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Off Menu
Heartburn meets Bridget Jones’s Diary, a wickedly funny, fast-paced, clever, and fresh novel that caters to our insatiable appetite for food and romance. Hilarity and heartbreak are dished out in equal measure.
Twenty-something Ruthie Cohen, a data entry minion for a second-tier movie app, spends her days thinking about the kickass meals she’s going to make for her besties, Trish and Lilly, while pining for Dean (sigh, Dean), her vacation fling from six months earlier. Could they have made it work in real life?
On top of that, Bubbe Bobby Grace, Ruthie’s beloved and inspiring grandmother, passed away and left Ruthie an inheritance of $62,873, along with instructions on how to use it: “Follow your passion, Dollface.” During a prosecco-fueled night with her gal pals, Ruthie decides to turn her passion into a career and learn the art of French cooking, enrolling in culinary school, paying tuition, and buying her chef’s whites with a few quick clicks online. It’s not long before Ruthie marches into the kitchen and feels the heat from her cooking partner, Jeff, the super hunky (totally taken!) musician that weasels his way into her brain — right next to Dean.
How can anyone be expected to focus on school, cooking, career planning, baking, friends, and deciding between two hot guys, especially when one of them also thinks that John Cusack is woefully underrated? And what if neither feels quite like Ruthie’s perfect pairing?
Twenty-something Ruthie Cohen, a data entry minion for a second-tier movie app, spends her days thinking about the kickass meals she’s going to make for her besties, Trish and Lilly, while pining for Dean (sigh, Dean), her vacation fling from six months earlier. Could they have made it work in real life?
On top of that, Bubbe Bobby Grace, Ruthie’s beloved and inspiring grandmother, passed away and left Ruthie an inheritance of $62,873, along with instructions on how to use it: “Follow your passion, Dollface.” During a prosecco-fueled night with her gal pals, Ruthie decides to turn her passion into a career and learn the art of French cooking, enrolling in culinary school, paying tuition, and buying her chef’s whites with a few quick clicks online. It’s not long before Ruthie marches into the kitchen and feels the heat from her cooking partner, Jeff, the super hunky (totally taken!) musician that weasels his way into her brain — right next to Dean.
How can anyone be expected to focus on school, cooking, career planning, baking, friends, and deciding between two hot guys, especially when one of them also thinks that John Cusack is woefully underrated? And what if neither feels quite like Ruthie’s perfect pairing?
248 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2025
28 people are currently reading
6738 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 1, 2025
I was super excited to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley (thank you!), and I was not disappointed. This book came at the perfect time after reading books with heavier subject matter. Ruthie made for a great character and I enjoyed the diary entries (I’m a DAY ONE fan of Bridget Jones’ Diary). That format gave the story a more personalized feel, and I felt like I was catching up with a girlfriend over drinks.
The romance aspect was solid and I liked both love interests, but it was her journey of self-discovery that really took center stage for me. I do wish that the relationship with Dean was explored a little more in the beginning of the book- I think this would have helped the reader have a better understanding as to why this guy was so unforgettable for Ruthie and distinguish him from just a random, summer fling.
Overall, this was a fun read. This book is for anyone looking for a fast-paced romance full of funny side characters and lots of yummy food! It would be a great beach read. I would give it 3.5 stars, but will round up for all the free life lessons from Bubbe Bobby Grace.
The romance aspect was solid and I liked both love interests, but it was her journey of self-discovery that really took center stage for me. I do wish that the relationship with Dean was explored a little more in the beginning of the book- I think this would have helped the reader have a better understanding as to why this guy was so unforgettable for Ruthie and distinguish him from just a random, summer fling.
Overall, this was a fun read. This book is for anyone looking for a fast-paced romance full of funny side characters and lots of yummy food! It would be a great beach read. I would give it 3.5 stars, but will round up for all the free life lessons from Bubbe Bobby Grace.
January 20, 2025
I absolutely loved the cover of this book that is displayed on Netgalley. It displays colorful food, lipstick, friends/family, and alcoholic beverages which is a recipe for fun! I enjoyed all of the bits about culinary and all of the fun things she baked. I did however have a few things that I disliked about this book.
Ruthie is the main character who doesn't seem to know what she wants to do in life. Her grandmother passes away and leaves her $62k behind. Ruthie decides that she wants to enroll in culinary school since she has always had a passion for cooking. She meets a classmate named Jeff and they instantly hit things off as culinary partners and potentially more. Ruthie learns shortly after meeting Jeff that he is taken. Does that stop them? Nope. That is one of the biggest issues I had with this book. I really don't enjoy reading about cheating or flirting with someone when they are already taken. While Jeff's definition of cheating is only sex, Ruthie doesn't seem to have any morals as she is head over heels for Jeff and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
Jeff does break up with his girlfriend and chooses Ruthie in the end and they have some spicy moments together. As Ruthie finishes making some cakes for a competition, Jeff realizes that a jar of his special white powder has gone missing and he panics. Jeff explains to Ruthie that he has a drug problem and has relapsed and that she has unknowingly made icing with cocaine. This felt so left field and just such a huge red flag that she should have dropped him there. However, she continues to be desperate and wants him so badly that she says they should stay together while he goes to rehab. Jeff makes a rule that he is allowed to write letters to her, but that she can't respond. Ruthie is fine with that until she realizes that Jeff has also managed to steal $30,000 from her bank account. She can't seem to get the money back because she accidentally told him her password to her bank account while she was drunk. With a password like Snickers, her favorite candy bar, I almost felt like she deserved that life lesson. With all these red flags, her family still gaslights her into thinking that maybe they are meant to be. Her family tells her not to worry about money and that they have never seen her as happy as they have when she is with Jeff.
As Jeff is in rehab, Ruthie gets a call from a previous man that she met on vacation in Thailand named Dean. Before Jeff, Ruthie was head over heels for Dean also and couldn't imagine life without him despite their short relationship. Dean and Ruthie hook up again and start dating. Somehow Ruthie knows nothing about him and realizes he is a vegan and that is almost the end of the world for her. Since she is a cook and loves to use raw milk and raw cheese in recipes, she feels as if she can't look past him being a vegan. I felt that this was super shallow of her and if you really care about someone you can have different opinions and lifestyles and still make things work. She slowly got over her issue with him being vegan and continues to focus on buying a bakery that she has been working at for the past year. Dean gets an amazing job offer to become a doctor in another city and tells Ruthie she has to come with him and that she can open a shop near there. I do admire that she finally stood up for herself and told him that she wasn't open to doing that and was going to be taking over the bakery she was at. Dean was wrong to just assume she would pack things up and go where ever he went without discussing things with her first.
Jeff finally manages to get out of rehab and claims that he is such a better human now and him and Ruthie can live happily ever after now. Ruthie does have a bit of common sense and doesn't fall for his shenanigans. Jeff says he will spend the rest of his days trying to win her back. He does at least pay her back $10,000 of the $30,000 he stole from her. Not with his own hard earned money though of course. He had to take a loan from his family who is helping him pay his debts to all of the people he owes money to.
