Dana Bate

I weirdly liked this book. Even though the main character was a bit much for me and totally self-absorbed at times, I liked it. Probably because the author does a kick-ass job describing DC and the food the main character is making. She also included recipes in the back I want to try sometime soon as well.

"The Girls' Guide to Love and Supper Clubs" has Hannah Sugarman at a cross-roads in her professional/personal life. She works at a think tank she really hates and has a boyfriend she really loves. She really would love to quit her job and just cook full-time, but disappointing her parents (both professors) and her boyfriend is something she's not quite ready to do. When her relationship with her boyfriend crashes and burns, Hannah is forced to move out and needs a way to make some money. When her work friend Rachel suggest that they do an underground supper club, Hannah thinks she may have a way to feed her need to cook and save some money. Things would be great except she's hosting the supper club in her landlord's home without his knowledge. And he's running for a council seat in Dupont Circle with one of his mission's to wipe out the restaurants or other entities running around serving food and liquor without a license.

As I said above, Hannah bugged me. I think the reason why is that I didn't get a sense she was trying hard at all. If she didn't want to work at the think tank then quit. Doing a terrible job wasn't winning me any favors. Same issue with her passive aggressively cooking when she's angry at her boyfriend. Or when she talks crap about her boyfriend's parents while they are eating dinner, or talks crap about a new love's interest's mom's cinnamon buns. So yeah, Hannah talks a lot of crap. I wanted to feel for her, but honestly most of the issues/problems are a result of her doing whatever and actually being shocked when she's called out.

The other characters are sketched out pretty well. You get a sense of Hannah's work nemesis and her boyfriend. I loved Hannah and Rachel together, but found it sad when Hannah called Rachel her only DC friend when Rachel rightfully calls her out for being self absorbed. Hannah's landlord was great and I started to wish for a book told from his POV.

The writing was good I have to say. Dana Bate does a good job of describing the food that Hannah is making, but also why Hannah is making certain things and what her food is trying to evoke with regards to eating/memories. The flow was off a bit though. Things get bogged down around the 80 percent mark (IMHO) and then I found myself skimming just a bit to get to the end.

The setting of D.C. was written very well here. Bate has obviously been to the nation's capitol and doesn't just describe random places and have her character get from to and fro in 10 minutes (not even with the Metro people). She describes Georgetown, the farmer's market (I miss them right now), Dupont Circle, Chinatown (which is the world's saddest Chinatown), the Army Navy Memorial, and a whole host of other places that I have been. I really enjoyed this book so much since there's not a lot about DC I am in love with these days. This book brought it all back though.

The ending was a bit abrupt. I wish that Hannah had more closure (yeah I hate that word) with her boyfriend and that we could have skipped a head a bit. Still I give it four stars for holding my interest and making me laugh out loud several times.… (más)

Start out with main character Kelly in a secure, long term relationship with a man who has never put a foot wrong (all though apparently it is much more important that he is very handsome, and a doctor, even though you are urged repeatedly that that is not the case).

Continue with a celebrity gossip-mad best friend mentally stuck in middle school, an endearingly eccentric father, a struggling younger brother and a career doing, well, what she REALLY enjoys doing.

Onward to a lucrative job offer, both monetarily and career-wise, for a famous American actress in London. For Kelly, that she would be working for an extremely famous person seems quite awe-inspiring.

Kelly jumps at the chance immediately, without consulting her partner. I can understand Kelly being honest with her long-term boyfriend and wanting to pursue a sparkling career opportunity. So far, not too bad. Goodbye faithful lover, recently bereaved Father, and struggling younger brother who she has basically raised. It is Kelly's time, everyone! (Spoiler alert, she forgets about her ex rather easily, so do not waste time worrying about him).

When she arrives in London, she meets her new boss, The Natasha. Kelly is, for some unknown reason, surprised that the high-paying, exciting job might actually be difficult. The Natasha wants things her way - how dare a boss paying you an incredible amount, plus your housing costs, be demanding?

Kelly dislikes The Natasha excessively, but decides to continue working for her anyway. Although, after her first meeting with The Natasha, she straight away violates her NDA by spilling everything over Skype to her celebrity gossip hound best friend back in the USA. After all, legal contracts? Not strong enough to prevent Kelly from doing as she pleases. It must be safe to divulge private information over an unsecured form of communication to her gossip-mad bestie who works in the media. That is just how Kelly rolls, ya'll!

Immediately Kelly is extremely attracted to The Natasha's husband, a physically attractive MP (politician). Strangely, Kelly does not seem to think that is so very wrong. After all, hot MP's wife is demanding, highly strung and unforgiving. Kelly rationalizes that because (1) the marriage does not seem affectionate and (2) she dislikes The Natasha, that the MP husband must be open game.

Soon, she is sleeping with her boss's husband, and falling in love with him. Of course her boss discovers what is happening in her home. Unbelievably, to Kelly, her boss seems to want to preserve her marriage. Kelly is confused as to why anyone would want to preserve a marriage in which there is no true love. Kelly really, really loves this paragon of a husband, this one who sleeps with his wife's employees. And he says that he really, really loves her. After a month of cheating with him, that is what really, really matters to Kelly.

When Kelly is confronted by Bosswife, she tries to defend what she has been doing. Yes. She is not sorry that she is cheating with her boss's husband. Bosswife tells Kelly that she is going to concentrate on her marriage, wanting to win back her husband and make it work. Kelly actually replies, "You haven't won yet, This isn't over." Smacks of virtue, doesn't it? Standing up to your boss about sleeping with her husband?

Of course, Mr. Boss really, really loves her, but not enough to end his 'loveless' marriage, and most certainly not enough to chance ruining his political career. Poor Kelly is surprised and heart-broken. No worries, though! The next day, she meets a new man on her way to Paris. Everything she needs to heal and start her (third) true journey to finding herself. Watch out Paris wives, sweet little Kelly is on her way.

I have not disliked a book this much in a long, long time. The writing was actually not bad. That the author incited such strong feelings is, well, is something. Better than indifference, I guess. The portrayal of the main character as a sweet virtuous underdog was irritating. Never does Kelly inspect her own complete selfishness, entitlement and self-pity. Kelly believes that everything happens to her, not as a result of her choices.

Sure, at the end, her heart is broken, but has she really learned anything? Kelly feels that SHE has been mistreated after having done nothing wrong. Also, food references are thrown in, perhaps to distract you from Kelly's shaky moral compass and to make her more sympathetic. She has questionable ethics, but wow, can she cook! Can not recommend.


**eARC netgalley**


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