Melissa Jacobs, Love, Life and Linguini

Love, Life and Linguini

Melissa Jacobs

Avon, Apr 2006, $12.95

ISBN: 0060744057

Philadelphia based internationally renowned consultant Mimi Louis has become a hot ticket for anyone who wants to make it in the restaurant business. Her efforts have launched several of the elite in places to eat. She has even turned her boyfriend Nick into a highly wanted chef, even as she thinks of retiring to marry and have babies with him. However, her romantic side dies when she comes home to find a waitress heating up her leftover Nick.

To heal and forget, Mimi goes home to New Jersey where she knows her family woes should somewhat occupy her mind. She is taken aback when her widow mom blithely informs her she is thinking of dating, and her brother is considering selling the failing family restaurant. Mimi may not have any influence on mom, but decides to give it a try to save the restaurant, and perhaps herself, with two patrons Joe and Aaron wanting to cook gourmet meals with her.

Mimi keeps the contemporary tale focused as she readjusts to life with her family. Their woes she has somewhat avoided due to the advantages of geography enabling her to stay out of everything, except the occasional most momentous event. Her vacillations involving the two hunks in her life, her family, and the restaurant makes her seem genuine, as she has not had to deal with these types of choices in years. Though that can also be frustrating to the reader, demanding she make up her mind, though not often easy to pick one and leave the other behind (fractured Lovin Spoonful). Overall, this is a fine tale that proves you can go home, but nothing is quite as you remember it.