Thank goodness her friends finally decide to step in and remind her that men aren't everything. They save her from destroying her life anymore than she possibly has and that is the best part of the book for me. Realizing that both of these men are extremely toxic and that she is better off right where she is and focusing on her own goals. Thank you to Netgalley, ECW Press, and Amy Rosen for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.
Ruthie is the main character who doesn't seem to know what she wants to do in life. Her grandmother passes away and leaves her $62k behind. Ruthie decides that she wants to enroll in culinary school since she has always had a passion for cooking. She meets a classmate named Jeff and they instantly hit things off as culinary partners and potentially more. Ruthie learns shortly after meeting Jeff that he is taken. Does that stop them? Nope. That is one of the biggest issues I had with this book. I really don't enjoy reading about cheating or flirting with someone when they are already taken. While Jeff's definition of cheating is only sex, Ruthie doesn't seem to have any morals as she is head over heels for Jeff and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
Jeff does break up with his girlfriend and chooses Ruthie in the end and they have some spicy moments together. As Ruthie finishes making some cakes for a competition, Jeff realizes that a jar of his special white powder has gone missing and he panics. Jeff explains to Ruthie that he has a drug problem and has relapsed and that she has unknowingly made icing with cocaine. This felt so left field and just such a huge red flag that she should have dropped him there. However, she continues to be desperate and wants him so badly that she says they should stay together while he goes to rehab. Jeff makes a rule that he is allowed to write letters to her, but that she can't respond. Ruthie is fine with that until she realizes that Jeff has also managed to steal $30,000 from her bank account. She can't seem to get the money back because she accidentally told him her password to her bank account while she was drunk. With a password like Snickers, her favorite candy bar, I almost felt like she deserved that life lesson. With all these red flags, her family still gaslights her into thinking that maybe they are meant to be. Her family tells her not to worry about money and that they have never seen her as happy as they have when she is with Jeff.
As Jeff is in rehab, Ruthie gets a call from a previous man that she met on vacation in Thailand named Dean. Before Jeff, Ruthie was head over heels for Dean also and couldn't imagine life without him despite their short relationship. Dean and Ruthie hook up again and start dating. Somehow Ruthie knows nothing about him and realizes he is a vegan and that is almost the end of the world for her. Since she is a cook and loves to use raw milk and raw cheese in recipes, she feels as if she can't look past him being a vegan. I felt that this was super shallow of her and if you really care about someone you can have different opinions and lifestyles and still make things work. She slowly got over her issue with him being vegan and continues to focus on buying a bakery that she has been working at for the past year. Dean gets an amazing job offer to become a doctor in another city and tells Ruthie she has to come with him and that she can open a shop near there. I do admire that she finally stood up for herself and told him that she wasn't open to doing that and was going to be taking over the bakery she was at. Dean was wrong to just assume she would pack things up and go where ever he went without discussing things with her first.
Jeff finally manages to get out of rehab and claims that he is such a better human now and him and Ruthie can live happily ever after now. Ruthie does have a bit of common sense and doesn't fall for his shenanigans. Jeff says he will spend the rest of his days trying to win her back. He does at least pay her back $10,000 of the $30,000 he stole from her. Not with his own hard earned money though of course. He had to take a loan from his family who is helping him pay his debts to all of the people he owes money to.
Thank goodness her friends finally decide to step in and remind her that men aren't everything. They save her from destroying her life anymore than she possibly has and that is the best part of the book for me. Realizing that both of these men are extremely toxic and that she is better off right where she is and focusing on her own goals. Thank you to Netgalley, ECW Press, and Amy Rosen for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
3.5 Stars Rounded up to 4
If this novel were solely about food and the protagonist’s pursuit of her passion for cooking, I would have rated it five stars. However, it lost some of its appeal with the immaturity regarding drinking, dating apps, casual sex, and a distorted view of relationships. I gritted my teeth to get through the first few chapters and felt gratified by the focus on the descriptions of cooking school and the injection of humor through the wisdom of Bubbe Bobby Grace and Chef Antoine.
Ruthie Cohen is unhappy in her career (if you could call it that) and lives to travel with her best friends. When her beloved grandmother (the above-mentioned Bubbe) dies and leaves her $62K, Ruth quits her job and enrolls in culinary school to follow her passion for cooking. What ensues is an adventure in the techniques of French cuisine coupled with rocky romances. As Ruthie’s confidence and self-esteem grow through her successes she begins to realize through the ongoing support of her friends, that her fulfillment is grounded in authentic expression of her creativity and talent - independent of any man in her life.
Overall, this was an entertaining read despite the slow and somewhat distasteful beginning.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
If this novel were solely about food and the protagonist’s pursuit of her passion for cooking, I would have rated it five stars. However, it lost some of its appeal with the immaturity regarding drinking, dating apps, casual sex, and a distorted view of relationships. I gritted my teeth to get through the first few chapters and felt gratified by the focus on the descriptions of cooking school and the injection of humor through the wisdom of Bubbe Bobby Grace and Chef Antoine.
Ruthie Cohen is unhappy in her career (if you could call it that) and lives to travel with her best friends. When her beloved grandmother (the above-mentioned Bubbe) dies and leaves her $62K, Ruth quits her job and enrolls in culinary school to follow her passion for cooking. What ensues is an adventure in the techniques of French cuisine coupled with rocky romances. As Ruthie’s confidence and self-esteem grow through her successes she begins to realize through the ongoing support of her friends, that her fulfillment is grounded in authentic expression of her creativity and talent - independent of any man in her life.
Overall, this was an entertaining read despite the slow and somewhat distasteful beginning.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 13, 2025
I hated the men in this book so much so that it lowered the rating significantly. I love the cooking, food and the inclusion of recipes. The romance was so bad that it ruined the book for me. I contemplated putting this book down so many times it was crazy.
June 3, 2025
As a food and book lover I wanted to love it. I just couldn't get past the FMC and her decisions.
Spolier alert:
I was rooting for her to pursue her dreams and loved the relationship with her girlfriends, but the whole being the other woman while not thinking she was just because they hadn't been intimate rubbed me the wrong way. The way she thought even when she saw her friend just got cheated on and the effect it had on her didn't sit well with me. Plus the drugs in the food and money issue was just like OMG seriously??? This is over the top. I thought about stopping but was curious about the other guy and I try really hard not to DNF, but the way that conversation went was also quite sudden in both moving to the same place after a short few dates and the not talking to each other about big decisions. It just all felt quite immature which maybe they are in their 20s?
Overall, I liked aspects of it, and hope others love it, it just wasn't for me.
Thanks Netgalley and Libor.fm for mr ARC and ALC
Spolier alert:
I was rooting for her to pursue her dreams and loved the relationship with her girlfriends, but the whole being the other woman while not thinking she was just because they hadn't been intimate rubbed me the wrong way. The way she thought even when she saw her friend just got cheated on and the effect it had on her didn't sit well with me. Plus the drugs in the food and money issue was just like OMG seriously??? This is over the top. I thought about stopping but was curious about the other guy and I try really hard not to DNF, but the way that conversation went was also quite sudden in both moving to the same place after a short few dates and the not talking to each other about big decisions. It just all felt quite immature which maybe they are in their 20s?
Overall, I liked aspects of it, and hope others love it, it just wasn't for me.
Thanks Netgalley and Libor.fm for mr ARC and ALC
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September 21, 2025"Twenty-something Ruthie Cohen, a data entry minion for a second-tier movie app, spends her days thinking about the kickass meals she’s going to make for her besties, Trish and Lilly, while pining for Dean (sigh, Dean), her vacation fling from six months earlier. Could they have made it work in real life?
On top of that, Bubbe Bobby Grace, Ruthie’s beloved and inspiring grandmother, passed away and left Ruthie an inheritance of $62,873, along with instructions on how to use it: “Follow your passion, Dollface.” During a prosecco-fueled night with her gal pals, Ruthie decides to turn her passion into a career and learn the art of French cooking, enrolling in culinary school, paying tuition, and buying her chef’s whites with a few quick clicks online. It’s not long before Ruthie marches into the kitchen and feels the heat from her cooking partner, Jeff, the super hunky (totally taken!) musician that weasels his way into her brain — right next to Dean.
How can anyone be expected to focus on school, cooking, career planning, baking, friends, and deciding between two hot guys, especially when one of them also thinks that John Cusack is woefully underrated? And what if neither feels quite like Ruthie’s perfect pairing?"
A lighthearted foodie tale - a cross between Bridget Jones' Diary (with unapologetic nods to Bridget's diary entries) and MasterChef. The tale of Ruthie's journey to culinary happiness with some wild romance, some outrageous plot lines that will have you laughing out loud and a lot of delicious food descriptions. One for the foodies!
On top of that, Bubbe Bobby Grace, Ruthie’s beloved and inspiring grandmother, passed away and left Ruthie an inheritance of $62,873, along with instructions on how to use it: “Follow your passion, Dollface.” During a prosecco-fueled night with her gal pals, Ruthie decides to turn her passion into a career and learn the art of French cooking, enrolling in culinary school, paying tuition, and buying her chef’s whites with a few quick clicks online. It’s not long before Ruthie marches into the kitchen and feels the heat from her cooking partner, Jeff, the super hunky (totally taken!) musician that weasels his way into her brain — right next to Dean.
How can anyone be expected to focus on school, cooking, career planning, baking, friends, and deciding between two hot guys, especially when one of them also thinks that John Cusack is woefully underrated? And what if neither feels quite like Ruthie’s perfect pairing?"
A lighthearted foodie tale - a cross between Bridget Jones' Diary (with unapologetic nods to Bridget's diary entries) and MasterChef. The tale of Ruthie's journey to culinary happiness with some wild romance, some outrageous plot lines that will have you laughing out loud and a lot of delicious food descriptions. One for the foodies!
October 8, 2025
Everything about this should have been my exact sort of book, but it's like the author tried to sabotage anything positive at every turn. Food & cooking is almost exclusively mentioned to talk about the main character's failures at it, she romantically behaves like a tween & knowingly pursues someone who is in a relationship , and unironically in 2025 thinks Say Anything is a romance to model after in real life? I'm so confused by this whole thing, it was just miserable and annoying, rather than charming, warm, and full of foodie delight I'd expected. It's also meant to be written in diary entries, but it seems pretty much just standard first person with dates/times as page breaks, so it also didn't really do anything with a format I usually like. The book might be more for you if you are looking for a sort of low stakes disaster woman romcom. The one redeeming factor I found was the the way it concluded, which did bring it up from a one to two star.
June 12, 2025
3.5 rounded up
This was a fun, lighthearted cross between Bridget Jones and the Great Canadian Bake-off. Foodies and romance lovers are sure to enjoy this love story slash coming of age debut novel about a young chef trying to find love and open her own food-based business. It was full of humor, relationship hijinks and had me laughing from start to finish. Looking forward to more from this new to me author!
This was a fun, lighthearted cross between Bridget Jones and the Great Canadian Bake-off. Foodies and romance lovers are sure to enjoy this love story slash coming of age debut novel about a young chef trying to find love and open her own food-based business. It was full of humor, relationship hijinks and had me laughing from start to finish. Looking forward to more from this new to me author!
October 17, 2025
I did not like this book at all. There was little talk or descriptions of food. The main character had no character development through the book. I felt like the book went all over with plots in her romances. I almost stopped reading the book a handful of times but pushed through, hoping it would get better. It didn't.
September 3, 2025
This was cute. Nothing spectacular but an easy read and nothing wrong with that.
September 10, 2025
Cute and entertaining; lots of delicious food and recipes
June 27, 2025
I was really drawn to the chef and cooking aspect of the book. The FMC has like no development, this isn’t the kind of book to take very much advice from.
Guy 1: The one guy Ruthie is obsessed with is Jeff who has a girlfriend but that did not deter her or him for that matter. Got together. He lies about her seeing him smoking. Jeff leaves cocaine in the open that she uses for a whole bunch of people which should’ve probably been much more trouble. He goes to rehab. She still wants to be with him. He steals 30 000$ and she STILL wants to be with him. Her parents encourage him???
Guy 2: The second guy is Dean. They met on vacation in Thailand and has a vacay romance before she met Jeff. Fell head over heals for Dean. Doesn’t hear from him for a year. He reaches out and they are together immediately. She can’t handle that he’s vegan. Dean isn’t the best character either and is pretty self centred and passive aggressive and puts down Ruthie and her dreams and excitement. Jeff is back now Ruthie loves them both and is trying to decide what to do.
The story ends with her 2 friends telling her to focus on her. The end
Guy 1: The one guy Ruthie is obsessed with is Jeff who has a girlfriend but that did not deter her or him for that matter. Got together. He lies about her seeing him smoking. Jeff leaves cocaine in the open that she uses for a whole bunch of people which should’ve probably been much more trouble. He goes to rehab. She still wants to be with him. He steals 30 000$ and she STILL wants to be with him. Her parents encourage him???
Guy 2: The second guy is Dean. They met on vacation in Thailand and has a vacay romance before she met Jeff. Fell head over heals for Dean. Doesn’t hear from him for a year. He reaches out and they are together immediately. She can’t handle that he’s vegan. Dean isn’t the best character either and is pretty self centred and passive aggressive and puts down Ruthie and her dreams and excitement. Jeff is back now Ruthie loves them both and is trying to decide what to do.
The story ends with her 2 friends telling her to focus on her. The end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2025
Didn’t care for this. Not only is Ruthie annoying and over the top but her antics were just plain mean at times. Other times she was simply stupid. The whole password thing was laughably bad. Her family was even worse! Forgive someone for stealing from you like that? No thanks. Ruthie’s friends were only slightly better really. Lots of bad choices among them. Also a lot of nasty comments about someone’s vegan diet and such which felt very childish. I get that Ruthie was going to a French cooking school but nearly every single thing she either cooked or ate was over the top in so many ways. Just all fat and butter and cream. Astounding really. I love to cook but no way I’m cooking or eating like this.
Also the whole Bridget Jones Diary rip-off turned me off.
Also the whole Bridget Jones Diary rip-off turned me off.
April 19, 2025
I love the idea of this book. The execution? Not so much. The main character, Ruth, is truthfully just awful. If you’ve watched SATC and your favorite character is Carrie, you’ll love Ruth. She’s self centered and there feels like there is absolutely no character growth. There really doesn’t feel like there is a strong plot to this book at all. There was a lot of potential to go so much deeper into the characters and explore and really make us feel for Ruth, but instead I didn’t want anyone to win here and I felt that Ruth got everything that was coming for her. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book, it was just not for me.
July 26, 2025
Book Review: Off Menu by Amy Rosen 🍝✨💘
I just finished Off Menu and I’m still thinking about Ruthie, her chaotic kitchen adventures, and all the delicious meals she whipped up along the way. This book was such a fun, cozy, laugh-out-loud unique read written in a diary-style format. Ruthie’s voice jumps right off the page. It’s messy, honest, hilarious, and I loved how personal and real it felt, like I was being let into her world one meal, one mistake, and one late-night spiral at a time.
Ruthie Cohen is in that classic mid-twenties limbo: working a dead end job, stuck in a daydream about a vacation fling from six months ago and constantly fantasizing about the next meal she’ll cook for her besties. When her beloved Bubbe passes away and leaves her $62,873.42 with the note “Follow your passion, Dollface,” Ruthie takes it as a sign. After one too many glasses of prosecco, she enrolls in culinary school, orders her chef whites, and decides it’s time to make a real go of her dreams.
Amy Rosen blends humor, heartache, and hunger (seriously, do not read this book on an empty stomach) into a story that feels like a warm hug and a girls’ night all in one. I loved the banter, the ride-or-die friendships, the will they won’t they tension, and the deeper themes of grief, reinvention, and following your gut even when it’s scary.
Every meal Ruthie describes had me absolutely drooling. Amy Rosen doesn’t just write food well, she writes it with love, and it made this story all the more flavorful. It’s not just about cooking; it’s about healing, risking, and finding purpose in unexpected places. And just when I thought the book couldn’t get more comforting… the final pages include recipes for some of the meals mentioned throughout the story and it’s truly, chef’s kiss. 💋
Off Menu is a love letter to friendship, food, following your passion, and figuring things out one (sometimes burned) dish at a time. If you love stories about self-discovery with a generous side of romantic tension, laugh-out-loud moments, and a strong female lead who’s still figuring it all you need to add this one to your TBR.
Thank you Netgalley and ECW press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I just finished Off Menu and I’m still thinking about Ruthie, her chaotic kitchen adventures, and all the delicious meals she whipped up along the way. This book was such a fun, cozy, laugh-out-loud unique read written in a diary-style format. Ruthie’s voice jumps right off the page. It’s messy, honest, hilarious, and I loved how personal and real it felt, like I was being let into her world one meal, one mistake, and one late-night spiral at a time.
Ruthie Cohen is in that classic mid-twenties limbo: working a dead end job, stuck in a daydream about a vacation fling from six months ago and constantly fantasizing about the next meal she’ll cook for her besties. When her beloved Bubbe passes away and leaves her $62,873.42 with the note “Follow your passion, Dollface,” Ruthie takes it as a sign. After one too many glasses of prosecco, she enrolls in culinary school, orders her chef whites, and decides it’s time to make a real go of her dreams.
Amy Rosen blends humor, heartache, and hunger (seriously, do not read this book on an empty stomach) into a story that feels like a warm hug and a girls’ night all in one. I loved the banter, the ride-or-die friendships, the will they won’t they tension, and the deeper themes of grief, reinvention, and following your gut even when it’s scary.
Every meal Ruthie describes had me absolutely drooling. Amy Rosen doesn’t just write food well, she writes it with love, and it made this story all the more flavorful. It’s not just about cooking; it’s about healing, risking, and finding purpose in unexpected places. And just when I thought the book couldn’t get more comforting… the final pages include recipes for some of the meals mentioned throughout the story and it’s truly, chef’s kiss. 💋
Off Menu is a love letter to friendship, food, following your passion, and figuring things out one (sometimes burned) dish at a time. If you love stories about self-discovery with a generous side of romantic tension, laugh-out-loud moments, and a strong female lead who’s still figuring it all you need to add this one to your TBR.
Thank you Netgalley and ECW press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2025
I requested Off Menu on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review because I’m a huge fan of foodie fiction.
After Ruthie’s much-loved grandmother passes away and leaves her $62k, she quits her boring office job and decides to follow her passion for cooking by enrolling at culinary school.
I’m going to start with the parts of the book that I really enjoyed and those were the scenes where she’s learning about the techniques for French cuisine and later when she’s working at the café and devising new recipes. I also liked her friendships with Trish and Lilly and how they helped Ruthie prioritise herself outside of her relationships.
Off Menu is written diary-style a la Bridget Jones’s Diary and this was where it fell short for me because Ruthie’s two boyfriends: Jeff and Dean lack any of the charm of Bridget’s love interests.
When Ruthie meets Jeff at culinary school, he’s already got a girlfriend, Katie. Despite all this, Jeff still tries to hook up with Ruthie when they’re travelling for a competition. He also has a drug habit and steals half her grandmother’s inheritance because the password for her bank account could be guessed by a stranger who spends fifteen minutes in her company. I thought it was really strange that her family tried to encourage her to forgive him on the basis that he cooked them an amazing fried chicken once.
Dean, who Ruthie met on holiday in Thailand and reconnects with after Jeff goes to rehab lives down to all the worst stereotypes of vegans. He’s also arrogant enough to think that Ruthie should just quit her job and leave behind her friends and family in Toronto to move to Chicago for him because his career is so-called more important.
I don’t know, maybe it’s an age thing but I just couldn’t understand why Ruthie bothered with either Jeff or Dean. It’s a shame because her experiences at the culinary school with Chef Antoine and her travels with Trish and Lilly were really fun and I’d have liked to read more of them.
After Ruthie’s much-loved grandmother passes away and leaves her $62k, she quits her boring office job and decides to follow her passion for cooking by enrolling at culinary school.
I’m going to start with the parts of the book that I really enjoyed and those were the scenes where she’s learning about the techniques for French cuisine and later when she’s working at the café and devising new recipes. I also liked her friendships with Trish and Lilly and how they helped Ruthie prioritise herself outside of her relationships.
Off Menu is written diary-style a la Bridget Jones’s Diary and this was where it fell short for me because Ruthie’s two boyfriends: Jeff and Dean lack any of the charm of Bridget’s love interests.
