The Official Description: Life never tasted so good.
Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.
But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s sick.
Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cup of joe.
As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
My thoughts bit: This story has everything that a romance novel should have. When Clancy and Miller meet, they are on a foodie adventure of a lifetime. Miller has decided that he wants to revisit all of his favorite restaurants and he takes Clancy along with him. There’s an instant connection between the two men because Miller realizes quickly that Clancy is non-nonsense and genuinely interested in the experience.
Reyne has made an art of writing sexual tension. This book is a really long, slow, tasty build up. The instant chemistry is written marvelously and the relationship might be fast but it feels real enough to be tantalizing and enjoyable. The first kiss is a scorcher, and I was just about as invested in the relationship as Clancy was by that point!
Some of this made me tear up… but I can forgive the author for that because we all know going into a Carina press romance that there will be a happy ending.
This subject matter might be difficult for some people. There’s a lot of Miller contemplating his existence as he struggles to come to terms with an illness that could be not only career-ending but life-ending. Please keep that in mind when choosing this book. The end is worth it… the struggle these two characters deal with is heart-achingly worth it.
The warnings bit: Please be aware, I’m by no means an expert on what may or may not have the potential to disturb people. I simply list things that I think a reader might want to be aware of. In this book: discussion of a fatal illness, discussion of past death, the progression of an illness, discussions about cancer.
Readalikes: Other stories that are similar or give the same feel
- The Magpie Lord (A Charm of Magpies #1) by K.J. Charles
- Glitterland (Glitterland #1) by Alexis Hall
- The Soldier’s Scoundrel (The Turner Series #1) by Cat Sebastian
I received an ARC of Dine With Me by Layla Reyne from HARLEQUIN – Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Kinzie Things 