When an interloper arrives in his kitchen, will romance start to simmer?
Chef Owen Thorpe left behind his celebrity status when he moved to Summer Creek. The quaint town and country atmosphere allow him to seek solace in his recipes. His peace and quiet is threatened when he’s coerced into being part of a big auction package that includes the winner spending a week cooking with him in his restaurant. The last thing he wants is some chef wannabe in his way. However, the real danger he faces is losing his heart when the winner turns out to be a beautiful woman who knows her way around a kitchen.
Burdened by the weight of her demanding career as a school psychologist, Tawni Young turns to cooking and gardening to escape from the never-ending stress of her work. When her aunt gifts her an auction package that includes cooking lessons in the small town of Summer Creek, Tawni realizes the chef she’ll be working with is none other than a celebrity she had a huge crush on during her college years. From the moment the two of them meet, an undeniable attraction sizzles while wits collide.
As they embark on a tantalizing journey of culinary delights, will Tawni and Owen discover the most important ingredient is love?
In this heartwarming and deliciously wholesome tale, Challenging the Chef takes readers on a savory adventure filled with sweet romance.
Read the entire Summer Creek Series!
Catching the Cowboy
Rescuing the Rancher
Protecting the Princess
Distracting the Deputy
Guiding the Grouch
Challenging the Chef
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EXCERPT:
He kept walking until they stood at the outskirts of town with the sun setting over the mountains in the distance, painting the sky in a spectacular wash of vibrant hues.
“It’s beautiful,” Tawni said, squeezing his hand, since he hadn’t relinquished his hold on her as he walked her away from the crowds and prying eyes.
“What’s beautiful,” he said, turning to face her and tipping his hat back slightly with his index finger, “is you, Tawni Young. You take my breath away.”
“You do the same thing to me, Owen,” she said in a whisper, moving a step closer to him. “I like seeing this cowboy side of you. Think you might take me out riding sometime?”
“It could be arranged,” he said, only half paying attention to the conversation. It was hard to focus on anything except how much he wanted—needed—to kiss her.
His hands settled around her waist and pulled her against him. In the setting sun, he gazed into her dark eyes and saw the longing there that he knew had to also be reflected in his. He gave her a moment to pull away, but when she sank her teeth into her lower lip, like she was prone to do when she was nervous or thinking about something, he could no longer wait to taste her lips.
Slowly, his head lowered and he brushed his lips over hers, absorbing the warmth and softness of them. Tawni’s hands rested between them, pressed flat against his chest as he pulled her closer and kissed her sweetly, tenderly, like it was the only kiss he’d ever savor from those deliciously tempting lips.
With a sigh of contentment, she looked up at him, and he was lost. So utterly lost in the depths of her eyes. In the depths of emotion he could see there.
Unable to hold back any longer, he kissed her again, deeply, unleashing the hunger and passion that had been threatening to consume him since the day he’d met her.
Around them, he heard explosions and was sure a thousand shooting stars flashed before his eyes.
This time, when he pulled back, Tawni turned in his arms, leaning against his chest and pointing to the sky as the volunteer fire department set off the fireworks Emery and Hud had purchased. Neither of them said a word. They didn’t need to.
Owen wrapped his arms around Tawni and drew her back against him. He rested his chin on top of her fragrant hair as they watched the fireworks glitter against the night sky. When the grand finale ended in a shower of colorful green and gold sparks, Tawni turned in his arms once more, wrapped her hands behind his neck, and pulled him down for a long, involved kiss.
Before he could gather his wits, she moved back, out of reach, then walked into town alone.
Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.
Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.
To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield
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