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Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef #2)

by Louisa Edwards (Goodreads Author)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 648 ratings · 85 reviews

Sexy, single, and even sweeter than the treats he bakes, New York pastry chef Danny Lunden is trying to stay focused on food—not females. With the Rising Star Chef competition approaching, he doesn’t have time to get all steamed up over the gorgeous woman he encounters on the plane to Chicago. Even if she is Eva Jansen—the billionaire heiress in charge of the contest…

Danny...more

Paperback, 347 pages

Published November 29th 2011 by St. Martin's Paperbacks (first published January 1st 2011)

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Nov 14, 2011 Amy Jacobs rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Again, take your eyes off that gorgeous cover and dive into another great installment in the Rising Star Chef series! With this one, we get to read about Danny - the head pastry chef - and Eva whose is the one putting together the competition.

While I am a huge fan of this series, I can't say that I enjoyed the characters as much in this book. While Danny is definitely a great catch in more ways than one, I just couldn't figure out why or how he could be attracted to Eva. She was not the type of...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Makii rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ohhhhhh este equipo de la Costa Oeste me esta volviendo loca! Quiero ser parte de la Rising Star Chef! Es tan emocionante!! Me encanta el ambiente, la competencia, las internas entre los participantes, los desafíos y toda esa infinidad de platos que nombran y que dudo que vaya a probar alguna vez!
Saber otra vez de Danny, Max, Jules, Win y Beck me encanta! Ellos ponen tanta pasión en lo que hacen!

Que puedo decir, Danny es perfecto. Siempre pendiente del grupo, importándole mas los demás que el mi...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Review:
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining. It was engaging. I didn't want to put it down. But for some reason, this book just didn't have the normal "umph" that makes me normally fall in love with Louisa's books. The bad thing is...I have no idea why...maybe my hormones were out of whack when I read it?! I don't know, because I really wanted to love it. There just seemed to be too many things happening and not enough focus on the feelings between Danny & Eva.

What I did enjo...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, read-2011

I love both this series and the related "Recipe for Love" series, but unfortunately, I didn't like this book quite as much as the previous ones. Danny Lunden and Eva Jansen are great characters, and I like the cooking competition as the backdrop for the story, but...the development of the relationship between Danny and Eva takes place over 7-10 days. That's it. They go from slight acquaintances to true love in a very short amount of time, and they don't spend much of that time talking. The sex i...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Brie C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Contemporary romance is my favorite subgenre because the books in that category are filled with sexy and entertaining stories that are just plain fun to read. Louisa Edwards’ books are a fine example of the genre and Some Like It Hot is no exception.

This is the second book in the Rising Star Chef series and if you’re new to it you should know that the series follows our leads through a cooking competition where teams representing restaurants from all...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Contemporary romance is my favorite subgenre because the books in that category are filled with sexy and entertaining stories that are just plain fun to read. Louisa Edwards’ books are a fine example of the genre and Some Like It Hot is no exception.

This is the second book in the Rising Star Chef series and if you’re new to it you should know that the series follows our leads through a cooking competition where teams representing restaurants from all over the country battle it out in order to win. In the first book the protagonists were Juliet Cavanaugh and Max Lunden, both members of the same team, in this book the leads are Max’s younger brother, Danny, the team’s pastry chef, and Eva Jansen, the contest’s host and the person in charge of all the behind the scenes.

Eva is a socialite with a reputation of being a party girl, and Danny is the guy who takes care of everything and everyone, so at first he isn’t impressed by Eva’s antics and her apparent diva behavior. But when Danny starts to see the woman behind the socialite and realizes how hard she is working in order to have a successful competition, he realizes that there’s more than meet the eye and his attraction develops into something more. But when you decide to have an affair in the middle of a stressful competition, you could lose more than your heart.

