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The Taste of Love #1
Belgian Chocolates and Incubus Kisses
[Siren Classic Erotic Alternative Paranormal Romance, M/M, shape-shifters, incubi, HEA] Here’s my problem, folks. My name is Mackenzie Scott and I’m a normal guy. The most exciting thing about me is my addiction to Belgian chocolates. I work nine to five at a law firm, and I have a crush on my gorgeous boss, Julian Hayes. But what’s life without a little unrequited love, right? Then how in the world did the man I’ve wanted for two years end up bending me over his desk? Worse, what’s all this about him being an incubus? Why do I suddenly have hooves? And what’s this obsession about fondling my new horn? I think I’m going to be sick. Well, that might be just because of indigestion. I hear unicorns don’t digest Belgian chocolates well. Seriously, I’m going to kill Julian. Wait… I can’t. I love him. I guess I’m just going to have to live with it. How hard can it be? This book is written in first-person point of view. ** A Siren Erotic Romance
113 pages, ebook
First published October 27, 2012
About the author
Scarlet Hyacinth
87 books387 followersScarlet Hyacinth was born in 1986, in a Romania still struggling under the weight of the communist regime. As a young girl, she started studying the English language and fell in love with books.
After a childhood spent devouring hundreds of pages of fantasy literature, Scarlet found her calling. While at uni, she discovered with the help of a dear friend that she had a knack for writing. The rest, as they say, is history, or rather, lots of hard work and sleepless nights. Today, she can only say with a smile that nothing is impossible and that no matter what others say, you can achieve your dreams if you work hard enough.
After a childhood spent devouring hundreds of pages of fantasy literature, Scarlet found her calling. While at uni, she discovered with the help of a dear friend that she had a knack for writing. The rest, as they say, is history, or rather, lots of hard work and sleepless nights. Today, she can only say with a smile that nothing is impossible and that no matter what others say, you can achieve your dreams if you work hard enough.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 19, 2020
I loved it and a great start to the series. First person doesn't bother me, I actually like this style of writing. I thought it ended too soon ;-)
November 1, 2012
An entertaining read about a lover of chocolates who thinks he's unremarkable only to find out he's actually a paranormal creature. So, by the way, is his boss whom he's had a crush on for two years. Written with lots of humor, this book tells the story of Mackenzie Scott who finds out there is more to the world, and him, than he ever thought possible.
Mackenzie's way of looking at things made me laugh out loud more than once. He is shy, unremarkable (or so he thinks), and wants to find true love but doesn't have enough courage to go on a date. When his boss finally makes a move, Mackenzie responds enthusiastically - only to find himself transformed by the experience - literally. From then on fate throws one event and revelation after the other at him and he does his best to cope.
Julian is an incubus and has no idea who Mackenzie really is. He's been attracted to him for two years but thought he was off limits since he was human. That he is also an employee doesn't seem to bother him. When he gives in to temptation and finds out Mackenzie is a fellow paranormal he is shocked and elated at the same time. Julian is a great guy, very supportive and protective, and he helps Mackenzie find his feet in his new reality.
If you like stories with lots of humor, if you enjoy paranormals finding out about their talents, and if you're looking for a hot read with an entertaining plot, then you will probably like this book.
Mackenzie's way of looking at things made me laugh out loud more than once. He is shy, unremarkable (or so he thinks), and wants to find true love but doesn't have enough courage to go on a date. When his boss finally makes a move, Mackenzie responds enthusiastically - only to find himself transformed by the experience - literally. From then on fate throws one event and revelation after the other at him and he does his best to cope.
Julian is an incubus and has no idea who Mackenzie really is. He's been attracted to him for two years but thought he was off limits since he was human. That he is also an employee doesn't seem to bother him. When he gives in to temptation and finds out Mackenzie is a fellow paranormal he is shocked and elated at the same time. Julian is a great guy, very supportive and protective, and he helps Mackenzie find his feet in his new reality.
