“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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Desmond and Maggie are super cute. I’m a big fan of enemies to lovers and KK Allen does this perfectly! Especially with the slow burn! Desmond and Maggie definitely burn hot and the steam is 100% there. I love that once they decided to see each other, without masks, they both truly let their guards down and went all in. Even though this is a standalone, It was great to see updates from all the other Bellevue characters! If you’re looking for a slow burn, steamy, deep, grab you by the heartstrings read, then you should definitely give this one a try!
*ARC provided for an honest review.
Two people with unsettled things from their childhood, Desmond with a addicted father with mental illness and the other left behind while Maggie’s dad started a new family.
He’s a sexy chef with a man bun that doesn’t do relationships and she’s a snarky ex-model looking for a new start.
Their like oil and water until they ignite into something hot and steamy!
I would highly recommend this book and series!
An angsty, slow-building romance, marinated in steam.
Through the Lens is my first book by author K.K. Allen, and although it’s a classed as a standalone, it has little hints to the previous book(s) that made me feel like I should have read them first so I’d know what was being alluded to. It didn’t detract terribly from the story and I did finish it, but for those who haven’t read Under The Bleachers, maybe you should before diving into this book.
Anyhoo, the story revolves around Maggie Stevens, a disillusioned model, and Desmond Blake, a chef and entrepreneur. They knocked heads from the moment they met when Maggie and her sister Monica attended one of Desmond’s cooking classes. Three months later and they’re very little love lost between them until Maggie is forced to move next door and actually work for the man.
There’s a fine line between love and hate and these two trod, and then scuffed it out. There’s some past family drama, angsty feelings, and a whole lot of slow-burning steam. And when they fall, it’s even sweeter for the wait.
I love, love, love this story! Maggie and Desmond were so great!
Maggie may be my new favourite K. K. Allen leading lady! I loved that the reader was abel to fully experience Maggie’s feelings and emotions. K. K. Allen perfectly presented Maggie’s perspective(s) on every single aspect of this storyline. Plus Maggie is freakin’ fantastically sassy with Desmond!
K. K. Allen wrote such a fantastically original, sweet and page turning romance. This “enemies” to lovers story was such a fun read. I loved that there was a good balance between heavy/emotional scenes and light/fun scenes between the two main characters.
This story was exactly what I was in the mood to read, I read the entire thing in a single day! I couldn’t get enough! I would highly recommend grabbing this story and diving in over a weekend when it can really be enjoyed. 5 stars!
Sweet Jesus did I love this book. I’m quickly becoming enamored with K.K. Allen’s writing. It is quite fabulous and addicting. It is full of sassy characters, witty banter, slow burn, and those wonderful scenes we all know and love. I couldn’t put this book down. It drew me in and I wanted to ignore all of my responsibilities and read. Through the Lens is part of a series but it can be read as a standalone. However, if you read the past two books, you’ll enjoy seeing past characters inside this beautiful book.
Through the Lens is a beautiful story of two broken people finding each other despite their flaws. It is a great lesson that the “outside exterior” isn’t the most important piece of your story. There is more to story. I think K.K. Allen wrote a fabulous story about a model that even this short curvy girl can appreciate.
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I devoured this enemies-friends-lovers story. The author has written yet another fantastic story that sucks you in from the very beginning. Maggie and Desmond’s intense relationship is the result of past events/experiences. The emotions run high and will keep you reading until the end, wishing for even more. I loved this book and encourage everyone to check it out.
K.K. Allen has once again amazed me with her absolute exquisite storytelling. This epic enemies to lovers tale is sweet, satisfying and will leave you feeling like you just devoured the most decadent dessert. Desmond and Maggie light up these pages with their endearing banter, making you root for them page after page. This one is packed full of emotion that will give you all the feels, so be prepared to fall in love with this story!! #nothingbutloveforKK
Through the Lens by KK Allen was a touching, emotional and angsty story with great characters. I absolutely loved Maggie and Desmond. Maggie Stevens is looking for a fresh start. She was smart and feisty. Desmond Blake was determined and cocky. I loved the chemistry they shared and their back and forth. Though they may starts as enemies, their connection is undeniable. I devoured this book from start to finish. A romance about two lost people who found each other when they needed it most.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Another KK Allen book for me to devour? Yup. I read all the books in this series (BelleCurve) this month. I’ve owned them forever and thought it was time to read them before this book came out. I wanted to be prepared for all the characters and their stories. But I will say this…. I don’t think you need to read the first 2 to fully appreciate this one. Sure, it’s nice to get to know all the players, but I don’t think it’s necessary. BUT, if you liked this one, I’m sure you will LOVE the first two!
