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Last Bite
After ending a bad relationship, Casey Costello, an executive chef at a morning television show, swears off men. Who has the time anyway? She's busy overseeing a rambunctious food-prep crew in a kitchen the size of a closet; trying to please high-maintenance celebrity guest chefs; and dealing with her large extended Italian American family, who believe that the solutions to life's problems involve food. And in the midst of her high-energy, stress-inducing career—punctuated by a steady stream of parties and restaurant openings that must not be missed—she's trying to uncover why Sally Woods, a grand old dame of the culinary world and regular on the television show, is suddenly ready to jump ship and find a new station and a new exectuvie chef.
When Danny O'Shea, a handsome chef from one of New York's hottest new restaurants, makes a guest appearance on the show, Casey smells trouble. But feelings ignite faster than a flambé dessert, especially when Danny whips up a few surprises during a television shoot in Italy.
Narrated in Casey's smart and refreshingly disarming voice, Last Bite is an irresistible culinary caper, with characters whose appetites are as big as their personalities.
When Danny O'Shea, a handsome chef from one of New York's hottest new restaurants, makes a guest appearance on the show, Casey smells trouble. But feelings ignite faster than a flambé dessert, especially when Danny whips up a few surprises during a television shoot in Italy.
Narrated in Casey's smart and refreshingly disarming voice, Last Bite is an irresistible culinary caper, with characters whose appetites are as big as their personalities.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2006
25 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Verde Barr
7 books9 followersNancy Verde Barr was executive chef to Julia Child from 1980 to 1998 and the culinary producer for PBS's Baking with Julia and ABC's Good Morning America. She has written for Gourmet, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Parade, and Cook's Magazine and is the author of three award-winning cookbooks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 19, 2009
I wouldn't have chosen this book, but Matthew picked it up at the library for me and it turned out to be just right for someone taking painkillers.
September 17, 2009
This book was very cute. I'm in love with Danny... I hope my husband doesn't mind! ;)
So the main character, Casey, is a chef who works backstage on a TV show, preparing food-preparation segments (cooking back-up food, doing all the food prep work, etc.) for an early morning talk show. She works closely with a very famous chef, Sally, who is, essentially, Julia Child (who the author worked with for 18 years). So Casey and her boyfriend have an ugly and painful breakup at the beginning of the book, and she's taking a break from men... She bought a boy gerbil, who she thinks is enough man in her life right then... haha...
But then a guest chef, Danny, comes onto the show, and he's really good-looking... but he's also REALLY flirtatious, and so she assumes he's a womanizer... And it's all great fun. He's fabulous and has a wicked-awesome Irish accent, of course! So it's a story about them falling in love and also a bit of a mystery, because strange crap is going on with Sally... and Casey is trying to figure out why she's acting so weird... And in true Nancy Drew and Ned Nickerson style, Casey and Danny work together to help Sally out of the (very serious) jam she finds herself in.
The plot seemed a bit contrived in places... Like a certain character happened to speak the foreign language that the bad guys happen to speak... (Like when Nancy Drew goes to a random country and happens to speak the obscure local language well enough to overhear and understand the bad guys' plan and thwart them...) It was a bit silly... And the character descriptions were a bit fan-fiction-y in feeling...
But overall, a cute story. 3.5 stars. I rounded up due to the extremely cute ending. ;)
Oh, and there's an Eggplant Parmesan recipe in the back that looks amazing... maybe if I make it the hubby won't know it's eggplant?
So the main character, Casey, is a chef who works backstage on a TV show, preparing food-preparation segments (cooking back-up food, doing all the food prep work, etc.) for an early morning talk show. She works closely with a very famous chef, Sally, who is, essentially, Julia Child (who the author worked with for 18 years). So Casey and her boyfriend have an ugly and painful breakup at the beginning of the book, and she's taking a break from men... She bought a boy gerbil, who she thinks is enough man in her life right then... haha...
But then a guest chef, Danny, comes onto the show, and he's really good-looking... but he's also REALLY flirtatious, and so she assumes he's a womanizer... And it's all great fun. He's fabulous and has a wicked-awesome Irish accent, of course! So it's a story about them falling in love and also a bit of a mystery, because strange crap is going on with Sally... and Casey is trying to figure out why she's acting so weird... And in true Nancy Drew and Ned Nickerson style, Casey and Danny work together to help Sally out of the (very serious) jam she finds herself in.
