What do you think?
Rate this book
Colorado Hearts #2
Recipe for Kisses
Chloe Daniels doesn’t need a man—after escaping a marriage gone bad, she guards her heart as closely as the details of her past. So when hot-tempered celebrity chef Ben “the Beast” Haddox storms into her struggling toy store, Chloe is determined not to be drawn in by his broad shoulders…or baby-blue eyes.
In his hometown, Ben’s culinary career is almost as famous as his bad-boy rep. He’s out to prove to naysayers he’s a success by opening a new restaurant—and the only thing standing in his way is Chloe’s store. But before he has a chance to convert her space into his signature eatery, she cooks up a plan to show him that her shop is worth saving.
As things start to sizzle between them, Chloe must figure out how to avoid getting burned. Can she trust herself to love again, or has she jumped out of the frying pan and into desire?
In his hometown, Ben’s culinary career is almost as famous as his bad-boy rep. He’s out to prove to naysayers he’s a success by opening a new restaurant—and the only thing standing in his way is Chloe’s store. But before he has a chance to convert her space into his signature eatery, she cooks up a plan to show him that her shop is worth saving.
As things start to sizzle between them, Chloe must figure out how to avoid getting burned. Can she trust herself to love again, or has she jumped out of the frying pan and into desire?
254 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2016
213 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Major
267 books817 followersUSA Today and Top 5 Amazon Bestselling author Michelle Major writes swoon-worthy stories full of heart, heat, and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. When she’s not dreaming up romance, you’ll find her hiking the trails (or avoiding housework) in her home state of Colorado.
Connect with her at www.michellemajor.com or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.
Connect with her at www.michellemajor.com or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
March 30, 2017
Sweet and encouraging
This was a sweet but also encouraging story of how someone who can fight back and don't let anyone stand in your way or even allow someone to keep you in fear.
Chloe needed to stop living in fear and Ben needed to control the way he expressed himself but when these two come together things change but also fear comes into play and someone has to be the stronger person.
This was a sweet but also encouraging story of how someone who can fight back and don't let anyone stand in your way or even allow someone to keep you in fear.
Chloe needed to stop living in fear and Ben needed to control the way he expressed himself but when these two come together things change but also fear comes into play and someone has to be the stronger person.
June 23, 2017
The reasons for Ben (the Beast) wanting to close down the toy store and make it into a restaurant were pretty childish and went all the way back to when he and his brother were kids. So, all Ben and Chloe had going on was insta-lust, and the bet they came up with that she would make the money she was behind on. It was almost a battle through the whole book: her trying to make the money and him not caring because he was closing the toy store anyway. I mean, he didn’t but the story was kind of childish. Chloe was more than happy to have sex with him but she was afraid of his yelling, because of the abusive marriage she’s gotten out of 4 years before, and Ben really liked to yell!
Anyway, they went back and forth and back and forth about how it would never work out for them, while they continued to have sex. Then Ben thought he’d ruin his niece and nephew’s life with his anger and yelling so he left and went back to Las Vegas to open another expensive restaurant. Yeah, he yelled and let his anger loose sometimes but he was the most caring man you could ever ask for, never raising his hand to anyone, until Cloe’s ex showed up and thought he could grab her by the hair with Ben standing right there. That was a really bad idea.
The toy store stayed with Cloe and Ben opened a restaurant right next door. For as famous as he was he was finally happy with just his little place and his family. LOL, as well as EatTV’s new show about bringing loud and mean chef’s in, including Ben, and trying to help them control their anger issues.
There was sex in this but it was really kind of vanilla. But there was desire and sexual tension and that makes it better.
The F-bomb was used 17 times.
As to the narration: Cristina Panfilio was almost alright. She hardly ever yelled when the story called for it and she never laughed when she should have. She needs to practice her men’s voice a little more, too. The only man voice that was fun was Harry’s gravelly tone.
April 3, 2020
Fit to be a Lifetime movie
3.5 stars. I picked up this book because I wanted to see how other authors write a chef hero. Sadly, there wasn't a lot of cooking or running a restaurant involved so I didn't learn much of that aspect, hence the reduction in the rating. I did like the family and friendship storylines. The romance is front and center but I thought the physical intimacy came too early given Chloe's history and Ben’s abrasive personality. It also makes the push-and-pull afterward harder to take.
Content advisory: domestic violence (not the male main character) and lots of yelling (mostly by the Beast-ly MMC).
3.5 stars. I picked up this book because I wanted to see how other authors write a chef hero. Sadly, there wasn't a lot of cooking or running a restaurant involved so I didn't learn much of that aspect, hence the reduction in the rating. I did like the family and friendship storylines. The romance is front and center but I thought the physical intimacy came too early given Chloe's history and Ben’s abrasive personality. It also makes the push-and-pull afterward harder to take.
Content advisory: domestic violence (not the male main character) and lots of yelling (mostly by the Beast-ly MMC).
May 31, 2016
What a great read. I absolutely loved the writing of this book and it had me hooked right from the beginning.
I love that Chloe is strong willed after everything she had gone through and was still willing to help others in need.
Including the niece and nephew of the new owner of the building. From the things she heard of Ben from others, she didn't want anything to do with him from the beginning. She realized after awhile that he was a lost soul himself.
After having his whole life thrown for a loop by his brother, Ben had a hard time dealing with what was wrong and right.
Meeting Chloe at a time when he did, made him rethink of the promise he made to his brother. Life did strange things. Both Chloe and Ben knew that.
If you haven't already read it, you have to. It is by far the best read I have myself engrossed in. Love can come at you when you least expect it and for these two, it did just that.
Bravo Michelle for bringing Chloe and Ben together.
I was given a copy of the book for an honest review.
I love that Chloe is strong willed after everything she had gone through and was still willing to help others in need.
Including the niece and nephew of the new owner of the building. From the things she heard of Ben from others, she didn't want anything to do with him from the beginning. She realized after awhile that he was a lost soul himself.
After having his whole life thrown for a loop by his brother, Ben had a hard time dealing with what was wrong and right.
Meeting Chloe at a time when he did, made him rethink of the promise he made to his brother. Life did strange things. Both Chloe and Ben knew that.
If you haven't already read it, you have to. It is by far the best read I have myself engrossed in. Love can come at you when you least expect it and for these two, it did just that.
Bravo Michelle for bringing Chloe and Ben together.
I was given a copy of the book for an honest review.
February 27, 2016
I was given an ARC from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.
This was the first book of Michelle Major's that I read. I will be reading more. You are drawn into the story right away. Ben Haddox is an egotistical chef with a temper. He has moved back home to help his dad raise his niece & nephew after his brother is sent to jail. He is determined to set up his new restaurant at a specific location. That location just happens to house The Toy Chest owned & operated by Chloe Daniels. Chloe managed to escape an abusive relationship & uses her store to help other women get on their feet. Sparks fly immediately when Ben & Chloe meet. But not the good kind. Can they resolve their differences? Do they act on their attraction?
I enjoyed Michelle's writing style. Her characters are warm & dimensional. The plot line is believable & easy to follow but has enough twists & side stories to keep you involved. It was a great read for the end of a day when you want ho be entertained.
This was the first book of Michelle Major's that I read. I will be reading more. You are drawn into the story right away. Ben Haddox is an egotistical chef with a temper. He has moved back home to help his dad raise his niece & nephew after his brother is sent to jail. He is determined to set up his new restaurant at a specific location. That location just happens to house The Toy Chest owned & operated by Chloe Daniels. Chloe managed to escape an abusive relationship & uses her store to help other women get on their feet. Sparks fly immediately when Ben & Chloe meet. But not the good kind. Can they resolve their differences? Do they act on their attraction?
I enjoyed Michelle's writing style. Her characters are warm & dimensional. The plot line is believable & easy to follow but has enough twists & side stories to keep you involved. It was a great read for the end of a day when you want ho be entertained.
January 10, 2016
Chloe is now out of her abusive marriage and away from her monster of a a husband. Now she does everything that she can to help women in the same position and to help them get away from their own abuse. She isn't looking for a relationship with a man because of that and she surely doesn't want one with a man with anger issues.
Ben curses and screams as "The Beast" on his cooking show, but Ben is currently trying to give his niece and nephew some stability in their life and is working on opening up his own restaurant. The problem is Chloe and Ben want the same building, which Ben currently owns, so they start a wager between them to see who gets the building.
At what cost and who will get hurt in the end?
I really enjoyed this book and the relationship between all of the characters and not just Chloe and Ben.
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Ben curses and screams as "The Beast" on his cooking show, but Ben is currently trying to give his niece and nephew some stability in their life and is working on opening up his own restaurant. The problem is Chloe and Ben want the same building, which Ben currently owns, so they start a wager between them to see who gets the building.
At what cost and who will get hurt in the end?
I really enjoyed this book and the relationship between all of the characters and not just Chloe and Ben.
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
January 28, 2016
I really enjoyed this one and found the storyline fascinating. These two characters should never have worked together but yet they did. Chloe is newly divorced and working to regain her self esteem after getting out of her abusive marriage. She's bought a little toy store and is happily rebuilding her life. Ben is loud, gruff, angry, and determined to have his way. He's back in his hometown caring for his niece and nephew as well as his father. Opening his restaurant in the location that is currently occupied by Chloe's toy store is his single minded mission. The sparks between these two can be felt and they seem to bring out the best in each other. Neither has the time or desire for romance though. Somethings can't be stopped though!
I definitely recommend this one.
I definitely recommend this one.
February 12, 2019
Chloe is woman recovering from the experiences she had at the hands of her ex-husband and from the baggage left over from her childhood. Ben is struggling with the anger left over from his own childhood and a dissatisfaction with how his fame is built around the angry part of his personality. When he becomes the guardian for his niece and nephew he comes home to Denver ready to move forward with the next part of his life plan.
I like how the author dealt with the reactions Chloe had to Ben as they get to know each other. I really appreciated how the domestic violence history of Chloe and her female employees is handled, as well as the way each women is healing and trying to move forward is described. More than anything, I liked how the women supported each other emotionally through the process.
Though Ben is big, loud, and has anger issues, I love that even when he is angry with Chloe he is gentle. He immediately sees her and her fears and makes changes to make himself less threatening to her. When they come together physically the first time is so beautifully written, I wanted to cry. His care of her each step through that process was amazing and it made me love his character. Ben is not perfect but he sure does try. His heart is perfect and I loved that.
Chloe learns to become more confident in who she is through this story, moving out of a place of hiding and fear and into really living again. I appreciated the character growth of bot them so much. The secondary characters are great too with Harry, Abby, and Zach stealing this reader's heart as I got to know them.
I like how the author dealt with the reactions Chloe had to Ben as they get to know each other. I really appreciated how the domestic violence history of Chloe and her female employees is handled, as well as the way each women is healing and trying to move forward is described. More than anything, I liked how the women supported each other emotionally through the process.
Though Ben is big, loud, and has anger issues, I love that even when he is angry with Chloe he is gentle. He immediately sees her and her fears and makes changes to make himself less threatening to her. When they come together physically the first time is so beautifully written, I wanted to cry. His care of her each step through that process was amazing and it made me love his character. Ben is not perfect but he sure does try. His heart is perfect and I loved that.
Chloe learns to become more confident in who she is through this story, moving out of a place of hiding and fear and into really living again. I appreciated the character growth of bot them so much. The secondary characters are great too with Harry, Abby, and Zach stealing this reader's heart as I got to know them.
April 9, 2018
To see full review click here.
I haven’t posted lately. It’s a mixture of just taking a mental health break from blogging, being on vacation, and just being too exhausted from work to blog. But I have been reading. Just a lot of romance instead of YA.
I get that way occasionally. However, I have a stack of interesting YA books I need to get to get to, so I’m sure I’ll be chugging back YA books soon enough.
Recipe of Kisses interesting me mainly because it was suppose to be a romance featuring a celebrity chef. I like watching cooking shows, and I read cookbooks in my free time. So I was like..hmmm, could be good. Especially since hero is suppose to be a loud angry Gordon Ramsay type. Only thing is, Ben is not near as entertaining as Ramsay and I had such a hard time buying that a thing could develop between him and Chloe that I DNF’d this book.
I’ll be honest, I could see this book as a Hallmark movie. It had every single hallmark (ha, ha, no pun intended) that such a movie would have. I could even see it now Ben being played by Colin Egglesfield and Chloe being played by Lacey Chalbert. That’s not a good thing, people.
I mean, nothing against those actors but I shouldn’t be imagining a bad 90 minute TV movie in my head. If I’m picturing a book as a movie it needs to be a fantastic movie, not one where I snark at it at every turn.
Honestly, the Hallmark movie would’ve been more fleshed out. At the very least there would’ve been a whole reason for the whole non-lease renewal thing. And seriously, if Colorado law is anything like Texas or Louisiana law, I’m surprised that Ben couldn’t have thrown Chloe’s ass out for not paying rent. It annoyed me how she kept acting like a victim because he didn’t want to renew her lease-I mean, bitch, please find another location. You can still have your store. And for that matter, pay your fucking rent. And don’t act like Ben is a bad guy for kicking you out. Also, can that annoying employee who wears the tie dye shirts and tells you how to run your business. She was not endearing, she was an annoying old biddy who Gordon would’ve told to fuck off if she was on his show (actually, he did sort of tell off a woman who reminded me of that lady on Hotel Hell when he helped out that pentecostal looking woman in West Virginia who was a horder-I watch way too much TV).
It’s amazing how many grievances I can find when I only read 40% of the book.
