"Merullo delivers a spirituality-themed road novel set in modern-day America...Rinpoche proves a thoroughly pleasant companion and Otto is engaging...An insightful and playful journey."

--Kirkus Reviews

"Dessert with Buddha's special flavor of spiritual and social examination will leave readers hungry for more...Merullo is especially adept at exploring the intersections between belief systems. [These]are often delightfully revealing and thought-provoking. ...Those ready to embark on an armchair road trip with two characters whose journey and encounters offer enlightenment and revelations, will find much food for thought here...Book clubs, in particular, can use Dessert in discussions of novels that incorporate powerful spiritual and growth components...Readers looking for a lively series of dialogues and encounters between belief systems--as well as those holding them close--will find Dessert with Buddha a deliciously attractive story."

--Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

"Rinpoche is endearing and a beacon of optimism... [and] at all times compelling and gentle. ...He gives Otto the space that he needs to self-reflect and contemplate. ...Sensory details abound..."

--Foreword Clarion Review

"In Dessert with Buddha, Otto and Rinpoche continue their journey across America--and beyond, actually--in the name of The Good and in search of life lessons taught through the various people they meet along the way. ...Rinpoche has a "loose" road map, and, as one might expect, with quality time and undivided attention, Otto receives nuggets of wisdom and exposure to people, places and situations that give him a fresh outlook on life. Just being in Rinpoche's presence seems like a magical, wondrous ride...While Jack Kerouac's On the Road is regarded as the quintessential cross-country road trip of two friends in search of meaning and hope through the American experience, don't fault readers if this classic comes to mind while contemplating the Buddha series. Is there another course to come? For now, readers must simply savor Dessert with Buddha--dessert, that is, with a cherry on top.""In Dessert with Buddha, Otto and Rinpoche continue their journey across America--and beyond, actually--in the name of The Good and in search of life lessons taught through the various people they meet along the way. ...Rinpoche has a "loose" road map, and, as one might expect, with quality time and undivided attention, Otto receives nuggets of wisdom and exposure to people, places and situations that give him a fresh outlook on life. Just being in Rinpoche's presence seems like a magical, wondrous ride...While Jack Kerouac's On the Road is regarded as the quintessential cross-country road trip of two friends in search of meaning and hope through the American experience, don't fault readers if this classic comes to mind while contemplating the Buddha series. Is there another course to come? For now, readers must simply savor Dessert with Buddha--dessert, that is, with a cherry on top."'

--Jim Alkon, BookTrib