Just One Taste - Review

Just One Taste (Pine Mountain 4.5) by Kimberly Kincaid

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Source: NetGalley

Description:  Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan but is finding peace as a sous chef at the Double Shot in Pine Mountain.  That is until a water pipe bursts in his apartment building sending him to the lake house of an old friend and right next door to that friend's sister.
Kat McMarrin values her personal space and is not thrilled about living in close quarters with her brother's old Army buddy.  But as they slowly get to know each other as the fix up the cabin maybe close quarters isn't such a bad thing.

Genre: Romance

Why I Picked This Book:  I had been kind of mad at myself for not getting the previous one in the series - Fire Me Up - so I couldn't resist this one.  Plus, not only is Jesse a sous chef but they're fixing up a house!

My Impression:  I loved this story and I absolutely adored Jesse.  Contemporary romance novellas normally don't really work for me - especially when it involves a new relationship - but this one was hit all the right notes.  For starters Jesse is on my top ten list of favorite romance heroes.  I love strong and silent and he is definitely both.  He listens to Kat and tries to understand her interests.  Plus, he remembers details for one really sweet gesture towards the end.  I loved that he talked about his own demons but it took him awhile and I loved that he wasn't over the top stubborn in realizing that everyone might be right.  The scene with him and Gabe towards the end was really nice.
Kat was an interesting character as well and had her own demons and insecurities.  I liked how direct she was and how honest with everyone.  I could understand her need for her own space, especially with her upbringing.  The glimpses we get of Double Shot and the people who work there were nice and definitely made me look forward to reading more books from this series.
With as much as I loved the storyline and the characters I was a little disappointed by the ending.  It was sweet but I wanted more which I suppose is one of the downsides of a novella.  I also found it a little difficult to believe that Kat's brother was unaware that Jesse and Kat lived in the same building since it's a small town that he also lives in but I could overlook that.  Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Jesse and Kat's story and if this is what Kincaid can do with a novella I can't wait to read one of her full length novels.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely!  I'm looking forward to catching up on the Pine Mountain series and seeing where it goes.

Would I Recommend this Book?:  If you enjoy contemporary romance and haven't read any Kincaid this is a great one to try.

Challenges Met?  Foodies Read