not afraid to push her boundaries in all areas, and happy to go along for the ride in others. Finn is looking for definition in his life, after spending so many years smoothing over everyone elses troubles and making sure that everyone else is happy, he is finally taking something for himself... Veronica, and although it starts out as a no-strings exploration of self discovery for one, and the living out of years of fantasies for another, it soon develops into so much more.Finn. Her friend. Her lover. Her disaster waiting to happen."Make love to me. As if it's the last time." ... "Because it is."Gina Gordon has again managed in Recipe for Seduction, to intersperse family drama, with an easy going storyline, around a cute and sexy couple extremely well. I can honestly say that book three is hands-down my favourite of the series so far. I loved Cal, he definitely added 'value' to the story. I liked that the book also offers further development in the stories of other characters from the previous books as well.Lets face it the best-friends brother trope is one that most of us know and love. It is a tried and tested formula, and Gina has ticked all the boxes in giving the reader, a sexy, sweet, and immersive read, it doesn't offer up any surprises, but it left me happy and wanting more from the Madewood brothers. I am looking forward to seeing how Cole and Penn fare together (soon hopefully)!ARC generously provided by the publisher in exchange for the above honest review.