Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: 45 and Holding

AUTHOR: Jacki James & Jill Wexler

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 199 pages

RELEASE DATE: September 26, 2018

BLURB:

Empty Nest meets Mid-life Crisis

When widower Scott Anderson’s daughter goes off to college, he finds himself alone for the first time in as long as he can remember. With his primary role no longer being “Claire’s dad,” he realizes he isn’t sure who he is or what he wants out of life.
For Craig Baker, a mid-life crisis crept up on him in the form of restlessness that a new Jeep didn’t solve. Just as he’s contemplating getting a tattoo to try and shake himself out of this funk, he meets an old classmate who is in the same boat.
They’re both trying to figure out who they are at the age of forty-five. For one man, there’s a slow realization that maybe he doesn’t need something to cure the restlessness, but someone.
For the other man, it’s the discovery of a new side to himself and the willingness to embrace it.
And for both of them, it’s realizing that mid-life means you still have half your life left so you might as well live it.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Feeding the Soul

SERIES: Souls of Chicago #1

AUTHOR: Annabella Michaels

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 246 pages

RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2016

BLURB:

Giovanni Romero had been dealt his fair share of heartbreak throughout his thirty years, including losing his beloved parents in a horrible car accident. After suffering yet another devastating loss, he decided to chase his dream of opening his own restaurant and was soon the proud owner of Romero’s, a hugely successful and critically acclaimed Italian restaurant, nestled in the heart of Chicago.

Knowing that one more blow to his heart could destroy him, Giovanni had built walls up around his heart to protect himself. He has created strict rules for himself about the men he sleeps with, which include never exchanging names and absolutely no repeat performances. That is until he meets a young man who he finds impossible to forget.

After spending the last few years travelling throughout Europe and The Mediterranean, working as an apprentice to some of the world’s top chefs, 23-year-old Caleb Greene was finally moving back home. While he had enjoyed his studies, he couldn’t wait to reunite with his big, crazy, loving family; especially his twin brother, Carter. Most importantly, he hoped to finally begin his career working as the head chef for Chicago’s most prestigious Italian restaurant, Romero’s.

After a night of celebration with Carter, Caleb finds himself in a rare position, going home with a tall, dark and sexy stranger. Caleb had never had a one night stand before, but there was something about the man that drew him in. Unfortunately, the man insisted they could only be together for one night.

Unable to get the intriguing young man off his mind, but resolved to let him go, Giovanni is shocked to find that Caleb has been hired as his new head chef. Working in such close proximity to each other, could he keep his carefully erect walls in place and protect his heart or would Caleb have the strength to tear those walls down, setting Giovanni free?