Friday, April 29, 2016

Review of WARM WINTER KISSES: Jill Steeples



Romance
Date Published: December 8, 2015


When Beth Brown is dumped by her long-time boyfriend, she needs a brand-new start. She ends up stuck in the middle of nowhere, working as a PA for superstar chef Rocco di Castri. She has to deal with his legendary temper and annoying supermodel girlfriend, Pandora.
But Beth grows to like the lovely English countryside . . . and her gorgeous boss, Rocco. Then her ex-boyfriend Martin turns up and she assumes he wants to get back together. But he has news which will turn her world upside down.
And when she finds out that Rocco’s going to become permanently unavailable, she flees the wintry countryside back to her old life in the city.
Will Beth ever get things right with the man she really wants? Find out in this charming and funny chick-lit novel.
REVIEW

A Three Star Michelin Romance!!!   

Beth Brown has just been dumped. She’s dejected, but wondering why. After all, she could never even figure out if she was even in love with her live-in boyfriend. Martin was just around … like that bathrobe she should have thrown out, but didn’t. Still … five years is a long time … and men don’t just grow on trees … or in the kitchen … or do they? In the midst of nursing a broken heart, a personal assistant’s job with the notorious bad boy chef Rocco di Castro opens up and lands in Beth’s bountiful lap. Should she take it? Should she not? Little does she know that her fate is written in Michelin stars—and on a menu where the only entrĂ©e served is ‘Falling in Love with the Chef’.

I was craving a romantic comedy, and took a chance on WARM WINTER KISSES by Jill Steeples. I couldn’t resist the blurb that promised an irresistible, hunky chef. Not for nothing, but there’s nothing sexier than a handsome man cooking up something good in the kitchen. I’m glad I did because WARM WINTER KISSES delivers on both romance and humor. And if you’re one of those that insist on likable characters, I can definitely assure you that the main characters are just that. Beth’s self-deprecating humor was hilarious, and Rocco? He was the chef you’d most like to see in bed … with Beth, of course! Yes, I was rooting for these two clueless fools to realize they were a perfect match for one another, but what with Rocco’s superstar model girlfriend unwilling to vacate the premises and give the bad boy a chance to see that there are other things than physical perfection—doubtful!

I admit that I lived vicariously while reading. I wanted to move into Whitefriar, Rocco’s country estate, and sample Rocco’s cooking for myself, but the author did a good job of making me think I had—through Beth. The only negative I found was that somewhere around Chapter 5 or 6, Beth turns into more of a dishrag than humble PA, but it doesn’t last long. She’s soon doing the most insane things to counteract Rocco’s strange ability to make women fall in love with him. She quickly finds out she’s not immune to his charms, and her attempts to hide her growing passion are straight up funny. I found myself laughing out loud, and that’s always a good sign!

The ending was super satisfying, as was the culmination of the foreplay that went on for thirty chapters or so. The author even included an epilogue which is always fun, and gave us an update on how the couple is doing.

As for Jill Steeples, she’s a very talented author who knows a thing or two about flow and sparkling dialogue. There’s a whole lot of cleverness lurking under the deceptively smooth phrasing and I appreciated her skill in making writing well look effortless.

If you’re in the mood for a well-written, witty story that hits all the right spots, definitely check out WARM WINTER KISSES. It’ll get you smiling and feeling good. You’ll also be convinced that no matter how many times you screw up, Cupid is watching out for you and will pierce the heart of your intended with a shot of love even when you continually miss the mark. I’m giving this one 4.6 stars because I had a darn good time. It’s enough reason for me!





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