The plot seemed a bit contrived in places... Like a certain character happened to speak the foreign language that the bad guys happen to speak... (Like when Nancy Drew goes to a random country and happens to speak the obscure local language well enough to overhear and understand the bad guys' plan and thwart them...) It was a bit silly... And the character descriptions were a bit fan-fiction-y in feeling...
But overall, a cute story. 3.5 stars. I rounded up due to the extremely cute ending. ;)
Oh, and there's an Eggplant Parmesan recipe in the back that looks amazing... maybe if I make it the hubby won't know it's eggplant?
Read
May 14, 2017If you love food and a good romance book, this is the perfect read. The author, Nancy Verde Barr, was Julia Child’s executive chef, and she uses that experience to shed light on all the prep work that happens behind the scenes during cooking shows. Although classified as romance, the romance part really is more of a side plot than the main plot. Humorous and entertaining, I only have one tip: definitely do not read when hungry!
-Jennifer W.O.-
-Jennifer W.O.-
August 19, 2024
A romance that includes a trip to Italy, life-threatening blackmail, and detailed descriptions of food: what's not to like?
Main character Casey Costello prepares food for television spots. This is a fascinating job. Many of us don't even consider how an entire meal can be filmed in a 5-minute demonstration, but you will have a better idea after reading this book. I picked up a few cooking techniques and a craving for some home-cooked Italian food. The culinary aspect of the book is by far its best feature.
The romance itself has a nice slow build, though of course it is drawn out by misunderstandings (just one of a few predictable elements of this book). I find this frustrating at times, but really the characters are adorable.
The author spends time constructing the home environment, the work environment, and the tour of Italy. Clothing, food, and scenery are descriptive but not overly so. The book really does have substance, especially as it draws parallels between food and romance (as in the title itself).
I recommend for an easy read that will make you hungry and happy.
Main character Casey Costello prepares food for television spots. This is a fascinating job. Many of us don't even consider how an entire meal can be filmed in a 5-minute demonstration, but you will have a better idea after reading this book. I picked up a few cooking techniques and a craving for some home-cooked Italian food. The culinary aspect of the book is by far its best feature.
The romance itself has a nice slow build, though of course it is drawn out by misunderstandings (just one of a few predictable elements of this book). I find this frustrating at times, but really the characters are adorable.
The author spends time constructing the home environment, the work environment, and the tour of Italy. Clothing, food, and scenery are descriptive but not overly so. The book really does have substance, especially as it draws parallels between food and romance (as in the title itself).
I recommend for an easy read that will make you hungry and happy.
July 6, 2017
It was good enough to plod through until the end...but just barely. If I would have returned it before finishing it, I likely never would have given it a second thought, wondering how it ended. The characters were "okay," the plot was "okay," the ending was "okay," but nothing about it was terribly engaging or thought-provoking. Yawn.
March 1, 2023
Clever title that tied in with an opening quote. Crisp dialogue, albeit somewhat trite at times, but didn't detract from the overall mood. Food, TV, food, Italy, food, romance and more food. A generous 4*.
March 8, 2023
Honestly I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a blind book date from the library and it was old, so I wasn't sure it would be that engaging. I really did have fun reading this though.
December 12, 2017
Predictable but a nice diversion for a place ride.
July 18, 2018
Great vacation read. Not too heavy. Characters didn’t make me mad! My two favorite things in one book “food” and “romance” what’s not to love.
September 30, 2018
Need to Reread.
March 20, 2019
Easy to read culinary romance novel
June 28, 2019
Fun read
Even though it was predictable it was a good read. The characters were like able and the food was fantastic
Even though it was predictable it was a good read. The characters were like able and the food was fantastic
February 14, 2024
I come back to this book time and time again when I want to settle my wanderlust vicariously and it has yet to disappoint. Barr describes food beautifully and Italy like a second home. Win!
July 25, 2024
3.5 out of 5 stars
November 29, 2015
Another light "foodie" read with the usual love-hate relationship but with a mystery thrown in.
