Sex and Key Lime Pie by Kat Attalla

Sometimes, you have no choice but to go home again. The problem is who is waiting for you there. And if you can still be friends with those from your past. But when old lovers are still attracted to you but holding a grudge, there may no be enough Sex and Key Lime Pie on the planet to overcome the past.

Cheyanne Dupree, European trained chef, has a recipe for everything, except happiness. A decade earlier, she inherited a fortune but lost Luc Allesandro, the rightful heir to the family estate and the love of her life. She returns to her childhood home for her tenth high school reunion and attempts to clear out the ghosts that haunt her.

Luc has spent the past few years trying to forget Cheyanne. His company has become profitable, and he doesn’t need reminders of his past interfering with his future. As far as he is concerned, she made her choice when she took the money and walked away.

Luc is not ready to forgive, but Cheyanne won't let him go until he hears the truth. A truth that will change both their lives forever.

Lucien Alessandro grew up the bastard son of the richest man in town. But the truth is not even that simple. Harlan Waitley owned almost everything in Mystic Cove, Rhode Island, the stores and factory carried his name, and even the largest house overlooking the town is his. But his only child was born to the maid, not his wife, and he never forgave them (maid or child) that. Luc grew up under his father’s anger and hateful actions against him and even developed a mutual hate in return. Harlan remarried (his wife died long before) with a step-daughter, Cheyanne, and Luc’s sister befriended her in school. But Luc started dating Cheyanne as a means to get at Harlan, any personal feelings aside. When Harlan died and left his money to Cheyanne, Luc blamed her instead of Harlan. And the things he said to her were unforgivable and caused her to leave town.

Nine years later, Cheyanne Dupree is finally returning to Mystic Cove. Her mother has remarried and sold Harlan’s old house. But since her mother is on her honeymoon, she has asked Cheyanne to clear out the house (sell off the furniture and such) for the closing in two weeks. Cheyanne has not been back to town since Luc ran her off after she inherited Harlan’s money. Luc’s sister was her best friend and his family was her safe haven from the cold, uncaring Luc’s family or her other friends since the town considers she ‘took’ Luc’s inheritance.

But after leaving town, she got the culinary training she always wanted. And she ended up married to a French man needing an American wife for a Visa. This gave her the wanted ability to work in Europe. But moving around every year with her changing job in Europe and a loveless marriage was no stable home to raise her son. Her husband died two years ago, and now her son is old enough to need a settled home. So she is back in the states and has found a job that will do, if not the dream she always had. But she has agreed to help her mother because she has a few loose ends to tie up before she can settle down permanently. Like telling her son’s father about him… Yes, he is Luc’s son, and Luc has no idea.

But just seeing Luc again brings all the old hurts and pain back to life. He is still living in the past. He even bought the old house from her mother just to tear it down! He is all over her like old times, but completely shut off from her at the just the same. How can she risk telling him about his son if he is going to keep holding Harlan against her? And how can she protect herself if she is still in love with him? (Why is she still in love with him?) What if he treats her son like he treated her in the past, holding Harlan against her son as well? Can Luc grow up and overcome his own past? (Goodness, that’s a lot of worry and questions…)

I have to say two things about Sex and Key Lime Pie right from the start. First, the cover is a little misleading…There is quit a serious tone in this story. Nothing bad, but there is a lot of “re-visiting” the past and either mistakes made or hurt feeling left over from that past. So the happy, light-hearted cover really is not what Sex and Key Lime Pie is about. Second, for some odd reason I thought this was a short story or novella, when it is a full length book. I am happy about the lenght, and it is well developed (doesn’t drag or anything) so no problems there. But I got the wrong impression and don’t want you to do the same.

Of course, Sex and Key Lime Pie is a ‘second chance at love’ story. It is also a ‘smack in the head- now grow up Luc’ story. Sorry, but this really is mostly about how Cheyanne was forced to become an adult when she found herself with a child but alone in the world, while Luc was holding onto his hate of his dead father. Cheyanne left town because everyone was mad, or even hated her, over Harlan leaving her all his money and Luc being too proud to take the money from her. These two men (Luc was a bit older than her) had been using her as a pawn in their battle for a while. While it really hurt to be shut out by Luc, it was the best thing for her. She got to follow her dream of becoming a Chief. And she grew up to be a better person for seeing some of the world. Also, with her focusing on her son for so long (her husband was never really in the picture), she was a great mother as well. Until Cheyanne comes back into his life, Luc is really an arrogant, selfish person STILL caught in his past. The only time/area his is not selfish in with his sister and her daughter. But even there he has to be reminded to make an effort… Otherwise, he is focused on proving he has overcome his low beginnings, is bigger & better than his father was, and on wiping out his father’s mark/memory on the town. It has been nine years since his father’s death and he still is basically fighting with him. It really is a good thing Cheyanne comes back to town and opens his eyes to a different future.

Sex and Key Lime Pie is an emotional journey. To have even a small chance at love again, both Luc and Cheyanne have to overcome the dark shadow of Harlan that still lingers in both of them. But Kat Attalla keeps Sex and Key Lime Pie from being dark or too serious with a good support case and humorous incidents to lighten the mood when needed. Learning from past mistakes, forgiving other’s theirs, growing as a person, finding family again, this is a rich novel of a person’s soul and the connections we have with others in our lives.