Nourishment is nurture. That’s what Andie learned from her grandmother and what she’s always believed about cooking. But somehow, since marrying Ross, she’s allowed her love of food to take a back seat and given up her dream of becoming a chef.
Lately she’s been craving more. And when her marriage falls apart, she’s determined to find herself again and take back control of her destiny.
The first step is taking a job in the kitchen of renowned chef Dominic Gerou. The brooding Englishman is more than Andie bargains for, but the new Andie is ready for anything,even a bad-tempered chef who makes it clear he won’t tolerate mistakes.
That is the basic synopsis of Diane Blacklock’s new book The Secret Ingredient.
I read the book in an evening and it was a quick easy read. I’m not sure what I was hoping for, but I felt that the synopsis and blurb weren’t quite adept at summing up the book. It isn’t about cooking so much as it is about Andie (the main character) and the relationship she holds with the people around her. Not that there is a thing wrong with that (and it made the book quite enjoyable actually) I just felt like the blurb was setting readers up for false expectations.
It feels like quite an introspective book and I was a little startled to find that real cooking and the “guts” of the story didn’t actually happen until midway through the book. Not that it is a slow story by any stretch of the imagination, just that there are other things happening within the first half of the book and other threads being tied together.
I like that Andie and her supporting cast of characters are believable and they feel fully fleshed out and the writing of the book in itself is great. I didn’t get bored and put the book down and wander off, I read through steadily and enjoyed it, which when you’re as easily distracted as I am, is a good recommendation.
A little predictable in places, it is the kind of book I would recommend for holiday reading. It’s pleasant and enjoyable and doesn’t require too many brain cells.
The Secret Ingredient is Diane Blacklock’s eighth book and will be released on November 1st. RRP $25