Perfection isn’t everything, although it’s everything Leo wants. His desire to become the perfect chef may keep him at the top of his class, but it drives his friends and family crazy while keeping love and passion on the back burner.That is until he meets Dock, owner and chef of the new and popular restaurant, The Birches. Although Dock isn’t a trained chef, Leo finds the food he cooks delectable and the man behind the food irresistible. The lessons taught at the hands of an untrained cook may be just what this uptight chef needs to let go.
Reviewer: Fashionta
I give Xavier Axelsson's book The Birches 2.5 stars. I feel like this book could have been a little longer and less repetitive. The whole first chapter of this book is devoted to making meringues and Leo’s rage at not making the perfect meringue peaks. It’s only at the very end of the first chapter that you realize Leo’s rage is not because his meringue peaks did not come out perfect. Leo rages at everything and I do mean everything!
After a few chapters, you finally meet the other main character Dock, and that’s when you realize Leo is a bit of a food snob. He is rude with his critique of other restaurants; he feels like they do not use certain techniques because the cooks have not been to culinary school. Toward the middle of the book, I discovered I really dislike Leo. He acts more like a spoilt child than the grown up he should be.
I don’t really like this book at all. Mainly because a lot of it is repetitive, and in some areas of the book I feel like the author could have given a little more new information. For instance, if you are going to blame Leo’s anger issues on his mother's death, then it should have went into a little more detail on the death. Her death should not be just a blurb in the book if it is the direct result of how Leo behaves now.
I will give 5 stars for the last chapter, because that chapter was smoking hot. It’s just too bad the rest of the book was not!
Review Courtesy Of: ManicReaders
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