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Shirley Goldberg Eat Your Heart Out

Shirley Goldberg (Goodreads Author)

4.80 · Rating details · 5 ratings · 6 reviews

They’re not ready to go from friends to lovers. Will practice make perfect?

When a tyrant in stilettos replaces her beloved boss, and her ex snags her coveted job, teacher Dana Narvana discovers there are worse things than getting dumped on Facebook. Time for the BFF advice squad, starting with Dana's staunchest ally, Alex—hunky colleague, quipster, and cooking pal extraor ...more

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Published 2021 by The Wild Rose Press

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Eat Your Heart Out (Starting Over # 2)

Shirley Goldberg (Goodreads Author)

Release date: Mar 17, 2021

Enter to win a copy of Eat Your Heart Out, romantic women’s fiction.

"Started very different and very interesting. Was a great book watched the relati ...more

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Giveaway dates: Feb 18 - Mar 15, 2021

Countries available: U.S.

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Feb 12, 2021 Sierra Clothier rated it it was amazing

This second book in this series surprised me and turned out to be the mist fascinating book ive read in a while. The blurb gives you the impression that its a light hearted romcom. But for me it was a interesting take on society's unhealthy appetite with food and how it affects our relationships. Upon a cursory glance at much of the dialogue, the reader may only see distasteful characters who make judgments based on fat shaming. Look closer. Read closer. Its more than that. And you might turn th This second book in this series surprised me and turned out to be the mist fascinating book ive read in a while. The blurb gives you the impression that its a light hearted romcom. But for me it was a interesting take on society's unhealthy appetite with food and how it affects our relationships. Upon a cursory glance at much of the dialogue, the reader may only see distasteful characters who make judgments based on fat shaming. Look closer. Read closer. Its more than that. And you might turn the last page learning something about yourself that might be hard to face.

Author Goldberg centers in on Dana in this second book, friend and colleague to Sunny from the first book. School instructor Dana runs into a man who she doesn't know. Alex lost a lot of weight over the summer and he's become unrecognizable. Dana thinks he's cute, and they get Close while working together. They are both trying online dating, both having middling results. Dana is not super thin, but tries to watch her weight. She tends to have a problem binge eating when stressed (like us all, right?), to the point that she notes it on a blog. So when she's looking online, she loses her perspective.

"“Listen to this,” I said. “Hate me, but I just don’t do overweight. So, if you call yourself average—”"

"I launched into my first date with Michael, a wine tasting and picnic lunch. “Creative cooking. That was our passion, so we cooked together. He was a chunko, but he loved his Brussels sprouts oven-roasted.” Chunko. How sensitive. Mentioning the fat ex-husband when Alex had daily demons in that area. "

You might initially see this as crass, but I see it as a woman who insists on denying her own food insecurities. Don't look in the mirror if you don't want to see the truth. Dana notes everything "wrong" that others do when it comes to food. Even Alex notices the way Dana acts.

"Dana . The way she smoothed her blouse in an effort to hide inside it, tried to hold in her stomach. So she was a smidgen overweight, not even overweight, she was tall and endowed. And her walk was an unselfconscious glide. Inside his head a tiny seed of an idea floated. Maybe she’s afraid, like me, of losing control, too aware of her body, always planning what not to eat."

And lets talk about Alex. Thin for the first time, he's clueless on what he wants... Going more for what he THINKS he wants. He dates a vapid, beautiful young woman who doesn't challenge him. He still lives in a self conscious, overweight mindset, not recognizing that he deserves Dana.

"He clutched my hand. “You’re a beautiful woman , but I wasn’t on your radar until this year, even though you’ve known me for some time.”"

Then a shocking surprise comes to Alex's door, and Author Goldberg forces us readers to confront our bias.

"Such a tiny case for such a huge man. As soon as the thought wrote itself on the board that was his brain, he was ashamed. Judging his son’s body was like judging himself. We both deserve a break."

