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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Reading this book felt like eating a mediocre meal. It wasn't great, but I felt committed to finishing it. I found the main character to be an unlikeable snob, and her sudden integrity shift at the end seemed unrealistic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Isabella is a real foodie. She writes pieces for a food magazine and she absolutely loves cooking. Nothing pleases her more than devouring her favourite cookbooks, honing her culinary skills and dreaming of one day seeing her name on the front cover of one. However, after an onscreen disaster followed by an unexpected opportunity Isabella finds herself ghostwriting a cookbook for former wild child and actress, Molly Babcock. Needless to say, the experience doesn't go quite how Isabella imagined....
This book starts food heavy. I enjoy cooking and dining out; everything from McDonalds to Michelin star but I was overwhelmed by names of food personalities and dishes so early on. This did dial down to what felt like a more reasonable level but its clear the authors food writer past couldn't wait to jump out on the page!
The book centres around Isabella, her job and her relationships but that is paralleled with Molly, our other leading lady and the same themes. The discovering of one another and their work relationship explores these on a deeper level and helped me understand Isabella much more as an individual. That said, about there quarters into the book she did start to really annoy me and her lack of self awareness.
The book is contemporary fiction (which you know I always find a little tough) and does say it has comedic and dramatic elements within. I think my irritation with Isabella is probably intentional (and which of course is writing done well) but this style is out of my normal reading.
I really wanted to love this book and it started well but I did struggle with some of the relationships which were very surface level. This was namely between our main character and her 'friend' Owen and later her romantic relationship. Although Isabella doesn't have a great relationship with her mother either this did feel somewhat more real than those with the men in this novel.
If you're a big foodie fan I think this book would probably be worth reading as there's more than a few recipes which are drool worthy. Whilst it has many silly moments it also touches upon harder themes such as grief, hoarding and toxic relationships. A solid contemporary novel with a side of fun to undercut some of the tougher storylines within it.