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A review by annettenis
Off Menu by Amy Rosen
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Off Menu by Amy Rosen is a lighthearted tale about Ruthie, a young woman who following an inheritance from her beloved Bubbe Bobby Grace, decides to follow her passion, give up her corporate job and embark on a career as a chef. She uses part of the inheritance to enrol in culinary school where she meets the charming Jake, an ex musician who is practically perfect in every way, if it wasn't for his model gorgeous girlfriend. To further complicate matters she is still holding a torch for Dean, the man she met while on holiday in Thailand with her best friends six months earlier.
Written as a series of diary entries we follow Ruthie on her journey to achieve her culinary dreams while juggling her complicated love life and making sure she is being a good friend too. This format actually worked quite well, it kept the story flowing while giving the reader a really good way of measuring how much time is passing, and making it feel like we get a really good insight into Ruthie's thought processes and emotional state, even if it did make her come across as pretty unlikeable at times. The author has done a wonderful job of making sure Ruthie has a very distinctive voice and it really helps to bring the character to life. I also thought that the way the author portrayed how complicated and messy relationships could be was very relatable but for me the romance plot was the weakest element of the book, I did not like either of the love interests, the friendship between Ruthie, Trish and Lilly was a far more interesting relationship. Food and food descriptions make up a huge chunk of this book, so be prepared to get hungry while reading, the good news is there are some recipes at the back of the book so you can cook along if you want to.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Written as a series of diary entries we follow Ruthie on her journey to achieve her culinary dreams while juggling her complicated love life and making sure she is being a good friend too. This format actually worked quite well, it kept the story flowing while giving the reader a really good way of measuring how much time is passing, and making it feel like we get a really good insight into Ruthie's thought processes and emotional state, even if it did make her come across as pretty unlikeable at times. The author has done a wonderful job of making sure Ruthie has a very distinctive voice and it really helps to bring the character to life. I also thought that the way the author portrayed how complicated and messy relationships could be was very relatable but for me the romance plot was the weakest element of the book, I did not like either of the love interests, the friendship between Ruthie, Trish and Lilly was a far more interesting relationship. Food and food descriptions make up a huge chunk of this book, so be prepared to get hungry while reading, the good news is there are some recipes at the back of the book so you can cook along if you want to.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.