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: "Food Person" by Adam D. Roberts

You won’t want to read this one on an empty stomach, that’s for sure! Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy.

Isabella loves food. She loves cooking it, talking about it, eating it, even writing about it. Cookbooks are her favorite thing to read, and she dreams of writing her own someday.

When she gets fired from her job at an online food magazine after a livestream demonstration goes horribly off track (she’s not good in front of a camera), she doesn’t know what her next step should be. But when she is offered the chance to ghostwrite a cookbook for Molly Babcock, a television actress with a robust online presence, she eventually realizes this could help raise her profile.

Of course, it’s not long before Isabella realizes that Molly barely eats anything, let alone cooks. She seems completely disinterested in any of Isabella’s attempts to set a vision for the cookbook, but she is very vocal about what she doesn’t want. Isabella’s publishers want her just to write a cookbook in Molly’s voice, but how can she do that if she doesn’t know what Molly’s voice is?

She begins to see glimpses of Molly’s personality when she’s not “on,” trying to recapture her once-promising career. But will that be enough? Can Isabella loosen up and be open to embracing Molly’s vision, whatever it is?

It really felt as if this book would be right up my alley given how much I love food/cooking-related books. And while the food descriptions and industry gossip was on point, the plot itself wasn’t as strong as I had hoped, and neither main character was particularly likable. But it still was fun.

The book will publish 5/20/2025.

Book Review: "Cold Kitchen: A Year of Culinary Travels" by Caroline Eden

I love how evocative a particular food or meal can be. There are certain dishes or foods that can take you back to a particular point in your life, or remind you of a specific person, place, or time.

That concept is at the core of Cold Kitchen. Caroline Eden is a food, travel, and arts writer in the UK, who has written two food books chronicling her travel and culinary adventures. In this book, she recalls past trips and meals from the vantage point of her basement kitchen in Edinburgh.

“Sometimes what we choose to cook mirrors what our soul misses, and sometimes the food we eat is a reflection of past routes taken.”

Each chapter of the book represents a particular dish and a particular trip. In a chapter about Russian hand pies, she recalls a seven-day, 5,772-mile railway journey she took with her husband to Vladivostok, on the Pacific edge of Asia. At the end of each chapter is a recipe of the dish she discussed.

This is a very interesting book, in that less-familiar ingredients from Europe, Asia, and Africa are explored. There’s a springtime soup from Georgia (the country), an apple strudel from the Ukraine, and a watermelon and feta salad which takes inspiration from the winter melons of Uzbekistan.

If you’re well-traveled or have a travel bucket list that includes some of these countries, this book is for you. And if you’re an adventurous chef, this book is for you. It’s truly a fascinating read.

Book Review: "Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations" by Alton Brown

“To me, food is best when it’s not fussed over. Cook it as simply as you can, make it taste as good as you can without overcomplicating matters, serve it on a fairly simple, tasteful plate (if it’s chipped, even better), toss on a bit of parsley, and let it go. Do not fuss. Do not wipe down the edge of the plate. Do not position the stack of fries just so. Do not manipulate the Brussels sprout leaves with tweezers. We are humans, and wonderfully, imperfectly so. If it turns out that fussing is simply part of your DNA, do your imperfect best to not let it show, as it scares the rest of us.“

If there’s a chef who writes a book (not a cookbook), chances are I will read it. I’m fascinated by the paths that people followed into the culinary world, especially those who have some longevity, given people’s constantly changing tastes.

I used to be addicted to Food Network. On the weekends in particular, I’d watch a ton of cooking shows. And as much as I loved new recipes and techniques, I also loved understanding the science behind cooking, which is what drew me to Alton Brown and his show Good Eats.

Brown is a quirky personality but he is an absolute fount of culinary knowledge. His show not only taught ways to cook better but also helped viewers understand where their problems might lie. His humor was always on full display.

This book isn’t quite a memoir; it’s more a collection of essays, the majority of which center around food and how it became part of his life. From his early days of consuming every type of sugared cereal to reflections on his perfect martini, Brown provides insightful, fun, and thought-provoking commentary. He also talks plenty about Good Eats and his participation on Iron Chef America.

