Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched: A Novel

Skinny Bitch #2

by Kim Barnouin

In this second charming novel in the bestselling Skinny Bitch series surrounding the “clever and…mouth-watering story of a vegan chef with big dreams” (San Francisco Book Review), Clem Cooper juggles running her restaurant with planning the wedding to her carnivorous fiancé.For the second time in just a few short months, Clementine Cooper’s professional reputation hinges on one restaurant review. Clementine’s No Crap Café is poised to score the Holy Grail of publicity—a mention in the New York Times Sunday travel section—if Clem’s veggietastic lasagna can bowl over the food critic. Clem has no time for distractions. Or surprises. But when her meat-eating millionaire boyfriend Zach Jeffries shocks her with a sweet and romantic marriage proposal, of course she says yes! Now, she has to plan the most important menu of her life while fending off her domineering future mother-in-law’s extravagant plans for the wedding. As if there wasn’t enough on her plate, Clem decides to open a second restaurant on her parents’ farm—Clem’s No Crap Outpost—against Zach’s advice. Just when she needs his support the most, Zach grows distant. The only person who really seems to understand is Clem’s friend and biggest competition, the cute vegan chef Alexander Orr. Putting out fires in the kitchen is easy—but in her relationship? Suddenly, her time with Alexander feels…hotter…than usual, and Clem starts to wonder if the charming carnivore she’s engaged to is really the man she should spend her life with.

Genres: Fiction, Vegan, Romance, Chick Lit, Food

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Before she was a Skinny Bitch, Kim Barnouin was a high school drop-out turned model who only crossed paths with a vegetable on her pizza. Today she is the co-author of The New York Times Bestseller Skinny Bitch with its sequels Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven, Skinny Bitch: Just Bitchin and a line of fitness DVDs.

Born in Rhode Island and raised in Maryland, Kim felt she wasn’t ready for college and dropped out in the 11th grade. Soon after, Kim received her GED, brushed community college and switched gears to modeling. At the age of 22, Kim moved to South Beach where the waves of Miami left Kim feeling seriously lost. She modeled, waited tables to make ends meet and considered herself more of a helpless beach bum.

Kim questioned her unhappy and unhealthy self during those years. What changes could she make to her lifestyle? Instead of turning to booze or something else less attractive, Kim explored food. By eating better, Kim started to physically and mentally feel better. A lightbulb went off in her head – food heals.

As a kid, Kim used to spit veggies into her napkin. As a young adult, she couldn’t get enough of earth’s treats. It was during this transition that Kim became obsessed with nutrition. She got her hands on every book and enrolled in a Bachelor’s program in Natural Health. She wouldn’t stop there. This retired beach bum went on to receive a Master’s in Holistic Nutrition and is currently working on her PhD. Learning about how food affects and heals many diseases and illnesses was something she wanted to share with everyone.

Eager to spread her word to the masses, Kim worked with longtime friend and vegan Rory Freedman to write a book. Neither thought Skinny Bitch would be become such a hit let alone a New York Times bestseller for two years straight.

Kim Barnouin lives in Los Angeles with her husband Stephane and two year old son Jack.

Reviews

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Skinny Bitch (loved Skinny Bitch: A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous and also, Skinny Bitch in Love), was so excited about Kim’s latest Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched with more dishes, menus, plus more.

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched did not disappoint and exceeded my expectations - another winner! As usual, Kim knows Chick Lit and her humor, wit, and sass is totally awesome! As a faithful vegan foodie, myself (for years), cannot image eating all the crap some people eat – I do not want to even be around it. The vegan dishes were a huge draw for me, combined with drama surrounding restaurants, foods, weddings, and quirky family and friends.

From Kim’s last book, the saga continues with Clem after the reality show cook off, as she wins the capital for her new vegan restaurant – Clementine’s No Crap Café with her side kick Sara (who also gets engages to her boyfriend Joe).

Kim tackles the familiar, something old, something new, blue and vegan, as Clem’s No Crap Café is highly successful and riding on a restaurant review which can make or break her success.

When her meat-eating millionaire boyfriend Zach (cannot even image dating a non-vegan) surprises her with a marriage proposal she says yes, and begins making all sorts of wedding plans and encounters all the interference from not so welcome family members.

Then, Zach's eccentric old aunt gives Clementine the family earrings and a List of Important Things to Do before Getting Married. Of course, Clem and Sara are challenged to try them all.

During the middle of all the drama, Clem wants to open a second restaurant on her parent’s farm and of course Zach is not in favor of this move. As another vegan chef Alexander moves in to offer Clem support in the kitchen and out, as she begins questioning her relationship and future.

I loved the sexy LA setting, and strong fiery Clementine, always passionate full of love with food and her endless ideas. Of course, the eccentric aunt, wedding planner, and the evil mother in law, and friends were a riot. Full of drama and fun with wedding plans, as emotions run high.

Would recommend to anyone who loves Kim’s classy no-nonsense writing style. (I have purchased her books for many of my nieces and girlfriends). With her well rounded collection of books, she knows chick topics (from vegan cooking, dating, guys, career, goals, marriage, motherhood, being healthy, beauty, and styling)…and holds nothing back. I look forward to reading some of the vegan cookbooks I missed along the way!

http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/p...

A special thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for a complimentary advanced reading copy, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

[Jen (NerdifiedJen) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Several reviews I read say "this can be read as a stand-alone" even though it's a sequel to another novel. This is probably because the ENTIRE PLOT of the previous novel was recounted throughout this book. Whenever a character shows up, their entire story from the previous book is re-told here, in summation. Yeah, that's not really necessary in a sequel. What if JK Rowling had done that? Jeez, those books would be so long... I like it when authors trust me to remember what happens, or pick it up by context. In this case, I had re-read the first one in anticipation, so the recaps were especially annoying.

