Scan barcode
lauracooleyjohnson's review
3.0
I finished this in a day, which is usually a 4 or 5 star review. But, I couldn’t quite give it four. The description of food, the details of running a restaurant, highlights of Milkwaukee, and of course the recipe at the end were great: 5 stars. But the writing was only so-so, and the romance was terrible. And I found myself getting frustrated when characters didn’t make good decisions (thankful that the author fixed this by the end of the book). So this was cute. I do recommend it for the fluffy read that it is, but I didn’t love it. Maybe I’ll love the coconut cake though!
spindere11a's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
Characters and dialogue feel v wooden.
Massive bonus for including the coconut cake recipe.
Massive bonus for including the coconut cake recipe.
yodamom's review
4.0
A wonderful and hard ride with a restauranteur chef and her relationships.
First thing, you have to make the cake at the end of the book. It is decadent, in all the right ways a cake should be and trust me you’ll be craving it among other foods at the end of this read. *Don’t read on an empty stomach.*
Lou is a young chef owner of a small restaurant in Milwaukee. Her business is finally coming out of the red and hopes are high for a successful future. She is engaged to a very successful man and works with two fantastic friends, everything is good. No, not really. Her fiancé’ is not what she has lead her heart to believe, her present happiness is also not exactly what her heart dreamed of. Then when a what should have been a fabulous day crashes and burns her happiness bubble everything changes. Changes, hurt and scar but they are not always bad, even extremely painful ones.
Al, is an unhappy Englishman stuck working in this, what he considers a nowhere city writing restaurant reviews. He hates living there and only thinks about the day he gets another job someplace else. While standing in line for coffee one day he smells the most wonderful scents and they are attached to a very attractive woman. She smells of bacon, coconut cake and vanilla and he is drawn to her. She tells him about her fiancé' and the cake she made him then goes about her day. They meet again, talk and he challenges her to prove her city is wonderful. They begin to explore and get to know each other. Later on he is instrumental in undoing her life’s dream and he doesn’t even know it.
Lou takes on the challenge of showing Al how wonderful Milwaukee is. Her life is crumbling down around her but she doesn’t pass the pain on, she lives and feels joy in the simple things. He finds himself starting to see the uniqueness in the city and develop feelings for this woman. Unfortunately, there are several secrets between them that will blow up and hurt deep.
What a lovely sweet romance, between the main couple and a few side characters. I loved the pacing, we got to know these people and their back stories. Good people, great histories, fabulous friendships.The couples exploration of the city, it’s festivals and cultural events had me wanting to visit the city. The food, was incredible, I think I dreamed of several of the goodies mentioned. I enjoyed every page, and will jump on the chance to read this authors future works.
Yes I made the cake here is picture with one of our dogs peeking
First thing, you have to make the cake at the end of the book. It is decadent, in all the right ways a cake should be and trust me you’ll be craving it among other foods at the end of this read. *Don’t read on an empty stomach.*
Lou is a young chef owner of a small restaurant in Milwaukee. Her business is finally coming out of the red and hopes are high for a successful future. She is engaged to a very successful man and works with two fantastic friends, everything is good. No, not really. Her fiancé’ is not what she has lead her heart to believe, her present happiness is also not exactly what her heart dreamed of. Then when a what should have been a fabulous day crashes and burns her happiness bubble everything changes. Changes, hurt and scar but they are not always bad, even extremely painful ones.
Al, is an unhappy Englishman stuck working in this, what he considers a nowhere city writing restaurant reviews. He hates living there and only thinks about the day he gets another job someplace else. While standing in line for coffee one day he smells the most wonderful scents and they are attached to a very attractive woman. She smells of bacon, coconut cake and vanilla and he is drawn to her. She tells him about her fiancé' and the cake she made him then goes about her day. They meet again, talk and he challenges her to prove her city is wonderful. They begin to explore and get to know each other. Later on he is instrumental in undoing her life’s dream and he doesn’t even know it.
Lou takes on the challenge of showing Al how wonderful Milwaukee is. Her life is crumbling down around her but she doesn’t pass the pain on, she lives and feels joy in the simple things. He finds himself starting to see the uniqueness in the city and develop feelings for this woman. Unfortunately, there are several secrets between them that will blow up and hurt deep.
What a lovely sweet romance, between the main couple and a few side characters. I loved the pacing, we got to know these people and their back stories. Good people, great histories, fabulous friendships.The couples exploration of the city, it’s festivals and cultural events had me wanting to visit the city. The food, was incredible, I think I dreamed of several of the goodies mentioned. I enjoyed every page, and will jump on the chance to read this authors future works.
Yes I made the cake here is picture with one of our dogs peeking
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert is a cute contemporary romance novel. Elizabeth Luella Johnson prefers to go by the name of Lou. She is the owner and chef of Luella’s restaurant. Lou is engaged to marry Devlin Pontellier, a lawyer. Devlin believes that Lou should give up the restaurant after they marry and be a stay at home mother (as well as cook meals for his clients and co-workers). Every time Devlin brings up marriage, Lou gets the willies (shouldn’t this give her a clue to how she really feels about him). Now Devlin is suggesting that they move in together.
On Devlin’s birthday Lou is up early to make him her grandmother’s coconut cake. She gets the cake ready, gets him coffee, and favorite paper (and actually picks up his dry cleaning). On the way she runs into Al. Lou moves on, but Al continues to think about her. Then Al sees her a few minutes later looking upset and cake/frosting on her shoes. Lou walks into Devlin apartment to find him in his boxer’s and his assistant, Megan in Lou’s new negligee. Lou drops everything and walks out.
