Review by Booklist Review
When her dad dies, Joy Ballard takes over his popular cooking show. She is pretty, personable, and great on camera, but she can't cook. Joy has fooled everyone by turning her show into a humor fest, a sort of America's Funniest Home Videos: Stupid Cooking Tricks. But now she has a new producer, one who expects her to actually cook. Worse yet, this aggressive, ambitious woman is determined to take Joy's show to one of the largest cable networks. Luke Davis is an extraordinarily talented chef, but he's lost his fancy Manhattan restaurant and moved to a small town in South Carolina. He's desperate to get back to the culinary art's upper echelon, and he just may be the answer to Joy's dilemma, not to mention her love interest. With its sparkling dialogue, witty premise, and convincing characters, and the popularity of television cooking shows, this subtly inspirational tale is sure to entertain readers. Libraries that don't have Hauck's other books ( Lost in Nashvegas, 2006; Diva Nashvegas, 2007; Sweet Caroline, 2008) will want to add those, too.--Mosley, Shelley Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Romance novelist Hauck (Love Starts with Elle) whips up a delectable and light tale of finding love amid everything edible, a story that goes down easy. Joy Ballard, a cooking show host who can't cook, inherited her television show from her father. Joy's executive producer sells Dining with Joy to success-hungry Allison Wild of Wild Woman Productions, who brings on hunky chef Luke Davis, owner of a failed Manhattan restaurant. When Joy and Luke mix it up on television, sparks fly and ratings soar. The only thing holding back Joy's career is the truth about her lack of cooking talent and her guilty conscience. Toss in some cooking rivals, old family wounds, and struggles with Christian faith, and readers will find themselves hankering for another serving of low country living from Joy's pantry. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Chef Luke Davis now cooks at the Frogmore Cafe in Beaufort, SC, after losing his Manhattan restaurant. Culinary show host Joy Ballard lacks cooking skills but has lots of personality, which gets her show picked up by a major network. What's a girl to do? Find someone who can cook, of course! Though there is an instant attraction between Joy and Luke, the two get along about as well as a moth and a flame. When Joy's secret is exposed, Luke steps up to the plate to save not only his reputation but also hers. VERDICT Featuring excellent character development, this is a light, fun romance for readers who like foodie fiction. It will also attract fans of Hauck's other romances (Sweet Caroline; Love Starts with Elle). (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
