Olivia Marconi has finally kicked her philandering, can't-cook chef of a husband to the curb. Unfortunately, she's still dealing with the fallout. Feeling like a failure who can't manage a marriage or a restaurant, she's decided to quietly walk away from it all. She's headed to Italy to spend time at her parent's Villa. She'll help out with the winery, restaurant, and guestrooms until she figures out what's next. Now that she's signed the divorce papers and handed over control of Chameleon, the family restaurant, to Joe and Marlene, she has no reason to return to Norton.

Attorney Seth Kindred handled Olivia's divorce. He's been half in love with Olivia since they were kids and has been waiting for his chance since Olivia's marriage broke up. Now that the divorce is final he's determined for Olivia to be his lover as well as his friend. Fate intervenes when business requires him to go to Italy. He sets out to capture Olivia's attention from the minute the leave for the airport. He hopes to convince her that there is much more waiting for her in Norton then failure.

LUSCIOUS is the latest foodie romance by Amanda Usen. The lush descriptions of the food will make your mouth water. I would love a chance to taste Olivia's lavender ice cream. Olivia and Seth are likable and make an excellent match. Seth's conviction about what their relationship could be is a clear contrast to Olivia's wounded uncertainty. Their long standing friendship may have resulted in an unfortunate lack of romantic and sexual tension. I enjoyed the Italian setting but missed the high-pressure kitchen drama evident in Ms. Usen's first book, Scrumptious. When it comes to the food and the setting though LUSCIOUS lives up to its name.

Book Summary

A sizzling second book in a new contemporary series featuring sexy chefs.

Newly divorced chef Olivia Marconi is balanced on the knife-edge of a major meltdown. A week in Italy with Sean, her hot divorce attorney--not to mention the fantastic food and wine--sounds like the perfect getaway. If only she wasn't there to break her parents' hearts by quitting the family business.

Sean's attention makes her feel brave, desirable, and adventurous again. But Sean is hiding something, and Olivia is short on trust these days. Can a romantic interlude in Italy turn into something more, or will it all go up in smoke?