Food Fight

by Anne Penketh

After the sudden death of her French husband, Serge, Susan needs a change of scenery.

Leaving her beloved London home behind, she moves to Washington DC to pursue her high-flying career as a successful marketing executive for the giant food company, DeKripps.

But as far as her frosty daughter, Mimosa - a vegan political activist, is concerned, DeKripps and all that it stands for is pure evil.

Desperately missing her husband and trying to keep tabs on her troublesome daughter, Susan struggles to find her feet in her new environment. The one solace is her job, which she loves, … and the stash of delicious new ‘Guilty Secrets’ chocolates in her apartment which she can’t seem to get enough of.

Susan confides her loneliness in her work colleague, Ellen, who persuades her to try out the bewildering world of online dating – but the combination of dubious dating profiles and her expanding waistline don’t do much for her self-esteem.

In the process of launching a marketing campaign for her favourite Guilty Secrets chocolate boxes, Susan stumbles upon a few other secrets too – ones that could incriminate the company and all its unknowing employees … and ones that might explain why she keeps having to buy bigger clothes.

It dawns on her that perhaps her daughter was right all along.

Will Susan be brave enough to challenge the values upon which her entire career has been built?

And can she withstand the consequences?

“Erin Brockovich with chocolate. A heart-warming and very funny voyage to the dark soul of the food industry.” - Angelique Chrisafis, The Guardian

“This addictive novel is closer to real life in Washington DC than we’d like to think. Fun yet insightful about the lobbying and politicking in the American capital, this take-down of a fictional American food giant is irresistible. Dollars to donuts, it will be the sleeper hit of the year.” - David Usborne, The Independent

“Bite into this crisp and bitter-sweet novel. Enjoy the exact flavour of life as we now live it. Savour the odyssey of an able young woman through its heartaches and delights.” - Godfrey Smith, novelist

“Lightly told, this timely and provocative novel is a dark tale that will interest anyone who has ever wondered what happens when the pleasures of the palate intersect with the politics of Big Food.” - Meg Bortin, author of ‘The Everyday French Chef’ blog

Anne Penketh is a British journalist and foreign correspondent who lives in Paris.

Endeavour Press is the UK’s leading independent publisher of digital books.

Genres: Contemporary

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2015

About the author

Lancashire lass who spent years abroad as a journalist and now based in London and Paris. ABBA fan and tap dancer

Reviews

[Meg Bortin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wonder why chocolates are so addictive? Trouble is on the menu as we follow a globe-trotting British woman into the secret world of a major American food corporation in Anne Penketh’s timely and provocative ‘Food Fight’. Penketh, herself a globe-trotting Briton who has reported from Paris, London, Moscow and Washington, turns the food industry inside out in this romp of a tale as we follow her engaging heroine on a voyage in search of justice. Along the way we encounter issues from mother-daughter relations to the Franco-British culture gap to dealing with grief after the death of a spouse. Lightly told, this story is a delicious read from the first surprising bite to its dark chocolate center, with sprinklings of British humor along the way. I couldn't put it down.

[JA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

I read the detective books first and can't wait for the next but this book is terrific. Please keep them coming.

[Jenee Rager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is chicklit done right. After forcing myself to finish several bad to so-so books in a row I was in desperate need for a great book. Thank goodness "Food Fight" fit the bill. It has been a LONG time since I have come across a fiction book that not only manages to be informative about an issue, but avoids being preachy, and at several times causes me to laugh out loud.

Susan is one of the most relateable characters I've come across in years. After dedicating a good chunk of her life to the fictional company DeKrippes, sometimes at the detriment to her personal relationships, Susan finds herself widowed and in need of a change. She transfers from her home base in England to the corporations Washington, DC office. There she finds herself sexually harassed by her boss, lonely, and in charge of the company's new product, Guilty Secrets, that while deliciously good, may not be what it seems. Of course hijinks ensue, although no predictable ones and the book moves towards a fun conclusion.


* I won this book through a goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

[Sahil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway through the Goodreads First Reads program.

The book is a great debut novel by the author. The characters are well developed, and the plot is evenly paced. Crisp and bittersweet indeed! A very enjoyable read.