The best part about this book is the characters, especially the main ones. I knew Danny was going to be special ever since reading the first book. He isn’t your typical alpha-male, possessive guy, that’s not the type of hero Ms. Edwards writes, there’s plenty of hotness there, but he also has a big heart and he isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. This is a guy who is used to be the voice of reason, the middle ground and the protector. Behind his laid back exterior lies a man who cares deeply for every person around him and is used to be the one everyone relies on. When his brother Max left town to be a wandering chef, he took charge of both his family and the family business, he made a lot of sacrifices in order to be what everyone else needed and lost himself a bit in the process. I liked him because it was obvious that he was somewhat resentful of his brother and of the whole situation, but he never indulged in self-pity, and made the best out of a crappy situation. And then he meets Eva, who happens to be just what the doctor ordered.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t like Eva. She is a bit of a wild child and very confident in her sexuality, I don’t particular like this type of characters, not because I want my heroines to be virgins, but because they don’t usually have much depth. That’s not the case with Eva. She isn’t afraid to get what she wants but she also has her issues. She has a very difficult relationship with her father and only wants to get his approval. But her daddy-issues were not the reason why she had such a long track record with men. Yes, she had commitment issues, but she also loved men, so what if she wants to have lots of sex and party all night? I was glad that Ms. Edwards didn’t go the easy route and magically turned her into a nice girl all of a sudden, by the end of the book she gets her happy ending with the man she loves, but she is still a party girl at heart.

There’s a recurring secondary romance that started in the previous book and continues here. It involves two of the competition’s judges and as usual there’s a twist because Ms. Edwards likes unconventional couples. In this case the romance is between forty-two-year-old Claire Durand, the sophisticated and very French editor of a prestigious magazine, and twenty-something Kane Slater, the sexy rock star and famous foodie. Their story doesn’t have a resolution yet but I like it very much, it’s an unlikely pairing, not so much because of the age difference but because of their lifestyles, but it works, there’s a lot of chemistry between them and as usual I’m trying to figure out how on earth are they going to make it work. I’ll have to wait and see.

If you are a fan of the series you will be happy to know that we find out more about Beck, the mysterious chef that’s an integral part of the team and the next book’s hero. Among other things we get just a tiny glimpse at his past, which is quite unexpected, and we meet his heroine, a very charming lady that couldn’t be more different from Beck even if she tried. I can’t wait to read their book and I have a feeling that it will be my favorite.

My main issue with this book was the obvious conflict of interest between Danny and Eva. There’s a lot of emphasis made on the fact that Eva isn’t a judge so she isn’t involved in the actual process of choosing the winner, but she is the host, she tastes the dishes and offers her opinion and she is the daughter of the competition’s owner, so how can someone see their relationship and not cry foul play? I was expecting this to be the main conflict of the book but it wasn’t, and I was very surprised by that. I appreciate the fact that the conflict came from within the characters and their issues and insecurities, but since the competition is such a huge part of the overall story I was not only surprised, but even a little disappointed by how this was downplayed. No one was concerned, not even the other teams. Granted, their relationship wasn’t really public, but enough people were aware of it as to raise some questions about the competition’s integrity. It definitely had me raising my eyebrow.

I think this book stands alone fairly well, but the overall story arch started in the first book and I think this series should be read in order to get the full extent. Also, Danny’s journey begins in Too Hot To Touch and you can actually see how he grows and matures so is best to read them in order.

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think you will too. If I had to define it using just one word I would say mouthwatering, there are plenty of food descriptions that are to die for, especially when it comes to the pastries, but there are some scorching hot sex scenes as well, so you will find yourself drooling more than once (and Danny was dreamy!).

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book from the author and publisher for review purposes.(less)

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Dec 05, 2011 Marisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

