Reviewer Comments: Natalie Bocuse immigrated to the United States when she lost her job with the French government due to an indiscretion with a married man. She still has not adjusted to the American way of life and finds the common traits of many Americans to be distasteful. She is waitressing at her half-sister’s bistro in order to make money to help pay off the debts caused by her shopping addiction and is being hassled by Quinn O’Brien, one of the regulars at her sister’s bistro. Natalie finally takes matters into her own hands and moves out of Brooklyn and into Manhattan. She accepts a waitressing job at The Hart, Quinn’s family’s Irish pub, while she looks for a restaurant managing job.
Quinn is completely taken with Natalie. Hassling her is the highlight of his day. He works as an investigative journalist and the high he gets tracking down stories is almost matched by the feeling he has around Natalie. He helps her get a job at his family’s restaurant in order to make sure that she stays in his life. Quinn is not sure that he is ready for a long-term relationship or any relationship that will put pressure on him to do something other than write. He loves his job. The question is can he love a woman more?
I loved Ms. Martin’s book Just a Taste which is the prequel to this one and was worried that the sequel couldn’t possibly live up to the drama and romance of the first. Ms. Martin proves that my worries were unfounded. With a Twist is a wonderfully delightful story that has all the romance and drama any reader could want. She builds up the sexual tension between Natalie and Quinn by having them tease and taunt each other. Their opposite lifestyles and the numerous differences between them result in some hilarious moments for the two of them. The relationship builds nicely although it is not without its challenges. Natalie’s sister, Vivi, and her fiancé, Anthony, reappear in this story to add continuity along with some of the characters in her other books about the New York Blades.
Added into the story is Quinn’s investigation of intimidation, arson and assault by the Irish mob. He finds himself in some touchy situations and the amount of time that he must devote to searching for the truth hinders his relationship with Natalie. I was impressed with how Ms. Martin blended these two diverse plot lines into a cohesive tale. The suspense added to the drama of the story. Ms. Martin’s choice to make Quinn an investigative journalist was a refreshing change from the main character in romantic suspense novels always being in law enforcement or the military.
This book should top everyone’s must read list for the summer. It is the perfect book to pack in your beach bag, but be warned, once you start reading you might not be able to put it down!