Ben is no saint either. He has anger issues to say the least. Furthermore, I did not understand for the life of me why he stayed with his ass hat father when he could rent an apartment or something. It just didn’t make sense of me, the plot point brats (and yes, I’ll refer to the kids in this book as brats) wouldn’t that upheaved by moving away from their abuser grandfather’s house. And quite honestly, the brief amounts the father character appeared he made me cringe.
I could do without him.
As for the plot point brats, we have the stereotypical sullen teenage girl who we all know Chloe is going to form a bond with and then the younger boy who was pretty much there for the cuteness factor. I really could have done without them or the toy store business.
The toy store thing annoyed me, I guess because it just didn’t really fit and I didn’t see why Chloe was so driven to save her store. She was more about saving the women who worked there. It would’ve made more sense for her to work as a counselor or something, just saying.
Also, the characters interaction to each other didn’t make much sense. Chloe wants the store so she is instantly mad at Ben. She doesn’t seem to think that hey dude owes building. And when she sprays him with pepper spray….uh, no.
This book just wasn’t for me. I hate to say, I think I’m becoming a little cynical. Maybe it’s because the line of work I do, but when I read a romance with shoddy characterization the first thing that comes into my mind is divorce court and that just isn’t right. One thing I’m asking myself when I read romances lately has been would I have enjoyed this ten years ago.
And the answer with this one is no. It’s just too flat. It had potential to be a great story but it really failed on execution. Let’s just put it this way, if this book was a beef wellington Gordon Ramsay would be throwing it against the wall.
I haven’t posted lately. It’s a mixture of just taking a mental health break from blogging, being on vacation, and just being too exhausted from work to blog. But I have been reading. Just a lot of romance instead of YA.
I get that way occasionally. However, I have a stack of interesting YA books I need to get to get to, so I’m sure I’ll be chugging back YA books soon enough.
Recipe of Kisses interesting me mainly because it was suppose to be a romance featuring a celebrity chef. I like watching cooking shows, and I read cookbooks in my free time. So I was like..hmmm, could be good. Especially since hero is suppose to be a loud angry Gordon Ramsay type. Only thing is, Ben is not near as entertaining as Ramsay and I had such a hard time buying that a thing could develop between him and Chloe that I DNF’d this book.
I’ll be honest, I could see this book as a Hallmark movie. It had every single hallmark (ha, ha, no pun intended) that such a movie would have. I could even see it now Ben being played by Colin Egglesfield and Chloe being played by Lacey Chalbert. That’s not a good thing, people.
I mean, nothing against those actors but I shouldn’t be imagining a bad 90 minute TV movie in my head. If I’m picturing a book as a movie it needs to be a fantastic movie, not one where I snark at it at every turn.
Honestly, the Hallmark movie would’ve been more fleshed out. At the very least there would’ve been a whole reason for the whole non-lease renewal thing. And seriously, if Colorado law is anything like Texas or Louisiana law, I’m surprised that Ben couldn’t have thrown Chloe’s ass out for not paying rent. It annoyed me how she kept acting like a victim because he didn’t want to renew her lease-I mean, bitch, please find another location. You can still have your store. And for that matter, pay your fucking rent. And don’t act like Ben is a bad guy for kicking you out. Also, can that annoying employee who wears the tie dye shirts and tells you how to run your business. She was not endearing, she was an annoying old biddy who Gordon would’ve told to fuck off if she was on his show (actually, he did sort of tell off a woman who reminded me of that lady on Hotel Hell when he helped out that pentecostal looking woman in West Virginia who was a horder-I watch way too much TV).
It’s amazing how many grievances I can find when I only read 40% of the book.
Ben is no saint either. He has anger issues to say the least. Furthermore, I did not understand for the life of me why he stayed with his ass hat father when he could rent an apartment or something. It just didn’t make sense of me, the plot point brats (and yes, I’ll refer to the kids in this book as brats) wouldn’t that upheaved by moving away from their abuser grandfather’s house. And quite honestly, the brief amounts the father character appeared he made me cringe.
I could do without him.
As for the plot point brats, we have the stereotypical sullen teenage girl who we all know Chloe is going to form a bond with and then the younger boy who was pretty much there for the cuteness factor. I really could have done without them or the toy store business.
The toy store thing annoyed me, I guess because it just didn’t really fit and I didn’t see why Chloe was so driven to save her store. She was more about saving the women who worked there. It would’ve made more sense for her to work as a counselor or something, just saying.
Also, the characters interaction to each other didn’t make much sense. Chloe wants the store so she is instantly mad at Ben. She doesn’t seem to think that hey dude owes building. And when she sprays him with pepper spray….uh, no.
