Book Review: "Main, Middle & Gay: A Chef Finds His Place in the World Against All Odds" by Patrick O'Connell

Some of you may know that I’m a huge foodie and utterly fascinated by reading books about chefs, restaurants, and cooking. I also went to culinary school about 25 years ago, so the whole business intrigues me.

All this to say, when I think of the best meals I’ve ever had, Patrick O’Connell’s The Inn at Little Washington is near the top of the list. It’s the most expensive meal I’ve ever eaten but worth every penny. What O’Connell has created in such a small Virginia town is impressive—even more when you realize he never had any formal culinary training.

“Only because I’ve finally arrived at a place where I’m unafraid can buried secrets be exhumed and set free without danger.”

For the chef at the helm of the first U.S. restaurant to receive 3 Michelin stars, O’Connell followed an unusual path. Raised in Maryland, he had a difficult relationship with his father because he was unathletic and effeminate, unlike his brothers. He started working at a restaurant in his teens, and quickly fell in love with the atmosphere as well as the way flavors worked together in the foods he tried.

The book recounts the difficult journey in creating the Inn at Little Washington, as they faced opposition from the town. He touches on the milestones as they created this incredible empire of sorts. And he also touched on the often-rocky relationship with his longtime partner, which nearly destroyed everything they built.

I enjoyed this so much, both because I’ve been to the restaurant and seen interviews with O’Connell before, and because his path was so different than many others. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love reading about the many meals he created—and you’ll probably be hungry, too!

Book Review: "Yes, Chef" by Grace Reilly

A grumpy/sunshine romance with a handsome, brooding, tattooed chef with abandonment issues? Plus lots of delicious-sounding food and ultra-steamy steam, too? I’m in!

Poppy’s family owns a major restaurant company, but her own job as a brand influencer is criticized for not being serious enough. She tries hard to please her family and make them respect her, but every effort seems to turn disastrous or, worse, publicly humiliating.

One night, at one of her family’s most renowned restaurants, she has a very public meltdown when her boyfriend breaks up with and denigrates her. At the same time, one of the restaurant’s chefs, Jack Hartman, causes an angry scene before quitting. Both Poppy and Jack commiserate in a bar and lick their wounds. They both need to run away.

Jack heads back to Diamond Bay, Florida, where he grew up. His recently deceased mentor left Jack his restaurant, where he worked as a teenager. He figures he can resurrect the restaurant, show off his prowess running his own place, and hopefully parlay that into a new job back in New York City. With nowhere else to go, Poppy follows Jack, hoping he can use her influencer skills to build a brand and buzz for this new restaurant.

Of course, despite their attraction to one another, they get along like oil and water until both realize they’re working toward the same goal. Plus, Jack has unresolved issues with his mentor’s memory as well as fearing failure, while Poppy just wants to prove herself to her parents once and for all.

Give me a book that takes place in a restaurant and you know I’ll be happy. The chemistry and banter between Poppy and Jack is top-notch, as are all of the supporting characters. I loved that the book dwelled on emotional issues and featured two love interests with ADHD. Such a great book!

Book Review: "The Reservation" by Rebecca Kauffman

I was looking forward to reading this for two reasons. First, I enjoy the way Rebecca Kauffman writes. Second, and perhaps more important, is how much I love reading about restaurants, chefs, and cooking.

Aunt Orsa’s is a fine dining restaurant in a small midwestern college town. It was once described in a review as “offbeat, eccentric Italian-ish.” Tonight is going to be a huge night for the restaurant: famed author John Grisham, who will be speaking at the college, will be part of a group dining at Aunt Orsa’s tonight.

As excited as everyone is about “Grisham Day,” chaos erupts early in the day. Apparently 22 ribeye steaks have been stolen; the thief left two in the refrigerator. Orsa blows a gasket and is determined to figure out which member of the restaurant staff stole the steaks.

While Orsa figures out which employees were most likely to have committed the theft, a number of secrets, arguments, resentments, and relationships surface. It seems as if almost everyone holds a grudge against a fellow employee.

The book is organized into separate chapters that focus on one or more of the staff, as well as Orsa. We get glimpses of their past as well as how they came to work at the restaurant. Some of the characters are vividly drawn and it felt like a few of the chapters could stand on their own as stories.

