You're the One

April 29, 2013
Kaye's second Bad Boys of Red Hook contemporary (after Back to You) pairs sexy vintner Logan Blaise and chef Skye Maxwell in an unappealing, coincidence-laden story. Logan returns to his Brooklyn roots to find his adoptive father quite ill and unable to run his restaurant, the Crow's Nest. Logan must fill in as manager until Pop gets back on his feet. When the chef suddenly decamps for a family emergency, Logan is left adrift for the next dinner rush. Skye, who is fleeing a family restaurant legacy as she strives to make it on her own merits rather than her famous family name, just happens to be wandering the somewhat disreputable Red Hook neighborhood and stumbles across the "help wanted" sign. The usual passions stir, and awkward subplots waylay the couple. Wooden dialogue and a few too many deus ex machina moves create a skeptical distance. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

May 1, 2013
Logan Blaise comes home to Red Hook, Brooklyn, to keep an eye on his sick father and the family restaurant and ends up falling in love with the talented but secretive chef he hires. This is the second installment of Kaye's Red Hook trilogy (Back to You, 2012). Logan's life is easygoing and uncomplicated. He runs a San Francisco vineyard; he's engaged to the owner's daughter; and no one makes any emotional demands on him. But when he comes back to Red Hook to keep the family restaurant going while his brother Storm is on his honeymoon, things get complicated. The chef quits with no notice, and at first, Logan considers it a miracle that Skye, an amazing replacement, walks in off the street as soon as he posts the sign. Unfortunately, she's beautiful, full of secrets and the first woman ever to make him believe he's capable of falling in love. Forced by his attraction and newly discovered emotions to break it off with his fiancee, Logan then has to convince Skye that he's worth the risk while trying to figure out what she's hiding. Turns out she's from San Francisco, too, from a veritable restaurant dynasty, determined to make it in her own restaurant kitchen, on her own merits and away from her paternalistic family. Navigating meddling friends, angry families and a skittish Skye, Logan must gain her trust in spite of obstacles in his path. Good thing he's discovered his heart; Skye's the one he's determined to give it to. While the book's concept is strong, and there are plenty of romance fans who will enjoy the sparks flying and the sexy attraction between Skye and Logan, there are too many missed opportunities to show growing trust and emotional connection. Also, the condescending tone of the female characters continually putting up with the idiotic antics of their male counterparts grows thin. An adequate effort for the right romance audience but a step down from Back To You.

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Starred review from June 1, 2013
When each of Skye Maxwell's three brothers reaches the age of 30, their father gives them their own restaurants. When Skye reaches this magic age, her dad merely promotes her to business manager. Enraged by the unequal treatment and sexist reasoning behind his decision, Skye leaves for New York without letting her family know where she's going, and gets a job as a head chef in Red Hook. Much to her surprise, she's working for famous Napa Valley winemaker Logan Blaise, who has come home to take care of the family restaurant while his father recuperates from heart problems. Logan doesn't know what to make of this beautiful, talented, mysterious chef. But what Logan does know is that he's very attracted to her. Readers will also fall for the spunky Skye, and Kaye's luscious descriptions of food and chef menus are a great touch as she continues her engaging Bad Boys of Red Hook series (Hometown Girl and Back to You, both 2012).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)