“Definitely one of my top 10 favorite book boyfriends of all time.” Laurie, Laurie Reads RomanceJosie Ryan is everything that quiet, risk-averse Erik has always tried to avoid: Loud. Pushy. Distractingly gorgeous.But now that he’s opening his own wedding cake bakery, he needs her business savvy almost as much as he needs to bury his hands in her fiery red hair.With scorching chemistry both in and … hair.
With scorching chemistry both in and out of the kitchen, can they find the perfect balance of salty and sweet, or will they be a recipe for disaster?
“Erik picks and chooses his words, but when they come, they are SO HOT.” Amy, Amazon reviewer
Tempting Taste is a high-heat standalone romance featuring a cinnamon roll hero who actually bakes cinnamon rolls and the big-hearted heroine who appreciates his, um, hot buns. Like all Sara Whitney books, Tempting Taste is bursting with playful banter, upbeat vibes, and a very happy ending.
“Sexy, sassy, and downright delicious! Tempting Taste brims with Whitney’s trademark wit, humor and warmth.” Kate Bateman, author of This Earl Of Mine
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Sexy, sassy, and downright delicious! Tempting Taste brims with Whitney’s trademark wit, humor and warmth
I absolutely adored this book! Witty, sassy dialogue, well formed believable characters, and such a sweet and steamy romantic story. It’s the kind of book I’d read over and over again, and the writing is also just fantastic. Loved every minute of it.
Erik and Josie are a match made of fun. Whitney serves up a delicious blend of sugar and spice that definitely hits the spot. From tempting attraction to heartwarming angst. Tempting Taste leaves it’s mark on the funny bone and heart.
I had read this last year, but somehow missed reviewing it. So, I got to re-read it. Yes, I quickly recognized it … but I was having so much fun re-reading it that I kept reading it. Very charming story. Interesting backstories for the characters. Smiled at the idea of Vile Val (oh, I’ve had coworkers like her). The bachelor bridegrooms are good guys…and Dora is another vile one. But the baker and the marketeer are great characters. This is a clean story …. for the first 4 to 50%; then it gets racey for the next 30 to 40%… Well worth it for a delightful story. You might want to reread it in a couple years, too.
A fun opposites-attract romance. The characters are interesting and the reader gets a good view into how they think. Although it was a bit strange to have a character who loves to bake, but never have any of his thought processes about ingredients, how a cake should look, where he’s going to put everything in the tiny apartment, etc. If he’s so good at cakes, I would assume he would be more obsessed with them. We also don’t get a feel for how lonely a life he has before meeting his love interest, so it didn’t evoke as much emotion from me as I thought it should. We do get more insight into the heroine’s marketing ideas, than the baking, perhaps to match their differing personalities, even though the narration is from both pov’s.
A fun read!
I loved the story and the characters.
A delightful portrayal of characters–I fell in love with all of them especially the little girl, Kennedy, who was portrayed as someone I wanted to hug. I usually laugh internally at the funny parts but I found myself giggling out loud at the imbedded humor in this very touching, salvation-inspiring story.
Loved these characters and a great story! I really enjoyed it!
Loved this heroine’s journey and the Chicago setting, too!
I had a great time reading this storyline it had my attention from the beginning to the end. The characters are well developed and engaging and they had enough chemistry to hook me.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I adored Sara Whitney’s “Tempting Taste” and highly recommend it. Even though it is technically the second book in the Tempt Me series, it reads as a complete standalone, so readers (like me) who are new to the series will not feel lost at all by starting here. Fair warning, however: reading this book will probably make you crave cake. I know I am! I have never tasted peach cake before, but thanks to the description of it in this book, I am now searching all of my local bakeries to find it because it sounds so delicious. 😉
The main characters of this story, Josie and Erik, were both very likeable and well-developed. The female lead, Josie, was what my grandmother might describe as a “firecracker”: outgoing, energetic, independent, and maybe even a bit bossy. There was a world of hurt hiding beneath her seemingly confident exterior, however, mostly related to her mother, Pamela. It wasn’t difficult to figure out why; Pamela seemed like a real witch who alternately ignored Josie and treated her cruelly, for no apparent reason. Her mother’s behavior drove Josie’s determination to be successful in her career, if for no other reason than to get Pamela’s attention. Unfortunately, this ambition was at the root of a lot of the problems Josie and Erik had to work through to get to their HEA.
I found Erik to be completely swoon-worthy, and he was definitely one of my top 10 favorite book boyfriends of all time. (It didn’t hurt that I was picturing Chris Hemsworth as Thor the entire time I was reading about him. A man who looks like Thor/Hemsworth who can also bake me delicious cake on demand is pretty much my idea of perfection!) I love grumpy heroes who slowly open up as they fall in love, and Erik’s grumpiness was particularly adorable. He was so shy and sweet, and I loved the way he came out of his shell with Josie and made such an effort to use his words with her. They really seemed to bring out the best in each other, and I found it very easy to root for them both individually and as a couple.
