Review: All the Way – Jennifer Probst

The food critic…

Miranda Storme never expected to see Gavin Luciano again. Three years ago, they had an intense affair—and then he bolted. Now he’s back, and Miranda has the pleasure of a little payback: a scathing review of his restaurant. Revenge is a dish best served the first chance you get…

And the restaurateur…

With three months to make his family’s struggling Italian restaurant successful, a bad review is Gavin’s worst nightmare. But this isn’t just about the meal. He’s finally realized what he left behind and is determined to spend the next eight weeks proving himself to her in the kitchen…and in the bedroom! This is one dish she won’t be able to refuse…

Series:
Release Date:  March 4, 2013
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing
Source:  Provided by Publisher
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

The last place Miranda Stowe expected to find Gavin Luciano was in the middle of Mia Casa while she she having dinner with her best friend.  Seeing Gavin brought up all the ugly memories of how he left and what she had to deal with afterwards.  She uses her job as a food critic to get her ultimate revenge, but she learns that Gavin isn’t going to give up that easily.

Three years ago, Gavin abruptly left Miranda for a job in Europe.  Temporarily home to help save his family’s restaurant from bankruptcy, Gavin also planned on finding a way to apologize to Miranda and prove to her she meant more to him than just a brief affair.  But Gavin has his work cut out for him, because Miranda is not the same woman he left behind and this one isn’t going to let him off that easy.

This was a cute story, but I wasn’t really in love with the characters the way I wanted to be.  Miranda was just a bit too cold (and down right nasty when she ran into her arch nemesis in restaurants) to make me want Gavin to fight for her.  I understood why she was that way, but it was just too much of a change from how she used to be.

Then there was Gavin.  Sometimes he was just a little too wishy washy for me.  He wanted to help his family, yet he was ready to flee in a matter of weeks.  He wanted to win Miranda back, yet he was leaving for China in a few weeks.  With all his contemplations in India and his realization that he loved Miranda, he didn’t come to the conclusion that he wanted to be back in New York?

I enjoyed the foodie part of the story and LOVED Gavin’s father and his gang of old croonies.  I love how Gavin’s dad quoted Sinatra and how he and his friends would fight over the rat pack.  They were charming and brought back memories of my childhood growing up with my Italian grandfather playing Dean and Frank.

Cocktail Recipe

Limoncello

15 thick skinned lemons
2 (750 ml) bottles 100% proof vodka
4 cups sugar
5 cups water

Directions

1. Wash the lemons well with a vegetable brush and hot water to remove any residue of pesticides or wax.
2. Pat the lemons dry.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the lemons.
4. If you do get some of the pith with the zest, carefully scrape it away with the tip of a knife.
5. Fill the jar with one bottle of the vodka and the zest.
6. Cover the jar and let it sit forty days at room temperature in a dark cabinet.
7. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, bring it to a boil and cook until thickened, about five minutes.
8. Let the syrup cool before adding it to the limoncello mixture, along with the other bottle of vodka.
9. Cover and return to the cupboard for another 40 days.
10. Strain the limoncello into bottles and discard the lemon zest.
11. Store them in a cupboard or the freezer.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/limoncello-lemoncella-13264?oc=linkback