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53rd out of 105 books
—
24 voters
Off the Menu
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 p...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
July 3rd 2012
by Berkley Trade
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I really, really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, easy read with vibrant characters you can't help but root for. I will now immediately go and find the rest of the Ballis catalog and read them all. And there are recipes at the end of the book! Bonus!
My enjoyment of this novel was increased by first reading "Jeneration X" by Jennifer Lancaster (which is totally not necessary, I've just been a Lancaster fan since 2008.) Lancaster writes mostly memoirs and she and Ballis are friends IRL. In "Jener...more
My enjoyment of this novel was increased by first reading "Jeneration X" by Jennifer Lancaster (which is totally not necessary, I've just been a Lancaster fan since 2008.) Lancaster writes mostly memoirs and she and Ballis are friends IRL. In "Jener...more
One of the least enjoyable reads of all time for me. There is no plot, nothing of interest happens and the main character is one of the most annoying characters of all time. The plot: 40 something woman with perfect family, job and life finds, in the most undramatic way ever, the perfect boyfriend (who is so unreal I fully expected him to reveal himself as a serial killer) and her perfect life only gets even better. Has a slight panic deciding between 2 perfect jobs but then decides she can do b...more
Overall I enjoyed this book and I think Ballis is one of the best writers in "chick lit" today.
But there were some flaws. It's really slow to start, heavy with back story/exposition. It felt like the plot didn't really start going until about 40% into it.
The guy she meets online is far too perfect to be believable in the end. She does a good job of addressing how starry eyed he is over her and how that gets a little dose of reality when he sees a side of her he hadn't. But it doesn't get revers...more
But there were some flaws. It's really slow to start, heavy with back story/exposition. It felt like the plot didn't really start going until about 40% into it.
The guy she meets online is far too perfect to be believable in the end. She does a good job of addressing how starry eyed he is over her and how that gets a little dose of reality when he sees a side of her he hadn't. But it doesn't get revers...more
Dec 02, 2012
Nancy McKibben
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
readers who like chick lit and romance
Recommended to Nancy by:
no one; I liked the cover
Shelves:
food-and-cooking,
reviewed
Off the Menu
By Stacey Ballis
I am not a great chick-lit fan, but a blurb promised me that the author was “the thinking woman’s writer” and I could see that the plot concerned restaurants and chefdom and cooking, all interests of mine, and there was a cute dog on the cover, so . . .
Stacey Ballis is indeed a smart and funny writer, and I give her points for an older heroine, Alana (39), and love interest (49). A wry description of one of Alana’s online dating matches: “Jerry is sixty, five four, w...more
By Stacey Ballis
I am not a great chick-lit fan, but a blurb promised me that the author was “the thinking woman’s writer” and I could see that the plot concerned restaurants and chefdom and cooking, all interests of mine, and there was a cute dog on the cover, so . . .
Stacey Ballis is indeed a smart and funny writer, and I give her points for an older heroine, Alana (39), and love interest (49). A wry description of one of Alana’s online dating matches: “Jerry is sixty, five four, w...more
The word for this book is definitely “intimate”. The characters and the settings were so easily relatable and the main character, Alana, was the best of all. She had such a charming disposition and was such an easy going person; I feel like she and I are really good friends. Her life is so organized and even though it got to be a little chaotic at times she was more than capable of keeping her ducks in a row. She had a wonderful career and a huge, loving family; what more could she need? Oh, and...more
10 Reasons Why I devoured OFF THE MENU
#1. The protagonist, Alana, is smart, sassy, and endearingly authentic.
#2. The cover has chocolate cupcakes on it!
#3. Stacey Ballis's writing style is self-assured and wickedly funny, filled with one-line zingers that made coffee shoot out of my nose.
#4. The relationships Alana has with her family and friends are so lovely, so intimately drawn, you feel as though you could walk into any of their houses, take your shoes off, and prop your feet up on their c...more
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First, let me say that chick-lit is not my favorite genre. I seem to read plenty, but I'm mostly disappointed. This book was no exception.
