Savor Me

Kitchen Gods

By: Beth Bolden

Narrated by: Wyatt Baker

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's Summary

When Chef Xander Bridges leaves the warmth and safety of his car on a cold, stormy night and approaches a stranger, the last thing he expects to find is a future. He’s wanted to leave his job for a while, but with no good opportunities on the horizon, he’s been stuck in a long, painful rut. But when he befriends the stranger viciously tearing up his own vineyard, Xander discovers something inexplicable. Maybe he’s not the bitter, sarcastic man that everyone, including himself, has endured for years.

Maybe, with someone like Damon in his life, he could be something more. Something better.

Damon Hess doesn’t just want more, he demands it. With his alcoholic past, there are no gray areas for him. Only black and white. In love or not. Sober or drunk. But the chance meeting with Xander opens Damon’s eyes, and gives him a vision full of something he hasn’t experienced in years: hope.

Hope that he can expect companionship and affection, hope that he doesn’t have to grapple with his family’s questionable Napa legacy any longer, and most importantly, hope that there’s a future worth believing in. But the longer he and Xander spend cultivating that future, the more Damon realizes that the key is so much simpler than he ever imagined - it’s Xander.

Savor Me is an 80,000 word contemporary m/m romance starring an irascible man with a soft, gooey marshmallow center and another who knows he likes men, but has never been with one before. It is third in the Kitchen Gods series, but can be listened to as a standalone.

©2019 Beth Bolden (P)2020 Beth Bolden

Emotional and Angsty!

Xander and Damon's story was raw, gritty and emotional.

This one wat high in tge angst and emotional baggage and gave me all the feels.

Wyatt performed a heart wrenching and realistic audio delivery and narration.
I felt the emotions first hand and I didn't want this to end.

This was so good!!

Excellent story and narration

I enjoyed this book so much. I felt the characters very deeply. The emotion was strong and sure, the “baggage” accurately portrayed. Despite a heavy bit of subject matter the book is overall so happy and pleasing to read. Narrated excellently by Wyatt Baker. Possibly my new favourite

Great!

Thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of Savor Me from Beth Bolden! This is probably my favorite of the series and it was fantastic in audio! Wyatt Baker did an excellent job!

Great listen

I loved reading Xander and Damon's story and Baker made this a fantastic listen for me telling the story with all the emotions that it's written with! Overall a great story and listen.

Enjoyable

I enjoyed this because of the delivery by the narrator... I love the theme and story too

So much chemistry!!

This series has it all...sexy men, hurt/comfort, healing and most of all love. These two have such amazing chemistry! I loved every second of this book!

Great romance and great food

This is a rich stew of a story - savory, spicy and sweet in equal measure. The two main characters are wonderful from their first atypical meeting and their problems and relationship are realistic in the details and believably paced. The bumps in the road to the HEA were not dragged out just to keep these guys apart, most came directly from their characters not from outside. The author did a superb job of making them both three dimensional men and Wyatt Baker's performance was just as amazing. Every character was distinct, the emotions were right there and spot on. You believe every minute of this story. One of my favorite performances in a good while.

Savory and Satisfying

Savor Me is the third book in the Kitchen Gods series, but it works well as a standalone. It’s nice to have read the first two books so you have a better understanding of the supporting characters, but it’s okay if you haven’t.

One night, two angry men meet by chance and this meetings strikes them to the core. A year later with no contact, and they still can’t get the each other out of their heads. Until Damon Hess walks into Terrior with a proposal that will change Xander’s life in the most unexpected way. Damon is a recovering alcoholic and Xander is a chef with a chip on his shoulder. Both men have their demons and triggers, but together they need to work through their problems not just for the new restaurant they are building, but also for the love that’s blooming between them.

I thought the characterization was very well done and I hurt for Xander and Damon when they struggled to come to terms with some difficult issues. Plus, the banter between Xander and Damon was great and their chemistry was sizzling – I just loved how they interacted and fit with each other. Although there was angst in this story, Beth Bolden didn’t have us linger on it for too long, and there were many happy and romantic moments throughout the story. I really enjoyed the descriptions of food and the connection Xander had to all of the recipes and meals that he created.

Wyatt Baker narrated the audiobook and did a fantastic job. His voice for Damon and Xander was PERFECT and I loved how much energy and acting he put into the performance. I found the entire production of this audiobook well done with no issues that would jar me out of the story. Instead, I was able to sit back and relax and lose myself in the story.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are obsessed with cooking shows and romance like I am.

Incredible Story!

I love this story and it is a wonderful addition to the series. Xander and Damon are great together and they have sizzling chemistry and are super hot together. They truly make one another happy and I love watching them grow both as friends and lovers. They each have their insecurities and personal demons to overcome and this will take you on an emotional roller coaster but with a very satisfying end! The narrator did a great job with the story itself and with the portrayal of the characters. I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this audio book.

My love is sweet and tender like freshest herbs

I always say this but I’m going to say it again .. that it’s really really difficult to write contemporary novels because they deal with the reality. When it comes to fantasy or other genres, there are lots of leeway for the author for a plot and a situation to make it happen but not in contemporary novels because everything has to be realistic and believable. It has been a while a contemporary romance has totally and utterly gripped me like this one did. 🙂

When Xander met Damon for the first time, it wasn’t in a situation in which roses bloom and rainbows everywhere. Damon was destroying all the vines in the vineyard and Xander just happened to drive by. When they meet again a year later, it was again in a situation they never expected. Damon offered Xander to work as a chef and running a restaurant together with him. Will the love finally blossom in the kitchen?