This book just wasn’t for me. I hate to say, I think I’m becoming a little cynical. Maybe it’s because the line of work I do, but when I read a romance with shoddy characterization the first thing that comes into my mind is divorce court and that just isn’t right. One thing I’m asking myself when I read romances lately has been would I have enjoyed this ten years ago.
And the answer with this one is no. It’s just too flat. It had potential to be a great story but it really failed on execution. Let’s just put it this way, if this book was a beef wellington Gordon Ramsay would be throwing it against the wall.
March 23, 2016
Many things attracted me to a book. Sometimes it's because I really like the author and don't care what they write, just that they write. Or it might be the cover of a book. This doesn't happen to me often. I can count the amount of times I bought a book just from the cover on one hand.
Once in a while a friend or fellow blogger will push me in the right direction. Most often then not, it's the blurb of the book that gets me. I just like the way it sounds. After reading the blurb I need more of said book. What has never drawn me is the title. I've never bought a book because of the title alone.
Or I hadn't until now!
When I saw Recipe For Kisses I just knew I had to read it. I wrote it down on my list and waited for it to come out. More then once as I waited I thought to myself, why the hell are you going to buy this? You don't even know what it's about! And I didn't know what it was about. I didn't have a clue until I bought it and started reading it.
I know!!!! Crazy, right!!!!
I might have been, but I was kind of glad that I had no clue what the story was about until I started reading it. There something about going into a story totally blind, where you have no clue to what's going to happen that can make for a really good story.
I was able to learn things as they happened, Like at first I didn't really care for Chloe, I got right away that there was some abuse in her past but It seemed at first that's all what the story was about. But as more and more layers became known to me I really started to like her.
There was more to her then what I first thought.
And boy did I love Ben. I think it was the sexy chef thing that drew me to him. But what kept me is how he stood up, even when he wasn't sure he wanted to, and took care of his niece and nephew. That was just so SEXY!
I am so glad that a title drew me in and kept me there. I ended up really enjoying this story. Totally likable character and a well-written plot. A quick read that will worth your time.
Reviewed on Romancing the Reader Blog:http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.c...
Once in a while a friend or fellow blogger will push me in the right direction. Most often then not, it's the blurb of the book that gets me. I just like the way it sounds. After reading the blurb I need more of said book. What has never drawn me is the title. I've never bought a book because of the title alone.
Or I hadn't until now!
When I saw Recipe For Kisses I just knew I had to read it. I wrote it down on my list and waited for it to come out. More then once as I waited I thought to myself, why the hell are you going to buy this? You don't even know what it's about! And I didn't know what it was about. I didn't have a clue until I bought it and started reading it.
I know!!!! Crazy, right!!!!
I might have been, but I was kind of glad that I had no clue what the story was about until I started reading it. There something about going into a story totally blind, where you have no clue to what's going to happen that can make for a really good story.
I was able to learn things as they happened, Like at first I didn't really care for Chloe, I got right away that there was some abuse in her past but It seemed at first that's all what the story was about. But as more and more layers became known to me I really started to like her.
There was more to her then what I first thought.
And boy did I love Ben. I think it was the sexy chef thing that drew me to him. But what kept me is how he stood up, even when he wasn't sure he wanted to, and took care of his niece and nephew. That was just so SEXY!
I am so glad that a title drew me in and kept me there. I ended up really enjoying this story. Totally likable character and a well-written plot. A quick read that will worth your time.
Reviewed on Romancing the Reader Blog:http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.c...
January 23, 2016
Lured in by the refreshingly sweet book cover, this NetGalley reviewer simply couldn’t resist a literary taste of this chef inspired romantic tale. It certainly had all the ingredients I usually require in a romantic read…likeable characters, chemistry, witty banter, strong, feisty heroine, alpha protective hero, some angst, and a twist here and there to keep me engaged.
In this case, the hero was torn between loyalty to a promise made to his brother and his growing conflict of interest with Chloe. To be perfectly honest, this was the part I struggled with. Let’s just say, it didn’t seem credible someone would blame their own poor past decisions/current circumstances the way it was done here. It’s what kept me from giving this book a 5 star rating. Well, that and @ 80% in the couple seemed to give readers whip lash from pulling towards then pushing away from each other repeatedly. I couldn’t shake the feeling even the author was getting confused on how to wrap it up. Yes, they got their HEA, but both seemed to cave in. I usually prefer my book romantic heroes to be the one to grovel and put up a fight to keep his girl.
Overall, my fellow romance book-loving friends, I did enjoy this book, cliché title and all. The writing flowed, and I have no regrets for spending my time reading this quick, entertaining, sweet romantic tale. I just can’t shake the feeling the last 20% could have been written better.
