Romance novel lacking in . . . romance

books:


	• Just a Taste (Berkley Sensation) Deirdre Martin Berkley, 2008 - 368 pages average customer review:based on 18 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Romance novel lacking in . . . romance

I had read three of Martin's previous books, Body Check, Fair Play and Penalty Box. She clearly is very talented and each book improved upon the other. As far as her writing, it is excellent, with lovely, detailed descriptions of food, the Brooklyn neighborhood were the story takes place and intriguing characters that come to life. Widower Anthony and beautiful French chef Vivi, the main couple, engage in snappy banter that almost reminds one of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. That being said, something was missing . . .

There was very little romance that brought these two together! There was no build-up or thrill of anticipation that one expects to experience with each of them. The first half of the book was Anthony and Vivi sparring constantly and then - boom! They are kissing. Though it was explained that the bickering was "foreplay,' I sure didn't feel it. Then the relationship begins and even love is mentioned, but it seemed to come out of nowhere. There was no classic development of emotion or thought that brings the two together.

Perhaps the problem was that the book was too busy with other stories -- his brother, her sister, his nephew, even the crazy former high school classmate -- and all their associated problems - I guess there was no time left to characterize the romance between Anthony and Vivi.

So, this was more of a family drama with a bit of romance thrown in. Ironically, it started getting better towards the end, but when they finally reconcile, that felt flat, too.

Martin has a wonderful writing style, but she needs to define exactly how she intends to use it.

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Not great

My least favorite book of this series. Not much chemistry between the main characters. Still it was a quick read, and I will continue to look for books by this author.

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it was ok

i like this author but i was a little disappointed by this book. Don't get me wrong, it was a cute, quick read and I was hoping that she would have written something about the other Dante brother but in my opinion it wasn't up to her normal standard. I have to say though, the whole thing with Insane Lorraine made me laugh

Smell that tomato sauce!

Author Dierdre Martin does such a good job of creating a sense of place in JUST A TASTE that the reader almost can smell the tomato sauce served by the book's hero in his family's restaurant--or as Anthony, that hero, would call it, the "gravy."

For a woman who, according to the blurb at the back of the novel, lives in Ithaca, New York, Ms. Martin has a marvelous sensibility of the energy of Bensonhurst, the Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn in which she sets her tale.

The love story is predictable, but well-done: Two neighborhood chefs, one with a large, established restaurant serving the Italian cuisine of the community, the other with a tiny new cafe serving French food, take each other on as rivals and, inevitably, as lovers.

Yet the plot is charming, the setting is authentic and the sex is hot, hot, hot. Finally, one practically can smell that wonderful sauce. What more could a romance reader ask?

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Good, but could have been better

We first met Anthony in Michael and Teresa's story, the 2nd book by Ms. Martin. I honestly did not like Anthony all that much. He has changed a bit in this book, which takes place a few years later. While I like Anthony, the story seems a bit improbable. Supposedly his wife who was briefly mentioned previously has been killed in the line of duty and he has been grieving for the past year.

We meet a French chef, Vivi, who is the illegitimate daughter of a deceased French politician whose business partner is her legitimate half sister who had to leave disgrace due to an affair with a married man who wouldn't leave his wife. The half sister has control of the majority of the inheritance. They are opening a restaurant in Brooklyn across the street from Dante's, the restaurant owned by Michael and Anthony.

Anthony's character did not seem to have a logical development and didn't seem at all like Anthony's big brother from a few years earlier.

If Fifi is so smart, why doesn't she question her sister's constant shopping even though by her own admission she doesn't know her very well. Her sister is spending the inheritance that was supposed to go into the restaurant and Anthony gives them a personal loan to keep the contractors from demolishing it. A former colleague of Vivi and Natalie's father is written as a slightly creepy person but comes through as a knight in shining armor without any real transition. I kept expecting him to tell Vivi he'd help her if she slept with him.

The French fascination with living in the United States became old very quickly. Fashionable and upper class French women in Brooklyn seems improbable, at least in the world of romance novels.

I never got interested in the book or the characters. I am not giving up on Ms. Martin and I'm pre-ordering the next book.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

While trying to keep his retired hockey star brother out of the kitchen, Anthony Dante has turned his restaurant into a Brooklyn institution. But the stunning Vivi Robitaille is giving him some competition with her new bistro. The table is set for a culinary war-until things start getting spicy.

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