If you can stand the heat, there’s a hot single dad in the kitchen.At not-quite forty, Bert’s going to be dining alone now that his son will be leaving for college soon.His restaurant’s wine rep has a few ideas on how Bert might sate all of his appetites.He hasn’t been buying what Drennan has been selling, but she’s only in Memphis for a few months before moving back home to California.Besides, … back home to California.
Besides, it’s not like he’s going to fall in love for the first time in his life or anything crazy like that, right?
Plus One is a steamy standalone novel.
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I completely read these books out of order, but that made absolutely no difference for me. I first read the book about Bert’s ex-wife, and fell in love with him in that book, so I was anxious to go back and read about his happily ever after. And Bert found that with Drennan. He was a restaurant owner and she was the wine rep for his business, and they found that commonality to bond over.
Plus One was definitely worth the read. I loved the characters and the plot. I just wish there was really a Pig and Barley so that I could hang out with them (and try all the food). I will most definitely read other books by Mae Wood- including the duet that introduces us to this restaurant and Bert!!
If you love a good original romance with a side of good food and beverages, this book is for you. Oh yeah, the lead guy has a good tat game too!
Plus One is a MUST Read!
Albert Tynes Forsythe IV is a good man. He is a great chef, athletic, and a sexy single dad. His marriage ended and he keeps his relationships shallow and brief.
Drennen McCutcheon is an independent woman. She is sassy, hard working, and a lover of food and wine. Her time soaking up knowledge and experience in wine sales is quickly coming to an end. Soon she will have to return to her hometown to takeover as COO of her family winery.
Their paths cross through business, yet Drennan would love to get more personal with the “lickable man.” However, Bert does his best to resist the sexy, wine temptress. When fate, a food/wine festival, and lust combine their passion ignites!
I love the banter between Bert and Drennan. They bring out the adventurous side of one another. Their relationship is playful, sensual, and scorching!
Mae Wood’s writing is thoughtful, detailed, purposeful, and engaging. Her characters are multi layered, bold, and endearing. Plus One will conjure feelings of joy and of sadness, invoke laughter, and renew your faith in love!
First, I need to start by saying that I fell for the sexy cover. Sue me. It’s hot. Second, this is labeled as a standalone but there were a couple of things that came up in the beginning that made me feel like I was missing something so I checked. It’s not part of a series but more of a spinoff of other books. That usually irritates the snot out of me but I was liking the story so I let it go.
I went into the book blind (cover lust). I really hadn’t seen much about it but I had heard of the author. I really enjoyed this story. And it was a story. It had an actual plot with characters that were multi dimensional with real world problems. Lots of wine and foodie talk which always fascinates me even though I don’t like wine and I’m not an adventurous eater. I loved Bert and Drennan. I loved their banter, their innuendos (or overendos as Drennan calls them) and the progression of their relationship. Bert was perfect. He’s recently divorced and Drennan rocks his world. I loved the part where he had to google boyfriend/girlfriend because he’d never had one before and he didn’t know what that looked like. He struggles a bit with the age gap but nobody else seems to care. He’s a typical man – people usually had to hit him over the head and open his eyes before he noticed or realized things. So much to say but I’m already boring myself so read the book. I’m off to read the others.
One more thing: I’m an epilogue whore and I would have loved to see where Drennan and Bert are in five or ten years. I hope we see them again in his sister’s book.
Hot, single dad…check.
Tattoos, alpha, and he can cook…
checkity check check.
Once I started this book, it was hard to put down. I really enjoy the writing style of this author. So poetic, her words wrapped around me like a warm hug while I devoured each page. I was easily pulled in and I swear I could smell all of the foods and taste all of the wines.
This light-hearted story was charming and fun, and full of so many feel-good moments…even ones that gave me all the tingles.
Bert & Drennan are absolutely adorable together. There’s an age gap (she’s 26, he’s 39) but you’d never know it with how well they click. These two… their chemistry sparked from the very beginning. Their passion was ignitable, their connection strong. The banter, the innuendos, the FUN. They got each other’s jokes, appreciated the other’s humor.
He’s a restaurant owner, she’s the wine rep. He’s older, she’s younger. He’s got a son in high school, she’s not sure she even wants kids. Can these two make things work? I loved, loved, loved watching their relationship grow from business to flirty to friends to lovers.
This story was exactly what I was looking for and everything I wanted.
This was my third book by Mae Wood and I’m convinced I will love everything she writes.
“Plus One” captured my attention from the first page and I fell in love with Drennen and Bert and their magical, romantic journey. Mae Wood uses imagery like a master and I could see the restaurant in my mind as Drennen checked out Bert behind the bar, while he rolled up his shirtsleeves so she could admire the tattoo sleeve on his arm.