There is a lot of drama here, much like in many restaurants. At times things get a bit repetitive and once or twice they get hokey, but it was a fun read. And as usual, the book made me hungry!

Book Review: "To Kill A Cook" by W.M. Akers

What a fantastic, fun book this was! I just stumbled upon it and was completely hooked. And, of course, I’m hungry now, too!

“This is part of what I love about eating in restaurants. Every course is its own adventure, and even when the food is lousy there’s always the suspense of what’s coming next.”

New York City, 1972. Bernice “B.B.” Black is a restaurant critic. It’s a job she absolutely loves. She’s been obsessed with food and restaurants since she was 19 and had her first fancy meal at a famed French restaurant.

One morning she stops by Laurent’s, the French restaurant that birthed her love of food. The chef, Laurent Tirel, is a friend and mentor, and he’s agreed to cater her fiancée’s birthday party. But when B.B. arrives, she is horrified to find that Laurent has been murdered, and his severed head is the centerpiece of a mold of jellied aspic.

She is utterly devastated but at the same time, B.B. is determined to figure out who murdered Laurent. And there are lots of suspects, including Laurent’s son, several of his employees, a mob boss…and it doesn’t seem like the police have a clue. But can she solve the murder before she winds up cooked?

I can’t get enough of books about chefs, cooking, and restaurants, so this was right up my alley. B.B. is a feisty, complex character, juggling a lot of personal issues as she’s trying to find a killer. I loved how well W.M. Akers captured 1970s NYC, too. Hope this is the start of a series!!

Book Review: "Cheesecake" by Mark Kurlansky

Interestingly enough, this book (a rare foray into fiction by the award-winning author) is both about and not about cheesecake. It is more social commentary, about the changing nature of NYC neighborhoods, apartments and landlords, gentrification, and art.

Art Katsikas, along with his brother Niki and sister-in-law Adara, were part of a cheese making family in Greece. The three decide to move to NYC in the 1970s and open a diner (a business sure to succeed, they are told by friends). They open Katz Brothers on the Upper West Side, and it becomes a popular spot for the neighborhood.

But while Niki and Adara are happy with their humble (yet successful) diner, Art has larger ambitions. He sees the changes coming to the neighborhood as landlords raise rents to drive their tenants out, and he wants a part of this. So he convinces Niki and Adara that the diner should be changed into a fancy restaurant, Mykonos, which will serve “modern classical cuisine.”

The centerpiece of the menu is cheesecake, but an adaptation of the earliest-known recipe by Cato the Elder, a Roman born in 234 BCE. This cheesecake is very different, both sweet and savory, and its introduction at Mykonos is met with fantastic reviews. Of course, imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, so it’s not long before everyone is trying to replicate Cato’s cheesecake—in very different ways.

While the restaurant and cheesecake are core to the story, much of the book focuses on various neighborhood residents and their encounter with Cato’s cheesecake, as well as what variation they become involved with. At the same time, it follows Art’s transformation into a ruthless landlord and how the neighborhood where Mykonos is changed through the years.

Mark Kurlansky is an excellent writer, and the book is tremendously informative about cheesecake’s history, variations, etc. I felt like the book was a little overstuffed with characters and subplots that didn’t quite come to fruition, when the story of the Katsikases would have been enough.

Book Review: "Automatic Noodle" by Annalee Newitz

I really enjoyed this, although it’s definitely not one of my usual genres. I’m not ashamed to admit that my love of noodles is one of the things that drew me to the book. Thanks to my friend Matthew for reading this with me!

It’s 2064, in the aftermath of a brutal war between California and the rest of America. One day a group of deactivated robots awaken in the ghost kitchen where they all used to work in the rubble of San Francisco. With the war over, the robots don’t really have a purpose, and there’s still some in California that don’t think robots should be citizens.

While the group didn’t like cooking the horrible food they had to in their old restaurant, Hands misses their time as a chef for a food truck, while Cayenne loves tasting everything, even if they can’t eat it. They convince their friends, Sweetie and Staybehind, that they should open their own restaurant in the same space. Hands is fascinated by the art of hand-pulled noodles, and so Authentic Noodle is born.

Each robot has a purpose, and shortly after the restaurant opens, it becomes a smashing success online. But they’re determined to keep their identities secret, since there are many who would cause trouble if they knew the food was being cooked and served by robots.

Suddenly disaster strikes, when the restaurant is hit with a barrage of 1-star reviews online, reviews that hit on robot ownership and cooking. Their reputation is on the line, but they’re determined to find out who’s behind this.

Automatic Noodle is so creative and sweet. There’s lots of great messaging here about chosen family, fighting for yourself, and valuing the contributions of outsiders.

Book Review: "Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef" by Slutty Cheff

I’ve been wanting to read this for a few weeks, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I was today years old when I realized this is a memoir and not a novel! (That realization didn’t affect me; I clearly didn’t pay close attention to the blurbs I read!)

“There are two things in my life that are a constant reminder that pleasure exists: food and sex. And I am learning about the different forms they may come in.”

Anonymous chef and columnist Slutty Cheff quit her marketing job after a workplace relationship went sour. She decided the thing she enjoyed most was cooking, so she went to culinary school and eventually did a trial run at a London restaurant. The energy, the camaraderie, even the stress captivated her, and the trial run turned into a job.

She is quickly enamored of her job and craves more responsibility. While it’s hard to be the only woman working in the kitchen, she more than holds her own. But the 60+-hour workweek, coupled with late nights fueled by alcohol and drugs with her colleagues, exhausts her both physically and emotionally.

The book follows her love/hate relationship with being a chef and the whole restaurant culture. She gets overwhelmed by the pressure and the lifestyle, but misses cooking when she’s not doing it. At the same time, she gets involved with several men over time, and realizes that sex gives her the same high.

You know how much I like books about chefs, cooking, restaurants, etc., so this was definitely right up my alley. This is one of those books you shouldn’t read on an empty stomach, and at times, it’s quite steamy, so be prepared. It’ll make you think twice about staying until a restaurant is nearly empty, too!

Book Review: "Aftertaste" by Daria Lavelle

The minute I heard about the concept of this book, I knew I needed to read it. It’s a mashup of food writing, magical realism, and a dash of the paranormal, resulting in an emotionally satisfying (and hunger-inducing) read. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy!

When Kostya was 10 years old, his father died. His mother took to her bed for an extended period of time, leaving Kostya to deal with his grief on his own. One day, he gets a strange taste in his mouth, one he can’t quite define until he realizes it was the taste of his father’s favorite dish.

That moment sparked the discovery a special talent in Kostya. He has the ability to taste the favorite dish of a ghost. It isn’t until one night while working behind a bar that he decides to actually make what he’s tasting—in this case, it was a bespoke cocktail—and he is shocked by what happens then.

While he never had any desire to cook, the discovery of his unique ability inspires him. He decides to try and use cooking to reunite a grieving person with someone they’ve lost, by making a dish that was important to the deceased. It doesn’t always work, but Kostya hopes he’ll be able to summon his father’s ghost, as he has never stopped missing him.

Kostya winds up working in the world of NYC restaurants, but of course, he can’t reveal the true reason for pursuing this career track. Yet in his zeal to help others, he doesn’t realize he’s opening the door to trouble in the Afterlife.

This book is emotional, fun, and thought-provoking. It’s also incredibly timely for me, as last week marked the 11th anniversary of my dad’s passing. At times the pace dragged a bit, but I really enjoyed it. And boy, was I hungry afterward!

Book Review: "What I Ate in One Year (and related thoughts)" by Stanley Tucci

“Sharing food is one of the purest human acts.”

If you had told me a few years ago that I would absolutely love a book in which someone essentially listed what they ate over the course of a year, I would’ve thought you were crazy. But then again, if it wasn’t Stanley Tucci telling me about his meals, it might not have been the experience this book was.

I fell in love with Tucci’s earlier book, Taste, and also really enjoyed his show, Searching for Italy. There’s just something so appealing about his love of good food, sharing it with family and friends, and mastering the preparation of it, not to mention recognizing the errors he or others made.

A diary of sorts, Tucci recorded what he ate in 2023, sometimes sharing specifics—location, his dining companions, what he thought of the food—and sometimes just being general. At times he’ll talk about why he liked or didn’t like a particular dish; other times he’ll share a memorable anecdote. (Even some recipes!) He and his wife Felicity both love to cook and entertain, and they do a great deal of it in the book.

You won’t want to read this on an empty stomach, especially if you’re a fan of Italian food. Tucci’s literary voice is so clear and direct—he doesn’t beat around the bush when he has something negative to say. Boy, I’d love to grab a meal with him or just talk food!!

“Part of the beauty of a certain dish or a meal is that it is ephemeral. It can be repeated but it will never be the same. Like the performance of a play. The lines and staging will be the same, but the result will always be a little different.”

Book Review: "Just One Taste" by Lizzy Dent

I love rom-coms so much, but I feel there needs to be a sub-genre of culinary rom-coms, or something like that. Because when you throw any food-related elements into a rom-com, it’s quite often a win for me.

Olive is a restaurant critic in London, writing savage reviews of pretentious places. It’s ironic, because she grew up in her father’s Italian restaurant, although after her parents’ divorce her relationship with her father was strained, and she hadn’t been to the restaurant in years.

When her father dies suddenly, she is shocked to learn that she has inherited the restaurant and the building it’s in. She definitely wants to sell it, much to the chagrin of Leo, the sous chef who became her father’s surrogate son.

Her father was in the middle of writing a cookbook when he died, and Olive agrees to finish it. It will mean traveling to Italy, where her family vacationed when she was young, and working with Leo, since he’s the chef who can develop the recipes. (It doesn’t hurt that Leo is absolutely gorgeous.)

The trip to Italy fills Olive with inspiration, as well as unresolved feelings about her father. The more time she spends with Leo, the less certain she is about selling the restaurant and the more intense the chemistry between them grows. But she saw the way the restaurant destroyed her parents’ marriage—could she have the restaurant and Leo, too?

Lizzy Dent’s books are always so enjoyable for me. This one made me absolutely ravenous, and it was an emotional read as well. Italy, pasta, banter, steam, and emotion: could I ask for anything more?

Book Review: "We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay" by Gary Janetti

Do you enjoy traveling? Not just being in new places, but do you like the actual process of travel? Gary Janetti’s new book is a funny and thought-provoking look at some of the high and low points of travel, and it seriously made me laugh out loud more than a few times.

“To me, a vacation is doing exactly what I would do at home, only with better weather and room service. I don’t want a list of activities designed to push me beyond any mental or physical limits I may have. I like my mental and physical limits where they are.”

Gary Janetti is a television writer and producer, and seriously, one of the funniest people I’ve ever read. His first collection of essays, Do You Mind If I Cancel? (Things That Still Annoy Me), had me laughing so hard I cried. He’s a bit crankier and more particular than I am, but we’re definitely on similar wavelengths!

In this book, he shares his philosophies on packing (don’t check a bag), eating alone in a restaurant if you’re traveling by yourself, and staying in a hotel rather than with family or friends. He also shares some hysterically funny anecdotes of cruises he has taken with family; trips to Mykonos, where he met his husband; an experience with a pop-up version of Noma, once the highest-rated restaurant ever, and other travel highlights.

What made this book work for me was that it never felt too outrageous to be true, and some of his thoughts definitely mirrored my own. It's a bit less zany than David Sedaris, but I laughed like I usually do when I read his books. This was a tremendously enjoyable read, with moments of poignancy which balanced the humor.

Book Review: "If You Can't Take the Heat" by Michael Ruhlman

A book primarily set in a restaurant? Written by an award-winning food writer and cookbook author? How quickly do you think I picked this up?

Cleveland, Ohio, 1980. Theo is a star athlete at his high school, and he’s looking forward to spending the summer practicing with his teammates. It’s the one bright spot for him, since his girlfriend broke up with him a few weeks ago.

And then tragedy strikes: while playing a casual game of football, he breaks his leg severely. He’s bedridden for weeks and he might never be able to play football again. With not much else to do, he starts watching Julia Child and Graham Kerr’s cooking shows, and he becomes more and more interested in replicating what he sees on television.

