There are certain times when I agree with Sandy Coughlin, the author of Reluctant Entertainer..., such as when she talks about how women feel pressure to be too perfect when they think about entertaining guests. However, most of the time I was reading this book I found myself rolling my eyes at her annoying sentence structure and predictable writing style.

Also, I would say that the biggest flaw of her book is that she mentions her blog so often that I wonder why then would I read her book when I can just go online and read her blog and it would have the same basic message.

The book had many big, glossy pictures, but the photos seemed to be trying to compensate for the lack of substance in the writing. ( )

This is a book perfect for those who don't entertain often, but want to. Or for those that want to, but don't know where to begin. I tend to stress myself out very easily when I have friends over for dinner. For me, the key is to plan and to do as much as possible the week before, the day before.

These are the suggestions that I came away with from this book:
God did not create us perfect, so go with the flow. Mistakes will happen. Treat them lightly.
Keep it simple - even if all you do is serve take-out on your own dishes.
Practice making two or three dishes so you could make them blindfolded and keep those as your signature dishes.
Keep a card system of guests and their allergies and what you've served them.
Have your family help you! and even your guests.
Clean your bathroom and don't worry about the rest of the house.
She also gives you wonderful questions for conversation starters.

And, of course, the recipes. Chicken Divan, Angel Hair Shrimp Scampi, Slow Cooker Chicken or Pork, Easy Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini Noodles with Parmesan Sauce, No Peel Apple Cake and lots more.

This would be a great gift to a new bride or even someone just starting out on their own. I enjoyed reading through this book and needed it 20 years ago. ( )

OHMYGOODNESS I simply ADORE this book!

If you ever worried that you just don't have it together enough to have people over, READ THIS BOOK!!!

She breaks it down to simple steps and revs up your self-esteem by helping you to review your own know-how and realize that yes, you really CAN entertain. I think every housewife or anyone who ever considered having a party or get-together and then chickend out REALLY needs to read this book. The world would definitely be a better place! ( )

This book is just "OK." The author places a lot of emphasis on hospitality, and sometimes goes a bit overboard with the phrase and theme. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it had contained more practical ideas, recipes, and illustrations for the everyday hostess. I'm not a large party thrower, but do enjoy spending time with friends in my home. What I found here was not really applicable to my situation.

I opened this book up with some excitement and hoped to find an inspiring book on how to entertain at home. Well, the topic of the book was correct, but the tone of the book put me off so bad I could not even scan through the whole thing. To begin with, the book is condescending to women (and women are the only entertainers at home, apparently), and the author either talks to the reader as if she was a small child in kindergarten or a visitor to a psychologists office. Adding to this is a huge dose of pull-up-your-bootstraps Christianity, as if no other beliefs are relevant and important for being a great host. It might be that such simplification of life is what most American women are looking for, but I hope not. The book is not about how to become a great entertainer, but a self-help book for depressed house wifes.

Finally, the really put the nail in the coffin is the first recipe in the book - strawberry salad, a concoction of the most unusual combination: spring-mix greens, bacon bits, strawberries, almonds, and toasted (uncooked) ramen noodles. The vinaigrette is also the first I have seen with more sugar than vinegar in it. I guess this works for some sugar-crazed tastes, but not for me.

The book also should have had a religious warning sticker on it - if you don't belong to the Christian faith, is a house wife, and very uncertain of yourself and your abilities, stay away from this book. I am sure the author put a lot of work into this book (based on a blog) but I just can't give it a higher rating. Not every blog should be made into a book, and not every personal thought, reminiscence or advice is worth publishing. ( )