Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Insatiable
SERIES: Vino & Veritas Book #11
AUTHOR: Rhys Everly
PUBLISHER: Heart Eyes Press
RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2021
LENGTH: 187 pages
BLURB:
It was just a bet . . . until feelings got involved.
This job sucks but someone’s got to do it. My readers expect me to chronicle my very real, very steamy encounters in my novels. I’d never want to disappoint my fans, but the creative well has run a bit dry. Burlington, Vermont, seems like a good place to fill it up. This town offers a tempting array of artists, craftsmen, farmers, lumbersexuals . . . and so many beards.
But no one prepared me for Brody. He’s young. He’s hot. He’s definitely a grump. And he’s getting under my skin. Where I want him is under my bed sheets.
When my friend bets I’ll never be able to get Brody there, I make winning my mission. Turns out being with Brody is more than a plot device. He’s so very wrong for my life . . . but is he right for my heart?
Insatiable is a standalone book in the Vino & Veritas series by Heart Eyes Press and contains a big/small, grumpy/sunshine pairing, a bed-hopping author, a jilted sugarmaker and a reluctant fake relationship.
REVIEW:
Rhys Everly’s Insatiable, the eleventh book in the Vino & Veritas series set in Sarina Bowen’s True North world, takes Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew and gives it a modern spin. Insatiable clearly differentiates itself from its 15th century predecessor, but it is not the first, nor I suspect will it be the last, modern riff on this classic that forms the foundation for the ever popular “bet romance” trope. You know, the ones where the romance is initiated under the guise of some kind of bet or wager, usually where MC1 bets he can get MC2 to date/sleep with/marry him. Then, predictably, despite the best laid plans, they fall in love and the deception comes to light. So while the bet is won, it’s a Pyrrhic victory for MC1.
The takes on this trope are many and varied, but Insatiable tracks a bit closer to the Taming of the Shrew setup because the person making the bet, here Logan, needs to conquer the abrasiveness and hostility of the subject of the bet, Brody. Part of Logan’s challenge is taming Brody’s personality so he can slip in through the cracks he opens up in the tall walls Brody has built around his heart.
Brody and Logan exhibit classic Grumpy/Sunshine personalities. Logan is an uber successful romance writer who has mined his own “romantic” escapades for the plots of his books. He’s outgoing, gregarious and determined, refusing to be put off, especially when he sets his sights on something, or someone. He’s a self-admitted player, arrogantly going from hookup to hookup, knowing he can get anyone he wants. No one has proved otherwise, that is until he meets Brody.
Brody was left at the altar and, understandably, is grieving the loss. He feels empty and numb on the inside, and on the outside, he keeps everyone at arms length through his bitterness and grumpiness. Ironically, when Brody clashes with Logan, it’s probably the most alive Brody has felt of late. His inner fire sparks, his temper rises and his patience snaps. And for Logan, it’s a similar feeling, waking him up from the routine his life has become.
I will admit that Logan’s indefatigable pursuit of Brody really abraded my sensibilities, at least initially. Brody is like a wounded animal trying to recover and Logan’s pursuit just felt selfish and insensitive. That of course changes as we start to see the true Logan appear from under the layers of artifice he’s projected about who he is.
Logan is actually just as lonely as Brody, and his constant conquests have lost their appeal. He’s realizing he wants substance, something lasting, and Brody is the one that shows him what that feels like.
The fake boyfriend scenario overlays the bet when Logan steps up and pretends to be Brody’s boyfriend in response to Brody’s despicable ex-fiance, Theo, sniffing around looking to reclaim what he threw away. All of Brody’s fire, spark and sass disappear when Theo is around. He freezes, not knowing how to react. Logan’s fake boyfriend act helps him save face and snaps Brody out of his stupor.
While the storyline follows a predictable course, Mr. Everly builds in some unexpected twists and turns. The writing is terrific, humorous at times, heartbreaking at others. But the highlight of the book is Brody and Logan themselves.
Mr. Everly thoroughly develops complicated and fascinating facets of their respective personalities and shows how these two men fit, despite all their differences. Notably, Mr. Everly packs emotional poignancy into scenes I expected to be trite, which pleasantly surprised me. Interestingly, you have to wonder who really is being “tamed” here. While Logan is trying to break through Brody’s defenses, Brody is unknowingly breaking Logan from his desire to act as the consummate playboy.
Insatiable does have a few questionable plot points, particularly concerning the Brody/Theo relationship, but it’s easy to overlook them for the greater content which is well written, emotionally impactful, romantic and swoony in all the right places. This is a Vino & Veritas entry you do not want to miss.
RATING: 
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