That night Lou is a mess at her restaurant. She ruins everything she touches, but she refuses to stop cooking. That night the popular new food critic for the newspaper, A.W. Woodyski (Polish for water) is dining at Luella’s (he was given a card with a tip to try out the restaurant). The staff is inattentive, the service is slow, and the food inedible. A.W. Woodyski gives Luella’s a bad review. Turns out that A.W. Woodyski is Alastair “Al” Waters. Al is British and new to Milwaukee. It is the middle of winter, he is cold, does not know anyone, and is miserable. He let this affect his reviews and did not give the restaurant another chance before submitting his review. After the review comes out, Lou is sent with money to the local bar (no one wants her cooking). Al happens upon Lou (not knowing she is the chef of Luella’s). Lou agrees to show Al the good side of Milwaukee. They agree to not talk about their work (of course, she does not know he is a reviewer and he does not know that she is a chef). They spend the next few months exploring the city and getting to know each other. But you know what is going to happen when Lou discovers that Al wrote that review!
To find out what happens, you will have to read The Coincidence of Coconut Cake. The Coincidence of Coconut Cake is a charming and romantic book (it grew on me). I give The Coincidence of Coconut Cake 4 out of 5 stars. It is a little predictable, but I like the characters and storyline. There are many lengthy descriptions of food (will make you hungry). If you are looking for a sappy, romantic book, give The Coincidence of Coconut Cake a try.
I received a complimentary copy of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-coincidence-of-coconut-cake.html
On Devlin’s birthday Lou is up early to make him her grandmother’s coconut cake. She gets the cake ready, gets him coffee, and favorite paper (and actually picks up his dry cleaning). On the way she runs into Al. Lou moves on, but Al continues to think about her. Then Al sees her a few minutes later looking upset and cake/frosting on her shoes. Lou walks into Devlin apartment to find him in his boxer’s and his assistant, Megan in Lou’s new negligee. Lou drops everything and walks out.
That night Lou is a mess at her restaurant. She ruins everything she touches, but she refuses to stop cooking. That night the popular new food critic for the newspaper, A.W. Woodyski (Polish for water) is dining at Luella’s (he was given a card with a tip to try out the restaurant). The staff is inattentive, the service is slow, and the food inedible. A.W. Woodyski gives Luella’s a bad review. Turns out that A.W. Woodyski is Alastair “Al” Waters. Al is British and new to Milwaukee. It is the middle of winter, he is cold, does not know anyone, and is miserable. He let this affect his reviews and did not give the restaurant another chance before submitting his review. After the review comes out, Lou is sent with money to the local bar (no one wants her cooking). Al happens upon Lou (not knowing she is the chef of Luella’s). Lou agrees to show Al the good side of Milwaukee. They agree to not talk about their work (of course, she does not know he is a reviewer and he does not know that she is a chef). They spend the next few months exploring the city and getting to know each other. But you know what is going to happen when Lou discovers that Al wrote that review!
To find out what happens, you will have to read The Coincidence of Coconut Cake. The Coincidence of Coconut Cake is a charming and romantic book (it grew on me). I give The Coincidence of Coconut Cake 4 out of 5 stars. It is a little predictable, but I like the characters and storyline. There are many lengthy descriptions of food (will make you hungry). If you are looking for a sappy, romantic book, give The Coincidence of Coconut Cake a try.
I received a complimentary copy of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-coincidence-of-coconut-cake.html
taylorziegler's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jennilien's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kerinl's review
4.0
As a previous reviewer (Justine) stated this book would make a great beach read. A charming yet somewhat predicatable plot however even with these traits Reichert kept me up reading well past my bedtime.
hollyjolene's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
book_concierge's review
4.0
Book on CD performed by C S E Cooney
Lou is struggling to get her French bistro Louella’s off the ground. Native Brit Al has landed in Milwaukee as a free-lance journalist, writing restaurant reviews under an assumed name. Al goes to Louella’s after receiving an anonymous tip, but it happens to be the same day that Lou found her fiancé with another woman and she is, frankly, a mess. The food suffers, and Al writes a scathing review. A few days later they meet in a bar – Lou is drowning her sorrows and Al is complaining about the “backwater” of Milwaukee. Lou challenges Al to see the real charms of the city, with her as guide. Her only requirement – NO talking about work.
What a deliciously delightful foodie romance! I liked the characters, and felt they acted reasonably (if somewhat improbably at time). I was invested in their story from the beginning and just flew through it. The food descriptions made me hungry, and I loved the way Reichert described the joys of this city (my current hometown).
C S E Cooney does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She has great pacing, and is a gifted voice artist who can easily differentiate the various characters.
Lou is struggling to get her French bistro Louella’s off the ground. Native Brit Al has landed in Milwaukee as a free-lance journalist, writing restaurant reviews under an assumed name. Al goes to Louella’s after receiving an anonymous tip, but it happens to be the same day that Lou found her fiancé with another woman and she is, frankly, a mess. The food suffers, and Al writes a scathing review. A few days later they meet in a bar – Lou is drowning her sorrows and Al is complaining about the “backwater” of Milwaukee. Lou challenges Al to see the real charms of the city, with her as guide. Her only requirement – NO talking about work.
What a deliciously delightful foodie romance! I liked the characters, and felt they acted reasonably (if somewhat improbably at time). I was invested in their story from the beginning and just flew through it. The food descriptions made me hungry, and I loved the way Reichert described the joys of this city (my current hometown).
C S E Cooney does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She has great pacing, and is a gifted voice artist who can easily differentiate the various characters.