The first, and up until now only, book I read by Lauren Dane had a twist that shocked me so much that I avoided reading any other books by her (yes, I take my books that seriously!). But, people kept telling me I was missing out so I summoned up the courage and added TART to my to-be-reviewed queue. Since finishing TART, I have purchased two more related books and have the others on my wish-list. Clearly, I am over my literary trauma and eagerly playing catch-up. TART is a warm, erotic ménage romance about choosing to love and be loved and refusing to accept anything less than the best love has to offer.

Jules Lamprey has loved Cal Whaley most of her life but he's never made a move. Tired of waiting and knowing Cal seems to be happy dating men or women who aren't her, Jules is more than eager to see where a relationship with hot cowboy Gideon Carter might lead. The attraction between them was instantaneous and they are soon dating and heading for something that might just be special. Cal, realizing he's about to lose any chance of being more than Jules' friend, decides to make his move and fight for the woman he loves. Instead of waging a battle for Jules' heart, they settle on an unconventional solution. Can a romantic relationship between three really work?

TART is the second book in Ms. Dane's Delicious series but it also brings back characters from the Brown Siblings series. The book works well as a standalone story though I'm eager to go back and read the love stories that came before. As you would expect from a ménage story, TART is sexy and erotic. It is also an emotionally rich story in ways that illustrate the many ways we love both those who are easy to love and those who make it difficult through there selfishness or personal pain. Jules is experiencing the love of her friends and her growing romance with Cal and Gideon all while trying to navigate the estrangements within her biological family. I was enchanted by Jules' friends who are her supportive and committed family-of-choice and the way in which Cal and Gideon were so focused on making her happy. Cal, Gideon, and Jules make a great couple and I hope we get to hear more about how their relationship progresses in the remaining books in the series.

Book Summary

Juliet Lamprey is having the time of her life running her successful bakery, TART, when Gideon Carter comes back into her life. Returning home to help his grandfather run the family on the farm, Gideon is back for good. When they meet again, the spark between them is immediate, and it isn't long before the former childhood friends play catch up in bed.

That's not good news for local lawyer Cal Whaley. Though the sexually open but strictly monogamous Cal has loved Jules for a long time, he's hardly ever taken it further than friendship. When he sees her start to fall for Gideon, he knows he has to make his move or risk losing her forever.

Who would have anticipated that all three of them would connect on such an intimate level? The trio's scalding liaisons take them places they've never dreamed. But such an intensely passionate and unusual relationship comes with equally as complicated emotions, and when Jules must suddenly leave town, she wonders if she'll have a choice to make when she returns