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Great Chefs #2

Въртележка на любовта

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Поредица: Harlequin Супер Романс
Втора книга (2/2) от поредицата Велики готвачи (Great Chefs)

Paperback

First published June 28, 1986

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About the author

Nora Roberts

1,756 books53.1k followers
Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

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5 stars
1,381 (31%)
4 stars
1,314 (29%)
3 stars
1,292 (29%)
2 stars
332 (7%)
1 star
81 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
Profile Image for Beatriz.
886 reviews809 followers
December 1, 2020
Un libro bien escrito, pero que me dejó más bien fría. En ningún momento sentí la pasión de los personajes, ni me transmitió sus sentimientos. Incluso me terminó aburriendo un poco ya que la narración se dedica mucho más a describir el agobiante itinerario de la promoción del libro y los detalles de la preparación de algunos platos, pero sin relacionarlo con la seducción que prometía la sinopsis.

Es una novela bastante básica y la autora tiene libros muchísimo mejores.

Reto #19 PopSugar 2017: Un libro acerca de comida
Profile Image for Tarsis.
1,099 reviews88 followers
February 22, 2018
Fue entretenido, pero demasiadas descripciones innecesarias, le restaban tiempo al romance entre ellos. La cosa va, cuando Juliet acepta ser la publicista de un famoso chef italiano, contrarios en todo, encuentran el amor durante una gira por eeuu.
Profile Image for Isabella - SnooRegrets.
489 reviews106 followers
March 10, 2018
Re-read - changed to 2.5 stars.

This isn‘t one of her better books. It is rather old and some of the old romance chliches appeared - the worst being were the h got almost assaulted and the H not only saved her heroically but told her perhaps it was her own fault, because she gave him signals. Absolute no go, no matter how old the book.

Both MCs were rather hard to like and I didn‘t warm up to Carlo at all. He was pushy and arrogant und had an ego the size of a country, also a manwhore before he met h. The h is no push over as almost always with Nora Roberts heroines, even in her old stories and that is always a plus. A smart, determined and ambitious woman made the mediocre story bearable.
Also I liked how they solved their conflicting the end - which of course happened way too fast and ridiculously easy, but the way they did pleased me.

And basically nothing happens at all, even how their relationship changed from an affair to being lovers was bland and easy going. Despite a little conflict in the end, that simply has to be there, because otherwise, how could the reunite and declare Their neverending love at the end?

All in all mediocre and to be honest- perhaps a lot of nostalgia regarding this author happened here. She got me into reading romance when I was a young teen and I adore this genre since then. I forgive Nora Roberts A LOT of shit even her superficial and boring stories, when I know she can do so much better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Saly.
3,434 reviews572 followers
February 21, 2012
Rating 3.25

I enjoyed this much better than the first book even though I could see parallels between the two heroine's, both ambitious and not thinking much about love and romance, one think I don't get is why can't you have both?
The heroine is a publicist whose newest client is a hot Italian chef and his tour for his new cook book. The hero loves women and cooking and he is intrigued by the heroine and her professionalism.
It actually takes him too long to even get to a personal level with her since she is so adept at building barriers. I actually have noticed in Nora Roberts books that the hero's seem more comfortable with the concept of commitment and the same happens in this book.
Profile Image for Carly Ellen Kramer.
Author 3 books64 followers
February 28, 2016
What's not to love about Carlo Franconi? But don't insult him by calling him a cook... he's a CHEF, and an artist! Reading the humorous tale of how an American publicist finally made his heart tremble made me smile - and gave me a mighty craving for linguini! I would have liked a bit more about Franconi's family, and about the hated LaBare. Those are minor details. If you love romance novels and like to cook, you'll love this story.
Profile Image for Alatea.
484 reviews42 followers
February 25, 2016
It was okay.

I guess something is wrong with me, not with the book. This one had steamy atmosphere (hot Italian chef), easy to follow plot and literary no problems at all.
Profile Image for Bungluna.
1,130 reviews
March 6, 2020
Talk about a blast from the past! Payphones, smoking in airplanes and many other details make this novel almost a historical. I enjoyed it for what it was, a story of its time.
Profile Image for Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee.
1,056 reviews119 followers
July 1, 2016
Für Juliet ist die Begleitung der Buch-Promotour des Starkochs Carlo ein wichtiger Meilenstein ihrer Karriere. Wenn der sexy Italiener nicht nur in der Küche nichts anbrennen ließe …

Ein witziges Protagonistenpärchen, bei dem es herrlich knistert. Liebe oder Karriere? Oder geht vielleicht auch beides? Nora Roberts kennt sich garantiert mit dem Stress aus, den ein Autor und seine Betreuung auf einer Promotiontour durch Amerika erwartet. So bekommt der Leser einen winzigen Einblick hinter die stressigen Kulissen von Signierstunden und Talkshows. Ich konnte mich köstlich amüsieren über den charmanten Koch, und die ehrgeizige Juliet, die von ihrer eigenen Agentur träumt. Hier fliegen die Funken, bis beide lichterloh brennen.

Fazit: Ein richtig schöner Liebesroman zwischen Büchern und Kochtöpfen.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
1,036 reviews7 followers
July 27, 2016
Carlo Franconi loves women and his work as a world renowned chef, and is content with his life wooing women all over the world. Then he embarks on a tour of the US with his publicist Juliet, and both their worlds are turned upside down.

This is a sequel to Summer Desserts (Great Chefs, #1), and both books can be read here Table For Two. It's always interesting to see a womanizer settle down, and once again Roberts does not disappoint.
Profile Image for Melissa.
245 reviews27 followers
August 5, 2015
While I read all of the book, I didn't like it. I just hate to leave a book unfinished especially when I'm so far into it. I just had no attachment to Carlo and the female character whose name I can't even remember.

Nora Roberts just has so many books that are BETTER than this.

It's a straight up love story. There is no real conflict other than - SHOULD WE?!

Ugh.

Strong woman with relationship issues falls for suave, over confident man. Done, done, and DONE.

This is the darker side of Nora Roberts that I forgot about that reminds me why I quite reading her.
Profile Image for Karen Whooley.
Author 32 books33 followers
May 15, 2016
Loved

I love Ms. Robert's contemporary novels but noting compares to the sweetness of her early romances novels. One of her best!
Profile Image for Liba.
432 reviews9 followers
August 17, 2019
Book 2 in Great Chefs duet (with Summer Desserts), also published together in Table for Two book.
Carlo is a successful chef with his own restaurant in Rome. He has written 3 books and comes to the States on a 3-week promotion tour. He is single, gorgeous, a flirt. Carlo has 4 married sisters with kids, but his mother Gina wants him to start his own family, as well .
Juliet is Carlo's publicist, accompanying him on the tour. She dislikes her romantic name , is a practical and efficient 80s woman, no-nonsence. She thinks she is a disappointment to her parents. Juliet doesn't cook at all (later in the book Carlo teaches her to make linguini ) .
Carlo takes charge in almost everything- upgrades her plane tickets, changes her room, is ready to change plans. He is very meticulous about his dishes (only fresh basil, no ground from a bottle ) .
At the same time Carlo helps a young boy/ teenager Steven and sends him to work for Summer ,planning to sent the youth to study in Paris.
We meet Summer and Blake an year after their marriage, expecting their first child.
When Carlo proposes to Juliet, she turns him down...and Carlo leaves.
Juliet has to make the right decision about her future.
No epilogue here, as well.
Profile Image for Maria Jose.
227 reviews10 followers
September 4, 2020
Me gustó,pero no me conquistó. Siento que le faltó algo más de profundidad a la historia principal.
Profile Image for Xan.
619 reviews272 followers
Read
July 1, 2017
This is such a classic 80s romance in every way. At one point, the heroine calls herself an 80s woman. She decides she cannot have love and a career, but he teaches her differently. 80s level wealth is tossed around extravagantly.

It's got a ton of classic 80s romance sexism, including the obligatory rescue from potential sexual assault & of course this idea that he can persist pushing her for a romantic relationship even when she says no, because romance. It's also very much driven by the stereotype of a passionate Italian womanizer.

It made me hungry for Italian food, has all the stuff that I adore about food based romances, along with the details that are one of the things I love about books by this author.

This romance is emblematic of what I grew up learning about sexual negotiation and gender roles in heterosexuality. It is deeply familiar. I personally enjoy the first book in this series more, Summer Desserts about a woman who is a dessert chef (and, of course more interested in her career than in love).

Trigger Warnings:
Profile Image for Maura.
3,883 reviews100 followers
March 4, 2017
This was a fairly decent story and I would have rated this higher if it weren't for the hero. He just did not appeal to me and I found myself getting irritated while reading. Juliet is the publicist assigned to celebrity chef Carlo Franconi's publicity tour of the U.S. He sex on legs and Juliet is rather repressed and completely commitment phobic. She starts out trying to keep a distance and maintain a professional demeanor. He steamrolls over all of her objections.

