Review: Can't Stand the Heat by Louisa Edwards

Can't Stand the Heat (A Recipe for Love Novel)
Louisa Edwards
St. Martin's Press
Sept 1st, 2009
ISBN: 9780312356491

SHE'S HUNGRY FOR EXPERIENCE.

For sharp-tongued food critic Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s [LE1] kitchen to write an exposé is a journalistic dream come true. Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on at his trendy Manhattan restaurant. But she never expected Adam to find out her most embarrassing secret: she has no idea how to cook.

AND HE KNOWS JUST HOW TO SATISFY HER CRAVINGS...

Adam’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring. He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own—teaching her what it means to cook with passion…and doing more with his hands than simply preparing sumptuous food.

Miranda Wake is a food critic hungry to write a book. And when the opportunity to spend a whole month inside premiere restaurant, Market, presents itself, she's definitely not about to say no. She wants to learn what really goes on behind the scenes and Adam Temple, the chef of Market, isn't about to stop her. But she didn't bank on was Adam founding out that while she might be a food critic, she doesn't know how to cook. Adam's resigned to have to put up with Miranda until this crazy dare is over. But when he founds out she can't cook, he's determined to give her a few private lessons. And if things get a little hot, well, if you can't stand the heat, get out of kitchen!

Can't Stand the Heat is a steamy contemporary romance. From the beginning, the chemistry between Adam and Miranda was sizzling hot and great to read. I think they are awesome together. Adam's a very passionate person while Miranda's more on the practical side and they balanced each other beautifully. While the circumstances they meet under isn't the greatest, but certainly the funniest, they see past that and find someone they could deeply care about in each other.

There's a secondary plot line which is Jess's dilemma. Jess is Miranda's little brother and he just left his college and showed up at Miranda's unannounced and unwilling to completely explain what happened that made him leave. Jess has a big secret to spill to his big sister but he's not ready yet. I really liked reading about Jess. He's a broke college student who's dealing with something big and I think he does it admiringly. I really doubt another 20-year-old could have done it as well. And his story only added more realness to the story.

Can't stand the heat is a funny, lovable story about two unlikely people falling for each other. The plot, characters, and setting comes together to form a wonderful, light-hearted, culinary romance that is a blast to read and I can't wait for the next Recipe for Love novel!

[Original review posted on NOR]