I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Cocky Chef and I LOVED it!!
I’ve been a fan of JD’s since his first release and in my opinion, this is his best book yet.
If I didn’t know that he used to work in the corporate world, I would assume he had been a chef.
The foodgasms he caused by expertly describing the entrees and sides were so on point, I’m thinking his next release should be a recipe book called “ALPHArodisiac Spreads”.
The sexy times scenes were painted so vividly, they were just as drool worthy.
While reading the book, I couldn’t decide if I was in the mood to seduce my husband or lick the beaters on my mixer.
The story is about Cole Chambers, chef and owner of the hottest restaurant in LA called, Knife.
He’s also a well known TV personality from a show where he taught ex-convicts how to cook professionally.
He’s very particular in not only his recipes, but in every facet of life.
Willow, Knife’s newest chef, moved to L.A. from Idaho after her own restaurant failed.
When she couldn’t locate an ingredient for one of Cole’s recipes, she took it upon herself to find a substitute.
This makes Cole angry at first, but later, he becomes fascinated with not only her looks, but her passion for creating unforgettable food.
One of my favorite qualities about JD as a writer is his efficient use of adjectives that describe the character, sets the mood and sucks you into the scene.
From page 1, the story grabs you right away with well chosen words.
You instantly understand who/what/why/where Cole is at the present and by describing his restaurant, “The hardships that glued the bricks together. The betrayals, broken friendships and resilient determination that laid its foundation.” touches on what has happened to him in the past.
My favorite books are the ones that jump right into the action without a chapter or two of fluff.
When I love a book, I tend to be a little wordy and overuse commas and run-on sentences so I’m going to use bullet points for the other things I adored ~
* Cole is a cocky, arrogant alpha, but as we get to know him and he opens up about his past, you learn he can be a playful, heart melting guy who isn’t emasculated or intimidated by a strong female character and isn’t afraid to share his feelings.
* I loved Willow. She’s strong, smart, passionate and doesn’t back down from what she believes. She’s a badass in the kitchen and is never a doormat.
Here’s a good example about concise, but descriptive adjectives in the description of Willow – “Doe-brown eyes set in an oval shape, lips that pout like they’re mid-kiss, and a slightly upturned nose so demurely imperfect that only an artist could have made it.”
* Even the intimate moments had some great poetic descriptors – ”I pull her lips to mine, taste them softly like a chardonnay, swirling tongues in each other’s mouths.” and “thick with the whole evening’s worth of desire.” (I’ll let you guess what was thick)
* I also loved the great secondary characters. Tony, Willow’s long time fellow chef friend and Chloe, the young girl Cole mentors from a Young Chefs program were both colorful and full of personality.
* Without spoilers, I loved the anticipatory anxiety of how the story was unfolding and how I couldn’t turn off my Kindle until I found out what happens.
* Lastly, I loooooove the book cover.
Goodreads link to review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2035082215
Dirty Blonde Books 