When Ruthie meets Jeff at culinary school, he’s already got a girlfriend, Katie. Despite all this, Jeff still tries to hook up with Ruthie when they’re travelling for a competition. He also has a drug habit and steals half her grandmother’s inheritance because the password for her bank account could be guessed by a stranger who spends fifteen minutes in her company. I thought it was really strange that her family tried to encourage her to forgive him on the basis that he cooked them an amazing fried chicken once.
Dean, who Ruthie met on holiday in Thailand and reconnects with after Jeff goes to rehab lives down to all the worst stereotypes of vegans. He’s also arrogant enough to think that Ruthie should just quit her job and leave behind her friends and family in Toronto to move to Chicago for him because his career is so-called more important.
I don’t know, maybe it’s an age thing but I just couldn’t understand why Ruthie bothered with either Jeff or Dean. It’s a shame because her experiences at the culinary school with Chef Antoine and her travels with Trish and Lilly were really fun and I’d have liked to read more of them.
May 11, 2025
Overall, Off Menu by Amy Rosen was as light and fluffy as some recipes described in the book, and since I love books about food and foodie fiction, this hit the spot. When I read Ms. Rosen’s bio at the end, it all made sense! She’s written several cookbooks and owns a place in Toronto, where the story takes place.
Written as a diary, the main character, Ruthie Cohen, leaves her dead-end data entry job and, using her inheritance from her beloved Bubbe (grandma) Bobby Grace, goes to cooking school to learn/master French cuisine and fulfill her dream of becoming a chef. Kudos to her, right? Unfortunately, for most of the book, Ruthie comes off as an immature, self-absorbed, whiny, and often insufferable 27-year-old who, while having a good palate and sense of taste, has lousy taste in men. I would have taken a hard pass on both Jeff and Dean! I kept thinking that when it came to relationships, Ruthie acted more like a teenager than someone nearing 30. Good thing her two BFFs, Lilly and Trish, are there with reality checks and to pick up the pieces.
I related more to the late Bubbe Bobby Grace (I’m old enough to be Ruthie’s Bubbe, but I wouldn’t have been nearly as patient with her as her Bubbe was). I kept hoping that at some point Ruthie would show some strength (chutzpah), grow a spine, and take control of her life.
Having said all that, I still liked this often humorous story, particularly the scenes at the cooking school, at a cooking competition, and when Ruthie and Trish go to Paris, Some characters, especially Chef Antoine at the cooking school, and Pete, Ruthie’s boss, stood out. I recommend Off Menu, especially to anyone who likes food fiction and a sprinkling of wisdom from a loving grandma. Besides delicious descriptions throughout the book, the author includes recipes at the end. And yes, there is a website for her cinnamon buns! Thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for the opportunity to read the ARC. I’m happy to provide this review, and all opinions are my own.
Written as a diary, the main character, Ruthie Cohen, leaves her dead-end data entry job and, using her inheritance from her beloved Bubbe (grandma) Bobby Grace, goes to cooking school to learn/master French cuisine and fulfill her dream of becoming a chef. Kudos to her, right? Unfortunately, for most of the book, Ruthie comes off as an immature, self-absorbed, whiny, and often insufferable 27-year-old who, while having a good palate and sense of taste, has lousy taste in men. I would have taken a hard pass on both Jeff and Dean! I kept thinking that when it came to relationships, Ruthie acted more like a teenager than someone nearing 30. Good thing her two BFFs, Lilly and Trish, are there with reality checks and to pick up the pieces.
I related more to the late Bubbe Bobby Grace (I’m old enough to be Ruthie’s Bubbe, but I wouldn’t have been nearly as patient with her as her Bubbe was). I kept hoping that at some point Ruthie would show some strength (chutzpah), grow a spine, and take control of her life.
Having said all that, I still liked this often humorous story, particularly the scenes at the cooking school, at a cooking competition, and when Ruthie and Trish go to Paris, Some characters, especially Chef Antoine at the cooking school, and Pete, Ruthie’s boss, stood out. I recommend Off Menu, especially to anyone who likes food fiction and a sprinkling of wisdom from a loving grandma. Besides delicious descriptions throughout the book, the author includes recipes at the end. And yes, there is a website for her cinnamon buns! Thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for the opportunity to read the ARC. I’m happy to provide this review, and all opinions are my own.
May 31, 2025
Ruthie has had enough.
Work wise, she isn't where she wanted to be; her data entry job isn't satisfactory enough. Love wise, she isn't any better either, still pining after a man she met on her holidays. But as fate would have it, she inherits a considerable sum from her favourite grandma, and so she decides to ditch her current job and pursue a career on what she does best: cooking.
The culinary school she enrolls to brings a new set of pleasures and challenges, and on top of it all, a new chance at love, in the face of her classmate Jeff. The tumultuous, whimsical adventures of Ruthie in food and in love are narrated to her friends and also jotted down in the young woman's diary. She goes through all sorts of challenges and red-flag situations, until she realises one very crucial thing: the only one responsible for her happiness is herself.
This book somehow reminds me of Bridget Jones Diaries. But make it a red flag EVERYWHERE. Ruthie is a rollercoaster of a character; at first, I smiled at her naiveté, and then, I realised she is also a glaring red flag (because no, Ruthie, you can't fix him, no one can). But the end of the story kinda redeemed Ruthie in my eyes. The descriptions of her shenanigans at culinary school was also lovely to read, to the point I did get a bit hungry. As for Jeff, I liked him when he was Ruthie's friend. (And don't get me started about Dean, UGH.) The only ones NOT a red flag (kinda?) were Lilly and Trish, Ruthie's best friends, who throughout the book maintained a beautiful friendship with her. That really was the book’s most pleasurable point, and it's worth a read just to see those three goofballs standing up for each other through heartbreaks and career changes.
All in all, it was okay. Makes for a light read, if you get past the sea of red flag characters.
I received this ARC from Netgalley and the opinion expressed is my own. My thanks to Netgalley, ECW Press and Amy Rosen for providing me with my copy.
Work wise, she isn't where she wanted to be; her data entry job isn't satisfactory enough. Love wise, she isn't any better either, still pining after a man she met on her holidays. But as fate would have it, she inherits a considerable sum from her favourite grandma, and so she decides to ditch her current job and pursue a career on what she does best: cooking.
The culinary school she enrolls to brings a new set of pleasures and challenges, and on top of it all, a new chance at love, in the face of her classmate Jeff. The tumultuous, whimsical adventures of Ruthie in food and in love are narrated to her friends and also jotted down in the young woman's diary. She goes through all sorts of challenges and red-flag situations, until she realises one very crucial thing: the only one responsible for her happiness is herself.
This book somehow reminds me of Bridget Jones Diaries. But make it a red flag EVERYWHERE. Ruthie is a rollercoaster of a character; at first, I smiled at her naiveté, and then, I realised she is also a glaring red flag (because no, Ruthie, you can't fix him, no one can). But the end of the story kinda redeemed Ruthie in my eyes. The descriptions of her shenanigans at culinary school was also lovely to read, to the point I did get a bit hungry. As for Jeff, I liked him when he was Ruthie's friend. (And don't get me started about Dean, UGH.) The only ones NOT a red flag (kinda?) were Lilly and Trish, Ruthie's best friends, who throughout the book maintained a beautiful friendship with her. That really was the book’s most pleasurable point, and it's worth a read just to see those three goofballs standing up for each other through heartbreaks and career changes.
All in all, it was okay. Makes for a light read, if you get past the sea of red flag characters.
I received this ARC from Netgalley and the opinion expressed is my own. My thanks to Netgalley, ECW Press and Amy Rosen for providing me with my copy.
May 11, 2025
Off Menu by Amy Rosen is a lighthearted tale about Ruthie, a young woman who following an inheritance from her beloved Bubbe Bobby Grace, decides to follow her passion, give up her corporate job and embark on a career as a chef. She uses part of the inheritance to enrol in culinary school where she meets the charming Jake, an ex musician who is practically perfect in every way, if it wasn't for his model gorgeous girlfriend. To further complicate matters she is still holding a torch for Dean, the man she met while on holiday in Thailand with her best friends six months earlier.
Written as a series of diary entries we follow Ruthie on her journey to achieve her culinary dreams while juggling her complicated love life and making sure she is being a good friend too. This format actually worked quite well, it kept the story flowing while giving the reader a really good way of measuring how much time is passing, and making it feel like we get a really good insight into Ruthie's thought processes and emotional state, even if it did make her come across as pretty unlikeable at times. The author has done a wonderful job of making sure Ruthie has a very distinctive voice and it really helps to bring the character to life. I also thought that the way the author portrayed how complicated and messy relationships could be was very relatable but for me the romance plot was the weakest element of the book, I did not like either of the love interests, the friendship between Ruthie, Trish and Lilly was a far more interesting relationship. Food and food descriptions make up a huge chunk of this book, so be prepared to get hungry while reading, the good news is there are some recipes at the back of the book so you can cook along if you want to.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Written as a series of diary entries we follow Ruthie on her journey to achieve her culinary dreams while juggling her complicated love life and making sure she is being a good friend too. This format actually worked quite well, it kept the story flowing while giving the reader a really good way of measuring how much time is passing, and making it feel like we get a really good insight into Ruthie's thought processes and emotional state, even if it did make her come across as pretty unlikeable at times. The author has done a wonderful job of making sure Ruthie has a very distinctive voice and it really helps to bring the character to life. I also thought that the way the author portrayed how complicated and messy relationships could be was very relatable but for me the romance plot was the weakest element of the book, I did not like either of the love interests, the friendship between Ruthie, Trish and Lilly was a far more interesting relationship. Food and food descriptions make up a huge chunk of this book, so be prepared to get hungry while reading, the good news is there are some recipes at the back of the book so you can cook along if you want to.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
June 7, 2025
Off Menu by Amy Rosen, published by ECW Press.
Thank you to Libro FM and ECW Press for the audio version of Off Menu.
I went into Off Menu expecting foodie fiction with a side of romance and got exactly that—plus a big, messy helping of self-discovery. Told through Ruthie Cohen’s diary entries, the book reads like catching up with an old friend over wine and takeout—sometimes fun, sometimes cringey, always real.
Ruthie is stuck in a dead-end job, nursing a vacation crush on Dean when her beloved Bubbe passes away and leaves her money with a single instruction: “Follow your passion, Dollface.” What follows is Ruthie’s impulsive leap into culinary school and a chaotic year of learning, loving, messing up, and maybe, just maybe, growing up.
The food descriptions were pure heaven. I was constantly hungry listening to the audio, and I adored the way Ruthie poured her heart into cooking. The diary format worked well here—it gave the story a raw, intimate feel. Ruthie’s voice is often funny, sometimes immature, and at times downright frustrating, which made her feel authentic even when I wanted to shake her.
The love triangle? A hot mess. Jeff is a walking red flag parade (and don’t get me started on the drug subplot), and Dean’s romantic reappearance lacked depth. But honestly, I didn’t care about the guys—I was rooting for Ruthie to choose herself all along. The real heart of the story is the friendship between Ruthie, Trish, and Lilly. Their loyalty and tough love stole the show and kept me invested when Ruthie’s choices had me rolling my eyes.
Ultimately, Off Menu is about learning that no man (or perfect soufflé) will magically fix your life. You have to do that yourself—and Ruthie gets there, albeit with plenty of detours. If you love foodie fiction with imperfect characters and diary-style storytelling, this one’s worth a listen.
Thank you to Libro FM and ECW Press for the audio version of Off Menu.
I went into Off Menu expecting foodie fiction with a side of romance and got exactly that—plus a big, messy helping of self-discovery. Told through Ruthie Cohen’s diary entries, the book reads like catching up with an old friend over wine and takeout—sometimes fun, sometimes cringey, always real.
Ruthie is stuck in a dead-end job, nursing a vacation crush on Dean when her beloved Bubbe passes away and leaves her money with a single instruction: “Follow your passion, Dollface.” What follows is Ruthie’s impulsive leap into culinary school and a chaotic year of learning, loving, messing up, and maybe, just maybe, growing up.
The food descriptions were pure heaven. I was constantly hungry listening to the audio, and I adored the way Ruthie poured her heart into cooking. The diary format worked well here—it gave the story a raw, intimate feel. Ruthie’s voice is often funny, sometimes immature, and at times downright frustrating, which made her feel authentic even when I wanted to shake her.
The love triangle? A hot mess. Jeff is a walking red flag parade (and don’t get me started on the drug subplot), and Dean’s romantic reappearance lacked depth. But honestly, I didn’t care about the guys—I was rooting for Ruthie to choose herself all along. The real heart of the story is the friendship between Ruthie, Trish, and Lilly. Their loyalty and tough love stole the show and kept me invested when Ruthie’s choices had me rolling my eyes.
Ultimately, Off Menu is about learning that no man (or perfect soufflé) will magically fix your life. You have to do that yourself—and Ruthie gets there, albeit with plenty of detours. If you love foodie fiction with imperfect characters and diary-style storytelling, this one’s worth a listen.
June 17, 2025
Ruthie Cohen, 27, is fed up with her job and has decided to do what she has wanting to do for a long time. Her beloved grandmother, Bubbe Bobby Grace, has passed away and left her an inheritance of $62,873.47. Ruthie has always loved to cook and has enrolled in the cooking school l’Ecole de la Cuisine Francaise in Toronto. She is geared up and ends up teaming up with a handsome man named Jeff. He is quite talented and together they work well. After spending its of days with him, she finds herself with a crush on him but knows he has a girlfriend. However, their closeness ends up wit him breaking up with his girlfriend and moving in with Ruthie.
Ruthie has begun writing daily in a diary and records her experiences and the book is told through her diary.
Ruthie has two very good friends, Trish and Lilly. They have been close for many years and have comforted and supported one another through many broken relationships. So, when something devastating breaks up Ruthie and Jeff, they all group together and again, take care of one another.
Ruthie finally graduates from her cooking school. Her French cuisine is her best forte however, her pastry cuisine is not her best. But she is quite happy. But an old flame comes into her life and she wonders if they can make it together.
I am a solid foodie and having lived in Paris for many years, French food is my favorite. So, I drooled as Ruthie prepared many of her dishes. There are some really funny things in this story and some sad ones as well. However, I did enjoy the book and hope others will as well.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Ruthie has begun writing daily in a diary and records her experiences and the book is told through her diary.
Ruthie has two very good friends, Trish and Lilly. They have been close for many years and have comforted and supported one another through many broken relationships. So, when something devastating breaks up Ruthie and Jeff, they all group together and again, take care of one another.
Ruthie finally graduates from her cooking school. Her French cuisine is her best forte however, her pastry cuisine is not her best. But she is quite happy. But an old flame comes into her life and she wonders if they can make it together.
I am a solid foodie and having lived in Paris for many years, French food is my favorite. So, I drooled as Ruthie prepared many of her dishes. There are some really funny things in this story and some sad ones as well. However, I did enjoy the book and hope others will as well.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
April 8, 2025
A women’s fiction version of Food Network’s Chopped.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this one at first, but I ended up really enjoying it!
It was really unique, as it was written solely in the form of journal diaries. It gave it a silly and quirky feel, and also made it feel so personal. It was not only funny, but very raw and honest. She didn’t always make herself look great, but wrote about her real feelings. For example, wanting to steal someone’s boyfriend and then getting mad when he was willing to cheat on his girlfriend. Sometimes it was contradictory and sometimes it was a bit unhinged, but it was real.
Sometimes she’d say something that made me feel like I was reading my own internal thoughts and it made me giggle.
This book shows you that things often aren’t what they seem, and they don’t always turn out to be the happy ending that we romanticize them to be. Sometimes it’s not a person or a thing that you’re longing for, but it’s YOU. Discovering yourself and falling in love with yourself is worth more than anything else the world has to offer!
Thank you to Amy Rosen, NetGalley and ECW Press for giving me this ARC!
My rating: 17+ - language, sexual situations, alcohol
Spice 2/5
TW: drug addiction
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this one at first, but I ended up really enjoying it!
It was really unique, as it was written solely in the form of journal diaries. It gave it a silly and quirky feel, and also made it feel so personal. It was not only funny, but very raw and honest. She didn’t always make herself look great, but wrote about her real feelings. For example, wanting to steal someone’s boyfriend and then getting mad when he was willing to cheat on his girlfriend. Sometimes it was contradictory and sometimes it was a bit unhinged, but it was real.
Sometimes she’d say something that made me feel like I was reading my own internal thoughts and it made me giggle.
This book shows you that things often aren’t what they seem, and they don’t always turn out to be the happy ending that we romanticize them to be. Sometimes it’s not a person or a thing that you’re longing for, but it’s YOU. Discovering yourself and falling in love with yourself is worth more than anything else the world has to offer!
Thank you to Amy Rosen, NetGalley and ECW Press for giving me this ARC!
My rating: 17+ - language, sexual situations, alcohol
Spice 2/5
TW: drug addiction
May 13, 2025
Thank you ECW Press and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Twenty-something Ruthie receives an inheritance after the passing of her beloved Bubbe. She decides to use the money to quit her job and follow a lifelong dream to go back to school to become a chef studying French cuisine and pastry.
This book, written partially in a diary format, was funny, lighthearted, inspiring, infuriating, chaotic, and chock full of food, recipes, and technique.
Ruthie has two love interests during her year of learning and self-discovery, and neither of them are great choices. They do make for some juicy and fun diary entries.
The standouts and my favorite elements in this book are the unwavering friendship and support from her "Ride or Dies" Trish and Lilly, and the wealth of information about French cuisine. (Including a multitude of amazing recipes at the end of the book).
I did enjoy this book, but would have loved if the love interests had taken more of a back seat and it had focused on more of Ruthie's growth, the importance of friendship and the struggles of a female chef in a male dominated industry.
Overall, this was a delicious, easy, and lighthearted read.
Twenty-something Ruthie receives an inheritance after the passing of her beloved Bubbe. She decides to use the money to quit her job and follow a lifelong dream to go back to school to become a chef studying French cuisine and pastry.
This book, written partially in a diary format, was funny, lighthearted, inspiring, infuriating, chaotic, and chock full of food, recipes, and technique.
Ruthie has two love interests during her year of learning and self-discovery, and neither of them are great choices. They do make for some juicy and fun diary entries.
The standouts and my favorite elements in this book are the unwavering friendship and support from her "Ride or Dies" Trish and Lilly, and the wealth of information about French cuisine. (Including a multitude of amazing recipes at the end of the book).
I did enjoy this book, but would have loved if the love interests had taken more of a back seat and it had focused on more of Ruthie's growth, the importance of friendship and the struggles of a female chef in a male dominated industry.
Overall, this was a delicious, easy, and lighthearted read.
April 6, 2025
Firstly, I wanted to say that the cover of this title is super cute and caught my eye straight away. Whoever says that they don’t judge a book by it’s cover must be fibbing just a tiny bit ;)
Secondly, I loved the description of this book – as a long time fan of Bridget Jones and a fan of Food fiction, I was very excited to read this book.
I think that the book was a fun read, but I found that I couldn’t really relate to the main character at all in the book and also found that I was getting rather exasperated with her as she seemed to be quite focused on herself a lot of the time.
I did really enjoy the dynamics that she has with her friends. I guess that I wanted more depth to the story and see Ruthie develop more as a character. Even though the book is a light and engaging read, I didn’t feel emotionally connected to the characters.
What I did love was the author’s depiction of food and the process. It was so detailed and made me hungry whilst I was reading this book a number of times. Also really loved the recipes at the end of the book!
Thank you to Amy Rosen, Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC copy of this read in exchange for an honest review.
Secondly, I loved the description of this book – as a long time fan of Bridget Jones and a fan of Food fiction, I was very excited to read this book.
I think that the book was a fun read, but I found that I couldn’t really relate to the main character at all in the book and also found that I was getting rather exasperated with her as she seemed to be quite focused on herself a lot of the time.
I did really enjoy the dynamics that she has with her friends. I guess that I wanted more depth to the story and see Ruthie develop more as a character. Even though the book is a light and engaging read, I didn’t feel emotionally connected to the characters.
What I did love was the author’s depiction of food and the process. It was so detailed and made me hungry whilst I was reading this book a number of times. Also really loved the recipes at the end of the book!
Thank you to Amy Rosen, Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC copy of this read in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2025
Netgalley provided me an ARC for my review - thank you!
"Pastry is not for you. I have told you this many times before. It's your timing, your instincts, your sense of taste..."
You could say the same about our main characters love life - she has none of these things when it comes to men either.
