REVIEW/GIVEAWAY: The Winemaker's Dinner:Appetizers

The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers

by

Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond

5 HEARTS

Book Blurb

Love's sweetest intoxication...

Recently named executive chef at one of Miami Beach’s hottest restaurants, Jaden Thorne is determined to make her culinary mark and fulfill her professional dreams. When Jaden is given highly coveted tickets to the ultra-exclusive Winemaker’s Dinner, she jumps at the opportunity to meet South Florida's wealthiest and most influential food and wine enthusiasts.

Jaden’s eyes are drawn to the VIP section even before the appetizers appear, but she soon finds herself thinking less about networking and more about the intriguingly sexy stranger eying her from across the room. After dinner, what begins as a light-hearted flirtation unexpectedly catapults into a night of explosive passion. But when morning dawns, Jaden leaves her sleeping Mr. Oh So Sexy behind, sure they’ll never see each other again.

Dr. Ivan Rusilko, a handsome, young physician, boasts an extensive resume’ and a well-established position on Miami Beach’s social scene. But despite his success and glamour, he’s routinely had to suffer uninspiring dates and doomed relationships. With a romantic heart, Ivan’s not the love-‘em-and-leave-‘em type. But when he awakens to find that the girl in the red dress has done exactly that, he resolves to find her--only if it’s just to ask why she left without even a kiss goodbye.

The Winemaker’s Dinner is a fictionalized erotic memoir inspired by the romantic triumphs and tragedies of Dr. Ivan Rusilko’s real life. Weaving fact with fantasy, authors Everly Drummond and Dr. Ivan Rusilko have gifted readers with a swoon-worthy flesh and blood romantic hero and the intoxicating bouquet only a heartfelt tale of passionate love can create.

I have to say I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received the ARC for The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers ("TWD"). There has been so much hype surrounding this book that I was afraid that the expectations from Everly and Ivan would be so great that they wouldn't be able to deliver the goods. But deliver they did! Everly Drummond and Ivan Rusilko serve up one hell of a treat and if this is just the appetizer, whoa baby, what do we have in store for the main course then?

Do you believe in fate? I do without a doubt. It was fate that I met meet Dr. Ivan and Everly at the RT Convention thus propelling me on this Winemaker's Dinner journey. I’m sure Everly and Ivan might say the same about the way they first connected via Facebook thus leading them down the yellow brick road to no doubt the biggest book of the summer. And the same might be said for the way Jaden and Ivan met at the Winemaker’s Dinner. Everything in life happens for a reason.

I would highly suggest that if you haven't read the prequels to TWD you do. These two short story prequels, RSVP and No Reservations, written by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond, are available for free at Omnific Publishing. http://www.omnificpublishing.com/ And these prequels will give you a little better understanding of both characters since TWD starts up right where they let off.

Jaden Thorne is the beautiful up and coming head chef at the Miami restaurant Bianca. When Jaden’s boss, Geoff, suddenly falls ill with the flu she takes his place at the hottest wine event around. It is there that she lays eyes on a sexy stranger from across the way, the famed Dr. Ivan Rusilko. This dashing doctor is every woman’s fantasy come to life. Taking full advantage of the free flowing wine has Jaden a little more than agreeable to an evening of passion with the good doctor. But when she wakes up in the morning she realizes that she isn't going to be able to compete with the beautiful women he is used to and uh oh, she doesn’t even remember Ivan’s name. When she thinks it might be Igor I found myself laughling out loud. Igor really? So Jaden does what any of us would do, she grabs her clothes and gets the hell out of dodge reluctantly leaving this beautiful man behind.

Well that of course causes Ivan to seek Jaden out, albeit in a very creative way, to find out just what made her run and after all is said and done a beautiful relationship is born. But while Jaden is just starting her life as a celebrated chef Ivan has already reached a level of comfortable success as a doctor at the famed Miami Institute. What is great is that as the story progresses you will get to see not only their relationship evolve but Jaden evolve as well. But when you have two people in two different stages of their lives you could almost see trouble coming from a mile away. I could hear the music already “dah dah dah dum.” And just when you think the bomb is about to drop you are wrong but then it hits you when you least expect it leaving you wondering how something so right could go so wrong.

I loved that Ivan spends his time courting and chasing down Jaden, not the other way around. It was totally refreshing to see a guy so smitten that he goes that extra mile for his woman. Cue the swoonworthiness. Nope, don’t know if that is a word but I liked the sound of it. Ivan’s warmth, humor and genuinely sweet personality shines through in this book and when he does something for Jaden out of love that makes all her dreams come true it was all over for me. Ivan became the ultimate book boyfriend.

What is so damn intriguing about TWD is that you don’t know where reality stops and fiction sets in so you'll find yourself fantasizing to your heart’s delight. From Miami to Meadville to LA Jaden and Ivan take you through their journey of love, loss and the realization that sometimes what matters most in life can often come as a surprise to you.

Ivan and I have something in common, we are both from Pennsylvania. Actually I grew up not but an hour and a half from this hunky doctor. On my way back from a trip to Toronto recently where I got to spend some time with Everly Drummond I actually passed by the Meadville exit on Route 79. So I know all about the small Pennsylvania towns and even those cozy hunting camps given a nod in TWD since my husband has one in the heart of the Allegheny National Forest. So for me I have to say one of my favorite parts of the book is when he takes Jaden home to his family’s house in Meadville for a visit at the Thanksgiving holiday. It is there that Jaden and Ivan hit the turning point in their relationship. You can really get a sense of how important Ivan’s family is to him and how much he loves them during this portion of the book, a totally endearing quality in any man.

So here's the skinny. There are several things I know for sure:

I think there are going to be a lot of people reading in Meadville, Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

This sassy, sexy fresh approach to an erotic romance will have women dropping like flies everywhere, trust me on this one.

Someone at Omnific needs to check sales of sexy lingerie (especially garters), Polo Blue cologne, Mollydooker Velvet Glove wine and silly heart telegram services after the book has been out for a while. Micha I’m offering up my help just in case you don’t have any takers.

I’m thinking Ivan needs to come out with his own brand of sheets. He spends a lot of time in them who better than the good doctor to make us want to buy them?

Based on our conversations here on Riverina Eden and Megan can vouch that I certainly am not in the market for a Sexual Health Doctor but I almost want to fake symptoms just so I can go visit Dr. Ivan in Miami. But something tells me that his appointment book is already full and will be overflowing after July 31st.

Everly Drummond TOTALLY kicks ass as an erotic author! I feel like she sometimes gets lost in all the media frenzy that surrounds Ivan. Her seasoned writing skills helped bring Jaden and this story to life. If my aspiring author self ever gets published maybe I'll get lucky and she’ll write something with me someday!

Not only are you buying TWD but you are making all your friends buy it too. And preordering the other two books in the series as well.

Move over Christian Grey, I would take Ivan over you any day of the week and while he is not buying up cotton rope from the local hardware store I bet maybe we could find some very useful things to do with that tie he wears in his promo ad.

I have to say I wasn't really sure how the book would end until I read it and then I was chomping at the bit to read the next Winemaker's installment. And that ladies is the sign of one good book.

If you missed my interview with Everly Drummond you can catch it here and if you missed my interview with Dr. Ivan Rusilko you can catch it here.

For your reading pleasure in stores everywhere this Tuesday, July 31st, The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers!

Hotness Rating

4 out of 5

**This review was based on an ARC kindly provided by Omnific Publishing.**







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