What a wonderful book! Beck and Skye make a wonderful couple and it was great to see how they worked out their problems. And - which doesn't happen to me a lot - I cried, and cried some more while reading. Beck's declaration of love through his dishes in the end was absolutely wonderful. ( )

I didn't realize this book was the latter part of a series. Usually that doesn't diminish my enjoyment of a book, but in this case, a good chunk of time was spent on Claire and Kane, whose story must have started in another book. Because we only got the resolution of their issues in this book, their arc seemed misplaced and disconnected to me.

Still, I enjoyed the author's creativity in setting this romance in a cooking competition. It was obvious that Edwards has a love for cooking and that added to the overall appeal. Beck and Skye were likable characters, and I enjoyed their story, especially the way they used food to communicate as a shared language. ( )

I'm a huge Edwards fan and have read all of her books. So I was very excited to read Hot Under Pressure. I swear, she keeps getting better with every book. What makes this one stand out for me from the rest of the series is that I felt she really got very deep in the relationship between Beck and Skye while still keeping all the fun cooking competition in it. There is so much going on between Beck and Skye and you get drawn into their lives. I also love that Skye is a real woman both in the physical sense and her emotional presence. And Beck is wow. Is it just me or did he get even hotter this book than he was before?? The ending is truly a work of genius. I adored Beck and going with him on his emotional journey was worth every page. What a love story! I was literally crying on the elliptical machine while reading it. The book was so good, I didn't even mind getting in my workout. I think Edwards can do anything she puts her mind to, the sky is the limit for her. I can't wait to read what is next. I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone who loves contemporary romance and those who love all things culinary. I only wish I could give it SIX STARS instead of five. ( )