Saturday, October 13, 2018

Burn for You (Slow Burn #1) by JT Geissinger ~ Review

Burn for You (Slow Burn, #1)Source: KindleUnlimited

Burn for You (Slow Burn #1) by JT Geissinger


The marriage is fake. But for a sassy chef and an arrogant billionaire, the sparks are real…

Jackson “The Beast” Boudreaux is rich, gorgeous, and unbelievably rude to the staff at Chef Bianca Hardwick’s New Orleans restaurant. Bianca would sooner douse herself in hot sauce than cook for Jackson again, but when he asks her to cater his fund-raiser, Bianca can’t refuse, knowing the cash will help pay her mother’s medical bills. Then Jackson makes another outrageous request: Marry me. The unconventional offer includes an enormous sum—money Bianca desperately needs, even if it does come with a contract — and a stunning ring.

The heir to a family bourbon dynasty, Jackson knows the rumors swirling around him. The truth is even darker. Still, he needs a wife to secure his inheritance, and free-spirited, sassy Bianca would play the part beautifully. Soon, though, their simple business deal evolves into an emotional intimacy he’s built walls to avoid.

As the passion heats up between them, Bianca and Jackson struggle to define which feelings are real and which are for show. Is falling for your fake fiancĂ© the best happy ending… or a recipe for disaster?




I picked this book up for three reasons: 1) I've seen people talking about it for a while and I was curious. 2) The series is called Slow Burn which implies...a slow burn. And 3) The B&TB vibes paired with the fact that a friend called Jax a grumpy hero and I am a total sucker for a grumpy beast hero. So I gave this one a shot and overall, I'm glad I did--I really liked it!

The novel is full of tropes done well. Enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience, along with aspects of Beauty & the Beast to keep things extra fun. I loved the progression of Jax & Bianca's story, and I especially loved their chemistry. They were clearly a well suited pair and I enjoyed seeing them realize that fact--and grow to accept it...and embrace it.

Bianca and Jax were great leads, in their own ways. Bianca is stubborn and sassy and I had so much fun reading her. Jax was grumpy, but he also had a soft side I adored seeing shine through. And together? As I said, their chemistry was amazing. And their SWEETNESS. Yes, please. I just wish there were more Jax chapters--I'd have liked even more from his POV!

Burn for You was a quick read and I was solidly entertained the entire time, but there are a couple of things I wasn't particularly fond of too. First of all, the recipes scattered throughout the book. I have nothing against recipes, but the way they were dispersed in the middle of the story didn't work for me. I get they were meant to coincide with particular parts, and I enjoyed turning the last page and seeing THAT one, but for the most part they took me out of the story. I'd flip a page and it'd be a recipe instead of the next scene and I'd be like "oh." So I just wish they'd been together at the end of the book with maybe an annotation to them for anyone who wants them as they read. 

Second of all, while I enjoyed the story I didn't feel as invested as I could have been--as I'd hoped I would be. I think the pacing could have been better to build and really deepen certain aspects. Like Jax and his parents, for example. And the ending. I wanted MORE, but it was kind of surface level in a way.

Overall, I had a good time reading this fun romance! There are aspects I wish were executed differently, but as a whole I'm glad I picked the novel up--so if you're looking for a quick, sweet read I recommend giving this one a shot. And I'll definitely be continuing to the next book in the Slow Burn series, Melt for You, so stay tuned for my thoughts on that one! :)


3.5 stars - A sweet, fun enemies to lovers & marriage of convenience romance!

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