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Appetizers (The Winemaker's Dinner #1)

by Ivan Rusilko (Goodreads Author), Everly Drummond (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 611 ratings · 155 reviews

Recently named executive chef at one of Miami Beach’s hottest restaurants, Jaden Thorne is determined to make her culinary mark and fulfill her professional dreams. When Jaden is given highly coveted tickets to the ultra-exclusive Winemaker’s Dinner, she jumps at the opportunity to meet South Florida's wealthiest and most influential food and wine enthusiasts.

Jaden’s eyes...more

Paperback, 246 pages

Published July 31st 2012 by Omnific Publishing (first published July 28th 2012)

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Appetizers (The Winemaker's Dinner, #1)
by Ivan Rusilko (Goodreads Author), Everly Drummond (Goodreads Author)

Recently named executive chef at one of Miami Beach’s hottest restaurants, Jaden Thorne is determined to make her culinary mark and fulfill her profes…more

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Aug 28, 2012 Micha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Erotic romance with a heart and a hero you can believe in AND fall in love with. Great plot, great characters and frisky as hell. LOVE!!!

11 likes · like · see review

Aug 27, 2012 Becs - Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, erotic-romance, smuttastic

Love’s sweetest intoxication………

I picked this one up with the anticipation of reading something a little different. It appeared to be an erotic romance written by man – a male voice in a predominantly female authored genre. And will you just pause a moment, take a deep breath and take a look at the man that wrote it!!

Yes, this is he. Dr Ivan Rusilko – a health and fitness guru, sexual health adviser, male model, body-builder, a Doctor and, obviously, drop dead gorgeous. Colour me happy!!

He also...more Love’s sweetest intoxication………

I picked this one up with the anticipation of reading something a little different. It appeared to be an erotic romance written by man – a male voice in a predominantly female authored genre. And will you just pause a moment, take a deep breath and take a look at the man that wrote it!!

Yes, this is he. Dr Ivan Rusilko – a health and fitness guru, sexual health adviser, male model, body-builder, a Doctor and, obviously, drop dead gorgeous. Colour me happy!!

He also takes the fairly unusual route of naming his hero for himself. So we have Dr Ivan Rusilko meeting eyes across a crowded function room at the Winemaker’s Dinner of the title with Jaden Thorne, an up and coming chef in Miami, and there’s a an instant sizzling attraction between them which cannot be denied. They spend one passionate night together but Jaden runs out before Ivan wakes up as she considers herself nowhere near good enough for him. Dr Ivan tracks her down and they begin a passionate and very sweet romance.

This is pretty much the story – I wouldn’t consider it to be erotic romance. I would classify it as fairly steamy contemporary romance. There’s really no action – it’s all about the growing feelings between the two and some pretty hot sex scenes.

I’m presuming that this isn’t actually auto-biographical and that Jaden Thorne herself doesn’t exist but Dr Ivan does and I have to say it requires huge self-confidence and a degree of narcissism to base a ‘hero’ on oneself. The book is mostly told from Jaden’s POV but Dr Ivan is writing it and we have several descriptions of him as Jaden sees him. She refers to him as Mr. Oh So Well Equipped, Mr. Oh So Sexy, women almost lose their footing when he's out jogging topless and there are several scenes where Jaden watches him sleep and contemplates his beautiful body, face and hair. He is practically perfect in every way – he’s obviously very beautiful, has a well-chiselled body, he’s romantic, thoughtful, a considerate, skilled and attentive lover, he’s self-sacrificing – in fact he is written as faultless. I’m thinking the real Dr Ivan is a very confident man. This is probably the difference between a male and female author writing romance!

All this aside, this is a nice and sweet romance. It’s the first part of a trilogy and there’s no cliffhanger here so I’m not sure where the next 2 books will take us but if you like a slow, steady and thoughtful romance – this one could be for you.

3.5 stars contemporary romance
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Aug 23, 2012 Dreams rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own-read, 3-4-star-reads, kindle-books

3.5 stars

At the risk of being crucified by all womankind and perhaps even the good Doctor himself
(I only ask that you please anesthetize me first if you must do it)...

I'm going to be a little blunt with my opinions here but, only because that is what I would ask of someone reviewing my work....

Being that Dr. Ivan Rusilko is an attractive man, I believe it would be incredibly easy to let that color my judgement of this novel. Particularly, as he has featured himself as one of the main characters...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Marquetta (LoveToReadForFun) rated it 1 of 5 stars

I've heard the early buzz about this book. The buzz being that the writer is a male writing erotic romance. When I started reading The Winemaker's Dinner, I found the writing to be very formal. It made reading a little clunky. I also noticed, as I continued reading, that the hero, Dr. Ivan, was described in detail several times but the reader didn't know what Jaden, the heroine, looked like. After reading 50% of the book, I knew that she had black hair, green eyes and is 5'10". There were no des...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, romantic-drama

2.5 to 3 stars. I really want to be fair in this review but to all my Goodreads friends I have to tell you that I can't help but feel like I've taken one for the team. Hands down Ivan Rusilko, author, is an accomplished handsome guy with a beautiful body. I commend his efforts along with his co-author Everly Drummond in wanting to offer a male voice in a predominantly female authored genre. I know I've been very disappointed in the number of female authors who write a wonderful Hero while giving...more 2.5 to 3 stars. I really want to be fair in this review but to all my Goodreads friends I have to tell you that I can't help but feel like I've taken one for the team. Hands down Ivan Rusilko, author, is an accomplished handsome guy with a beautiful body. I commend his efforts along with his co-author Everly Drummond in wanting to offer a male voice in a predominantly female authored genre. I know I've been very disappointed in the number of female authors who write a wonderful Hero while giving us less than worthy heroines. So can Dr. Ivan deliver? He claims to be offering readers a swoon-worthy flesh and blood romantic hero (himself) with a fictionalized erotic memoir which is based on the romantic triumphs and tragedies of his real life while blending fact and fantasy, with more than a dash of passion and sex offering a heartfelt tale of passionate love. Sounds a tad narcissistic and like something from reality TV doesn't it? I have no doubt any male that looks like Dr. Ivan has had his share of romantic adventures. I've also heard that fictional authors tend to put something of themselves in the characters they write about, and I'm good with that. They just don't usually come out and say hey that's me I'm writing about and I'll use my own name. I just would have been better able to get the feel of a fictional hero not actually named for the author. I realize these are his stories mixed with fiction and fantasy but reading this bk while imagining Dr. Ivan actually referring to himself as "Mr. Oh So Sexy", "Mr. Oh So...", didn't sound as if that was part of the fictional side. Probably not. Who am I to criticize though, if I was a guy who looked liked that I'm sure I'd have confidence out the wahzoo with a healthy self esteem and could own such a description. Maybe those tags were written by the co-author Ms. Drummond and those were her descriptions. Ok, the guy's hot, and he obviously has it going on and he knows it, so why oh why couldn't he at least have named himself.....I don't know.....say......Ian, perhaps. Wink, wink...close enough but enough of a missing letter distance that I could actually picture Dr. Ivan while imaging him as a fictional character and not believing this is just him digging himself. Doesn't he get enough of that in real life? Maybe I've got it all wrong and Ms. Drummond just took Dr. Ivan's actual escapades and changed things up a bit to tell the story. But ok, enough of that, you get what I'm talking about. This bk has some pro's and con's for me aside from the self titled hero.

Dislikes:
Unbelievable first meeting: Jaden our heroine who is a chef is sent out of town to attend a function (The Winemaker's Dinner) for her boss's restaurant, sees Mr. Eye Candy (our Hero) a stranger from across the room and spends the evening checking him out from time to time. She's pretty tipsy, goes outside to a secluded garden, Mr. Eye Candy shows up with no introduction, they make out, he invites her back to his hotel, she goes. Seriously?!? A stranger?!? She has no idea what this guy's name is or who he is or what he's really like, and as far as she knows he doesn't know her. So she'll just get in his car straight into the unknown? Seemed a bit farfetched or maybe that's where this story turns into fantasy.

Wording was too flowery at times...read more like a Harlequin novel in certain parts. If you know me at all, I'm not a Harlequin kinda girl (not that there's anything wrong with Harlequin stories), just not my thing. For instance, "Quote - "What is love? Is it a lightning bolt that instantaneously unites two souls in utter infatuation and admiration through the meeting of a simple innocent stare? Or is it a lustful seed that is sown in a dark, dingy bar one sweaty summer's night, only to be nurtured with romantic rendezvous as it matures into a beautiful flower?" C'mon, who talks like that, really?

Not enough physical description. The story definitely showcases Dr. Ivan (natch!) while all other characters are never really fleshed out or described in much detail. For instance, Jaden meets Ivan's mom for the first time. How tall is the mother, what's her hair color, slender or round, facial features, etc? Nothing, nada. We know her interests but not what the woman actually looked like. I don't need the full blown nitty-gritty but something I can picture in my mind, you know?

The story didn't flow well, scenes are rather choppy and sometimes inconsistent. Another example: both H/h claim to hate smoking as their discussing their "dislikes". Dr. Ivan is smoking a cigar at least twice during this story. So what gives?

Likes:
Once Ivan knows what he wants he goes for it. And when Dr. Ivan decides to put on the charm lookout! His character was intelligent, classy, sexy, and at times very down to earth. He's very sweet, thoughtful, kind, generous, giving and caring with some pretty decent sarcasm. Fact or fiction? If fact, wow, what a guy! Not just your poster boy, but the whole package. I mean this guy couldn't be more wonderfully perfect. Not only that, he loves his family and their teasing and banter back and forth with each other was fun. The guy is ragingly positive and upbeat claiming he's only been mad twice in all his 28 years, perturbed at times but only mad twice. (If I could raise just one eyebrow, this would be the time). See what I mean? Just perfect in all ways. If the guy has any flaws they're certainly never pointed out (smirk).

If you want a swoon worthy Hero, Dr. Ivan's you're guy, and I do love my hero' swoony. Our Hero is into his relationship with Jaden for the long haul. No commitment phobe here, another plus for our Mr. Wonderful. All the little quirks aside, I did at times enjoy this story. It's not overly descriptive or deep and often a tad lame, but a bit entertaining if you know what you're getting yourself into. Maybe I'm just too insatiably curious wanting to see what the buzz is all about when it comes to Dr. Ivan as a romance author. Or maybe it's like a bad car wreck and you just can't help but look. I'm sure you're wondering about the editing and I can tell you I found there were no more than a handle full of typos. Also I saw where this was labeled an erotic romance it's actually just a contemporary romance.

This trilogy also includes 2 very brief (21 pgs each) intro's for one for Dr. Ivan entitled The Winemaker's Dinner: RSVP and for Jaden, The Winemaker's Dinner: No Reservations as a set up for bk 1. The first bk doesn't really end on too much of a cliffhanger and with bk 2 already released my curiosity was too peaked not to jump into bk 2 (The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée) to see just how the rest of this story plays out(that darn insatiable curiosity!). Will tell you that I'm about 20% into bk 2 and it's not bad, our H/h are in love and loving life while facing some interesting relationship challenges. Stay tuned...review for bk 2 coming soon.
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Aug 05, 2012 Djag rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a wonderfully romantic novel! The intimate moments in the book were definately HAWT! but the book was about so much more than those moments. There are moments in this book that literally take your breath away. I had some minor issues with the book and I am sure that much will be made of them as the book continues along the path of its skyward trajectory, for instance- The endearment "Baby Girl" was so over used in the middle of the book that I had to stop reading for long moments to compose...more What a wonderfully romantic novel! The intimate moments in the book were definately HAWT! but the book was about so much more than those moments. There are moments in this book that literally take your breath away. I had some minor issues with the book and I am sure that much will be made of them as the book continues along the path of its skyward trajectory, for instance- The endearment "Baby Girl" was so over used in the middle of the book that I had to stop reading for long moments to compose myself. I often found myslef thinking "If he calls her "baby girl" one more time I am going to scream!" But, these minor details are barely worth mentioning and may just be a personal preference. Overall, the hero was an incredible romantic, the heroine was strong willed and independent and the book was very well written- to get all three within one book seems to be a thing of rarity these days. There were so many times that I would stop just to re-read a line and let it sink in. Some of my favorites from the hero of the novel were:

"Ninety percent of the population spends time imagining their future and forgetting that now is where we live and breathe. The ten percent who live in the present are the ones who have stories to tell, the ones who live life the way it's meant to be lived. . . "

"You can't keep looking over your shoulder because your future is always in front of you. . . as it is now."

"So what about you. . . How many guys do I have to thank for passing up their chance to be with you?" (swoon!)

“I would give you anything your heart desires, even if it means your happiness over my own.”

I have already heard comparisons of this book to Fifty Shades of Grey and in my opinion it does a disservice to both books. They are both in a class by themselves. Although this book opens with a bang, literally, it has a slow burn and takes its time- it is definately to be savored. Fifty Shades of Grey was a hot fast read. Was one better than the other? If compared side by side perhaps someone can come up with a winner but to me they both stand alone in categories all their own.

Overall, this book is an encredibly enjoyable read. It does not disappoint! And the ending. . .(deep dreamy sigh) although you will probably see it coming too because let's face it- it's a trilogy and it's not destined to end with the first book, it still manages to surprise you and reach in and squeeze your heart.

P.S. I was totally cool with him calling her his Baby Girl then LOL!:-)

P.P.S What is WRONG with some of you reviewers? What do you have against Tantric, marathon-like hot monkey sex? Yes the sex scenes were refreshingly realistic but so is Tantric, marathon-like, hot monkey sex. Don't you remember? SMH. Well, there are two more books to go and I bet book two opens with hot monkey sex. Make up sex is the best! LMAO! Happy reading everyone!:-) (less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Natasha ツ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-contemporary

I am a bit conflicted about this book. The writing is good (well done to Ivan for his first book!), but I am not sure what I think about mixing fiction and real-life events.

Ivan (the real guy) appears to be one of those guys that are just great with everything they do - he is funny, hot as hell (just Google him), smart and seems like a sweet guy that loves his family. He has accomplished sooooo much at 28! If I was a guy, I would want to be him ;)

Some people could argue that the book is a bit eg...more I am a bit conflicted about this book. The writing is good (well done to Ivan for his first book!), but I am not sure what I think about mixing fiction and real-life events.

Ivan (the real guy) appears to be one of those guys that are just great with everything they do - he is funny, hot as hell (just Google him), smart and seems like a sweet guy that loves his family. He has accomplished sooooo much at 28! If I was a guy, I would want to be him ;)

Some people could argue that the book is a bit egotistical, with all the references to his accomplishments and quotes like "she was pleased to discover that Mr. Oh So Sexy was also Mr. Oh So Well Equipped". I don't think it’s fair to judge him for that. In fictional novels we love to read about the hero and all his bits! For Ivan's benefit I will assume that Everly wrote that part :)

Okay, so back to the story... (contains minor spoilers)

Jaden (the fictional character) is a very likeable heroine. When she first meets Ivan she is immediately attracted to him and they share a steamy night together. The next morning she finds out who he is, she thinks she's not worthy (can't blame her) and she disappears. Ivan is intrigued by her and decides to pursue her.

The rest of the book is about their relationship and how their feelings for each other grow. This is not really erotica; it is a sweet and romantic love story with some rather steamy scenes! There is quite a few hilarious moments as well and Ivan sounds like a really 'fun' guy. The part where he rocks up in a heart outfit at her door had me smiling like crazy. I heard on a video review that it was based on an actual event :)

So my issue is this...
The book is just too sweet and Ivan is portrayed as nearly perfect. It may be true, but it does not make for an interesting story.

My heart finally started to beat a bit faster in the last few chapters, when Jaden decided to leave him to pursue a career opportunity. For the record, if that was based on a real event I think the girl in question was stupid. True love does not come knocking on your door every day! What I like in good romance novels is the emotional roller coaster, sexual tension, learning about the characters' flaws and how they overcome them together. I will read the next book... hopefully there is a little bit more angst in there though.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Lisa Collicutt marked it as to-read

Shelves: favorites

Haven't read it yet, but I'm dying to!!