Book One: Up In The Treehouse
Book Two: Under The Bleachers
Book Three: Through The Lens
But again, not necessary to read them all before this one. I would consider them all standalones within a series.
Now to get back to the book…..
Desmond and Maggie are two opposites. An ex-model and a chef. The ex-model is running from her life as said model and comes to stay with her sister in Seattle while “figuring out her life”. Maggie’s never really made decisions for herself and now needs to find a purpose and figure out what her next step is. Will she find it in Seattle or will this city be a stepping stone to what’s next?
Desmond is a hot chef that owns a cooking school and seems to be very sure of himself. He is a flirt and he lets women know right up front he’s not looking for anything permanent. But he’s also compassionate and thrives on structure. He has rules and he follows them to a T. Perhaps because of his past and his family? When Maggie’s sister, Monica makes her take a cooking class with her at Desmond’s school, she sees the good looking guy and sees temptation. But as soon as he opens his mouth, all things are ruined. He is controlling and cocky. They are like oil and vinegar and it’s fun to watch!
A bit of enemies to lovers that will surely delight the readers that like this trope. You can feel their attraction from the beginning, but again (as with the first 2 books), the romance is a little bit of a slow burn. Things don’t really ignite (in any of the books for that matter) until after over half way through. But it’s fun and sexy and the way they push each other’s buttons is amusing.
“So we play it safe, embrace the hate, and have lots of sex.”
They also have this way they open up to one another that is endearing and relatable. I enjoyed this part of them growing as characters and as a couple. Just being able to listen and be there for one another. Once they made a commitment to each other, they were all in. Not a whole lot of angst, just a bit with a slow burn and sparring around with one another. They do have to deal with something towards the end, but it never changed their relationship. I liked that that aspect didn’t ruin them or cause more drama. It just made them stronger. One thing that kind of bothered me was the fact that I don’t think Maggie’s relationship with her mother was ever dealt with in finality. She is mentioned sporadically, but with just a paragraph at the end, I don’t think it was a true closure for the what they encountered growing up and were lead to believe. Everything else seemed to come full circle, just not that aspect.
Overall, this was a great escape of a book. I loved all the talk of food and the photography. Two things I love and you can tell the characters do too. There was not a ton of angst and drama, just enough to keep the story progressing. That, along with some fun interaction between characters and a story that was easy to follow, this made for some entertaining reading. Full of family and friendships that was obviously important to all the characters and we got to visit past characters that made appearances throughout, always adding to the story. HEAs for those characters and for Desmond and Maggie made you just feel good. A feel good story with wonderful characters. You could feel the love. It’s an entertaining enemies to lovers romance that was a pleasure to read and took me out of my funk for a bit. Just what the doctor ordered.
Overall Grade:
“I learned at a young age what can be seen through the lens (my emphasis) is often a skewed version of reality. A bent perspective. Manufactured, therefore, losing all sense of authenticity.”
At the heart of writing lies style. Every writer creates a specific voice, marked and distinct. I’ve stated in other reviews that my favorite part of reading different authors is listening for that voice, identifying the treasures of it. Some have concise, clear writing voices, using a sparse syntax to assert their message. Others write words overwrought with details that set every scene, offer every detail, leave nothing unsaid. It’s up to the reader what they adore or what they pass on.
Insightful writers craft a combination of the two. They don’t overcomplicate their style, yet they use metaphor/simile, imagery, allusion to create the visual pictures behind their words. For me, it’s in those visual representations where emotional connection is created. When the reader can place themselves in that picture, empathize with her H or h, then writers have created a moment of experience, one that reaches into the chests of their readers and plucks at their souls. This is THE power of writing.
You’re probably wondering why all the set up in this review for K.K. Allen’s Through the Lens. Well, it’s because her newest book forges that connection in her extended metaphor, contained in her title. The title, Through the Lens, is no mistake. It wasn’t haphazard in its choice. The title becomes the ultimate representation of the message of this book: that the perception of something isn’t its reality. Time and time again throughout her story, Allen deftly articulates this message through the extended metaphor of the lens, through her characterizations, and through her story. In doing so, she reminds her readers, once again, WHY you should read her books because she is an intentional, skilled writer who clearly knows her voice and challenges her readers to “see” her as an accomplished author.