I am very much looking forward to reading the other books in this series. (I’m going to need to find and sample that peach cake first, though.)
*ARC provided by the author via InkSlingerPR. All opinions expressed are my own.
First book that I have read from this author and I thought it was a good read. Great characters and a good story line. Will be reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book two in the Tempt Me series a well written story that kept me turning pages, Josie Ryan and baker Erik Andersson’s story. These two have to learn to let go of things from their past in order to move forward. Josie has a Mother that is a snob and makes sure that she can call Josie down every chance she gets, and Erik’s was his bad childhood. I liked the interaction between these two and the friends that are in their lifes. I want to read the next book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
LOVED!! It usually takes me a while to get into third-person stories, but I was hooked from the beginning! I love a broody hero, and Erik was AMAZING!! I am so in love with his and Josie’s story! Sweet, humorous and full of so much sexual tension! LOVED!!!
The moment Josie met Erik on a train a spark was lit. The next time she saw the giant gorgeous man was at bakery tasting wedding cakes. Who doesn’t love giant gorgeous men with man buns that can bake delicious cake? This book was so cute. I love Josie so much and my heart breaks for her that she doesn’t know how great she is and Erik, well I want to know where I can find one of him. The two are such opposites but still perfect for each other in every way. So you are left with good writing, a good, cute story with a great couple, some amazing side characters that you will want more of, and a HEA. What more could you want? Unfortunately we can’t try the delicious cakes described but I guess you can’t have everything….
*** I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for fair and honest review***
Tempting Taste is a fun & delightful story. There’s social commentary, a colorful group of characters & humorous references to god of thunder. Josie and Erik are as different as night and day. The more they work together, the more they come to realize that those differences may just be what the other needs. Both are struggling to move past their own fears & insecurities and take a chance at something more.
Sara Whitney, ‘Tempting Taste’.
The Tempt Me series, book 2.
As a Hidden Gems ARC reader I received a free copy and promised an honest review. Here it is.
Rating: 4 stars (of 5).
In general: Love between sassy PR wiz kid and talented, taciturn baker.
Main characters:
– Erik Andersson (28).
He had a chaotic childhood. His father disappeared before his birth and his mother moved almost every 6 months to chase a new – for her unfeasible – dream. Now he’s head baker at a bakery, owned by Dora an old, bitchy lady with very conservative opinions.
– Josie Ryan.
Her mother is a famous, self-centered photographer who despises everything Rosie achieves. Mom wants her to become a photographer too. But she’s a successful marketing wiz kid, working at a PR firm. Her best friend is her co-worker Richard who is engaged with Byron, also one of Josie’s co-workers. She’s ‘brides maid’ for the coming marriage of her two boyfriends.
Josie and Erik realy meet when she and Richard try to choose cakes for the wedding party at Dora’s bakery. But Dora refuses to prepare cakes for a marriage between two men. When they leave the bakery, Erik – without success – tries to mediate between the hurt Ricard, the fuming Josie and his stubborn, vicious lady boss. After the discussion – in spite of loving his job – Erik quits for he realizes he had accepted Dora’s whims and malicious behavior far too long.
The author, Sara Whitney, then describes how Rosie and Erik meet again. They become interested in each other’s personal and professional activities. Josie learns that Erik is a very caring person but he hides this quality because he’s very taciturn. And for Rosie, the speech waterfall, that’s difficult to understand. But step by step their relationship deepens in spite of their fears caused by a difficult youth, the difference of their personalities and the insecurities both concealed so successfully for a long time.
The story is well written with interesting, sometimes sassy and funny dialogues, a few wonderful extra characters and a lot of info about baking (cup)cakes and marketing. For me there was only one small point of criticism: the doubts about yes or no to commitment caused a lot of temporary breakups. Perhaps too many for persons who in general know what they want?
But all in all the book was a pleasure to read.
R.Huiszoon.
The subtitle for this book could almost be “a match made in hell”. Josie and Erik are so completely opposite, they shouldn’t work at all. And yet, the places where they’re the most vulnerable are a perfect complement to one another. And they made me laugh so hard. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.
Oh man, this book was amazingly good! It was so refreshing to have this big, strong, sexy, yet quiet, shy, and vulnerable character in Erik. He paired so beautifully with the sassy, sexy, pushy, loud-mouthed, yet also vulnerable, Josie. They both clashed and meshed together with breathtaking chemistry. It was so intriguing and entertaining watching their push and pull throughout the story. I frantically read to see where things would go and how the story would end.
Since you asked :), it’s a truly fabulous story and I couldn’t get enough of Man Bun (seriously, people who do not appreciate the swaggering hotness of a truly remarkable man bun are totally lost on me!).
I highlighted the crap outta this book while reading. There were so many hilarious moments and so many sweet moments, it was all I could do not to end up with an entirely highlighted ebook by the time I finished reading.
TL;DR: Read. It. Now. You won’t regret it.