The main character works for a celebrity chef. This is in the description of the book so it's hardly a surprise. Therefore, you would assume that anyone reading this book would probably have an interest in cooking and, most likely, watching cooking shows on The Food Network. (I do.) In the first couple of chapters, the author basically insults most tv hosts of...more
The main character works for a celebrity chef. This is in the description of the book so it's hardly a surprise. Therefore, you would assume that anyone reading this book would probably have an interest in cooking and, most likely, watching cooking shows on The Food Network. (I do.) In the first couple of chapters, the author basically insults most tv hosts of...more
I totally flew through this book and enjoyed every moment of it. Yes, it's a bit "chick lit" or maybe "foodie lit" or perhaps some hybrid foodie-chick lit, but it's still smartly written with relatable characters (as a single woman in the latter half of my 30s, I'm a bit over the scatterbrained 27-year-old heroine that tends to pop up in chick lit). Plus, since the author is Chicago based I enjoyed the occasional reference to a Chicago restaurant or location and it gave me some ideas of new spot...more
This was a book that caught my eye standing in line at the library. It sounded the perfect combination for me. Foodie meets chick-lit? Sounded like the perfect vacation read for me. Sadly no. Her writing is redundant. I found myself groaning, "You already said that!" The perfect example is in the first few pages where I'm sure she wrote two different descriptions of her dog, couldn't decide on one, so used them...one after the other. When writing for characters with accents, it was a tad overdon...more
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 Alan...more
This is great chick-lit, especially if you are a foodie and watch any of the Food Network or Cooking Channel TV shows. The book is set in Chicago and centers around Alana Ostermann, a thirty-something assistant to a celebrity chef. Alana doesn't have much of a personal life, but is persuaded by her girlfriends to check out an online dating service during a "free weekend" and ends up meeting RJ, who oddly enough,turns out to be her perfect match. Their relationship is challenged by Alana's jealou...more
I loved Alana and her warm, loving family along with her amazing support group of friends. Alana is a passionate chef who works along side an even more passionate chef, Patrick. Patrick is spoiled, needy, self-absorbed and yet he can be considerate, compassionate, and contrite. I don't want to give any of the story away, but as I read, I kept hoping that the most predictable outcome for Alana's future would not be the outcome the author chose to write. I was not disappointed. I loved the warm ch...more
I loved this book about a personal assistant to a tv chef who works so hard she barely has time to meet the right guy. She has tons of friends, a great family and a great job, although at times, it overwhelms her b/c it is in no way limited to 40 hours/week. She finally meets a guy, but her job continues to get in the way of their relationship. She begins to volunteer and realizes there is more to life than her job, except she loves her job too. The book focuses on how works to have balance in h...more
Alana is a production assistant for Patrick, a famous television chef. He takes up all her time and doesn't understand boundaries. Her job leaves her with little time for herself, friends, family or to find herself a boyfriend.
I can't say I didn't like it, because I finished it. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There is no conflict or actual story. The romance was unrealistic and irritating. A lot of the book seemed liked a list of famous chefs and pop culture references. I like most...more
I can't say I didn't like it, because I finished it. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There is no conflict or actual story. The romance was unrealistic and irritating. A lot of the book seemed liked a list of famous chefs and pop culture references. I like most...more
This is the story of Alana, the assistant chef and girl-friday for a celebrity chef named Patrick Conlon. Alana has devoted her life to Patrick, but when she starts dating someone, both of them need to make adjustments.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, it was interesting to hear about Alana's career as the chef's assistant. Second, Alana comes from a large Italian family and they added a lot of color to the story. Third, it was nice to read a stories about older woman wh...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, it was interesting to hear about Alana's career as the chef's assistant. Second, Alana comes from a large Italian family and they added a lot of color to the story. Third, it was nice to read a stories about older woman wh...more
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 ju...more
This book was disappointing. It started off really well with sassy Alana-assistant to a celebrity chef and then just ended up a mess. I found the dialog with RJ stilted, her relationship with Patrick preposterous, and was insulted with the protrayal of Maria (all those rrrrr's-really?). Not really sure how such an independent woman would put up with Patrick's 24-7 neediness and demands. And RJ was more than just a little too perfect. It had its moments but I should have stopped reading when Alan...more
While this book was marginally better than the other one I have read by Ballis (The Spinster Sisters), it still just sort of rubbed me the wrong way. I think the main thing that annoyed me was that Ballis seems to repeat herself throughout the book alot. For instance, the main character refers to her large butt on several occasions and it just gets rather "erg, you said that already". So, a good editing could have really sharpened this book up. She even used some of the same references from the...more
I liked this book overall but found myself comparing it to "Good Enough to Eat"--the author's previous foodie fiction book which I liked much better. I kept putting this one down and picking other books to read before picking it up again. The plot for "Off the Menu" has Chef Alana Ostermann serves as the culinary assistant to a Chicago-based celebrity chef and struggles to balance her personal life and new love interest with the demands of her boss and professional life . Although much of the in...more
It's really hard not to like Alana. She's sassy and takes no crap from anyone, including her boss Patrick Conlan, the chef extraordinaire. She certainly doesn't spare him when he gives her lip about not responding to his texts/e-mails on the weekends about non professional things. Alana is witty and loving. She goes above and beyond for those she cares for, bankrolling her parents secretly of course and paying two mortgages and insurance premiums, because she can. Alana is also looking for someo...more
Let me begin by saying that I really wanted to like this novel. Recommended by Jen Lancaster, Off the Menu features a great setting (Chicago), food & foodies, an adorable canine named Dumpling, and a little romance. What’s not to love?