In Some Like It Hot we find pastry chef Danny Lunden and his crew in Chicago using their culinary expertise to wow the judges and hopefully move them forward to the final round of the competition which will take place in San Francisco in the third and upcoming book. If you’re a fan of the Food Network or the Cooking Channel you’ll find yourself immediately delighted by the complicated challenges each group of chefs must face. Seriously, you’ve seen these kinds of challenges on TV – challenges li...more In Some Like It Hot we find pastry chef Danny Lunden and his crew in Chicago using their culinary expertise to wow the judges and hopefully move them forward to the final round of the competition which will take place in San Francisco in the third and upcoming book. If you’re a fan of the Food Network or the Cooking Channel you’ll find yourself immediately delighted by the complicated challenges each group of chefs must face. Seriously, you’ve seen these kinds of challenges on TV – challenges like “tell a story about the city of New York through food only using ingredients you can find in the gourmet store at Grand Central Station”. (Actually, that was a real challenge given to the chefs on the reality show “The Next Iron Chef”.) What I find particularly exciting is that Ms. Edwards puts you right in the action immediately giving you the feeling of tension, excitement and creativity as each chef has to create and execute the perfect winning dish in an amongst the madness that is a kitchen filled with egos, heat and deadlines.

If you love ‘opposites attract’ romances, then you’ll fall in love with Danny and Eva. They couldn’t be more different. But just like peanut butter and chocolate the odd combination seems to be the perfect bite of deliciousness. He’s a hard working New York pastry chef who has spent his entire life working in his family’s restaurant in the West Village. She’s a pampered only child of a wealthy restaurateur who has spent her life traveling the world as a party girl. In fact her nickname is ‘Eva the Diva’. He has a need to take care of everyone. She has a need to experience all that life has to offer; and they both have a need to please their fathers.

Eva is producing this year’s Rising Star Chef Competition and there’s a lot riding on this one. She needs to prove to her father that she can make this competition both successful and lucrative and she’ll do anything to make that happen. She’ll even go so far as to entice the Cooking Network to film this year’s competition as a reality show. However, she’s interested in showcasing new and emerging culinary talent while the Network is only interested only in the drama. The antics that are part and parcel of producing a reality show are pretty spot on. Being a television producer and having worked on shows exactly like this, I know from firsthand experience that there is always a mandate from the network to “bring more drama” - even if you have to create it.

Danny needs to put all his focus on the cooking, he wants his family’s restaurant back on top, and the one way to do that is to win this competition. He has absolutely no need for television cameras and drama, but drama is definitely on the menu. It’s kind of hard to avoid, in fact it’s a given since he’s falling hard for Eva, the moderator and sponsor for the competition.

The supporting characters are just as fleshed out and three dimensional as Eva and Danny. Their passion for food is a metaphor for their passion for life, and Ms. Edwards is able to bring all the ingredients together to give us a funny, sometimes poignant, but always spirited look at both food and romance.

Some Like it Hot is a unique, witty, and romantic read with characters that are challenging and interesting. The series as a whole is fun and exciting, and Ms. Edwards’ descriptions of each amazing and mouth watering meal had me running to the kitchen in search of a some tasty morsel, but it’s her ability to capture the heart with each new romance that keeps me reading her books.

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Oct 15, 2012 Marcia Berg Haskell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance

"Sexy, single, and even sweeter than the treats he bakes, New York pastry chef Danny Lunden is trying to stay focused on food—not females. With the Rising Star Chef competition approaching, he doesn’t have time to get all steamed up over the gorgeous woman he encounters on the plane to Chicago. Even if she is Eva Jansen—the billionaire heiress in charge of the contest…

Danny assumes that “Eva the Diva” is a spoiled rich girl who doesn’t share his passion for food. But when the two meet up again i...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Sassafrass rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, sexy-series, challenge-books-2012

I was really looking forward to this story about Eva and Danny as they had some smoking chemistry in the first Rising Star Chef book Too Hot To Touch, but this book fell short for me.

The back story about the cooking competition and the secondary characters' story were all really good, but I felt like Eva and Danny got completely robbed. This above all else was supposed to be a romance, and they're story takes place over what appeared to be a few hours spread out over seven days.

And that would...more

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May 18, 2012 Shannel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: smut-monday-esqe, series

We last left the Lunden Tavern crew after they won the spot to represent the East Coast in the Rising Star Chef Competition. In this second segment of the story, we’re experiencing the story from the younger Lunden, Danny.

Danny has been helping hold the family business together ever since his brother Max went on his own six years ago. Even now that Max is home (and dating his best friend Jules) he has a hard time letting go of the reigns. He’s incredibly dedicate to his team and would do just ab...more We last left the Lunden Tavern crew after they won the spot to represent the East Coast in the Rising Star Chef Competition. In this second segment of the story, we’re experiencing the story from the younger Lunden, Danny.