I thought this was a great book, as it was right up my alley. Even if you’re not familiar with Brown, if you’re a fan of food and cooking, there will definitely be something in here to enjoy!

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: "Be Ready When the Luck Happens" by Ina Garten

The Barefoot Contessa’s memoir is finally here. How great is that?

Years ago I went to culinary school and worked as a personal chef and caterer for a while. One of the people whose recipes I loved and often adapted was Ina Garten. It’s amazing how an incredibly wealthy woman with an amazing house in the Hamptons who hobnobs with celebrities seems as down to earth as she does.

Amazingly, this culinary icon got her professional start writing nuclear energy papers for the Ford and Carter administrations. But she was bored and didn’t feel like her work had an impact, so heeding her husband’s advice to do what you love, they bought a small gourmet shop, The Barefoot Contessa, in the Hamptons. Never mind the fact that she had no experience in the food business!

It was so easy for me to get caught up in this memoir, as if Ina was telling me her life story over dinner. She touches on her unhappy childhood and her desire to do things that weren’t traditionally appropriate for young women. She found her independent streak early and it’s never abandoned her.

As much as I loved her stories about her finding her footing in the food business and her stepping into the spotlight, the most entertaining parts of the book are when she recounts meeting her husband Jeffrey while she was still in high school. Their love story is often satirized but theirs is a sweet relationship.

I enjoyed this book so much. To me, it came across exactly as she does on television—full of joy and gratitude at the good fortune she has found. Such a delight.

Book Review: "Up All Night" by Annabeth Albert

After more than 20 years and two children, Sean’s marriage to his best friend has ended amicably, and he decides to return to his hometown of Mount Hope, Oregon, to fill in for a firefighter on maternity leave. He moves in with one of his oldest friends, Eric, to help him deal with the death of husband and help care for his four children.

When Sean meets Denver, the overnight cook at the local diner, the handsome, rugged man awakens feelings he’d always kept inside. And when their encounter turns physical, Sean is hooked right away, but Denver isn’t the type to want a relationship—or even put down roots anywhere.

As their hookups intensify and feelings grow stronger, Sean wants Denver to be a bigger part of his life. But Denver is getting ready to leave again before he gets burned emotionally—although his heart wants to stay with Sean.

While Sean has a fairly good relationship with his parents and a solid group of friends, Denver hasn’t let himself get too close to anyone. Growing up in foster care, he learned to tamp down emotional expectations and quash relationships before they hurt him. But being with Sean makes him feel good, although he’s wary of getting in too deep.

I felt like there were a number of issues in the book that were really glossed over. For one, Sean literally had sex and decided to come out—no anguish, no nothing—and that seemed odd to me. And second, Eric was raising four teenage kids who had come from foster care. Eric’s husband died, and yet for the most part, the kids had no issues. (And don’t get me started on the eleventh-hour appearance of Sean’s adult son.)

There’s intense chemistry and steam between Sean and Denver, and I enjoyed Sean’s circle of friends. I just wish the book was less disjointed and inconsistent. However, I am a fan of Annabeth Albert's books, so I may give this series one more try.

Book Review: "Himbo Takes It All" by CD Rachels

Having an unrequited crush on a friend is difficult to deal with. It’s even worse when you’re gay and you have a crush on your straight best friend. That’s the situation with Andres. He’s been best friends with Hamadi since college, they live together, and they’re very affectionate with each other, but Hamadi still dates women. Lots of them.

“Hamadi, even on his worst days, is so damn lovable. He’s a hulking mass of brown skin, chiseled abs, three brain cells, and a heart of gold.”

Andres has put dating on hold because he keeps hoping Hamadi’s feelings might change. But his friends convince him to try speed dating, and even Hamadi supports it—but he tags along to make sure no one takes advantage of Andres, which causes quite a bit of chaos. In the end, though, Andres meets Hector, and they hit it off.

Suddenly, with Andres in a relationship, Hamadi feels left out. He loves Andres, but not like that. Right? But the more alone he feels, the more he starts to realize his feelings are more than just friendship. He wants to be with Andres.

When Andres gets an opportunity to intern for a famous chef, Hamadi worries that he’s too much of a himbo to be a good partner. And as they continue “experimenting,” neither wants to admit their true feelings. Will that cause them to lose out on everything?