My problem with Carlo is his ego. There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance and he's on the side of arrogance. Any man receiving a compliment who says, "Yes, I know." instead of "Thank you." is an arrogant ass. There is even a quote in the book, "His ego was no small matter." and it's not used as a euphemism. As a publicist, her job and her image is important to her, so making a public display of a relationship is a reasonable complaint...but Carlo doesn't care, because he wants what he wants (and don't even get me started on his childish little tantrum over ingredients - is that supposed to be endearing?). On top of that, the man is a flirt - he's slept his way around the globe and he flirts with anything on legs. So I'd be a bit wary about getting into a relationship with a man who loves women as much as he does.

The heroine I actually liked. Her hesitancy to get involved seriously is all very realistic considering his reputation, the fact that they live on separate continents, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
62 reviews1 follower
August 23, 2010
I just finished this and i've got to say that the last few pages and their reunion almost brought me to tears, i really loved these characters, compared to summer desserts, and although Carlo was a ladies man, he was such a sweetheart and i love how after Juliet got the elephant she left for rome, and i just love how romantic they are together, and i love how she didn't want to lose herself and was scared she loved him so much she would leave everything for him, and i loved that sentiment. i loved how he proposed and gave her a ticket to rome, and i loved they weren't going to wait to get married. I also liked that summer and balke appeared to show them they could do it! I just loved that it really shows you that love is possible and sometimes you have to go with it and leave plans and past reservations go, and allow love to consume you.
Profile Image for Heidi.
84 reviews
September 24, 2020
Lessons Learned is the second book in Nora's Great Chefs duo. We follow Carlo Franconi as he travels the US on a promotional tour for his recent cookbook with his book publicist, Juliet Trent. Carlo is a charming Italian who lives by his senses, and Juliet is organized, driven, and determined not to be swept up by love or romance. A good pick for those who love an opposites attract story! To hear a full discussion of Lessons Learned listen to Season 1, Ep. #17 "Nora Roberts' Great Chefs Duo: Summer Desserts and Lessons Learned" of Romancing the Shelf, a Nora Roberts podcast: https://romancingtheshelf.libsyn.com/
Profile Image for monica.
490 reviews8 followers
April 17, 2020
Sólo trabajo

Buena,Nora roberts nos presenta el mundos del los chef .Carlos es un seductor le encantan las mujeres y es muy apuesto.Sus platos son una experiencia que se asemeja a hacer el amor ,según él.Hasta que conoce a Juliet le encantaban todas las mujeres y las entendía a la perfeccion .por su parte juliet tiene su vida planificada y organizada hasta que conoce a Carlos y todo cambia.interesante y graciosa la disfrute mucho.
March 5, 2018
I did not like this book as much as the first one in the series. I had a hard time to keep my interest. There was way too much description when it came to the main character's cooking and the whole story was kind of bland. The book did get better towards the end, but it took way too long before I was able to say I was into the story. Not one of her best books.
Profile Image for Marisa Sauco.
303 reviews297 followers
April 29, 2015
¡Me encantó! ❤ Hermosa historia, con personajes encantadores, y contada a la perfección. ¡Amo a Nora Roberts! ¡Recomendadísima! ❤
101 reviews2 followers
Read
March 22, 2016
interesting premise...learned about what it is like to promote a book...again too much sexual intimacy.
Profile Image for Elgyn.
2,527 reviews29 followers
February 28, 2018
Orchidea - překlad Světlana Motýsková, odpovědný redaktor Jiří Chodil
Žhavé doteky - překladatel Dita Černá, odpovědný redaktor Ivana Čejková
A stejné překlepy, chyby a špatný překlad?

s. 269 Jeho výstup v ranním pořadu dopadl skvěle, což Juliet po zbytek dne naplnilo pesimismem. To mi nepřijde moc logické.
His spot on the morning show had been perfekt. That only made Juliet more pessimistic about the rest of day.

s. 270 a drtila přitom zuby
and tried NOT to clench her teeth

s. 270 a pak ji svým milým a nenuceným úsměvem políbil na čelo
In his friendly, casual way, he kissed her forehead.

s. 273 „Byla byste tak laskava a přinesla mi kávu, se dvěma cukry.“ Snad „Buďte tak laskava…“, ne?
"I’d like some coffee, two sugars.“

s. 306 hrát na piano, já jsem nebyla schopná zapamatovat si ani klávesnice
Že by stupnice? I can barely remember the scales
„A co jste chtěla dělat místo toho?“
„Hrát na basu,“ vyklouzlo jí

„Play third base.“ Vážně?

s. 317 Slečna Triblyová si usrkla ze skleničky ve tvaru ptačího pítka
Ms. Tribly sipped lighty at her margarita in a glass the size of a small birdbath.

s. 236 nejsem zastáncem přílišného holdování
overindulgence Jsou vhodnější slova.