"“My son is fat . Obese. You met him.” In that moment , Alex’s face changed, as if he’d aged ten years. He looked worn down, beaten. “But that’s not the worst.” There was more? I wanted to say the right thing, but there was no right thing, and I couldn’t interrupt. “I’m embarrassed. Embarrassed to take him anywhere.” His face crumpled for a second, and my stomach clenched for him."

Author Goldberg has forced the reader to look in the mirror. Its easy for us to say, "I wouldn't act that way!" But is that really true? Or would you just think it, and say to yourself you're better than that person? As Alex and Dana face their fears and their own issues, they do learn some life lessons. And in turn, Author Goldberg gives us readers the insight of a lifetime. From dating advice: "Anyone who infatuates easily, outfatuates quicker." To being a decent Human being:" Gone was his deep conviction that losing all the weight awarded him a free pass to be spontaneous, worse, to make bad choices. " To living life to the fullest: "“Never leave home without your sense of humor,” Alex joked to his students."

I Was a bit puzzled by the fact that Dana's students called her "Miss.". Perhaps the author taught overseas and this is normal there? I do wish we got more about the binge eating blog, but it wasn't enough to affect my reading experience. I felt that Author Goldberg was fearless in her addressing issues that we all have, and how sometimes our fears affect our responses. And the end was so organic that I smiled to myself and threw away the cookies sitting next to me on the table. ...more

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Feb 02, 2021 Penny Riley rated it it was amazing

This story is touching it deals with life’s real issues. Eating disorders, dating after divorce and job insecurities. Alex is your fun quirky co -worker who after weight loss surgery is bombarded with all kinds of women’s attention. Flattered by this he embarks into the world of on line dating but each one is lacking . Dana is his co - worker right under his nose they enjoy each other’s company but after one amazing kiss he disappears. Frustrated by men’s inability to know what they want she dat ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Tammy Noell rated it it was amazing

Started very different and very interesting. Was a great book watched the relationship grow from the beginning. I fell in love with this book and didn’t want to stop reading. Watching Dana and Alex go from coworkers to a couple had it’s ups and downs. Every time I thought ok this is when it will happen nope it didn’t and I had to know why so couldn’t put it down.

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Jan 25, 2021 Kathleen A rated it really liked it

This was a very different book. However, it was a book that most of us can relate to, from strange relationship, obnoxious and unfair bosses, great friendships to finding out what we really need can be right in our “own backyards”! It reminds us once again we are stronger than we think and we can succeed!

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Jan 20, 2021 Merry Jelks-Emmanuel rated it it was amazing

Alex and Dana are serving up a healthy portion of love and mayhem. Dana is having all kinds of chaos effecting her life. Seeking help from BFF advice squad sets in to motion a journey that will set the stage for Alex and Dana’s emotions to come full circle but Alex has had to overcome a serious issue and is still coping. Will he be able to come clean with Dana and will she accept Alex for who he is? This story deals with a real topic eating disorders and how they effect ones life. I loved Alex c ...more

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Jan 17, 2021 Shirley Goldberg is currently reading it · (Review from the author)

When a tyrant in stilettos replaces her beloved boss, and her ex snags her coveted job, teacher Dana Narvana discovers there are worse things than getting dumped on Facebook. Even at her age. Time for the BFF advice squad, starting with Dana's staunchest ally, Alex. Hunky colleague, quipster, and cooking pal extraordinaire. But when the after hours smooching goes nowhere, she wonders why this grown man won't make up his mind.

Actor turned teacher Alex Bethany craves a family of his own and his n ...more

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About Shirley Goldberg

Shirley Goldberg

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Shirley Goldberg is a writer, novelist, and former ESL and French teacher who’s lived in Paris, Crete, and Casablanca. She writes about men and women of a certain age starting over.

Middle Ageish, ON SALE now for $.99 is the first book in her series Starting Over. Romantic women's fiction/rom com for women of a certain age. At last.

Shirley's friends like to guess which stories from the novel are ...more