Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Tipping the Waitress with Diamonds by Nina Harrington
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Romance 11 May 2010

Having only recently discovered the Harlequin Romance line, I’ve happily been trolling through the monthly offerings, snagging any and all books featuring book cover blurbs that tickle my fancy. This latest from Harrington has a setting any foodie should adore, and I’m a complete sucker for a reunion theme. While this story certainly has plenty of charm, from a writing style standpoint, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

Sienna Rossi is on the verge of being promoted to head waiter at Greystone Manor when her boss drops the ultimate bombshell. Her ex, the same ex who took off without so much as a “it was fun while it lasted,” is being hired as the new head chef. Sienna opts to take some time off and runs back to her Aunt Maria’s place where she can lick her wounds and regroup. Instead, when she arrives at her aunt’s dilapidated bistro, she’s greeted by her first crush, Brett Cameron.

Brett is on the verge of opening his first restaurant in posh Notting Hill, when Maria gives him a call. She had closed her restaurant while she took a holiday, but now her return has been delayed. Would Brett be a dear, reopen the place, and cover for her until her return? She needs the money, and Brett, owing Maria a huge debt of gratitude, agrees to help her out. And it’s at Maria’s tiny bistro where he runs into his former crush, Sienna Rossi.

What follows is Brett and Sienna working together to reopen Maria’s restaurant. The place has fallen on hard time over the years, so Brett hits the kitchen, coming up with new recipes, and Sienna sets about putting the dining room in order. In between they take a walk down memory lane, back to when Brett was a teenage punk with few prospects, and Sienna was the princess of the close-knit Rossi restaurant family.

This is a charming, light story with an interesting backdrop and nice characters. Both of them are on the cusp of realizing their dreams (Brett, his own restaurant; Sienna, big promotion) when circumstances throw them together and have them reevaluating. Brett is charming, sexy and can cook. Sienna is nursing a broken heart from a bone-deep betrayal. It’s really a nice read.

The problem comes in with the writing style. For those of you who regularly read my reviews at TGTBTU and my personal blog, you’ll know that I’m hardly a stickler in the grammar and punctuation departments. However, when I start noticing a copious amounts of exclamation points? Yeah, it’s a problem. Seriously! What! Seemed! Like! Every! Other! Paragraph! I wanted to shake these two character senseless and tell them to stop screaming at each other!

But for readers who can overlook the stylistic embellishments? This is a quick and oftentimes lovely read. Just prepare yourself for all the screaming!

Grade: B-

Summary:

Take one hot chef…

The world’s finest chef, Brett Cameron, has a tough choice to make. Carry on with his new restaurant dream or answer a plea for help and return to where it all began….

Add a sweet, stressed waitress…

Sienna Rossi is out of her depth trying to rescue her aunt’s bistro. The dishwasher’s leaking, there’s sauce in her hair and the frying pan’s just caught fire! Through the smoky haze she sees a vision in shimmering chef’s whites: Brett, her teenage crush!

Did the temperature just rise a few degrees?

Read an excerpt.