The vegan propagandizing in this book is just as hilarious as the first one. It's like I'm reading the original Skinny Bitch book. I do think the characters are interesting, however, despite the fact that these are food diatribes (like Skinny Bitch), thinly disguised as novels. Especially annoying, any time meat is mentioned she has to have an aside (ick)(gross)(ew) or refer to it as "bloody". Dude, I already agree, and I don't need to read that. Also, meat comes up A LOT because her fiancee is a cattle rancher who owns a steak house.

Clementine is perfect. She has self-esteem up the wazoo, she's a strict vegan, she is gorgeous, she works tirelessly, and every venture she attempts is a success. Other than being kind of a pain in the ass, she was WAY TOO WONDERFUL. I hate the terms "Mary Sue" or "Gary Stu" as I think they discount a lot about a writer's vision and imply that there are some sort of 'royal rules of writing' that apparently everyone who has read a fanfic is an expert in, but this blatantly self-inserted perfect version of Kim herself is so annoying. She could have at least made her hair a different color.

I actually liked the first book, but this one felt like the same plot, only less exciting.

[Ronna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book free from Firstreads. This is my honest review.

Clementine "Clem" Cooper is back again, this time with her new restaurant -Clementine's No Crap Cafe--up and running with great reviews. This is a vegan restaurant where all the food is luscious and also good for you, with no "crap" like sodas or fake foods. Her love life is also blossoming with her meat eating, restaurant owner, Zach. And friends and family are very important to Clem, even Zach's bossy Mom, though it isn't always easy to " like" them.

This book continues the story from SKINNY BITCH IN LOVE. Clem tells her own story with all the intrigue and laughter that anyone would want. Note: the language that bothered me a bit in the first book did not follow through in this one, which I'm thrilled about because I really enjoyed Clem's whorl wind life story. Her best friend and roommate has gotten onto a popular TV foodie show, with loving benefits. Zach's little sis wants to intern in Clementine's restaurant but she can't even handle a knife correctly. Zach wants to marry Clem, but can a vegan and a carnivore live happily ever after? And these are only some of the things Clem must deal with in her whirlwind life as the "Skinny Bitch" vegan.

I really enjoyed this quirky, somewhat different book choice for me. I will definitely look for more from Clem's life in future books. Though I'm not a vegan, the different dishes described in this book were very mouth watering and tempting sounding. Notice she has a couple of cook books too. Never though I'd be saying this, but I want to check them out now also!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched by Kim Barnouin, is the charming sequel to vegan romance novel Skinny Bitch In Love, and a further spinoff of the Skinny Bitch vegan cookbooks.


As a result of appearing on a reality-show cookoff toward the end of the first book, heroine Clementine has won the start-up capital for her new vegan eatery, Clementine's No-Crap Cafe, and her sidekick, Sara, the obligatory Fat Friend, has started dating the show's abrasive host. Sara has an underwhelming co-host role on her boyfriend's cook-off show, which at first seems like a step towards her dream of playing the sassy Fat Friend on a TV show, but is just another way poor Sara is settling.

Read the rest here (mild spoilers)

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second in the Skinny Bitch romance series about the attraction between a vegan and a carnivore.

This is an interesting fictional series that takes off from a series of books Barnouin has written on vegan diet and cooking.

My Take
This was cute with a pair of strong protagonists and a fun look at the frantic pace in the kitchen. Definitely tells me that I do not have a passion for cooking, although I do enjoy the tasting. Ya gotta know someone’s passionate when they go into the kitchen to cook/play on their days off!

I loved feeling as though I were there in the kitchen. The sound of the atmosphere at Clementine’s is so wonderful! I felt the frantic pace, smelled the mole, and inhaled the fragrance of sautéed garlic. I don’t understand why more kitchens can’t foster a work atmosphere like this. I love that Barnouin calls out the hypocrites like the woman who shudders at the thought of eggs in her pasta, but placidly adds cream to her coffee, lol. Nor does Barnouin like the expected wedding traditions — and she has great fun poking at them. And I love that Clementine tries to be polite but won’t roll over for anyone, no matter what Zach pleads. There’s never an excuse for such rudeness as that bitch mother of his throws around. I love that Clementine puts her foot down, so very politely, lol.

Never were two people so incredibly opposed to each other. As much as I can’t stand Dominique, it is fascinating---like watching a cobra sway---to watch the duel between these two.

I do like the title of her café. It reflects what she thinks of the food most of us are shoveling into our bodies. I must say, her recipes sound very yummy and almost tease me into wanting to cook vegan. Her dad is a sweetheart; I love it when he gets excited about how the sales from their farm are evolving — which sends Clementine off into her next venture!

A couple niggles... It started to fall apart for me with her obsession over that bloody ring box. She spins up this huge fantasy based on so little information that this starts to veer into the stupid trope. I thought Clementine was moving into Zach’s place, so why is she always showing up at her place? to fall apart for me with her obsession over that bloody ring box. She spins up this huge fantasy based on so little information that this starts to veer into the stupid trope. I thought Clementine was moving into Zach’s place, so why is she always showing up at her place?

Clementine really is a very decent person, giving Keira a job, putting up with her clumsiness and yet finding the benefits of having her around. I love that the experience helps Keira so much, that it and Clementine give her the courage to go after what she wants---in spite of her stepmother! Alanna, too, has her trials as does Gunnar with his daughter and his unrequited love.

I love it! Violet explains that her dad taught her how to make spaghetti and meatballs even though meat makes him gag…yup, that’s love all right…lol.

All women should read this for Aunt Jocelyn’s list of things she wanted to accomplish and be sure of before marriage. Hmmm, actually, men might want to read it as well, just replace the pronouns with their opposites *grin*.

I am finding out how out of touch I am as well when I read Barnouin’s dialogs. I begin to see how older people don’t keep up with current idioms and expletives…sigh… It’s an interesting state to be both in- and outside myself.