Title: Recipe for Kisses, Author: Michelle Major, Pages: 244, stand-alone, HEA, no cheating, no love triangle, only a few steamy scenes, references to past domestic violence, one scene involving this same issue.
(This review is based on ARC generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
In this case, the hero was torn between loyalty to a promise made to his brother and his growing conflict of interest with Chloe. To be perfectly honest, this was the part I struggled with. Let’s just say, it didn’t seem credible someone would blame their own poor past decisions/current circumstances the way it was done here. It’s what kept me from giving this book a 5 star rating. Well, that and @ 80% in the couple seemed to give readers whip lash from pulling towards then pushing away from each other repeatedly. I couldn’t shake the feeling even the author was getting confused on how to wrap it up. Yes, they got their HEA, but both seemed to cave in. I usually prefer my book romantic heroes to be the one to grovel and put up a fight to keep his girl.
Overall, my fellow romance book-loving friends, I did enjoy this book, cliché title and all. The writing flowed, and I have no regrets for spending my time reading this quick, entertaining, sweet romantic tale. I just can’t shake the feeling the last 20% could have been written better.
Title: Recipe for Kisses, Author: Michelle Major, Pages: 244, stand-alone, HEA, no cheating, no love triangle, only a few steamy scenes, references to past domestic violence, one scene involving this same issue.
(This review is based on ARC generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
December 24, 2015
Chloe came from an abused relationship and is trying to give back. She employs others in her situation as a way to help build back confidence and make ends meet at the same time. Ben, a popular tv chef, is back home to help raise his niece and nephew, and also open a new restaurant...where Chloe's toy store currently stands. A little wager ensues to see who gets the toy store ..but at what cost?
Chloe and Ben both have emotional hang ups regarding relationships. Chloe's abusive ex and Ben's anger issues draw together two damaged ppl trying to find their place in the world. Should Ben keep his promise to his brother and close the store? Should he say forget about the promise and see where this thing with Chloe is going? Is Chloe going to trust Ben to be what she needs or is she going to keep herself walled off and not risk trusting herself to move forward?
What I enjoyed most about this book were the relationship dynamics, not just between Ben and Chloe, but with Ben and his family. The story reflects how outside influences could harm or better relationships, not just physically, but emotional and mentally. Domestic abuse and anger issues are involved in the story, but not so heavily it overshadows everything else. I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Chloe and Ben both have emotional hang ups regarding relationships. Chloe's abusive ex and Ben's anger issues draw together two damaged ppl trying to find their place in the world. Should Ben keep his promise to his brother and close the store? Should he say forget about the promise and see where this thing with Chloe is going? Is Chloe going to trust Ben to be what she needs or is she going to keep herself walled off and not risk trusting herself to move forward?
What I enjoyed most about this book were the relationship dynamics, not just between Ben and Chloe, but with Ben and his family. The story reflects how outside influences could harm or better relationships, not just physically, but emotional and mentally. Domestic abuse and anger issues are involved in the story, but not so heavily it overshadows everything else. I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2017
Chloe Daniel's is 3 years out of an abusive marriage, and owns a toy store in Denver, Colorado. She employs other women who are out of their own abusive relationships, and is occasionally too giving with her money- accepting too many employees, or giving them advances in paychecks to help their families. But, she's doing fine- until someone new buys the building, and won't let her renew her lease.
Ben Haddox lived in Las Vegas, known as "The Beast" in the cooking community, but when his brother is sent to jail, and his niece and nephew are sent to live with his father in Denver, Ben goes to stay with him, helping his father, tired of "the Beast" image. He buys the building the toy store is in and is planning to make it into a restaurant.
Chloe makes a bet with Ben- that if she can make the money back in a month, she gets to keep her store. Throughout their adventures, they fall in love.
This was a good book, if not predictable. It was good for a quick read, and while I was attached to the characters, nothing really impacted me because I saw everything coming because of the romance-novel formula, as it were.
*This book was provided to me for review by Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own and I'm not profiting from this review.
Ben Haddox lived in Las Vegas, known as "The Beast" in the cooking community, but when his brother is sent to jail, and his niece and nephew are sent to live with his father in Denver, Ben goes to stay with him, helping his father, tired of "the Beast" image. He buys the building the toy store is in and is planning to make it into a restaurant.
Chloe makes a bet with Ben- that if she can make the money back in a month, she gets to keep her store. Throughout their adventures, they fall in love.
This was a good book, if not predictable. It was good for a quick read, and while I was attached to the characters, nothing really impacted me because I saw everything coming because of the romance-novel formula, as it were.
*This book was provided to me for review by Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own and I'm not profiting from this review.
October 7, 2019
This is just the kind of romance I like - some drama, the plot moves quickly, the characters are flawed but likable, and Cristina Panfilio narrating! She really brought this story to life.
