My review
The book started with a bang, like one of the TV series where Katie, the last on her luck cook, sees the advert that Chef Jean-Michel is searching for the grand chef for his new restaurant, and she applies for it.
Imagine the next scene to be a total Masterchef-y with elimination rounds, 3 extremely critical judges, and the same exact tension that is seen in the television — the whole premise of this setting was just so enthralling. I was sitting at the edge of the seat to know who would win.
In the midst of the competition, Katie sees Ben, her ex, as one of the competitor and the nerves increase.
The book just seemed to burst with excitement. I hate cooking but I love masterchef. And this book just brought out the exact flavor of the show, the excitement of the competition, the various rounds, where the last 3 have to cook a 3 course meal for the various food critics, and the announcement of the winner!!
This part of the story had the right pace, the sizzle of the skillet, the aroma of the dishes, the aesthetics of plating, and lastly the criticisms of the judges. The author Colleen Coleman, has described the atmosphere of a cooking competition brilliantly where the scenes just came alive for me.
But then the story loses its fizz, goes through its various twists and ends. Katie as the underdog was great, she was emotional, loving, and passionate. But she thinks a lot.. a lottt!!! Sometimes even in the middle of competition, so the book loses its pace and I just flew through the rest.
On the whole the first half was very exciting and the second half was enduring.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating : 3 stars
About the Author
Colleen Coleman is an Irish- Canadian novelist. She is the winner of the much-coveted Novelicious Undiscovered People’s Choice Award which launched to find the next ‘chick-lit star’. She spent over ten years working as a teacher of English and Philosophy before finally taking a deep breath, scrunching her eyes shut, putting her pen to paper and vowing not to lift it again until she wrote the words The End. As a result, her first novel was born. Colleen lives between London, Ireland and Cyprus with her very patient husband and very chatty twin daughters.
Book blurb
Twenty-nine-year-old Katie Kelly is at an all-time low. The love of her life, gorgeous Ben Cole, took a job abroad and broke her heart, the restaurant she’d put her all into went bust, and now she works in a retirement home, cooking beige mush for the residents.
Not exactly the life Katie had dreamed of…
So when the opportunity comes up to work for one of the best chefs in the country – Katie’s idol – she is determined to get the job, no matter what. But then she discovers who she’s competing against: Ben.
As the competition heats up, Katie and Ben spend more and more time together, and it’s clear the old spark is still there… But only one person can win their perfect job, and Katie is going to make sure it’s her. She knows she can’t let Ben back in – or can she find a way to have it all?
Product Details
Publication date : 26th April, 2018
Publisher : Bookouture
Language : English
Available on Amazon
Masterchef-y first half
27 Responses
Nice review
Thank you… I was wondering if I was reviewing the book or the TV series..
Nice review. Was a interesting story. Have you seen the movie Chef, if it not see it such a good movie it is.
The hindi one or the English??
English I love it should watch Saif version of chef
Not seen any movie in a long time
You have to see chef, super film
I will one day
The second half lost its sparkle, huh. That’s too bad. Sounds like it had real promise up until then. Great review though.
Thank you for your kind words. I liked the competition, rest were ‘meh’ for me. I am in minority as everyone has raved about this book. Well… Hmmm
Happens to me too. You’re not alone.
Thank you. But it does make me wonder what am I missing
Masterchef-y…. I like that word. When you do write that book that I’m convinced you will one day write, you must include many of your Shalinisms (words and phrases made up by Shalini)
Hahaha…. I have to don’t I? Jay and I were chatting on some post about art and I couldn’t remember a particular word so I just coined a new word art thingy, Jay had just woken up and he was like – what’s that? I had to explain it’s art thingamajig. He didn’t ask after that. So I am assuming he understood
or he decided not to ask hahaha so funny just imagining his expression
Lol. I think I remember that discussion. Some kind of rock thing??? Hmmm bricks?
Correct brickbats which went to bric a brac then to art thingy
Hahahaha. Yes indeed
I took a screenshot of this. It is going to make me laugh every time I am down. Thank you so much Nina. Sometimes some people like you touch my heart so deeply…
Awww. You are a very dear soul. I am happy to have made your acquaintance.
Aaww Nina, people like you are few and far between. One needs people like you to enrich their lives.
P. S I like making you laugh and imagining you laugh out of your chair
Hahahahaha. There was that time…..
Oh yes..
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
Thank you Michael