Savoring the Chef

Stein’s delicious third Sex, Lies, & Forbidden Desires Regency romance (following Submitting to the Widow) pairs a saucy chef with one of high society’s most charming bachelors. Nathaniel Charpentier, the son of a lady’s maid, escaped the clutches of his violent, possessive master, Lord Banffshire, at age 16. Now, 10 years later, he’s the famed chef of London’s exclusive hedonist Club Ambrosios. The inspiration for his erotic cuisine comes from a set of pages he obtained from an erotica purveyor written by one “CB.” This is Lionel Carrington-Bowles, a well-to-do gentleman who’s been at wit’s end ever since he lost the journal in which he recorded his scandalous gay affairs. Lionel is desperate to get his journal pages back before they’re used against him, a quest that leads him straight to Nathaniel. The men are instantly struck by mutual desire. Haunted by their pasts and with everything to lose, the two must navigate society, their secrets, and their love. The sensual, often food-themed sex scenes are juicy and delectable in more ways than one. While Lionel makes a somewhat passive protagonist, the looming threat of exposure and the heinous Lord Banffshire’s return to London up the stakes, and a quirky supporting cast adds charm. Stein’s fans are sure to relish this steamy historical. (Self-published)