Showing posts with label restaurant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant. Show all posts

Sunday, May 8, 2022

Book Review - Fault Lines by Emily Itami

 


Mizuki is a Japanese housewife with two children, a hardworking husband, and a beautiful Tokyo apartment. She has everything that many people wishes they could have but, some days she feels like throwing herself off the balcony than spending another minute talking to her husband.

One rainy night she crosses path with Kiyoshi, a successful restaurateur.  When she spends time with him she rediscovers her lost freedom, friendship, and everything she used to love about the Tokyo. As she continues to spend more time with Kiyoshi, she realizes she is living two lives and she will have to decide which one she wants more.

The novel gives a humorous glimpse into the life of a young woman who is managing the needs and wants of herself and her family. The book is steeped with details about the rich and interesting Japanese culture. I did enjoy reading some parts of the book but, other times it felt that the narrator was so unhappy but, she doesn't really do anything to change her life. The novel is filled with lush  and vibrant details that it almost distracts the reader from realizing there really isn't much of a story going on. It's a fun and funny read with a warm ending.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Book Review - Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon
Rachel Bishop is renowned James Beard award winning chef who owns and is the head chef of fine dining restaurant. Things look like they are going her way when she suddenly become a target of a smear campaign, which causes her to be bought out by her business partners. Suddenly, Rachel loses the only thing she knows and she will stop at nothing to get her life back even if she has to enlist the help of the journalist who set the whole thing in motion. 

When Alex pens the opinionated piece, he never realized it was going to end up viral. He was only hoping to revive his own career and not destroying Rachel's career. They both realize they will have to work together on creating a memorable Saturday Night Supper Club, if they can generate enough positive buzz for Rachel. Will Rachel be able to work withe man who destroyed her life? Will their idea be enough to help Rachel?

I found this book rather enjoyable. I love the strong, supportive female friendships along with the quirky brother and sister dynamic. I also found the love dynamic between Rachel and Alex fun and lighthearted. However, I found some of the things Rachel did cause me to be disappointed in her. For a strong woman, who always had a plan in play, I found how she got herself in hot water could have been prevented. The ending was understandable, but it still left me a bit disappointed as I wanted a completely different outcome for Rachel. However, this was a good read, especially for those in the foodie scene.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**


About the Book

Title: The Saturday Night Supper Club

Author: Carla Laureano
Genre: Christian fiction/romance fiction

Release Date: February 6, 2018
Denver chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she’s dreamed and some things she never dared hope, like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when a targeted smear campaign causes her to be pushed out of the business by her partners, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back . . . even if that means joining forces with the man who inadvertently set the disaster in motion.
Essayist Alex Kanin never imagined his pointed editorial would go viral. Ironically, his attempt to highlight the pitfalls of online criticism has the opposite effect: it revives his own flagging career by destroying that of a perfect stranger. Plagued by guilt-fueled writer’s block, Alex vows to do whatever he can to repair the damage. He just doesn’t…

About the Author

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Carla Laureano is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away a grand prize of a $200 Visa Card for the winner and a friend to attend a cooking class!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c9b4

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Book Review - A Place at Our Table (Amish Homestead #1) by Amy Clipston



 
Photo Credit - Amazon

Kayla Dienner vowed to protect  her heart after seeing the heartache her sister-in-law, Eva, faced when Kayla's brother, Simeon died while firefighting. Less than two months after her brother's death, Kayla's boyfriend, Abram, also breaks up with her. She felt abandoned and hurt, so she closed off her heart to love.

James Riehl tries to juggle the volunteer work at the fire department and running his farm. James finds he barely has any time for himself, let alone to find the time to date someone. However, when an accident calls him to the Dienner's family, James can't deny the attraction he feels for Kayla. Will Kayla and James be able to put their past behind them and love again?


I have read a few other books from Amy Clipston and felt they were enjoyable. However, I felt that Kayla was a bit demanding. James is reeling from a tragedy and Kayla wants him to put her first, when they only just started dating. She tries to be understanding,  but once they start dating, she puts most of the burden on James. She used to go visit James at work, but after they start dating, she expects him to plan all the dates along with seeing him everyday. When James tries to make the effort, she is constantly pushing him away and then wonders why he doesn't make the effort. However, he is always the one coming back and asking for another chance, even when Kayla broke up with James just when he needed her the most. Kayla came across as needy and demanding when they became a couple instead of the caring and understanding person, she was portrayed to be.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**