Foodies who are fans of New Adult Fiction will enjoy these two novels that sprinkle some delicious dishes amongst their protagonist’s efforts to find their place in life and love. Fans of Ruth Reichl’s Delicious! will want to check them out from the Hoboken Public Library today.
Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit by Jessica Tom
In Jessica Tom’s first novel, the provocatively titled Food Whore, Tia Monroe desperately wants to get an internship assisting a famed cookbook author, who seemed to me very reminiscent of Ruth Reichl. Instead she gets stuck with assisting Michael Saltz, the infamous New York Times restaurant critic, who secretly has lost his ability to taste all but the most extremely flavored food. Saltz depends on Tia’s keen insights to write his reviews. Although the perks of the job include an expense account of designer clothes and extravagant meals, Tia finds her dreams slipping away and her romantic life taking an unexpected turn. It may not be the most realistic view of the world of the critic (you can check out the New York Times’s actual Restaurant Critic take on it here, but the story will still resonate with those striving to succeed only to find life not working out quite as planned. It is a perfect lite snack if you are looking for something to tuck in your beach bag for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.
Too Many Cooks by Dana Bate
I imagine if Kelly Madigan, the protagonist of Too Many Cooks, ever met Tia Monroe in some sort of alternate fictional universe, they’d be fast friends. Like Tia, Kelly’s work is frequently attributed to those of others since she works as the behind the scenes cookbook ghostwriter to famous chefs and celebrities. After her mother passes away she is inspired to leave her sweet, but controlling boyfriend to take her first ever journey out of the US to Paris to help write the world’s most famous actress Natasha Spencer’s cookbook. Natasha is beyond a diva and her bizarre requests provide many moments of humor in Too Many Cooks. Although I found the outcome of Kelly’s romantic relationship in the book predictable, the book overall was a fun read. The novel contains several recipes including a ham spaghetti salad straight out of the Midwest, a delicious sounding chocolate mousse, and a sesame chicken recipe from Bate’s own family. For those looking for another serving of Bate’s writing, her two previous foodie focused novels, A Second Bite at the Apple and The Girls’ Guide To Love and Supper Clubs are also available at the BCCLS libraries.
-Written by Aimee Harris, Head of Reference
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 
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