This is nice. Sweet. I love how down to earth Clementine’s parents are, and surprisingly, Zach’s dad as well. And yeah, as a marketing ploy, it has me curious about her Skinny Bitch cookbooks and diet books.

I gotta read Skinny Bitch in Love , 1, as I want to be there on Eat Me when she wins!

The Story
It’s that point in a happy relationship when one side begins to want more, and it’s a happy moment when Clementine says yes. At least it is until Dominique insists on planning the wedding.

Things only get more frantic when the New York Times calls about an article they want to write on this new fad for vegan cafés, and it’s Clementine’s No Crap Café versus Fresh, Clementine’s success or Alexander’s job.

Not one to restrict herself---or need sleep apparently---Clementine is struck with inspiration for a branch Clementine’s at her parents’ organic farm.

And Dominique insists on Clementine hiring Keira, with no experience, to work in her kitchen.

The Characters
Clementine Cooper loves to cook and loves to cook vegan. Elizabeth, an uptight lawyer, is her newly married older sister. Kale is her younger brother. Her dad is coping with Stage III cancer. He and their mother, Mayzie, run an organic farm. Willy and Pete are the family dogs. Sara Macintosh is her best friend and current roommate. Sara’s boyfriend, Joe “Steak” Johansson, is the obnoxious host of Eat Me with a black Lab named Meatloaf; Sara’s spirited responses on the show led to her being hired as co-host of the show. Ty is Clementine’s other best friend, the best vegan pastry chef, and currently working in Paris. Cousin Harry has also been Clementine’s friend forever, and she talked Zach into giving him a job. Nadia is his model girlfriend. Uncle Bob is a klutz and Aunt Lee is long-suffering, lol. Must be love there too.

Zach Jeffries, a carnivore and CEO of Jeffries Enterprises, has been her boyfriend for the past seven months. Charlie is Zach’s beagle. Avery is his fraternal twin. Gareth is their brother, and Jolie is their half-sister who’s getting married to Rufus, a musician, whom no one in the family likes. Dominique Jeffries Huffington is his nasty bitch of a mother. Kiera is Dominique’s stepdaughter. Cornelius Jeffries is Zach’s bajillionaire father; Lydia is his current fiancée in line to become wife number four. I adore Great-aunt Jocelyn; she’s got some good advice. She’s married to Uncle Frederick. Cousin Griff.

Clementine’s No Crap Café
Clementine’s is a vegan café that’s been successfully open for the past two months with Alanna McNeal as sous chef; Gunnar Fitch is the vegetable chef (Violet is his very angry daughter); Everett McMann is usually the line cook; Evan McMann, his twin; and, Matteo is “the smoking-hot Italian maître d’".

Alexander Orr is a friend and another vegan chef, except he works for Fresh, the restaurant that tossed Clementine. Gil Gilmore is one of Sara’s regrets. Martina Jones is the reporter from the New York Times.

The Cover
The cover is a bright blue three-tiered wedding cake topped with pink roses against a pastel pink background. The same pastel pink is the title in script on the wedding cake.

The title is quite accurate, for this Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched at the end.

[Connie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#2 in the Skinny Bitch series

Great foodie fiction/romance. I found this a very entertaining and quick read. Clem is a terrific main character, and we see the whole story through her eyes. She is strongly committed to her restaurant's success, being passionate about the vegan lifestyle. She's intelligent and strong. She's also opinionated, but she always tries to do the right thing. Although I felt sorry for her frustrations with the wedding planning, I enjoyed seeing her reactions and cheering along with her for her successes. It was amusing to see her interactions with her "wedding planner," aka her mother-in-lawzilla. And Keira, Zack's sister, was cute and fun and I liked her better than I thought I would when she joined the kitchen. Aunt Joclyn added some marriage wisdom after being married for 60+ years. Secondary characters of Sara (Clem's roommate) and Joe (her fiance), Alexander (the competition), and Harry (beloved cousin) added some conflict, keeping things interesting. The story moved forward quickly and kept my interest throughout. Very enjoyable and a wonderful surprise since this is a new-to-me author.

[Kate Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once in awhile I like to take a break from serious books and read one with an easy straight-ahead storyline that does not require any mental effort. This author delights readers with lively pacing and tongue-in-cheek humor, plus a rarity: a vegan protagonist. Our heroine, Clementine, is a vegan chef and owner of Clem's No-Crap Cafe. I learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant kitchen; I'm guessing the author must be drawing on her own experience here. Clem, in love with a meat-eating chef who owns a steakhouse, must deal with her doubts about whether to marry him, and struggles to get along with his control-freak mother and other quirky family members and friends. The story includes a plot surprise and a satisfying--if slightly implausible--ending. This was a fun choice from the co-author of the bestselling Skinny Bitch cookbook.

[N.A. Fedorak · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reads like a rip off of Meg Cabot's book series about Liz, except with more veganism, and at the end the woman discovers that her shitty boyfriend/fiance is somehow not shitty (despite his shitty behavior) and marries him, instead of the guy who she actually has things in common with/who support her and who doesn't have a crazy mother.

Also, the vegan preaching is annoyin, and the character's business decisions are bad.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the second book in the series, vegan Clementine gets engaged to carnivore Zach. Even though their cooking and eating styles differ greatly, they are madly in love. Zach pops the question and of course Clementine says yes. Problems start when Zach's mom-zilla decides to be the wedding planner. Lots of fun characters and events that add up to a good story.

[Brit Rosemeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many reasons I shouldn't have fallen for this book, and yet I did. I am shocked that I am giving it 4 stars. And I am shocked that I read this book in just one week! when normally, I take much, much longer to finish books.

** I did not read the first book, based on a few reviews who said it was unnecessary (and i agree).

[Margaret Shumaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun

I liked the first book better, but I'm not big on sequels. This is a fun, light read, perfect for a relaxed summer evening. I'm not a vegan but the food sounds so good. Unlike some reviewers, I don't find the author preachy.

[Trudy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love her style

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

**Was given an ARC by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Due to downloading difficulties, I was not able to read this book.

[Felicity M · Rating 5 out of 5]

great easy read. I havent read any others in the series but it was easy enough to follow along as they recapped quite a bit...

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review for books 1 & 2 in this series posted here: Happily Ever After - Reads

I’m combining my reviews for the 2 books in the Skinny Bitch series Skinny Bitch In Love & Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched. I feel like together, they read really as one book, more on that a little later, but first up, book #1.

Skinny Bitch In Love

Clementine is a vegan chef and believe me, you’ll get hit over the head with her vegan preaching many times during this story, so prepare yourself. Right off the bat, she gets sabotaged in a kitchen where she’s working, ends up being fired and blacklisted at all vegan restaurants in Los Angeles. Not one to let herself get down in the dumps for long, Clem figures out a way to start making money, leading a vegan cooking class out of her own kitchen and trying to save enough money to open up her own restaurant; which she hopes happens sooner rather than later. She has the perfect restaurant location all picked out until someone else comes along and moves in before she has enough funds. Much to her horror, the restaurant going into her perfect space is called The Silver Steer, and Clem about has a heart attack that her perfect vegan restaurant location is now home to a place where meat is front and center and the owner, Zach, is as gorgeous as they come. In a true opposites attract romance, Clem and Zach hit it off and start an unlikely relationship.

I found the romance between Zach and Clem to be the weakest part of the book. I can’t say I liked Zach all that much. He’s a great businessman but his attitude throughout much of the book was off-putting and some of the things he said to Clem were harsh and mean. He gave the excuse of “it’ll always be like this between us” which I guess meaning they’ll always be intense and argumentative, but I never felt a strong connection between them and it wasn’t a relationship that I was really into at any point of the story.

Oh the vegan theme…it got really preachy at times. The author really went overboard with the vegan theme having multiple characters at one point or another go on about how vegan is best and if you don’t eat vegan you’re just eating crap. And so on and so on. I found the constant vegan = best, anything else = not, to be excessive and it ended up just making me pissy to be honest, and craving a burger.

I did enjoy the play between Clem and her wide range of friends. The banter was fun, their personalities came alive during the friendship scenes and this was the highlight of the book for me.

I ended up liking Clem well enough. Her vegan preachiness aside, I did like seeing her go from being blacklisted in the restaurant industry after she was set up, to making a successful career for herself by doing what she loves to do and making it happen on her terms. But overall, I can’t say I was blown away with this story. There were some fun moments, but the romance was weak and there was way too much focus on all things vegan. But oddly enough, I find myself curious about what’s up next and I may give the sequel a shot, putting it on a short leash.

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched

Ok, so obviously I did give this one a shot and was pretty disappointed so it will be a fairly short review.

First up, there is way too much rehashing of book 1. Maybe the author wanted to be absolutely sure that if you didn’t read book 1, you’d know exactly what was going on in the sequel, but there was too much that was repeated and in great detail. On the plus side, the vegan theme seemed to be taken down a notch, thank God. Clem is still all about everything vegan, but it didn’t quite so in your face this time around.

My biggest annoyance came from Zach (shocker since I didn’t much care for him in the first book) and his overbearing mother. His relationship with his mom is a bit strained, she’s snooty and acts above everyone else, but after Zach and Clem get engaged, his mom takes over as the wedding planner. She wants to do everything her way, Clem basically wants to do the opposite but Zach is too passive about all this. He really just wants Clem to just accept everything his mom wants to do instead of sticking up for his fiancé and telling his mom to back off. It was a frustrating storyline and one that I had a hard time getting into.

One of my favorite parts of the first book was the interactions between Clem and her circle of friends. This doesn’t happen in Hitched that much and I missed it. Sure, Clem’s best friend Sara is around, but the friendships didn’t have as big an impact for me here as they did before.

Looking at the two books together, I wasn’t overly impressed with the stories. While each book had a few fun moments, and Clem was likable for the most part, there just wasn’t anything that drew me in but rather plenty of moments that had me shaking my head in frustration.

Rating:
Skinny Bitch In Love: C-
Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched: D

