Just a Taste by Shannyn Schroeder

Grief has brought them together again—will love open the door to their future? When it’s an O’Leary in the picture, finding out is just part of the adventure…
Carmen Delgado is left reeling when her father dies. Taking care of him has been her sole purpose for so long, she’s forgotten what it’s like to have dreams of her own. And with steady, sexy Liam O’Leary inheriting a share in her dad’s successful food truck, Carmen is suddenly free to explore her life’s possibilities. She never expected Liam to provide the kind of temptation she’s not sure she can resist…
A talented chef, Liam O’Leary has been itching to open his own restaurant for years—and the death of his mentor is a reminder that time passes too quickly. Gus’s Taco Taxi isn’t exactly what he dreamed of, but he can’t desert Gus’s daughter. Working side by side is an unexpected pleasure—and grownup Carmen is alluring in all new ways. Is love on the menu—or will old fears and insecurities drive them apart?

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I absolutely loved that Liam is a chef, no surprise there. I liked the food aspect, the starting off on the food truck again and the routines it involved, working it out, finding what they could do with it. Intriguing, interesting and fun.
Liam and Carmen had a believable connection and attraction, it was endearing how they took care of each other during the crisis in their lives from the beginning. The body image and food issues that Carmen had were real, but workable, and Liam was willing and able to tackle the issues. Once again a story that shows how important open and honest communication is in a relationship. There were times when they made me smile, and sigh, and at times go 'did he really just say/do that'. Definitely an engaging story, that get a reaction from the reader.
The big families around them were both fun and stressful. Liam's mom's reaction to their relationship was at first a surprise to me, but realistic, in after thought. I get that Rosa, Carmen's cousin/best friend, was a total opposite of her, but I also got the feeling that she was jealous of the relationship, not a very loyal friend, and was working against Carmen towards the end, I was not a big fan of Rosa.
Just a Taste is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone novel, but it did make me curious of the other stories. The author writes well, and the flow of the story was pleasant and the people were realistic and charming.
Even though the ending was satisfying, how they both found the balance in the new situation of their lives, I wasn't ready for it to end, I wanted more. Captivating story, with real life issues, an interesting theme, big families, and hot romance.
~ Four spoons

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Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series, contemporary romances centered around a large Irish-American family in Chicago and the new Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy friends and their last spring break. When she’s not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

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Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/08/just-taste-olearys-5-by-shannyn.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/118304-the-o-leary-s