Hot and Bothered
Jack's sister Jules has had a baby by Simon, he's on his way back to London.
She's hooked up with Tad and their past they do share, over time, the hard times and memories.
Hot steamy sex scenes.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )

Hot and Bothered is the third book in the Hot in the Kitchen series by Kate Meader, but it can be read as a standalone book. This installment of the series follows the friends-to-lovers romance between Juliet Kilroy and Taddeo DeLuca. Jules loves being a mom, but she longs to find someone to share her life with and to make something of herself despite her disability.

Meader does a wonderful job of bringing to light the difficulties of dyslexia, and being a single parent. Hot and Bothered is not an easy read. It is emotional and at times made my heartache for Jules and Tad. It’s about loss, learning to forgive and let go of the past. This book should come with a warning label to keep tissues at hand in case of tears. As heartfelt as the story is, Meader balances the emotional rollercoaster out with witty banter and humorous family dynamics.

Although Hot and Bothered is not my favorite in the series (sorry the first book is still my favorite), it does make for a good afternoon read. The sibling bond between Jules, Jack and Shane was fun to see. It was wonderful to see some of my favorite characters from previous books again, especially Jack. Overall, I really do love this series. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good contemporary romance with humor, boisterous family dynamics, and oh the food. Did I mention this series also satisfies the foodie in me? Go read it!

**An ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

After having read "All Fired Up", I couldn't resist to read the next book in the series, "Hot and Bothered", which is focused on Jules and Tad. Jules is Jack's half-sister and reappeared in his life on the first book of the series, "Feel the Heat", pregnant and desperate. Since I haven't read that book, I was convinced the author had already explained the whole story behind the pregnancy and Jules's reappearance but as it turns out, we only found out about it in this book.

The author had already hinted at a thing between Jules and Tad on the previous book and we knew something happened between the two of them that didn't work out for the best, and now we finally know what happened: Jules kissed him and he rejected her. Get over the weirdness of the situation wasn't easy, but now the friendship was resumed and all has been forgotten. Or has it?

Because, ever since that night, no woman has interested Tad and Jules, well, she has been a celibate ever since she arrived in Chicago and the only man she's been interested is Tad... But now Jules is determined to change that and, if Tad isn't interested, she just has to find someone who is... And that's where Cara and Lili get in, suggesting that she subscribes to a dating site. Of course Cara, always efficient, wastes no time and sets up herself Jules' profile.

Tad is Cara and Lili's cousin and is about to open up his own wine bar. Everything seems to be going wrong but Jules is always ready to lend a hand. But spending more and more time with Jules, and knowing that she's starting to date again, makes things so much more complicated. Tad is very much attracted to Jules, but he knows that giving in to temptation can ruin everything and he doesn't want to risk losing the friendship they share. This because Tad has a family trauma, which is why he doesn't do serious relations, and that's what Jules wants, especially because she has a little kid to think of.

I liked this story, especially because I already knew and liked the protagonists. The motives for Tad's trauma are believable and it's not hard to believe that someone who went through what he did would have the same reaction. Jules is a strong woman, who puts her son above everything and everyone, but who doesn't annul herself because she is a mother. She knows what she wants and she goes after it but, if Tad has a lot to overcome, Jules also has to learn to fight her own battles, to make her opinion heard and to not submit to the will of the men in her life.

It's very fun to watch Tad's reactions when Jules starts going out with other men, and also Jack's since he is totally protective of his little sister. It was also cute to see again the protagonists of the previous books, especially Cara and Shane, whose relationship continues to be very passionate and sometimes gets totally hilarious... And I loved seeing little Evan, Jules's son, again and to witness the sweet relationship he has with Tad and Tad's internal struggle to become more than a friend to Jules and an uncle to Evan...

A series I really enjoyed reading, about a very close family, where everyone is always there for one another. I enjoy stories about close families and this one was no exception. ( )