Review: "Deliciously sweet" reading!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2013
For anyone who is on the cusp of adulthood or is looking for a good crossover from YA to "adult" reading, TASTE THE HEAT by Rachel Harris is the perfect book for you. The title is part of Entangled Publishing's Bliss line, which releases contemporary novels that reflect the trials and tribulations of modern love in America with a focus on family, home, a strong sense of community and happiness. This description is the perfect way to summarize the overall mood and setting of TASTE THE HEAT, an adult novel that, while undeniably hot and spine-tingly romantic, is better suited for teens than a vast majority of the "new adult" titles currently on the market.As far as adult romances go, Rachel Harris knows how to turn up the heat, while keeping her characters grounded in reality and delightfully, well, tasteful. I swooned in all the right places, I begged for more when character interactions got "this close" to toe curling hotness and I wanted only the best for everyone involved. There are some serious situations involved here that will definitely rev up your emotions, but nothing overly-so to become melodramatic... Just a pinch of family rifts, a dash of infidelity, all blended in with a bit of the dearly departed and whatnot. The overall depth to this story about family, unrequited love and life-long friendships will have you craving additional stories about the secondary characters - which, I am happy to say, the author has confirmed will be coming!What I love most about Rachel's writing is her ability to put her characters into situations that reflect their unique and realistic personalities, decisions and emotions. I saw the potential in her first, super flirty young adult novel, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, and I experienced it again in TASTE THE HEAT. But, dare I say, it appears that Rachel has honed in on the writing elements and skills that she knows best, and she has developed an even more fleshed out cast of characters that current and new fans will surely fall in love with.TASTE THE HEAT is a story full of preconceived notions and misunderstandings and is a complete roller coaster ride on the emotions. I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. While I found myself grinding my teeth every time one of her characters thought a silly and absurd thought or made a decision that I knew would not work out in their favor, underneath it all I felt that the story was progressing the way that it was meant to. I loved reading about how the two main characters gravitated toward, and then drifted away from, each other - back and forth, back and forth - throughout the novel. In the end, I have never encountered a more deliberate avoidance of the *glaring* truth between two characters in all of my life - but I loved every bit of it!Everything about TASTE THE HEAT is utterly delightful and just as deliciously sweet as the tasty treats that are sprinkled throughout its pages. Oh, and it's got firemen. Like, the GOOD kind of firemen. The kind you'll want to snap shirtless photos of in order to make a 12 month calendar... In fact, I have created a new Twitter hashtag for how I feel about the leading fireman in TASTE THE HEAT. That's right folks, I officially have a #JasonCrush.For only $2.99, you'll want to add TASTE THE HEAT to your collection of ebooks to take to the beach this summer. Too far from the beach? Well then... just pull out a blanket, find the nearest patch of grass and expect to enjoy a few hours of fresh air and some simmering summer heat... preferably in front of a building full of smokin' hot firemen (just make sure they're not smokin' because the building is on fire, ok?) Trust me, you're in for a real treat with this one!Highly recommended to all fans of romantic stories that are full of family, food and spicy fun!