I'm disappointed that this book could have been about a strong woman changing careers due to her late grandmother's inheritance and breaking into the male dominated industry of cooking. Instead this is mostly about her horrible taste in men, and her deciding between two mid guys (both of which are a bad choice).
I think the diary writing stunted this book and it could have been so much better. It made for an unreliable narrator - and also an insufferable one.
I think this either needed to be mostly about her cooking and her career or should have gone messier to how these men ruined her career and stole her talent and money. But it's just a story of a spoiled brat who got everything handed to her and kind of squandered it.
"Pastry is not for you. I have told you this many times before. It's your timing, your instincts, your sense of taste..."
You could say the same about our main characters love life - she has none of these things when it comes to men either.
I'm disappointed that this book could have been about a strong woman changing careers due to her late grandmother's inheritance and breaking into the male dominated industry of cooking. Instead this is mostly about her horrible taste in men, and her deciding between two mid guys (both of which are a bad choice).
I think the diary writing stunted this book and it could have been so much better. It made for an unreliable narrator - and also an insufferable one.
I think this either needed to be mostly about her cooking and her career or should have gone messier to how these men ruined her career and stole her talent and money. But it's just a story of a spoiled brat who got everything handed to her and kind of squandered it.
April 8, 2025
I really wanted to love this, but it fell flat for me in a few ways, unfortunately. There was a lack of character development, even for Ruthie, the main character, which I found strange since the book is written from her point of view. It didn't feel like there was a throughline, but, as it's written as a diary, I think that may have been intentional. I think I just couldn't get past the conceit of the form of the diary, which made the tone of the book feel more YA than adult, even though it's definitely not a YA book.
That being said, what I did love about this book is when it leaned into its Canadian-ness. And, I enjoyed the memories and anecdotes of Ruthie's bubbe, but I would have loved to learn more about Ruthie's past, her upbringing, and her family to better understand her motivations.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, what I did love about this book is when it leaned into its Canadian-ness. And, I enjoyed the memories and anecdotes of Ruthie's bubbe, but I would have loved to learn more about Ruthie's past, her upbringing, and her family to better understand her motivations.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2025
Off Menu by Amy Rosen pairs food and romance.
The book centers around 20-something Ruthie Cohen, is a data entry clerk for a second tier movie app. She spends her days thinking about the amazing meals she will make her besties, Trish and Lilly. She also spends a significant amount of time pining over Dean, her vacation fling from 6 months earlier.
Her grandmother Bobby Grace passed away, leaving her $62,873 along with instructions to use it. During a Prosecco fueled night with her friends she decides to turn her passion for cooking into a career. She signs up for culinary school and meets her cooking partner Jeff.
Jeff is a super hot (and taken) musician that takes up space in her head beside Dean.
I love the diary entries in the book, that format definitely made it feel more of a personal story.
Thank you to Amy Rosen for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Off Menu publishes June 17 2025
The book centers around 20-something Ruthie Cohen, is a data entry clerk for a second tier movie app. She spends her days thinking about the amazing meals she will make her besties, Trish and Lilly. She also spends a significant amount of time pining over Dean, her vacation fling from 6 months earlier.
Her grandmother Bobby Grace passed away, leaving her $62,873 along with instructions to use it. During a Prosecco fueled night with her friends she decides to turn her passion for cooking into a career. She signs up for culinary school and meets her cooking partner Jeff.
Jeff is a super hot (and taken) musician that takes up space in her head beside Dean.
I love the diary entries in the book, that format definitely made it feel more of a personal story.
Thank you to Amy Rosen for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Off Menu publishes June 17 2025
May 22, 2025
OFF MENU by Amy Rosen is a novel about love and food.
With a modest inheritance from her late and beloved Bubbe Bobby Green, Ruthie is able to quit her mind numbing data entry position to pursue her dream of going to cooking school. Ruthie’s best friends Trish and Lily love her cooking and support her decision to follow her dreams.
On a recent trip to Thailand, Ruthie met Dean and they hit it off. After a whirlwind romance Ruthie and Dean went their separate ways. Still pining for Dean, Ruthie finds she is attracted to her cooking partner Jeff. Knowing Jeff is in a relationship, Ruthie realizes he is off limits but still enjoys the time they spend together.
I enjoyed reading OFF MENU. The food descriptions were scrumptious. While the romance storyline was mostly predictable I thought the ending made up for it.
Thank you to ECW Press for the opportunity to read an advanced digital edition of OFF MENU.
With a modest inheritance from her late and beloved Bubbe Bobby Green, Ruthie is able to quit her mind numbing data entry position to pursue her dream of going to cooking school. Ruthie’s best friends Trish and Lily love her cooking and support her decision to follow her dreams.
On a recent trip to Thailand, Ruthie met Dean and they hit it off. After a whirlwind romance Ruthie and Dean went their separate ways. Still pining for Dean, Ruthie finds she is attracted to her cooking partner Jeff. Knowing Jeff is in a relationship, Ruthie realizes he is off limits but still enjoys the time they spend together.
I enjoyed reading OFF MENU. The food descriptions were scrumptious. While the romance storyline was mostly predictable I thought the ending made up for it.
Thank you to ECW Press for the opportunity to read an advanced digital edition of OFF MENU.
April 6, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book which will be published in June of 2025. I requested this book because of the title and description as I love reading novels centered around food, restaurants, recipes, etc. Think The Paris Novel or Delicious by Ruth Reichl. This is no Ruth Reichl, however, and perhaps it is an age thing that I did not enjoy this book. I really wanted to like Ruthie, but she seemed to be quite immature and somewhat self-centered. Even her best friend Trish seemed to make better life choices than Ruthie. I don’t think I am a prude as I do read lots of romcoms and romance-styled novels where things are spicy and relationships move quickly in that regard, but I found this novel to be a bit coarse. Maybe I’m just a bit too old for this kind of lifestyle, and maybe you will like this book much better than I did!
April 10, 2025
While I enjoyed the book, there was something missing. I never felt drawn to the main character and kept waiting to the gain the attachment to Ruthie that I believe the author aimed for with this story.
And, Jeff! We spent so much time on Jeff and he was terrible. It is fine that he is terrible, but the aftermath of the revelation was incomprehensible. Were the parents trying to use some kind of reverse psychology on their fully grown daughter so she would make the opposite choice as if she is some kind of rebellious, obstinate teenager? I don’t get it.
I think the book would’ve hit better with me if there was less time spent on developing the Jeff relationship and more time on the real, true relationships - bubbe, the friend group, etc.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the arc.
And, Jeff! We spent so much time on Jeff and he was terrible. It is fine that he is terrible, but the aftermath of the revelation was incomprehensible. Were the parents trying to use some kind of reverse psychology on their fully grown daughter so she would make the opposite choice as if she is some kind of rebellious, obstinate teenager? I don’t get it.
I think the book would’ve hit better with me if there was less time spent on developing the Jeff relationship and more time on the real, true relationships - bubbe, the friend group, etc.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the arc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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