Last Bite

January 23, 2006
Barr, a former culinary TV producer for Good Morning America
, a cookbook author (Make It Italian
) and a former executive chef to Julia Child, novelizes her background and expertise. Casey Costello is an executive chef at TV newsmagazine Morning in America
in New York. After her relationship with a dentist goes awry, Casey moves in with her food-loving Italian family. Despite eating well, Casey's cynical attitude toward men remains, even when Danny O'Shea, a chef from one of New York's hottest new restaurants, makes a guest appearance on the show—and makes it clear he's interested in her. All the "will-she-succumb?" that follows isn't enough to sustain the book, but Barr weaves in a subplot revolving around the morning show's fearless and lovable host, Sally Woods, who finds herself enveloped in her deceased husband's unseemly business. That allows Barr to take Casey to Italy, where she is successful in peppering the plot with authentic culinary snapshots. There's not much here, but it's well composed.

May 1, 2006
As executive chef for a morning television show, 29-year-old Casey Costello not only cooks with a great bunch of people, including venerable culinary icon Sally Woods, but also gets to work with a variety of celebrity guest chefs. The show -s latest guest is none other than Danny O -Shea, and Casey quickly discovers that working with the wickedly sexy and annoyingly irresistible Irishman is going to be an unparalleled adventure. Cookbook author Barr ("Make It Italian") uses her own experience as an executive chef to Julia Child and a television culinary producer to give her leisurely paced yet utterly charming love story its vivid sense of realism. She deftly seasons the writing with a touch of tart wit, and while there are no recipes, the author -s luscious accounts of the different dishes prepared and meals consumed are almost as good. Recommended for all public libraries." -John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2006
Casey Costello, chef for a network morning news show, dumps her two-timing dentist lover and immediately swears off further amatory involvements. Resisting her father's advice to "fall madly in love," Casey doesn't immediately respond to overtures from Danny, the sexy Irish chef who shows up to make a guest appearance on her television show. Casey submerges her feelings in hard work and career advancement, but then the persistent Danny takes her completely by surprise while she's in Italy taping some special segments for her show. As the romance between these two chefs slowly unfolds, readers learn the ins and outs of food styling for television and the problems of preparing dinner when every person has specific food demands and taboos. Barr draws on her years of experience writing cookbooks and working on television shows with Julia Child, fictionalizing all this into background for a tale of sweet love and fine dining.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)