Richard Drace has been in trouble ever since his restaurant manager, Dawn Summers, came into his life.  Things took a turn for the worse in more ways than one when Dawn left D4.  He denied his attraction to her and resented the way she did things.  Too bad he was so vocal about it because he’s about to lose everything he’s worked so hard for.   It’s worth his pride to ask her to come back now that he’s acknowledged and accepted how he truly feels. 

Dawn resents the fact that she walked around Richard wearing her heart on her sleeve.  He could never see her as anything more than a pushy employee.   His every rejection cut until she was forced to leave D4.  Now he wants her back.  If she decides to work for him again, everything will be on her terms this time.  She’s not willing to risk her heart again.

What can I say except that Marie Rochelle has done it again?   The “it” is the magic she creates between Richard and Dawn in A Taste of Love: Richard.  If romance were a tonic then I’d say this author wrote the formula.  There is so much intensity and emotion between these characters that you become a part of each scene.  They don’t hold back and it’s conveyed in every sentence.   From the sharp exchanges in the office to the hot sex, no page was left unturned when I took the plunge to escape into this smart, modern tale.   Did I mention that Ms. Rochelle likes to subtly sneak twists into the plot?   Well she does, and it’s a nice touch.

This is the second book of The Drace Brother series, and all the brothers, along with their lady loves, pop in to contribute to Richard and Dawn’s story.  The best part is that this can be read as a stand-alone but will make you want to back track to Zack and Traci’s story if you missed reading it.   I still insist that Marie Rochelle is a unique voice in contemporary I/R romance and I believe that she’ll be around for a while gaining new fans with her fresh and vivid style.