"GEORGIA'S KITCHEN"--from author JENNY TAYLOR--a colorful, cuisine-filled story of one talented and likeable young chef's journey to the place where she was always meant to be (see my review)

Georgia's Kitchen

At thirty-three, talented chef Georgia Gray has everything a woman could want—the top job at one of Manhattan’s best restaurants; a posse of smart and savvy gal pals who never let her down; and a platinum-set, cushion-cut diamond engagement ring courtesy of Glenn, the handsome entertainment lawyer who Georgia’s overbearing mother can’t wait for her to marry. The table is set for the ambitious bride-to-be until a scathing restaurant review destroys her reputation. To add salt to her wounds, Glenn suddenly calls off the wedding.

Brokenhearted, Georgia escapes to the Italian countryside, where she sharpens her skills at a trattoria run by a world-class chef who seems to have it all—a devoted lover, a magnificent villa, and most important, a kitchen of her own. Georgia quells her longings with Italy’s delectable offerings: fine wine, luscious cheeses, cerulean blue skies, and irresistible Gianni—an expert in the vineyard and the bedroom. So when Gianni tempts Georgia to stay in Italy with an offer no sane top chef could refuse, why can’t she say yes?

An appetite for something more looms large in Georgia’s heart – the desire to run her own restaurant in the city she loves. But having left New York with her career in flames, she’ll need to stir up more than just courage if she’s to realize her dreams and find her way home.

MY REVIEW:   I have just read "Georgia's Kitchen" by Jenny Nelson, and it is a colorful, cuisine-filled story of one talented and likeable young chef's journey to the place where she was always meant to be. When we first meet Georgia Grey, she is on the brink of becoming a married woman, and her star continues to rise as the head chef of a popular New York eatery. Her fiance, Glenn, is a successful entertainment lawyer, and they share an apartment, a dog, and a mostly good romantic history. The restaurant where Georgia works is owned and operated by Marco, a morally ambiguous man who named his eatery after himself. At the same time that Georgia realizes Glenn has a substance abuse problem and other secrets, Marco's unfortunate treatment of a restaurant reviewer's very young daughter earns the eatery a scathing review. To save face, Marco blames the review on Georgia's cooking, and she loses her job. She also loses her fiance and her dreams of a productive life in the big city. She does what any smart and savvy heartbroken woman would do, and she heads for the hills. The Tuscan hills. Tuscany, Italy, where she has a friend who is opening a new restaurant and is in need of a skilled chef. Georgia's life takes on amazing new and unexpected aspects, including a relationship with the charming and sensual Gianni, owner of the winery next to her friend's restaurant. He tempts Georgia in more ways than one, including offering her a position as head chef at a prestigious hotel in which he owns a partnership. Georgia's sojourn to Tuscany was meant to be temporary--a time of healing. Now, she is faced with some soul-searching decision making. Should she stay in beautiful, sun-drenched Tuscany with a marvelous new opportunity to dazzle the world with her cooking skills and also enjoy the attentions of the gorgeous Gianni? Georgia is a very appealing character with heart and spirit, and how her life comes full circle and she returns to the spotlight is an involving tale full of astute observations about the restaurant world and the powerful elite movers and shakers who operate behind the scenes. The food is mouth-watering and quite varied. From Georgia's Nana's home cooking, to the incredible haute cuisine of New York's finest dining, to the rustic elegance of Tuscan wine and native food favorites, you will truly savor the meals you are served from "Georgia's Kitchen"!

Book Copy Gratis Simon & Schuster

Reviews

 

"A delightful meal of a read--delicious and satisfying. This new writer is one to watch!"--Katie Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks and Men and Dogs

“All the right ingredients--a heart-warming heroine, a romp through Tuscany--make for a delicious book that leaves you hungry for more." —Julie Buxbaum, author of The Opposite of Love and After You

“A fun read that women of all ages can relate to.”--Giada De Laurentiis, New York Times bestselling author of Everyday Italian.

"Jenny Nelson delivers on her debut with a rich and delicious read. With a fresh, charming and spirited voice, Nelson will have readers cheering for Georgia!"
--Jane Porter, author of Flirting with Forty and Odd Mom Out

"Jenny Nelson is no flash in the pan; this delectable concoction of gastronomy and self-discovery, spiced with fashion and romance, will have her fans clamoring for more."--Daphne Uviller, author of Super in the City

"Georgia Gray's adventures in the kitchens of New York City and Tuscany and with love on both continents, makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read. This glamorous and delicious tale will have readers cheering as the plucky heroine moves from disaster to dreams-come-true." --Giulia Melucci, author of I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti


 

Jenny Nelson grew up in Larchmont, NY and graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Denver. A former web editor and producer, she worked for companies such as iVillage, Vogue.com and Style.com. She lives with her husband, twin daughters and dog in Millbrook, NY and Manhattan. Georgia’s Kitchen is her first novel.

http://www.jennynelsonwriter.com/