This is the second book in CD Rachels’ Single Gamers’ Society series. I found this to be sweet, super steamy, and fun, and I just really enjoy these characters and their camaraderie.

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: "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: "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: "Piglet" by Lottie Hazell

I don’t think I’ve ever been hungrier than I was while reading this book. And I don’t mean it metaphorically—this book has some of the most gorgeously sumptuous descriptions of food and cooking that I’ve ever seen. This is definitely a book that needed recipes included!!

Unable to escape her childhood nickname, Piglet is excited about her life. She and her fiancé, Kit, have just bought a house and they’ll be married in 9 weeks. She loves her job as a cookbook editor, but what she loves more than anything is cooking elaborate meals, whether when she and Kit are entertaining or just for the two of them.

Two weeks before their wedding, Kit confesses that he has betrayed Piglet. She has no idea what to do. Should she forgive him and go on with the wedding? Should she cancel everything before things go much further? And as devastated and angry as she feels, why is she always so ravenous?

As the wedding approaches, Piglet seems ready to forgive and move on. After all, that seems to be what nearly everyone expects of her. But like a painstakingly created recipe, everything needs to be just right, and that’s the last thing Piglet feels to be true.

I loved the way this was written, especially the vivid ways Lottie Hazell describes things. But the story itself never really pulled me in—it kept me at arm’s length and never really gave details about certain things.

Book Review: "The Seven Year Slip" by Ashley Poston

Ashley Poston’s The Dead Romantics was one of my top three favorite books last year. And now, The Seven Year Slip is definitely a contender for a similar position in 2023!

First things first: if you’re not a fan of magical realism and weird time loop-ish storylines, you may not enjoy this. But I couldn’t get enough.

Clementine has been mourning the death of her larger-than-life aunt Analea, with whom she shared many adventures and stories since childhood. Analea believed sadness and ennui could be cured by picking up your passport and traveling somewhere exotic. Her aunt’s loss is devastating, and even though she left Clementine her apartment, she’s finding it difficult to imagine living there without her.

One day she arrives home at her apartment to find a handsome man, Iwan. He has a Southern drawl and a love of cooking. He says he’s the son of her aunt’s friend, and her aunt said he could sublet the apartment for the summer. Then Clementine realizes that he exists in the past. Seven years in the past. And she lives seven years in his future.

Analea told Clementine that the apartment was a pinch in time–a place where the past and present sometimes combined in strange ways. There was no rhyme or reason to when this would happen, but how do you stop your heart from falling for the person who seems to complete you? And when she finds Iwan in her present, what will happen?

Poston definitely knows how to hit all of my buttons. I loved this story so much, and it left me a complete puddle of emotions. I hope others love it as much as I did!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this amazing book. It will publish 6/27.

Book Review: "Signal Fires" by Dani Shapiro

Dani Shapiro's first work of fiction in 15 years is a beautifully written, poignant story about two families and how their lives are connected.

I didn’t know much about this book when I picked it as an add-on with my BOTM order this month. But how could I resist the story of two families over more than 30 years, full of drama and emotion? I mean, if ever there was a recipe for a perfect “Larry book,” this was it. And it was utterly fantastic!

The book opens in 1985. One summer night, three teenagers are hanging out and drinking when they decide to go for a drive. In a split second, everything changes, and for the Wilf family, the decisions made in the subsequent moments will change all of them.

On New Year’s Eve, as 1999 is about to turn to 2000, Dr. Wilf is pressed into service to deliver a baby for the Shenkmans, a new family in the neighborhood. And years later, as Dr. Wilf prepares to move out of the neighborhood and into assisted living, the two families will be connected again, in myriad ways.

So much more happens in this beautiful story, but it’s best to let it unfold. There are emotional moments, moments of regret and renewal, and an exploration of the ways we are inexorably connected. This is a quietly powerful novel, which reminds me of one of my favorite writers, Ethan Joella, and his ability to create emotion and drama from life’s simple moments.

Book Review: "Luck and Last Resorts" by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Sometimes love means letting yourself be vulnerable.

