Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Workshop A Tale Of Edible Delights by danieller123

This review was written by the Beautiful (and oh so funny)
107yearoldvirgin


Lets see how Danieller123 describes this fic:  Isabella Swan is a famous chef with a short fuse and lackluster love life. Edward Cullen is a single father trying to balance raising his child and making it big in the food industry. What happens when he becomes Bella's new sous chef? A/H A/U Rated M

107: Reporting for duty.



Why, you may ask, have I chosen to do a review on The Workshop? Well, I really only have one source of interaction with Twi-Fic readers anymore, and that is through my FaceBook page; simply because I’m so effing busy with RL. Sandy offered me the opportunity to write for SFFR, and I took the job because I don’t make time for myself to read other fics. I figured that if I had motivation to do so, then I would be more apt to push myself into reading.


But where to start? I checked out what my FB ladies were wall spamming each other with on their walls and this caught my eye:


“I haven’t laughed this hard since I read Progress!”


And THAT is why I had to head straight over and check out what DannielleR123 was cooking up at The Workshop.


I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a fic and it affected me so deeply that I felt…haunted. This story has stuck to me in such a magnificent way. Not like gum on a shoe, but more like when you see an amazing debate and both sides are so well educated that you think on the topic for days and ponder every word trying to figure out where your loyalty lies.


Dani’s writing does that to me. I can’t shake it.


What I had expected to be a story about restaurant workers and dirty kitchen sex is anything but: Bella Swan is the world’s second most famous chef and restaurateur. She is 26 and owns 10 restaurants, all of which she opens herself and runs while on the road. She has come to Miami to open a new establishment called, yes, The Workshop. She’s a hard ass, tough as nails boss who knows exactly what she wants and won’t settle for anything less from herself or any of her employees.


Her right hand man is Emmett, and apparently his brother lives in Miami as well and is need of a job. Who is the brother? Hot ass, tattooed covered, DILF Edward, that’s who. Edward needs a job to provide for his ridiculously cute 4 year old daughter, Nessie. He’s a self taught chef who screams ‘diamond in the rough’.


There is obvious attraction between E&B from the get-go, and the underlying sexual tension is so thick it’s painful at times, because your brain is screaming that they should just get it on, even though the sensible parts of Bella are explaining why it can’t happen. Except for her lady bits, sweetly named ‘Butterbean’ who seems to be the Devil in her pants.


Bella wants nothing more than to make Edward as good as he possibly can be. And in the process of teaching him, we end up seeing just what an amazing person she really is. As all Bella’s are, she has been broken by something in her past, but so has Edward. And I have to hand it to Dani, her Edward is one of the best Daddy’s I’ve read in a really long time. His devotion to Nessie wrenches your heart and makes you fall in love with him almost immediately.


The question is, can Bella and Edward let each other in and find happiness? I hope so, because these two have chemistry and a deep underlying love that feels so incredibly real.


The characters are real, and they speak like real people, think like real people, screw up in huge ways like real people…they have real problems. But they are funny and likeable, too. Bella’s got a foul mouth, Edward’s got temper issues and Emmett thinks with his dong. They trash each other with witty banter and it works. It really, really works. I can see the scenes played out in my head like a movie and it fascinates me to no end.


It’s obvious that Dani knows her subject matter very well, and I love that. When a writer knows what they are talking about it draws me in completely. Knowing how basketball works is one thing, but telling a story from inside of the game while you have your sweaty hands around the basketball is a whole different scenario. She brings a fresh approach to the culinary world that I know little about but am intrigued by, which keeps me reading to learn more.


The Workshop is hilarious, heartwarming and hot…three H’s that make me squeal. I’m so immensely grateful to have been directed over to read Dani’s work because I love it. Not only is her story amazing, but she’s a fantastic person with a ballsy sense of humor…my kinda girl.


Check out her links below and give her blog some love. She has some beautiful pictures of Edward in his full tattooed glory and some scorching hot banners for each chapter.

Link for The Workshop on FFN: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5384904/1/The_Workshop_A_Tale_Of_Edible_Delights


DanielleR123’s FFN page: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1989229/danieller123

Dani’s Twitter: @sweetdani123

TWS Edward’s Twitter: @TWS_SweetEdward

Well now, what did you think about 107's review?  Are you reading The Workshop?  Please leave us a comment and let us know you were here, it's important to us.  Thank you for taking the time to read Southern Fan Fiction Review.

16 comments:

dont_run said...

Ok now I have to read this story :)

gossip_bangkok said...

this fic is on my list.. mmm.. maybe I should move it up. thanks! :)

Heather said...

I read this story and LOVE it!

jael728 said...

The fact that I love cooking and I love to eat makes me want to read this fic. It's it my TBR! I love tatted chefs, thanks to Bravo's Top Chef... Best show EVER!

FL95 (JoJo) said...

107yearold... I effing love your ass for reviewing dani! Her story has owned me for many many months and you so flawlessly described why here...

If you're not reading this one, you're completely missing out on the most endearing effing story of late!

LOVE & HUGS
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Jo

Susan said...

107yearold's review is right on the money- this story is fantastic, totally owns me.

Olga NYC said...

Thank you for the recommendation Sandy

Lisa said...

I saw on your site that if we have a story for you to put on your "must read" list, to post it as a comment on the most recent review. This is a link for The Price of Balance by averysubtlegift. It's nearly complete, and an amazing story! I'd love to see her get more attention :)
www.fanfiction.net/s/4763112/1/

cbrand1996 said...

Hello, I am reading this story and absolutely LOVE it. The characters are very funny and unique. I came to this site because I saw that you interviewed 2 of my favorite authors Icy and SR and then I saw that you reviewed The Workshop and I love Flower Child enough to leave a small comment here.

Other Fics I love:
La Canzone della Bella Cigna (I would say it is one of the best AU stories I ahve read)
The Weight of Words is also lovely just starting to get interesting!

Thanks for these articles!

VronniePantz said...

after it was reviewed here i went straight to reading it.... and consumed the story all in one sitting (tough thing to do since she is AMAZING and writes kick ass long chapters!!!)... and... you nailed it... she sucks you in and haunts you with her amazing writing... now i think my fave story ever!

dihenydd said...

I was recommended this story (along with some friends) some time ago but stopped reading after a couple of chapters. I may be wrong but from some of the remarks Bella made I perceived her as racist. She was quite derogatory about ethnic minority workers. Others I know stuck with it for longer hoping she would redeem herself but I believe none of us are reading any longer. It is a real shame as everything else about the story was spot on.

FL95 (JoJo) said...

dihenydd... WOW. With all due respect, wth are you talking about with regards to Bella being racist? That's a pretty hefty accusation. Especially knowing dani personally.

I've been reading this story for a long time and don't recall her being derogatory toward any one specific person OR race, she is harsh and foul mouthed, but she is like that with everyone (except Sweet Edward, most days) and it's her upbringing, not her opinion on race.

Just my humble opinion -

danieller123 said...

Hey all, this is dani, the person who writes this fic and I just wanted to say that Bella is not racist.

She makes remarks about EVERYONE and everything in this fic.

Being a minority myself, I assure you, I have nothing against people of color or Hispanics.

I am one.

By this standard though, you could say Flower child homo phobic, since he makes remarks that he isnt comfortable around gay people.

Is he? no.

This isn't that deep. Bella named her clitoris after a food ...I mean, come on.

Srsly?

They all make fun of each each other and it is not meant to offend anyone...except the characters themselves. ;)

lots of love,
dani

dihenydd said...

Hey Dani, no offense intended, I did say I could be wrong and that it was my perception.

You are right that I am basing it predominantly on the remark in Chapter 1

"make the damn call to Jose or Juan or whatever the fuck the little brown man who is sure to show up here's name is,"

I have to say though that if I came across someone who spoke like that in RL I would not willingly associate with them and I guess that made her a less than sympathetic character as far as I was concerned. It isn't s much the language as the racial stereotype that only someone of ethnic minority race would be doing a shit job. Whether it is logical or not I like to feel some sympathy towards Bella. I didn't feel personally offended just turned off.

It's a truism that you can't please everyone and this fic obviously has a lot going for it and it is refreshing to read something a bit different. Maybe I should give it another go.

I guess you would rather know what people are thinking, though, as long as they are respectful about it. (I am opposed to flaming JSYK). Thanks for replying.

seekingmyedward said...

Where did this story go? And why did she pull all her internet blogs and twitter?

Aimi said...

I am SOOOO sad that this story has disappeared! I LOVED this story! I have no idea why it is gone. :(

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