Hot Under Pressure (Recipe for Love, #6)

by Louisa Edwards

[Cocktails and Books]

If you've read any of Louisa Edwards' Rising Star Chef series, you know that Henry Beck (Beck as he's known to his fellow chefs) is a man of few words. He was the quiet, broody guy that stood in the back that generally added one word responses to a conversation.

As the series moved along and more characters were introduced, we found that Beck had a weakness and that weakness happened to be a chef on the West Coast team. She caused more emotions from him than any of his co-workers from Lunden's had ever seen. It was that emotion from the big silent man that had me sure that his book in the series was going to be the one that I loved.

Beck was raised in Oakland through the foster care system after his parents died. He was a kid with anger issues but sought peace and belonging from the one person that made an 18 year old boy feel special...Skye Gladwell.

Skye was raised by hippie parents who were so wrapped up in themselves and each other they never really had time for her. When she met Henry, she too found the one person that made her comfortable with herself and felt loved and wanted. But when two young and inexperienced kids, who lack a lot of confidence in what they're doing, suddenly need to deal with very real issues things don't always turn out the way we envision or plan.

Beck and Skye may have thought they dealt with their outstanding issues ten years ago by separating, but the minute the book starts we can see they are in for a very bumpy ride. While they deny it, their feelings for each other are just as strong as they were when they first came together and that confuses Skye and makes Beck determined to have one last night with his "wife". Their emotions are raw and their hurt is tangible as they try to deal with what was to get to a point where they can move forward.

Beck and Skye's romance is the only relationship to find some closure. Kane Slater and Claire Durand, finally, lay it all out in the open. I love it when the older, refined woman admits that she likes it down and dirty with the sexy rock star. He's just enough to loosen that stiffness right out of her.

A fantastic ending to a wonderful series. Louisa Edwards had just the right mix of steam and emotion with this one. My favorite of the series.