s. 398 Nevybírala si snad život, který mohla držet pevně v oprátkách? Jistě by to šlo i lépe.
Hadn’t she always picked her way carefully through life so that she could keep everything in perfekt focus?

s. 250 chovej se slušně Butchi
s. 254 sbohem pozlátko
s. 255 grapef-ruitový
s. 342 Všechny lety byla zrušeny
s. 401 v níž se skvěly dva červení humři. Něco tak krásného ještě neviděla, pomyslela si Juliet. A ještě o sobě přemýšlí v třetí osobě?
It was, Juliet thought, the most beautiful spot in the world.

uvozovky - s. 374
Profile Image for Skittles Jones.
547 reviews
August 27, 2023
Didn’t enjoy this as much as I did the first book. We read about Carlo Franconi from Summer and Blake’s love story, Summer Desserts. He is Summer’s very best friend, who studied with her and became a very successful Italian chef. He’s also a womanizer who likes to charm women and bed them like there’s no tomorrow.

Nora Roberts has romanticized this side of Carlo, which I really don’t like. He is paired with a very practical, American publicist who has a weakness for shoes and ostentatious things, and thought it would be a perfect fit. Is it a perfect fit? Maybe. Juliet Trent is guarded and doesn’t want to fall in love. Carlo has never been in love and wanted Juliet- then in their 3 weeks together he realized there’s no one like her and he wants her forever.

Too good to be true. Too romanticized. And I really did not appreciate it that when Juliet thought he moved on with another woman, she was squaring her shoulders and was willing to fight for him. Wait, what? I thought she didn’t want to be in his long list of lovers. I am so confused. I would have wanted him to grovel more.

But as usual, Nora has a way. And her way made this a 3 star read instead of 2.
October 29, 2022
This book was an amusing read. However, I think it was one of Roberts earlier efforts and was just recently published. My guess it was written in the early 80's. The sexist behavior of Franconi would never be tolerated in 2022. There was never a cell phone in evidence or a computer or GPS. Juliet (who is named Juliet today?) is always calling in reports on a payphone where is she finding all these pay phones? It's a cute romp about a young woman (Juliet) who is determined to realize her own dreams and not "settle" on being a wife who spends her life catering to her cheating husband like her mother did, and her sister who follows her mothers example. Franconi, the very handsome and seductive not to mention charming and famous Italian chef has philandered his whole adult life enjoying women like beautiful desserts, he has a string of romances that all end up as friendships. He's a good hearted man, egoistical, talented and loves only his career and his love life! Until he meets Juliet who is all business, but there is some thing different about her that instantly makes him want her, never in his life has he felt like this! No spoilers here but the book is predictable. A fun read.
1,828 reviews
December 24, 2019
For a book published about 33 years ago, it holds its own in the contemporary romance field. A female publicist and a gorgeous, talented Italian chef spend three tough weeks together on a publicity tour in the United States. With her signature sharp, witty dialogue and character development, Ms. Roberts creates an immensely enjoyable, smart, light read. Two strong, stubborn people meet head on and unwittingly walk into love. Nellie Chalfant is new to me as a narrator and I sing her praises, Voices match the characters (all of them!) and strong praise goes to her for being able to make an adult male voice sound like an adult male.
658 reviews
April 1, 2019
I hated Carlo's character, so I just couldn't enjoy this book. He was pushy and more-or-less a womanizer, if a chivalrous one who opens doors. (Who can stand a guy who's busy eyeing every bust and butt that parades past even as he claims undying love for you?) Then there's the whole insta-love business that I just don't enjoy. I suppose it was more insta-lust, but still, it was obnoxiously overdone. I made it to the end, but only because I hate quitting.
Profile Image for Jennifer Kelly.
72 reviews2 followers
May 15, 2019
The second half of my fave beach reads! And quite possibly why I married a chef. Kidding. Probably heavily influenced though.

The way "Summer Desserts" leaves me craving champagne and pizza, "Lessons Learned" leaves me severely disappointed in any Italian restaurant menu simply because they're not Franconi dishes.

Grab a chilled glass of the bubbly and enjoy some quality trashy romance novels this summer!
Profile Image for Jennifer Gottschalk.
632 reviews2 followers
September 25, 2021
The ending is a foregone conclusion from the outset of this romance novel. This is not a bad thing and Roberts has done a masterful job of exploring the relationship and motivation of the protagonists.

It was lovely to finally read a love story where the author understands the concept of ‘less is more’ - especially when it comes to the more intimate moments.

All in all a tasteful, easy read that is firmly in the light entertainment category.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews

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