The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers

by Dr Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond

Book Cover from Omnific Publishing

My Rating: 

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.

My Review:

There has already been buzz about The Winemaker’s Dinner.  For starters, the book is highly unique in that is is a cross between a memoir and erotic fiction.  My interest was piqued right there.  However, from the minute I started reading, I was drawn into the story full of romance, heat, and glamour.  I will tell you now, this book lives up to the hype, I loved reading The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers and it is one of my favorite reads of the year.

Dr Ivan himself!

Ivan and Jaden meet at a special dinner, the Winemaker’s Dinner.  The event is a glitzy, high-class event that draws the creme de la creme of society and restrauteurs.  They are instantly attracted to each other and a hot night, fueled by wine, ensues.  When Jaden, a new head-chef at a Miami restaurant, realizes who Ivan is- renowned model, Mr USA, Dr, and it-man, she freaks out and runs away, without a word.  Ivan, determined to get answers decides to pursue Jaden and see where the chemistry between them goes.  Ivan woos Jaden, introduces her to important people, and develops a heated relationship with Jaden.  As their relationship heats up, so does Jaden’s standing as a celebrity chef.  With Ivan’s help and influence, all Jaden’s dreams begin to come true.  But, soon the fame and opportunity begins to threaten their relationship.

I never give away spoilers, so I don’t want to get into specifics of this story.  I do want to express why I loved this book though.  The believability and realism of this story is part of the draw.  Sometimes in romance novels, I roll my eyes at many of the intimate scenes, they seem too fantastical to be real.  But in The Winemaker’s Dinner, the relationships, the characters, and the sex scenes are all believable and I buy it.  More than just the intimate scenes, I understand the characters, their motivations, their faults.  This is a contemporary romance, and I can easily identify with the characters.

I have already mentioned that The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers is a unique type of read.  I think that the memoir portion leads to the believability of the book.  Also, the setting and premise is also unique.  Jaden and Dr Ivan are not tortured characters with broken pasts.  They are characters who come from average American homes and work hard to achieve their dreams and goals (hence their relatability).  The setting is Miami, which is a sexy location in and of itself.  There is a glamorous element to this book that I really love with the swanky parties, night clubs, and celebrity status.

Combining glitz, glamour, and hot romance, The Winemaker’s Dinner; Appetizers is one of the best romance novels of the year.

Back Cover, courtesy of Omnific

As to who would like this book: Romance readers!  If you begin reading this book expecting a literary masterpiece of epic proportions, well you likely wont’ get what you expect.  The Winemaker’s Dinner is a very well-written book, but the purpose is a romance story.  After finishing The Winemaker’s Dinner, I was thrilled with the book, eager for more, and invested in the characters.  I want to see what comes next for them, I want to go back and re-read the pre-quels.  I will likely re-read The Winemaker’s Dinner multiple times.  I love this book and I expect that many more readers will love it too.  So, romance readers, this book is a “MUST-READ!”

What are you waiting for?  Give it a try!

The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers releases July 31.  However, Omnific Publishing has 2 prequel stories available now at their website.  I have not had the opportunity to read them yet myself, but they are definitely on my To-Read list.