Nina learned the hard way not to depend on anyone else. And she’s done a good job of that for the most part—except for Ollie, who has been her on-again, off-again flame for nearly 10 years.

It’s been easy to avoid any real commitment, with Nina working as chief stewardess on a yacht and Ollie working as a sous chef at a restaurant. But when Ollie decides to return to working on the yacht, he comes with an ultimatum: if Nina isn’t ready to admit she loves him by the end of the charter season, he’s going back to Ireland.

It should be easy for Nina: she really only feels complete when she’s with him. But life—and emotions—are far more complex, and her fears and vulnerabilities keep her from admitting how she feels. And a secret they share could tear it all apart.

This follow-up to last year’s Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships is romantic, funny, sweet, emotional, and even a little steamy. Banter is one of my favorite things in a rom-com, and Nina and Ollie make it into an art form. But their chemistry and their feelings for one another work so well, too.

You could read this as a stand-alone but I’d totally recommend reading the first book, which I absolutely loved. I hope to see all of these characters again!!

Book Review: "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus

In Bonnie Garmus' debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, a female chemist confronts the realities of 1960s society.

⁣ ⁣ Elizabeth Zott is a chemist with a bright future. But not as a chemist, because as a woman in the 1960s, her intelligence and ambition aren’t appreciated or encouraged. She confronts indignity after indignity, and although she gets a position at the Hastings Research Institute, her contributions are not welcomed, even though she’s the only one who actually knows anything.⁣

⁣ At Hastings she encounters Calvin Evans, a brilliant, famous scientist known for holding grudges and his obsession with rowing. After an awkward (and messy) encounter at the opera, the two fall for each other. And although Calvin loves Elizabeth as much for her mind as everything else, their relationship only serves to further denigrate her in the minds of her colleagues.⁣

⁣ Somehow, a few years later, Elizabeth is now the host of a television cooking show, “Supper at Six.” (Cooking is chemistry, after all.) But despite the network’s wishes, she’s not quite the happy housewife on television—she’s telling women about covalent bonds and adding sodium chloride (salt) to their food. At the same time, she’s teaching women that they’re not JUST housewives, but they’re capable of so much more. And while that makes her popular, it also makes her a target.⁣

⁣ This was just absolutely fantastic. Elizabeth is a remarkable character—funny, stubborn, brash, and yet remarkably sensitive. This is a beautiful story about love and family and standing up for what is right, but it’s also about the unfairness of society towards anyone who doesn’t fit a specific mold, particularly in the 1960s. And Six-Thirty was the absolute best! (IYKYK)⁣

⁣ I won’t forget this book anytime soon.⁣

Book Review: "Act Your Age, Eve Brown" by Talia Hibbert

Act Your Age, Eve Brown shows you that you can prove to others—and yourself—that you can do anything you set your mind to.

I have so enjoyed Talia Hibbert’s series featuring the Brown sisters—Get A Life, Chloe Brown, Take A Hint, Dani Brown, and now this one. These books are funny, emotional, steamy, and surprisingly sensitive, featuring female and male characters who don’t have it all figured out, and who confront physical and emotional issues and challenges.

This book may be my favorite of the series so far. Eve is quite flighty. She tends to get bored easily and shift from career to career. When her stint as a wedding planner goes a bit awry (she was looking out for the doves), her parents issue an ultimatum—get a steady job for a year or no access to her trust fund.

When she interviews for a chef position at a bed and breakfast, her purple-haired, free-spirited self quickly irritates the manager, Jacob, who prizes order and decorum above all else. (It helps with his autism, too.) But when their follow-up encounter ends with Eve hitting Jacob with her car (accidentally?), it’s clear they have a situation on their hands. Jacob needs a chef and some help around the B&B, Eve needs a job. Problem solved, right?

But as much as everything Eve is and does annoys Jacob to no end, why can’t he take his eyes off her? And as much as his constant demand for perfection and his micro-management drives Eve crazy, why can’t she stop finding him irresistible?

I really thought Act Your Age, Eve Brown was great. I loved the characters and love the way Hibbert balances fun and seriousness, romance and steam. While the books are connected by virtue of the protagonists being sisters, any of them is a standalone, so if you’ve not read one yet, pick up a book and meet the Brown sisters!