Also by this author: MacRieve, Dark Skye, Deep Kiss of Winter, Sweet Ruin
Series: The Game Maker
Published by Gallery Books on February 17th 2015
Genres: Fiction, General, Romance, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 368
ISBN: 1451650078
ASIN: B00L01GJBW
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A need colder than Siberian winter meets an attitude hotter than the Florida sun in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s sultry new Game Maker novel.Everyone fears the Master... Rich, irresistible politician/Mafiya boss Maksimilian Sevastyan prefers tall, obedient blondes to fulfill his…complicated desires. That is, until the icy Russian encounters a disobedient brunette whose exquisite little body threatens his legendary restraint. Except her.Catarina Marín was a well-off young wife until her world fell apart. Now she’s hiding out, forced to start working as an escort in Miami. Her very first client is beyond gorgeous, but when he tells her what he plans to do to her, Cat almost walks out of the door. If pleasure is a game, play to win. After their mind-blowing encounter burns out of control, the lovers crave more. If they escape the deadly threats surrounding them, can Maksim overcome his past—to offer Cat his future? Only then will she tempt him with what he really wants: her, all tied up with a bow.
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The Master by Kresley Cole in a nutshell; fiery, sassy, spicy ‘Cleaning Lady’ takes the place of her client/friend on a ‘date’. The friend just happens to be an escort. ‘Cleaning Lady’ is beyond desperate for money. The girl has some major secrets. The date turns out to be a not-so-happy ‘Billionaire’ because ‘Cleaning Lady’ is not what he ordered and he is used to getting what he orders. Fire (Cleaning Lady) and Ice (Billionaire) collide, and let’s just say the iceberg that hit the Titanic wasn’t as frozen as Ice. You all know what happens when fire comes into contact with ice. Yep. . . that’s right. . . sizzle and steam. Then throw in a bunch of secrets and danger and The Master is FANFREAKINGTASTIC!! And I didn’t even mention the SEX. That is sex in capitals as this book is an erotic romance. Cole puts the erotic into full frontal display! OMG! I swear the book scorched my fingers. Calientá.
Why you should read the book.
- Scorching Hot Sex! Calientá, Habanero Chili Hot!
- Sassy, Fiery, Spicy Cat. I want her to be my friend! She is also smart, tough and a survivor.
- Maxim: Russian, dominate, wounded, and sexy as hellfire. His backstory will break your heart. He is also Alek’s brother and was introduced in The Professional —The Game Maker #1
- Danger abounds.
- At the heart of the book is a really sweet love story about two people who don’t trust anyone, but come to trust each other with their hearts and their very lives. Even when one of them has a case of ‘foot in mouth disease’.
- Alek, Natalie and the outrageous Jess are on board. Ms. Cole, could Jess and Dimitri be your next book? Please!
I have read everything Cole has written and she is brilliant at her craft no matter the genre. If you have loved her paranormal, historical romance or young adult urban fantasy books, then you really should not miss The Master. Furthermore, she writes the best heroines in books as they are tough, strong, sassy, fiery, smart and wonderful. I can’t wait for more of The Game Maker Series.
Roast Pork (Cuban Lechon Asado)
Recipe from Cuban Recipes.org
This is a Cuban classic dish, found in a typical Cuban party! The pork is roasted and marinated in Mojo to give a distinctive flavor. This recipe is for a leg of ham, although a whole pig can be roasted as well.
Ingredients:
- 7 lb fresh ham (pork leg with skin on)
- Mojo for marinating and roasting
Directions:
Prepare pork leg by piercing pork with a sharp knife. Place pork leg in large pan. Pour Mojo over and around pork, cover in aluminum foil, and let sit in refrigerator overnight. You can buy premade bottled Mojo, or prepare it yourself.
When you are ready to cook the pork, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pork in a large roasting pan with all the Mojo juices. With a large spoon, pour the juices all over the pork. Place the pan in the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Check pork occasionally and pour Mojo on sides over the roast pork with spoon. When the internal temperature reaches about 160 degrees F, remove the pork from the oven. Place pork in a large serving pan and cover with aluminum foil. Wait a few minutes to let cool down, then slice and serve.
Serving Size: 10 -12
Mojo
This is a Cuban classic and makes a wonderful marinade for meats and poultry. Traditionally this is made with sour oranges. If those are not available, this version is great!
Ingredients:
- ½ garlic bulb
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 large onion
- 1 Seville orange or grapefruit
Directions:
Crush the garlic along with the dry spices until the mix becomes almost a paste. Add the onion chopped or sliced into thin rings and the Seville orange or grapefruit juice.
Notes:
Coat the piglet in this marinade, preferably on the inside. Pierce with a knife in several places to allow the seasoning to go in deeply. You can use the mojo for the Tamale and yuca.
Fried Ripe Plantains
Recipe from Cuban Recipes.org
Make Fried Ripe Plantains like they do in Cuba. This is an easy and quick recipe for sweet Fried Ripe Plantains.
The key to an excellent plate of Fried Ripe Plantains is to ensure that the plantains are at the right degree of ripeness. The skin should be almost black or in some cases, have a dull yellow color with patches of black.
The riper the plantain, the sweeter it is and that is why Fried Ripe Plantains are such a big hit with West Indians and non-West Indians.
Ripe plantains peel easily and cook up in no time.
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut diagonally or round, into 1/4-inch thick slices
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Sea salt (optional)
Direction:
- Drizzle oil into frying pan just enough to coat the bottom of the pan and place on medium heat.
- When oil begins to shimmer, add plantains (work in batches), and fry for 1 and 1/2 minutes on one side, flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
- Remove plantains from pan and rest on paper towels.
- Continue frying in batches until all the plantains are fried.
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt to give a sweet and salt taste to your Fried Ripe Plantains.
Cuban Red Beans and Rice (Congri) recipe
Recipe from Cuban Recipes.org
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 inch cube of salt pork
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1/4 green pepper
- 4 oz. of tomato sauce
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 can (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 1 tbsp. salt
Directions:
In blender or food processor, purée onion and green pepper together (add a little water if needed). Set aside.
In Dutch oven heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the salt pork and garlic cloves. Sauté until browned. Discard the garlic.
Add the onion/pepper mixture to the oil, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes until the sauce is a deep, rich red. This mixture is called sofrito.
Stir in the rice, mixing it well. Add the beans, water and salt and stir. Cook on high heat, uncovered until water begins to boil. Adjust heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes until rice is tender.
Serves 4-6
Crab Croquetas
Recipe from the cooking channel
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for shallow frying
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped, with or without seeds
- 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked through for shells, coarsely chopped
- 4 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Mix together the mayonnaise, chili-garlic sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate to chill.Heat a straight-sided 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until glossy. Add the celery, jalapenos, onions and bell peppers and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, 10 to 12 minutes. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.Add the crabmeat, 1 1/2 cups of the breadcrumbs, the egg and 1/2 cup of the chili mayonnaise to the cooled vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Place the remaining 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Shape the crabmixture into bite-size (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) croquettes, 25 to 30 total. Dredge each croquette in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat. Arrange the croquettes on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
Heat 1/4 inch canola oil in the same heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the croquettes until golden brown and cooked through, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Serve with the remaining chili mayonnaise.
Originally from FoodNetwork.com
Langostinos con Salsa Rosa
Recipe from About Food
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 lbs. raw langostinos or large prawns, heads on
- 2 quarts water to boil
- salt to taste
- salsa rosa (see link to recipe below)
This prawns with pink sauce makes 6 servings.
Rinse prawns (langostinos) and let drain.
In a medium to large pot, pour water and 1 tsp. salt. Heat water on high until it boils.
Once water boils, place prawns in pot. Allow prawns to cook only until they turn pink. Remove immediately and allow to drain.
Chill prawns in refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours. When ready to serve, arrange prawns on a large platter and serve with salsa rosa – pink sauce
Salsa Rosa
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup catsup
- 1 tbsp brandy
- 3-4 drops of Tabasco sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
This pink sauce recipe makes 4 servings.
Measure all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix with a fork or wire whisk until smooth and creamy. If you like a sauce with more bite, add more Tabasco sauce.
Serve in a bowl on the side.
Can be served over pasta, but Cat may ‘kick you ass’. So be warned.
Cuban Buñuelos
These fritters are a very popular tradition in Cuba. The buñuelos are served warm with a special anise syrup and Cubans like to eat them during the Christmas holidays.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups ground yuca
- 2 cups ground malanga
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons anise flavoring
- Vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
Remove skin from vegetables and cook in boiling water until a fork can be inserted, but they are not too soft.
Strain, discarding water, and process in food processor until smooth. Add egg, ground anise (or liquor or zambucca), salt and flour and knead as you would bread until it forms a ball that does not stick to the fingers anymore.
Pull off about 2 heaping tablespoons and roll into a tubular shape approximately 6 inches long and ½ inch wide. Fold into a pretzel shape or a figure-8, pressing to make it hold the shape.