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Cara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

From the very first page you are taken on an amazing journey that will incite your senses. A book has never ignited me sensually the way this one has. The authors pulled me in from page one and had me holding my breath until very last word. Their ability to mesh both fact with fiction introduces you into two very identifiable characters. I fell in love with both of them. I laughed, then I cried, I became mad and even huffed at least once. I found myself starting to talk to the characters. I want...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Delicious. Delectable. Divine. What an amazing journey this book takes you and your senses on. Never has a book shot through me and ignited me to my core. The authors of The Winemakers Dinner pull you in on page one and left me holding my breath until very last. The weaving of fact with fantasy presented you with two identifiable characters. I fell in love with both of them. I laughed, I cried, I got mad, and even screamed once. I found myself talking out loud to the characters. I found myself r...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It seems that I only review books I really love. If you look at my ratings for other books you might notice a pattern. It's true again...I LOVED THIS BOOK. I'm not the only person that feels that way about this particular book though if you'll notice on Amazon it really is rated pretty high.It's wonderfully erotic, romantic, even corny in a few places. The funny thing that intrigued me about this book is that it is a fictional story written by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and co/written by Everly Drummond b...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, indie-challenge-2012

I will leave a full review later... When I can properly think ;)

Here we go:

I first heard about this book back at the Chicago RT Convention in April where I met Omnific Publishing. With them they had this beautiful man. This didn't come as big of a shock because many publishing houses or authors bring cover models with them as promotion. Then he was introduced as Doctor Ivan. Doctor? Did I hear that right? Before I can gather any thoughts on this it is also mentioned that he was Mr. USA, a bodyb...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Tina Hall rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book..Looking forward to book 2. It is like I said on Amazon, "move over Christian Grey and Gideon Cross and hello Dr Ivan"..MMM I love the fact that they took parts of Dr Ivan's real life and wrapped it in a romantic fantasy. What female is not fantasy about Dr Ivan right now..LOL I was familiar with Everly Drummond due to her "City of the Damned" books, So I knew I would not be disappointed when I bought this book. The two authors together have made an amazing book. I still think the onl...more

1 like · like · see review

May 01, 2013 Trish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-battle, series

Loved, loved, loved!! Ivan and Jaden rock! I can't get into book 2 quick enough. Great love story, steamy as hell, just everything you want in a romance.

1 like · like · see review

May 30, 2013 Blaisex5 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 20-something, 30-something, let-us-continue

My thoughts for what they are worth:
Hmmm...interest was piqued when I saw it was co-authored by a man (+). Then, realized the cover model looked amazingly like the author(+). Read the author bio, what-the-heck! He is: One in a million, rare, Superman!(all +'s). Downloaded. Finished another book. Immediately started TWMD - Appetizer. Main male character is WHO????, the author!!! Dr. Ivan Rusilko!!! Is this a biography? I read it in 24hrs. Enjoyed the story, the romance, the little bit of detail...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Cynthia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bought this one out of curiosity....I am a romance author (and musician) myself, and I had seen the good doctor's pics on some of the book lovers sites that promote my books. Read his bio and I was SO impressed! And, YES, this guy IS for real. He looks this good and most of the facts in the book describing him are REAL. Doctor, nutrition expert, Mr. USA, philanthropy, looks like a model...keep going. (My personal prescription on this one? Forget Christian Grey, go with Ivan Rusilko. LOL!) Anyway...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Jillian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

This book was part of a blog tour I did with AToMR tours, I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers starts out with the two main characters Jaden and Ivan meeting and having a hot night together, but when Jaden wakes up she is intimidated when she finds out who Ivan is. She runs away and when Ivan wakes up and sees that she is gone, he decides to get her back. Jaden is a strong driven woman, she works hard and at the same time she has...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Lisseth (Read-a-holicZ) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours, i-own, up-for-review

**Originally on Read-A-holicZ, HERE!**

Okay, you know I love me some hot reads and for what the Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizer's promised, it was GOOD! I can honestly say that i enjoyed this book quite a lot ;) Also while reading I had no idea DR. Ivan was real O_O...until I read the authors...yeah. That was interesting.

I actually liked this story. It had a few flaws but it wasn't anything MAJOR. For the begging of a series it was okay and a real appetizer ;) (yeah i just had to put that =P)

One...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3, kindle, to-review

3.5 Stars

Well I was promised a ‘real life’ Christian Grey in this book …. I love 50!…so I dove in with high expectations… bad idea. I was let down, Ivan wasn’t my Christian! So let’s take that comparison out of the equation and think about this book in it’s own right, because really it deserves to stand on it’s own and not ride on the back of ‘that’ book….

Having a book written by two people, one male one female, is an interesting concept, I have only read one book written this way before and bot...more

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Dec 03, 2012 H.P. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-reviews

The Winemakers Dinner: Appetizers
By Dr. Ivan Rusilko & Everly Drummond

What is Love? The age-old question has been written, asked, and theorized throughout time but we never seem to get enough of it. The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizer was a journey for all the senses and truly kept you enticed throughout the whole book.
One can relate to Jaden on so many levels because like many of us, she doesn’t see herself very clearly while the rest of the world sees the extraordinary woman that she is. Mia...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Literati_Lit rated it 3 of 5 stars

Two completely different songs blended together are called a music mash up. But what do you call the final work of art, which incorporates a real life hero, but is created by two separate individuals: one a paranormal romance author and the other a practicing physician who holds the title of Mr. USA 2010? I would call it a “brilliant masterpiece” that leaves me with the hope that there are nice guys still out there that aren’t afraid to show their true feelings.

In the Beginning: After reading a...more Two completely different songs blended together are called a music mash up. But what do you call the final work of art, which incorporates a real life hero, but is created by two separate individuals: one a paranormal romance author and the other a practicing physician who holds the title of Mr. USA 2010? I would call it a “brilliant masterpiece” that leaves me with the hope that there are nice guys still out there that aren’t afraid to show their true feelings.

