Ember's Secret by: Solstice Quartet Review Tour with Interview

Blurb Ember only wants two things out of life: to be reunited with her sisters, and to see people come back to her café. Catering to people she never sees again, she experiences a loneliness that can’t be filled. As one of the last Whakamanu—a descendant of the Maori bird-god Tane—she has to hold on to the secrets of her tribe. Family first. Gourmet TV personality Austin Garten, host of the popular show Back Road Eats, needs more in his life than Breadbasket America grilling. He’s tired of the safe routes, the easy and dependable foods that the Network loves to display. When his RV breaks down in Wyoming, and he learns about Kai, a Maori restaurant outside of Casper, his interest is piqued. Once he meets the proprietor, he realizes he’s wants more than just her food. He wants her. Ember isn’t too sure. The Solstice, the Maori New Year, is fast approaching, and with the heat in her kitchen ratcheting up, she knows she can’t keep her secret for much longer. But will Austin be able to accept her? Or will her secret drive them apart? Excerpt The bell dinged and broke Ember from her morose thoughts. Plastering on her best please-buy-my-food-and-come-back smile, she smoothed the front of her apron. Three people sat clustered at a table near the door, all hunched over the menus and talking quietly. She always hated interrupting, but she had a job to do. “Hi, I’m Ember. Can I help you?” The trio looked up, and she had to catch her breath. These weren’t her usual customers; by now, she’d learned exactly the kind of people who came into her restaurant, and she wondered what had happened to bring these three in. Besides, men as attractive as the one staring a hole through her did not show up here. Ever. “Actually,” he said, “I’m really intrigued by the menu. What would you recommend?” Despite herself, she grinned. Until now, she’d been cooking Maori food in the hope that her sisters would come home. Now someone wanted her opinion? “How hungry are you?” “Very.” An unexpected heat zipped through her chest. Of course, he had to be gorgeous, with sun-kissed, wavy blond hair; cheekbones that could cut glass; and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen on another person. Approachable, but still… Gorgeous. “I’d go with the stew, then.” “Sounds perfect.” She took the rest of their orders and disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes before grabbing their drinks. He’s a cute customer. That’s all. Though she’d met attractive men in the café before, usually they were with their girlfriends or wives or college drinking buddies, but they had come in. And a few men in Casper had caught her fancy. Her lifestyle hadn’t prevented her making a physical connection, just.... She didn’t believe in soul mates or any of that romantic nonsense. Still, something stirred in her that never had before, like her soul finally had a purpose. Breathing deeply, she returned to the front and poured two sodas and an iced tea. When she dropped them off at the table, he smiled at her in a way that was far more than polite, almost seductive.  “I like your restaurant. Whatever you’ve got cooking back there smells amazing. What is it?” “Lamb,” she replied. “It’s kawakawa-encrusted.” He quirked up his eyebrow. “I’ve never had kawakawa.” “It’s very peppery. Gives the lamb a beautiful flavor. I could bring some out for you.” Never before had she offered that, but then again, no one had ever asked. With a grin, he said, “I would love that.” “I’ll be right back.” Giddy, she returned to the kitchen. Someone wanted to learn about her food! She wanted to skip or dance back to the kitchen. When she opened the oven, the full scent of the lamb enveloped her, and she breathed it in, calming herself down. Who was this man? Did he love food as much as she did? She didn’t want to seem rude, but she wanted to find out everything she could about him. Starting with his name.

MY REVIEW:

Ember's Secret (Give Me a Taste #2)

by Catherine Peace

Overall Rating ***** Brilliant Stars

                THIS. BOOK. WAS. AMAZING!!!!!! WoW, loved it so much. When I read the synopsis, and saw the cover I knew I had to read this book. It was brilliantly written and I was not able to put it down. I loved the storyline and the characters. Ember is amazing and she LOVES her family. I love that about her. The food made me really hungry though. =) I can’t wait to read more from this talented author, I am now an fan for life!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Embers-Secret-Solstice-Quartet-Novella-ebook/dp/B00PBCWM1M
I-Tunes: http://bit.ly/1sK13V2  
Kobo:  http://bit.ly/1mRVPPL

