Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Melting For You

SERIES: Neighborhood Shindig #1

AUTHOR: A.M. Arthur

PUBLISHER: Briggs-Kings Books

LENGTH: 137 pages

RELEASE DATE: June 13, 2019

BLURB:

After his father’s heart attack, Isaiah Morrell gave up cooking in his own high-end Atlanta restaurant to return home to Reynolds, North Carolina, in order to help his father Thomas heal and to keep an eye on his business Neighborhood Shindig. A collection of food trucks and other small businesses, Shindig is a popular destination in this college town, but Isaiah longs for the fast pace of a big-city kitchen. Until he meets Joel…

Joel Fisher has been out of commission from a serious illness for the better part of a year, but now he’s ready to reclaim his life—except his apartment has been sublet, his partner is missing, and their shared food truck is stripped of everything not attached. In short, Joel has nothing. After an uncomfortable night sleeping on the food truck floor, Isaiah and Thomas Morrell give Joel an offer he can’t refuse: a rented room in their house, as well as their help creating a new food truck concept. Joel hates accepting charity, but he’s hit rock bottom and has nowhere to go but up.

Working with seemingly uptight Isaiah is actually pretty fun, and the pair bonds over a challenge to create a unique grilled cheese sandwich. Light flirting melts into a deeper connection neither man expects, but Isaiah isn’t in Reynolds for much longer, and Joel can’t get attached to the gorgeous professional chef. As Isaiah’s feelings for Joel strengthen and grow, he entertains the idea of staying in Neighborhood Shindig for good—but Joel hasn’t asked him to…

Welcome to Neighborhood Shindig, a friendly place where you can snack on a lamb kebab while getting your hair done, pick up your favorite herbal tea blend, and then go listen to live music under the pavilion. We’re happy to have you.

REVIEW:

This is going on be another one of those series by A.M. I’m going to love. I can tell. It’s a light read. Now there is a bit of angst here and there, an asshole ex you want to punch, and a whole lot of cheese, which makes everything better. Mmmmmm cheese.

Joel has had one hell of a year. Finally recovering from Lyme disease to a manageable point with his parents help. He finally packs up and moves back to Reynolds only to find, not only does he no longer have an apartment, he has no boyfriend, and a food truck stripped of everything. And that he finds out after he has to beg the owner’s son to come out and let him in to see his truck. Thankfully, Joel and Isaiah kind of know each other, although the last time they saw each other they were kids. When Isaiah hears part of Joel’s story, he’s not happy. Especially when he finds out the next morning, Joel had to sleep in his food truck. Talking to his dad, his dad offers to let Joel stay with them while he’s recovering from his heart attack. And Isaiah really wants to help Joel get back on his feet. He is a chef after all. He should be able to help. Ideas pour in between them and before they know it, things are picking up. But Isaiah finds out some shady things are going on and Joel’s ex has the nerve to show up. Now they have to find their way through what is going on or go their separate ways.

Man, Joel’s life reminds me of that song from HeeHaw. ‘If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.’ But he’s a fighter. He does everything he can to pull himself up from the brink no matter how hard things may be. And it makes him feel better knowing he came back to friends who missed him and cared about him and an ally in someone he never thought he’d have one in. Isaiah. Everyone warned him that Isaiah was kind of snobbish and stuck up but no one was seeing what Joel was seeing. A competitive man, but a compassionate and passionate man as well. Someone loyal with a good heart, who’s been hurt and tired of trying to live in someone’s shadow. They’re good for each other. They both give each other things the other needs without even knowing it. And it just makes them that much better men.

A good start to this series. I’m ready to see which direction it’s going to go now.

RATING: 

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