Drennen was independent, hard working, fun loving and goes after what she wants. As part owner of a Napa Valley winery, she was always busy and never relaxed. So she decided to take a short term job as a wine representative, based in Memphis. She likes to travel and meet people and she thought she could learn about a different part of the wine industry. One of her customers owned a restaurant where she often had dinner and the owner Bert, had sexy tattoos, smoldering eyes and was definitely on her radar. Drennen liked to watch him while he tended bar and talked to his customers, but she really didn’t know much about him.
Bert goes through women like he swims in the pool: fast and sprint-like. He felt Drennen was way too young for him but he couldn’t help being attracted to her beauty, brains and carefree attitude. He was nervous when he ran into her at a conference but when she needed to be rescued, he was at her side in an instant. They had so much in common which made Bert wonder why he hadn’t made a play for her before. He wasn’t sure he could be just friends with Drennen because she was all he could think about, so he decided to let Drennen take the lead and if she beckoned to him with a sexy wink, he wouldn’t say no to anything she asked of him.
I loved this book for so many reasons: excellent writing, an authentic plot, real-life characters & dialogue, and no superficial or unnecessary drama. Bert and Drennan may be at different places in their lives, but their connection is inevitable. Drennan is smart, driven and determined to keep the success of her family’s winery going. Bert is not your typical single dad. His son is in high school and Bert has a great relationship with him and isn’t afraid to show him he loves and supports him. Neither Bert nor Drennan are looking for a long-term relationship, but their attraction to each other isn’t something they can deny. I really enjoyed this 3rd installment to the Pig & Barley series. Note: If you haven’t read the first 2 books, you will NOT be lost. Don’t hesitate to read Plus One as an introduction to Mae Wood’s writing!
Loved it!
Bert’s story is amazing. Recently divorced, sharing custody of his teenaged son. His life is suddenly turned by love. It’s a long and messy road to happiness and I loved every page. I also love Bert, all his friends and family. Page Turner so set aside some time to savor.
Once again, Mae Wood hits it out of the park!
Running more or less concurrently with Plus One, This Time is Different reads as a standalone within the Pig & Barley universe. We got to meet Amy a little in Plus One, but now we get to hear her story. What was nice was that Amy was never portrayed as the “evil ex” in Plus One so there was no need to work through a redemption storyline. And this has to be one of the more original “meet cutes” I’ve had the pleasure to have read.
Frankly, I love that this is a story for “grown ups” – and I don’t just mean that the characters are Gen Xers. These characters are normal people with real life issues – work, kids, body image concerns, normal insecurities, etc.. There are no 20-year old billionaires, crazy plot twists or over-the top story lines to contend with. Listen, I enjoy reading about younger characters as well, but there is something refreshing about reading a story and really, truly being able to relate to so much of what the characters are experiencing or have experienced. I might not have a teenager (yet) or be divorced (thankfully), but I “get” where Amy and Thomas are coming from in so many ways and their story really resonated with me.
I can’t wait to see what Wood serves up next!! I have hopes that there are future books about some of the supporting characters we’ve been introduced to so far. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll get a chance to read more about them sometime soon.
**An ARC was provided by the author for an honest review but I loved it so much I purchased a copy as well**
PLUS ONE introduces us to Bert, a late thirtysomething chef and restaurateur. He’s soon to be an empty nester as his teenaged son is heading off to college. We also meet Drennan, a late twentysomething wine sales rep. She’s in Memphis for a temporary job, and Bert’s caught her eye.
A few things about this novel:
– As I’ve said – standalone. I really liked it. It’s a contemporary romance in the tradition of Nora Roberts — but with some more heat and spice and snark — where the relationship builds and develops.
– This isn’t a slow burn, not quite, but the relationship develops over time. Often, we’re antsy for the fireworks and all, but it’s worth riding along for this development over time. It’s worth it. There’s no need for wham, bam, your pussy is mine, blah blah blah when the relationship is rich and multidimensional and thoughtful. It’s more than p-in-the-v.
– If you like the nerdy, wonkiness of the Walshes, you’ll enjoy Bert and Drennan’s nerdy food and wine wonkiness.
– If you like the Boston is as much a character in my books as any one of the Walshes, you’ll enjoy this dive into Memphis.
– If you like mature characters who aren’t exactly finding themselves or experiencing life for the first time, you’ll enjoy Bert’s perspective. Although… I’ll add that he’s definitely figuring out who he is as his son prepares to leave home. He’s experiencing the “who am I if I’m not a full-time parent?” conundrum.
– If you like women who are smart, self-possessed, independent, and not looking for anyone to save them, you’ll like Drennan.
– If you like some humor, some snark, some serious, some sexy, some real, some angst, some heartache, some smart, you’ll like PLUS ONE.
– If you like real stories that involve the true bumps and bruises of life and work and love (without being ugly-warts-and-toe-jam-real), you’ll enjoy this novel.
Oh my Mae! What’s not to love about this! I love the alternate POV’s between Bert and Drennan. I love the fact that Mae’s characters are aged, like fine wine and have some real life experiences! I loved the humor and felt the loss too! Cannot wait for the next book in this series!
I am reviewing PLUS ONE after a reread. I never reviewed it the first time around because [insert reason no one really cares about here] and since I love the book and have reread it, it’s time I do so.
My Mae Wood journey began with THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT, so I read the books in reverse order of publication. There are several significant cross-overs but the books stand on their own, so feel free to just dive in!
I love books that feature food and drink, and it’s a bonus that they feature heavily in this book. Yet what makes this a fantastic read are our diverse protagonists. Bert, a father and husband at a young age, finds his several-years-divorced self coming to grips with the knowledge his son is soon heading off to college and for the first time in decades, Bert Forsythe will be on his own and free. Drennan McCutcheon is temporarily working as a wine sales representative. She is spreading her wings and learning new skills before heading home to California to take up the mantle of co-owner of a vineyard. This was always the plan, but a family tragedy means that this needs to happen sooner than anyone wanted or anticipated. Individually, they both have interesting lives and backgrounds. I enjoyed the way Wood gave us ample internal dialogue to let us really get to know both Bert and Drennan.
Together, Bert, 39, and Drennan, 26, are marvelous. They have similar interests, the physical attraction between them is scorching, and they both agree theirs is a short term term relationship. Well, we all know how that’s going to go down in a romance novel, don’t we? I loved the way they never took their time together for granted, I sighed with delight at their happiness, I was sad and frustrated for them when life’s commitments got in their way, and I cheered when they worked to join their two lives.
This ‘Lickable Man’ and his ‘Wine Girl’ are people I wish I knew in real life. They and their story are an absolute treat! Highly recommended.
Bert had stolen my heart in Risking Ruin and I so looked forward to his story and I was NOT disappointed and neither will you. What is better than a nice aged male? None of the boyish ego, need to prove himself, or stupid male antics. Just a genuine guy not ready for the next stage of his life. His son is about to graduate high school, his ex is seriously dating someone, his best friend is married with a child on the way. Then in walks a young wine rep that dishes out what he cooks up and it is one hot romance.
We all need a Bert in our lives! Is it weird that I think of these characters often? Kind of like, hey, I wonder what Thomas, Amy, Bert and Drennen are up to, then the harsh reminder kicks in. Wait, dummy, they’re fictional. The same thing happened when I read the Virgin River Series years ago… that’s an excellent indicator of Wood’s talent.
I love Mae Wood’s ‘Pig and Barley’ series. Her characters are amazing and her world is vivid and deep. You can’t go wrong with any of her Pig and Barley books. This is not the first book in the series. It is a stand alone, but contains spoilers for other books. I whole heartedly recommend this book and the entire series.
Lingering on my tongue
I did things all backward and read This Time Is Different first. It was a few months before I could get back to Bert, and boy was he worth the wait. What an amazing Hero. I loved everything about Bert. His intelligence, his humor, his earnestness, his work ethic, his loyalty, and last but not least, his sweetness. Because make no mistake about it, this muscled tattooed tri-athlete is sweet beyond comprehension.
It was fascinating to learn about Drennan after only hearing about her through Grady’s (Bert’s son) musings to his mother Amy in This Time Is Different. She is so much more than I anticipated. I am a sucker for a strong heroine, and Drennan has the market cornered with her smarts and perseverance.
I loved watching Bert and Drennan fall in love, slowly; savoring each other as if they had all the time in the world. And it was heavenly reading about the wine and the food and the places; that whole culture was just so lovely. I loved this book so much; I didn’t want it to end.
Apparently, I am reading these books in the reverse order that they were written, but I am loving them nonetheless! Bert is super sweet and lickable according to “wine girl” He doesn’t date seriously and practices safe sex like no man I’ve ever read about. Smart man. I love that the relationship blooms to love without them completely realizing that it is happening. This book is so good. It reads easily and the characters are very well developed. The descriptions of food and wine along with the scenery are so vivid that you feel as though you are in the book. The combination of great character development, the honesty in the writing, and the steamy sex scenes make for one hell of a read!