Review: Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Title: Georgia's Kitchen
Author: Jenny Nelson
Published: August 3, 2010
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 319
Source: Publisher
Characters: Georgia Gray
My Rating:

Synopsis

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.

Georgia turned onto a tree-lined street of brick town houses and brownstones, stopping when she reached a gunmetal-gray low-rise that shared none of it's neighbors' quiet charm.

In Mrs. Nelson's debut novel, she introduces us to Georgia, a girl who seems to have it all. She is the head chef at one of NYC's hottest restaurants and has an entertainment lawyer fiance. When all that comes crashing down, Georgia sets out to Italy for a summer working for her mentor.

The entire story was told in such vivid detail that I felt like I was taking this adventure right along with Georgia. I was pulled in from the opening sentences. It was well-paced and very well executed. I couldn't believe this was just her first novel. After reading it, I wanted to rush out to buy more books of hers.

Mrs. Nelson has such a witty portrayal of Georgia, especially with her parents Hal and Dorothy, that I found myself laughing till I cried. My only hope is that Ms. Nelson decides to revisit  Nana's Kitchen in the very near future. She definitely has a life long fan in me; I will be reading more from her for sure.

Jenny Nelson | Simon & Schuster | Twitter | Facebook |

Teaser Tuesday: Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

• Grab your current/upcoming read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

• Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)
• Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

"Mom, this is my friend Vanessa. She's here for moral support."

"Oh, come now, Georgia. We're your parents. What kind of support do you need?" Dorothy asked.
"The liquid kind, for one." Georgia took the seat next to her dad and flagged down the waiter. "Campari rocks," she told him.

page 218; Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Spotlight: Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Each Monday, I thought I would try and spotlight a different book that I find interesting from reading the blurb. This week I'm spotlighting Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson.

Georgia's Kitchen

Jenny Nelson
August 3, 2010

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.