Review: Comfort Food

Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs

Publication Date: May 2008
Publisher: Penguin
Format: CD
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
ISBN-13: 9781616804527
ISBN: 1616804521

(Audio book from the Libary)

Synopsis (Courtesy of Barnes & Noble):

Shortly after turning 50 , TV cooking show personality Augusta "Gus" Simpson discovers that the network wants to boost her ratings by teaming her with a beautiful, young new co-host. But Gus isn't going without a fight - whether it's offset with her two demanding daughters , on-camera with the ambitious new diva herself, or after-hours with Oliver, the new culinary producer who's raising Gus's temperature beyond the comfort zone. Now, in pursuit of higher ratings and culinary delights, Gus might be able to rejuvenate more than just her career.

Thoughts:

I really liked this audio book after I got into it. The person who was doing the reading was older and had a bit of gravel to her voice and it took me little while to get used to that, but as I got used to Gus as character it made a lot of sense and became very natural. Kate Jacobs has created another great bunch of characters with this one. They are very quirky and very real characters. I decided to check this one out because I was a big fan of The Friday Night Knitting Club and a certainly wasn't disappointed.

Gus has been hosting a TV cooking show for a really long time. She's a FoodTV staple, a star and everyone looks to her for guidance. Gus loves to throw parties, but when she turns 50 she realizes this is one party that she'd like to forget about. Feeling blue, she soon learns that the network is thinking of canceling her show. She needs a new gimmick, something that will resonate with younger foodies. With a new culinary producer and an interesting idea for a new show, Gus plans to kick it off with a bang.

Unfortunately, the weather has other idea's. Gus's new live show is almost a bust, when she decides to use what shes got. Her daughters, her friends, and anybody she can get to sit in for the first show of "Eat, Drink and Be." When the boss throws another wrench in the works by making Gus use a new co-host Carmen Vega, Gus is upset but makes it work. The show becomes an instant success but is still has to worry about the all important ratings. Meanwhile Gus's daughters have issues of their own. Her friend next door has barely left the house in ten years. She is partners with her daughter's ex-boyfriend and the new culinary producer is not only good at his job but doesn't take no for answer where Gus is concerned. And now the new co-host is younger, prettier and full of ambition.

This strange bunch makes up an awesome group of characters who in the end all seem to work out their differences and find what they want most out of life. My favorite besides Gus was Oliver, he used to be a financial whiz, but he was unfulfilled by all the wealth and the prestige. He was a foodie at heart and ended up giving it all away to do what he loved.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great contemporary read, with a little romance and a lot of friendships.

Comfort Food is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




Kate Jacobs is the author of The Friday Night Knitting Club and Comfort Food. A former magazine writer and editor, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband.