Wes Murphy, a graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts should be thrilled about serving his externship at Market, the popular Manhattan restaurant of renowned Chef Adam Temple. But the coveted opportunity is overshadowed by circumstances that may have cost Wes the love of his life.
He becomes smitten by a substitute Food Chem teacher, a beautiful and charmingly nerdy egg-head, and devises an excuse to work closely with her researching aphrodisiac foods. Just as their romance heats up, the school president catches them in a rather compromising position. He gives Wes an ultimatum—leave the academy immediately or the instructor will be fired. Wes is gone the next day.
Doctor Rosemary Wilkins is an instructor at the Academy of Culinary Arts. She’s a former child prodigy who spent much of her childhood traveling with her mother on the book and lecture circuit and taking college level classes. She’s never had friends, or even a proper childhood, preferring academia over personal relationships…until Wes Murphy sweeps her off her feet. So she’s stunned to learn he’s taken a posh externship, leaving the academy practically overnight and sticking her with his dog, Lucille. And his shallow goodbye note was hardly worth the ink or the effort.
Wes makes the best of his Market externship while nursing his broken heart, regretting he’ll never see Rosemary again. She probably hates him, but what choice did he have? The last thing he expects is Rosemary showing up at Market, all business-like, with boisterous Lucille in tow and a research contract in hand.
The classy confines of Market restaurant set the stage for the third of Edwards’ Recipe for Love novels. Once again, there’s conflict flambé in the kitchen where the spirited staff continues to surprise and entertain. Wes and Rosemary are delightfully dysfunctional, while Frankie is determined to drive Jess away even though it’s the last thing either of them wants. And then Market’s turf is threatened when stiff competition eyes the vacant property next door. Excellent presentation of delicate romance served on a bed of crisp dialog drizzled with savory humor. Tasty.
