Food Whore

August 15, 2015
The Devil Wears Prada goes gourmet in this debut novel. Tia Monroe has big dreams of becoming a food writer. As a grad student in NYU's Food Studies program, her ultimate goal is to intern with cookbook author and food superstar Helen Lansky. After a chance run-in with New York Times food critic Michael Saltz, Tia's convinced the internship with Helen is a sure thing. Instead, she's disappointed to be assigned to the coat check at an upscale restaurant. However, when Michael visits the restaurant and is very interested in her opinions, Tia gains a whole new opportunity. Michael's lost his sense of taste, but he doesn't want to lose his job-so he needs Tia to taste everything for him and essentially ghostwrite his reviews. Tia readily agrees, but her undercover gig is more work than she thought it would be. She has to keep her new job a secret from everyone, including her school, her internship, her friends, and her boyfriend. Tia loves the perks of her glamorous lifestyle, like unlimited shopping sprees and the attention of a sexy chef, but when things start to catch up to her, she begins to wonder if she's made a mistake. The book speeds along with enough intrigue and excitement to keep any reader hooked. The ending is tied up a bit too neatly, but the deliciously detailed food descriptions are a bonus. A fun and compulsively readable look at a woman's journey into the underbelly of the New York food scene.

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October 1, 2015

Tom's debut chronicles the ups and downs of a young woman fresh out of Yale University determined to succeed as a food writer in New York. Tia has set a path for herself, including enrollment in New York University's prestigious food studies program, and is counting on an internship with the renowned writer Helen Lansky. But when the internship goes up in smoke and Tia is left with a lesser option, she is seduced into working with Michael Saltz, restaurant critic for the New York Times, who has lost his sense of taste. Tia's life spirals into one of secrets and lies even as she is lavished with clothes and entree into New York's finest restaurants. But things take a turn when Tia realizes that Michael is claiming her inspired words as his own. Despite her questionable (if understandable) decisions, Tia remains an endearing character. Her vulnerabilities are realistic for a 22-year-old woman, and it is easy to believe that she would fall down a rabbit hole of deception. VERDICT Perfect for fans of The Devil Wears Prada or any other tale of a young woman fresh to her industry getting caught up in a world she can't control.--Kristen Droesch, Library

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