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gillianw's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
https://justloveromance.wordpress.com/2016/10/03/dinner-at-jacks-rick-reed/#more-13677
First off, I have a small problem with books that switch between first person and third person point of view and if this is something that grates on your nerves, you might prefer to give this one a miss. Personally, I prefer the author stick with one or the other, but If you’re totally okay with it, then keep reading because this might be the book for you.
Dinner at Jack’s oozes sweetness and romance. From the charming characters to the delicious descriptions of home-cooked food, eagerness and sincerity pour from the page and it’s quite obvious this was a labour of love for the author. At times, it was just a little too sweet and a little too eager and details that might have given us a glimpse into certain characters are deliberately glossed over. A little more spice to compensate for the sweet, would have been nice.
That being said, I’m sure there are plenty of people who will enjoy this straight up, relatively low angst romance and for the foodies in the house, there are some mouth-watering recipes included that may satisfy some of your fussiest eaters.
The story begins with Beau St. Clair, a Seattle chef who has returned to his hometown to lick his wounds after his marriage has ended. Financially stable after his divorce, he finds himself at loose ends and decides to answer a Craigslist ad asking for someone to cook “nutritious, appetizing, and wholesome” meals for a local shut-in for a few nights per week.
Jack Rogers has returned to his hometown to live with his mother ever since a debilitating attack left him with severe PTSD. Unrecognizable from the independent, outgoing lawyer he once was, Jack prefers to spend his days cocooned in his room watching TV and occasionally taking out his frustrations on his long-suffering mother.
The meat of this story revolves around Beau and Jack and how they come to recognize each other. While it’s hard to provide too much information as it would give most of the plot away, this book reads like an ode to the healing powers of home-cooking. Jack’s PTSD is handled deftly and with sensitivity, even if his breakthrough and recovery are wrapped up a little too neatly at the end. Still, one can appreciate that a good meal made with healthy ingredients can certainly do more for you than any “instant” food that comes out of a can or a box (and I say that as someone who relies at little too heavily on the latter and not nearly enough on the former!).
The few side characters in Dinner at Jack’s run from sadly sweet (Maisie), gruffly sweet (Beau’s dad), and selflessly sweet (Daisy) and are mostly one-dimensional. The only one with more personality is Ruth the Pug. Her inner dialogue, as imagined by Beau, is actually kind of cute and almost makes her more interesting than the other three combined.
This book is definitely for readers who enjoy a straightforward romance with a hint of angst and only the smallest pinch of drama. While the themes may initially seem dark, they are handled with a very light hand, not delving too deep and nicely resolved by the end. That you get some pretty neat recipes out of the deal is certainly a bonus.
I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
https://justloveromance.wordpress.com/2016/10/03/dinner-at-jacks-rick-reed/#more-13677
First off, I have a small problem with books that switch between first person and third person point of view and if this is something that grates on your nerves, you might prefer to give this one a miss. Personally, I prefer the author stick with one or the other, but If you’re totally okay with it, then keep reading because this might be the book for you.
Dinner at Jack’s oozes sweetness and romance. From the charming characters to the delicious descriptions of home-cooked food, eagerness and sincerity pour from the page and it’s quite obvious this was a labour of love for the author. At times, it was just a little too sweet and a little too eager and details that might have given us a glimpse into certain characters are deliberately glossed over. A little more spice to compensate for the sweet, would have been nice.
That being said, I’m sure there are plenty of people who will enjoy this straight up, relatively low angst romance and for the foodies in the house, there are some mouth-watering recipes included that may satisfy some of your fussiest eaters.
The story begins with Beau St. Clair, a Seattle chef who has returned to his hometown to lick his wounds after his marriage has ended. Financially stable after his divorce, he finds himself at loose ends and decides to answer a Craigslist ad asking for someone to cook “nutritious, appetizing, and wholesome” meals for a local shut-in for a few nights per week.
Jack Rogers has returned to his hometown to live with his mother ever since a debilitating attack left him with severe PTSD. Unrecognizable from the independent, outgoing lawyer he once was, Jack prefers to spend his days cocooned in his room watching TV and occasionally taking out his frustrations on his long-suffering mother.
The meat of this story revolves around Beau and Jack and how they come to recognize each other. While it’s hard to provide too much information as it would give most of the plot away, this book reads like an ode to the healing powers of home-cooking. Jack’s PTSD is handled deftly and with sensitivity, even if his breakthrough and recovery are wrapped up a little too neatly at the end. Still, one can appreciate that a good meal made with healthy ingredients can certainly do more for you than any “instant” food that comes out of a can or a box (and I say that as someone who relies at little too heavily on the latter and not nearly enough on the former!).
