DEEP AUTUMN HEAT by Elisabeth Barrett

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT  by Elisabeth Barrett
(U.S. link: http://amzn.com/B0062OCP74)
Published: July 2012, Loveswept

Famous chef Sebastian Grayson is back in Star Harbour, his hometown, visiting with his brothers and taking a short break from his New York restaurant while scoping out potential new locations around Boston. Between his restaurant, the planned new venture and a new TV show, Sebastian is kept very busy.

At a local restaurant, LM Kitchen, the brothers are sitting down for breakfast, when Sebastian behaves like a pompous ass and the feisty owner has to take him down a peg or two, and he is immediately intrigued by the beautiful firecracker. 

Lexi Meyers cannot believe the gall of the man! He may be a huge, gorgeous specimen, but the sexappeal and arrogance he oozes are working on her like a red flag!

Lexi has worked hard to make her restaurant what it is. She still does. Up at the crack of dawn to do all the baking herself, then works the kitchen along with her staff and the restaurant floor until closing. She has had to build LMK from scratch and at this point is looking to expand into a catering company in addition to the restaurant. 

Someone is after Lexi's signature recipe, her coconut cake, and leaving threatening notes to get the point across. But that's not all, her ex-boyfriend appears to have managed to track her down after 3 years and followed her from the west coast.

Sebastian hangs around Star Harbour (and Lexi) longer than planned, and manages to foil an attack on Lexi at the park. They seem unable to keep their hands off each other, but when work and business related responsibilities call Sebastian back to New York, Lexi is sure she has seen the last of him. But then Lexi's troubles catch up with her.....

This is the first book in the Star Harbour series and a great start it is. 

Sebastian is one of four brothers and the player of the bunch. His wealth and his fame have made him rather jaded and he is used to getting his way, but when he meets Lexi, he finds that jaded layer is wearing down fast.

In contrast, Lexi is a bit of an innocent, but her only serious relationship ended up a nightmare and she is gunshy. Her sharp tongue is part of her self-protective armour, but rather than push Sebastian away, it turns him on. And between them they create some substantial heat!

I really enjoyed the characters in this story, not just the two main characters, but also the promise of the secondary characters. A lot of their personalities shone through already, which makes me want to move onto the next book right away. Great suspense component was a plus as well.

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT gets a thumbs up!!! 

Next in the Star Harbour series by Elisabeth Barrett:
BLAZE OF WINTER
LONG SIMMERING SPRING
SLOW SUMMER BURN