by: Kelly Cain
Series: The Everheart Brothers of Texas
Genre: Contemporary Multicultural/Interracial Romance
Release Date: August 9, 2022
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Forbidden fruit has never tasted better…
After losing her parents in high school, Ryan Landry grew up fast, solely focusing on supporting her younger twin sisters. With the twins now preparing for college, the financial stakes are raised so Ryan enters a restaurant manager of the year contest. Her chances for the grand prize are strong—after all, she’s the executive manager of Everheart Bar and Fine Dining, which is as famous for its exemplary service as it is for its mouth-watering food.
The only thing standing in her way? The restaurant’s Michelin star patriarch chef. Ryan meets his near-impossible challenges, except this creates another obstacle—increased temptation with her best friend and pastry chef Weston Everheart. She’s fought to keep Weston in the friend zone, because romantic fraternization means immediate firing, and she needs her job and the prize money more than ever.
But when she realizes Weston has also been in love with her for years, it becomes impossible to maintain business as usual. Will Ryan play it safe or finally listen to her heart?
Tastes So Sweet is the third and final book in Kelly Cain’s The Everheart Brothers of Texas series. This is an interracial, workplace, friends-to-lovers romance featuring the sweetest most caring hero and a heroine who feels responsible for everyone around her. While the first and second books (An Acquired Taste and A Tasty Dish) overlap, Tastes So Sweet does not, as it takes place after those books, making this a standalone read. However, previous couples do make a small appearance.
Weston Everheart is the middle child of the three Everheart brothers. He first appeared on the page in An Acquired Taste. I can honestly say, from the second he appeared, I was crazy about him. Weston is literally who book boyfriends aspire to be. He's intuitive, charming, thoughtful, and caring. He's a simple guy who has the patience of a saint. Weston is also conflict-averse. As the middle child, he's used to being the peacemaker and staying in the shadows, often being overlooked by his father and brothers. Weston loves with his whole heart and is sure of his place in the world. He doesn’t need to be the star or center of attention. He’s simply comfortable in his own skin. He's an amazing baker and chef in his own right but downplays just how good he truly is.
Ryan Landry is a woman who feels she needs to carry the world on her shoulders. In her sophomore year of high school, she lost both her parents in a car accident. Though the accident wasn’t her fault, she blames herself. She and her younger twin sisters had to move from Houston to Austin and live with their grandparents. As soon as she was able, Ryan purchased a house and moved her and her sisters out, with the thought that she was solely responsible for them.
For the past four years, Ryan has been the manager of Everheart Bar and Fine Dining, owned by Weston’s father Flynn. The same restaurant where Weston is the pastry chef and his brothers used to work before they finally got fed up with their cold, controlling father and quit. Ryan has a take control, no one can do it better than me personality. This always results in her taking on more than she can handle and hardly ever spending time with the sisters she loves. With the twins being seventeen and preparing for college, Ryan’s latest stress is figuring out how to pay for it, especially since one twin has declared she’s going out of state to an HBU. Since Flynn refuses to give her a raise, Ryan is now pinning all her hopes on Flynn entering her into the National Restaurant Executive of the Year competition and winning. But before he enters her, Flynn has a condition or two.
Ryan and Weston became fast friends, with their attraction for each other just below the surface. Unfortunately, Flynn has a strict no romantic fraternization policy and Ryan attempts to put Weston in the friend zone. Weston loves family, but since he isn’t particularly close to his, he’s good at making friends and creating a found family. That found family includes Ryan’s whole family, who has welcomed him with open arms. Over the years, Weston has slowly chipped away at the walls Ryan has put between them. He gives her little kisses on the forehead or a hug here and there. Through the years, Weston has become a steady, comforting presence in Ryan’s life.
I found Tastes So Sweet to be one of those stories where you just sit back and enjoy the journey the author takes the characters and readers on. The only things sweet about this story are the title, the desserts Weston makes, and him as a friend and boyfriend. I really love these two together. Weston was so full of surprises. I loved the way he was always there to support Ryan. I loved that Ryan, with surprisingly help from Flynn, was able to come to terms with some aspects of her life and finally realize that things won’t fall apart if she isn’t playing puppetmaster.
Bottom line, you need to buy Tastes So Sweet.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“I wish you could see yourself through my eyes.”
“Wounds heal, but do they ever disappear completely?”
“Mourning doesn’t have a timestamp. You can’t run from it, either.”
“I’m only as good to you as you deserve.”
“You’re too good for this world, West.”
**Received a copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.**
Rating: 5
Purchase Tastes So Sweet from:
🧁 You can read more about Weston through his hero profile and read an excerpt of Tastes So Sweet here. 🧁
The Everheart Brothers of Texas Series:
An Acquired Taste ~ Review
A Tasty Dish ~ Review
Kelly writes multicultural romance with determined women directing their own fates, and the swoon-worthy men who adore them. She loves reading most genres but please don’t ask her to pick just one. However, she can pick her favorite book boyfriend – Will Herondale.
When she isn’t reading or writing, Kelly is most likely using a genealogy site to research her extended family, both old and new. Or cooking/baking something delightful.
She has two adult daughters, and a new granddaughter.
She is represented by Amy Brewer at Metamorphosis Literary Agency.
Places to find Kelly Cain:
Love this review so much! And that you're so happy with Weston. He truly is too good for this world.
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