ARC REVIEW: Impulse Control by Amanda Usen

Title/Series: Impulse Control
Author: Amanda Usen
Publisher: Entangled Indulgence
Published: January 19th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 245
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★ (3/5) Stars!

Amanda Usen | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Survivalist Russ Donovan is the toughest man in America, with a reality TV show to prove it. Now he’s been strong-armed into filming a new show with dainty lifestyle expert Susannah Stone. But while “At Home in the Wild” could mean millions for his family’s charity, Russ plans to put Little Susie Homemaker to the test—in the Adirondack Mountains in the dead of winter. And there's no way she'll be able to hack it...

Susannah is tougher than she looks. She's had to fight her way through life, and there's no way she'll let a bossy mountain man show her up. When she gets him on her turf, he’s in serious trouble. But now she's run into a bit of problem. Because no one—least of all Russ and Susannah—expects sparks to fly both on camera and off. And now everyone will see their risqué rivalry break all of the rules...

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

Have I told you lately just how much I enjoy books where the main characters don't get along/have some sort of rivalry/are enemies before hand?  It always cracks me up and puts a huge smile on my face watching two people with an obvious intense chemistry fight their feelings, and each other. Just reading that blurb let me know that I had to read this book and I did end up enjoying the storyline a lot!

The characters were fun up to a point. Susannah had zero self esteem. Okay I somewhat take that back. When it came to her show At Home and cooking and being a mom she was full of confidence so I really enjoyed her in that aspect. It's just that part of her character's thing is that in her past she was really torn down from a relationship and made to feel unworthy and a failure in basically every other area of her life. And she's one of those women who will bend and reinvent herself to please others. I can't stand women like that. I always feel like shaking them and screaming have an opinion of your own!! But once I pushed past that she really was a fun character. Watching her grow and gain confidence.

Russ, well, I took issue with him as well. I loved the fact that he was very alpha male. And there have been plenty of times in which a guy who is real cocky will crack me up and make me fall for him anyway but it was too in your face with Russ. Too much of the all-the-women-from-my-past-who-screamed-my-name-never-complained for me. And yes...he did say something very similar to Susannah at one point. He's actually such a great character. Very much a Bear Grylls type of a guy, has that type of a survival reality show going on. I loved everything about him except that one thing so he still made me swoon on more than one occasion!

The plot was such a fun concept and it was executed really well. I loved the idea of someone who's very Martha Stewart like having to do a merged reality show with someone very Bear Grylls like. Seeing both Russ and Susannah try to live in each other's worlds made for lots of fun moments. Not to mention the oh so steamy ones. Holy chemistry Batman. These two have got it! I'm glad I gave this one a chance, very worth it in the end!

Thank you Entangled Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book!

REVIEW: Into The Fire by Amanda Usen

Title/Series: Into The Fire | A Hot Nights Novel
Author: Amanda Usen
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: June 10th 2013 
Format: eBook | Pages: 201
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
★★★ (3/5) Stars!

Amanda Usen | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Jackson Calabrese has a lot of nerve. He beat Lila Grant in the Culinary Academy competition using her recipes. Now, he’s opening a restaurant and wants her help? Fine, she'll fix his menu, but it's going to cost him.

Heir to the Calabrese restaurant empire, Jackson can buy anything he wants, except creativity, so he buys Lila's instead. He can craft perfect paella, but to take New York by storm he needs her innovative spark.

Skillets aren't the only things hot in the kitchen, and an uneasy truce ignites into passion. They’re great in bed, but Jackson doesn't trust her, and Lila is contemplating revenge. The restaurant opening approaches, the menu is completed, and the tables are set for one final act of betrayal. How can love bloom in the midst of such a hot mess?

I received a copy of this book from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Into the Fire was light and fun and very easy to read with plenty of fire both in and outside of the kitchen. I will admit that I had one issue with this book that held me back from fully enjoying it. I opened it up and started reading and I'm met with the two main characters sharing a glass of wine and a 2 minute conversation then...jumping into bed together. I mean it was briefly mentioned that they had a 2 year rivalry through culinary school but it was just too quick for me. I crave that build up, the one that drives me crazy with are they even going to kiss or not? I didn't have enough time to care either way if they hooked up or not. And seeing some of that rivalry beforehand would have made a major impact with me. I love the whole rivals to lovers situation. Such fun reads!

Regardless, in the aftermath mistrust takes root and you have two highly competitive people. So when the seeds of doubt take hold both start to feel like the other one seduced them to screw up their chances in the big competition the next day at the Academy. Which is when we finally get to see some of that rivalry that we're told is there.

This was told in dual POVs and you really get a feel of both characters while reading. You couldn't have two more polar opposites There's Jackson, rich, good looking, his father owns a chain of fine dining type New York restaurants and he wants nothing more to be like his father whom he idolizes, outwardly confident and arrogant, yet on the inside so full of doubt and insecurities due to his father's lack of affection and recognition. 

And Lila who is drowning in a pile of debt from school, strong and creative, she has a gift when inspired to blend flavors together and make truly incredible dishes, She's confident in the kitchen but when it comes to everything else in her life she's full of mistrust and is constantly ready to run when things get to be too much for her.

The chemistry between these two is undeniable. In the kitchen they can't seem to get along at all. All the mistrust and misunderstandings from back at the Academy always seem to come between them yet there's that underlying attraction and need they both share. Neither one trusting that it's genuine and that they're just using each other for their own advantage. But once they get out of the kitchen and into the bedroom, wow. 

I love how food and cooking was incorporated into something very sensual between these two. I loved the whole restaurant/ food aspect period. It was so descriptive it made me want to hop on a plane and fly to New York and spend a night going from place to place and stuffing myself with incredible food.

Overall except for that brief lack of back story at the beginning I liked this book very much. It was delicious and fun. Thanks to Entangled for letting me read and review this book :)