The Lost Recipe for Happiness

January 4, 2009
Twenty years ago, Elena Alvarez, the chef heroine of O'Neal's bland kitchen romance, was the sole survivor of a car accident that left her badly scarred and haunted by the sister and boyfriend she lost in the crash. Attempting to escape the specter of the accident and buoyed by her love of cooking, Elena drifted to culinary school in Europe and eventually ends up at an upscale Vancouver restaurant, where her passion and skills capture the attention of celebrity restaurateur Julian Liswood, who hires her as the executive chef of a new restaurant he is opening in Aspen, Colo. Elena relishes the opportunity, even as she recognizes the potential disasters, both romantic and job-related, inherent in the feelings she has for her boss. As the new endeavor finds its footing in Aspen's restaurant scene, she, too, begins to find a home. Unfortunately, O'Neal doesn't bring anything new to an already busy subgenre: the plot is formulaic, the prose is tepid and her main character is too narrowly drawn to have much appeal.

December 15, 2008
Elena Alvarez was involved in a horrific car accident as a teenager outside of Santa Fe. The sole survivor, she threw herself into her work and is now a successful chef. She has just been fired from her job when Julian Linswood, horror movie director and restaurant owner, asks her to take over the restaurant he has just bought in Aspen. Bringing everything together for the grand opening is an uphill battle against the deposed chef, who tries to turn the kitchen staff against her, and Elenas own growing attraction to Julian, and his attraction to her. The ghosts, both literally and figuratively, of the accident also get in the way. Elena must bury the past and put her ghosts to rest to achieve success, happiness, and peace in the new restaurant and her own life. A predictable story with an easily guessed ending, but foodies will love Elenas lavish menu creations and the southwestern-themed recipes scattered throughout the book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)