On the Steamy Side Book Review *Louisa Edwards*

Devon Sparks is a narcissist. Perhaps the reason is because he’s handsome, very rich and admired. Devon is a celebrity who owns a slew of very successful restaurants and is the Cooking Channel’s mega superstar with his very popular show, One-Night Stand with Devon Sparks. Cooking is in Devon’s blood and the brash, curses like a truck driver chef is feeling down and out. He has a near perfect life but is feeling antsy and wants the respect of the culinary world, but is afraid of becoming a brand and a tabloid sensation. He also doesn’t have many friends and has cut himself off from his family mainly because of his father who always treated him badly. As he’s drowning his sorrows at a dive bar, where he ends up firing his publicist, he meets a woman who will change his life in so many ways.

Former high school teacher, Lilah Jane Tunkle up and left her life in Virginia. She has come to the Manhattan to start anew and for the moment lives with her oldest and dearest friend from childhood, Grant Holloway who’s the manager at Market, an all-organic restaurant, coincidentally owned by Devon’s former executive chef Adam Temple. Lilah has no clue about this and neither does Devon. Because Lilah wants some excitement in her life, she goes home with Devon and has a one night stand with him. She's totally unaware of who Devon really is and thinks they will never meet again, especially in a place as big as New York City.

Devon can’t get Lilah out of his mind and both are in for a shock because the next day they see each other at Market. Grant got her a job there and Devon is taking over as Executive Chef for two weeks while Adam is away on some much needed R&R with his girlfriend Miranda. Adam’s staff is less than thrilled with working with Devon because he acts like a diva most of the time. Devon is overcome with jealousy because he thinks Grant is Lilah’s boyfriend, and it irks him when Grant calls her Lolly. Devon wants Lilah to be his very special Lolly.

The first night of dinner service is a train wreck and Devon fires Lilah from her job bussing tables. Lilah thinks Devon is a major jerk like all the rest of the Market staff, but can’t help her crazy attraction to him. And when a police officer arrives one night with a ten year old boy named Tucker, who happens to be the son Devon barely sees, he looks to Lilah to take care of Tucker for the month he’s in his care while Tucker’s mom is away at rehab. Lilah is thrilled by the idea and hopes to build a bond between Devon and Tucker that’s been missing. Soon Devon, Tucker and Lilah act like a true family and secretly Devon never wants it to end. But then Lilah goes a bit too far with contacting Devon’s own family he’s estranged from and he goes back to his old insulting ways to cope. But Lilah has seen the scared and lonely man he hides inside and won’t leave without showing him how great of a father he can be, including using his skills for something more fulfilling in life.

On the Steamy Side is a loopy, adorable fantastic contemporary romance that I ate up from beginning to end. This is one of those reads where the quirky and sweet heroine has a break through with the jerk hero who in turn becomes a better person because of it. Some readers are not going to warm up to Devon right away because he has a very high opinion about himself. This is because of his role as a larger than life celebrity, combined with his insecurities due to his issues with his father. Lilah brings him down a few pegs, as in holding up a mirror to his face and pointing out both his good and bad traits and how to combine them to make him change his way of thinking.

Louisa Edwards doesn’t sugar coat things between Devon and Tucker. Devon knows he’s been a bad father and buys his son’s love with expensive gift. Again because of Lilah, who reminded me of an angel come down to heaven to show Devon the errors of his way, pokes at him to work on this much needed father and son relationship.

The secondary characters are some of the best I’ve read in a long while. There is a tender, somewhat heartbreaking romance with Frankie a foul mouth, smoking Brit channeling Johnny Rotten, who’s a cook at Market and the innocent looking Jess who’s Miranda’s brother. Frankie is older then Jess and feels he has nothing to offer him. Their relationship was a welcomed one and written in such a way where more traditional readers will enjoy a loving gay relationship. Grant has a bit of a mystery surrounding him in regards to the bartender Devon recently hires. This is another relationship I can’t wait to see evolve over the next few books.

On the Steamy Side doesn’t have many “steamy” love scenes between Devon and Lilah, but just enough tension and subtle intimacies where there’s a nice balance. The snappy, fun loving dialogue and overall comradery with this cast of character makes for great reading.

Louisa Edwards is up there with Julie James and Erin McCarthy as my favorite contemporary romance authors. Welcome to this talented club Louisa, where I can’t wait for your next hot cookin’ romance. (St. Martin’s)

Final Grade: B+

Louisa's third book, Just One Taste will be released from St. Martin's on August 31st.

A few other On the Steamy Side reviews:
Dear Author
Everybody Needs a Little Romance
Romance Readers Choice