[Wheeler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sloppily and condescendingly written, “Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched” asks the reader to suspend the disbelief, not in aliens or artifacts or magic but rather, in how people act and how the world works.
Personally, I don’t understand the appeal of the “skinny bitch” moniker.
The “skinny bitch,” Clementine Cooper (Clem for short) is a vegan. And don’t forget it, because if you’re not a vegan, well, prepare to be preached at with flimsy arguments and pointless rhetoric.
So Clem, at an improbably young age, runs her own restaurant and is dating the millionaire-owner-chef of a steak house.
So, Barnouin (author) set up the tension for us in the structure. Lest ye be interested in people who make only moderate amounts of money, the aforementioned millionaire boyfriend is, well, a millionaire. Tapping into the shades of money without the sex, submission or anything even remotely fun.
The millionaire (who will propose to Clem, hence the title of the book) has a horrible, horrible mother whom he wants to reconcile with. He is, of course (please, start parading out the tropes so they may strut their stuff on the catwalk) blind to his own mother’s idiocy.
Clem is, of course, blind to her own family’s criminal malfeasances.
He (boyfriend-turned-fiance) is, of course, a terrible, nay, supremely horrendous communicator, willing to let his entire relationship crumble before him because he’s unwilling to talk.
And then, there’s the dumpy best friend, whom the “Skinny Bitch” shows her colors to.
Please, don’t doubt that Clem is a bitch, because she is, to her best friend.
She’s not a, “he’s-so-wrong-for-you bitch” but rather, a “I’m-better-than-you-you-fatass bitch.” Really unpleasant. Not snarky. Not acceptable. Not a misandristic bitch.
“Skinny Bitch” is not the equivalent of, say, Tucker Max. Not an asshole for good reason, or for humor. We do not love the skinny bitch for her bitchiness, who is not cognizant of the harm she’s doing to her own friends. No, just a regular, mean-hearted person who puts her best friend down.
Eventually, there’s a wedding and some reconciliation and some ridiculous restaurant idea and my favorite bit of idiocy: the linking of the rejection of an idea to the rejection of a person.
Skinny Bitch may think it’s acceptable to get down (just kidding, she’d never do that!) or, more properly, fully insult her best friend (who happens to be curvy) about the aforementioned curves and bad diet (and probably lack of exercise) leading to them. At the same time, she assumes her partner’s rejection, on entirely logical and empirical grounds, of a business idea is a rejection of herself.
She rejects her friend for being overweight, yet, finds fault with her partner for rejecting her business plan for being terrible, the assessment of terrible based on empirical evidence.
See the suspension of disbelief problem here? See the problem where it makes women out to be especially illogical, prone to emotion and false correlation? Where, had it been written by a male author, it’d probably be labeled as unrealistic and misogynistic?
I do.
The men make it out pretty easy. Basic slob/failed communicator/gentle soul stereotypes.
All in all, lots and lots of fluff bone out the 307 pages.
Unlike the skinny bitch herself, and her beautifully, constantly-put-down curvaceous best friend, Skinny Bitch gets Hitched needs to lose some weight.


This book was received, free of charge, from the Goodreads First Reads program.
All quotes are taken from an “advanced uncorrected proof” bound galley version of the book and may, or may not, reflect the final commercial edition.

[Vania Nunes · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book we find Clem dealing with a wedding. Not hers, but she was charged with making a beautiful cake in vegan style.
With every run of life, with her restaurant - No Crap Outpost - blaring so successful, she is thinking that would not have time for a wedding herself. Her relationship with the gorgeous Zach was going well, but they were both very committed to their careers as well.

But when the wedding day arrives, as she watches whole atmosphere, see so many people picking on her and Zach about them being the next couple, and how he would always escape it, she began to feel sad. Did not Zach plan to marry her someday? (Go figure out a woman's mind... )

After the party, they go out for walks and Zach manages to surprise her ... Yep! That's right. He proposed her.
That looks soooo cute!
She accepted, it begins the marathon of wedding preparation.
What Clem did not know is that Zach's mother decided to take up the task .
Could be two people more different? Well, when it comes to mother and daughter-in-law-to-be things can get even more confusing. And Dominique Jeffries Huffington began making her misdeeds.

The wedding would be in her grand lifestyle. when Clem wanted something more intimate, in her parents' farm , with a totally vegan menu.

Moreover, Clem has to face the war between Dominique and her stepdaughter, Keira, because she wishes to become a chef, and go to Paris to study in the best schools of that. Wanting to discourage her, Dominique asks Clem to let Keira works at her restaurant for a while, but just the opposite happens. Even being inept at first, Keira shown willing to learn and Clem encourages her. Family war!!!!

Clem still has to deal with the fact that her best friend Sarah is in love with a man who Clem doens't like at all.
And when she gets the idea to expand her restaurant by creating a branch in her parents' farm, Zach goes against the idea.

Wow ! Too much to handle, too much feelings to manage.
The wedding date gets closer, and for some reason, Zach is farther away, making room for Alexander, another vegan chef, reconnect Clem.
Does this wedding actually happens ?

It's good to revisit the characters that you liked. But I must say I did not like this book as I liked the previous one.
Zach and Clem still are cute together and the fact of their relationship taking that step forward was more than deserved. But his mother pissed me off.
A domineering, bossy and unhappy woman, which has money for a long time and thinks she is always right . Aff ! The scenes with her were the worst.

Meanwhile, seeing Zach increasingly away from Clem - which is only explained ahead - was making me nervous. Even me started to think he was cold feet about marriage proposal!

The pace is good.
There is connection to the characters, but only with the former known, and the cute Keira. Did I say I hated Zach's mother? LOL

3.5 stars

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc from Gallery books via Netgalley for an honest review!

Sequal to Skinny Bitch In Love, can be read as a Stand alone, but I do recommend reading "Skinny Bitch in Love" first.
Kim Barnouin brings back all of the characters you fell in love with in Skinny Bitch in Love and adds a few more to keep you on your toes along with Clementine.
Clementine Cooper is in Love with Zach Jefferies, hot CEO , multimillionaire , owner of a steakhouse and huge Carnivore, go figure a vegan falling for a carnivore, but is great he eats Clemantines vegan most of the time they are together and is extremely supportive of Clementine.
This book was a roller coaster of an emotional ride , starting with Clemantine accidentally finding an engagement ring in Zachs jacket and getting excited , to the emotional drop when she discovers Zach was only holding it for his cousin.. Dissapintments rides Clemantine harder than she expects; and begins questioning Zach's true feelings for her and she leaves the wedding they are attending Early. Zach follows Clemantine to the cafe after and actually propose with a different ring and all on the same night!
Riding this excitement high Clemantine is busy trying to prepare for a NY Times food critic review , and in typical fashion trying to hold her world together, best freind's engagement, Zach's sudden detachment, which has Clementine worried that he has had a change of heart . Zachs mother is trying to control all the wedding plans, his step sister Kiera is interning at Clemantine's No Crap Cafe and Clem's favorite cousin Harry unknown to her is the cause of some drama in Clem's life
In the midst of all the turmoil Clementine comes to appreciate the stable sources of advise she gets from Zach's Aunt Jocelyn. Jocelyn truly likes Clementine so much so , she sends her a pair of diamond studs to wear as something old and something borrowed along with a list of questions she should ask her self before she marries. This list becomes a bit of challenge for her and her BFF Sara, but even harder for Clem with the distance between her and Zach!
For Clementine her Father and her freind Alexander serve as a sounding board also, but Alexander also becomes a bit of a temptation in Zach's abscence.
Incredible emotional roller coaster ride , so much so you do wonder if her and Zach will survive, I am lucky to have finished the book with some nails still left on my hands!
Would not have missed one single big of it! I did not want to put the book down.

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be warned! You are about to read the review of a diehard Skinny Bitch fan! The first book in this series was published last June, and I read it in one day. This book took me a little longer because I am planning my own wedding, but it was equally as good. I devoured both of them and I cannot wait for more from Kim Barnouin. Both of these books follow Clementine Cooper, a vegan chef, on her journey to become one of the greatest chefs around. She stumbles across quite a few speed bumps on the way, but ultimately becomes a success. In the second book, the one in which I am reviewing, she has finally achieved her dream of owning her own restaurant and thinks she has life pretty much figured out. She is dating the perfect guy, but what she doesn’t expect is a big, fat marriage proposal. After that everything else is sent spiraling out of control!

Clementine Cooper will forever be my best friend. The girl has gained my utmost respect and support since the very first page of the first novel. She works overtime in order to achieve all that she has. I am in no way a vegan, but Clem makes me want to be. She is a very passionate character and puts her goals and ambitions first. Her parents are also a very important part of her life and some of my favorite parts are when she is on her father’s farm or is reminiscing about how she grew up and her parent’s way of life. I love following her and especially hearing about all the meals she prepares in her kitchen, which is of course her happy place!

Clementine’s life spiraled a little out of control in this book, but it was something I could definitely relate with because I am planning my own wedding as well. Clementine has to brave her mother-in-law through the wedding planning process and I was so entertained by these particular parts because she was not the nicest character around. Clementine did such a better job than I would have done if someone tried to take over the planning of my wedding. The book is well-written and well-paced and adds a few interesting twists that I definitely did not see coming at all.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review***

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally loved this second installment. It had all the snarkiness from Clementine's inner monolgue and the right amount of tensions. The new characters were well written. The story line was perfect. Loved every minute of this fun, fabulous read.


I was so happy to be able to spend time with these characters again. Clementine is a great character with a lot of spunk. Her inner monologue and quick wit is what keeps me coming back for more.

In this, second book, Clementine and Zach's relationship is moving forward. It's interesting to see two people with different views on food get along so well. She's a vegan and he's a carnivore. I believe she has won him over with her yummy recipes but he still can chow down on some meat. They have love and respect for each other and that makes a perfect relationship. However, that doesn't mean it is all paradise.

What would be the fun of reading about these two if there wasn't some kind of test to the relationship? Their tests come in the form of Zach's mother, stepsister, and Clementine's cousin. There are some misunderstandings, secrets, and a little give and take that make this story move forward.

This story was just as great as the first one. All the things I loved about the writing was still there. Clementine was still feisty, snarky, and loveable. It is her point of view so we always know what she is thinking. She had doubts at times, but her confidence really never wavered. I felt Zach was just as hot as before, but he was a little closed off and I didn't get to enjoy him as much. I just wish I knew what he was thinking at times. His withdrawal from Clem had me worried for a bit. With Clem's new restaurant there were new people to get to know. Her kitchen staff were great. New and old characters to love.

This is simply a story of what comes next once you get the one you love. The obvious next step is marriage. However, that road can be sometimes bumpy and seeing how Clem and Zach handle it all makes this story worth reading.

[Marilyn Rondeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clementine Cooper is a owner, and executive chef of Clementine’s No Crap Cafe, a newly opened complete VEGAN epicurean delight. Clementine’s boyfriend Zach Jeffries (her very significant other) is the meat-eating millionaire businessman entrepreneur and owner of the Silver Steer - a high end steak house. Unusual enough that they come from different ends of the spectrum in the food department, but after Zach pops the question Clem thinks her life is about to morph into fantastic.

However, Clem decides she wants to open another restaurant - only Zach thinks it’s a very bad idea. Between the soon to be monster-in-law and the her suddenly unapproachable, seemingly troubled fiancé Clem is wondering if this marriage will ever take place, or was it just a pipe dream that will never come true?

*** Okay - this is my first Skinny Bitch book and I must admit it was an eye opener. Not only did I enjoy the very crisp and fresh writing, and a perfect blend of sexiness, fun, and romance. As a bonus, I was totally intrigued with the description of vegan recipes, ingredients and preparation. Being a meat-eater myself after reading about some of the dishes prepared, I am quite tempted to find myself a vegan restaurant and try it out! [Yes, I could get a Cookbook, would let someone else do the cooking for experimenting. LOL]

There were some twist which I found surprising including Clem’s best friend Sara’s boyfriend whom I was not initially a fan of and I was sure that Zach’s step sister was a plant to destroy Clem’s chances with the NY Times Travel section of a great review that would put her on the map. Initially I didn’t understand the significance of her No Crap restaurant name - finally, I got it!! Only healthy ingredients - no crap! Duh - it does take me a moment!

Bottom line: All the characters, main and secondary were significant and held strong places in the telling of story and plot. Pace was fast and for a new author it was for me a great read I highly recommend!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

[Elle Markov · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is told from the point of Clementine (Clem) Cooper aka Skinny Bitch, a hardcore vegan [yuck, give me a thick sirloin or some ribs any day], just got engaged to her boyfriend Zach, a meat eater [a normal person, dude owns a steakhouse and huge company]; between dealing with her new restaurant 'Clementines's No Crap Cafe', her soon to be mother in-law from hell, and a best friend getting engaged to a somewhat jerk she's got a lot on her plate.

