Title: The Brightest Star in Paris 

Author: Diana Biller

Genre: Historical romance, Paris, Ballet

Release date: 12 Oct 2021

Author Links: Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes

This is the second book in the Paris Hearts series which feature women chefs. Similar to the first book here our heroine also falls for a military-type guy but unlike previous books by Ms Florand, here things between them were both more suspenseful and more hilarious. 

I really like Ms Florand's writing, it's always sensual, very emotional, focused a lot on the inner world of the characters and their difficulties in communicating/expressing their innermost desires and fears. This story was no exception and while Violette was more or less a typical Florand heroine (she reminded me of her heroes, actually - feisty and determined, focused on her profession, yet fragile and uncertain her personal life), Chase was totally different from her chef heroes. There is light-heartedness (at least on the outside) to him, a sense of easy-going and good humour which was a nice change from her more angsty, introverted heroes before. He has issues of his own, finding a place for personal life, settling down after years in the military and still doing undercover work was not easy for him but it was something he desperately wanted. 

Vi was fabulous, I had so much fun reading her. We rarely see a strong independent heroine who still remains such after she falls in love. The chemistry between Vi and Chase was strong but neither of them was good at being with someone, at sharing happiness and sorrow. Being part of a couple was not their usual place but they had strong feelings for each other and tried their best to make things work. And the did, in the end, after more than the usual turmoil.

There is a strong suspense element in their story, partly because of Chase's profession, partly as a reflection of the current events in the real world - the overwhelming sense of uncertainly and lack of safety. 

I felt the pace a bit uneven - at times the characters spent too much time talking/discussing things rather than acting them out and then there was a fast action-packed sequence but overall this is just a minor quibble.

I loved the easy banter between Vi and Chase, the sense of fun and good times despite the dangers in the outside world. I felt very strongly present in this story the message the French people send to the world after the terrorist attacks in Paris - we are not giving up on life, love, good times because of you. We are not afraid. And I very much liked how this was incorporated in the story.

In short, Chase Me is different than your usual Laura Florand romance but it is also the same - intense, beautifully written with well-developed unique characters and passionate romance. And of course, there is all the love for cooking and eating and entertaining. A recommended read!

Goodreads Blurb

My Review

This is my favourite book in this series so far, though I have only read the previous one, The Chocolate Touch and I really enjoyed it. I can honestly say this one worked even better for me.

There a quite a few similarities between the two books - the heroes, Dom and Luc have a lot of things in common - they are both ambitious, self-made men, rising from nothing to be the best chocolatiers in Paris. 

The heroines are rather different, though. Summer is a complicated character, she acts like a spoilt brat a lot of the time, yet she is sad and miserable and lonely and unloved when living in Paris. It is difficult to feel sorry for someone as privileged  as her, yet Ms Florand manages to get you to feel deeply for her. Summer's lack of self-esteem and belief in her self-worth are presented very convincingly. She is so reluctant to let Luc into her life and into her heart that at times she is even downright cruel to him. It is her defence mechanism, she acts like that to protect herself from becoming dependant on him, losing the independence she gained while living in self-exile on a tropical island.

Luc, was just amazing, even better than Dom from The Chocolate Touch. He has overcome a difficult childhood through establishing total control in his life, something his step-father taught him. This helped him become one of the best chocolatiers in Paris but it ultimately left him empty and numb inside. He was only able to express his emotions in the desserts he made. That's until Summer came along.

The relationship between Summer and Luc grows slowly and after some initial misunderstandings, they gradually open to one another. I was frustrated a bit with their lack of communication at the beginning but this was quickly resolved and their love blossomed beautifully. It them some time and they needed some outside help (Partick, Luc's sous-chef, was quite helpful in this respect) to eventually overcome their own issues and be happy together.

The main thing that sets apart this series, is the amazing writing style of Ms Florand. It is very lyrical, sensual, sweet and addictive as chocolate. Her voice is very engaging and you can't help but feel all of the characters' emotions.

One of my objections in the previous book was the lack of epilogue. I generally like to see the couples further along in their relationship, so I particularly fond of epilogues. I was really happy that Ms Florand gave Luc and Summer's story a very sweet epilogue. It was lovely and completed their story in a beautiful way.

The next book in the series, The Chocolate Temptation, is coming in January 2014 and it will be about Patrick. He was an amazing character, funny and smart and I can't wait to read his story.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

This week's teaser comes from The Chocolate Heart by Laura Florand. It is the fifth book in her Amour et Chocolat series and it releases today. I have only read the previous one, The Chocolate Touch and while I enjoyed it, I liked this one even better. It is a wonderful love story with complex characters set in the chocolate making world in Paris and on a tropical island. If you are interested, you can come by the blog on Wednesday to check my review.

The Chocolate Heart - Laura Florand

Dominique Richard's reputation says it all--wild past, wilder flavors, black leather and smoldering heat. Jaime Corey is hardly the first woman to be drawn to all that dark, delicious danger. Sitting in Dom's opulent chocolaterie in Paris day after day, she lets his decadent creations restore her weary body and spirit, understanding that the man himself is entirely beyond her grasp.

Until he touches her. . .

Chocolate, Dominique understands--from the biting tang of lime-caramel to the most complex infusions of jasmine, lemon-thyme, and cayenne. But this shy, freckled American who sits alone in his salon, quietly sampling his exquisite confections as if she can't get enough of them--enough of him--is something else. She has secrets too, he can tell. Of course if she really knew him, she would run.

Yet once you have spotted your heart's true craving, simply looking is no longer enough...