Through the Lens follows Maggie “Mags” and Desmond “Des”. We met these two in Allen’s Under the Bleachers, as Maggie is Monica’s sister and Desmond is Ryan’s best friend. It is there where we realize that sparks fly between these two. This story begins with Maggie in Seattle, living with her sister, after upending her modeling career. Desmond’s cooking school is growing, and he has a potential television show offering to grow his business further. These two conflict when Maggie, as a student at the cooking school, pushes back against Desmond’s control. When Maggie’s living situation becomes problematic, Desmond reticently offers her an apartment above the school and a position assisting him in the school. Neither of them is happy with this situation, but it helps each other during a difficult time. What they don’t realize is how easily their chemistry will light, and the two find themselves drawn to each other. Are Desmond and Maggie destined for each other, or are they a “quick flash in the pan” of chemistry?
Throughout the story, Allen illustrates her prowess with writing by using the metaphor of the lens. It seems fitting since Maggie is a former model and Desmond enjoys photographing his food. This title feels apropos. However, these characterizations are too obvious. With Maggie, looking through the lens of the camera underscores her “lack,” her imperfections and unattainable standards. By looking through it, her sense of self is defined by the evaluations of others, causing her to be “othered.” With Desmond, while he loves to photograph his food, his intent isn’t to share it with the world. Instead, his food photography is his connection with his father. It becomes a representation of their fraught relationship. As Allen weaves this metaphor through her story, we recognize that Allen is illustrating that Maggie and Desmond’s masks or social constructions of themselves don’t actually match their truth. The “lens” isn’t a reflection; instead, it distorts it. As you read this story, and that truth plays over and over again, the profundity of Allen’s message flows over you like a wave repeatedly. It’s here where I fell in love with this book.
In Maggie’s depiction, I found myself. Like Maggie, I have some “daddy issues.” Allen uses moments in the story to push against Maggie’s figurative “bruises” related to her fractured relationship with her father, and I felt that push to my own bruises. Writing a character such as Maggie becomes a reflection of anyone who has been left behind. Like Desmond, I like control. I imagine much of this is similar to Desmond’s reasons for it: our pasts were wrought with moments where we felt out of control. Through Desmond’s characterization, Allen deftly connects her readers to the lens of control as a way to assuage guilt or worry or fear. She does this so well that you feel emotionally connected to bother her hero and heroine.
And Allen’s story is rife with moments of learning. How do we let go of our past? How do we move past fears of rejection? How do we allow people beyond the walls we’ve erected in protecting our heart? This is the depth of story found in K.K. Allen’s Through the Lens. The metaphor, the character development, and the story conspire to remind us that the present is all we have, and we must live it without regrets. The past is in the past, and the future is only a promise. All of this profundity is wrapped in a heart-felt, sultry package of enemies-to-lovers romance that grabs you from the first page, sets your heart on fire, and leaves you sizzling in the pan. Through the Lens is no value meal; it is the exclusive chef’s table meal created to both ravish and assuage your soul.
Absolutely loved this book!!! It has a mix of the favorite attributes: chemistry, humor and angst! The book touched my heart in the most amazing way and I couldn’t stop my giggling throughout the book! Just loved it!
I was lured in by their snarky verbal battles. Teased by their lusty looks. Turned on by their chemistry. Through the Lens is a flirty fun start to a lifetime of happiness.
Desmond and Mags are one insult away from stripping each others clothes off in the beginning. It’s “hard” not to be drawn to them like a moth to flame. (Yes, I made a hard joke. Guys can’t be the only ones to point it out!)
Fall in love with the unveiled Mags the same way Des does. Learn to open up the way Maggie does and experience the love one fantastic apron at a time!
This talented wordsmith is still fairly new to me, but with each new book of hers I read, I fall more deeply under her spell. Bordering on poetic, her words paint a masterpiece full of every colorful emotion, sentiment and feeling that surround and infuse me, making me happily drown in them. I can’t get enough!
“The slow and sweet lyrics fill the space around us, lifting us above my already foggy state, high above the clouds, until I’m merely floating in dangerous proximity to the rain shower sure to drown us both. But I don’t care, not when his breath hits mine in one final warning, like a crack of thunder before the sky lights up the night.”
Gah! See what I mean? Poetry.