Pour enough oil into a frying pan to come about 1 ½ inches up the side of the pan. Heat oil, slowly, until very hot. Fry buñuelos, about 3 to 5 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Fry only about 3 at a time to keep oil hot. Use tongs to remove to a cookie sheet covered with paper towels to absorb extra oil. When cool, serve with plenty of buñuelos syrup or sugar cane molasses.
Turrón de Navidad
Recipe from the Nourished Kitchen
Turron de Navidad is a traditional Spanish candy consisting of only three ingredients: almonds, honey and egg white. It’s super-simple, sweet flavor is a special treat at Christmas time. Diana Bauman, of A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa. gives you this traditional Spanish treat.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup roasted almond slivers (preferably soaked and dehydrated)
- 1 1/2 cups raw honey
- 3 egg whites
Instructions
- Roast the almonds at 375F for 10 minutes mixing them up halfway through.
- In a medium sized saucepan; gently bring the honey, over medium heat, to a slow boil. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat off, and set aside.
- Whip the egg whites to a thick glossy meringue. Carefully, fold the meringue into the honey.
- Once the meringue has been folded into the honey, bring the mixture back up to medium heat constantly stirring for 15-20 minutes. The meringue honey mixture will soon increase in volume. As you keep stirring, it will condense itself until a thick caramel has formed. Also, the color will slowly change from a light brown to a deep burnt orange. The bottom of the mixture may start to burn a bit which is okay. It adds depth in flavor. *To test if your mixture is thick enough, add a bit to a plate and immediately place in the refrigerator. After a minute or so, if it hardens, your mixture is ready.
- Once the mixture has thickened add the roasted almonds and mix through. Quickly pour the turron mixture into a parchment paper lined dish. Place another piece of parchment paper directly on top of the mixture which will allow you to press it down and prevent anything from sticking to it.
- Cool in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before slicing. Buen provecho.
Cuban Sweet Potato Pudding
This very sweet little dessert is made from the Cuban sweet potato called a boniato. There really is no substitution, but if you are feeling brave a white sweet potato might be OK. You can find boniato in Latin grocery stores. This is really sweet, and is served in small doses. We like it after a garlicy meal, such as Cuban Roast Pork and Mojo Crillio, served with little cups of strong espresso. This is not a typical America dessert – it’s not chocolate cake, not a hot fudge sundae – so be ready for something new – its an adventure!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds boniato (red-skinned white sweet potatoes)
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Dash of salt
- Dash of cinnamon
Directions:
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Add them to a large saucepan, add water until the chunks are covered, and add a dash of salt. Boil the sweet potato chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain the sweet potato, then use an electric mixer of food processor to mash the potatoes until smooth.
Peel the lemon, and add just the peel to a large saucepan. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon stick and, 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and stir constantly until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage, about 15 minutes).
Reduce heat to low, remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick from the syrup and discard them. Add the mashed sweet potatoes to the syrup, and stir five minutes until the mixture is smooth.
Remove saucepan from heat, and add the egg yolks, cream, and butter. Stir well, then return to heat for five minutes. Remove from heat, then mix in the vanilla. If the mixture is too watery, add corn starch until it thickens. Serve warm in pudding dishes, or refrigerate for several hours and serve cold.
Serves 6-8.
All pictures belong to the original websites and so do the recipes. I encourage you to visit all these wonderful websites, as they have some killer recipes.
Met Kresley in Dallas last year and she was amazing. Right after getting The Professional signed, I read it and fell in love!!
Have been waiting for this one, can’t wait to read it, which will definitely be tonight!
Thank you for the chance!!
Love all of Kresley’s books and can’t wait to read The Master!!
Thanks for the post and your thoughts on this book, I enjoyed reading them. I have read and loved everything Kresley Cole has written! The IAD is brilliant but I have not read this series yet. Your review has me so excited to check it out! Thanks for the chance to win a signed book by one of my very favorite authors! =D
Also these recipes look awesome, my husband would love these. Thanks for sharing. =D
I was already looking forward to reading the book, now I have some fabulous looking recipes to try as well. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the giveaway!
First let me say these recipes look amazing! And the book looks steamy!!! Thanks for the opportunity I definitely want to read this one!!!
Thank you for stopping by, the recipes were fun to hunt up.
Love Kresley Cole and that you shared the recipes! THANKS!
I love Kresley’s books, I’ve read quite a few of them and would love to read this one too.
Haaven`t read the book yet, but it sounds amazing!
Read all of Kresley’s book,her Immortal series is the only paranormal that i read (i don’t like paranormal),and can’t wait to read Master series..thank you for the chance…and recipes!