4 out of 4 stars
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The Hungry Heart by Brenda Gayle is a romance filled with many twists and turns. The story follows Nora Cross, a thirty-five-year-old child advocate who heads a company. Nora experienced a strict upbringing, which made her social life very difficult. Her sister, Karen, wins a private cooking lesson from a charity auction and bestows it upon Nora. This cooking lesson brings Nora in contact with our hero, Hunter Graham, who is the heir to a business empire. He does not want the burden of the empire, but he is reluctant to confess to his family that he wants to be a chef and manage a restaurant. There is aroma-filled chemistry between Hunter and Nora, despite the cooking disasters in their first session.
Hunter is a playboy who shirks away from commitment. Nora, on the other hand, has no interest in a one-night stand. However, their mutual attraction makes them behave in unpredictable ways. Simultaneously, another storyline unfolds. Nora’s apartment and office are vandalized. She also gets the feeling that she is being stalked. Who wants to harm Nora? Is there something in her past that makes her a target? Will these disastrous events push Hunter and Nora farther apart, or will they grow closer? Will Hunter be able to commit himself to Nora? Will Nora be able to enjoy the pleasure Hunter offers without thinking too much about her future? These questions are answered in this beautiful tale of romance and intrigue.
I appreciated the way the author has unravelled the romance of Hunter and Nora. This is perhaps my favourite part of this book. Hunter and Nora do not fall in love at first sight, despite the unmistakable attraction between them. They have many fights and misunderstandings. Since Nora is older than Hunter by six years, the age difference bothers her. Similarly, Hunter is not used to courting independent women with altruistic goals and strong will. They stumble and mumble, yet fate keeps bringing them together. I also enjoyed the way the author has described scents. She uses these words - “chocolate and mint” and “cocoa and sandalwood” – to describe Hunter’s masculine scent. I found it difficult to imagine these unlikely combinations, yet they intrigued me.
I started reading this book expecting a cosy romance. I expected that this would be another clichéd romance with a billionaire playboy falling for a less wealthy, independent woman. Instead, I was rewarded with a heart-warming romance with many steamy scenes and a suspenseful tale with many twists. Nora is not just another independent woman. She is a workaholic who constantly doubts herself, yet she is prepared to fight for her noble cause i.e. children’s rights. Hunter is not just another billionaire playboy. He respects women and always treats them like princesses. However, he is unable to understand why Nora is the way she is. They irritate and intrigue each other at the same time. It was charming to see their relationship bloom. There are other characters in this book, but all of them pale in comparison to the protagonists.
The book seems professionally edited since I could find very few grammatical errors. Since I could not find anything that blemished the beauty of this novel, I give The Hungry Heart by Brenda Gayle 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading a romance with suspenseful elements. If you are bored with cosy romances with the same plots, you must try this book. However, if you are not a big fan of romance, you might not like this. Keep in mind that this book has many steamy scenes. There is also a kidnapping scene with some violence. Hence, I would not recommend this book to younger audiences.
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The Hungry Heart
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