Some Like it Hot by Louisa Edwards (Rising Star Chef #2)
Contemporary Romance
November 29, 2011
St. Martin’s

Reviewed by Mandi

Let me start by saying this book really frustrated and disappointed me. This is the first I’ve read of this author, and unfortunately, this is not the book for me.

Danny Lunden and his team of chefs from his family owned restaurant, Lunden Tavern, have arrived in Chicago to compete in the Rising Star Chef competition. Now, per Danny, this competition “..is for the family, for the restaurant, for the future.” Danny is very focused and intense on winning this competition which pairs up his team (which represents the east coast) against four other regions of the United States. But, I never really understood why he is so worried about the fate of his family restaurant, one of many things not fully fleshed out in this book.

On the way to Chicago, he meets Eva Jansen who is in charge of the entire competition. And this is where I immediately start to have problems. Eva has the very rich and spoiled attitude going on. Very into herself which immediately grated on my nerves. So when Danny first meets her on the airplane, and starts lusting after her, I said, huh? Really? Danny, who comes across very low-key and extremely focused all of a sudden falls for the gorgeous, but rudely rich Eva? Now, we do learn early on that Eva had a bad childhood – her mother died when she was young and her father was not much of a parent. So we are led to believe she has a vulnerable side hiding under her more fake, put together outward appearance. But that side is very hard to connect with.

Once they get to Chicago, the competition sets up. Basically, these five teams will have cooking challenges, where at the end of the specified time, a panel of judges will decide who moves forward, and who goes home. This year, Eva is totally in charge, and desperate to prove to her father that she can handle this competition, To make it an even bigger deal, she has decided to have the Cooking Channel televise it, making it a true reality television show.

As I said, from the first time they meet, Eva and Danny are attracted to each other – so much so they fall into bed together quite quickly. Again, I still didn’t believe in their attraction to each other. To make matters worse, Danny, who is a contestant in the show, is sleeping with the head producer. We are reminded that Eva is not a judge:

“Unlike some people, I’m not a judge – merely the lowly panel moderator, there to set up a nice patter and keep the action moving.”

But not really.

Eva is in charge of setting up and creating the competitions, She also sits on the panel and samples the food – and at some points in the story comments on what she tastes. So she DOES have influence. As said in the book:

“I’ll still be running the competition, and of course tasting your food right alongside my father and the other judges.”

Plus, another judge, Claire, is Eva’s best friend and almost mother figure, and knows Eva is sleeping and having issues with Danny. This should be against the rules. Or at least discussed in the book. No one brings it up as an issue. Why not make it part of the conflict? Also, if Danny is so concerned about his family restaurant, why is he putting himself at risk with Eva? Can they really not wait a few weeks until the competition is done? The ethical lines crossed here are way too much for me to be able to enjoy this book. I just didn’t see it as realistic.

Eva’s father is also brought into the conflict. He was a non-existent parent to Eva growing up, and now she is doing everything she can to gain his acceptance. But his character felt very wishy-washy. It felt like he maybe was going to be the more villain character, but there were many times he came across as supportive. So I didn’t understand why he was the “bad guy” in the book.

We also get lots from the supporting characters – who are the other teammates on Danny’s team. And Claire has a fling with one of the other judges, Kane, which again just didn’t seem fully fleshed out. Claire is much older than Kane, and I assume their relationship started in the previous book in this series. She is uncertain of her future with Kane, because of the age difference, but the conflict never really pans out.

By the end, while Danny does admit Eva did things that were not always ethical her redemption and resolution with Danny and her father felt weak and forced.

This book starts with an unlikable heroine who I don’t think is sufficiently redeemed. Paired with an unrealistic reality tv show, and supporting characters who are not fleshed out well, this book is a very disappointing read.

Rating: D

Recent Reviews:
My Overstuffed Bookshelf – 3/5
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