Casey Costello knows about food. She has training as a chef, but as executive chef for a morning television show, her duties are a bit different. She oversees her prep crew, fields demands from guest celebrities, makes sure all materials are ready in sequence when they are needed during a 3 minute "live" cooking segment for a large viewing audience, and she tries to juggle her personal life (at the moment, her lack of a personal life..as in a relationship). Meeting new Irish chef Danny O'Shea can only mean trouble, but oh, it is delicious trouble!!
I laughed at the wonderful characters in this book. Casey's out-spoken, food-loving Italian family is loving, troublesome, and supportive. Her best friend/cousin is determined and conniving. Her favorite seasoned regular guest(Sally) on the show is feisty, lovable, and is involved in something unsettling, but Casey can't quite put her finger on it.
A trip to Italy to do a cooking segment brings everything to a head--the relationship between Casey and Danny and the mystery surrounding Sally. Hearts are won and hearts are broken.
The mystery was a bit over the top, but it gave a different twist to the many foodie books that I have read. While the ending was predictable, it was the perfect ending. The inside look at all the work a backstage crew does to make those so easy looking short cooking segments on television was interesting. I will never watch a cooking segment in the same way again.
Casey Costello knows about food. She has training as a chef, but as executive chef for a morning television show, her duties are a bit different. She oversees her prep crew, fields demands from guest celebrities, makes sure all materials are ready in sequence when they are needed during a 3 minute "live" cooking segment for a large viewing audience, and she tries to juggle her personal life (at the moment, her lack of a personal life..as in a relationship). Meeting new Irish chef Danny O'Shea can only mean trouble, but oh, it is delicious trouble!!
I laughed at the wonderful characters in this book. Casey's out-spoken, food-loving Italian family is loving, troublesome, and supportive. Her best friend/cousin is determined and conniving. Her favorite seasoned regular guest(Sally) on the show is feisty, lovable, and is involved in something unsettling, but Casey can't quite put her finger on it.
A trip to Italy to do a cooking segment brings everything to a head--the relationship between Casey and Danny and the mystery surrounding Sally. Hearts are won and hearts are broken.
The mystery was a bit over the top, but it gave a different twist to the many foodie books that I have read. While the ending was predictable, it was the perfect ending. The inside look at all the work a backstage crew does to make those so easy looking short cooking segments on television was interesting. I will never watch a cooking segment in the same way again.
February 11, 2017
Boring and way too much conversation about food prep -- we get it!
December 30, 2012
I would give this zero stars if I could. Kindle daily deal and just absolutely, utterly, hideous.
Written by a chef? Makes sense as the whole plot read like a recipe. Methodical. DULL. And with a crapton of bullshit that had nothing to do with anything. Good for you, you have a big hilarious Italian family. There's absolutely zero need to go on in excruciating detail for pages and pages about who is related to who and make up drama between them. Much less do this badly.
And then a weird spy sub-plot with absolutely zero sort of climax? Seems to me somebody had an idea about a novel that had zero substance to it and then decided to 'add a dash' of this and a 'pinch' of that. Oh how I nauseate myself.
I have an appreciation for a bad romance novel, and this was not even close to passing as bad. If I could get my $2 back, I would.
Written by a chef? Makes sense as the whole plot read like a recipe. Methodical. DULL. And with a crapton of bullshit that had nothing to do with anything. Good for you, you have a big hilarious Italian family. There's absolutely zero need to go on in excruciating detail for pages and pages about who is related to who and make up drama between them. Much less do this badly.
And then a weird spy sub-plot with absolutely zero sort of climax? Seems to me somebody had an idea about a novel that had zero substance to it and then decided to 'add a dash' of this and a 'pinch' of that. Oh how I nauseate myself.
I have an appreciation for a bad romance novel, and this was not even close to passing as bad. If I could get my $2 back, I would.
September 11, 2009
I would give this book 4.5 stars. For a baker and a food lover the fact that the story is one of romance centered around food really appealed to me. The characters are great, Danny O'Shea is an Irish dream. Never have I wanted to hear a man speak to me in an Irish accent sooo bad!
The story is a bit predictable, but in a good way so that doesn't take away from my rating. If you're a chef, a food lover or just a sucker for an Irishman the book is worth a read. An added bonus is that there are recipes for some of the Italian dishes mentioned throughout the book, included at the end of the novel.
The story is a bit predictable, but in a good way so that doesn't take away from my rating. If you're a chef, a food lover or just a sucker for an Irishman the book is worth a read. An added bonus is that there are recipes for some of the Italian dishes mentioned throughout the book, included at the end of the novel.