Well, if I weren’t from Chicago, I’d be annoyed by the setting and the author’s constant geographical references (for insiders only). If I weren’t a devotee of Top Chef and all of those food and cooking networks, I would not like this novel. Finally, if I were...more
Well, if I weren’t from Chicago, I’d be annoyed by the setting and the author’s constant geographical references (for insiders only). If I weren’t a devotee of Top Chef and all of those food and cooking networks, I would not like this novel. Finally, if I were...more
1 like · like · see review
I liked this book. It had a love story, a cute doggie story arch & a bunch of recipes in the last 30ish pages. Combining my love for food with my love for love and, on top of that introducing a completely hilarious four legged companion? Recipe for AWESOME, right? Not quite. I found it pretty unrealistic though she tried to be the opposite & the love story was sort of bland and over the top (read: even the most romantic man would never want to name a dog Pamplemousse, even if said dog WA...more
I loved this book. The main character, Alana, was slightly flawed, but not a completely broken mess as I've been finding a lot in this genre. This character was a totally normal woman with normal flaws and normal problems. But she was also smart and confident and she didn't rely on a man for her self esteem. The love story here was totally sweet and you can see that Alana doesn't rely on her significant other to give her life meaning. He simply enhances what is already pretty great. The dialogue...more
I am always a fan of upbeat, real-life fiction. This isn't a particularly deep story but I really enjoyed reading it, getting to know the characters and how they fit into the main character's life. If you're looking for a good, lighthearted vacation read then this is perfect. I spend all day using my brain so I love to relax with a fun read and this was perfect for that. Finished it today while running on the treadmill and it helped the miles fly by.
Bonus: fun recipes at the end of the book to...more
Bonus: fun recipes at the end of the book to...more
Although the plot was somewhat predictable, this was an entertaining read. I would read additional books by Stacey as she has an engaging voice in her writing.
Alana is the type of character that I think a lot of women can relate to: smart, sassy but doesn't always speak up for herself. As the story develops, she finds more of herself and teaches others - mainly her boss - how she should be treated.
Great little story and a fast read!
Alana is the type of character that I think a lot of women can relate to: smart, sassy but doesn't always speak up for herself. As the story develops, she finds more of herself and teaches others - mainly her boss - how she should be treated.
Great little story and a fast read!
Aug 13, 2012
Kristin Shelburne
added it
I started out really liking this book. Sassy, strong female character making her way in a male dominated world, funny, supportive friends, yummy food, etc. I even liked how Alana and RJ met and developed their relationship. Then it got sappy. No one talks the way RJ does unless you are Brooks from Real Housewives of Orange County giving Vicki her daily affirmations or a love starved teenager high in first love. If you can get past that, really good book!
Stacey Ballis has done it again!
An overworked woman, a mysterious internet man, and an overbearing but lovable boss. Mix this with an odd animal and you have the joyously wonderful, entertaining, heartwarming tale presented in "Off the Menu". Ballis' main character, Alana is so realistic I feel that I have her in the contacts of my iPhone. Her troubles are real world troubles, and one can easily sympathize with her. A MUST-READ!!!!
An overworked woman, a mysterious internet man, and an overbearing but lovable boss. Mix this with an odd animal and you have the joyously wonderful, entertaining, heartwarming tale presented in "Off the Menu". Ballis' main character, Alana is so realistic I feel that I have her in the contacts of my iPhone. Her troubles are real world troubles, and one can easily sympathize with her. A MUST-READ!!!!
Lots of unnecessary ness here. Started skimming halfway through as I figured out it was going nowhere and was proved right. Did not connect with any of the multiple characters and dialogue between the main character and her boyfriend made me want to gag. Didn't like the name-dropping of chefs and the way too convenient everything. This is my last attempt with this author. Sorry, Jen.
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. Since I had not read any chick lit during the summer I thought this might fit the bill. If I get into a book I can finish it in two or three days. It took me two weeks to finish this story. I did like reading about the behind the scenes operation of a food show. I don't think I will search out other books by this author.
I have lots of choice words for Off the Menu: easy, fun, likable, relatable. I found Stacy Ballis because of Jen Lancaster but I think I like Ballis (and certainly her fiction writing) better. This was a library book for me but I'll be sure to copy some of the recipes out of the back of the book. I didn't mind the celebrity name dropping or Chicago place snobbery. You write about what you know...
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