The few side characters in Dinner at Jack’s run from sadly sweet (Maisie), gruffly sweet (Beau’s dad), and selflessly sweet (Daisy) and are mostly one-dimensional. The only one with more personality is Ruth the Pug. Her inner dialogue, as imagined by Beau, is actually kind of cute and almost makes her more interesting than the other three combined.
This book is definitely for readers who enjoy a straightforward romance with a hint of angst and only the smallest pinch of drama. While the themes may initially seem dark, they are handled with a very light hand, not delving too deep and nicely resolved by the end. That you get some pretty neat recipes out of the deal is certainly a bonus.
I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
raynebair's review against another edition
3.0
Surprisingly I enjoyed this one. Rick is a bit of a hit or miss with me. I don't really know what I'm gonna get, but this one was pleasant. It's always tough to tackle a situation like severe PTSD from a violent personal attack. And that's what Jack had. And I'm not sure yet how I feel on how it was delivered. Jack's issues stemmed from his not being able to remember exactly what happened. Because Beau was such a strong emotional part of the evening, it makes sense that his presence would begin to unlock Jack's mind. And the story was focused on that unlocking as the first step in healing rather than the long process afterwards. So in thinking that, it was a good story. Nice feel good story.
myzanm's review against another edition
3.0
A really sweet book about second chances.
I liked the story and the characters. It was sweet and easy to read. Not as much angst as one would expect with the PTSD and amnesia.
I did have trouble with the writing style. It took me almost half the book to get in to it and even then it was a struggle at times. I also wish it had been deeper in some parts. The breakup with Ross was just glossed over and I didn’t really feel the feelings between Beau and Jack. You were told they had great chemistry 8 years ago and their relationship was built on that which I felt was a bit of cheating because that way I never got to experience the build up. Another thing I missed was where the epilogue left us. I wanted to know more than that they still were together some 6 months later.
I liked the story and the characters. It was sweet and easy to read. Not as much angst as one would expect with the PTSD and amnesia.
I did have trouble with the writing style. It took me almost half the book to get in to it and even then it was a struggle at times. I also wish it had been deeper in some parts. The breakup with Ross was just glossed over and I didn’t really feel the feelings between Beau and Jack. You were told they had great chemistry 8 years ago and their relationship was built on that which I felt was a bit of cheating because that way I never got to experience the build up. Another thing I missed was where the epilogue left us. I wanted to know more than that they still were together some 6 months later.
karlijnmerle's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
It felt a bit to rushed for me. I would have loved to read more about Jack's recovery and the building of their relationship.
It felt a bit to rushed for me. I would have loved to read more about Jack's recovery and the building of their relationship.
suze_1624's review against another edition
4.0
It was poor, at the end of her tether Maisie that got me teary and upset. Jacks had had something awful happen to him and there is sympathy for him but at the start it is tempered byis attitude.
Initially the story is from Beau's pov so things that have happened to Jack are implied and in a dreamlike recall, and in a way this is worse because my imagination is filling in the blanks.
We do get Jack's thoughts eventually and whilst he does know he is being mean and unfair to both Maisie and Beau, he is locked into his own survival mode. And as Beau's presence triggers more memories he feels more desparate.
It is very uncomfortable reading about his attack as the memories come back and about how he then decides to deal with it.
Beau is a good presence, almost like Jack's guardian angel type character and so very kind and patient.
Not massively angsty despite Jack's history as we have Beau to balance out. And I shall be trying some of the recipes!
Initially the story is from Beau's pov so things that have happened to Jack are implied and in a dreamlike recall, and in a way this is worse because my imagination is filling in the blanks.
We do get Jack's thoughts eventually and whilst he does know he is being mean and unfair to both Maisie and Beau, he is locked into his own survival mode. And as Beau's presence triggers more memories he feels more desparate.
It is very uncomfortable reading about his attack as the memories come back and about how he then decides to deal with it.
Beau is a good presence, almost like Jack's guardian angel type character and so very kind and patient.
Not massively angsty despite Jack's history as we have Beau to balance out. And I shall be trying some of the recipes!
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
5.0
As I sit here coating my spoon with the goodness that is Dark Beer and Beef Stew, I can’t help but be really disappointed. Why? Because it ended. The book ended. It ended soooo good, but still I will never get another glimpse into the lives of Beau and Jack. Overall I am happy and content, the story filled my proverbial romance tank the same way the delicious stew is filling my belly—but, like reaching the bottom of the bowl, I hit the end of the story. My voracious appetite for stories and romance will be quiet for a few days, at least, the beast satisfied for now.
What begins with a bittersweet memory, a lost connection with what could have been, morphs into present day and we meet Beau St. Clair—recently divorced and looking to his past to make sense of his present. I loved Beau’s character. He truly wants to take care of everyone around him, and his vehicle of choice is the food he makes for all those he holds dear. A chef by trade, Beau is lucky that his ex-husband left him enough money that Beau doesn’t have to work for a while after he moves back home to Ohio from Seattle. He has the time to put his life back together and really decide what he would like to do with himself. He lasts two weeks with his sister, and then knows something has to give. He finds an apartment that overlooks the Ohio River, and then he and his adorable—and I do mean adorable—pug, Ruth, start to get their lives in order. Noticing an ad on Craigslist for a personal chef, someone to make dinner for a shut-in son, Beau figures it can’t hurt and will get him out of the house.
Jack Rogers is homebound and angry. He’s confused, frightened and he doesn’t know why—his brain won’t let him remember what made him that way. He knows it was something horrible, that he was attacked, but the PTSD is in control now and he literally cannot help how he reacts to the world. His mother, Maisie, after eight years of caring for him, is at her wits end. Placing an ad for someone to cook for Jack while she goes to work seems like a good idea. Jack longs for his life before “it” happened, where he was an up and coming lawyer working for a great firm. He loved his life in Seattle but now it all seems like a dream.
What follows is the unlocking of Jack’s mind and the gradual steps he and Beau take to heal and find love. This is a slow burn novel, there is no instant aha moment here.
“I shook my head and got up to begin rinsing off the dishes in the sink. Fate had a funny way of working, didn’t it? The smallest choices we make could have the biggest repercussions. Some might say things happened as they were supposed to. That what was going on right now was exactly as things were to unfold. And that whatever happened to Jack that night in the snow had been meant to be.
Sometimes we have to treasure the moment—the now—which, really, is all any of us has.”
Rick R. Reed weaves a story showcasing all forms of love: parental love, romantic love, familial love, lost love, new love, the love we feel for our pets, and love reborn. There is a real big dose of fate here and some things you have to take things on faith, but overall, it’s a believable journey. The romance for Beau and Jack really takes a backseat to Jack’s healing, to his restoration of who he is as a person as he moves beyond his trauma. The secondary characters, while few, play a huge role in this story, and Ruth adds a much-needed point of humor as only an adorable pug can. I loved the recipes contained in the storyline (reference the first paragraph), and while I haven’t made them all, I can say the Dark Beer and Beef Stew is delicious.
Dinner at Jack’s satisfies, body and soul.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
What begins with a bittersweet memory, a lost connection with what could have been, morphs into present day and we meet Beau St. Clair—recently divorced and looking to his past to make sense of his present. I loved Beau’s character. He truly wants to take care of everyone around him, and his vehicle of choice is the food he makes for all those he holds dear. A chef by trade, Beau is lucky that his ex-husband left him enough money that Beau doesn’t have to work for a while after he moves back home to Ohio from Seattle. He has the time to put his life back together and really decide what he would like to do with himself. He lasts two weeks with his sister, and then knows something has to give. He finds an apartment that overlooks the Ohio River, and then he and his adorable—and I do mean adorable—pug, Ruth, start to get their lives in order. Noticing an ad on Craigslist for a personal chef, someone to make dinner for a shut-in son, Beau figures it can’t hurt and will get him out of the house.
Jack Rogers is homebound and angry. He’s confused, frightened and he doesn’t know why—his brain won’t let him remember what made him that way. He knows it was something horrible, that he was attacked, but the PTSD is in control now and he literally cannot help how he reacts to the world. His mother, Maisie, after eight years of caring for him, is at her wits end. Placing an ad for someone to cook for Jack while she goes to work seems like a good idea. Jack longs for his life before “it” happened, where he was an up and coming lawyer working for a great firm. He loved his life in Seattle but now it all seems like a dream.
What follows is the unlocking of Jack’s mind and the gradual steps he and Beau take to heal and find love. This is a slow burn novel, there is no instant aha moment here.
“I shook my head and got up to begin rinsing off the dishes in the sink. Fate had a funny way of working, didn’t it? The smallest choices we make could have the biggest repercussions. Some might say things happened as they were supposed to. That what was going on right now was exactly as things were to unfold. And that whatever happened to Jack that night in the snow had been meant to be.
Sometimes we have to treasure the moment—the now—which, really, is all any of us has.”
Rick R. Reed weaves a story showcasing all forms of love: parental love, romantic love, familial love, lost love, new love, the love we feel for our pets, and love reborn. There is a real big dose of fate here and some things you have to take things on faith, but overall, it’s a believable journey. The romance for Beau and Jack really takes a backseat to Jack’s healing, to his restoration of who he is as a person as he moves beyond his trauma. The secondary characters, while few, play a huge role in this story, and Ruth adds a much-needed point of humor as only an adorable pug can. I loved the recipes contained in the storyline (reference the first paragraph), and while I haven’t made them all, I can say the Dark Beer and Beef Stew is delicious.
Dinner at Jack’s satisfies, body and soul.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
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