Category: Dana Bate

Too Many Cooks by Dana Bate

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Synopsis: Kelly Madigan seems to have it all: a fabulous boyfriend, a supportive – if eccentric – family, and a flourishing career as a cookbook ghost-writer. But after finding a letter from her recently-deceased mother, criticising her stable but unexciting life, Kelly knows she needs to make a change. When a mysterious new writing opportunity in London presents itself, she jumps at the chance to get away from it all.

Enter Natasha Spencer – Oscar-winning actress and health nut, not to mention a total nightmare. She’s working on a new cookbook and has asked for Kelly’s help. What Kelly didn’t factor in was meeting Natasha’s dishy MP husband, Hugh Ballantine. Away from her family, friends, and the life she knows – will this fish out of water ever get back in the swim? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Kelly Madigan is an easy character to like from the get go. With her eccentric family, her steady and likeable boyfriend seems to make her life perfect. However, when her Mum passes away she leaves Kelly a letter which tells her to get out there and cause some waves in her life and not to settle for the easy option. This sets Kelly off on a chain of events which see her take some drastic decisions including upping and moving to London to work as a ghost-writer for a celebrity writing her own cookbook.

Enter Natasha Spencer, the sort of celebrity fictional character I love to hate. She appears to have it all, looks, fame and money but seriously lacks in personality. Kelly is instantly dwarfed and overwhelmed by her new employee. In addition to Natasha she also has to put up with her ridiculous assistant Poppy who just adds to the hilarity of Natasha’s over inflated sense of self. Natasha, although everything people probably imagine some celebrities to be like, make the book so much more readable and there is nothing like a bit of backstabbing and bitchiness to liven up a book. I also loved some of the one liners that Kelly’s friend Meg came out with, it injected a real laugh out loud element to certain parts of the story.

When Kelly meets Natasha’s husband MP Hugh Ballantine things get even more crazy and before you know it Kelly feels a million miles away from home and incredibly lonely. The characters, the cooking and the general air of drama and humour around this book seems the perfect combination to me. I enjoyed Dana’s first book, but not as much as this one. Once I was into the story I didn’t want to put it down. A fantastic read which I thoroughly enjoyed and cannot wait to see what’s next for Dana Bate. 

BLOG TOUR: The Stall Of Second Chances by Dana Bate

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My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Kindle, Paperback and Kobo (released 20.11.14), AKA A Second Bite at The Apple available on Nook (25.11.2014)

Synopsis: Sydney Strauss is obsessed with food.

Not just with eating it – though she loves that too – but with writing about it as an aspiring cookery reporter. But food journalism jobs are more coveted than cupcakes, and so Sydney is stuck working for one of TV’s biggest egomaniacs – until she’s left scrambling for shifts at the local farmers’ market.

Selling muffins at the Wild Yeast Bakery is hardly going to make her the next Nigella. But soon Sydney is writing the market’s weekly newsletter, and her quirky stories gain attention from a prominent food columnist. After years of being left on the shelf, she’s even dating again. And then Sydney gets a shot at the story, one that could either make her career or burn it to a cinder – along with her relationship and her reputation.

My Review: I really like the cover of this book and the synopsis sounds fun. Sydney Strauss is stuck working for an ego maniac and frankly it’s a million miles away from the job she envisaged herself doing back in her college days. Food is her real love and when she finds herself out of work she ends up with a job very far removed from her dream.

Instead of the dream of being a food journalist she ends up working at a farmers market for Wild Yeast Bakery. Sydney is a funny girl and she comes out with some hilarious one liners in a weird way because she isn’t outwardly trying to be funny. I also fell in love with her boss at the Farmers Market Rick. Her background and history is told to us in snippets and when an interesting man comes along I felt myself holding my breath and wondering what massive blunder Sydney would make next.

I picked this up with little expectation, and found myself thoroughly enthralled and loved the book. There were small things that annoyed me but nothing major enough to mention. I must say that this is perfect Chick Lit reading and all you need is a comfy sofa and a hot brew or glass of wine and you are all set. A highly enjoyable book, and an author I will definitely be looking out for in the future.