Book Review: The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate

Paperback, 352 pages
Gallery (October 26th 2010)

Source: 
I received a copy of this book for my participation in the Manic Mommies Book Club

Summary from Goodreads:

Holly Maguire's grandmother Camilla was the Love Goddess of Blue Crab Island, Maine--a Milanese fortune-teller who could predict the right man for you, and whose Italian cooking was rumored to save marriages. Holly has been waiting years for her unlikely fortune: her true love will like sa cordula, an unappetizing old-world delicacy. But Holly can't make a decent marinara sauce, let alone sa cordula. Maybe that's why the man she hopes to marry breaks her heart. So when Holly inherits Camilla's Cucinotta, she's determined to forget about fortunes and love and become an Italian cooking teacher worthy of her grandmother's legacy. But Holly's four students are seeking much more than how to make Camilla's chicken alla Milanese. Simon, a single father, hopes to cook his way back into his daughter's heart. Juliet, Holly's childhood friend, hides a painful secret. Tamara, a serial dater, can't find the love she longs for. And twelve-year-old Mia thinks learning to cook will stop her dad, Liam, from marrying his phony lasagna-queen girlfriend. As the class gathers each week, adding Camilla's essential ingredients of wishes and memories in every pot and pan, unexpected friendships and romances are formed--and tested. Especially when Holly falls hard for Liam . . . and learns a thing or two about finding her own recipe for happiness.

My Thoughts:

The Love Goddess' Cooking School was an enjoyable read and combined two of my favorite things - reading and cooking!  The book was a fast read, which I sailed through in a few nights.  I enjoyed the interaction between the characters, the struggle of the main character Holly to learn more about herself, and her aspirations to become the cook that her grandmother knew that she could be.

The book is sprinkled with descriptions of authentic Italian dishes, which made me quite hungry and anxious to try out the recipes offered at the back of the book.  And while I found that the story line was fairly predictable, I think that many lovers of women's fiction will enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher for allowing the Manic Mommies Book Club to read this novel - it was a cute and fun summer read! 

3 stars!