Things get really crazy when Dominique her soon to be mother in-law starts planning the wedding and you can just imagine how things go. Clem is a say it how it is kind of girl and her Dominique is very posh, so things don't always jive.

Then her friend Sara gets engaged to a loud mouth jerk, who surprisingly as the book progresses Clem learns the guy truly loves Sara, even if he has a very crazy weird way of expressing it [he constantly embarrasses her].

In the story Clem also gets a list of things to check-off before she gets married by Zach's aunt, Jocelyn. In the list, there are series of things she has to be sure of before she decides to get married. My favorite one was the 'if you plan to change him, return the ring'; there is also one where you ask your partner to list the reason's they love you [this is where Sara's beau really proves himself] and to save the list.

Anyway, things get really strained with Clem and Zach; Clem feels that Zach is pulling away and at the same time we don't really know what's eating Zach until way later in the book [guys really need to learn to say what's up not just bottle it in, girl's aren't mind readers], but the good thing is we eventually get out happy ever after and it was an enjoyable read. Plus I loved that Clem had the little devil / angel on the shoulder, that was good.

Rating 4 out of 5
Read@Book

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clementine is busier than ever with her restaurant, Clementine’s No Crap Café. Business is booming and the restaurant is an overall success. She has been so busy focusing on her career that it catches her off guard when her boyfriend, Zach, proposes. Not quite sure how she’s going to juggle her career and planning a wedding, her soon to be mother in law decides to step in and take over the reins. Although Clementine is willing to hand over some control to Dominique, Dominique isn’t good at compromise. She has a vision for this wedding. And, the more over-the-top, the better. However, Clem envisioned her wedding day taking place at her family’s farm, knowing the backdrop would be perfect and would make her father, who’s dying of cancer, happy in his final days. She can handle Dominique and her demanding ways. What troubles Clem is how distant Zach has become. Especially during this time when she needs the support and encouragement as she’s trying to land a coveted spot in the New York Times Sunday travel section. He even shoots down her idea of opening a second restaurant, Clem’s No Crap Outpost, on her family’s farm. Confused by his actions, she starts to question if Zach is really the man for her. Clementine doesn’t tolerate crap in her food, will she put up with it in her relationship?

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched is the second book in author, Kim Barnouin’s novel series. Known for her Skinny Bitch books and cookbooks, the author incorporates her vegan lifestyle into these novels. However, you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy these books. With the perfect combination of vegan and carnivore, snarky and sweet, this book is for anyone who loves a great story, realistic characters mixed in with some yummy food. Once again, Kim whips up the perfect treat for her readers.

[Chris Torretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of the Skinny Bitch books from the first, The Skinny Bitch Cookbook. Skinny Bitch in Love was a fabulous start to getting to know the world of vegans in a world where eating animals is a normal thing. Somehow Kim Barnouin is able to tell a story without me feeling like this is a bunch of rhetoric being shoved down my throat. She always have some great info about veganism and how being on that kind of diet can be fabulous for you and makes the food sound wonderful!

And although these books due surround food, they are mostly about characters. Clementine Cooper is just fabulous. I love her even when she’s doing something that I don’t like. Although in this book it’s mainly about what Zach is doing, or in this case, NOT doing. The tension is high and it’s not a good tension. Kim Barnouin actually had me worried so much that quite a few times I caught myself chewing on my nails!

Clem is facing some important gal themes and I loved every minute of them. It’s funny how some girls always want that ultimate wedding and then others secretly do but say they don’t, and then some just want to elope! The theme is there though, this is all about weddings and how Clem and her friends feel about them and of course the ups and downs of planning a wedding and meeting the new fam!

Funnily enough I laughed through quite a bit of the drama, and then cried through some of it. I mean seriously, Kim knows how to bring out the emotions, the full spectrum of them! You don’t HAVE to read the first to get a good feeling for the characters but if you want the background, I definitely recommend them. And if you’re like me and curious about being a vegan or even a vegitarien, do yourself a favor and go grab the Skinny Bitch Diet cookbook!

[Addictive Passions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following in the footsteps of Skinny Bitch in Love comes Skinny Bitch gets Hitched, after all what comes after love? The ever popular author of the Skinny Bitch cookbooks has come out writing romance!

And it’s hilarious. Seriously. I couldn’t stop laughing. Mostly from the secondary characters. Isn’t that always the case though? And why am I talking in fragments?

Now, I can’t remember everything about this book because I was supposed to write this review like a hundred years ago and that’s when I read the book.

And a hundred years in book blogging years in relation to reading and then reviewing is like a couple months. At least it is for me, and probably the authors who are counting on me to write a review.

Sorry Kim. Err, Mrs. Barnouin.

Yes, I realize I’m wasting space. But really all I can remember about the book is that Clementine owns a vegan café and her fiancé Zach owns a steakhouse. Zach has a zany younger sister, who becomes Clem’s annoying protégée, but time heals everything and they end up becoming good friends and even sisters in the end. And Zach’s mother is haughty, but comes down a peg or two towards the end of the book. There is strife between Zach and Clem because like a woman she thinks Zach’s distance means he’s having an affair, there is a little heat between Clem and her sous chef, but it was so insignificant I don’t remember it.

But, trust me when I say you should pick this particular title up pronto. You will fall in love with The No Crap Café and all the characters involved.

I haven’t read the first book in this series, Skinny Bitch in Love. It was a bummer jumping into the middle of a romance, but I don’t think I would want to go backwards in a series anyway.

[Preet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Skinny Bitch in Love the prequel, on a whim when it first came out. I happened to see the book in my local bookstore, read the blurb, and bought it. I ended up giving that book 5 stars. So when I saw there was going to be a sequel, I squealed and did a happy dance. I was so happy to know I'd be seeing Clem, Zach, Alexander, and the rest of the gang again, all while wondering what was going to happen once I started reading.

With Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched, Kim Barnouin gave readers what we loved in regards to our favorite characters and food, and so much more. There were new people we were introduced to. I was skeptical about Zach's mom, his step-sister and their intentions, but they turned out to be alright. I love how the story was a mix of old and new, but still really fresh.

I thought I'd read a chapter before going to bed around midnight, but the book hooked me, and next thing I knew it was 3:30 in the morning and I was finishing the book. I love that I got to spend time with Clem, Zach, Sara, Joe, and even Alexander. I was shocked when I found out why Zach was not being himself. I didn't see that coming at all! It also threw me for a loop. How often do we tend to think people are the same way they were when we first met them?

I'm really hoping this isn't the end of the line for Zach and Clem. I love reading about their escapades and the food always makes my mouth water. I love laughing with them, experiencing their joys and sorrows, and just being in their world. Kim Barnouin has written another great book. She makes me want to become vegan, even though I'm still struggling to become completely vegetarian.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vegan chef Clementine Cooper thought the biggest hurdle in her relationship with steak house owner Zach Jeffries would be their differences in food opinions. Turns out that now that they are engaged and ready to set a date, she has bigger hurdles.

Zach has turned inward. Something is bothering him, but she can't put her finger on what it is and he isn't talking, in fact, he seems to be turning away from him. Then there is the problem of his mother who insists on planning the wedding--make that taking it over. Then Clementine finds herself in the middle of a family dispute that involves Zach's young stepsister which doesn't make for a happy mother-in-law to be.

On top of that stress, Clementine is determined to start a new restaurant on her family's farm. She plans to make her father, her mentor, the head chef. Fighting cancer, it is maybe the one thing that he could focus on. Problem is, Zach isn't exactly encouraging her to follow her dream.

Clementine once again decides to stand up for herself and for her dreams. She knows what she can accomplish, and sure, it will take long hours, much planning, and even more hard work, but she has never been one to back off or to back down. She will do this with or without (hopefully with) Zack.

I just really like Clementine. She is strong, but knows when to back off and when to keep going. She has a passion but she is also in love. She doesn't want one to overshadow the other. She keeps a clear head and she remains calm. She is a devoted best friend, daughter, and chef. She is someone I would like to have on my own friends list. Oh! And she can make some tasty sounding food...even if it is vegan.

[Fluff Smut & Murder · Rating 4 out of 5]

VEGAN FLUFF!! Seriously, after reading Inside the O'Briens, I needed something light, fluffy, and mindless - kind of cotton candy for my reading mind. This book, albeit predictable, is the 2014 sequel to Skinny Bitch in Love by Kim Barnouin. SBGH is a continuation of SBIL with Clementine & Zach progressing in their relationship(can't you get that from the title alone?).

What I Loved: It had some quirky plot twists that I didn't see coming but I would have liked a little more background/exploration of instead of the brief glossing over that some of the supporting roles received. The main characters are pretty full of life and description and do seem "real". Some of the vegan food that Clementine creates sound pretty good to a carnivore like me and if Clementine's No Crap Cafe existed where I live, I would give it a try.

What I Didn't Love: Even though this is a true "Fluff" book, the pace within the story is reminiscent of a 30 minute sitcom. Everything was wrapped up neatly in a shiny, red bow at the end of the story. I didn't see a lot of personal growth from the main characters but more growth in the supporting cast. And in the end, everyone gets exactly what they wanted - but isn't that what Fluff is about?

What I Learned: I would have loved to have a "wedding" checklist like the one that Clementine receives from Zach's Aunt Jocelyn before I married my love. Although I would have answered all the questions the same and still married him, it would have been great to think about those questions before the big day.

Overall Grade: B

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read the first book and really liked it and I could not wait to see where Clementine's adventures would take her next. As the title already suggests, this book is about her getting engaged, and this wouldn't be a romantic comedy if it did not follow the usual pattern of They are in love - they fight - they get back together. But that's ok, this book is an easy breezy weekend read, and I did enjoy it very much. I love reading about Clementine's vegan dishes (gosh, I wish they would add the recipes to the book!) and her cast of friends are also very likable. An interesting addition is her fiancé's stepsister, who wants to work in Clementine's kitchen and gives every impression of being a spoiled brat, but turns out to have her own ideas and goals. I like that Clementine's ambitious and not afraid to follow her dream, but at the same time she remains likable and human. She treats her employees nicely (seems like there are some chefs or are mean), and she tries to remain friends with sous chef Alexander who she is competing with fro an important article in the NY Times. Just like in the last book, winning the competition is an important part of Clementine's story, and once again she does not disappoint.
If you want to spend a nice weekend with a feel good book and interesting details about vegan cooking and a wholesome lifestyle that is never preachy, you will enjoy this book. I hope there will be more!

Copy proved through NetGalley.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched by author Kim Barnouin fun yet classy read. Humorous and a good page turner. It was an overall charming it was hard for me to get into but I did enjoy the read.

Clementine Cooper who is a Vegan chef and restaurant owner. I loved the characters Clementine has a wonderful relationship with her staff, family and friends. They all seemed to be believable characters. I did feel Clem was a little on the flighty side and I do like them to be more of a stand on your feet kind of person which she was but wasn’t. For me Clem just seems to act younger they she was. Clem opened her restaurant with her winnings from the food competition show Eat Me from the first book, which I have not read. Dating and falling in love with Zach Jefferies who happens to own a Steak restaurant they are engaged to be married I did like the engagement with her thinking he was going to ask and then didn’t but they did lol. His estranged mom who he is trying to re build a relationship with wants to plan their wedding... Could be a huge problem but love always wins.

This was a cute read but did not hold my interest. I know there are others who will just love the book, for me it just didn't do it. I just could not get over Clem being so flighty. If you are looking for a humors read give it a try, just because I didn't love it doesn't mean you will not.