Guest Review: Sugar Rush by Rachel Astor

Sugar Rush
by Rachel Astor 
ebook, 265 pages
Published August 25th 2012 by Bliss
ISBN13 9781622669691
Copy courtesy of publisher

There’s nothing quite like your first bite.
Dulcie Carter has been running her family’s homemade sweet shop, Candy Land Confections, on her own since her mom passed away. But business is slow and rent is high, so Dulcie knows if she wants to keep her mom’s dream alive, she’ll need a miracle. Winning the annual Assembly of Chocolatiers competition will change everything, if only she can overcome her fears and bring herself to create something new for the first time in a long time.
Then she meets Nick, a molten-hot guy with a sexy smirk and chocolate brown eyes. The attraction is stronger than any sugar rush—until she discovers he’s set to inherit his family’s big-box candy shop in town, which is her strongest competitor for first prize. Nick’s got his own reasons for needing the win, but then being around Dulcie is proving addictive.
As the competition heats up, so do the sparks between them. Can they keep their sights on winning, when love might be the sweetest prize of all?

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Renee’s Thoughts:
First I must say this book was oozing with "cute". The idea that this was a Hatfield and McCoy situation hit me right away. So the story is set up as two rival stores,  Candy Land Confections and How Sweet It Is. The story is set in Port Leyton and I picture the candy stores set equal distance apart with a make believe line drawn down the middle. The main characters are Dulcie (such a cute name) of Candy Land Confections and Nick who is the son of Jack Miller, the owner of How Sweet It Is. The rivalry is there and so is the feud, but Dulcie doesn't even know the reason for the feud. 

Dulcie has used her Mothers book of recipes to run her sweet shop for a while. Her mother passed away from cancer and since then Evelyn who is Dulcie Grandmother, has yet to step a foot back into the store. The pain is there and manifests itself in a way that Evelyn is scared of going into the store. A once fixture is just never around. Dulcie is working on her Master Degree and doesn't do anything but worry about how to pay the bills and keep the store running. When the invite comes in for the Assembly of Chocolatiers Competition she gets excited thinking a $50,000 prize is just what she will need. She worries about the money she got from her mom for college. She is all business and that is a big problem! One night with Jess, her best friend, Dulcie is at a Jazz club and meets Nick. So yeah the sparks flew right away and then bam! Nick realizes she is the competition. 

After that night Nick goes to his father, Jack and tells him about Dulcie. He reacts in the worst way and then says to Nick "It is simple just cozy up to the girl" He actually wants Nick to steal a recipe. Then he adds "This store is only as good as it's last creation" It makes Nick think but he can't be that bad and under handed. Several times I questioned things that happened and was a little worried that Nick was going to weaken under Jack's demands.

As the competition approaches Dulcie is trying to get a winning recipe. Nothing good is coming to mind and she enlists the help of Jess, a homeless woman she befriends. This woman is so sweet and smart and basically just had some bad luck. Jess will listen to her problems and says "I would love five minutes to think of someone else's shit instead of my own".  Jess gave Dulcie a chance to be heard and some heart felt advice. "I may not be an expert at too many things, but I am an expert on regret" she turns to Dulcie "It sticks with you for a long time believe me"

There are a few pretty big ups and downs in this story. All in all it was a really good story about family, love and trust. A few reveals will leave you shocked, like the truth about the feud between Evelyn and Jack. The book did not have any bold sex scenes, it was pure love and unspoken lust. Really enjoyed it! My song for Dulcie and Nick is Maci Gray "I Try" 

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses