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Off the Menu Audiobook
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(3.03) - 543 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
As the executive culinary assistant to celebrity Chicago chef Patrick Conlon, Alana Ostermann works behind the scenes—and that's just the way she likes it. But with developing recipes for Patrick's cookbooks, training his sous chefs, picking out the perfect birthday gifts for his ex-mother-in-law, and dealing with the fallout from his romantic escapades, she barely has a personal life, much less time to spend with her combo platter of a mutt, Dumpling.
Then a fluke online connection brings her RJ, a transplant from Tennessee, who adds some Southern spice to her life. Suddenly Alana's priorities shift, and Patrick—and Dumpling—find themselves facing a rival for her time and affection. With RJ in the mix, and some serious decisions to make about her personal and professional future, Alana must discover the perfect balance of work and play, money and meaning, to bring it all to the table—one delicious dish at a time.
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"This book is enjoyable and is a good summer/beach/vacation read. I really like this author's voice, and enjoy the food twist she has put into the 'chick-lit' genre. I have to make sure I am not hungry when I sit down to read her books (See 'Good Enough to Eat').. Also, this author knows her subject matter, having at one time been a special correspondant for a brief few episodes on the Racheal Ray show early in the first season. My one criticism though is that everything about this story and Alanna's life is almost too perfect and shiny. Her house is imacuately decorated, her food is always flawless, the parties always come off with perfection, her boyfriend doesn't have one bad habit, she has plenty of money to do whatever she wants, etc, etc. The messiest things that happen, have to do with her dog and even those are minor and always taken care of swiftly. And while I appreciate the of this perfect world, sometimes a little 'messy' and not so perfect makes a good story more relateable."
— Karen (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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[A] lighthearted look at finding true love.
— Romantic Times -
“Stacey Ballis dishes up another fabulous and soul-satisfying meal in her newest novel. With the perfect blend of humor and heart, Ballis’ writing is powerfully honest and genuinely hilarious, and embodies everything I love about contemporary women’s fiction. Off the Menu is an irresistibly delicious five-course read!”
— Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author -
“Witty and tender, brash and seriously clever, Stacey Ballis’ characters are our friends, our neighbors or, in some cases, that sardonic colleague the next cubicle over…Her storytelling will have you alternately turning pages and calling your friends urging them to come along for the ride. And in Stacey Ballis’ talented hands, oh what a wonderful ride it is.”
— Elizabeth Flock, New York Times bestselling author -
“Readers hungry for cleverly written contemporary romances will definitely want to order Off the Menu.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“ENTICING. Ballis writes a bit like Emily Giffin and Isabel Wolff, and the recipes will please gal foodies as well.”
— Booklist
Off the Menu Listener Reviews
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" This is a delicious and yummy read, in more ways than one! Looking forward to reading more of Stacey's books! "
— Amy, 1/27/2014 -
" This book should be called cooking fiction. I love that there are recipes at the end. "
— Mary, 1/26/2014 -
" Soooo much better than its predecessor 'Good enough to eat' - love how the two plots intertwine! I absolutely adore the characters in this book - every single one of them. From health nut to nutty and adorable, I flew through this book and cannot wait for the next! Recipes are great! "
— Preeta, 1/5/2014 -
" I've read most of Stacey Ballis' books and I have to say, I think Off the Menu may be my favorite. The story of Alana, an executive culinary assistant, who finds her life changed within a matter of months after stumbling upon an unexpected relationship (founded on the internet of all places) and a meaningful career opportunity was witty, fun and appropriately paced. I never felt like the story was contrived or that any of the plot points were mainly for filler and while the whole idea of life just magically falling into place may be hard to stomach, sometimes it's exactly what you need. A thoroughly enjoyable, quick read for anyone looking for just that. "
— Lianna, 1/4/2014 -
" I smiled all the way through this book. I laughed, I cried, I "aww"-ed. This book tells a beautiful story of a beautiful romance. It's a relationship that I think almost every girl wants, whether they know it or not. Definitely a must read in my opinion. "
— Sherri, 1/4/2014 -
" This was a Mary Sue if I ever read one. It was entertaining enough, but the dialogue was terrible. "
— cristina, 12/16/2013 -
" Just a quintessential summertime beach read for foodies. Like your favorite mousse -- light, airy, and just the right amount of sugary fluff. "
— Victoria, 12/13/2013 -
" just ok, Not really sure what the story was. It was just kinda there. No big laughs or excitement "
— Anne, 12/11/2013 -
" Could not put it down and stayed up way too late finishing -- LOVED this book! Enjoyed all the chef chat and Chicago references. Chick lit is definitely not dead, Stacey resurrected it. "
— Amy, 12/6/2013 -
" Light and enjoyable. Nice weekend read. "
— Kim, 11/30/2013 -
" Recommended by my favorite author Jen Lancaster and it did not disappoint! A main character who is vulnerable, but not pathetic. Some funny lines and great recipes at the end. So glad I bought this one! "
— Emily, 11/16/2013 -
" I loved this book ...plain and simple it has everything...a good story well written with characters I cared about...so glad I read this one "
— GIZMO, 11/9/2013 -
" Thoroughly enjoyed this book...the recipes were a nice touch at the end! "
— Mari-Tricia, 10/25/2013 -
" Really wanted to love this book. Entirely too may characters in the story to keep track of who's who. I'd been looking forward to buying it, but upon finishing I sort of want my $$ back. Was the main story RJ? Patrick? Her friends?? Disappointed. "
— Kim, 9/22/2013 -
" An incredibly well-written, fun, modern story. A book full characters I wanted to keep as friends There were laugh-out-loud moments in a sweet, couldn't put it down story. It reminded me of Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner. "
— Carmela, 7/31/2013 -
" Great smart "chick" lit(usually not my favorite type of fiction,but this is the exception),very appealing and with enough food talk to make you hungry!Stacey Ballis is a Chicago writer (my hometown!)who writes good fiction,and with this sweetheart of a book,she gets better with each novel. "
— Matthew, 6/30/2013 -
" I read this book in a day and loved it. I am familiar with so many of the chefs she mentioned it this book, as a Food Network fan. The most relatable part for me was how she met RJ and how their romance mirrors my relationship. Great Book! "
— Reeny, 5/29/2013 -
" I love books with recipes, but I could not have cared less about this plucky heroine, her egocentric boss, or picture perfect boyfriend. Plot couldn't even be saved by a cute dog - sigh. "
— Kila, 4/17/2013 -
" This is one of the best books I have read. I love Alana, RJ, Patrick & Dumpling. All the characters are great. "
— Cyndi, 4/8/2013 -
" Stacey Ballas is friend of Jen Lancaster, another of my favorite authors. Total chick-lit, but I like that kind of stuff. "
— Christine, 3/30/2013 -
" Not sure why I keep expecting these 'cozy' mysteries to be a haf-good read. Very, very few are, but hope springs eternal, I guess. About a chef's helper, the rest, I don't remember, and it was just last week I read the book. 'nuff said. "
— Terri, 12/23/2012 -
" Very enjoyable read...I devoured this book and loved the author's voice!!! "
— Michele, 12/11/2012 -
" This is a definite "comfort food" type of book! "
— Karen, 12/7/2012
About Stacey Ballis
Stacey Ballis is the author of nine previous foodie women’s fiction novels—including Out to Lunch, Good Enough to Eat, and Recipe for Disaster—and is a contributing author to three nonfiction anthologies: Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, Everything I Needed to Know about Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, and Living Jewishly. She was an educator for over fifteen years in Chicago before pursuing a full-time career in writing and consulting.
About Arielle DeLisle
Arielle DeLisle is an Earphones Award–winning narrator, voice actor, and commercial producer. She has recorded more than sixty audiobooks, including dystopian young adult titles and Michael Wallace’s Righteous series.