In the Beginning: After reading a blog with a posting of #ManCandyMonday that had a blurb about Dr. Ivan Rusilko, author Everly Drummond was convinced that Ivan would make the perfect hero for her next romance novel. A month later, Everly worked up the courage to contact Ivan and asked him if he would be interested in contributing his name to the book she was going to write. After agreeing to work together and numerous emails back and forth, (Everly lives in Canada and Ivan lives in Florida), the writing process began. The Winemaker’s Dinner is a “fictionalized erotic memoir” inspired by the past romantic triumphs and tragedies of Ivan’s real life. As they say, the rest is history. (Note: Everly and Ivan never met in person until after the book was finished.)

Synopsis: Ivan spots Jaden Thorne, an up-and-coming Head Chef, at a special event called The Winemaker’s Dinner, attended by all the high society and restaurateurs. After a brief encounter, instant attraction, and delicious wine, neither of them can keep their eyes off each other and end up having a one-night stand. The following morning Jaden realizes who Ivan really is (Doctor, Mr. USA, and socialite) and runs away without even a word to Ivan.

Ivan is aware of the chemistry between the two of them and is determined to pursue Jaden and get answers. Ivan introduces Jaden to important people, all the while courting her, thus developing a heated relationship filled with passion. All of Jaden’s hopes and dreams begin to come true with the help and influence of Ivan. Unfortunately, fame and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity threaten the two lovers. Will Ivan keep his promise to himself to sacrifice a relationship in order to maintain a lasting friendship? You’ll have to read to find out.

Thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised to find myself immediately drawn into the story as it was filled with glitz & glamour, romance, and passion. Both characters are so likable; and of course, I knew Ivan was real and what he looked like. So it made reading the book all the more real. This book made me smile, made me laugh, and it also made me cry. And I think women will fall in love with Ivan because he is the “perfect guy,” he knows how to treat a lady, and he speaks directly from his heart:

“Your beauty took my breath away, but your mind has stopped my heart.”

“To the love that stains my heart, but defines my soul…I thank you.”

“Jaden, with you, I think I’ve finally found my miracle, my once in a lifetime. I love you more with each breath you take and with every smile that graces your face. I know I’m in love with you, because you make every day I’m with you the best day of my life.”

Thank You: I want to personally thank Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond for taking time out of your busy schedules, two Saturdays in a row, to chat with us as well as your many fans. We hope that you will join us again when the second book in the trilogy is released (hopefully in December) as I am eagerly awaiting to find out what happens next.

Reviewed by Michelle Eck(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Winemaker's Dinner opens up at the dinner. YAY!! We jump right into the story!! No boring 5 pages of background story, just here ya go! The characters were very likable and very realistic. Although a fictional story, the charaters weren't so overly exaggerated that they weren't likeable or realistic. Both Ivan and Jaden have their flaws, but they real flaws, nothing crazy outlandish that you have a hard time believing in their story. Character development is not lacking (uh hum even physical...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Lani rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sexy, romance

I was intrigued with the premise of a beautiful looking man writing a fictional erotic story starring himself. Have you Googled this guy? He is gorgeous! I had high hopes, especially since it is co-written by an already established erotic author. But, I was disappointed in the lack of attention to detail that pulls a reader into the story. It is easy to get a picture of what Ivan looks like since you can actually see the real person on the internet before reading the book, but as far as Jaden’s...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Gary rated it 5 of 5 stars

A real life erotic novel actually written from a male point of view , the author is a real, living breathing doctor who resides in Miami and wrote the novel himself supposedly based on his real life past pursuits and trials and tribulations he has actually experienced. This novel has seemingly broken down the walls of the usually female dominated erotic author writing genre .... Dr Ivan Rusilko's writing is full of heart and soul as he pursues his object of love the beautiful and talented chef J...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Slavica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book and finished it over two nights. I'm a big fan of erotic fiction and it did not disappoint in that regard! Part of the appeal of this book also stems from knowing it's partly authored as a type of memoir. That's kind of hot in, and of itself, and makes you ask questions you wouldn't normally ponder when reading erotic fiction! The love story was realistic enough, the lifestyle portrayed by the young couple was fairly upmarket and glitzy, compared to my level of...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Debbi rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone - especially young men

