Blue Plate Special: A Novel of Love, Loss, and Food

by Frances Norris

Thirty-three-year-old Julia Daniel doesn't really feel at home anywhere. Her life in L.A. is lonely, and her career as a food stylist for a struggling gourmet magazine falls well short of her desire to be a photographer. Although she liked growing up in Kentucky, ever since her mother's death and her father's remarriage, her birthplace hasn't felt like the right fit either. After the tragic deaths of her father and stepmother in a plane crash, Julia's true odyssey begins. Orphaned and adrift, she tries to find her way in the world while fending off a crazy boss, a pilfering stepsister, and a looming depression.

Though shored up by two good friends and an excellent psychologist who helps her work through her grief, it is an unexpected-and comically disastrous-trip to Sedona for the magazine that finally enables Julia to move forward. Returning to L.A., she searches for the strength to strike out on her own, take a chance on love, and seek a tentative peace with her wayward stepsister.

Both humorous and heartbreaking, Blue Plate Special serves up an uplifting exploration of the courage it takes to embrace life after loss.

Genres: Fiction, Food

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Rogue Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, so I picked up this book as a fast introduction to food styling and food photography. Holy mackeral, what an introduction. The protag, Julia Daniel, hates her job at a big-time LA foodie magazine, where she is a food stylist - food photography producer. The tricks of the trade are distasteful and deceptive, definitely something to understand and to avoid.

Really she wants to work as a photographer, and when life takes her back to her home town in Kentucky, I expected that she'd tranform herself. In my mind, she'd inherit a diner, craft wonderful meals, get discovered for her photography and fall in love.

Well I got one right - the fall in love part - and that happened in LA. Other stuff happens too.

--Ashland Mystery

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was torn on what to rate this one. Overall the story line was decent and there were chapters I really liked. However the story moved so slowly that it got boring in spots. I was also always waiting for the exciting climax, but I felt like this book didn't really have one. It all seemed fairly one-note. I'd probably rate it a 2 1/2 stars if halves were allowed.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a huge fan I have to say. I wasn't completely drawn into the story and it just seemed to drag. From the back cover I thought it would be a bit more exciting but really it was just depressing. The climax came way to late and by then I just wanted it to end.

[Sheree Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book. I liked that it was in Kentucky, but the author used some pretty bad descriptions of Kentucky. The main character had moments when I liked her and moments when she was to whiny.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully gripping but sad novel.

[Diane Staggs · Rating 1 out of 5]

not for me.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot, its main themes being food and photography, both of which I love, and relationships, which fascinate me. It was a $1.99 purchase for my Kindle from Book Bub, and I was not disappointed.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half stars.

Story of an only child who loses her remaining parent in a plane crash. She now has to deal with her step sister's greed, loss of both parents, a job she hates in L.A. and no boyfriends, no love life........

This is the story of her fight out of her depression via a good therapist who leads to her a new way of looking at life, a new apartment and finally a new job and a new boyfriend.

I enjoyed the writing and the descriptions of both Kentucky and L.A. as I've never been to either place.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but somewhat self-indulgent novel about Julia Daniel, a 30something professional "food stylist" who works for a wanna-be gourmet magazine while pining to seek her own artistic ambitions as a photographer. The writer does a good job of contrasting her current life in LA with life in her Kentucky hometown--actually, I enjoyed the KY scenes more than that LA ones.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if the ending was worth the $1.20 library fee...

The last of my library finds from August vacation - only a few more days before it is due. Hope I can finish in time to avoid the 10-cent library fee.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story.

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected.