[Book Review] Lush

Title: Lush
Author: Lauren Dane
Date Published: April 2, 2013
Source: ARC
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit
Rating: ★★★★★

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
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About the Book:

Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.  

Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good. 

What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

Review:
A deliciously uncomplicated romance story that's as mouth-watering as its characters!

I normally wouldn't use the word 'mouth-watering' in describing a novel, but that's exactly what Lush is. It is mouth-watering and delicious because the female lead, Mary Whaley, is a successful caterer.

The dishes featured in this book alone made my stomach growl in frustration when I was reading. The sad part is, I can't do anything about it because I don't know how to cook.

Anyways, what I liked about this book is that the characters are distinctly unique and likable. There's Mary Whaley who's her own person. She's caring, loyal and independent. She's successful in her chosen field and knows exactly what she wants. I guess it's safe to say that she's got a good head on her shoulders and doesn't let her head float up in the clouds. She's realistic and that's what I liked best about her.

Then there's also Damien Hurley, the lickable drummer in a rock band. He stands for everything that's cliche in a rock band - the partying, the drinking, the groupies and the multiple sex partners in every city they tour. He's the kind of guy that good girls usually kept at arm's length.

What I liked about this story was that there was build-up between the two protagonists. They didn't just bump into each other and fall in love instantly. There was space between when they met and how they eventually began seeing each other, which made the story believable to some degree.

What I don't like, however, is that the only conflict within the story are the insecurities held by Mary and Damien. There was no real, tangible and intense conflict that actually threatened to tear them apart. The conflicts that were presented in this story could easily be sorted out by communication, which might I add, was actually done with the help of the people around the two main characters.

Anyways, this story has likable characters, a plethora of mouth-watering dishes, a hot caterer and a rock star. I'd say that those things definitely make-up something worth reading.