Title: Rules of the Chef
Series: Southern Charm 01
Author: Nicole Dennis
Genre: contemporary
Length: Novel (211 pages)
ISBN: 9780857156792
Publisher: Totally Bound (March 21st 2014)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Cat
Blurb: When hotelier Samuel Ashford arrives to change things, Southern Charm chef Dakota Mitchell fights against it and nothing will be the same.
Learning about the sale of his beloved home – The Southern Charm, chef and co-owner Dakota Mitchell is having a hard time with the potential changes. He wants nothing else to alter.
Chosen by his family’s company Ashford Hotels to re-create the Charm into the latest chain of boutique hotels, Samuel Ashford enters the Deep South. Inside the overgrown, run down appearance, he learns the Charm is run by people who care and love the building, the delicious food, and their guests.
Can these two put aside differences and arguments to save the Charm? Even if it means they find a little love along the way.
Purchase Link: https://www.totallybound.com/rules-of-the-chef
Review: Southern Charms is a quaint little bed and breakfast sitting on the gulf coast. Business has taken a major hit from the hurricanes and the oil spill. Though the spill is clean, tourists still haven’t begun the trek back to the out-of-the-way and quaint resort. The only thing keeping it alive is the restaurant that is part of the hotel.
Dakota is the chef and co-owner of Southern Charms. Charms is his life and home and he is very unhappy with the sale of the hotel half by his best friend Edward. When the new co-owner and business partner comes in, Dakota is not very accepting or helpful at all.
Samuel Ashford is sent to see if the business is worth saving and able to be the first of his Mother’s new adventures in adding smaller boutique hotels to their chain. This is his first real solo venture and he really wants to impress his father, who really thinks it’s best to let it go and shut it down.
This is the first book in the series and wow what a setup. We are introduced to numerous, fabulous potential bearing characters, a beautiful, charming setting, and plots galore. There is lots of action in this first story, a little mystery and some steaming hot man-sex. I was so into the book, the sudden ending surprised me. Good thing I already have the next! You won’t want to put it down once you start.
I will say I would have labelled this as a serial instead of series since there was a point not quite resolved. Having said this I figure it will be resolved eventually and it does help make you want to go forward. I personally would have liked this one point settled in this particular story though. Having said that, it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book.
I love the chemistry between Samuel and Dakota. It’s not a love at first sight story. I can’t wait to see all the other characters find love.
If you like intriguing series, sexy characters, chefs, businessmen, romance, conflict, a bit of mystery, and some really steamy man-sex this is definitely for you!