Too Hot To Touch by Louisa Edwards

Too Boring to Read
1 Star

Max Lunden is a fantastically talented chef and a major hunk to boot. He’s never been able to settle down and prides himself on never staying in one place too long. But when problems at the family restaurant in New York call him home he realises things have definitely changed since he was there last.

Juliet Cavanaugh loves the Lunden family and the restaurant she now calls home. There’s no way she’s going to let some other chef come in and take over – even if he is the gorgeous Max that she had a crush on as a young girl. Now the pair must work together to win a cooking competition and it’s not just the kitchen that will be heating up.


I started reading this book and after three nights of reading before bed I realised I hadn’t moved past page 45. It really should tell you something when sleep sounds like more fun than continuing a book. To put it bluntly – I was bored.

The characters were one dimensional, boring and yet still managed to irritate and annoy me. Well, to be fair, Juliet was so bland that I barely even remembered her from one page to the next. I know this is down to personal preference of what you like in a hero but I just couldn’t like Max either, I’m afraid. He was cocky, smarmy and far too self absorbed for my tastes.

I’ve never really watched any of those American chef competitions like the one described in this book but if I had liked the other elements then I’m sure that wouldn’t have mattered one jot. I just couldn’t get into the competition and the passion and excitement was missing. The author just didn’t sell it to me, I’m afraid.

I know I’ve been pretty harsh about this book but that’s simply because the writing style, story and characters just really weren’t to my taste. I will now put the other side of the argument forward and say that I have read of many, many people who not only liked but adored this book and all the things that I wasn’t keen on. I really do hope that you like it if you’ve bought it but unfortunately I just can’t bring myself to recommend it. Not my cup of tea. 1 star.