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Remember to Check Your Ears For Guacamole
Natalie has never quite fit. And it isn’t because she’s tall. Making friends when you’re the weird, nerdy girl is tough. Dating? Forget it. Add in an impulsive cross-country move, a family tragedy, and a complicated love triangle, and you have absolute chaos. Luckily, for Natalie, her new friends at the restaurant where she works in Philadelphia are nothing like the people she grew up with in Phoenix....Set in 2003, Remember to Check Your Ears For Guacamole is a story about finding yourself in the most unlikely places. Full of Gen-X nostalgia, relatable characters, sarcasm and humor, this book is a unique blend of modern fiction, prose poetry and childhood memoir.
425 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2024
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Emily Moore
138 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Emily Moore, RND
Emily Moore, RND
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 6, 2024
I’m not going to spoil anything, but I will say this: It’s not often I finish a book with a satisfied smile on my face, but Emily Moore pulls all the right strings in her debut novel.
Twenty-two-year-old Natalie is looking for a fresh start when she moves across the country from Phoenix to Philadelphia. There, she finds a waitressing job at ‘The Dirty Martini,’ a welcoming little hometown bar that serves as ‘home base’ for the story about a staff of tight friends and familiar regular patrons. Before long, Natalie finds herself plugged into the Martini’s social pipeline, and that’s when things get interesting…
The novel flew by as Moore explored relationships between friends and lovers, heart-wrenching backstories, and a love triangle that had me screaming at all three involved (for different reasons). But when the dust settled, my heart was warm. It’s the kind of book that makes you wonder “What’s next?” for all the characters, even the ones the author wants you to dislike.
“Remember to Check Your Ears for Guacamole” features well-rounded characters that feel like real, imperfect people. Moore uses third-person omniscient extremely effectively as she hops heads between the three main characters in this romantic, emotionally charged – and sometimes very spicy – love triangle. The author makes you say, “What the hell are you doing?” to each character as much as she makes you root for them, and every time you think you know where she’s going with this, she forks off in a surprising direction as a character does or says something you didn’t quite expect.
Natalie, despite the head-hopping, is clearly the main protagonist as we are privy to her personal journey the most. Whatever you do, DON’T skip Natalie’s journal entries. That’s where you will find the heart and backbone of the story as well as some of the author’s most memorable writing. Moore is masterful at interiority, whether it’s from the perspective of a young waitress with a painfully tragic family history, a young, troubled man recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship, or a slightly older young man with endless resources, a jealous streak, and a questionable approach to relationships and love. At minimum, even if you don’t like or agree with what each character does or says, you will understand why they do them or say them. And as a reader, you can’t ask for anything more.
Oh, and don’t let the unusual title scare you away. Because once you find out what it means, it adds even more depth and heart to this wonderful story. So just embrace it—embrace all of it—and you’ll wind up with a warm heart and a satisfied smile, too.
Twenty-two-year-old Natalie is looking for a fresh start when she moves across the country from Phoenix to Philadelphia. There, she finds a waitressing job at ‘The Dirty Martini,’ a welcoming little hometown bar that serves as ‘home base’ for the story about a staff of tight friends and familiar regular patrons. Before long, Natalie finds herself plugged into the Martini’s social pipeline, and that’s when things get interesting…
The novel flew by as Moore explored relationships between friends and lovers, heart-wrenching backstories, and a love triangle that had me screaming at all three involved (for different reasons). But when the dust settled, my heart was warm. It’s the kind of book that makes you wonder “What’s next?” for all the characters, even the ones the author wants you to dislike.
“Remember to Check Your Ears for Guacamole” features well-rounded characters that feel like real, imperfect people. Moore uses third-person omniscient extremely effectively as she hops heads between the three main characters in this romantic, emotionally charged – and sometimes very spicy – love triangle. The author makes you say, “What the hell are you doing?” to each character as much as she makes you root for them, and every time you think you know where she’s going with this, she forks off in a surprising direction as a character does or says something you didn’t quite expect.
Natalie, despite the head-hopping, is clearly the main protagonist as we are privy to her personal journey the most. Whatever you do, DON’T skip Natalie’s journal entries. That’s where you will find the heart and backbone of the story as well as some of the author’s most memorable writing. Moore is masterful at interiority, whether it’s from the perspective of a young waitress with a painfully tragic family history, a young, troubled man recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship, or a slightly older young man with endless resources, a jealous streak, and a questionable approach to relationships and love. At minimum, even if you don’t like or agree with what each character does or says, you will understand why they do them or say them. And as a reader, you can’t ask for anything more.
Oh, and don’t let the unusual title scare you away. Because once you find out what it means, it adds even more depth and heart to this wonderful story. So just embrace it—embrace all of it—and you’ll wind up with a warm heart and a satisfied smile, too.
June 2, 2024
From the moment I picked up the book, I had a hard time putting it down. You find yourself immersed in Natalie's world. You feel how she is feeling, you can smell the streets of South Philly around her, you ache when her heart is torn - you feel like you've been her! Each character is brought to life with each word penned by Moore. It's exciting, heart warming and heart breaking all in the same sentence- reminds you of your wild and crazy days. This needs to be made into a movie ASAP! Can't wait to read more by Emily Moore!
November 18, 2025
Natalie is quirky and relatable. The love triangle is so fun to read about. I enjoyed the torn emotions and her trials through young adult life. I also love that the book is based on the author's life in some aspects through flashbacks to her childhood. I'm from Arizona and even though I'm not born in the same generation as the protagonist, I related and was able to discover new music through their eyes. I really loved learning about new music since I am such a fan.
May 27, 2024
After reading this book, I would never guess it was the authors first published work. Absolutely brilliant character building and a well weaved story of love, heartache, and life. I highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews