“He thought I was his muse. Turned out, he was mine too.”
Maggie Stevens is done feeling objectified.
After spending her entire life in the spotlight and climbing the high fashion ranks as a model in LA, she’s willing to leave it all behind for a fresh start. Moving to Seattle seems like the perfect solution.
A clean slate.
New adventures.
Endless opportunities.
All is going according to plan. … adventures.
Endless opportunities.
All is going according to plan. Until she meets the drop-dead gorgeous cooking instructor who delights in adding to her misery.
Desmond Blake is determined to make a name for his culinary school–one that speaks to his hard work and undeniable passion.
The day his food photography hobby garners attention from an unexpected source, he knows his dreams are finally within reach. An obstacle he never sees coming? The sharp-tongued bombshell with a distaste for all he stands for.
When Desmond accidentally captures a photo of Maggie during a moment of weakness, he starts to see there’s more to the fashionista than meets the eye…
Sometimes what can be seen through the lens is a skewed version of reality. A bent perspective. Manufactured, therefore losing all sense of authenticity. And sometimes all it takes is a different angle to see what’s right in front of you.
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I LOVE a good steamy, enemies-to-friends romance!!!
I have read every single KK Allen book land she never ceases to amaze me. Up in the Treehouse was my very first of hers so going back to that world was exciting for me. Maggie and Desmond were fire on the page. The intense buildup to their explosion of love was incredibly written. The character relationships were well thought out. It is apparent early on that Maggie and her sister have a lot of unresolved issues with their parents. I think KK handled those issues flawlessly. Maggie grew a lot and I loved to witness it first hand. Their love wasn’t easy and it wasn’t quick. It was slow and worth it. I stayed up all night finishing this because I just couldn’t put it down.
“I wasn’t just the woman through the lens, the lie, like I believed myself to be. I was your muse, Turns out, you were mine too”.
Maggie and Desmond both didn’t have an easy life. Maggie harbors some resentment towards her dad for things that happened in the past, and those things made her stay away from relationships. Desmond didn’t have an easy life either, he tends to be a little closed in himself except with the people he cares about.
They have very important common people in their life but they dislike each other. Obviously after a while, they understand that dislike can turn into so much more, and once they stop fighting it, they start a beautiful journey of healing, forgiveness and love. They are a beautiful couple! and as usual K.K. Allen doesn’t disappoint and we get an awesome Epilogue. Totally a must Read.
I loved Maggie and Desmond. Their banter was wonderful and how much they disliked each other at first. I ate it up. But with all good enemies, I loved how these two slowly softened up to one another, opening up about their lives, and falling in love. But more than that, Maggie was getting over her fear after an embarrassing moment and Desmond was looking to make his cooking school thrive.
I just loved the writing of this book. The characters were ones I couldn’t help but love, minus Monica. I don’t like that girl. I found Through the Lens to be funny, sexy, sweet, with splashes of serious moments in there. I enjoyed myself so much while reading this book.
Why I haven’t read the author’s books before? I want to slap myself for it.
I needed this book today and devoured it in a few hours, I just couldn’t stop reading.
From the first chapter, I got the beauty of the story that I was about to get and I loved every single moment of it.
The banter, the chemistry, the feelings and all the secondary characters along with the family issues are perfectly done and spot-on throughout the whole book.
And Des is just as yummy as his cooking skills!
It was my first book by the author but won’t be my last for sure.
I am happy to have received this ARC! Through the Lens is now available!
This was such a fantastic read and page turner! Through the Lens is an enemies-to-lovers, slow burn romance that was angsty, steamy, and equally as scrumptious!
Maggie is an ex-model, who is done being in the spotlight and moved to be closer to her sister, Monica, in Seattle for a fresh start. She too was hurt by their father when she was younger and can’t find it to forgive him for what he did.
Desmond is a sexy cooking instructor that is passionate about his cooking school, and is looking for new opportunities to further the recognition for it. When Maggie enters his life, he tries to resist her but ends up failing.
Maggie and Desmonds witty and feisty banter, flirting and innuendos, were funny and their characters were real and relatable. Desmond and Maggie easily get under each others skin but when their walls come down you find that they are very similar; troubled pasts, stubborn, passionate. Maggie begins to connect more of their past, and my heart broke for both of them during this book.
It made me happy that Gavin and Chloe from Up in the Treehouse and Monica and Zach from Under the Bleachers made appearances in the book, but it can totally be read as a stand alone. Though I recommend reading the first two because they’re so good!!!!
This is one of those books that leaves a smile on your face even after you’ve finished the last page and closed the book.
First, real talk: I was nervous going into this story because Desmond and Maggie weren’t my favorite characters from previous books but I was sold when I realized this was an enemies to lovers because I couldn’t wait for all the sparks to fly!
I think Desmond and Maggie were perfect sparing parters with just the right amount of control freak, sass and attitude. I also have to mention that I love when two strong but slightly broken characters go up against one another and end up even stronger than they started because of each other. These two definitely fought for their HEA but I enjoyed going along for the ride with them while they found it.
I loved this book!
I was SO excited to hear that Desmond and Maggie were going to have their story told. I absolutely loved Maggie’s sister Monica’s story in Under the Bleachers (Which if you haven’t read that yet, you must!) and I was curious to learn more about Maggie, and I was not disappointed. Their story gave me all the feels! I was laughing, crying, and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
Maggie and Desmond’s love story isn’t your typical romance story. In fact, at the beginning they actually hated each other. Maggie is a model who isn’t happy in the modeling world and after an incident, she moves to be with her sister Moncia and start a new life. There she is forced to take a cooking class with her sister where she meets the hot, arrogant chef Desmond. They start off on the wrong foot but are forced to get to know each other, whether they like it or not. When they stop taking each other at face value, and look into each other’s hearts, they find a connection that neither think they’re ready for. It will take Desmond opening his heart, to help Maggie see that she’s more than just her beautiful outside and see the inner beauty that has captured his heart. And Maggie will have to help Desmond believe that he deserves everything he’s worked so hard for and can be happy with who he is and where he came from.
“And maybe, just maybe, there’s still a little girl inside of me that wants a glimpse of the first man who ever broke her heart. Maybe that little girl does want to heal”
That statement broke me and put me back together in the best way. With thoughts of forgiveness, and hopes of healing. Sometimes a story change you, change your life. Maggie and Monica’s stories did that for me, and I can’t thank this author enough for it.
I love KK Allen
This book was so good, I couldn’t put it down- enemies to lovers are one of my favorites.
Maggie is a model but doesn’t really want that life anymore after and embarrassing fall she moves in with her sister to find her way. They take cooking classes from Desmond who seems to really dislike Maggie and she sure can push his buttons. Thrown together the sparks and anger flies. Fun, funny, sweet, romantic read. LOVED IT
Can I just say that this gorgeous cover got me before I even read the blurb!
I have to say the story line between Desmond and Maggie was different and adorable. I love different takes on troupes. So this enemies to lovers was refreshing.
Desmond took sometime to like for me. I had some choice words I said to my kindle to him lol. But his passion for cooking and his cooking school was awesome. Loved how driven he was with his business. He wasn’t going to let anything or anyone change that drive. But he wasn’t expecting Maggie to come into one of his cooking classes.
Since Maggie’s sister was dating the best friend of the chef, she had no choice but to have him in her life but she wasn’t going to like it at all. There was just something about Desmond that rubbed Maggie the wrong way. Or was it just she was so attracted to him that she didn’t know what to do with those emotions. I mean she has her issues with men all thanks to her dad, doesn’t help that this certain chef was very close to her dad.
But when these two are together, whether they are fighting or being civil, they are so perfect! I loved their story so much!
4⃣.5⃣
recommendation
A steamy slow burn romance, where the main characters start out hating each other before being thrust together in the workplace.
Maggie has left her big modelling career and the glitz of LA behind to move in with her sister so she can try and figure out what she wants to do with her life.
Desmond is a successful chef who loves capturing his dishes in his photographs. He has dreams of expanding his business and a chance encounter paves the way for him to take a leap into a new venture.
There’s lots of steamy scenes between our enemies turned lovers. This was a very enjoyable read!
I absolutely LOVED this book! The chemistry between Desmond and Maggie is off-the-charts, and their entire dynamic will keep you on your toes.
Highly recommend!