If you like stories with lots of humor, if you enjoy paranormals finding out about their talents, and if you're looking for a hot read with an entertaining plot, then you will probably like this book.
August 25, 2013
Oh. My. God. I did not like this book. Other people really like it so don't go by my review. I have really enjoyed shifter books in the past and am not opposed to paranormal. But I found this book to be...well ...stupid. I expected it to be witty, uh no, it wasn't. I thought it may have an interesting plot, uh...no it didn't. There was insta love, no chemistry, and the conversations all fell flat. For such an imaginative theme, there was no imagination in the writing. Maybe I could have given it 2 stars for the stroking of the unicorn horn.....but I just can't do it.
October 29, 2012
This is a really great beginning to a new series. Chocolate, shifters, humour and a large dose of magic and the paranormal. Excellent combination.
October 1, 2014
So, the title kinda threw me and it seemed to start off jumping into a relationship just like that after two years, which was kind of weird for me. Then it being in first person point of view (even thou it switches from Mack to Julian and back again) I wasn't sure what to expect.
I thought it was great! I can't wait to see what comes next for this brand new series. Hopefully following books will not disappoint, with this one setting the bar high for me
I thought it was great! I can't wait to see what comes next for this brand new series. Hopefully following books will not disappoint, with this one setting the bar high for me
October 28, 2012
my only wish is that is was longer
October 29, 2012
Awesome story. I love the characters and I can't wait for the next book in this series.
November 29, 2014
Demons, Unicorns & m-preg... Fabulous!
March 11, 2016
**Grammar**
I must say that i dont usually like books wrote in 1st POV, but this wasnt so bad. I didnt like the start, but i liked the end and how the characters matured and changed. Mackenzie Scott is a normal guy, or so he thinks. He is in love with his boss since the first time he saw him, 2 years ago, but he is shy and with no experience and is sure that Julian Hayes will never want him as a lover. The man is famous for having a lot of lovers and changing them each week. Mack is sure that his love will always be unrequited, he doesnt know that his boss is an incubus and in love with him too. Julian cant hold anymore his feelings for the human, but he knows that any relationship btw them could never last, they are too different and he cant tell Mack about the paranormal world. Luckily for them, Mack is not fully human. When in the end the 2 men cant hold themselves back anymore and end up having sex, Julian understands that something is strange,other than the fact that he is surprised Mack is a virgin. Some minutes after they are finished, we see Mack changing shape and become an unicorn. Julian finally understands that the pull he felt towards the human wasnt only lust or a crush, but the mate pull. Julian is really patient and tries to explain to a freaked out Mack what is happening and what he is. The younger man is shocked but at the same time we see his real strenght and also his new sassy attitude and i really liked this change. The bickering was amusing and we see a part of Julian's character that is interesting, his protectivness and his loyalty. With the help of Colton, one of Julian's friends and ex-lovers, they are able to take Mack out of the building and back to Julian's home. There we meet Brynn and see for the first time Mack's jealousy. The incubus is supposed to be Julian's fiance, their parents arranged their marriange bcs the incubus royalty needs an heir, none of them wants this marriage and they dont have feeling for each other, they're only friends or sort of anyway. When Brynn understands that Mack is Julian's mate, he is happy for them and breaks the engagment, by slapping Julian in the face and saying some ancient words, this was the only way to break it.
While we see Mack's jealousy we also see Julian's when Arden, an alpha werewolf and Julian's friend and ex-lover(well this dude really had sex with half the world it seems...but anyway was before Mack so ok), flirts with Mack. Arden is joking, but Julian is still jealous and possessive.
Thanks to their help, Mack is finally able to shift back.
Said this I need to add that the book isnt only about their love story,there is also another side of the plot, the one with a little angst and that is a bit sad. When Mack's brother comes searching for him and finds Mack with Julian,the 2 older men start fighting. We find out that Rylee is an hunter and that he and his parents had always knewn Mack was an half-breed. When Mack finally talks with them, they explain to him that he isnt their real son, but that they found him. He was lying near a deceased incubus and a dying unicorn, his real parents. They tell him that they clocked his powers, scared of the fact that who had killed his parents would try and kill him too. Mack cant believe that his mother killed his father with her horn and that now someone would want to kill him bcs he is an abominion. He refuses to believe he is the product of rape. He wants to go where all happened. When he is on the spot, thanks to his unicorn's powers,Mack is able to understands that his parents didnt kill each other, they were in love and happy to have him. Few minutes after their arrive, Julian starts to feel that something is wrong and he is right. They get attacked by other unicors. Their leader is Mack's grandfather and the man is crazy. He was the one to kill his parents and he wants Mack too dead. Mack's uncle and the brother of this crazy unicorn, tries to help them. With his help and thanks to Julian and Mack's family, their are able to stop the old unicorn, that in the end will decide to kill himself jumping from a cliff unable to bear his failure.
Julian and Mack can finally have their HEA. The fact that Mack is also half-incubus, makes him able to become pregnant and he is now pregnant with Julian's baby, something that Julian's parents I'm sure had found out soon after they had seen Mack in his unicorn form and noted his colour had changed.
There were also 2ndary characters like another couple having problems, a ruslaka(or something like that) and an incubus expecting a baby and fighting bcs they didnt think they were mates, and Mack helps them. Or like Brynn and Kage the leader of a lions pride, I's sure that there is something btw them....Brynn was an interesting char also if we see him in a few pages, and I'd like to read a book about him.
The book ends with Mack hitting Julian in the face with a pillow when he finds out that he is pregnant and Julian tells him that he didnt know that was possible with him since when they first had sex, he didnt know Mack was an half-breed. Mack isnt really pissed, but he will use this as an excuse to order the prince around and make him his little slave during the pregnancy, starting from now and asking him to bring him chocolate. XD
I must say that i dont usually like books wrote in 1st POV, but this wasnt so bad. I didnt like the start, but i liked the end and how the characters matured and changed. Mackenzie Scott is a normal guy, or so he thinks. He is in love with his boss since the first time he saw him, 2 years ago, but he is shy and with no experience and is sure that Julian Hayes will never want him as a lover. The man is famous for having a lot of lovers and changing them each week. Mack is sure that his love will always be unrequited, he doesnt know that his boss is an incubus and in love with him too. Julian cant hold anymore his feelings for the human, but he knows that any relationship btw them could never last, they are too different and he cant tell Mack about the paranormal world. Luckily for them, Mack is not fully human. When in the end the 2 men cant hold themselves back anymore and end up having sex, Julian understands that something is strange,other than the fact that he is surprised Mack is a virgin. Some minutes after they are finished, we see Mack changing shape and become an unicorn. Julian finally understands that the pull he felt towards the human wasnt only lust or a crush, but the mate pull. Julian is really patient and tries to explain to a freaked out Mack what is happening and what he is. The younger man is shocked but at the same time we see his real strenght and also his new sassy attitude and i really liked this change. The bickering was amusing and we see a part of Julian's character that is interesting, his protectivness and his loyalty. With the help of Colton, one of Julian's friends and ex-lovers, they are able to take Mack out of the building and back to Julian's home. There we meet Brynn and see for the first time Mack's jealousy. The incubus is supposed to be Julian's fiance, their parents arranged their marriange bcs the incubus royalty needs an heir, none of them wants this marriage and they dont have feeling for each other, they're only friends or sort of anyway. When Brynn understands that Mack is Julian's mate, he is happy for them and breaks the engagment, by slapping Julian in the face and saying some ancient words, this was the only way to break it.
While we see Mack's jealousy we also see Julian's when Arden, an alpha werewolf and Julian's friend and ex-lover(well this dude really had sex with half the world it seems...but anyway was before Mack so ok), flirts with Mack. Arden is joking, but Julian is still jealous and possessive.
Thanks to their help, Mack is finally able to shift back.
Said this I need to add that the book isnt only about their love story,there is also another side of the plot, the one with a little angst and that is a bit sad. When Mack's brother comes searching for him and finds Mack with Julian,the 2 older men start fighting. We find out that Rylee is an hunter and that he and his parents had always knewn Mack was an half-breed. When Mack finally talks with them, they explain to him that he isnt their real son, but that they found him. He was lying near a deceased incubus and a dying unicorn, his real parents. They tell him that they clocked his powers, scared of the fact that who had killed his parents would try and kill him too. Mack cant believe that his mother killed his father with her horn and that now someone would want to kill him bcs he is an abominion. He refuses to believe he is the product of rape. He wants to go where all happened. When he is on the spot, thanks to his unicorn's powers,Mack is able to understands that his parents didnt kill each other, they were in love and happy to have him. Few minutes after their arrive, Julian starts to feel that something is wrong and he is right. They get attacked by other unicors. Their leader is Mack's grandfather and the man is crazy. He was the one to kill his parents and he wants Mack too dead. Mack's uncle and the brother of this crazy unicorn, tries to help them. With his help and thanks to Julian and Mack's family, their are able to stop the old unicorn, that in the end will decide to kill himself jumping from a cliff unable to bear his failure.
Julian and Mack can finally have their HEA. The fact that Mack is also half-incubus, makes him able to become pregnant and he is now pregnant with Julian's baby, something that Julian's parents I'm sure had found out soon after they had seen Mack in his unicorn form and noted his colour had changed.
There were also 2ndary characters like another couple having problems, a ruslaka(or something like that) and an incubus expecting a baby and fighting bcs they didnt think they were mates, and Mack helps them. Or like Brynn and Kage the leader of a lions pride, I's sure that there is something btw them....Brynn was an interesting char also if we see him in a few pages, and I'd like to read a book about him.
The book ends with Mack hitting Julian in the face with a pillow when he finds out that he is pregnant and Julian tells him that he didnt know that was possible with him since when they first had sex, he didnt know Mack was an half-breed. Mack isnt really pissed, but he will use this as an excuse to order the prince around and make him his little slave during the pregnancy, starting from now and asking him to bring him chocolate. XD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2017
2.5 stars rounded down because it was just silly
At the beginning, Julian was an ass. Everyone makes mistakes, even him, and if someone made just one that person was fired no matter how small. That's a boss on a power trip. But when he fires someone and has her train her replacement and then has that person write her letter of recommendation, he shows he's brilliant, too. He's a bit of a horndog, though.
FYI, when a fire alarm is pulled in a newish building, the elevators return to the lobby and stop working. The characters couldn't possibly use them.
This is my favorite line in the book:
At the halfway point I noted that so far there had been zero conflict (except for the stupid secretary thing which was really minor and just a plot device). When there finally was some conflict it felt forced and Mackenzie's emotions were too immediate with too much dependence and crying. I guess it's supposed to be excused away by the fact he's an innocent unicorn. (An innocent unicorn with a incredibly sexually stimulated horn?)
It got better in the last quarter. Although it started with too much sex, it petered out fairly quickly in favor of a pseudo-plot which was good. There wasn't any more sex until the end. The plot was formulaic and very evil bad guys and very good good guys, but there was some dubious morality with some major characters that had been positive in the beginning and normally would remain positive. I appreciated that.
But the whole thing is too simple, too easily fixed, too cheesy... I don't know exactly how to describe to but it feels like a grade school play with porn added.
I hate MPREG stories, though, and this worked for me a little better, mostly because of how they explained it which also explained how a previously heterosexual guy was completely fine with a male mate. It also worked because a pregnancy wasn't really part of the story. That raised it from 2 stars to 2.5.
At the beginning, Julian was an ass. Everyone makes mistakes, even him, and if someone made just one that person was fired no matter how small. That's a boss on a power trip. But when he fires someone and has her train her replacement and then has that person write her letter of recommendation, he shows he's brilliant, too. He's a bit of a horndog, though.
FYI, when a fire alarm is pulled in a newish building, the elevators return to the lobby and stop working. The characters couldn't possibly use them.
This is my favorite line in the book:
"Now bring me chocolates. I need to eat while I process what your stupid magical semen did to me.It is a big pet peeve of mine when people say, "If you think xxx you have another thing coming." That doesn't even make sense. The expression is "another think coming."
At the halfway point I noted that so far there had been zero conflict (except for the stupid secretary thing which was really minor and just a plot device). When there finally was some conflict it felt forced and Mackenzie's emotions were too immediate with too much dependence and crying. I guess it's supposed to be excused away by the fact he's an innocent unicorn. (An innocent unicorn with a incredibly sexually stimulated horn?)
It got better in the last quarter. Although it started with too much sex, it petered out fairly quickly in favor of a pseudo-plot which was good. There wasn't any more sex until the end. The plot was formulaic and very evil bad guys and very good good guys, but there was some dubious morality with some major characters that had been positive in the beginning and normally would remain positive. I appreciated that.
But the whole thing is too simple, too easily fixed, too cheesy... I don't know exactly how to describe to but it feels like a grade school play with porn added.
I hate MPREG stories, though, and this worked for me a little better, mostly because of how they explained it which also explained how a previously heterosexual guy was completely fine with a male mate. It also worked because a pregnancy wasn't really part of the story. That raised it from 2 stars to 2.5.
March 31, 2017
I really like this book. So far everything I have read from this author has been good and this one kept with the level I am used to seeing.
So, basically this book is about an incubus that is so interested in a human. He is afraid he will hurt him and decides to leave him alone. That is until one day.
Needless to say, the human isn’t so human. Turmoil and mystery abound, in a lighthearted way. I really can’t wait for the next part to come out. I am going to have to do some checking and make sure it hasn’t yet.
So, basically this book is about an incubus that is so interested in a human. He is afraid he will hurt him and decides to leave him alone. That is until one day.
Needless to say, the human isn’t so human. Turmoil and mystery abound, in a lighthearted way. I really can’t wait for the next part to come out. I am going to have to do some checking and make sure it hasn’t yet.
Shelved as 'dnf'
December 14, 2012Actually not a bad story just formulaic.(Well ok, I haven't read a lot of incubus stories so maybe the incubus is different.) Anywho, the story is probably just fine however I can see what's getting ready to happen before it's going to happen. Just kind of boring. I didn't care enough to read the rest of the story.
Not going to rate because I think this is more my dislike of this 'type' of storyline than because it's not good.
Not going to rate because I think this is more my dislike of this 'type' of storyline than because it's not good.
January 5, 2015
I thoughts this was a very clever story. A quick read but with well developed characters, a unique story line and some hot sex scenes. I look forward to reading more in this series.
(I first read this in June 2013 and re-read it in December 2014 - I hope there are more than 3 books currently out as it is a fun series and I would re-read it again.)
(I first read this in June 2013 and re-read it in December 2014 - I hope there are more than 3 books currently out as it is a fun series and I would re-read it again.)
November 26, 2012
This is my new favorite series of Scarlet Hyacinth. Very light read with minimal drama and conflict. I hope this stays happy. The author tends to irritating protagonists and TSTL martyrs. Those are happily absent here or at least remained believable. Hope she makes more of tis series.
December 31, 2012
Parts of this were ridiculous, but there were plenty of parts that I really loved! I think this is a great start to a new series...can't wait to read more. The first person POV kinda threw me off the first few times it switched characters, but I got used to it and was fine by the end.
November 2, 2012
Loved this!!
S2
December 28, 2012
I love Scarlet's worlds!
September 10, 2016
idek why i do this to myself....
August 12, 2014
Absolutely adorable! Mackenzie is the cutest and I would've loved to see him actually shift into a unicorn. Julian is very hot and the two of them are incendiary! Great story.
March 27, 2013
Awesome!!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews