Turning Up the Heat

A Novella

Romantic Times calls Laura Florand's writing "sensuous and sumptuous", awarding her their Seal of Excellence, and NPR says it's "explosive, sensual . . . and utterly sweet".

Now Florand offers up another tale of passionate chefs and the lengths they will go to for the women they love and gives a first taste of her new series, La Vie en Roses, with Turning Up the Heat. When two people have loved each other so much that they've given up their very selves, what do they do when they need their selves back?

Overview
After eleven years of marriage, Léa Laurier knew her husband. Knew how he could take on responsibility for a world-famous restaurant, a wife, and her two teenage siblings at nineteen years old and never falter, never tire. Knew his drive and his ambition, that took him to the stars. Knew how briliant his gray eyes looked when they met hers for just one moment across a host of cameras. She didn't know why she was so tired. She didn't know why she needed to just get away. For a while. Maybe a week or two. A month. She'd be back.

After eleven years of marriage, international superstar chef Daniel Laurier knew his wife. Knew how she could lavish caring on everyone, her siblings, his staff, and most especially him. Knew the way her face lit up when he won yet another television contest, and the way she hugged him for it. Knew how her hair smelled when he sank into bed exhausted at one in the morning. He didn't know what to do when he came home from a consulting trip to find she'd disappeared to remote South Pacific island: I just needed to get away for a little while. A week or two. I'll call you.

As the whole solid world under his feet turned into a sandcastle in the tide, Daniel knew only one thing: whatever was wrong with his marriage or his wife, he wasn't losing her. So as a top chef, he did the one thing he always knew how to do: turn up the heat. (A novella of 30,000 words or approx. 120 pages.)

Praise for Laura Florand and her novels
"I adored this story...Paris, chocolate, and romance, all in one hilarious package."--New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James

"It's like when you find that amazing piece of chocolate -- you take a bite, and it sits on your tongue and melts into a pool of liquid heaven." - RT Book Reviews

"Seriously, get this book. Thank me later. Once you wash the melted chocolate off your hands..." - USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman

"Readers will devour this frothy, fun novel." - Booklist

"Both sensual and sweet, a story that melts in your mouth." - USA Today bestselling author Christie Ridgway

"One of the cleverest, most persuasive enemies-to-lovers stories I've read in a long time."--Dear Author Recommended Read for The Chocolate Kiss

"A lovely confection of a contemporary romance."--Dear Author Recommended Read for The Chocolate Thief

Other Works
Turning Up the Heat provides a first glimpse of the world and families of Florand's Vie en Roses series, set in Provence. For the first full-length book in that series, check out The Chocolate Rose, the tale of sexy, uncontainable top pastry chef Gabriel Delange and the daughter of his worst enemy. And make sure to sign up for Laura's newsletter (www.lauraflorand.com/newsletter) to know when future books in this series are released.

Dreaming more of Paris than Provence? Then check out the other books in the Amour et Chocolat series, The Chocolate Thief, The Chocolate Kiss, The Chocolate Touch, The Chocolate Heart, and The Chocolate Temptation.