MY REVIEW:
At first glance, Holy Guacamole appears to be the usual contemporary romance novel. Its primary setting is at Bonnie Miller’s culinary boot camp where aspiring chefs pay big dollars for the chance to learn under the popular food television star. That’s where former sports journalist Trace Domingo finds that his expectations and the actual experience are nowhere close. One thing he learned was that beautiful Bonnie was not quite the same personality presented on her television program. Not only was she demanding and abrasive, but she was hiding a huge secret.
Character and plot development was excellent. The story is filled with both quirky and endearing characters (and a surfing goat) that the reader will either love or hate. As you might expect, there is quite a bit of time given to the subject of food, especially southwestern style. And most of the time, the food descriptions were enough to make me hungry. There was one description that was pretty disgusting, however it did add some humor to the story.
Holy Guacamole turned out to be much more than I first expected. After several chapters it evolved into an adventure/suspense that changed the entire direction of the story and the direction of both Trace and Bonnie’s lives. This tale is filled with more unexpected twists than imaginable and the action keeps the pages turning. This first book by the Harmers was a complete surprise and a total delight. I was not ready for the story to end and hope to see a sequel in the near future. To say any more, I’m afraid would be a spoiler. Do not hesitate to pick up a copy for yourself. I’m pretty sure you won’t be sorry if you do.
You can purchase a copy at Amazon.com or your favorite bookstore.
This book was provided for review by
LeAnn Hamby with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Debut authors Dan and Denise Harmer deliver a thrilling food-lover’s adventure in Holy Guacamole. The culinary tale hurtles a television chef and a washed-up sports writer into a harrowing escapade that may cost them their lives.
When Trace Domingo is accepted into Chef Bonnie Miller’s culinary boot camp, a life-threatening journey into Bonnie’s past unfolds. In a vulnerable moment, Trace discovers part of Bonnie’s closely-held secret. She hasn’t yet decided to trust the “bootie” when a crisis makes the choice for her. The pair embark on a race against the clock across southern California and northern Baja in Mexico.
Laced with local references, historical sites, and culinary delights, Holy Guacamole is a fun summer beach read.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Dan and Denise Harmer enjoy living in Southern California’s “Avocado Capital of the World” where they maintain a laid-back lifestyle as they run a cabinet shop, raise four children, and tend a small ranch. (Okay, maybe it does get a little hectic.) Learn more about Dan and Denise at jointventurebooks.com.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book go to support the ministry of Outside the Bowl.