They started off strong but it definitely wasn’t an easy journey for them. Damon was an alcoholic and Xander has problems with commitment issues and believing the eternity of love. It was real, devastating and soulful at times but so beautiful and heartwarming at the same time. This is one of the most realistic and lovely relationships I have ever read. And the food aspect in this story was very tastefully and exquisitely done. It was a joy in itself to read/listen about how Xander tested, tried and made for new menus, the herbs and all those fresh ingredients and all the homeliness and warmth and love of food. I really really enjoyed listening the journey they walk together towards their happily ever after. Wyatt Baker also did a real fine job narrating the story. I really can’t wait for more books from Beth Bolden. Truly well done! ❤️

5 My love is sweet and tender like the freshest herbs stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️




Audio rating

Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great addition to the series

I adore when authors take characters that weren't my favorite from previous books and bring them to life in a way that you just can't help but empathize and love them and Beth did just that with Xander. He was originally just not a very likable guy in my option but he came to life so much as Beth was able to peel back his layers and by the end I loved him. Fantastic job!!

Loved it

This is such a great addition to an awesome series.
I loved listening to this book.
Great characters, great story, great writing, great narration.
I can’t wait to read more.

Savory and sweet

Xander and Damon are both dealing with the fallout of their pasts.
Neither one truly believing that their lives could be any better or different.
As they get to know one another, they begin to understand that they're the missing part of one another.
Plenty of steamy moments, sweet and tender ones as well as a healthy dose of humor and of course one of the main components of this series, all the delicious food.
Wyatt Baker has done a superb job of bringing these larger than life characters alive.

Loved Xander and Damon!

4.75 Stars!

Savor Me is book 3 in the Kitchen Gods series by Beth Bolden and my second favorite of the four installments. For as much as I loved Xander and Damon—and let me tell you, that was quite a surprise for me the first time I read it since Xander was my least favorite of all the guys—Indulge Me (and Bastian and Kian) remains my favorite in the series. 

Xander had more layers than I anticipated and it was great seeing him grow so much throughout the book, yes, he made some mistakes, but he owns to them and tried to make things right. Now, Damon, well, while I really liked him and I could understand why he acted the way he did in regards to his alcoholism, there was a point in which I wanted to slap him silly and make him realize what he could lose if he kept trying to push Xander away. They had so much chemistry and just fit well together, be it building their restaurant or becoming friends and then lovers. The progression of their relationship was slow at first, but once they gave in to their growing feelings, it was very natural. 

I had a bit of trouble getting into the narration at first, mostly because Xander came off as very aggressive, which, well, he was. It was just a tad jarring to listen to it. Once I got used to it, it was a smoother, enjoyable experience. Wyatt Baker did a great job and his Damon's voice is melt-worthy! 

Overall, I really loved this book and if you haven't listened to the previous ones, please do yourself a favor and do so before the last one comes out. It's such a fantastic series that I can't recommend enough. 

Lovely...

I absolutely loved Xander and Damon’s story! The plot is like the field in the book-rich and delightful. I found myself wrapped in Bolden’s words and Baker’s voice. I absolutely enjoyed the narration. Truly a book not to be missed.

So good

A bit angsty, a bit sweet, surprisingly romantic and oh so steamy! This was another fantastic story from the Kitchen Gods series. I loved that Xander and Damon were a bit different, even deeper characters. They both had their own baggage and demons to battle but they were willing to fight tooth and nail when their right person came along. These two had instant chemistry which bloomed into so much more. I loved their journey, success and love. A great story!

hot

this story was hot and full of steamy scenes. dealing with alchol and the abuse people suffer is hard but was done in a well rounded manner.

Such a stunning story

I loved these books, and I love being able to hear them and know that the way they sound in my head is how they sound Wyatt Baker's voice.

I loved the flow, I loved the characters and I adored the story. A definite must listen.

3.5 stars

I liked the story for the most part! I thought the characters were interesting but I found myself not liking them at all multiple times during the book but they always came back around. I found the story pretty engaging and I liked that it was set in Napa. The narration was okay but a little to aggressive and always seemed like it was at a “10” with little breathing room. The characters were a little on the angry side for a lot of the book so I understand why it was performed that way it just wasn’t my cup of tea! Overall a good listen.

Fighting their demons

This is a great addition to a wonderful series! Reading the previous books, I got a certain opinion of who Xander was. This book tells more of his story, and gave me the opportunity to see him in a broader view and maybe reconsider my opinions. Like his cohorts, Xander has dreams, disappointments, and some personal baggage. Damon does too as he deals with the life-long battle of alcoholism. Both men have emotional baggage, but they feel an instant attraction, and chemistry flares between them. I loved the character-building Ms. Bolden does here, making Xander and Damon real and relatable. As a listener, I wanted to see them grow and change and fill the holes in each others' lives. This story is my favorite in the series so far!

It took me a little while to get used to the narrator. At first it seemed like he was shouting out the story, but once I got used to his delivery, I was able to sink into the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.