Kassiah

4 stars.

This review also appears on Steamy Guys After Dark.

This followup to Recipe for Satisfaction, Gina Gordon's first book in this series, brings us an amped-up level of hotness and characters for us to flail over, and definitely does not disappoint.

I loved Jack and Sterling but might love Neil and Carson even more. It's a toss-up.

Chef and entrepreneur Neil Harrison is also a dare-devil illegal street-racer, something he would prefer that no one ever find out about, especially his architect, Carson Kelly.

He'd wanted her from the very first day she rode up to the Madewood farm on her bike. But he'd pushed his desire aside not only because she was his architect, but because he didn't have time to deal with this particularly infuriating woman. From their first meeting, Carson Kelly was a ball-breaking hard-ass.

When she confronts him at a race, he realizes just what he needs to distract him from dangerous the thrill of racing.

"There's only one thing that will keep my mind off the track...and I don't think you're up for that challenge."

"Are you daring me to have sex with you?" The smile that spread across her face told himm she wasn't displeased with him. "You're bad."

"Not bad," he corrected. "Determined. I'm going to race or you're going to distract me. It's a simple as that."

And distract him she does.

I really liked the characters in this book. Both of them have pasts to work through and both of them are realistic. Carson is sexy and snarky and stands up for what she believes in. She doesn't let Neil push her too far, and she knows her limitations. Neil is tortured by his past demons and wants to live up to the memory of his adoptive mother. I loved him, though, especially when he said stuff like this:

"I want what I want. And I want you. Right now, on this desk."

Their chemistry was off the charts.

"And what is it exactly that you like?" she challenged, stroking him through his slacks.

He leaned in and whispered against her ear. "That sexy mouth of yours wrapped around my cock."

For a second time, her insides fluttered. He definitely knew how to get her heart rate going double time. "But you don't even know what that feels like."

His response was a kiss, his mouth descending upon hers hard and fast. It caused her hard hat to fall off her head.

He pulled away and stopped the kiss by biting her bottom lip between his straight white teeth. "I'm going to find out what it feels like right now."

They're so hot together. And there's a scene in here that makes me want to buy every book ever written by Gordon and read them all rtfn.

You know me--there are a few things that I didn't love. I thought that they were in a few, ahem, compromising situations that I find it hard to believe that someone as driven as Carson would allow herself to get swept away in. Admittedly, she thinks the same thing herself so I guess that's all good. I felt like the dude Carson's dad wants her to be with was a total slime-ball and didn't get what was coming to him. I also felt that the end was a little abrupt.

One thing that I did love, though, is seeing Sterling and Jack so happy and in love, so Recipe for Satisfaction lovers will really enjoy seeing them again.

I loved this book--the characters, the steam, the story. I think you'll really love it too, and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.