The Undercover Cook

by Katie Fforde

_________________‘Thank goodness for Katie Fforde, the perfect author to bring comfort in difficult times. She really is the queen of uplifting, feel good romance.’ AJ PEARCE_________________A young journalist and her top-secret assignment. An exclusive straight to digital short story from the Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller.Meet Emily, a young woman who dreams of being a prize-winning investigative journalist. Her first assignment is to a top restaurant where tempestuous chef Theo Milton reigns supreme. Very soon romance starts to sparkle amongs the pots and pans. And Emily finds there's more than cooking on her mind. Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Fforde is known for her wonderfully romantic stories, delicious heroes, and heroines we can all relate to. In The Undercover Cook her warmth and wit shine through in this enchanting short story.It also gives readers the first chance to read the opening chapter of her captivating new novel, Recipe for Love, out in March.

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Short Stories, Fiction, Novella, Ebooks

27 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2012

About the author

Catherine Rose Gordon-Cumming was born 27 September 1952 in England, UK, the daughter of Shirley Barbara Laub and Michael Willoughby Gordon-Cumming. Her grandfather was Sir William Gordon-Cumming. Her sister is fellow writer Jane Gordon-Cumming. Katie married Desmond Fforde, cousin of the also writer Jasper Fforde. She has three children: Guy, Francis and Briony and didn't start writing until after the birth of her third child. She has previously worked both as a cleaning lady and in a health food cafe.

Published since 1995, her romance novels are set in modern-day England. She is the founder of the "Katie Fforde Bursary" for writers who have yet to secure a publishing contract. Katie was elected the twenty-fifteenth Chairman (2009-2011) of the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is delighted to have been chosen as Chair of the Romantic Novelists' Association and says, "Catherine Jones was a wonderful chair and she's a very tough act to follow. However, I've been a member of the RNA for more years than I can actually remember and will have its very best interests at the core of everything I do."

Katie lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England with her husband, some of her three children and many pets. Recently her old hobbies of ironing and housework have given way to singing, Flamenco dancing and husky racing. She claims this keeps her fit. The writers she likes herself is also in the romantic genre, like Kate Saunders.

Reviews

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily is a journalist for a local newspaper working undercover at a local restaurant trying to expose chef Theo Milton by posing as an intern. Unfortunately, while he might tear strips off the staff when they do things wrong Theo doesn't seem to be exploiting them, in fact Emily sees him performing some random acts of kindness. But as the job progresses Emily finds an unlikely affiliation for cooking and her boss.

This was sweet but OMG this was a short story not a novella, the actual story ended at 57% of my Kindle edition, the rest was taken up by chapter one of another Katie Fforde book so that gives you a yardstick to compare the length of the novella - about the same length as a normal chapter (8 minutes at my reading speed my trusty Kindle tells me). Ah, it's 26 pages so even at 99p it feels a bit steep.

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I picked this up for a quick and light read. It fit the bill perfectly, and while totally predictable and not at all realistic I liked it well enough. It's the first thing I've read by Katie Fforde, but I might look into more books by her, for when I'm in the mood for some fluff.

[Colette Kebell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became engrossed in this book but found it too short, with too much of the story left to tell. I hope that Katie Fforde revisits it sometime.....hence it only receiving 4 stars. Don't be put off though it you prefer a shorter book to read.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story actually included the line:

"Being blasted from here to eternity in language unfit for human - let alone female - ears"

Wtf. Total trash

[Yassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable short story.

[Shanoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two words: too short.

The characters were too shallow, the story too predictable and there was no time to develop a decent plot and the relationship between the characters.

[geoffrey morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect read.

Easy character to understand not too complicated credible story makes you feel like you could be in the kitchen yourself.

[Pamela Bowes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick half hour read to be enjoyed with a large coffee

[HAYLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable quick read

Could easily have been a full length novel, wanted it to continue. Easy to follow and well written as always!

[Rachel Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, that will teach me to check the reviews. So short. Enjoyable as always . Love Katie Fforde.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Journalist Emily is assigned a job to go undercover at a top local restaurant. The Editor of the newspaper she works for has asked her to dig dirt on the establishment in the hopes the restaurant will close.

I enjoyed this quick read even though it does finish abrumptly. It gets a thumbs up from me,

[Debby Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read everything that Katie Fforde has written and I really enjoy the way she formulates her characters. Like many other readers I did not realise it was a short story and therefore, did not allow much time to form attachments to the characters or see and enjoy the growing relationship but it was still a good read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short (too short as I wanted to read more!!) and very sweet!

I liked this quick little read.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Undercover Cook' is a very short novella. A quick romantic read.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

way too short...nice and easy as usual! :)

[Danielle Bade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it had been longer. Very easy very quick read.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love Katie Fforde books- but this was a VERY short Quick Read. I would have loved to have read more.

[Lotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very, very short, but sweet.

[Dee (dees_book_blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realise this was so short.

It was quite good, but I'd have liked to have read more.

Dee x

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed as the ending was so abrupt and didn't really gel with the rest of the story

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too short, the ending was very abrupt.

[ImA · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth bothering with esp if you have to buy it.
Even if free isn't worth the 5mins it takes to read it.

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. I know it was a short story, but I didn't realise it was going to be that short. Just as it got going it ended!! Not worth 99p

[Jeanette Verster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book... although I love all Katie Fforde's books.
Really enjoyed the story around food and the TV chef industry

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

don't often enjoy novellas but as usual Ms Fforde didn't disappoint my only complaint being I want to know more after that ending!

[Mab3s · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this little book.

[Val Dyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read, would make a into longer read, was ok.

[June Howarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Alis · Rating 1 out of 5]

felt a bit cheated. ya. it s supposed to be a short story.. but I didn't expect that short. i wonder if u can actually call it a 'story' if the story ended just after it began.

[Lara (Atlas Of Stories) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short story from cozy romance author Katie Fforde. Quick and cute read.