Humm... I enjoyed this book but I also found it a bit lacking in some areas. Set about 10 or more years after the terror in France Jacobin flees her uncles house after he bets and looses her in a game of cards. And later flees the position she had found in the palace as a patisserie chef when her uncle is poisoned by a dish that came from the palace kitchen. From there she finds her self as the patisserie in the Earl of Storrington's house hold; ironically the same man who would had won her in the card game. From there a lot of things happen, her uncle recovers but latter ends up shot with Jacobin being the one to discover him and then to be discovered over his body. Then eventually everything works out. Ok first of all Jacobin is almost royalty! Her father was related to the royal family in France and her mother the royal family in England. Why no matter how much her uncle might have disliked her, due to her father or her half French roots, did he not cash in on that fact and give her a season and marry her well? Next, I get the whole I like to cook thing, and while she carries herself well, Jacobin should have been discovered by the servants as not truly being a servant at some point. and then last if only to stop me from going on and on the two servants who helped in almost getting Jacobin killed should have just been sacked and had a much harsher punishment than what was dulled out. Really, oh 'I helped this guy 'cause I just really didn't like so and so girl, and well if she ended up dead then too bad. But snaps she's still alive' Seriously? So yeah over all rating is 2.5, the book was kind of enjoyable but there was so much that was skipped over that could have made for a better story line. Born and raised in France (although English on her mother's side) Jacobin de Chastelux returns to England after her parent's death and in care of her despicable uncle Baron Candover. Playing at cards with Lord Anthony Storrington and down on luck and funds he gambles his last asset - Jacobin. Of course she's none too pleased and high tails it out of dodge with her uncle's pastry chef, and disguised a boy and gains work in the Prince Regent's kitchen. It doesn't take long before finds herself accused of trying to poison her uncle and she's once again on the lam - and offers her pastry skills up to the very man she'd run from in the first place - Anthony.Anthony doesn't fall for the boy get-up and falls into immediate lust with Jacobin and will do anything to protect her from the law while our intrepid pair try to solve the mystery of who is trying to kill her uncle. There's also a sub-story of Anthony’s desire for revenge against Candover along with a mystery involving the death of his mother. You should be able to figure out most of it lickety-split. No big surprises here.While the book started off a bit fun and I did enjoy all the food references and pastry descriptions (I swear my blood sugar levels went up just thinking about them), it quickly dissolved into a bit of a silly mess. I did like Jacobin’s character and she was definitely a better-than-your-average-romance-heroine, but as other reviewers have noted Anthony could have used a strong infusion of alpha male and less milk-toast mushiness. Although certainly tame compared to other romance novels, the sex scenes got a bit odd at times, especially the pretend we're at the opera while I pleasure you from behind bit (you had to be there). It's a light fluffy read if you want to kill a few hours with some brain candy (pun intended) but not one that's going to linger on your keeper shelf either. 2.5/5 stars - I'm giving an extra half star just because Neville did spare me another volcano of honey moment. Thank goodness for small miracles :p
What do You think about Never Resist Temptation (2009)?
Historical romance/mystery and food. Can't get better.
—gela88
