Review of Beauty and the Feast by Julia Barrett

Eva Raines grew up as a simple farmer's daughter with a passion for food. After moving to Napa, she uses her culinary skills to help busy families and people in need as a rising talent in the ATAP business.When the very wealthy Gabriel Abbott hires Eva to cater a romantic dinner for two, the outcome for the evening is vastly different than either of them could have imagined.

Food is the central focus here, and the sensuality of it when applied to the right situation. Eva's passion for her job shines, but so does her warm and endearing personality. Everyone likes her. Gabriel, who is basically in danger of becoming what his sister termed a "Lothario" certainly isn't immune to her charms either. In fact, he is pulled right in from a simple phone call.

This book was listed as a comedic romance, but to me it was romance through and through. There was a touch of humor, yes, but no more than any other book I have read. The connection between the characters (all of them) was strong and well-developed, easily believable. It had just the right amount of passion, romance, drama, and touching moments to make a well-rounded story come alive. I loved the food moments almost as much as I love the steamy moments. I just can't find anything to complain about. This was a very satisfying read, and when you couple that with the recipes for all those delicious meals and deserts that made your mouth water throughout the book, well, that just elevates it to superstar status, IMO!

Beauty and the Feast enjoys a 4.3/5 start rating and is available on Amazon.