I first heard of The Winemakers Dinner from the Omnific publishing website a few months ago. From the first moment, I followed Dr. Ivan Rusilko on twitter and on Facebook. The prequel's from Ivan and Everly were such a tease and the countdown was on until the day the book was released. After spending 28 days in Europe and being in London for 10 days leading up to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, it was time to fly home and on that day - the book was released. I bought it for my kindle...more I first heard of The Winemakers Dinner from the Omnific publishing website a few months ago. From the first moment, I followed Dr. Ivan Rusilko on twitter and on Facebook. The prequel's from Ivan and Everly were such a tease and the countdown was on until the day the book was released. After spending 28 days in Europe and being in London for 10 days leading up to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, it was time to fly home and on that day - the book was released. I bought it for my kindle and also on paperback which will be delivered any minute. Having devoured the book in my jet lagged state, a few words come to my mind - I have already warned Dr. Ivan in a private message that my review will be sappy and tearful. I told him I needed a few days to gather my thoughts to write my review. The words that stand out to me in this first installment of the trilogy are passion, honesty, romantic, and heartfelt. My review will not contain any spoilers and I would like to concentrate mainly on the characters of the book. It is very apparent to me that Ivan's relationship with his family have made such an impact on his charismatic ways. He treats the women in his life like his own mother and sister and that is a rarity today. He gets his sense of humor from his wonderful father. Ivan makes the simplest things in life the most delectable and I could actually feel and smell everything that he wrote about in his words. Ivan is simplicity at it's finest. He is honest, an old fashioned gentleman with family values that one could only wish for. It is my wish that my son will be like Dr. Ivan. He certainly is on the right track as the relationship with me is very similar to Ivan and his mother and he also wants to become a doctor. It is so sweet reading about his mom and seeing pictures of her. It does make me misty.
I felt a strong connection to Jaden in this book, because of her upbringing and similar personality traits in myself. The clay skeet shooting during Thanksgiving brought back so many memories of my upbringing in Michigan and I could actually smell that turkey that they were making for their feast. Family traditions like this brought a smile to my face and a tear down my cheek.
Dr. Ivan's tattoos have extremely special meaning, and are linked to his family. That is how it should be. Mine is of a breast cancer ribbon for my mom and dear friend who passed away very recently. Those traits are not to go unnoticed.
From his Pink Floyd t-shirt, to his jeep and the little things that he does that make your heart just do a flip flop. The thought he puts into the little gifts that he presents to his love are the most romantic. We should all be treated this way, but somehow, it's the little things and romantic details which are most important, get forgotten. His writing is truly remarkable and Everly Drummond, must have had the time of her life getting to know him during this incredible journey and writing with him.
Like a Botticelli painting, The Winemakers Dinner - Appetizers has beauty, sweetness, details that you can actually feel, smell and touch. It is truly a book for all of the senses.
Having a chronic illness, I could only dream of having a Dr. Ivan as my caregiver. He has the healing touch and i know in my heart, that he could heal me. Dr. Ivan Rusilko will be my write in candidate for President of the United States (sorry that is a little teaser in the book) - I do hope that this journey that he is on, will somehow lead him to change the world. I see things differently after reading this and wonder what is next as I await the 2nd installment.
Cheers to you Ivan, I do hope that I can meet you one day, as it would be incredible.
I will end on this, until the next book - "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened".
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Dec 10, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book caught me off guard with the title, I wasn't to sure at first.. but I needed a fix after FSOG.. and THANK god I did... The amazing heart warming connection that Ivan And Jayden have with each other is beautiful... Makes ya think that miracles really can happen in life.. I feel in love with the words of Dr Ivan and can't wait till December 18th to continue the journey with all the baby girls out there. A book everyone needs to read, warms your heart, soul, and mind..

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Dec 20, 2012 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, romantic-drama

2.5 to 3 stars. I really want to be fair in this review but to all my Goodread friends I have to tell you that I can’t help but feel like I’ve taken one for the team. Hands down Ivan Rusilko, author, is an accomplished handsome guy with a beautiful body. I commend his efforts along with his co-author Everly Drummond in wanting to offer a male voice in a predominantly female authored genre. I know I’ve been very disappointed in the number of female authors who write a wonderful Hero while giving...more 2.5 to 3 stars. I really want to be fair in this review but to all my Goodread friends I have to tell you that I can’t help but feel like I’ve taken one for the team. Hands down Ivan Rusilko, author, is an accomplished handsome guy with a beautiful body. I commend his efforts along with his co-author Everly Drummond in wanting to offer a male voice in a predominantly female authored genre. I know I’ve been very disappointed in the number of female authors who write a wonderful Hero while giving us less than worthy heroines. So can Dr. Ivan deliver? He claims to be offering readers a swoon-worthy flesh and blood romantic hero (himself) with a fictionalized erotic memoir which is based on the romantic triumphs and tragedies of his real life while blending fact and fantasy, with more than a dash of passion and sex offering a heartfelt tale of passionate love. Sounds a tad narcissistic and like something from reality TV doesn’t it? I have no doubt any male that looks like Dr. Ivan has had his share of romantic adventures. I’ve also heard that fictional authors tend to put something of themselves in the characters they write about, and I’m good with that. They just don’t usually come out and say hey that’s me I’m writing about and I’ll use my own name. I just would have been better able to get the feel of a fictional hero not actually named for the author. I realize these are his stories mixed with fiction and fantasy but reading this bk while imagining Dr. Ivan actually referring to himself as “Mr. Oh So Sexy”, “Mr. Oh So…”, didn’t sound as if that was part of the fictional side. Probably not. Who am I to criticize though, if I was a guy who looked liked that I’m sure I’d have confidence out the wahzoo with a healthy self esteem and could own such a description. Maybe those tags were written by the co-author Ms. Drummond and those were her descriptions. Ok, the guy’s hot, and he obviously has it going on and he knows it, so why oh why couldn’t he at least have named himself…..I don’t know…..say……Ian, perhaps. Wink, wink…close enough but enough of a missing letter distance that I could actually picture Dr. Ivan while imaging him as a fictional character and not believing this is just him digging himself. Doesn’t he get enough of that in real life? Maybe I’ve got it all wrong and Ms. Drummond just took Dr. Ivan’s actual escapades and changed things up a bit to tell the story. But ok, enough of that, you get what I’m talking about. This bk has some pro’s and con’s for me aside from the self titled hero.

Dislikes:
Unbelievable first meeting: Jaden our heroine who is a chef is sent out of town to attend a function (The Winemaker’s Dinner) for her boss’s restaurant, sees Mr. Eye Candy (our Hero) a stranger from across the room and spends the evening checking him out from time to time. She’s pretty tipsy, goes outside to a secluded garden, Mr. Eye Candy shows up with no introduction, they make out, he invites her back to his hotel, she goes. Seriously?!? A stranger?!? She has no idea what this guy’s name is or who he is or what he’s really like, and as far as she knows he doesn’t know her. So she’ll just get in his car straight into the unknown? Seemed a bit farfetched or maybe that’s where this story turns into fantasy.