Danny has been helping hold the family business together ever since his brother Max went on his own six years ago. Even now that Max is home (and dating his best friend Jules) he has a hard time letting go of the reigns. He’s incredibly dedicate to his team and would do just about anything for them; even if it meant that his own wants went on the back burner.

Eva is the no-bullshit, tough-as-nails host to the competition. Her father created the RSC to carry out his late-wife’s (and Eva’s mother) dream to showcase young talent. This year was her first chance to run the competition on her own and prove to her father she’s not a little girl anymore.

I liked the complexity in their relationship. They both have the “I’m in charge” attitude that was destined for turmoil before it even began…

“Just a friendly warning,” Danny said, reaching past her to push the door open. “In case you thought you were the one setting up the game. I’m here to win, sweetheart. And I don’t mess around.”

What I really loved is the commonality if of their relationship. Both were dealing with family issues. Danny kept his dreams at bay in order to protect his family’s tavern. While Eva, had to do everything (and just about anything) to be sure she didn’t disappoint her father. In their attempts to please everyone else, they forgot about what should be important; their own happiness.

“He wanted her. And an innocent, oh-so-reasonable voice kept repeating in his head: Is it really so bad to want something for yourself?”

Another solid win for this author.

I have to say, this may be a new favorite series for me; though I still have the same qualms that I had for the first one. 1) more smut please :)! 2) I really don’t know if I like the random chapters about Kane and Claire. I see that if you add all of the chapters together from 1 and 2 (and no doubt from 3) they’ll make a complete story, I just don’t know if it was necessary. It’s a cute story, don’t get me wrong, but their story wasn’t what got me reeled in.

I can’t wait to see how it all comes together.
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Apr 09, 2012 Book Binge Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, reviews-by-rowena, st-martins-press

This is the second book by Louisa Edwards that I read and I read it while I was fast sinking into a reading slump but I was able to finish this book and enjoy it as well. I'm a sucker for a baker hero and Danny was delicious. I thought that I'd like Max more than Danny but after finishing this book, I'm not so sure. Max is more fun loving and laugh out loud where Danny is more serious and reserved. Danny is the brother that stayed behind to help his parents run the family business while Max ran...more This is the second book by Louisa Edwards that I read and I read it while I was fast sinking into a reading slump but I was able to finish this book and enjoy it as well. I'm a sucker for a baker hero and Danny was delicious. I thought that I'd like Max more than Danny but after finishing this book, I'm not so sure. Max is more fun loving and laugh out loud where Danny is more serious and reserved. Danny is the brother that stayed behind to help his parents run the family business while Max ran off around the world, living his own life. It wasn't hard to recognize the bitterness that was eating Danny up when Max finally came back. Max crashes back into their lives and shakes things up. He also took Danny's best friend away from him and while he wants to be happy for Jules, he can't help the bitterness that eats at him.

What I liked about Danny is that he didn't hide from the fact that he was feeling these things. He felt them, owned his emotions and tried to get through each day anyway. He was a man's man in the way that he dealt with things and I really liked that about him. His interactions with Eva were kept under control until he just couldn't help himself and I really liked seeing him let loose with Eva because he was much too serious all the time so I thought Eva was perfect for him.

Eva was a surprise because when she came onto the scene in Max and Jule's book, I thought the same things that Danny thought of her. She was a spoiled, rich heiress that had the world at her fingers and she knew it. I thought she was flighty and fluffy but she turned out to be so much more than that and I really enjoyed getting to know her character.

Danny and Eva together was a treat that I wasn't expecting and I really enjoyed the romance that blossomed between them. They complimented each other well and I think Edwards did a fabulous job of keeping us interested in them as a couple and as people as well.

