Author posting and book review of A Kitchen Affair by Carol Preflatish

 

 

Book Blurb:

 

When culinary student Jenny Marshall struggles to pay her tuition, she decides to become a Personal Chef to make ends meet. The most eligible bachelor in town, Derek James, who also happens to be a millionaire, has a crisis. Two days before his Thanksgiving dinner party, his cook has to quit due to a family emergency. Desperate, he hires Jenny to cook for his party and there's chemistry from the start. He likes her, she likes him, but Colleen Michaels, a manager at his company, has set her sights on Derek also and she does everything she can to sabotage his relationship with Jenny. Everyone thinks Colleen is the perfect match for Derek; everyone that is, except Derek. He desperately wants Jenny in his life. However, Colleen has other plans to keep that from happening. What lengths will she go to in order to keep Derek and Jenny apart?

 

 

Angie J's Review:
I received this book from the author for an honest review.

 I received this book from the author and was looking forward to a contemporary romance/suspense book because I tend to read a lot of Paranormal and Erotica.  I was looking for a nice change in my reading.

  The story of Derek and Jenny was a pretty traditional romance novel.  Derek is the town millionaire who every single woman wants to date.  Jenny is a culinary student who is in the right place at the right time.  She gets him to agree to let her cook for a private party.  Derek is interested in her but his overbearing sister sets him up with another women.  I found Derek to be a bit of a wet noodle at times.  He was easily manipulated and pushed around by Colleen (the other woman) and his sister.  I was roaring at him several times wanting him to channel his inner alpha male.  While Jenny gets continually bullied by the "mean" girls.  By the middle of the story, I was glad  Derek realized who and what he wants BUT he has made some not great choices and confesses them to Jenny who then decides she needs to rethink the relationship.  Soooo this relationship doesn't go very smoothly BUT it does make the ending that much better.

The suspense/mystery of the novel had to do with Derek's company.  There is some espionage due to someone telling company secrets.  I wasn't sure exactly who the "spy' was but I did have my suspicions.  The culminating scenes of the book were pretty intense with an attempted murder being made on someone's life. 

All in all I did enjoy the novel.  I think the choices the characters made (ie Derek's playing the field and making mistakes with Colleen while Jenny freezes him out at times) are typical of people in todays society.  Would I recommend this book, sure.  I think if you want a sweet, traditional romance then this book is a great choice for you. 

Author's Posting:



The idea for "A Kitchen Affair" came to me when I was attending a Human Services Conference a few years ago. One of the speakers was talking about the different ways that the different social classes do things. For instance, the higher class might call the auto club when they have a flat tire. Where someone with lesser money would change the tire themselves.

 

I put together my love of cooking and writing and a story was born. One regret I had with the book was that I didn't include some of the recipes at the end of each chapter. So to make up for that, I'd like to share my recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies that Derek buys from Jenny at the bakery. 

2 1/4 cup flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

1-12 oz. Package dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 375° f. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add in the eggs and mix well. Gradually add in the flour mixture and beat well. With a spoon, stir in the chocolate chips until well blended. Drop by a spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly and then remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack to finish cooling.

 

About the Author:

website

http://CarolPre.webs.com

 

http://carolpre.blogspot.com/2013/01/where-to-find-my-book.html

 

 

Facebook Authors Page

 https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolPreflatish   

twitter username

CarolPreflatish

genre

Mystery & Thrillers, Romance, Cooking, Food & Wine

Carol Preflatish knew at an early age that she loved to write. In high school and college, her favorite classes were composition and creative writing. But, it wasn't until after she married and then became a mother that she decided to pursue it seriously and she published her first romantic suspense in 2009. Always loving a good mystery, she's constantly thinking up ideas for future books.

Carol lives in southern Indiana, sharing her log cabin in the woods with her husband and their cat and dog. When not writing, she loves to read, watch football, and go camping with her husband.

 

 

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