I think my only criticism is that some of the characters did a 180 in terms of their behavior - Zack turned into a sweet little boy pretty quickly after being a lying thief. And Chloe herself fell for Ben pretty quickly. The romance kind of just exploded right off the bat.
But that didn't bother me overmuch. This is a good series and I'm glad I've found Michelle Major. I always love it when I find a series with characters I like and an author I enjoy.
I think my only criticism is that some of the characters did a 180 in terms of their behavior - Zack turned into a sweet little boy pretty quickly after being a lying thief. And Chloe herself fell for Ben pretty quickly. The romance kind of just exploded right off the bat.
But that didn't bother me overmuch. This is a good series and I'm glad I've found Michelle Major. I always love it when I find a series with characters I like and an author I enjoy.
December 30, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book, my first by this author. I did find elements of the romance to be a bit far fetched, but it wasn't enough to really impede my reading of the book. Some may not find any of it hard to believe. The chemistry between the protagonists was good and the supporting characters did their job and supported the protagonists and their story. I will definitely give this author another read.
I was given an e-galley ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed above are my own.
I was given an e-galley ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed above are my own.
March 10, 2016
Chloe has closed herself off since getting divorced from an abusive husband. She has her toy store and the women she helps. Ben is loud and has a temper. He's famous for it. He is taking care of his niece and nephew now. Something about Chloe makes him want to be different. This was sweet.with likable characters. Surprisingly less about food than I expected. I enjoyed this one.
May 22, 2021
Chloe is finding her place in small town in Denver after divorce from abusive ex-husband. She owns a toy store but she is more focused on helping women who suffered similar situation like her. She doesn't trust man and she doesn't believe in relationship until Ben "The Beast in the Kitchen" showed up at her store.
Ben, "The Beast in the Kitchen" star chef had to come back to take care of his niece and nephew while his brother is in jail. He doesn't know how to raise them but he sure knows what not to do. So when he find them in toy store getting into trouble, he couldn't take his eyes off owner. He has hard time controlling his anger and starts yelling at everyone. He wanted to pay for whatever the damages they caused and leave but Chloe suggest kids work in toy store.
Chloe and Ben were attracted to each other but they feel their current status won't work in the end. Chloe's past abuse and Ben's temper will come back to hunt them. Will they give each other a chance or give up before they start...
Chloe and Ben were likable characters. Chloe suffered so much and I was rooting for her happy ending from the beginning. Those two kids definitely make the story happier.
I can't wait to read about all her quirky friends.
Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake Romance for my ARC.
Ben, "The Beast in the Kitchen" star chef had to come back to take care of his niece and nephew while his brother is in jail. He doesn't know how to raise them but he sure knows what not to do. So when he find them in toy store getting into trouble, he couldn't take his eyes off owner. He has hard time controlling his anger and starts yelling at everyone. He wanted to pay for whatever the damages they caused and leave but Chloe suggest kids work in toy store.
Chloe and Ben were attracted to each other but they feel their current status won't work in the end. Chloe's past abuse and Ben's temper will come back to hunt them. Will they give each other a chance or give up before they start...
Chloe and Ben were likable characters. Chloe suffered so much and I was rooting for her happy ending from the beginning. Those two kids definitely make the story happier.
I can't wait to read about all her quirky friends.
Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake Romance for my ARC.
September 25, 2022
The story
Chloe runs a small neighbourhood toy store. A former victim of domestic violence, she employs women like herself who need a second chance. But when she is given notice that the landlord wants to end her lease, she is devastated. Ben is a tv-chef famous for his heated temper. When they fall for each other, can it ever work given both of their histories?
My thoughts
Apparently the author is okay with these two characters, with their history, falling in love. A man who seems to shout regularly at his family, flies off the handle when it’s not necessary and then quickly seduces the female love interest despite that she should know better. There are a few triggers in this story that just didn’t sit right with me. It’s not the first book by this author that I have read, and I don’t recall this in any of her others, but hmmm.
I read this story on Kindle.
Chloe runs a small neighbourhood toy store. A former victim of domestic violence, she employs women like herself who need a second chance. But when she is given notice that the landlord wants to end her lease, she is devastated. Ben is a tv-chef famous for his heated temper. When they fall for each other, can it ever work given both of their histories?
My thoughts
Apparently the author is okay with these two characters, with their history, falling in love. A man who seems to shout regularly at his family, flies off the handle when it’s not necessary and then quickly seduces the female love interest despite that she should know better. There are a few triggers in this story that just didn’t sit right with me. It’s not the first book by this author that I have read, and I don’t recall this in any of her others, but hmmm.
