This is a short read, just 164 pages. AFTERNOON DELIGHT manages to pack a lot of reading goodness into such a small package. Calhoun deftly weaves mouthwatering food descriptions with poignant emotional scenes and wildly sexy bedroom (and elsewhere!) escapades. I was quickly sucked into the story and did not want it to end.

Sarah McCall is a food truck co-owner, who recently moved to Manhattan after caring for her dying aunt for two years in San Francisco. Her Aunt Joan got Sarah to promise her that when Joan died, Sarah would return to living her life the way she did before her aunt got sick. Sarah gave up so much of her life to take care of her aunt, and she's determined to appreciate the little things in life as she begins a new chapter in her life, in New York. I cheered for Sarah, so bright and determined to be optimistic and enjoy her life.

Tim Cannon is an EMT. Having watched his grandparents slowly decline and finally die, he now spends his days living at a frantic pace, keeping his emotions isolated and insulated in an attempt to cope with the stresses of his job. Although he does try to act caring toward his elderly patients in deference to the memory of his grandparents, Tim is losing the connection to others and is slowly falling into drudgery and routine. Calhoun makes Tim a character that the reader can feel compassion for and root for, even when he fights what we know would be good for him.

After Sarah sees Tim twice at her food cart, she goes back to his tiny apartment for an afternoon tryst, savoring the opportunity to be spontaneous and delight in her own sensuality. They begin to meet more frequently, as Sarah teaches Tim how little tricks can increase his enjoyment in bed, and ultimately in life. Tim, a native New Yorker, shows his favorite parts of New York to Sarah, which allows Calhoun to vividly describe some captivating parts of the Big Apple, which added additional polish to the glow of the story for me.

Will Sarah and Tim find that their afternoons of erotic delight satisfy a short term craving? Or will their time together blossom into the richness of true love? Steamy and mouth-watering, this sensual tale is rich and filling, a feast for your senses!