In the Raw by Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels
M/M Romance
Released: October 6, 2014
Carina Press

Reviewed by Mandi

Two of my favorite things – boys kissing and food. I was excited to see a m/m romance that featured two guys in culinary school. Chefs are known to have hot tempers – throw in some spicy cooking and things would surely be hot, hot hot.

Except not, not, not.

Jamie comes from a very wealthy family who own a chain of restaurants. He is expected to work for them after he graduates from culinary school, but he really wants to do his own thing. People in school see him as a snob and as someone who gets to call in favors to his family anytime he wants. There is a competition coming up at the school to win a scholarship to study for a year in Paris. Jamie sees this as an opportunity to get away from his parents and show people he can make it on his own. But first he needs to win.

Jamie has lusted after his classmate Ethan for three years. Ethan is an amazing cook, but a poor baker. He is also supposed to be a big jerk (“suppose to” being key, I’ll get into that in a minute). Ethan and his sister are both in the class and as Ethan struggles with the baking class, Jamie and his sister offer help. Ethan accepts it grudgingly and eventually Ethan and Jamie admit they have feelings for each other.

I have three big issues with this book. First, in the blurb and in the story, Ethan is supposed to be a big jerk. He thinks this of himself, people tell him he is a jerk – but I honestly never felt like he was. He has a bit of a short temper, but he is never outright mean to Jamie. He has pent-up secret lust which might put him on edge, but he didn’t come across as that angry. Yet, when he would have an interaction with his sister or Jamie, they would come away with – gosh he is so mean! But I never felt that way.

Second, the romance just didn’t do anything for me. It lacked chemistry and a spark. There was no fire in the kitchen. No biscuits were burning. No one got spanked by a spatula. What the heck? No, but really, the romance fell very flat for me.  I couldn’t find any reason to be excited that they were falling for each other.

And finally, the culinary aspect. Maybe I’ve watched too much Masterchef or Top Chef (by the way, can someone write a Gordon Ramsey hero please?) but Ethan was super clueless when it comes to baking. I get baking and cooking are very separate in the culinary world, but if he’s been in class all these years, and he doesn’t know what a springform pan is, or how to soften cream cheese (he wanted to put it in the microwave) – really? I expected him (and Jamie) to be much more…advanced. This felt like a very basic cooking class. Again, this is just my take on it – but as a reader, I expected more.

Rating: C-

Goodreads l Kindle l Nook