I read this story on Kindle.
June 14, 2017
I really liked this romance story. I like cooking and enjoyed the parts where the character Ben the Beast was cooking for Chloe and his family. Chloe came from an abusive relationship and was not looking for or interested in any man for a relationship. Her goal was to help other women that had been in her situation and works in her very own toy store. Ben left his successful cooking show to help take care of 2 young kids and was not sure what he wanted to do with his career as a cook. It's surprising that these to even fall for each other, but there attraction is undeniable. I highly recommend this quick read.
January 30, 2018
A Novel of Romance Between a Chef and a Toy Store Owner
MM has penned a modern day romance between a well know Chef and a local toy store owner in suburban Denver. The polar opposites meet and the ice at the North Pole melts. The road to a true trusting romance HSAs a few pitfalls, but the couple eventually pave the way to marriage and happiness. This is an excellent read for the genre.....ER
MM has penned a modern day romance between a well know Chef and a local toy store owner in suburban Denver. The polar opposites meet and the ice at the North Pole melts. The road to a true trusting romance HSAs a few pitfalls, but the couple eventually pave the way to marriage and happiness. This is an excellent read for the genre.....ER
June 12, 2018
Actually really enjoyed this read.
I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy reading about someone that has a temper and scares people but he was actually all bark and really wasn't as bad as his reputation made him out to be. He had a temper and really anger management classes should have been mentioned but he is an interesting character and I like that Michelle makes these guys and gals not perfect.
I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy reading about someone that has a temper and scares people but he was actually all bark and really wasn't as bad as his reputation made him out to be. He had a temper and really anger management classes should have been mentioned but he is an interesting character and I like that Michelle makes these guys and gals not perfect.
January 24, 2019
Great read!
This book was such a great read, that I devoured it within 4 hours. Very well written. I enjoyed the first book to this series, (which can also be read as a stand alone) but this one added the cherry to the top of the sundae that is the Colorado Hearts Book series. I highly would highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys a good romance novel!
This book was such a great read, that I devoured it within 4 hours. Very well written. I enjoyed the first book to this series, (which can also be read as a stand alone) but this one added the cherry to the top of the sundae that is the Colorado Hearts Book series. I highly would highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys a good romance novel!
May 5, 2017
Sweet love
This book is so sweet. The love Chloe has fit everything is just right. I had happy and sad tears through the whole book. This story messed together all the feeling. I'm very happy I picked up this book.
This book is so sweet. The love Chloe has fit everything is just right. I had happy and sad tears through the whole book. This story messed together all the feeling. I'm very happy I picked up this book.
September 25, 2017
Hot meets cool
This was a very enjoyable read. It had a good amount of tension between the characters. The author kept my attention until the end, trying to figure out what was going to happen with the Toy Chest.
This was a very enjoyable read. It had a good amount of tension between the characters. The author kept my attention until the end, trying to figure out what was going to happen with the Toy Chest.
October 21, 2019
True love
Chloe got out of an abusive marriage. Starting over in a toy store and help others like her. Banana The Beast on TV reality show has other plans for her spot. Chloe wins Ben over with her spirit and his niece and nephew. Can They compromise . This was such a great book
Chloe got out of an abusive marriage. Starting over in a toy store and help others like her. Banana The Beast on TV reality show has other plans for her spot. Chloe wins Ben over with her spirit and his niece and nephew. Can They compromise . This was such a great book
January 30, 2021
Decent Story but I had a difficult time with the whole premise of why he wanted to close the store, especially after finding out about the current status of the original owner. The story does touch on tough topics regarding abuse and how different people handle it.
June 7, 2021
Charming!
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters are engaging and amazing the connection is undeniable throughout the pages. The storyline flowed easily throughout the pages. A must read!
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters are engaging and amazing the connection is undeniable throughout the pages. The storyline flowed easily throughout the pages. A must read!
June 21, 2023
Great Read
I don’t usually write a review sometimes the storylines are the same. I get tired of writing the Same thing. But recipe for kisses was refreshing,romantic, warm,dramatic, and hard too put down. Definitely a must read.
I don’t usually write a review sometimes the storylines are the same. I get tired of writing the Same thing. But recipe for kisses was refreshing,romantic, warm,dramatic, and hard too put down. Definitely a must read.
March 2, 2017
Great!!!!
Loved this book! Moving on to the next!!!! I think I read them out of order but doesn't affect the story.
Loved this book! Moving on to the next!!!! I think I read them out of order but doesn't affect the story.
May 15, 2017
It had some good depth in the characters which made you appreciate the story and I liked some of the things it covered showing growth in characters =)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews