🍴🍲🔪💥👨🏻🍳👩🏻🍳 "Hadley Beckett's Next Dish" 👩🏻🍳👨🏻🍳 💥🔪🍲🍴 (2020) - Book Review
MY REVIEW
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Revell; 4/2 edition (May
5, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800735234
ISBN-13: 978-0800735234
Click Picture for Purchase Information
“Celebrity
chef Maxwell Cavanagh is known for many things: his multiple Michelin stars,
his top-rated Culinary Channel show To
the Max, and most of all his horrible temper. Hadley Beckett, host of
the Culinary Channel's other top-rated show, At Home with Hadley, is beloved for her Southern charm and for
making her viewers feel like family.
When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum, he's sent packing to get his life in order. When he returns, career in shambles, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public's good graces is to work alongside Hadley.”
When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum, he's sent packing to get his life in order. When he returns, career in shambles, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public's good graces is to work alongside Hadley.”
Thank you in advance to Library Thing for this
advanced review copy, as well as Revell for sending it to me. A positive review was not required and all words are my
own. This was a
surprise win and I LOVED it!
This is the second book of Bethany Turner’s I
have read, the first being “The Wooing of
Cadie McCaffrey”, which was last year. That was thanks to JustRead
Publicity Tours.
Since I found #WooCam delightful, I couldn’t
wait for the author’s next release.
Do you like to cook? 🔪🍴🍲
Want to cook up an original dish with a simple
recipe?
Here’s a great recipe from #BethanyTurner #RevellBooks:
1 part bad-boy/ill-tempered chef 🔪👨🏻🍳
1 part Southern Belle chef 🥧👩🏻🍳
Mix well; stir often, heat to boiling, stand
back, and #kissmyeverlovingrits! 💥
What better story than a “bad boy” celebrity
chef – or an ill tempered one? Who hasn’t seen that “idiot sandwich” GIF
floating about? Despite it actually being a comedy skit on James Cordon, the
GIF has made the rounds.
The meme has carried on strong even years after
the skit, so strong that it's now a merchandise item at one of Gordon Ramsay's
spots in Las Vegas – yes, Idiot Sandwich earmuffs (https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/gordon-ramsay-to-sell-idiot-sandwich-earmuffs-based-on-viral-meme).
I can’t make this one up.
FYI: I hadn’t even read the author’s acknowledgments
which mentioned Ramsay when I drafted this review (these are in the ARC and
subject to chage). I often pre-draft reviews based on the book’s blurb, my
initial impressions, as well as why I wanted to read the book.
Like “Wooing
Cadie McCaffrey”, Turner relies quite a bit on popular culture references. Many
of them I was familiar with and even laughed at.
The cover is whimsical and made me wonder if
this was a murder mystery dinner type of read. And, trust me, after reading
about Max’s past – it would’ve been interesting.
This was such a delightful read, more so than “Wooing Cadie McCaffrey” that I really
couldn’t manage to take notes as I usually like to do with my reviews. The
reason I take them is so I don’t forget something I’d like to praise in the
review.
Anyway …
Right off in the prologue the reader sees Max’s
temper during the competition for America’s
Fiercest Chef, and I REALLY wanted to hear Hadley actually tell Max “so kiss my ever-lovin grits”. I don’t
think I’ve ever laughed as hard at a line as I did with this one. As someone who remembers the TV show Alice, Polly Holliday’s character Flo
was known for saying “kiss my grits”,
so Hadley’s character saying it with a Southern twist was hysterical.
Max was absolutely detestable in the prologue. He
even goes so far to throw a temper tantrum which causes his fall from grace. It
wasn’t as epic as I thought it was from the blurb, but it was enough that it damaged
his career.
When the story starts in chapter one – Hadley is
still doing her TV show “At Home With
Hadley”, her stint on America’s Fiercest
Chef has made her popular and in demand. In addition her show is now the
top-rated one for the network.
While her grandmother has managed major Country
artists, she does use some experience to manage Hadley. But, when a new manager
comes along with bigger dreams, goals, and offers – Hadley is reluctant to take
it. However, her grandmother seems to think it might be a better idea for her.
I didn’t much care for Hadley’s grandmother so
I didn’t mind that she was gone for most of the story.
Hadley soon learns what her manager is
preparing her for – a golden opportunity to be a on TV show few chefs have been
on. There is a catch – Max comes with the deal. Though why isn’t revealed to
her. And, this is where the story takes a few turns, but all of them are
delightful.
Max has had a stint in “rehab” which is more or
less for his anger issues, but he also learns that alcohol isn’t his friend. He
isn’t an alcoholic by the real definition, it just isn’t his friend. And, he
remains vigilant about it.
Still, he’s poised to make a comeback and ready
to do what it takes – and making amends is the first part.
In the beginning, I truly detested Max, but he
won me over. And, it wasn’t a “big reveal” moment – it was slow, steady, and
patient – starting with his “apology” to Hadley. Turner did a wonderful job
with his character progression. Hadley was pretty much the same from beginning
to end in personality, but like Max, she also has a “TV persona” which Max
helped her tone down. Max is honest, albeit sometimes to a fault, about Hadley’s
faults; however the reader soon sees why he is – and, it isn’t about meanness
or jealousy. It makes the story that more endearing.
As readers come to learn – Hadley and Max are
being paired up for nothing more than a ratings grab due to their past history.
And, at this point, I sort of suspected that was the case. Some people just can’t
walk away from drama no matter where it is. The two catch on and it is amusing
to watch how they work together to thwart the “host”, and a manipulative agent
who seems to be working for both sides. It is, at times, comical.
It is also endearing to watch them come together and see each other’s faults, but rather than expose them – they want to work through them. This story ended far too soon, but it has such a beautiful and heart-warming ending that makes me want to open it up and start reading again (pesky TBR file).
It is also endearing to watch them come together and see each other’s faults, but rather than expose them – they want to work through them. This story ended far too soon, but it has such a beautiful and heart-warming ending that makes me want to open it up and start reading again (pesky TBR file).
The chapter names were almost hysterical and I
kept wanting to continue reading even when I was falling asleep with the book
dropping out of my hand. This has that “Hallmark movie” vibe/feel to it; with a
down-home, Southern charm – one where you know right off it is going to be a “happy
ending”, but you’re so curious you have to read the book to see how it plays
out. And, play out it does.
Some of my favorite references were movies that
were, and still are, near and dear to me – Annie
(1982) and Indiana Jones and the Temple
of Doom (1984). Personally though – on the Harrison Ford scale, I’ll take
Han Solo over Indiana Jones.
While distributed by Revell, a Christian-themed/based
publisher, this only has minor references to Jesus and God. As some other
reviewers have noted – this isn’t really a Christian themed book, but is more
or less a clean read (no sex scenes, no foul language).
There are no bible quotes and nothing that
stands out as “preachy” in a way that might be off-putting to anyone.
If you enjoy clean reads, cute competitions,
and Southern hospitality – y’all, I’d seriously consider this one!
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating
explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
(this would mostly align with the Goodreads rating)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bethany Turner is the award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah
Hollenbeck and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey and the
director of administration for Rock Springs Church in Southwest Colorado. A
former bank executive and a three-time cancer survivor (all before she turned
35), Bethany knows that when God has plans for your life, it doesn't matter
what anyone else has to say. Because of that, she's chosen to follow his call
to write. She lives with her husband and their two sons in Colorado, where she
writes for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the
thorny issues of life with humor and insight.
You can
follow her on the following social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seebethanywrite
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