Book Review:Pot Love By Sylvia Ashby

Blurb: Ashley Burkе, a twenty-six years old International News presenter at an obscure regional channel, is your average next-door girl. She lives with her boyfriend, loves her work and secretly fancies her boss.

When Ashley loses it all through no fault of her own, well, apart from snogging her boss in the loo and getting caught by his fiancée, she needs to act fast to find a new job before rumours spread that she’s been fired. A lucrative vacancy comes her way–hosting a small spot in a popular day-time TV programme – but there is a catch. The job is a cookery spot and Ashley can’t cook to save her life.

Her winding roads take her from Chichester, to London and all the way to Sardinia, to find her way back to what she has lost. But not without breaking a few eggs along the way and taking а few falls.

Can learning to cook burn your heart? Is change inherently bad or can it bring happiness too? And can you befriend people and things you have a grudge with, in order to carry on?

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'Corinn, is the camera the only thing that’s been stolen?’

‘Yes.’

‘They haven’t taken your wallet, ID, phone?’

‘No. Why would they?’

‘Because they have a lot more value than an ancient camera.’ I hear how my words sound and back track. ‘No offence, I’m sure the camera must have been very special but…’

‘They’ve taken only the camera, because the pictures were in it.’

‘What pictures?’

‘The one I took of Jennifer Lopez snogging Kate Moss in a café'

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A fine debut. Sylvia Ashby wows readers with an excellent story line and fantastic doses of romance.

Ashley's on the brink of professional success being an International Newscaster, having the perfect boyfriend (who pays no heed to her work-related rants) except she's not secured about her job having only twenty seconds of airtime and dealing with her nemesis, Amanda, who's lead of Local news and has more than enough time on air. But more than enough isn't enough for Amanda as she wants Ashley's...('time' is an understatement) seconds.

Amanda is out to get Ashley's seconds, but is oblivious Ashley's secretly snogging her fiancé. And Ashley hates being the other woman, but it isn't long (a week or so) before Amanda finds out. Then it takes less than twenty-four hours for Ashley to be without a job...

After lots of weeks of moping, losing her boyfriend and her usual joie de vivre, she lands an interview to be the host of a cooking show. But she's terrible and highly clumsy at it-cooking, not presenting-after one incident of closely setting her kitchen on fire in an attempt to crack an egg for an omelet. Luckily she's called in for test-shooting in the new year, and with only twenty-two days to gain some culinary skills Ashley has to act fast before she faces the new year unemployed without a boyfriend, a mother who's known for I-Told-You-Sos and her local audiences finding out she's lost her job.

You should follow Ashley's journey as she tours the finest Italian restaurants in London and Italy with the help of sexy chef, Giacomo, sharpening her culinary skills.

Add burns, scalds, cuts and sultry kisses, then you have a recipe for pasta

I liked the story-line of this book. It's unique. I got reeled in right when I read the blurb. A newscaster loses her job, terribly clumsy, hasn't made a perfect omelet all her life without putting herself in danger, gains a job on one of the popular cooking shows and has to learn to cook in a fortnight plus a few days. A star to the story-line.

Such a relatable heroine. Day in and day out, the chick-lit genre is plagued with chickroineswho do not posses any culinary prowess or don't know the basics to make a meal. I am guessing what's being portrayed a lot is what happens in reality the most, so I am sure you women out there who can't fix something for yourselves and fail terribly to every time you make an attempt would sympathize with Ashley and even love her in the process.

I was nuts for the other characters in this book. From Vedhika the stylist (who I secretly adored than the main character), to her mum, to Francesca and even the characters I detested so much (Amanda and James). I loved reading about each and everyone of them (and that's a shocker since this book was written in first person).-A star to the characters.

Although I liked this book and would totally recommend it to anyone who's a clumsy cook, I really would have loved it if it was light and fluffy. With such a story-line, I wanted the humor to be raised above lip-twitching levels and more to laughing-out-loud heights. A few plot complications could have also made this book a five star read. I am honestly not against books with a smooth rhythmic plot complications but I would have loved it if there were so many twists and turns.

Overall, it's not bad for a debut, the romance/chemistry between our leads was fantastic and the vivid description of destinations throughout the journey from Finchley to London to Cagilari, Italy. Though it lacked consistent humor, that didn't prevent me from reading till the end-and what a fulfilling end it was. It had a great story line and was penned beautifully, all I wanted was a lot more to laugh at since most books over here that get five stars were because they were hundred percent laugh-out-loud reads.

My rating: Four stars.

Sylvia Ashby's zingy and deliciously entertaining debut is available on...(click image to purchase)

I recommend Pot Love for anyone in the mood for chick-lit with mild humor and lots of romance. If you also adore a great story-line which's unique you could also pick this up. Or perhaps you are fascinated by the world of TV, Pot Love gives in depth knowledge of the not—necessarily glitz, but—glam life of TV. This title is for you if you've been thinking recently of taking a little (—or however you decide to define it—)food trip touring the finest cuisines from London, Italy or maybe all Europe.

My work not done here. Off to post my reviews on Goodreads as well as Amazon.

Book Review: Love On The Back Burner By Barbara Oliverio

Blurb:Youngest in an Italian-American family that includes one brother who is a rock singer-turned-priest and another who successfully manages the family business, Alexandria D’Agostino wanted to stand out, so she moved from her small hometown and is enjoying a successful marketing career in Denver.

On the advice of her best friend Keira, as well as office pals Natalie and Elliott, she uses the cooking skills learned from her immigrant grandmother and studies the cuisine of each prospective boyfriend’s background to improve her chances at love.

Alexandria encounters comical mishaps along the way including one unexpected dinner for three and a meat-focused dinner for a vegetarian. After a corporate restructure somehow driven by new office heartthrob Cameron Grayson, she flies back home for counsel.

Will she come back to Denver? Or should she re-evaluate the boy next door from high school? Should she finally admit that being a chef is her true dream? And how does Cameron fit on the menu? BONUS: INCLUDES RECIPES FEATURED IN THE BOOK!

"Alexandria!"

"Oh, no, let me go on. I must state unequivocally that Cam Grayson is the perfect male specimen."

I wheeled my desk chair back and spun directly into the object of my flattery.

"Oh, I wouldn't say 'perfect' necessarily," said Cam, attempting to hide a grin. "But on a scale of one to ten-"

"You are a negative twelve!"

Great debut. Barbara Oliverio thrills readers with a recipe of humor and a crisp storyline.

So Alexandria D'Agostino is having a bad streak of luck with men. In her thirties, a marketing manager, a born and bred Italian with the zeal to cook.

After one date gone horrible with a guy who she'd thought to be 'good on paper' hence her Mr. Right, her best friend, Keira, advices her against her tactic to get men using Italian food. Alex is bent on making the best of every potential suitor that walks into her life so she gives heed to Keira's advice.

Now she's taking cooking trips to the South, India, Middle-east all to perfect one dinner for guys who turn out to be so horrible (-one showing up with his fiancée to enjoy a good meal). As though a dark cloud was right above her, ensuring all these potential Mr. Rights turn out to be frogs, she meets very bizarre dates who either have a problem with her food choices or enjoy her meal with the wrong question choices. Just how many frogs does she have to cook for to gain Mr. Right?

Meanwhile, matters in her professional life are also taking a downward turn. The huge workloads suggest the company might be undergoing a buyout-which means less security for jobs, and there's no telling what marketing direction plan the company is taking because every day comes another marketing plan. To make matters worse, one IT heartthrob is going around adjusting the office chairs of everyone and Alex is always seething to put him in place and out of her space. But Cam Grayson never seems to disappear as he joins Alex's food crowd, workplace best friends Elliott and Natalie, going to lunch with them and coming over for a grub at Alex's place.

When one occupational crisis threatens to dissolve her friendships, ties with her family, romantic involvements and most importantly all she's worked for, Alex must decide whether marketing is really what gives her the joie de beef.

If you want a book rich in humor and sarcasm, you'd love this book. With its there's-more-to-humor-than-meets-the-eye approach, you'd have to reason a little to laugh so hard at some stuff in this book. And who doesn't love a little reasoning. With heavy sarcasm, Barbara Oliverio writes Chick-lit that should get you thinking on your feet in order to laugh. This book supports the adage, "She who laughs last, thinks slowest."

Marvellous story line. The whole cooking thing is a not-done-before, all the reference to cooking to create puns and laugh lines, the inevitable invites of Alex's food crowd to enjoy leftover meals from a disaster date. I loved, loved it. Much like Keri Russell's Waitress, but without the abusive husband.

You should love the stock characters in this book. Well-developed, very active despite the book was written in first person. From the American Idol shunned contestant brother turned priest, to the ever-persistent best friend Keira, Natalie and Elliott-the food crowd, Nonna the granny always concerned about Alex growing so 'thin'. I love the whole cast representing Alex's family, their vibrancy, their frequent involvement in the eating and dating affairs of Alex. You would love this title if you love that constant (as well as bugging yet adorable) interruption of family in a lead's life.

Though this book made me laugh out loud at most moments, I'd have to point out the ending was rather abrupt. From the blurb I would have loved a little more extension from when our lead hit rock bottom.

After the epilogue, Barbara Oliverio dishes out all the recipes of meals featured in this book-recipes passed on by her mother. If you love Italian, a kindle of this book is a good bargain.

So all in all, reading Love On The Back Burner is like dining in a star Italian restaurant.

Love on The Back Burner is available on... (click image to purchase)

In both kindle and paperback.

I recommend this title for just about anyone who loves a tasty Italian meal. Or for whatever reason you hate Italian, there's Southern, Indian and Middle-east dishes to choose from. You should also pick up this title if you enjoy a highly humorous and witty lead with an attitude.

I am always open to emails by readers who'd love to gush about Love On The Back Burner.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads as well as Amazon.