Reviewed by True

TITLE: Summer Kisses

SERIES: Kiss Me #2

AUTHOR: Charlie Novak

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 226 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2021

BLURB:

Two chefs. Two summers. One shot at a second chance.

Aaron’s Plan
Then:
1. Get a better job
2. Learn more skills
3. Get money for restaurant
4. Don’t fall in love with Josh

Now:
1. Finesse menu
2. Stop being angry at Josh
3. Swear less (Ben’s idea)
4. Stop wanting to kiss Josh
5. Get Michelin stars
6. Stop being in love with Josh

Josh’s Plan
Then:
1. Start new job
2. Try not to burn out
3. Don’t fall in love with Aaron
4. Seriously. Don’t. It will only end badly…

Now:
1. Survive the summer
2. Get a new job?
3. Don’t get involved with Aaron again
4. Don’t think about kissing him
5. Don’t think about his smile
6. Don’t think about how much you still love him

Summer Kisses is a 78,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring two chefs with a complicated history, clashing egos, cheese toasties, and two summers that will change everything. It is part of the Kiss Me series and can be read as a standalone.

Content Warning: This novel contains mentions of drug use and issues of alcohol abuse.

REVIEW:

What a wonderful narrative! The main characters Aaron and Josh, are two strong-headed, rude-mouthed men.
The story takes place over a period of more than ten years, with a good purpose, and is quite well done.

Ben and Aaron own and run The Pear Tree pastry restaurant. We already met them in Strawberry Kisses, the story about Patrick and Connor. That story was as sweet as the title, this one is a bit different. It’s harsh and has two stubborn rough talking guys as main characters.

It starts in 2020, where Josh and Aaron collide at a certain point, then the story went back to where it all began in 2012. After that, it jumps through time, back to 2020.

Josh works for The Pear Tree, in other words, also for Aaron. They have a past, a hard one. Josh left Aaron years before, they lived the path of destruction with alcohol and drugs.
But fate had other plans, Josh ends up working as a chef at Ben’s and Aaron’s restaurant.

They throw out thousands of curses and f-words at each other, there is hurt and frustration.
But there is also respect and hard work, there is healing, and deep feelings are involved.
Between the lines of all the rough, tough, rude talking, there is some honest sweetness and romantic gestures. My heart did strange things watching the two men.
I adored the protagonists, when they showed their vulnerability they showed also their kindness and beautiful hearts.
The parts about cooking and food were awesome, I loved it all.
The author did a great job with the timeline, back and forth it painted the whole picture clear.
Both men were meant for each other.
Overall a more than wonderfully layered story, consistently written, captivating, and hugely enjoyable!

RATING:

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