This book was a treat and I'm glad that I read it. I'm pretty stoked to be able to dig right into Beck's book and I'm going to do that just as soon as I finish this review. Overall, this was another enjoyable addition to a series that is shaping up to be better than I expected. The characters are all wonderfully well rounded characters and I'm anxious for more.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Rowena.(less)

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Dec 24, 2011 Francesca the Fierce ~Eyelet Ecstasy~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2011, genre-contemporary-romance

This review was posted at Under The Covers

Yes! Just look at THAT cover! Ohhhh Danny boy! I had a feeling I was going to like you, but I loved you! :) So the Rising Star Chef competition continues and the remaining teams go to Chicago for the first real round of the competition.

Danny is feeling the heat because he's always been the teams Mom and now with Jules and Max a little preoccupied on other things he's picking up the slack. But he's only human after all and his body is a traitorous thing b...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Dabney rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’m wondering if Louisa Edwards wishes she’d chosen a different heroine for her latest Rising Star Chef series. Somehow right now doesn’t seem like the best time to have a super rich, super bitch heroine and Eva Jansen in Some Like It Hot is both. I couldn’t stand her and I sure as hell couldn’t figure out what a nice guy like Danny Lunden, the hottie pastry chef hero, would see in her. She’s like Veronica (from the Archie comics) with a Sex in the City wardrobe and an affinity for casual sex.

R...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Lori McD rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013_read, chick-lit, easy-read, jammf_2013_challenge, kindle-book, own, recipes, romance, series, some-steam

3.5 stars...???

These covers are killing me! What chef in his right mind cooks without a shirt? Yes, I know... bare male chests are selling books right now. You can tell simply by perusing book covers these days, and not just full-on romance genre books either.

The 2nd book in the series is about Danny and Eva... an unlikely combination. I'm still not sure how these two are going to make it work. Then again, Kane and Claire fascinate me with whether they can work, too.

The strangeness of this book...more 3.5 stars...???

These covers are killing me! What chef in his right mind cooks without a shirt? Yes, I know... bare male chests are selling books right now. You can tell simply by perusing book covers these days, and not just full-on romance genre books either.

The 2nd book in the series is about Danny and Eva... an unlikely combination. I'm still not sure how these two are going to make it work. Then again, Kane and Claire fascinate me with whether they can work, too.

The strangeness of this book is mostly in the timing. So much happens in such a compressed amount of time, and yet, we're told that this phase of the RSC competition is a month-long. Huh? How many chefs can afford to take a whole month off to compete? How many restaurants can give up their chefs for a whole month? And one restaurant is shut down for the entire month for the competition. Hmmm... Seems to me like this whole thing could have happened in a week or 2 at most. Yes, I realize these points are all mentioned as Eva's motivation for what she does to keep the RSC going, but still...

But there's plenty of heat! At the beginning, it's between more than just Danny and Eva, but soon, almost everyone else is forgotten, with the exception of Kane and Claire. I realize that authors have to zero in a bit on their main characters and story lines, and I also realize that book 3 will likely take care of the hanging part of this full story arc, but still... What happened to Max and Jules? They're there, but barely. Yes, they're shacked up in their own room, but during the competition, they're supposed to be in it. Yet, we barely see or hear of their existence during the competition. Towards the end, Jules seems to remember that she's Danny's friend again.

And when did DANNY become the leader of the group? I thought that was Jules or Max... or Jules and Max? Yes, Danny has a lot of the "responsibility" for the team on his back, always had; but he always ceded that to Jules. Suddenly, Danny's the guy who takes care of everyone and everything. In the 1st book, that seemed to be Jules; or was it Danny and Jules? See? I'm lost.

Not that Danny acts out of character. The focus is so sharpy on Danny and Eva, that the nuances of the whole Lunden Team just seems lost. And that's a bit sad to me. The book could be richer for the time that the team spends together being more like THEIR TEAM and less like the Danny-show.

When Danny burns his hands, it seems like the incident is just a convenient way to get Danny and Eva together. There is hardly any kick-back from Danny's team (OK a small explosion the next morning) or affect on Danny and his part in the competition after the incident. Again, what seems like it could have been a "good thing" is swept under the rug to hurry us into a very fast intimacy between these two, who've been hot for one another since the initial plane ride.

