Tart and Sweet

Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This is the fourth book in the Candy Man Series and it pretty much brings us back full circle to the first book. Although each story can be read on its own, I recommend that you read each book starting with the first and going in order because each story branches off from the previous one. This review is based on the Audio format of this story narrated by Philip Alces. This story, as well as the series, has a little bit of paranormal and some fun man on man action. The owner of Candy Heaven, Darrin, not only sells delicious sweet treats, he sees the love and brings people together. The fourth book is about Robbie. If you have read the first book, Candy Man, you already know of Robbie. Robbie is the man that betrayed Adam and their love when they served together. Robbie has many regrets and before he can begin his new life with Cy, a beautiful dancer, he must right the mistakes that he made in the past. The chemistry between Robbie and Cy is strained to say the least. Cy is a beautiful free spirit with so much love to share. Robbie has so much baggage that even Cy’s love may not be enough. I loved the pacing of this story. How the characters from the other books come into play aiding in Robbie’s story. As with the other books in this series, we do get the happy ever after that I come to expect from a romance story. Not only did the story give excellent character development of the main characters, but we get new light on characters from the previous stories. Philip Alces did an excellent job bringing these characters to life in his narration of this story.




PLOT: 4 Stars
CHEMISTRY: 4 Stars
PACING: 4 Stars
ENDING: 5 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5 Stars
NARRATION: 5 Stars

Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club

I've said it before in each of my reviews for the first three books in this series, but I have to say it again. I've had an emotionally rough week and I need the men of Candy Heaven. I need Amy Lane's wonderful world of sweet, sexy, gentle, loving, mixed with a little angst, and sprinkled in rainbow sugar. Somehow the universe must know when I'm going to desperately need the joy I find in these books and, voilà, Dreamspinner Press releases another at exactly the right time. Maybe Darrin has been looking at me through pixy stix powder?

"He’d known Robbie was coming—he’d seen the guy in his dreams, watched his betrayal unfolding with the Pixy Stix powder, had known it in his bones. He had not anticipated everybody’s favorite hamburger delivery boy getting hurt."

Robbie has been hating himself ever since he called the man he loved a "faggot" in front of their commanding officer. The same night he dances with Cy in the street, he helps Finn to Candy Heaven after Finn is sideswiped on his bike by a car, he sees Adam again, he meets Darrin and Ezra, and breaks up with his girlfriend. It was a big night! But Robbie wants to be free. He doesn't want to be entangled in his parents’ racism and bigotry. First, though, he has to learn to forgive himself and deal with what happened with Adam.

"But I want to not be that guy ever again. What you did? Show up here with nothing and end up with Finn and a family and people who care about you? That’s what I want to be.”

Cy captivates Robbie from the very first moment and even though Cy hasn't felt the desire to be in a relationship for a while, something about this sweet soldier worms his way in. Unknown to Robbie, Cy is friends with Adam, Finn, Ezra, Miguel, Rico, and Derek. Finn believes Robbie is a hero until it comes out who Robbie is from Adam's painful past and Robbie doesn't deny it, accepting all the tears and recriminations - adding to his own self-loathing. Cy doesn't want to give up on them and I loved that about him.

“I’m going to think hard and see if there’s enough of this guy left to love you like you deserve.”

Oh, Amy! What a finale to the series. Not to mention sneaking Mikhail in from the 'Promises' series as Cy's dance teacher, and letting me see Shane, too? Heartbreaking, beautiful, and wondrous this last book of the series. Watching Robbie go through his "defining" moments was just… well, I don't have words. You've completely undone me, Amy, and 'Tart and Sweet' was exactly what I desired. Thank you.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

Reviewed by Erin for Diverse Reader


It is with a bittersweet sendoff that Amy Lane’s delightful Candy Man series has come to an end. And I have to say, we sure did come full circle with Tart and Sweet. I don’t know that I’d say Amy saved the best for last—for me, Adam and Finn will always be my favorite—but this one was so very necessary for all the characters we’ve come to love. And for the ones we fall in love with in Tart and Sweet.
If you’ve read the previous three books (and I think you absolutely must in order to truly appreciate everything that is at play in this one) you will know who Robbie Chambers is, and what he’s done to make himself number one on all the guys from Candy Heaven’s shit list. It takes a tremendous amount of skill and finesse to redeem someone who is seemingly so unworthy but boy did Amy Lane accomplish that with her usual prowess and talent. I would imagine no shortage of unconditional love for all her characters as well. It’s quite apparent that Amy loves Robbie with a sort of bubbling glee, because she made me love and empathize with Robbie before I’d even finished the first chapter.
I’m not sure I would have been able to imagine it’s Cy McVeigh that would be Robbie’s touchstone, but I definitely bought into it the farther along I got in the book. As usual, Amy’s ability to make readers feel the connection between her characters shines through and these two guys are they perfect example of what she does better than just about anyone else. Robbie’s and Cy’s ability to show their vulnerability to each other, to expose those soft spots that they rabidly guard, was such a treasure to read. Robbie’s heartfelt and gutwrenching talk with Adam broke my heart and when Finn had his say, well … there were lots of tears.
This is truly a book about forgiveness. Of being true to yourself so that you can let others in. About doing the things that make you happy, even if it doesn’t always make you rich. About trusting someone enough to tell them the worst thing about yourself and knowing they’ll still be there. Robbie’s journey to redemption is a beautiful thing, and Cy’s big heart is exactly what he needed.
I am really sad to see this series come to an end. Amy did gift us with plenty of peeks into all the other characters from the series throughout Tart and Sweet so we can all rest easy knowing that all these guys will be just fine. I’ll miss them … and Darren’s Pixy Stix.
Oh and Amy? Thanks for the surprise cameo! What a fabulous treat that was!! (And no I’m not telling y’all who it is, you’ll need to read the book to find out. But trust me, it’s a gift!)

This is the 4th book for Amy in the Candy Man series and I really couldnt get into this story. I found Robbie a total turn off from the beginning and am not sure why I couldnt like him. Of course he was in the closet in the military. He has history with Adam and we learn more about that in this one.When he got discharged he started dating girls until he came across Cy dancing on the street. So maybe it was because he broke up with his girlfriend and not 5 minutes later he was calling Cy for a hookup. The love scenes were good in this story and there were more of them than in the other stories. But I just couldnt root for these 2 guys. To me they didnt seem to click together. Cy was a man whore and never has relationships until he met Robbie and all of sudden he was a changed man. It was maybe too quick of a insta-love for me. I do love Amy's writing and this series in general but this one just didnt do it for me. Received an arc from publisher for review. Reviewed by Jodi for Alpha Book Club