His friend Julia (with whom he’d like to be more than friends) gets him a chance to help out at Margaux, the fancy restaurant she works at. At first, Theo takes care of lots of prep work for Chef (while he’s on crutches), and he immediately realizes how at home he feels, even while he makes mistakes due to clumsiness or nervousness.

As Theo proves his worth and his skill, Chef gives him more and more responsibility. At the same time, he is dealing with wanting more from his relationship with Julia, and having to convince his parents he can balance high school and working at the restaurant. But when an incident occurs and Theo does what he thinks is right, it complicates things on all fronts.

I really enjoyed this and learned some new cooking things, too. At times I forgot Theo was only 16, and at other times it was obvious based on his decisions. I honestly could’ve done without the romance, but I was definitely hooked on this story.

Book Review: "Colton Gentry's Third Act" by Jeff Zentner

Through the years I’ve found so many auto-buy authors. One of these is Jeff Zentner, whose YA books (particularly In the Wild Light and The Serpent King) are among some of my favorites. I was really excited when I learned that his latest book would be his first foray into adult romance, and he didn’t miss a beat as he shifted audiences.

“Grief is an arsonist, stealing in under cover of dark to reduce you to ashes. You can expect it or not. But you can’t prepare for it, and there’s no defense. Well, one maybe: self-immolate first.”

Colton Gentry’s country music career is on the cusp of a renaissance. He’s about to have his first hit in a long while, he’s opening for a mega-star, and he’s married to another famous singer. But while all of this should make him happy, he’s grieving: his best friend Duane was recently killed during a mass shooting at a country music festival. So one night during his set, fortified with alcohol, he expresses his views on gun control along with some choice epithets.

Needless to say, Colton’s views and the profanity he used while speaking up, alienates his fans and the country music industry. Within a day or two, his career and his marriage have both imploded, leaving him no choice but to return to his rural Kentucky hometown, live with his mother, and lick his wounds.

Colton feels like a total failure, as being a musician is what he has wanted since high school graduation. He has no idea what his next step will be, until a chance encounter with his first love, Luann, who is now the chef and owner of a prestigious restaurant in town. She sees how broken he is, and offers him a job in the kitchen, despite the fact that he once broke her heart.

This is a love story, but it’s also a story about grief, friendship, redemption, and picking yourself back up when you’ve hit rock bottom. Zentner is at the top of his game, and there are so many fantastic characters.

This isn’t to be read on an empty stomach unless you’re planning your gorge yourself on gourmet food afterward!

Book Review: "I'll Have What He's Having" by Adib Khorram

I was so excited to see that after writing several terrific YA novels, Adib Khorram is making his first foray into adult romance—and it was really good!⁣⁣

⁣⁣ Farzan may be the oldest of three children, but he’s not been the stellar success that his siblings have, either professionally or romantically. He’s a substitute teacher, which is exhausting, and he’s just had another relationship end really before it began.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ To drown his sorrows, Farzan goes to Aspire, one of Kansas City’s hottest wine bars. He gets fantastic personal attention from Aspire’s wine director, David, who is not only tremendously knowledgeable, but he’s the sexiest man Farzan has ever seen. They flirt over each pour, and both feel the intense attraction. David thinks Farzan is a restaurant critic—a hilarious misunderstanding that gets cleared up during post-meal passion.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ After an incredibly steamy night, David tells Farzan that he’s taking the master sommelier exam in a few months, and once he passes, he’s planning to leave Kansas City. Farzan doesn’t want just a casual fling, but when he decides to take over his parents’ restaurant, he needs David’s help—and David could use a study buddy—so they agree to be friends with benefits.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ Of course, the no-strings-attached thing rarely succeeds, and it’s not long before both have fallen for each other. But if David is going to leave, what’s the point in giving into their feelings? Are they running the risk of losing the best thing that has happened to both of them?⁣⁣

⁣⁣ This was a moving, romantic, fun, and incredibly steamy book. It’s a story of family, friendship, love, food, wine, and trusting your heart and your dreams. And boy, did it make me hungry!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the advance copy. The book will publish 8/27.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Book Review: "Effie Olsen's Summer Special" by Rochelle Bilow

I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers and heavier books lately, so I was craving something a bit lighter. Boy, did this book fit the bill!

Effie grew up on a tiny Maine island and couldn’t wait to get out of there. She went to culinary school and then spent 16 years traveling all over the U.S. and the world, working in various restaurants. She finally got a gig as a head chef in San Francisco, but it turned out to be far less successful (and less enjoyable) than she had hoped.

In desperate need of money, she returns home to Alder Isle for the summer. Brown Butter, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the island, is in need of a sous chef. Effie plans to work there only for the summer, to get enough money to head to her next location, and she vows not to get attached to being back home.

Within a few hours of returning home, she runs into her childhood best friend, Ernie, whom she’s not seen since the night they graduated from high school. Ernie’s kindness and sense of humor makes Effie feel at home again, and it doesn’t hurt that Ernie has gotten seriously hot as he’s grown older. It turns out he’s working at Brown Butter, too.

She finds herself falling for Ernie but keeps pushing him away since she knows she’ll only be in Maine for the summer. As things at the restaurant become tougher, and a scandal is on the verge of blowing up, Effie wonders whether she’s found the place—and the person—she wants to stay with, or if she needs to leave again.

I love second-chance romances, and if you combine that with a story set in New England and at a restaurant, you bet I’m sold. I loved the banter between Effie and Ernie as well as all of the supporting characters, and I loved the way Rochelle Bilow combined romance, steam, humor, emotion, and heavier issues. So good!!

Book Review: "The Same Bright Stars" by Ethan Joella

That feeling when an author whose two previous books have been on your best-of lists writes a new book that surpasses them all. Thank you, Ethan Joella, for leaving me smiling, sniffling, and utterly in awe about how easily your stories pull me in.

Schmidt’s restaurant has been a fixture in Rehoboth Beach for three generations now. Jack Schmidt has been at the helm for years, running the place his grandmother and father devoted their lives to. And Jack has done the same—put the restaurant and its staff above everything else in his life, including relationships, travel, even simple relaxation.

The DelDine group has been purchasing family-owned and small restaurants all over Delaware, and they’ve cast their sights on Schmidt’s. Jack has absolutely no intention of selling his family’s legacy, but the more tired he gets, the more he wonders if maybe he deserves to put himself first for once.

As he ponders the decision, he thinks about the paths he could have taken, the chances he passed up, and the regrets he has. He worries about his employees and whether DelDine will honor their promise to take care of them if he sells. And when he learns of a secret hidden from him for years, he wonders if this is the sign he needs to act.

The richness of this story, the depth of the characters, the emotions and images it evokes, all blew me away. This is a gorgeous story about family, friendship, love, loyalty, regret, hope, and possibility. I will never get enough of how well Joella tells a story.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Scribner Books, and Ethan for the advance copy! The book will publish 7/2.

Book Review: "Family Reservations" by Liza Palmer

This book couldn’t have been more tailor-made for me, given that it’s a combination of two things I love the most: family drama/dysfunction and books about cooking and the restaurant world. It was so good I stayed up super late to read the whole thing!

Maren Winter is a culinary pioneer. She blazed a trail when only a small number of women were chefs—and even fewer owned their own restaurants. She’s built an immense legacy that’s about to get even bigger with the imminent opening of her latest restaurant, Central Trade.

But as Maren gets older, each of her daughters wonders when she’ll step down from the helm, and which one of them she’ll entrust with The Winter Group. Will it be shrewd Sloane, desperate to finally step up as a leader? Julienne, the communications expert and middle child, who is rarely seen for the full extent of her intelligence? Or will it be Athena, the youngest, who has truly followed in her mother’s footsteps to become an acclaimed chef on her own?

During Maren’s annual New Year’s Eve Dinner, decisions are made and events occur that threaten to destroy the family. At least two of the three daughters see this as their chance to grab the reins, but they don’t count on their mother’s restlessness or how getting closer to your dreams sometimes doesn’t feel as good as you think.

Most of these characters aren’t particularly likable, but I couldn’t put this book down. I was completely immersed in the power struggles and emotional realizations that occurred, and couldn’t wait to see how it all wrapped up.

“There’s something particularly irrefutable about finding actual evidence of how truly clueless you once were. The blind hope of it just breaks your heart.”

This was my Amazon First Reads pick for March. The book releases 4/1.