Hoping for more in book 3. But the series is enjoyable, and I like the mixing of the chef/cooking/judging/competition/recipe stuff with the romance.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Quynh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Eva Jansen has a sweet tooth, and pastry chef Daniel Lunden sure fills her cravings.

While I enjoyed this book, and loved Danny's character, I didn't have much of a connection to Eva. I can understand her actions with the bad decision she made trying to get her show on the air, but that's about as far as my feelings went for her. The relationship between her and Danny moved really fast in the span of a few days. Danny is too sweet of a guy who shall I say, is too good for Eva? He's should be with...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Mandi Schreiner rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

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 (wh...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-romance

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD

24/09 - I love cooking and I love cooking shows, both American and British, but mostly British. The cooking competition seems to be Top Chef under another name with familiar sounding teams, challenges, running around a supermarket and lots of idiotic backstabbing and clique-forming.
The early scenes between Danny's team and the Limestone team were annoying because I find it hard to believe a chef would purposefully attempt to cause another chef to dump a stock pot of boiling...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, crotchbooks, culinary-fiction, food-in-fiction, what-s-cookin-good-lookin

I am liking this series so far. Again, I love how Edwards uses food descriptions as metaphors and similes. "Soft and sticky like brioche dough." I can relate to that statement because I've worked with brioche dough. Although after you've added the butter, that shit is greasy, too. /tangent I just like how the food is as much as a feature character as the people.

I've wanted to see Danny and Eva's story after the first book started hinting at their eventual pairing. The main obstacle is Danny bein...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Daphne Trumps rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, romance, series, adult

Gone Pecan

Favorite Quote: Danny slipped into the stool next to her, careful to keep his legs and arms from brushing against hers. He wasn't sure what would happen if they touched, but he was pretty sure it would get them thrown out of this bar and arrested for public indecency.

Danny Lunden takes care of people. He sees it as his responsibility to take care of those around him, make sure they have the kind of things they need, calm them down when they're anxious or upset. It's just the way he is....more

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Dec 31, 2011 Pamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rated 4.5 Blue Ribbons
REVIEW COURTESY OF ROMANCE JUNKIES

Danny is coming to Chicago to participate in the Rising Star Chef competition. He is hoping to get his family's restaurant some more attention and is planning on doing whatever he can to win. Things do not start off so well when he has a run-in with the daughter of the founder of the Rising Star, Eva. He is instantly attracted to her but is determined to fend off her advances and stay serious about what he is there to accomplish. Just how l...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Kimberly Kincaid rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another great, great book from Louisa Edwards! I've loved Danny since the minute he hit the page in Too Hot To Touch, and was waiting anxiously for this book. I wasn't disappointed! I loved Eva's sassy character, and thought she was a nice fit for family-boy Danny Lunden. I know several other reviewers took issue with her being superficial, but I didn't think she was at all. I found her to be driven and fun, and felt like she was a good example of a career-minded twenty-something from a high pro...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ppb, fv-review

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. –Harriet van Horne

Pastry chef, Danny Lunden is embarking on his first trip outside of his comfortable Manhattan life and heading to the windy city of Chicago to represent the East Coast in the second round of the Rising Star Chef Competition. A delay in takeoff causes the group to become antsy and Danny probes the stewardess about the hold up. He gets his answer when Eva Jansen, better known as “Eva the Diva,” steps onto...more
Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. –Harriet van Horne

Pastry chef, Danny Lunden is embarking on his first trip outside of his comfortable Manhattan life and heading to the windy city of Chicago to represent the East Coast in the second round of the Rising Star Chef Competition. A delay in takeoff causes the group to become antsy and Danny probes the stewardess about the hold up. He gets his answer when Eva Jansen, better known as “Eva the Diva,” steps onto the plane in five-inch Louboutins. After setting her eyes on Danny, she is all attitude and desire. This isSome Like It Hot not their first meeting, (she was the panel moderator in the competition’s first round) but this time, she is determined to add the sexy spice of Danny Lunden to her life while they are both involved in the competition.

Eva’s exterior is strong, straightforward, a little bitchy and a lot of steam. Inside, Eva is a very insecure, immature girl who has not quite grown up or given up the desire and drive to please her dad in the business world and prove to him that she can take over the competition when he retires. This drive proves to be a catalyst not only in her profession but also her personal life. Eva has no time for a relationship, let alone love. Danny questions if he has bit off more than he can chew by pursuing Eva and, in turn starts to doubt if his team will pull through to the finals. He further wonders if Eva’s sexual attraction and desire for him will fizzle out like a fallen soufflé once he returns home and she takes over as director of the competition.

Upon finishing the first book, Too Hot To Touch, my heart pulled for Danny. His character left a lasting impression in my mind and I could not wait for his book and well deserved HEA. Danny is the fixer, the protector, the encourager, and puts himself last among family and friends with regard to gratification and happiness. For me, it was unrealistic that Danny could be attracted to a woman like Eva. Eva. Whew! I expected her bold personality and drive for success after being introduced to her in the first book. What I did not expect was how flippant she was to using men and pursuing “no strings” sex. Eva’s first impression left me with an irritation that was hard to shake. There were too many incidents and miscommunications between Eva and Danny that when they did admit their feelings and became a couple, it felt forced and I didn’t know if I even wanted it. I had really hoped for an emotionally stronger woman for Danny and Eva just did not measure up.

Now on to what I enjoyed. My mixed feelings about the pairing were offset by Ms. Edward’s gift for penning multi-dimensional characters that the reader invests in from book one. Once again, we not only get the story of Eva and Danny, but we witness the continued fear and uncertainty of Claire’s feelings for her younger lover, Kane. We re-visit Max and Jules in the throws of bliss now that they have a solid relationship. (I was glad to confirm that Danny never viewed Jules as anything other than a sister figure after being best friends for so long.) Also, we get a better understanding of Beck’s personality and an introduction to who his love interest will be in his upcoming book.

Once again, Ms. Edward’s seasoned her love scenes with intensity and intricate detail, crafting memorable and steamy scenes that are so hot, you’ll need a fire extinguisher nearby. And while providing a savory pursuit of love, Ms. Edward’s subtlety shows the power of forgiveness between real, flawed characters. Finally, we witness more scrumptious dishes prepared with love and care as the East Coast team pulls out all the stops to qualify for the finals of the Rising Star Chef Competition. Although Eva was not initially my choice for Danny, in the end she took a great professional risk to prove how much she cared for Danny. This gesture of sincerity and honesty was believable and conveyed the start to a maturity I longed for in a mate for Danny.

Favorite Quote:“Licking her lips, Eva prepared to ignore Danny’s demand and dive back in for more of the addictive, smoke-salt flavor of him, which she could still taste on her tongue. But he shook his head, stopping her, and stroked the backs of his bandaged hands down the sides of her face. It was a strange sensation, the soft cotton gauze not as warm or as rough as his callused fingers, but it was the expression on his face that melted her insides. Danny looked as if he thought she was the edible one-and he was starving.”

Originally posted at: http://www.fictionvixen.com/2011/11/r... (less)

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Apr 15, 2012 Lady Allison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: epub, contemporary-romance

I struggled with this book because I really loved the storyline of the Rising Star Chef contest & I love the East Coast team from Lunden's & I especially adore Max's younger brother Danny...but I really didn't like Eva Jansen. She was spoiled, vain, self-centered, & annoying as hell. How can one enjoy a book when they only like half of the main couple? Danny was deliciously layered, incredibly interesting to get to know, & yanked on the heart strings like any good hero should. Ev...more

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Dec 25, 2011 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

I have been following Louisa Edwards and her RSC series. I so love these books!
I am not a foodie by any means, but I must admit that since reading this book, I MUST check out the Food Network more frequently, lol.

Pastry Chef, Daniel Lunden, is finding himself immensely attracted to Eva Jansen, the coordinator to the RSC Challenge. Their secret romance sets off some pretty steamy scenes and leads to problems that could threaten to destry Dan's (and his teammates) chances of winning in the Rising...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am actually only giving this book 3 stars because I continually wanted to lick the cover!! HOLY SMOKIN'HOT EIGHT PACK!!

That said, I was rather disappointed in this book. I am not a huge fan of the cooking, think I mentioned this before as I loathe the activity myself, but the characters in the first book intrigued me enough to make up for that. This one, not so much! I just couldn't bring myself to care to much about Danny or Eva, they were just Blah to me. It was actually the secondary charac...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Jo (My House of Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

A continuation of the Rising Star Chef competition, Some Like it Hot focuses on Danny and Eva. The two had met -- and shared some sparks -- in the first book of this series, Too Hot to Touch. Eva is a little abrupt and a little spoiled, or at least that's the air she puts on; Danny is a "fixer," the only one he believes can hold the Lunden's team together so they have a fighting chance in the competition. Since Danny is more sensitive than Eva, my initial concern would be that she would...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Elli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, 2012

Though one in a series (and in the middle of it), I felt like the focus was squarely on the two main characters and the appearance of previous (& future center characters) was just a pleasant moment, not a distraction. I loved the interaction between two main characters and the fact that I really didn't know them before this book or understand their motivation till now. And I really liked how both grew over the course of the book with the help of those around them. I love these books and loo...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

What’s not to like? HOT men that can cook both in and out of the kitchen. In this the second Rising Star Chef book Danny gets his girl, Claire is still having man problems, Wilson and Drew are on again / off again and we learn a lot more about Beck. Can probably be read as a stand-alone but is so much more fun with the back story provided by the first book Too Hot To Touch (Rising Star Chef #1). Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef #3) is already on my wish list.

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Apr 10, 2012 Jude Bown rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was completely immersed in the stress of competition in this book. Competition associated with the Rising Star Chef contest, as well as competition to gain the respect of a parent or carry the weight of a family business upon one's shoulders. I loved Louisa's detailing of the food prep involved...it totally fed my Food Netword addiction and fantasies. I was a virtual member of Danny's team, fighting for a slot in the upcoming San Francisco competition.

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Sep 14, 2012 Jolene Tyler rated it 3 of 5 stars

This wasn't as good as the first one, but still not bad. The Chemistry with the two main characters was good, but it didn't feel like they got enough time together in the book. In the first book you felt the two main characters relationship click nicely, but in this one you didn't really feel like they talked enough before they fell in love. All together it was OK. But I am looking forward to the next book with Beck.

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Sep 01, 2011 Robin (RBBR) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-reading-entire-series

This one was just as good as the first one in the Trilogy. Among other things we learn more about Beck and its apparent by the end of this one that Book Three is going to be his. Based on what we learn in this book coupled with the Blurb for it Its not saying read me so I don't see me doing that any time soon. Not keen on Hero's who Marry then Leave but don't end the relationship making it difficult for the Heroine to move on. The first book had a twist on the theme of Brother's Best Friend fall...more

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About Louisa Edwards

Louisa Edwards was born in Austin, but grew up in Virginia, where she started reading romance around the age of eleven. She graduated with honors from Bryn Mawr College and landed her first job in publishing as an Editorial Assistant at Berkley and built her own list of authors, earning a promotion to Assistant Editor.

Then real life romance ensued: Louisa married a journalist and moved to a small...more

More about Louisa Edwards...

Books by Louisa Edwards

Can't Stand The Heat (Recipe for Love #1)

On the Steamy Side (Recipe for Love, #2)

Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef, #3)

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Quotes from Some Like It Hot

“You Americans. You suppress the body of its desires, and treat the heart as if it is a wild animal to be tamed, so that when those things are awakened in you , they have the strength of ravenous lions, too long imprisoned.” — 3 people liked it

“I mean, it's just sex. It's simple biology, right? You build up tension and stress-- you need to open a valve somewhere and let it out, or you'll explode. Nothing deep and emotional about it, just a bodily function. Like sneezing.'

'Sure,' Kane said, nodding sagely. 'Coed naked sneezing. The next wave in porn.” — 1 person liked it

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Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef #2)

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