Table For Two

Rating:
Summary: Didn't Like Summer's game playing...
Review: Summer was very calculating and conceited. Every time Blake paid her a compliment, whether on her appearance or talent as a chef, Summer would say things like, "I know."

Juliet Trent wasn't bad but I just couldn't fathom this Italian, Carlo, as a leading romantic hero; he was buffoonish in the first story (and I'm Italian).

Rating:
Summary: A nice indulgent treat
Review: Table For Two proves a delectable gormandizing experience with two light-hearted Harlequin romance from Nora Roberts topped with her vast knowledge of Italian and French haute cuisine as a garnish. Summer Desserts, the first story is about the fiercely independent French chef Summer Lyndon finding herself attracted to smarmy and suave hotelier Blake Cochran. Love conflicts with Summer's career and causes an avalanche of control issues in a dramatic high. The more enjoyable fare turns out to be Lessons Learned when notorious skirt-chaser Carlo Franconi unwittingly surrenders to Juliet Trent, his publicist who finds a heart behind his devastating facade. It is fluffy romance with a dose of humor and fairy-tale charm. The insecurities of Juliet and his reputation as a playboy proves disastrous for their fragile trust. What makes this book irresistible is Ms. Roberts's flair and sumptuous descriptions of the dishes which makes it a nice indulgent treat for romance fans.

Rating:
Summary: Ya gotta read this love story!!
Review: The book that I read was called Table For Two, by Nora Roberts. This book was fictional, and the theme was love. Summer Lyndon was a professional dessert chef that would travel all over the world to prepare just a single dish for each client, and charge large amounts of money per trip. Blake Cocharan an owner of the Cochran hotels had heard of Summer Lyndon. He wanted her as a chef, and he would do anything to have her. They made an appointment but at first she would not agree to work for him. He finally convinced her, and soon she had started to make his restaurant wonderful. They continued to spend a lot of time together. Blake wants to get closer to Summer, and thinks he is starting to fall for her, but he is afraid because he knows that she is an independent woman and knows that she is not interested in marriage.
This book was very interesting and makes you want to keep reading without putting the book down. The story line catches your attention, and gives and image in your head of the characters. This book raises the question, what will you do for love? How will you deal with it when you're not sure where you're going in your life? These questions come up that are related to real life with real situations. Some people love is a very hard matter for them, and some others it comes naturally.
Personally I think this was an amazing book, if I could inspire other people to read this book from this review that would make me happy

Rating:
Summary: Double Indulgence of Romance and Food...
Review: This is a two-story anthology both written by Nora Roberts. I will note below what my rating would be for each individual story.

SUMMER DESSERTS: Dessert chef, Summer Lyndon, jets all over the world to create elaborate, one of a kind, edible works of art. Being in demand as a freelance chef, she has freedom to do as she wishes. But hotel tycoon, Blake Cocharan, plans to convince Summer to accept the head chef position at his Philadelphia hotel restaurant. Signing a one-year contract to overhaul the establishment's cuisine is only the beginning of Summer's challenges - because Blake may have a more permanent position in mind for her.

This was a very enjoyable story, and the chemistry between these two headstrong, independent characters is undeniable. I would rate this selection four stars.

LESSONS LEARNED: Publicist Juliet Trent has worked hard to get where she is in the business world. Now she has been assigned an important client whose upcoming cookbook tour will require her personal supervision. Her client, renowned Italian chef Carlo Franconi, expert in food and women, has her a little concerned. Carlo is gorgeous, passionate and can be quite temperamental while creating masterpieces in the kitchen. Juliet has a strict rule against mixing business and pleasure. Carlo finds her fascinating and steadily chips away at her resolve. But what will win Juliet over is the big heart he hides beneath the flamboyant exterior.

This was my favorite of the two stories. Carlo was irresistible. Ms. Roberts has a way with creating sexy, passionate, temperamental and exotic male characters that you just can't resist. Definitely a five star read.

Overall, I felt this book was well worth reading. Ms. Roberts is undoubtedly a gifted storyteller. I've noticed some criticism by reviewers that these stories are dated. Granted, they were originally published separately as Silhouette Special Editions back in the 80's. However, I felt both had unquestionably stood the test of time. Between the two stories, the average score for this book would be 4 ½ stars. But since I'm unable to do that, I did round it up to 5 stars. Great light romance well worth the time, especially as a summer read.

Rating:
Summary: Light and entertaining
Review: This is another one of those reprints of early Nora Roberts, so if you are not a big fan of category romance, you might want to skip it. I enjoyed these two books. I thought her writing style was not as solid and polished as it was in later books, but still, I found these books to be entertaining. There is no suspense just the story of two couples falling in love.
In the first, Summer Desserts, pastry chef Summer gets tangled up with hotel owner Blake. I did find the obstacle keeping these two apart a little contrived. The book was interesting and kept my attention, but after it was over, I didn't find myself anxious to read it again.
The second novel is about Summer's friend Carlo. He is also a chef, and he is on a book signing tour to publicize his latest cookbook. He wants to help publicist Juliet loosen up and discover romance. Carlos is definitely a hero worthy of Nora Roberts. He manages to be chauvanistic and liberated, laid back and intense, and of course sexy as well. This book had me laughing. Of the two, I think this one is funnier. I expect to find myself reading it more often, but I am glad to have both to round out my collection.

Rating:
Summary: Oldie but goodie
Review: This is another reprint of two of Nora Robert's older titles, Summer Desserts and Lessons Learned. I really like these books a lot, especially considering a lot of her reprinted stories aren't as good as you would expect them to be considering they come from Nora Roberts. This reissue on the other hand is excellent (in my humble opinion.)

Summer Desserts is the first of the two stories and it involves dessert chef Summer Lyndon. The hero, Blake Cocharan, wants Summer to come work at his new hotel kitchen in Philadelphia. They meet and instant sexual attraction. But of course they fight it, but Blake is willing to concede that he wants Summer, and proposes. Unfortunately Summer has so of her own issues from growing up that have to be resolved first before we see a happy ending. Definitely a good read, and will probably make you want to go and eat something sweet.

...

Lessons Learned involves Carlo Franconi, Summer's best friend, and his publicist for his new Italian cook book, Juliet Trent. Juliet knows of Carlo only as a playboy chef, a womanizer in some aspects. She doesn't want to get to know the actual man. But, Carlo, a great male hero in my opinion, shows Juliet that he is much more than the facade that he puts out to other women. He wants her to trust him, but Juliet can't. He falls in love with her, and she with him, but she is still afraid, and in the end, some strife occurs. But, I really liked this story nonetheless.

...

Both of these stories are very good I think. I loved the whole romance and food theme. Desserts and Italian food are both very romantic topics, and Nora Roberts writes about them well in these two novels. Definitely a great addition to any romance collection.

Rating:
Summary: Table for Two by Nora Roberts
Review: This is by far the worst of the books that Nora Roberts has ever written. To say that I was disappointed is an understatement. I didn't even finish the 2nd book b/c I was so bored with it. There is none of the usual Nora Roberts style in this book. Looks like she just wrote it to meet a deadline. I have 95% of Nora Roberts books from the day she started writing and this is one that has made me feeling really sad, because this is not her usual standard.

Rating:
Summary: There's always room at my table for a book like this!
Review: This is the first Nora Roberts book I have read, but from what I have seen, it certainly won't be my last. I was attracted to Table for Two because I liked the idea of two central characters being chefs. I figured, hey, I love reading, and I love food, so what could be better than a combination of the two? These stories are a meal that leave you satisfied. I'm just disappointed that it's fiction: I wish I could have a guy like Blake Cocharan or Carlo Franconi (yum!) - or at the very least some of the mouth-watering desserts Nora Roberts has her character cook up!

Rating:
Summary: Just who WAS this girl?
Review: When Summer first met Blake in her apartment, she came off very sweet and charming in her looks, yet within days she turned standoffish in a flirty way, didn't do a thing, even kiss Blake, it seemed, without first thinking in what way she could manipulate him. She just became unlikable.
Sorry, I didn't even try to read the second story.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent premise
Review: You'll not only love both of these wondrous tales, but you'll be impressed with the format.