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A review by bookstolivewith
All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore checked a ton of boxes for me! Not only is it inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but also features Edinburgh, restaurant behind-the-scenes (including addressing sexism, xenophobia and classism in the industry) and ex-lovers coming back into contact after almost a decade! Sign me up!
Synopsis: Susan Napier’s grandfather, Elliot, was a restaurant mogul but in the years since his death, his restaurants have taken a bit of a hit. Susan is ready to take over the reins. Where better to start than the flagship location in Edinburgh? But things get just a bit more complicated when celebrity chef Chris Baker arrives on the scene, fresh off his TV show and still holding Susan’s heart in his hands — unbeknownst to them both.
So many cute, fun moments and Chris is a great leading man! Susan is totally relatable, with her somewhat odd family, moments of self-doubt and her passion for her career. I was enamored with the setting, although perhaps I’m a bit biased because I love Edinburgh so much.
I will say that it does drag a bit in the middle, and I wished there had been more flashbacks into Susan and Chris’ previous relationship and then a little more time with the characters once everything comes to light. There’s so much tension between the characters in this book and it really works, until the last possible minute because there’s very little reflection and communication at the end, and everything ties up just a little too neatly. Seriously, I need a prequel and a sequel stat.
But on the whole, I really enjoyed it! I can totally see this as a movie actually, be it Hallmark or a Netflix original, but it’s also got all the elements of a prefect rainy day or chill weekend read. Just make sure you’ve got a sweet treat or something to snack on because let me tell you something, this book can leave you so hungry!
Synopsis: Susan Napier’s grandfather, Elliot, was a restaurant mogul but in the years since his death, his restaurants have taken a bit of a hit. Susan is ready to take over the reins. Where better to start than the flagship location in Edinburgh? But things get just a bit more complicated when celebrity chef Chris Baker arrives on the scene, fresh off his TV show and still holding Susan’s heart in his hands — unbeknownst to them both.
So many cute, fun moments and Chris is a great leading man! Susan is totally relatable, with her somewhat odd family, moments of self-doubt and her passion for her career. I was enamored with the setting, although perhaps I’m a bit biased because I love Edinburgh so much.
I will say that it does drag a bit in the middle, and I wished there had been more flashbacks into Susan and Chris’ previous relationship and then a little more time with the characters once everything comes to light. There’s so much tension between the characters in this book and it really works, until the last possible minute because there’s very little reflection and communication at the end, and everything ties up just a little too neatly. Seriously, I need a prequel and a sequel stat.
But on the whole, I really enjoyed it! I can totally see this as a movie actually, be it Hallmark or a Netflix original, but it’s also got all the elements of a prefect rainy day or chill weekend read. Just make sure you’ve got a sweet treat or something to snack on because let me tell you something, this book can leave you so hungry!