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?
Age: 32
Date of birth: September 30th
Physical Description: 6’4” tall with an active build, wavy black hair, and bright blue eyes. White man with fair olive-tinted skin.
Occupation: Pastry chef
3 likes in no particular order: Writing fan fiction, paddle boarding, spending time with friends
3 dislikes in no particular order: Conflict, preconceived notions, asking for permission (outside of consent of course)
Drink of choice: Water because I’m so active. Otherwise, beer.
Favorite food: Anything my brothers cook
Favorite song: Beyonce’s Love on Top because it always makes Ryan happy and ready to dance
Choice of transportation: Longboard
Favorite thing about yourself: My ability to go with the flow
Favorite way to spend an evening: Anything outdoors but in the evening sometimes it isn’t a great time to be active outside which is why I love Sound and Cinema. There’s nothing better than being surrounded by friends, engaging with an amazing variety of food, and watching a favorite movie from my childhood.
Favorite book: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin.
Best memory to date: One afternoon I was making cheesecake for the night’s service when Dad introduced the staff to the new assistant manager. That was the day Ryan Landry walked into my life and I’ve been a goner ever since.
Family means to me: I love family but keep them at a distance because my father can be toxic and my brothers competitive. I’m not about that life. Instead, I have the most incredible found family who mean the world to me.
If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently? I don’t have a lot of regrets in life. I try to act with kindness and sympathy with everyone. I suppose maybe I should have told Ryan about my feelings earlier before she put me in the friend zone, but I like the way everything worked out. I wouldn’t want to chance it with a do-over.
What’s something you’ve said you would never do, but in fact have done? Allow my novel to be published. I wrote it just to have that outlet. Stories are always roaming inside my head, and I wrote just for me. I never intended to publish and now I have a multi-book deal. Life is a delightful surprise.
Most romantic gesture (done or received): I’m not sure how romantic I am but I put a lot of thought into Ryan’s birthday present this year. We connect over so many things, but music is a big part of us. So, I made her a modern version of a mix tape.
Words to live by: Always act with kindness and give people the benefit of the doubt until they show you otherwise.
Weston twines his fingers with mine and squeezes ever so gently. He doesn’t speak because we’ve hashed this out before. Just like with Cynthia, no matter what he says or how hard he attempts to reason with me, I’ll always blame myself for being so selfish that I just had to go to that basketball game and wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“You always say I’m a great listener, but it’s really you.”
“You absolutely are.” He sighs and kisses the back of my hand. “And I’m only quiet because I’m powerless to take away all your pain.”
“Well, I appreciate you all the same. They say time heals all wounds, and I suppose that’s true to some extent. Wounds heal, but do they ever disappear completely?” I shrug because I already know the answer to that question. If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget how guilty and helpless I felt the night my parents died.
He rubs fingers over his chest, the tattoo almost completely exposed under his twisted tank. “Maybe not.”
I grab my phone for the time because I probably should go in a little earlier today since I didn’t close last night. I notice a new playlist created by my music app in my notifications and click on it because…why not?
Beyoncé plays first, and I smile, imagining the video complete with top hats and tails. I love that video.
The music sinks into my soul, the rhythm moving my shoulders. Soon my head bounces from side to side, and when Beyoncé hits that chorus, I jump up and move. Arms join shoulders and head, then hips sway, and I can’t help but pop my fingers.
Weston watches me with a wide smile on his face.
I reach for him. “Dance with me?”
His response is to get up and do a little shimmy of his own. He moves in time with the beat, keeping his eyes on me as he dances my way.
I giggle to myself because the brothers would always tease Weston about his dancing, but in reality, neither Declan nor Knox could hold a beat to save their lives and I truly believe they were jealous of Weston’s moves.
He grabs my hand and twirls me, then we dance around the room, moving and swaying with each other in perfect sync, laughing and being silly.
With Weston, I’m floating without a care in the world.
“You always say I’m a great listener, but it’s really you.”
“You absolutely are.” He sighs and kisses the back of my hand. “And I’m only quiet because I’m powerless to take away all your pain.”
“Well, I appreciate you all the same. They say time heals all wounds, and I suppose that’s true to some extent. Wounds heal, but do they ever disappear completely?” I shrug because I already know the answer to that question. If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget how guilty and helpless I felt the night my parents died.
He rubs fingers over his chest, the tattoo almost completely exposed under his twisted tank. “Maybe not.”
I grab my phone for the time because I probably should go in a little earlier today since I didn’t close last night. I notice a new playlist created by my music app in my notifications and click on it because…why not?
Beyoncé plays first, and I smile, imagining the video complete with top hats and tails. I love that video.
The music sinks into my soul, the rhythm moving my shoulders. Soon my head bounces from side to side, and when Beyoncé hits that chorus, I jump up and move. Arms join shoulders and head, then hips sway, and I can’t help but pop my fingers.
Weston watches me with a wide smile on his face.
I reach for him. “Dance with me?”
His response is to get up and do a little shimmy of his own. He moves in time with the beat, keeping his eyes on me as he dances my way.
I giggle to myself because the brothers would always tease Weston about his dancing, but in reality, neither Declan nor Knox could hold a beat to save their lives and I truly believe they were jealous of Weston’s moves.
He grabs my hand and twirls me, then we dance around the room, moving and swaying with each other in perfect sync, laughing and being silly.
With Weston, I’m floating without a care in the world.
Purchase Tastes So Sweet from:
The Everheart Brothers of Texas Series:
An Acquired Taste ~ Review
A Tasty Dish ~ Review
🧁 You can read my 5 star review of Tastes So Sweet here. 🧁
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:
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