Delicious by Adrianne Lee is a fast-paced and engaging romance. This second installment in the Big Sky Pie series finds former step-siblings Nick Taziano and Jane Wilson dismayed over the news of the upcoming remarriage of their respective parents. Equally troubling is their unexpected attraction to one another. As if their relationship isn't already complicated enough, they are also thrown together professionally when Nick is hired to publicize the pie shop where Jane is the pastry chef.

I really liked Jane in Delectable (the first book in the series) so I was surprised by how much she initially irritated me in Delicious. She comes across as incredibly judgmental of both her mom and Nick. Instead of facing her problems head on, she runs away and avoids both her mom and Nick. As if Jane does not have enough to deal with, she is also plagued by self-esteem issues and an ambitious co-worker.

By about the middle of the novel, my feelings for Jane slowly began to change. I always liked her relationship with her dad and once she becomes less defensive and actually talks with her mom, Jane is much more receptive to her remarriage to Nick's dad. While she lacks confidence in her personal life, professionally, Jane is very self-assured and the scenes in the pie shop are wonderful. Once Jane's animosity toward Nick diminishes, their relationship begins to evolve.

Nick is so charming and personable that I pretty much fell for him right away. He is easygoing, confident and comfortable in his skin and these qualities make him an easy character to like. Although he, too, has a few qualms about his dad's remarriage, he is more open minded about the upcoming nuptials. But it is Nick's attitude toward Jane that really endeared him to me. He fully embraces everything about her and he doesn't make any effort to hide how much he admires and desires Jane. Nick is always honest about what he is looking for in a relationship and I like how both he and Jane handle this part of the storyline.

Nick and Jane's romance simmers on the backburner for much of the story. Sexual tension underscores most of their interactions and Jane fiercely resists her attraction to Nick. Their sex scenes are tastefully written and mostly take place off screen. The conflict between them is realistic and beautifully plays out with a surprise ending that I absolutely loved.

Many of the characters from Delectable make guest appearances in Delicious and I enjoyed getting to knowing them a little better. Nick, Quint and Wade are a great support network for Nick and I confess I am very eager for Wade's story. Jane becomes closer to her boss Andrea and I'm thrilled that Andrea will find love in the next Big Sky Pie novel. Co-worker Bibi is one of those characters you love to hate, but I wound up falling just a little bit sorry for her in the end.

Delicious is a wonderful addition to Adrianne Lee's heartwarming Big Sky Pie series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but you don't want to miss a single installment of this lovely series. ( )

Jane Wilson is enjoying her new job as pastry chef at Big Sky Pie, and life seems to be on an even keel, until she gets two unpleasant surprises.

First, her mother is getting married again--and not to just anyone. She's remarrying Romeo Taziano, the man who broke up her parents' marriage, and then broke her mother's heart.

Second, Romeo's hateful son Nick, the Tazmanian Devil, has just been hired by Quint McCoy to develop an advertising campaign for Big Sky Pie. She's going to be seeing way too much of her ex-stepbrother.

If that weren't trial enough, having the Tazianos back in their lives brings up uncomfortable questions and uncovers long-buried family secrets. Jane is forced to rethink what she has always believed about her parents, their marriages--and even herself.

This is a very well-done follow-up to the first book in the series, Delectable. Jane's and Nick's challenges, both personal and professional, are nicely developed and handled. It's especially nice that Jane's professional challenges relate more to growing into being a manager who can handle a difficult subordinate, and not a supposed baking difficulty for someone who's been baking seriously since she was a pre-teen.

Lee gives us a gentle but well-done romance, with good and thoughtful character development.

Recommended. ( )

"See, this is why I don't like surprises. It's like Stacy and Clinton showing up at a party you're attending with cameras in your face, telling you that your family and friends think your taste in clothing sucks, and making you decide then and there if you want a head-to-toe makeover. Seriously, I would kill my friends and family as soon as the cameras shut down."

I first became aware of this series when I saw the first one available on NetGalley as a 'read now.' After reading that one and enjoying it and now reading the second in the series and really enjoying it, I am so glad that I did find this series.

This book follows Jane Wilson, the head pastry chef at Big Sky Pie, and Nick Taziano, a man who runs a successful marketing business. Jane and Nick have a past; their parents used to be married to each other, and there is hate between the former step-siblings. Now when their parents are thinking of re-marrying they are thrown together in a scheme to stop the marriage and find themselves attracted to each other.

I really enjoyed both Jane and Nick as main characters. Jane had her vulnerabilities but she was also adamant about her goals for her life. Nick was successful in business but still searching for love. Whenever these two were together sparks flew and I loved it. There were a couple twists and turns in regards to their relationship towards the end of the book and I am really happy with where their relationship was at the end. I have to admit that the whole ex-stepsibilings getting it on weirded me out a bit but didn't lessen my interest in the book or my enjoyment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of Delicious. ( )