Author Bio Catherine Peace has been telling stories for as long as she could remember. She often blames two things for her forays into speculative fiction—Syfy (when it was SciFi) channel Sundays with her dad and The Island of Dr. Moreau by HG Wells. She graduated in 2008 from Northern Kentucky University with a degree in English and is still chasing the dream of being super rich and famous, mostly so she can sit around in her PJs all day and write stories. When not being a slave to the people in her head, she’s a slave to two adorable dogs. Facebook Twitter Blog: Going from Nobody to Somebody Blog: The Pen Punks Reviewer for Indie Books R Us Founder of Scream for the Cure

My Interview

1.) So can you tell us how you came up with the idea for this book? The Title?

When Carrie Ann (the co-owner of Fated Desires) asked me to write for one of their new lines, I finally got to use my obsession with the Food Network to good use. (Plus I’d already come up with Gourmet TV in a different story that I plan to submit to FD in the future, so that seemed like a good fit.) I thought about how much I love shifters and how I hadn’t written a shifter story in quite a while, so I emailed her back and said: Wereswans.

Needless to say, her reaction was pretty much O.o in word form.

I started doing a lot of research. Not really sure which came first--the Maori aspect or the need to make wereswans a thing--but as I started to research wereswans or swan shifters or anything that could help this be more legit and not like an Anita Blake knockoff, I came across the story of Tane, the Maori bird god, and the Matariki, and it just went from there. Whakamanu is actually a Maori word that translates to “One who transforms into a bird.”

As far as the title, I SUCK at titles. I cannot title a book to save my life, so even something as painfully obvious as Ember’s Secret was almost impossible to come up with, but her secret is the driving force of the entire book, so it still fits.

2.) Who is your favorite character in this book and why?

Amy. Which is terrible because she’s not in much of the book. But I know Amy better than the readers will. And she’s awesome. In fact, I’m working on her book right now!

Of characters in the book for more than two conversations, I have to say I adore Ray. He’s so snarky. It’s a beautiful thing.

3.) Is this book different from the others you have written in the past? If so how?

It very much is.  Typically, if I venture into paranormal territory, there are vampires involved. Maybe some werewolves, but never wereswans.

4.) What is your favorite genre to write and why?

I love science fiction because it’s all about what’s possible. So much of what we have today was predicted by science fiction authors decades before, and that to me is pretty much amazing.

5.) Does your family and friends read your book?

My sister has read one of my books. One of my coworkers loves them, and a girl I went to high school with is pretty much my biggest fan.

6.) What are you currently working on? Do you have a release date yet? Title?

As I mentioned above, I’m working on Amy’s story, tentatively titled Amy’s Hunt. I’m planning it to be part of the Coming Home line, but the book’s in its beginning stages, so no release date of yet *sadface*.

7.) What inspired you to become an author?

I’ve wanted to be an author since I was 8 years old. In Kentucky, we had to do 4th grade portfolios, and one of the components was a short story. I had so much fun writing that, that I couldn’t stop. So here I am, living the dream.

8.) Tell us a little about yourself.

By...well, by mid-afternoon to almost midnight, I am a mild-mannered front desk agent at a prominent hotel. But in all the other time (and when I’m not asleep), I write dirty books with what I hope are awesome stories. I’m also furmomma to two beautiful girls, aged 12 and 2.

This or That: (Just for Fun)

1.) Erotic Novels or New Adult? ………………..that is a really difficult question. Since I write aerotic, I’m gonna have to go with erotic ;)
2.) Paranormal or Sci-fi? Sci-fi. As much as I enjoy paranormal, I adore science fiction. I grew up on Star Wars, The Last Starfighter, and all the stuff that gets shown on the SyFy channel now
3.) Cat or Dog? Dog. I have two *I claim my roommate’s dog* that I prefer over pretty much everyone else.
4.) Night or Day? Night. I love the night life. I like to boogie.
5.) Winter or Summer? Fall! I loathe winter because I’m not built for cold weather, and I’m allergic to everything that comes with summer.
6.) Vampires or Werewolf? Vampires