This was my first KK book and it did not disappoint. Des & Mags are so passionate—love & hate—hate to love;) I’m a girl from the south so you know anything about food & a lil football is a must. I couldn’t put it down. Definitely reading more of KK’s books:)
5+ Stars!
Through the Lens by K.K. Allen is a beautiful, emotional, angsty, and heart-melting story. It’s an enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance filled with heartbreak, forgiveness, and healing.
Maggie Stevens is a model who’s spent her entire life being in the spotlight. But she’s not happy with modeling and feeling objectified anymore. And after an embarrassing incident, she leaves her modeling career behind for a fresh start in Seattle with her sister Monica. There, her sister forced her to attend cooking classes with her at Edible Desire, where she meets a very hot and arrogant cooking instructor. Maggie hates cooking, but she also can’t stand the cocky chef. He’s a constant reminder of a man she’s hated growing up.
Desmond Blake is a successful chef who runs his culinary school and works hard to make his dreams of the kitchen come true. When his best friend asks him a favor for Maggie, he reluctantly agrees because he needs an assistant, and she needs a place to stay.
The longer they work together in Desmond’s kitchen, the more they realize that their initial assumptions about each other were wrong. They’re both dealing with some old scars that have never healed. They slowly open up to one another about their past, and together they were able to help each other heal.
K.K. Allen has crafted a heartfelt, realistic, and captivating love story. I absolutely fell in love with Maggie and Desmond. Everything from their witty and flirty banter to their scorching hot chemistry; their story was highly entertaining and breathtaking.
I LOVE KK ALLEN! Through the Lens may be my newest favorite! WOW!!! Desmond and Maggie are amazing! Slow burn and just enough angst to make the story pure perfection! AMAZING! FIVE HUGE STARS!!
Get ready for this AMAZING FEEL GOOD story by K.k. Allen!! This book checks ALL the boxes!
You will fall in love with Maggie and Desmond so hard! Their life stories will break your heart, then weave it back together. Two people who have dealt with so much childhood pain, yet they overcome so much to be the beautiful people they are now.
Every time I read a book by K.k. Allen, I’m completely blown away by her writing. She sucks you in with her words, makes your heart beat out of your chest, you FEEL so much!! Her characters always seem so real, it’s like you’re right there with them!!
Get your tissues ready! You’re about to take a ride on this emotional rollercoaster!!
Through the Lens by K.K. Allen is full of fun, witty, loving and heartfelt moments. As soon as I started flicking through the pages of this and was hit with the arrogant chef Desmond Blake and the sassy model Maggie Stevens, I knew it was going be a read I wouldn’t forget.
“Sometimes what can be seen through the lens is a skewed version of reality. A bent perspective. Manufactured, therefore losing all sense of authenticity. And sometimes all it takes is a different angle to see what’s right in front of you.”
I really enjoyed the banter between the two, even if it did leave your own head turning.
This book has some truely amazing content and characters you’ll have no choice but loving.
I loved Desmond and Maggie’s journey ‘Through The Lens’, it was invigorating and eye opening to a whole new world of romance.
This comes recommended.
Through the Lens is a captivating and passionate story that will leave the reader breathless. Desmond and Maggie can’t stand each other but are wildly attracted to each other. When they begin spending time together, their banter and chemistry kept me turning the pages. That first kiss scene is FIRE!!! Both Maggie and Desmond have father issues and watching two broken people find happiness with each other filled my heart with joy. The support that Maggie showed Desmond was beautiful and I loved how it allowed her to begin to move on from her own family issues. If you are looking for a hot, enemies to lovers, emotional read, this is the book for you. I think this is one of my favorite books from this author and I just fell in love with Maggie and Desmond.
Maggie is trying to find herself, so she turns to her sister in Seattle for some help and guidance. What she didn’t expect was Desmond. An enemies to lovers romance that shows us that family is important and forgiveness is not only to give but to accept from other as well as yourself.
Life looks different through the lens of a camera you can focus and find the beauty in anything. You can see and showcase things that are hidden, Desmond shows Maggie that there is more to her and he sees inside her despite the mask she hides behind.
A romance worth binging!
This was the first KK I’ve ever read. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. Maggie and Desmond both come with their own set of baggage. They share a bond and a chemistry that can’t be denied. Loved everything about it.