Write a book about a chef and I will buy it. I just can’t resist them. So I had very high hopes for Scrumptious by new author Amanda Usen. The details about whipping up wonderful dishes are – dare I say it – scrumptious, but some plot details and characterization are unconvincing and weak.

Marlene Bennett’s fourteenth birthday was both the best and worst day of her life. Sobbing her heart out in the school’s chemistry lab after her father’s desertion, she is discovered by Olivia Marconi who then brings her to the Marconi home. From the moment Marlene walks into Chameleon, the family restaurant, she is enthralled. Nurtured by the family with resplendent food, she soon is learning every aspect of the business. When Olivia goes away to culinary school, Marlene holds down the fort, looking forward to the time when they both will work together. However Olivia doesn’t return alone, bringing home Keith – another culinary institute graduate and her husband.

Marlene really tries to be a team player, but after spending almost a year on the line correcting Keith’s mistakes, she lies to Olivia and tells her she needs a break from the fast pace and then retreats to the bakeshop. Self-indulgent men like Keith, her father, and three step-fathers are the reason she still single. So when Olivia informs Marlene that her best friend from the institute, Joe Rafferty, plans to visit, Marlene is prepared to enjoy the feast. She has had her eye on this prime specimen of manhood since Olivia’s wedding but he left early. What makes things especially appealing is that Marlene knows Joe’s reputation for hit and run love affairs is as bad as her own.

Joe‘s ability to charm his way into most women’s pants seemed like an asset until his dying mother chastises him about dating sluts. Since her death he hasn’t found comfort in easy sex especially since one of her last wishes was that he find a nice girl and settle down. She also requested that he take care of his father – something he finds abhorrent. However, he plans to honor both requests. On his way to check on his father he stops off at Olivia’s –one of his one night stands that developed into true friendship.

Joe’s arrival is kismet to Olivia. Just that day she discovered her husband shagging the floozy bartender in the restaurant’s dry storage area. Of course she kicked his ass out, but after months of working double shifts she is exhausted. Persuaded by Olivia’s pleading eyes, Joe agrees to help out until Olivia can find someone else.

Marlene’s life has just gotten so much better. Tomorrow she can resume her place on the line now that Keith is gone, and tonight she plans to get laid. But Joe turns her down, and the next day she finds out that he has the job she thought was hers. Of course Olivia would want a real, trained chef. Still Marlene can’t resist making it difficult for Joe on his first day. After that fails she is prepared to put aside her resentment for Olivia’s sake. Soon more than the ovens heat up that kitchen.

While I liked many things about the book – the setting, the luscious descriptions of food, the romance between Joe & Marlene and the friendship between the women- several things impacted my grade. Initially Joe doesn’t consider Marlene suitable for a long term relationship. While he can’t resist the blistering sexual attraction between them and he knows it is completely illogical to think less of Marlene because of her sexual history, especially when he has the same reputation, he can’t let go of the idea of fulfilling his mother’s wish of finding “a nice girl.” It bothered me that the heroine’s sexual history became part of the conflict and it seemed like a double standard.

There is also a secondary story arc about Joe’s relationship with his father which wasn’t well integrated into the story. Add into it a little ick factor when his father gives Joe some relationship advice. The story also has a mystery element about incidences at the restaurant, and that resolution comes completely out of the blue.

While the book is filled with extremely hot sex scenes and a satisfying romantic happily ever after, it was ultimately an uneven read for me, resulting in my C+ grade.