Book Review: Vanity Fare by Megan Caldwell
February 3, 2013 14 Comments
I was very attracted by the cover (I mean, there are biscuits and books!) and I love stories about cooking! Also, I love stories about women that manage to improve their life after a bad time. So, I expected this to be a good read, and it didn’t disappoint. Except, I wanted more food-talk!
Vanity Fare: What it is about
From the publishers : “Molly Hagan is overwhelmed.
Her husband left her for a younger, blonder woman; her six-year-old son is questioning her authority, and now so is she. In order to pay her Brooklyn rent and keep her son supplied with Pokémon and Legos, not to mention food and clothing, she has to get a job—fast.
So when an old friend offers Molly a freelance position copywriting for a new bakery, finding romance is just about the last thing on her mind. But the sexy British pastry chef who’s heading up the bakery has other thoughts. And then so does Molly, when she meets the chef’s intimidating business partner—who also happens to have a secret that might prevent Molly from getting her own happily ever after.“
Vanity Fare: What I thought
This was a very pleasant read about a woman who is left to fend for herself after her husband leaves and, as it turns out, loses his job soon afterwards. She has two friends and a therapist to confide in and to ask for help, and there are a few love-interests running around the book, too.
The story is a bit predictable, but that didn’t matter (sometimes it’s nice to see whether a story will develop as you expect). It was fun to see how Molly got more confidence as the story advanced and how she distanced herself from her ex-husband.
Molly helped with the setting up of a new bakery, but there weren’t a lot of pastries around in the book. Of course, the bakery wasn’t open yet, but as a reader, I would have loved to be tempted a bit more with talk of chocolate and bakes.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Number of pages: 410
First published: 2013
I got this book: received for review from William Morrow (an imprint of Harper Collins)
Genre: contemporary fiction, chick-lit
Have you read this book?
What did you think?
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I’ve been attracted by this cover too, but haven’t added the book to my TBR list yet. Good to know your thoughts on it!
Definitely a fun read, Laurie.
Now on my wishlist.
Thanks for the review.
I adore the cover of this book. Books and Bakes..yum!
This sounds like a nice little read, thanks for the review!
This sounds wonderful. I’m adding it to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing your review.
This sounds like a fun read to pick up after getting through some of the “heavier” books I currently have on my plate.
Suzanne, that’s right. It’s a light read and ideal for in between the more heavy ones.
Glad to here you enjoyed this one – predictable but fun is just what we all need sometimes.
I know you say that there isn’t much to read about baking but I still want to read this for the cooking. I may have to indulge my interest in something like that Julia & Julia one? or Chocolat? Can you think of any books that have lots in them about patries and cooking, Judith?
I did forget to say, there are some recipes in the back, Joanna. But otherwise, really, there isn’t a lot of cooking (if any). No, nothing like Julia & Julie or Chocolat. It’s much more about relationships than actual baking. But fun nevertheless.
I enjoyed this non-fiction about cooking: The Kitchen Counter Cooking School. You might like The School of Essential Ingredients, I didn’t.
The cover pulls me in, this is my type of novel (when I read this genre). Add it to my list!
I think you’d enjoy this, Mari.
I reviewed this a few weeks ago-I read it at Christmas. I really liked it. It was cute and fun.
I’ll check out your review, Esme. It seems just the book for you!
On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 6:20 PM, Leeswammes' Blog