Maggie Stevens and Desmond Blake are both complicated. If they had their way, they would stay out of each others’ orbits, but Maggie’s sister is engaged to Desmond’s best friend. Then there’s the to-close-for-comfort relationship between Maggie’s estranged father and Desmond, who he treats like the son he never had. It’s one thorny, tangled situation that Maggie rightfully resents.
Maggie and Desmond will forever live in my heart as two of my most favorite characters. Their flaws, baggage and vulnerabilities make them relatable to every reader. Their struggles and transparency have a way of drawing you in to their story, making you an integral part, so you’re left with no choice but to feel every one of their emotions as they navigate the road to forever. The push and pull is strong between these two, and the tension is deliciously electric.
This book is impossible to put down. It gives so much insight into the challenges of a realistic relationship and the beauty that happens when a person changes and grows, taking control of their destiny. As heartfelt as it is inspiring, this exquisitely penned, phenomenal story is sure to captivate every reader!
I haven’t read all of Ms. Allen’s books but I’ve read enough to know that I adore this woman and her writing! I LOVED this book and I love Maggie and Desmond. I adore them! And this story. And just, omg! I’m kind of speechless if you can’t tell! But I fell right into this book and I couldn’t put it down! I just, so much love for this book!!
4.5*
**Thanks to Social Butterfly PR and the author for the ARC which was provided to me and I volunteered to leave an unbiased review**
This was my first K.K. Allen book and if this writing is anything to go by then I will be devouring everything I can get my hands on as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Right from the start Desmond and Maggie do not like each other. It’s safe to say this is an enemies to lovers story done so darn well.
Both Desmond and Maggie have had it rough in the past. I can feel all the emotions from the characters bleed off the page. I loved it so much.
The chemistry between them both is undeniable and off the charts, right from the start.
I really enjoyed this. It’s pretty low on the angst but the journey of the relationship both with each other and themselves makes this a must read.
*5+ Stars-A delicious read!*
Through the Lens is K.K. Allen at her best!
After meeting Maggie in Under the Bleachers, I have been dying for her story. This book can be read as a complete standalone but I can promise you will want to go back and read the entire series of standalones, starting with Up in the Treehouse. These characters, this world, and their stories will hold a special place in my heart forever.
Maggie and Desmond’s journey to a happily ever after is not an easy one as they both have to come to terms with finding themselves. Their enemies-to-lovers banter and their fiery chemistry that exploded when they finally got together was perfect! I loved watching them connect in an undeniable way and help each other find out who they really are. Their relationship was beautiful to watch bloom from snarky enemies to soul mate lovers.
As a lover of this entire series, I ate up the moments where characters from the previous two books, Gavin and Chloe, and Zach and Monica, made an appearance. Is it too soon to go back and binge read the entire series from the beginning?
If you’re looking for an emotional, sweet, heartfelt, page turner, look no further. Grab this book up right now!
I have been excited for this story for a while and let me tell you, K.K. Allen did not disappoint with this one. The feels. OMG the raw emotions and the feels that you have bleeding off the pages from both Maggie and Desmond. I adored the concept of this one. I mean, photography and food? My favorite things aside from books! But how they play off each other throughout this story was brilliant. The angst. The passion. Everything. The way that Maggie gives Desmond a run for his money was epic. They played so well off of each other! But you could not deny the sizzle between them. My heart ached for them. But I adored how they overcome things thrown at them. It is a beautiful story and one of the best from Allen to date!
A brand new enemies-to-lovers from KK Allen!
I was very excited to read this story about Maggie and Desmond. This book had everything that I could relate to, cooking, photography and the modeling world. When Maggie has a fall from grace and is living with her sister licking her wounds, she begins taking cooking classes with the gorgeous, infuriating Desmond. Immediately the sparks begin to fly between the two, and no one can deny the chemistry. I really love good tension between the two main characters because it makes it all the more explosive when they get together. Both of them have secrets they hide and once the walls are down, its clear they are more alike than they think. Maggie is still camera shy, but with Desmond by her side she is learning she can do almost anything. I enjoyed this read a lot, it was low on the angst, but high on self discovery.
Desmond and Maggie captured my heart. This is such a feel-good story that doesn’t bring much drama. The obstacles in the story come from the main characters themselves. They each have childhoods they’re trying to escape and grow into themselves. In despising each other, they actually find what they need. The story flows so well that it was hard to imagine it isn’t real.