August 20, 2017
This book was an easy read. It kept me interested and it gave a good 'behind the scenes' peak at what goes into creating food segments on TV. However I felt short changed by this book. The author spent so much time describing the food, the process of producing TV food segments etc. but rushed thru the romance. It almost felt like the "people romance" part was a necessary inconvenience so she could indulge her extremely detailed but boring details of the author's culinary background. Also the mob subplot was a little weird, but oh well. Overall not bad, but not great.
August 7, 2009
This was a kick in the pants. Barr was executive chef to Julia Child for 18 years, and bases this entertaining tale on that experience. There's more than just food cookin' in the studio kitchens when an Italian/Irish/American mixes it up with a genuine Irish chef. When they take the show on the road to Italy, more strange behavior ensues when it turns out the star of the show is being blackmailed. Of course, the good guys come out on top in the end.
December 22, 2010
If you love food and a good romance book, this is the perfect read. The author, Nancy Verde Barr, was Julia Child’s executive chef, and she uses that experience to shed light on all the prep work that happens behind the scenes during cooking shows. Although classified as romance, the romance part really is more of a side plot than the main plot. Humorous and entertaining, I only have one tip: definitely do not read when hungry!
May 25, 2011
I enjoyed the beginning, a little too much technical T.V. stuff though. The family interaction was so much fun. The trip to Italy was the icing on the cake. I loved that part. The scenes in Florence made me want to go back s-0-0 much.[was there last fall]. The food !! Thouroughly enjoyed the travel stories.
what coud be more fun than a handsome Irishman ! [I'm prejudiced, I'm Irish. ] Highly recommend for "foodies" and people who love Italy and Italian food.
what coud be more fun than a handsome Irishman ! [I'm prejudiced, I'm Irish. ] Highly recommend for "foodies" and people who love Italy and Italian food.
February 1, 2013
If you've ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in food prep for a GMA type show, this is the book for you. Throw in the Russian mob, a chef that's a cross between Julia Child and Paula Deen, an Irish-American family, a hunky Irish chef, a trip to Italy, for assistants named Tony and stir it up with misunderstandings and a light touch. The result is a delightful book that is entertaining, sweet and funny as well as romantic.
June 21, 2013
My best friend BEGGED me to read this before we go to Italy in two years, so I did as she commanded. It was okay, but not what I expected. It fit her personality, as she is obsessed with well written foodie books, and this did have really great chef scenes. The actual story behind the story was a little thin though. I'll probably be telling her it was good and keeping our friendship in tact. Besides, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. Not a lie on either end!
October 4, 2007
This is hardly the best book ever written, but it should be read for two reasons:
1. Chef and author Nancy Verde Barr was Julia Child's former assistant, so the book has some interesting details about the behind the scenes working of a food show.
2. It contains a fantastic recipe for eggplant Parmesan that is to die for.
1. Chef and author Nancy Verde Barr was Julia Child's former assistant, so the book has some interesting details about the behind the scenes working of a food show.
2. It contains a fantastic recipe for eggplant Parmesan that is to die for.
Read
February 23, 2009This book was written by a chef and cookbook author who was an assistant to Julia Child. It is a fun, light read about a young chef who is an assistant to a character a lot like Julia Child. Interesting behind the scenes look at how cooking demos are done on tv. Light, predictable romance but good for a quick read.
February 5, 2010
What a fun book -- not "over the top" crazy or so far fetched as to be believable. The author, a former assistant to Julia Child for 18 years, sheds light on behind the scenes in the food industry thru her main character, Casey, and her descriptions of the food they make have your mouth watering!
March 3, 2013
If you enjoy food shows on TV you'll probably enjoy the behind-the-scenes details in this book. The culinary trip through Italy was good too -- I am craving homemade pasta. The love story was sweet but could have been stronger. The side plot was far fetched and not nearly as dramatic as it hopes to be. Easy read but forgettable.
July 17, 2014
This probably is not a fir rating, since I couldn't get past the first few pages. There was just TOO MUCH talk about food and preparing it, as if that was the main point of life. I've read several other novels that have kind of a food theme, and they were fine, but at least the beginning of this one made it seem as if it was the only theme.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews