Turn Up the Heat: A Second Chances Novel

Serena Bell

Jul 2015 · Loveswept

About this ebook

For readers of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery, USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell teases all five senses in this poignant, tantalizing novel of fantasies long hidden . . . and finally indulged.
 
Aspiring chef Lily McKee noticed Kincaid Graves the first time he walked into the dingy diner where she waits tables. With his ice-blue eyes and primal tattoos, his presence puts Lily on edge—and reminds her of all the unfulfilled longings she isn’t pursuing while she’s stuck in this dead-end job. Without a doubt, the man is dangerous to her long-term plans of leaving town and hiring on at a real kitchen—and yet, she hungers for him, if even for just a taste.
 
Kincaid didn’t come back to his coastal Oregon hometown looking for a good time or a good meal. The ex-con has a score to settle, old wrongs to set right. But Lily, equal parts innocence and insight, brings out an impulsive side of him he thought he’d left behind in the past. And it only takes one intense moment of weakness between them to make him consider the possibility of an entirely new future—and the promise of passion beyond either of their wildest dreams.

Praise for Turn Up the Heat
 
“Serena Bell nails it. Turn Up the Heat is sexy, emotional, and engaging. I couldn’t get enough!”—Stacey Kennedy, USA Today bestselling author of the Club Sin series

“Turn Up the Heat is a delicious read! Serena Bell rides that bittersweet edge where everything is darker, hotter, and sexy as hell.”—USA Today bestselling author Shari Slade

“Serena Bell definitely ‘turns up the heat’ in this steamy read!”—Tina Wainscott, USA Today bestselling author of Falling Fast
 
“Sexy and tender, sweet and spicy, Turn Up the Heat is a delicious book I couldn’t get enough of!”—Molly O’Keefe, author of Indecent Proposal

“Darkly sexy and deeply emotional.”—Elisabeth Barrett, author of Once and Again

“Serena Bell writes books with hot sex and lots of emotion, and those are the types of books I love to read!”—Wendy S. Marcus, author of Loving You Is Easy
 
Don’t miss any of Serena Bell’s delightful romances:
YOURS TO KEEP | HOLD ON TIGHT | AFTER MIDNIGHT | TURN UP THE HEAT | CAN’T HOLD BACK | TO HAVE AND TO HOLD | GETTING INSIDE | DO OVER | HEAD OVER HEELS

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Ratings and reviews

Lilly works as a waitress in a small, local diner. She notices a dark, brooding man, who sits alone every night in the back corner of the restaurant. She is drawn to him and has fantasies about what she can do with him. Lilly is a little bit on the naughty side. When she suggested something a little bit more adventurous in the bedroom to her ex-boyfriend, she not only lost him but also her apartment and job. So she is back at home trying to get life back on track and earn enough money to pursue her dream of returning to Chicago and open her own restaurant. While Kincaid is having some dreams of his own about Lilly, he knows he is not good enough for her. She is sweet and innocent, while he is hardened because of his time in prison. But he is not your typical hard core criminal. He went to prison for trying to save his grandmother from an abusive relationship. There are some really hot, steamy, intense scenes when they get together. In fact, it was nice to see the woman being the aggressor during their first encounter. While there are hints of BDSM and a little bit of bondage, it is minimal. This is a book of second chances.

This was a fun, sweet, sexy second chance at love story. Lily McKee left Chicago after finding her ex-fiance in a very uncompromising position. Lily has dreams of owning her own restaurant in Chicago but since she was living with the ex, she moves to Tierney Bay, OR to move in with her sister and save up some money. While there Lily gets a job at the Tierney Bay Diner. She loves interacting with the people but longs for Chicago. While working she notices this sexy, good looking guy who always comes in and sits in the same booth and watches her. One night she gets the chance to cook at the grill instead of waitressing. She gets "his" order and makes him her own style of hamburger. He enjoys it so much he says something to the owner, Markos, who has a fit that she changed his recipe. Markos doesn't care if she trained at one of the besting cooking schools, his diner, his recipes. Afterwards Lily talks to the stranger so says his name is Kincaid Graves. Lily is very much attracted to this man but what she doesn't know is that Caid recently just got out of jail. Caid is so drawn to her but knows he should stay away but she just keeps popping up into his thoughts. He hangs with her after the diner closes and things explode! Taking out the trash has never been so sexy! ;) The push and pull these two have with each other was great. They both have their reasons for being together and both have reason to be apart. I loved that no matter what they kept getting pulled back together. Their sexual chemistry is HOT! I really enjoyed Caid's back story and why he went to prison. I was glad he was able to get his happy ending with his Nan. The epilogue was so sweet and it had me shedding a few tears. Overall, a great, easy, sexy read.

While I am a big fan of Serena Bell's books, this one not so much. I found the story lacking and considering the basic story is about two people who enjoy their sexy times a bit rough, I thought even that component lacking.

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes stories about how sex messes with your head, why smart people sometimes do stupid things, and how love can make it all better. She wrote her first steamy romance before she was old enough to understand what all the words meant and has been perfecting the art of hiding pages and screens from curious eyes ever since—a skill that’s particularly useful now that she’s the mother of two school-aged children.