Off the Menu (2012)

Alana Ostermann has her hands full. As executive culinary assistant to high-maintenance celebrity chef, Patrick Conlon, she runs his career, and his life, from behind the scenes. Writing recipes for his cookbooks, training his staff, and even running interference for his crazy love life, she is basically at his beck and call any time of the day or night. This poses a problem when she begins dating RJ, who turns out to be a better boyfriend than she could have ever hoped for. Trying to balance her new relationship with her demanding boss, large family, and the original man in her life, pup Dumpling, Alana finds trying to keep everyone happy can be a bit of a struggle. Throw in the possibility of two new dream jobs to choose between, each with a list of positives to make her life even better than it already is, and you have one very frazzled woman. Not only is Alana a strong and highly likable woman, but the story and characters surrounding her support her attempt to be everything to everyone, like so many women today. Stacey Ballis has once again perfected the recipe for a great book - interesting characters and a satisfying plot, cute boy, cute dog, and incredible food, complete with recipes. Off the Menu has it all. (LEK)

Good Enough to Eat (2010)

After Melanie Hoffman loses half of her body weight, she leaves her job as a lawyer and opens a gourmet take-out cafe, bringing healthy and delicious foods to the masses. She is finally healthy, active and has never been happier. That is until her husband decides he liked her better when she was bigger and leaves her for her former best friend who, incidentally, is twice Melanie's size. With a group of truly eclectic and wonderful friends supporting her along the way, Melanie navigates through her new life as a thin, single businesswoman. Financial difficulties force her to take in a roommate, free-spirited Nadia, and she begins dating Nathan, a documentary filmmaker whom she meets on a trip to D.C. Even with all of the positive changes in her life, Melanie is still plagued by self-doubts about herself and her abilities, which provide for a rich story that could belong to any of the women I know just trying to make it through the day. Good Enough to Eat is the best book I've read in a long time. The dialogue is witty, the writing crisp, and the characters came to life the minute I started reading. The story is a fresh take on the classic chick lit genre, as Melanie tackles the issues she has with her business and relationships. I was completely hooked before I finished the first chapter and was truly sad when I finally came to the very satisfying end of the book. (LEK)

Room for Improvement (2006)

Interior decorator Lily Allen gets a job on Swap/Meet, a TV DIY show that does up two singles' homes then lets them meet at a party of friends. What Lily didn't count on when she took the dream job was fussy contestants, a ditzy host, warring fashion consultants, and a competitive fellow designer. Nor that her schedule would leave her without time to see her friends, more or less date.

Sleeping Over (2005)

Spending the night together does not always mean romance is on the cards for these five friends. Fresh from a stint in the Peace Corps, Jess is staying with a family friend, Harrison, a sexy doctor, until she can find a place of her own. Chef Robin has a crush on restaurant owner Michael, while Lilith is carrying a torch for an actor. Anne meets her dream guy, while her sister Beth reconnects with a former classmate.

Inappropriate Men - Stacey Ballis (2004)

Sidney Stein is married to her college boyfriend. After nine years, her marriage has become stale and unexciting. Sidney starts a crazy affair with Geoff, a much older married man who is also a colleague of her father's. Sidney ends her marriage, however, it is obvious that Geoff will never leave his wife. The book follows Sidney as she continues to sleep with Geoff while dating disastrous men that she finds from her personal ad. The novel is interspersed with rather random poems that at times are very long and boring. I found this to be a rather disappointing read because the main character is so unlikeable and annoying. (AO)

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