Wording was too flowery at times…read more like a Harlequin novel in certain parts. If you know me at all, I’m not a Harlequin kinda girl (not that there’s anything wrong with Harlequin stories), just not my thing. For instance, “Quote - "What is love? Is it a lightning bolt that instantaneously unites two souls in utter infatuation and admiration through the meeting of a simple innocent stare? Or is it a lustful seed that is sown in a dark, dingy bar one sweaty summer's night, only to be nurtured with romantic rendezvous as it matures into a beautiful flower?“ C’mon, who talks like that, really?

Not enough physical description. The story definitely showcases Dr. Ivan (natch!) while all other characters are never really fleshed out or described in much detail. For instance, Jaden meets Ivan’s mom for the first time. How tall is the mother, what’s her hair color, slender or round, facial features, etc? Nothing, nada. We know her interests but not what the woman actually looked like. I don’t need the full blown nitty-gritty but something I can picture in my mind, you know?

The story didn’t flow well, scenes are rather choppy and sometimes inconsistent. Another example: both H/h claim to hate smoking as their discussing their “dislikes”. Dr. Ivan is smoking a cigar at least twice during this story. So what gives?

Likes:
Once Ivan knows what he wants he goes for it. And when Dr. Ivan decides to put on the charm lookout! His character was intelligent, classy, sexy, and at times very down to earth. He’s very sweet, thoughtful, kind, generous, giving and caring with some pretty decent sarcasm. Fact or fiction? If fact, wow, what a guy! Not just your poster boy, but the whole package. I mean this guy couldn’t be more wonderfully perfect. Not only that, he loves his family and their teasing and banter back and forth with each other was fun. The guy is ragingly positive and upbeat claiming he’s only been mad twice in all his 28 years, perturbed at times but only mad twice. (If I could raise just one eyebrow, this would be the time). See what I mean? Just perfect in all ways. If the guy has any flaws they’re certainly never pointed out (smirk).

If you want a swoon worthy Hero, Dr. Ivan’s you’re guy, and I do love my hero’ swoony. Our Hero is into his relationship with Jaden for the long haul. No commitment phobe here, another plus for our Mr. Wonderful. All the little quirks aside, I did at times enjoy this story. It’s not overly descriptive or deep and often a tad lame, but a bit entertaining if you know what you’re getting yourself into. Maybe I’m just too insatiably curious wanting to see what the buzz is all about when it comes to Dr. Ivan as a romance author. Or maybe it’s like a bad car wreck and you just can’t help but look. I’m sure you’re wondering about the editing and I can tell you I found there were no more than a handle full of typos. Also I saw where this was labeled an erotic romance it’s actually just a contemporary romance.

This trilogy also includes 2 very brief (21 pgs each) intro’s for one for Dr. Ivan entitled The Winemaker’s Dinner: RSVP and for Jaden, The Winemaker’s Dinner: No Reservations as a set up for bk 1. The first bk doesn’t really end on too much of a cliffhanger and with bk 2 already released my curiosity was too peaked not to jump into bk 2 (The Winemaker’s Dinner: Entrée) to see just how the rest of this story plays out(that darn insatiable curiosity!). Will tell you that I’m about 20% into bk 2 and it’s not bad, our H/h are in love and loving life while facing some interesting relationship challenges. Stay tuned…review for bk 2 coming soon.

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Apr 30, 2013 Roses Book Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I first picked up this book to read and found out that the author Dr. Ivan Rusilko was not only the author and model on the cover but also the one of the main characters in this story, I thought this book was going to be horrible. I expected to find a book in which the male character in this story would always talk about himself and I wouldn’t enjoy it. I have to say, I really enjoyed this story A LOT, I especially liked the titles for each chapter.

Let me start of with the title of the book...more When I first picked up this book to read and found out that the author Dr. Ivan Rusilko was not only the author and model on the cover but also the one of the main characters in this story, I thought this book was going to be horrible. I expected to find a book in which the male character in this story would always talk about himself and I wouldn’t enjoy it. I have to say, I really enjoyed this story A LOT, I especially liked the titles for each chapter.

Let me start of with the title of the book The Winemaker’s Dinner. This worked out so well for this series because that is where Ivan and Jaden first met, at the annual Winemaker’s Dinner. Jaden has recently been named executive chef at one of Miami Beach’s hottest restaurants, Bianca, so when she receives tickets to the Winemaker’s Dinner she jumps at the chance to meet and network with some of the wealthiest food and wine enthusiasts in Miami Beach. That’s when she sees Ivan who just so happens to me seated at the VIP table. From the first moment she saw him she was drawn to him, that is until she sees the lady that is hanging off of him. With her best friend Tasha off dancing with a man she met named Michael and finding herself alone at the table, she gets up and walks off and finds herself at a fountain, little does she know that while she is gone, Ivan is searching for her. They are both attracted to one another and little does Jaden know, but Ivan is also attracted to her as well. They end up leaving the dinner together and end up spending a magical night together, even though Jaden has a had little bit too much to drink and the next morning struggles to remember what happened. She’s on cloud nine that is until Tasha sends her some articles to read about the man she just spent the night with. She discovers that Ivan is actually a young physician that has an extensive resume and is used to spending his time with actresses and models. Feeling down on her luck and disappointed she leaves while Ivan is still sleeping in the bed without so much as a goodbye.

Little does Jaden know that Ivan is not the one night stand kind of guy and wants so much more from her. Assuming that she will never see him again she goes about her life as normal. It’s not until her roommate tells her that Ivan knows exactly who she is does she start to think that she made a mistake in running off. According to her roommate and best friend, Ivan wanted to know everything about her and asked lots of questions, thinking that fate has left them to go their separate ways she goes back to what she does best, cooking. Ivan is a little hurt that Jaden has run off, but he’s not going to let her go that easily, she he does what he does best. He organizes some of his friends to go and have lunch at the restaurant where Jaden is the head chef and when the meal is over, he requests that the chef come out and meet them at the table, little does Jaden know that she’s about to come face to face with Ivan again. At this point you would probably be thinking that Ivan would want some sort of revenge for the fact that she ran away without so much as goodbye note, but surprisingly Ivan wants to take her out on an official date.

Throughout the book and the time they spend together you watch as Ivan and Jaden grow closer to one another, especially when they go to visit his family for Thanksgiving. I don’t want to give too much away so you will just have to read the book for yourself, but this is definitely not a book to be missed. While you watch them grow closer, you also watch as their careers slowly start to eat up all their time together and Jaden quickly becomes the top chef in Miami Beach landing a leading role on a new series for Bravo that will take her all the way to Los Angeles. Ivan can’t leave due to his commitments and his career in Miami Beach. So when Jaden’s dreams start to come through and she has to give up everything she has created in Miami; contacts, friends, and most of all Ivan will their relationship be able to survive. I wanted to cry when Jaden left for Los Angeles and Ivan said that he would never again risk losing a friend to attempt a long distance relationship, I wanted so much for these two but I didn’t feel sad at the end of this book and there was no huge cliffhanger that made me not want to continue to read the series, it left me wanting more and to see what happens to Ivan and Jaden in the future.

What I love about Ivan is he’s not your typical guy, he’s very romantic and very caring and that’s rare to see especially in a lot of the books I have read, and I only grew to love both Ivan and Jaden more as the book progressed. He always was so kind to Jaden even at one point sacrificing his own feelings for her so she could follow her dreams. I also loved the fact that it was reality mixed with some fantasy it made the book more realistic. This book was amazing and if this is just the beginning, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the entree and dessert books, lucky for me I have all three so I can start now!(less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Jillian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I would like to start out by saying that I’m so glad that reviews are written and not spoken, because I’m certain I would get lost in thought remembering my favorite parts of this book and start stammering like a fool. This is the first book in a series written by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond, called The Winemaker’s Dinner. This first installation, Appetizers, delivers a delicious tease to the palate that has me hungry for more!

Jaden, a beautiful and talented chef at one of Miami’s most...more I would like to start out by saying that I’m so glad that reviews are written and not spoken, because I’m certain I would get lost in thought remembering my favorite parts of this book and start stammering like a fool. This is the first book in a series written by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond, called The Winemaker’s Dinner. This first installation, Appetizers, delivers a delicious tease to the palate that has me hungry for more!

Jaden, a beautiful and talented chef at one of Miami’s most popular restaurants, is given the opportunity of a lifetime to attend The Winemaker’s Dinner, an upscale event for Miami’s élite. Who could turn up that offer? Even better, it’s her birthday weekend and with two tickets in hand it’s a perfect opportunity to spend time with her best friend, and roommate, and enjoy the finer things the culinary world has to offer.
Dr. Ivan Rusilko is a young and handsome physician built like a Greek god. He’s been to places and has had experiences most people only dream of. He’s mingled with models, actors and athletes. He’s loved and lived to the fullest. So, to go to the Winemakers Dinner is a pretty common example of a night out on the town for him. But tonight is bound to be different. The instant he sees the young woman dressed to kill in a red dress, he knows she is special. There’s something about her that is so alluring and he knows she isn’t a woman he should let slip through his grasp.

The story of Ivan and Jaden is one of lust, passion, and love. This story starts out hot and heavy but grows into a romance that is enviable and honest. The evolution of their relationship is magical. It is the perfect mix of erotic and romantic. There were times I was drooling on the pages and times where I was sighing dreamily like a teenage girl.

For me, the best part of this whole reading experience was knowing that Dr. Ivan is real. He’s a real person, sharing some of his real experiences. The women in his life are some lucky ladies. He seems so kind and caring and well–rounded but most of all, humble and honest. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this whole fiction based on reality mash-up when I first started this book but damn, it worked so well!! And let’s be honest ladies, you all know when we read a story with a hero we love, we will sit and Google the character name with the hopes that someone out there in Internetland has found a model that represents what we think the hero looks like. But with this book, we can Google the actual hero! And oh, what a Google search it is *swoon*!

Thank you Dr. Rusilko and Ms. Drummond for a wonderfully different concept that made one hell of a read! I cannot wait for the other installments in this series and how Jaden and Ivan grow. You have earned a fan and I will be recommending this book to all! Cheers!

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Can't wait till The Winemaker's Dinner Releases 7/31!!!	11	42	May 22, 2013 08:36pm
The Winemaker's D...: Entree's.....what happens next?	8	33	Jan 18, 2013 06:36pm
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About Ivan Rusilko

Dr. Ivan Rusilko, DO, CSN, PT, is an accomplished weight loss, wellness, physical enhancement and sexual health physician in Miami, Florida. A certified sports nutritionist, champion bodybuilder, international male fitness model, and former Mr. USA 2008 & 2010, Dr. Ivan graduated from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2010 and sits as the national media and public relations expe...more

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Quotes from Appetizers

“Your beauty took my breath away, but your mind has stopped my heart.” — 27 people liked it

“I have to know.”

“Know what?” Jaden demanded.

“Well, for starters, I have to know why you left without even saying goodbye.” Without thinking, he caressed the soft curve of her cheek with his thumb, stroking it affectionately as he stared into her green eyes. “But more importantly, I need to know why a woman I barely know has left such a gaping hole in my chest, why when I open my eyes in the morning I’m disappointed that you aren’t there, and why every song on the radio sounds like Frank Sinatra. Why is it that one night with you felt more like a thousand?” — 14 people liked it

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Appetizers (The Winemaker's Dinner #1)

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