YOU'VE GOT MAIL meets HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE in this delightful novel about a talented chef and the food critic who brings down her restaurant—whose chance meeting turns into a delectable romance of mistaken identities. In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern. Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst. The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future? Set in the lovely, quirky heart of Wisconsin, THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE is a charming love story of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and the power of food to bring two people together.
Elizabeth's Review
4 stars
Review Copy provided by Net Galley
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake is a debut novel as sweet as
its title. Ms. Reichert takes us to Milwaukee to meet Lou and Al, a chef and a restaurant
critic.
When we first meet them, Lou has a beginning to be
successful new restaurant and a fiancée who doesn’t appreciate her. Al is
writing under a pen name and has a reputation for being cruel. Several
coincidences come together to have Al review Lou’s restaurant on a really bad
day and them have them officially meet on the day the review is published.
The two spend time together and what develops is a truly
sweet friends to lover’s story. I liked that they took their time exploring the
city and getting to know each other. I also liked the fact that Al felt guilty
for not telling Lou who he really was, especially after he realized who she
was.
I enjoyed both Al and Lou. They were great characters and
both experienced their own kind of growth as they dealt with professional
challenges and changing feelings. The secondary characters also added a lot to
the story. They were great sounding boards, gave wonderful advice, and helped
Al and Lou find their way.
This is a great start for a brand new author and
I am looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. You can pre-order The Coincidence of Coconut Cake here.
You can connect with the author:
Goodreads
Amazon
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