Book Review: "Best Served Hot" by Amanda Elliot

In Amanda Elliot's follow-up to Sadie on a Plate, the heat gets turned up when two restaurant critics team up.⁣

⁣ Julie loves being a restaurant reviewer on social media. She works as an executive assistant in order to support her side gig as @JulieZeeEatsNYC, and her more than 50,000 followers love her food photos and videos.

⁣ ⁣ What Julie wants more than anything is an actual job as a restaurant reviewer for a newspaper, and her dream job is to work at the New York Scroll. But when the Scroll doesn’t even contact her after receiving her application, and they hire Bennett Wright (whose mom is friends with the paper’s CEO) instead, she’s angry and hurt.⁣

⁣ While at a food festival in Central Park, Julie runs into Bennett, and their encounter devolves into Julie confronting him for his snobby attitude toward social media and those who use it for restaurant/food reviews. Her video footage of their confrontation sees her follower count jump dramatically—and it brings more traffic to Scroll's social media, too.⁣

⁣ Seeing benefit for both of them, Bennett proposes that they collaborate. They’ll both visit the same restaurants at the same time and contrast their approaches and opinions. And after some initial hijinks, they start to enjoy each other’s company, and they learn from each other.⁣ Of course, the more they collaborate, the more the chemistry intensifies. Is this a reservation for love or disaster?⁣

⁣ I love books about food and restaurants, so this was right up my alley. I loved Sadie on a Plate (and Sadie makes a cameo in this book), and this is fun, steamy, and romantic. I enjoyed the discussion about social media and the battle of print vs. internet, too.

⁣ Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy! The book publishes 2/21/2023!⁣

Book Review: "Yerba Buena" by Nina LaCour

This is an utterly exquisite story of longing, regret, love, and the memories that haunt us.

Nina LaCour has been one of my favorite YA authors for years now, so I was tremendously excited that she was writing her first adult novel. This book is as beautiful and poignant as her YA books, and it filled my heart with emotion.

Sara was 16 when a tragedy forces her to leave home and head for Los Angeles. She makes a life for herself and ultimately becomes a sought-after bartender and mixologist. But her memories are full of a girl she once loved and a disturbing discovery.

Emilie has always been a bit directionless, unsure what she wants. Her academic career reflects her inability to commit to one thing or another. She gets a job arranging floral displays for restaurants, including Yerba Buena, and before she realizes it she falls into an affair with the chef/owner. She meets Sara at Yerba Buena and feels a connection, but neither is ready to take the first step.

As time passes, Sara and Emilie connect and realize the intensity of their feelings for one another, yet the secrets from their past that they cling to always seem to be a roadblock. How do they step beyond the fear, the regret in their lives to capture the longing and embrace their vulnerabilities?

I was drawn in from the very first page of this book. It’s sad and joyous and hopeful and these characters will resonate in my head for a long while.

Book Review: "Ramón and Julieta" by Alana Quintana Albertson

After reading this fun, steamy, romantic retelling of Romeo and Juliet (without the tragic part), I’ve decided that there should be a sub-genre of books called “Books Not to Be Read on an Empty Stomach.” I have read so many to put in that classification, and this book had my stomach growling late at night!!

Ramón Montez is the dutiful son of the scion of a fast-food empire. He’s always been willing to help his father, and the company has set its sights on a Taco King in Barrio Logan, the center of the Chicano movement in San Diego in the 1970s. The neighborhood has resisted until now.

One night, at a Day of the Dead party, Ramón, dressed up as a mariachi, hooks up with a beautiful woman. It turns out this woman—with whom he has intense chemistry—is none other than celebrity chef Julieta Campos, whose struggling taqueria now has Ramón as its landlord.

But to make matters worse, the Montez and Campos families have decades of bad blood between them, all because Ramón’s father once stole Julieta’s mother’s taco recipe and destroyed her career.

Can they truly ignore the passion between them, however? Do they choose family loyalty over true love? I so enjoyed this look into this culture, to the gentrification battle being fought in Barrio Logan, and the characters in this book. And how can you resist a book which is, at its heart, about love and tacos?

Many thanks to BookSparks and Berkley for inviting me on the tour for Ramón and Julieta and providing me a complimentary copy of the book as part of #WRC2022!