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Virtually Perfect
Not so long ago, Lizzie Glass had a successful TV show, a cookbook deal, and a social diary crammed with parties and events. But fame doesn’t stay fresh for long. Her show fizzles, her magazine column is canceled, and Lizzie’s only option is a summer job as personal chef to the Silvesters, a wealthy and eccentric family.
Their beach house is a lavish, beautifully decorated palace on the Jersey Shore, and Lizzie gets to work catering to Kathryn and Jim Silvester’s fashionably restrictive diets. But it’s their twenty-something daughter who presents Lizzie with her biggest challenge—professionally and personally. A self-proclaimed “wellness warrior,” Zoe Silvester has a hugely popular website and app that promotes healthy living and organic, unprocessed foods. Yet Lizzie soon realizes that The Clean Life site has a dirty little secret. In fact, Zoe’s entire online persona is based on a dangerous hoax that runs deep and will damage lives. Exposing Zoe won’t just jeopardize Lizzie’s job and a promising new relationship—it may expose the cracks in her own past.
Sharply observed, witty, and thoughtful, Paige Roberts’ debut novel is a compelling look at one woman’s journey toward reinventing herself—and seeing through the façade of others—to discover the imperfect but sometimes wonderful truth.
Their beach house is a lavish, beautifully decorated palace on the Jersey Shore, and Lizzie gets to work catering to Kathryn and Jim Silvester’s fashionably restrictive diets. But it’s their twenty-something daughter who presents Lizzie with her biggest challenge—professionally and personally. A self-proclaimed “wellness warrior,” Zoe Silvester has a hugely popular website and app that promotes healthy living and organic, unprocessed foods. Yet Lizzie soon realizes that The Clean Life site has a dirty little secret. In fact, Zoe’s entire online persona is based on a dangerous hoax that runs deep and will damage lives. Exposing Zoe won’t just jeopardize Lizzie’s job and a promising new relationship—it may expose the cracks in her own past.
Sharply observed, witty, and thoughtful, Paige Roberts’ debut novel is a compelling look at one woman’s journey toward reinventing herself—and seeing through the façade of others—to discover the imperfect but sometimes wonderful truth.
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2017
12 people are currently reading
1051 people want to read
About the author
Paige Roberts
2 books26 followersPaige Roberts is a writer, journalist and author of VIRTUALLY PERFECT and THE LAST HOUSE ON SYCAMORE STREET. She lives outside Philadelphia with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
February 9, 2018
I add the randomist of books to my Overdrive queue. This is another that I added for whatever reason and by the time it came around to me I had no idea why I requested it. Sometimes it works out, other times notsomuch. This was one of the notsomuch times.
Lizzie was once a Food Network star but was fired for some reason I don’t think they ever revealed. I think I would've caught that because I was hoping it was embarrassing but I could’ve missed it because I might’ve dozed off a time or two. She’s since been making a living taking whatever job comes her way, mostly cooking for rich people. When she’s offered a full time gig cooking for a wealthy family at their luxurious summer home at the beach she takes it.
What follows is a modern day chick lit story of a woman who puts up with all sorts of crap to keep her job which is something most of us can probably relate to. We do need to eat and sometimes it pays to keep your big mouth shut. But this changes a little later in the story when she begins to make a few unprofessional moves and remarks that weren’t at all thought through. I mean I get it, a girl can only take so much, but it’s never a good idea to talk crap about the family who pays you to another family member that you barely know just because you think he’s the black sheep of the family. Even I know that! During the daily dramas that enfold she’s also attempting to patch things up with a friend she left behind for fame (snooze) and learns her mother has been hiding a big secret which she might’ve discovered sooner if she’d tried harder to get in touch with her mom.
This book gets mostly good reviews so perhaps it just wasn’t a story meant for me. I thought it might be light and entertaining and though it is very descriptive with the food and I enjoyed that bit, it started to aggravate me midway and never recovered. The plot was nothing special, nothing new, nothing that wasn’t predictable and basically bored me. None of the characters were all that likable, even Lizzy. The wealthy socialite who NEVER shuts up and all but one of her family members and friends were horrible people who the reader gets to spend way too much with. Imagine being stuck in a room with no hope of escape with loud, drunk, shallow, wealthy people who think of no one but themselves and their pleasure. I’d rather have toothpicks jammed under my nails than suffer through that. And their presence makes up much of this story. That’s not my idea of a good time but who knows maybe it’s yours?
On the positive side, the narrator has one of those musical and lively voices that’ll keep you going even when you know you should probably quit. Yep, it’s her fault not mine that I did not DNF.
I have to give this one a two and ½ rounding down to a two because if I’m being honest I just did not like it very much.
Lizzie was once a Food Network star but was fired for some reason I don’t think they ever revealed. I think I would've caught that because I was hoping it was embarrassing but I could’ve missed it because I might’ve dozed off a time or two. She’s since been making a living taking whatever job comes her way, mostly cooking for rich people. When she’s offered a full time gig cooking for a wealthy family at their luxurious summer home at the beach she takes it.
What follows is a modern day chick lit story of a woman who puts up with all sorts of crap to keep her job which is something most of us can probably relate to. We do need to eat and sometimes it pays to keep your big mouth shut. But this changes a little later in the story when she begins to make a few unprofessional moves and remarks that weren’t at all thought through. I mean I get it, a girl can only take so much, but it’s never a good idea to talk crap about the family who pays you to another family member that you barely know just because you think he’s the black sheep of the family. Even I know that! During the daily dramas that enfold she’s also attempting to patch things up with a friend she left behind for fame (snooze) and learns her mother has been hiding a big secret which she might’ve discovered sooner if she’d tried harder to get in touch with her mom.
This book gets mostly good reviews so perhaps it just wasn’t a story meant for me. I thought it might be light and entertaining and though it is very descriptive with the food and I enjoyed that bit, it started to aggravate me midway and never recovered. The plot was nothing special, nothing new, nothing that wasn’t predictable and basically bored me. None of the characters were all that likable, even Lizzy. The wealthy socialite who NEVER shuts up and all but one of her family members and friends were horrible people who the reader gets to spend way too much with. Imagine being stuck in a room with no hope of escape with loud, drunk, shallow, wealthy people who think of no one but themselves and their pleasure. I’d rather have toothpicks jammed under my nails than suffer through that. And their presence makes up much of this story. That’s not my idea of a good time but who knows maybe it’s yours?
On the positive side, the narrator has one of those musical and lively voices that’ll keep you going even when you know you should probably quit. Yep, it’s her fault not mine that I did not DNF.
I have to give this one a two and ½ rounding down to a two because if I’m being honest I just did not like it very much.
July 31, 2018
This was a pleasant surprise and a quick read. I was grabbed by the cover, hooked by the characters, and committed to the story.
This book had a character that I loved to hate, Kathryn. Part of me kept reading just to see if karma would come around on her, because I know women like Kathryn. She flaunts her wealth, barely registers other's needs, spoils her child blindly, and blames everyone else around her. Oh, Kathryns of the world, open your eyes and step down from your high horse. Kathryn wasn't even the "bad" guy in this one.
I really enjoyed the multiple stories that are a part of a single story aspect of this book. There is the story of Lizzie and her failed career as a Food Network star, the relationship between Lizzie and her mother, Zoe and her blog, and the strange and dysfunctional Silvester family dynamic. All the pieces fit perfectly together and add layers to the overall story of Lizzie finding herself.
I became invested in the story, particularly Susan, Lizzie's mom. She was the one I wanted to see with a happy ending. She was the one I was flipping pages to find out how she was doing. Her story was a little predictable, but it was set up nicely with all of the accompanying details of Lizzie's story. I think what I liked the most is that Susan's story is told through a series of emails between herself and her sister, Linda. It broke up the pieces of Lizzie's story nicely.
Like I mentioned, the story was a little predictable, but not in the Oh-this-kind-of-story-again sort of way. The details created a great mental image of Lizzie and the Silvester's home that I didn't have to fill in the blanks myself. The relationship between the details and the timing was balanced just right. When I guessed what would happen next, it wasn't 10 chapters down the line that I found out I was right, but a matter of paragraphs or pages because the pace was steady.
My complaints with the book are few, such as the lack of pronoun use. Normally, I would say using too many pronouns is annoying, but there were parts of this one where a pronoun would have been nice. There was an entire paragraph at one point that almost every sentence started with "Lizzie." It took away from the story that I had to read her name so many times in sections.
Also, Lizzie's love life was Oh-this-kind-of-story-again predictable. I saw it coming a mile away and I was hoping I would be wrong, but it was very much the clichéd love story we've all read a million times. It took away from Lizzie's story instead of adding to it and it just felt like filler.
While I was more invested in Susan, Lizzie's self-acceptance and journey finding herself was a definite highlight. Many of us, myself included, put too much weight on our shoulders and have unrealistic expectations. Some people get lucky and make millions of dollars on business ventures before they are 30, but the majority of the population aren't lucky like that. Lizzie's whole life had centered around her cooking show when she was in college. She rode the fame train and thought that because that didn't work out, she failed.
We all make mistakes, however, and who we are and what we do at 20 is not who we become at 30.
With age and experience come maturity and self-acceptance. I just wish Lizzie would have seen this without the help of Nate, but that's just me.
This book had a character that I loved to hate, Kathryn. Part of me kept reading just to see if karma would come around on her, because I know women like Kathryn. She flaunts her wealth, barely registers other's needs, spoils her child blindly, and blames everyone else around her. Oh, Kathryns of the world, open your eyes and step down from your high horse. Kathryn wasn't even the "bad" guy in this one.
I really enjoyed the multiple stories that are a part of a single story aspect of this book. There is the story of Lizzie and her failed career as a Food Network star, the relationship between Lizzie and her mother, Zoe and her blog, and the strange and dysfunctional Silvester family dynamic. All the pieces fit perfectly together and add layers to the overall story of Lizzie finding herself.
I became invested in the story, particularly Susan, Lizzie's mom. She was the one I wanted to see with a happy ending. She was the one I was flipping pages to find out how she was doing. Her story was a little predictable, but it was set up nicely with all of the accompanying details of Lizzie's story. I think what I liked the most is that Susan's story is told through a series of emails between herself and her sister, Linda. It broke up the pieces of Lizzie's story nicely.
Like I mentioned, the story was a little predictable, but not in the Oh-this-kind-of-story-again sort of way. The details created a great mental image of Lizzie and the Silvester's home that I didn't have to fill in the blanks myself. The relationship between the details and the timing was balanced just right. When I guessed what would happen next, it wasn't 10 chapters down the line that I found out I was right, but a matter of paragraphs or pages because the pace was steady.
My complaints with the book are few, such as the lack of pronoun use. Normally, I would say using too many pronouns is annoying, but there were parts of this one where a pronoun would have been nice. There was an entire paragraph at one point that almost every sentence started with "Lizzie." It took away from the story that I had to read her name so many times in sections.
Also, Lizzie's love life was Oh-this-kind-of-story-again predictable. I saw it coming a mile away and I was hoping I would be wrong, but it was very much the clichéd love story we've all read a million times. It took away from Lizzie's story instead of adding to it and it just felt like filler.
While I was more invested in Susan, Lizzie's self-acceptance and journey finding herself was a definite highlight. Many of us, myself included, put too much weight on our shoulders and have unrealistic expectations. Some people get lucky and make millions of dollars on business ventures before they are 30, but the majority of the population aren't lucky like that. Lizzie's whole life had centered around her cooking show when she was in college. She rode the fame train and thought that because that didn't work out, she failed.
We all make mistakes, however, and who we are and what we do at 20 is not who we become at 30.
With age and experience come maturity and self-acceptance. I just wish Lizzie would have seen this without the help of Nate, but that's just me.
August 31, 2017
Cute and fluffy. The beauty in this one is in the details. I liked all of the details of the book. I pictured everything so well! The story was kind of predictable. So much so that I skimmed to the end because blah.. But it was a nice easy read and change of pace!
October 3, 2017
I’m always up for a food-themed novel and this one caught my eye. I had heard about it several months before it published and knew that I had to devour it as soon as I had the chance. And devour it, I did!
Paige Roberts makes writing seem effortless, even when I’m sure she put a lot of effort into it. Her words just flowed throughout the pages, making me want to read her novel non-stop. I had no idea what would happen from one chapter to the next and was in for a lot fun (and sometimes outlandish) surprises.
I liked the variety of characters in this story. It was clear whom you could trust and whom to avoid. Paige creates some truly despicable characters that make the story even more exciting because you want to know that they’ll get their just desserts. I think it would be fun for Paige to write a book about Zoe and try to make her into a likable character. I think she has some potential to change. Kathryn, on the other hand, is a piece of work!
Lizzie is truly likable throughout, but I wish she would have shared what really happened with her TV show ending. It sounded like there was more than meets the eye, from what she alluded to, but she never got into details. The story probably could have worked just as well in first person, but I enjoyed Lizzie’s perspective no matter what. I couldn’t even imagine having her job and trying to cook for so many different dietary requirements. She sure had her hands full! The descriptions made everything easy to visualize without taking away from the narrative.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this novel. It was a nice distraction from everything else I have to get done during the week and I looked forward to any chance I got to pick it up each day. I look forward to reading more from Paige Roberts!
Dream movie cast:
Lizzie: Milana Vayntrub
Zoe: Skyler Samuels
Kathryn: Dina Meyer
Nate: Jason Ritter
April: Megalyn Echikunwoke
Paige Roberts makes writing seem effortless, even when I’m sure she put a lot of effort into it. Her words just flowed throughout the pages, making me want to read her novel non-stop. I had no idea what would happen from one chapter to the next and was in for a lot fun (and sometimes outlandish) surprises.
I liked the variety of characters in this story. It was clear whom you could trust and whom to avoid. Paige creates some truly despicable characters that make the story even more exciting because you want to know that they’ll get their just desserts. I think it would be fun for Paige to write a book about Zoe and try to make her into a likable character. I think she has some potential to change. Kathryn, on the other hand, is a piece of work!
Lizzie is truly likable throughout, but I wish she would have shared what really happened with her TV show ending. It sounded like there was more than meets the eye, from what she alluded to, but she never got into details. The story probably could have worked just as well in first person, but I enjoyed Lizzie’s perspective no matter what. I couldn’t even imagine having her job and trying to cook for so many different dietary requirements. She sure had her hands full! The descriptions made everything easy to visualize without taking away from the narrative.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this novel. It was a nice distraction from everything else I have to get done during the week and I looked forward to any chance I got to pick it up each day. I look forward to reading more from Paige Roberts!
Dream movie cast:
Lizzie: Milana Vayntrub
Zoe: Skyler Samuels
Kathryn: Dina Meyer
Nate: Jason Ritter
April: Megalyn Echikunwoke
February 11, 2019
This book was a major disappointment for me. The plot was predictable, and long passages describing meal planning and food prep made me constantly impatient to reach the next plot development. Additionally, many of the characters are unpleasant people who seem to exist solely to be unpleasant. During long sequences featuring the Sylvester's brazenly misogynistic family friend or the incessant nattering of their paleo diet-obsessed matriarch, I was just left wondering why I was sitting through scenes that were literally designed to be offensive and/or boring. Though the plot picks up to some extent in the final chapters of the book, it didn't make the reading experience worthwhile.
October 11, 2017
Lizzie Grant appears to have it all: magazine column, successful cooking show, fame. But, with the blink of an eye – it’s all gone and she’s feeling like a failure. But there are bills that need paying, and since she is a chef, the opportunity to work for a wealthy Jersey Shore family as their private chef seems to be the perfect opportunity to realign her life and decide what’s next.
The Silvesters are particular with their restrictive diets and a daughter that is a self-proclaimed wellness warrior. While not spefically about the food and cooking, the story delves into Lizzie’s discovery of the choices made, good and bad, and the realization that her own life is also in need of rework. Zoe Silvester is simply a façade – her entire being is wrapped up in the Wellness Warrior persona, a persona that is at best false, at worse detrimental. Lizzie sees this, but her stepping forward will reveal the shortcuts and misleading moments in her own rise to fame. Zoe’s mother Kathryn is just despicable and one of those ‘all for show” people, with an inability to take responsibility for her own mistakes and missteps, preferring to toss everyone and everything under the bus as she flounces away bragging about her wealth and ignoring all discord and drama that she doesn’t create herself. Lizzie’s mum Susan is truly lovely and caring, but their relationship is also in need of a retooling, and while her story is used as a bit of diversion from Lizzie’s, with her own moments of finding herself, it was predictable but refreshing: a nice chance from the interior monologues, created drama with Zoe and Kathryn, and Lizzie’s rather disappointing love life.
As a debut, Roberts managed to create solid characters and compelling situations that present consequences, and show (with Lizzie and Susan) the positive value of finding a new direction and moving forward after a perceived failure or bump in the road. Where I got stuck was the lack of pronouns, causing an extraordinary set of echoes: frustrating in the abstract, annoying in reality. Lizzie said, Lizzie thought, Lizzie wondered when the ‘who’ is clearly apparent and present is overkill, and had me catching myself to stop skimming through the pages. Simple editing choices that would have eliminated these echoes and found a better way to reinforce the concepts and important moments then repeating them over and over. While the overwhelming theme in this story is of redemption and redefinition after a setback did stand strongly after the last page, the ride to the end was a bit more effort than it should have been.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
The Silvesters are particular with their restrictive diets and a daughter that is a self-proclaimed wellness warrior. While not spefically about the food and cooking, the story delves into Lizzie’s discovery of the choices made, good and bad, and the realization that her own life is also in need of rework. Zoe Silvester is simply a façade – her entire being is wrapped up in the Wellness Warrior persona, a persona that is at best false, at worse detrimental. Lizzie sees this, but her stepping forward will reveal the shortcuts and misleading moments in her own rise to fame. Zoe’s mother Kathryn is just despicable and one of those ‘all for show” people, with an inability to take responsibility for her own mistakes and missteps, preferring to toss everyone and everything under the bus as she flounces away bragging about her wealth and ignoring all discord and drama that she doesn’t create herself. Lizzie’s mum Susan is truly lovely and caring, but their relationship is also in need of a retooling, and while her story is used as a bit of diversion from Lizzie’s, with her own moments of finding herself, it was predictable but refreshing: a nice chance from the interior monologues, created drama with Zoe and Kathryn, and Lizzie’s rather disappointing love life.
As a debut, Roberts managed to create solid characters and compelling situations that present consequences, and show (with Lizzie and Susan) the positive value of finding a new direction and moving forward after a perceived failure or bump in the road. Where I got stuck was the lack of pronouns, causing an extraordinary set of echoes: frustrating in the abstract, annoying in reality. Lizzie said, Lizzie thought, Lizzie wondered when the ‘who’ is clearly apparent and present is overkill, and had me catching myself to stop skimming through the pages. Simple editing choices that would have eliminated these echoes and found a better way to reinforce the concepts and important moments then repeating them over and over. While the overwhelming theme in this story is of redemption and redefinition after a setback did stand strongly after the last page, the ride to the end was a bit more effort than it should have been.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
August 30, 2017
Lizzie grant is living the high life. She has a successful to show, a cookbook deal and a social calendar busting with events and parties.
But fame is fickle. One minute you are the hottest thing the next you have lost your tv show and your magazine column. Suddenly you are job less and homeless.
With bills piling up and no way to pay them Lizzie must take a job as a personal chef to the salvester family. The house couldn't be better a gorgeous beach house in the jersey shore. The family has very restricted diets. Zoe their daughter is a self proclaimed wellness warrior. Who has a website and app that promotes healthy living. But not everything is as clean cut as it seems. The whole of Zoe's online persona is based on lies. Lies that could be detrimental to the health of those following the diet.
To go public with her claims and findings. Lizzie could once again lose everything. Not jut laying Zoe's dirty little secrets out in the open. But her own as well. Lizzie is unsure of what is the best thing to do.
This is a really good book. That raised lots of really good points about social media and magazines ect. The diets we follow and the lies that these things help to portray. This book is also a journey of discovery for Lizzie. At times sad and heartfelt and at others light and funny.
As Paige's debut book. This has put her on my list of authors to look out for and I for one certainly am looking forward to seeing what she produces next.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and Paige Roberts for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
But fame is fickle. One minute you are the hottest thing the next you have lost your tv show and your magazine column. Suddenly you are job less and homeless.
With bills piling up and no way to pay them Lizzie must take a job as a personal chef to the salvester family. The house couldn't be better a gorgeous beach house in the jersey shore. The family has very restricted diets. Zoe their daughter is a self proclaimed wellness warrior. Who has a website and app that promotes healthy living. But not everything is as clean cut as it seems. The whole of Zoe's online persona is based on lies. Lies that could be detrimental to the health of those following the diet.
To go public with her claims and findings. Lizzie could once again lose everything. Not jut laying Zoe's dirty little secrets out in the open. But her own as well. Lizzie is unsure of what is the best thing to do.
This is a really good book. That raised lots of really good points about social media and magazines ect. The diets we follow and the lies that these things help to portray. This book is also a journey of discovery for Lizzie. At times sad and heartfelt and at others light and funny.
As Paige's debut book. This has put her on my list of authors to look out for and I for one certainly am looking forward to seeing what she produces next.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and Paige Roberts for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
September 11, 2017
Everyone makes mistakes. However, some mistakes have serious consequences. This book explores some of those mistakes and the consequences that can be small and those that can be wide spread. Lizzy is a chef, who had her own cooking show, that was cancelled 5 years prior. She is doing individual cooking jobs for people, where she makes food for them and leaves the food in the customers refrigerator. However, she really needs to make more money, as she is simply not bringing in enough. Enter the Silvester family, with a summer home at Avalon. They are multi-millionaires who find themselves minus a cook at the last minute, after the cook they hired, quit after hearing about something that occurred the summer before. Kathryn Silvester, the matriarch brushes that aside in her interview with Lizzy and since she needed a job that would make good money and her aunt Linda had recommended her for the job, she took it. Once she arrives at Avalon, she slowly finds out what she agreed to, with all of its quirks, annoyances, and amazing (albeit crazy) moments. This book was one that I could not put down. It was full of great,well developed characters, interesting twists and turns, and some sit on the end of your seat moments. It is a creative story, not one I have seen used before, and full of originality, which also hooks the reader. A great summer read!
September 25, 2017
This was a very enjoyable read that had my attention from the very first page. I really enjoyed the author's writing style with a nice easy flow and pace to the story and characters that you either loved or hated. I found it thought provoking while entertaining which is always a great combination in a book.
Once a culinary darling, Lizzie Glass had a popular TV show, professional recognition, and enough money to live a nice life. When the show gets canceled she finds that the fame and recognition dry up pretty quickly and she finds herself desperate for a job just to pay the bills. Unable to find anything else she takes a summer job as a personal chef for the Silvesters. A wealthy yet slightly crazy family. Well actually more than slightly crazy each with their own special dietary needs it proves very challenging. The most challenging of all is Zoe. Zoe could be the one Silvester that could completely shatter Lizzie's well crafted life.
I definitely recommend this one.
Once a culinary darling, Lizzie Glass had a popular TV show, professional recognition, and enough money to live a nice life. When the show gets canceled she finds that the fame and recognition dry up pretty quickly and she finds herself desperate for a job just to pay the bills. Unable to find anything else she takes a summer job as a personal chef for the Silvesters. A wealthy yet slightly crazy family. Well actually more than slightly crazy each with their own special dietary needs it proves very challenging. The most challenging of all is Zoe. Zoe could be the one Silvester that could completely shatter Lizzie's well crafted life.
I definitely recommend this one.
September 23, 2017
In finding all the literary reads I have stacked up a little daunting, it was nice to turn to some easy chick lit reads. This book wasn't as satisfying as I hoped, however, mostly because there was So. Much. Drama. I have trouble reading about fictional characters with mental health issues posing challenges to the protagonist, because I think it's too easy to paint them as "crazy" contributors to the plot drama rather than to grapple with what is happening for them and why. The publisher's summary was very similar to another book I read earlier in the summer (Laura Dave's Hello Sunshine), and as it turns out, I didn't like that one nearly as much as I expected either. Overall, it was less light and more drama than I had hoped for -- not terrible but not among my favorites either.
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2018
Oh how much I enjoyed this!
It was a full-length novel (thank goodness!), and I really enjoyed the story...the characters all engaged me, some positively, some negatively.
I would happily read more by this author, based on this book.
This was the first one in some time, where I actually picked it up at every spare moment, until I just had to finish it when I got home from work tonight.
It was a full-length novel (thank goodness!), and I really enjoyed the story...the characters all engaged me, some positively, some negatively.
I would happily read more by this author, based on this book.
This was the first one in some time, where I actually picked it up at every spare moment, until I just had to finish it when I got home from work tonight.
September 3, 2017
This book was amazing! I received a free advanced reader's edition from a goodreads giveaway and dug right in. I couldn't put it down! I loved learning about Lizzie and the family she was a personal chef for. I started cheering her on throughout the book and hoping she would come out unscathed in the end. This book was well-written and captivating. Well done!
December 28, 2017
Lizzie Glass, a former reality TV chef who has fallen on hard times, takes a job as a personal chef to a rich family in their summer home by the beach. While dealing with this dysfunctional group and their individual food needs (Paleo, gluten free and whatever diet is trendy this year) as well as their quirks, (including the overly talkative matriarch of the family and the hard to reach and even harder to please Zoe, as well as their oversexed and ultimately bored friends) Lizzie discovers a secret about the family and Zoe’s health food website that threatens to shake their empire to the core.
I am only mildly conflicted about this book, since for the most part I really enjoyed it, but found it maybe a little predictable. I partly blame the summary at the back of the book, which clued me into several things that happened before they happened. I can’t really blame the author for that, but much like doing a puzzle, just a few clues here and there pretty much unlocked where she was going with this. The big secret in the book didn’t come as much of a secret, if you were really paying attention. I also thought it wound up being so tight and tidy and interconnected that all the parts fit and added to this element of predictability. As an example of story organization, it definitely gets an “A.” Maybe I’m just jealous.
But that said, I don’t think it bothered me so much. I got through it in about 3 days and it held my interest. It is good, and I am easy to please.
I am only mildly conflicted about this book, since for the most part I really enjoyed it, but found it maybe a little predictable. I partly blame the summary at the back of the book, which clued me into several things that happened before they happened. I can’t really blame the author for that, but much like doing a puzzle, just a few clues here and there pretty much unlocked where she was going with this. The big secret in the book didn’t come as much of a secret, if you were really paying attention. I also thought it wound up being so tight and tidy and interconnected that all the parts fit and added to this element of predictability. As an example of story organization, it definitely gets an “A.” Maybe I’m just jealous.
But that said, I don’t think it bothered me so much. I got through it in about 3 days and it held my interest. It is good, and I am easy to please.
January 13, 2018
It's too bad this one doesn't have a wider readership. The novel is a good, solid read, with interesting characters, though some of them quite unlikable, and a modern storyline.
Lizzie is young, but already a has-been Food Network star. Now working as a personal chef to assorted clients, she takes a live-in job with a dysfunctional wealthy family, cooking meals and preparing dinner parties at their Jersey Shore summer home.
I felt invested in Lizzie's life, the day to day food prep and the interactions with various members of the family, including a daughter with a sketchy diet and health advice blog. There is a secondary plot about the main character's mother and her cancer diagnosis, which winds up intersecting with the fake blog story. Overall, a satisfying read.
Lizzie is young, but already a has-been Food Network star. Now working as a personal chef to assorted clients, she takes a live-in job with a dysfunctional wealthy family, cooking meals and preparing dinner parties at their Jersey Shore summer home.
I felt invested in Lizzie's life, the day to day food prep and the interactions with various members of the family, including a daughter with a sketchy diet and health advice blog. There is a secondary plot about the main character's mother and her cancer diagnosis, which winds up intersecting with the fake blog story. Overall, a satisfying read.
August 21, 2017
Started as 3.5 but I'd give last 3rd a 4. Thank you to NetGalley for ARC. Started at as 3.5 but improved in last third. I liked the main character but would have liked to known a little more about why her past show failed. Well written. Humorous Last third especially engaging
October 4, 2022
This one was okay. At times it seemed a little overly dramatic and that the main character needed to just mind her own business. However, I’m a huge Food Network fan and loved all the food talk so I did enjoy it overall.
March 22, 2018
Yep, I'm a guy and I read this book. I saw it and decided to give it at try in hopes of breaking up my Mystery/Thiller reading genre. It was really not my thing, but a good story nevertheless. I rated it 3 stars as a "liked it" rating for Goodreads. I think Lizzie was a bit overboard meddling in her employers lives.
April 26, 2018
This book. Where to begin with this book? I won’t go as far as to say that it infuriated me, but, it came pretty close. The drama, the mystery, the suspense. It just never ended, and it was oh so tiring.
Lizzie Glass is a has-been Food Network chef. Struggling to make money, Lizzie ends up taking a job as the affluent Silvester family’s personal chef. However, when Lizzie finds out that the Silvesters’ twenty-something daughter, Zoe, runs a healthy eating blog that’s not all it’s cracked up to be, Lizzie decides that the truth needs to be set free.
The first half of Virtually Perfect is a never-ending loop of Lizzie planning and cooking for big parties. First, it’s the beginning of summer barbecue, then right after that, what do you know, it’s the Fourth of July. It’s basically the same setting, the same dialogue, the same story, but with different food thrown in. Then, as if to spice things up a bit, Roberts throws Lizzie’s observations of Kathryn and Kathryn’s friends into the mix. Oh look! There’s gross Sam and drunk Barb, and don’t forget annoying Kathryn! Barf. Apparently, Lizzie is unaware that she is just as annoying and unlikable as Kathryn.
On the surface, Virtually Perfect presents itself as a light, summer, chick lit read. But, Roberts adds so much drama and mystery to Virtually Perfect that it turns into a pseudo mystery book that doesn’t actually solve the mysteries it creates. We know that Lizzie is a has-been Food Network star, but we don’t exactly know why she’s a has-been. You would think that with all of the emphasis placed on the mystery surrounding Lizzie’s demise as a star chef that something big would come to light, right? Wrong! I’m about 96.3% positive that Lizzie’s fall from stardom is never even explained. I mean, we’re told that she sort of fizzled out, but, with all the attention that is put on this aspect of the novel, I wanted scandal or deception, anything that would liven up this boring book. Instead I got nothing. Then there’s the feud between Lizzie and her ex-best friend April. Urgh. Again, Roberts places so much emphasis on this feud that you’re just waiting for it to reach its boiling point. Perhaps an explosive outburst or fight that upsets one of Kathryn’s parties? But, no. We’re given a civil conversation between Lizzie and April that’s as dry as a desert. Don’t even get me started on Zoe. Where does Zoe take off to all the time? Why did she get the previous chef fired? What’s up with her friend Marie? Why has she created a fraudulent blog? To be honest, I couldn’t care less about the answers to these questions. But, it came as no surprise when Zoe never outright explains herself. We’re given some clues as to why Zoe created the website, but, that's it. The reader is left to speculate.
The book’s saving grace (if you can even call him that because, let’s face it, he ended up getting on my nerves in certain parts as well) was Nate. I think if he came in sooner, and if the book focused more on his relationship with Lizzie, it would have made for a more enjoyable read. Once Nate was introduced, Roberts didn’t focus so much on the monotonous parties, and meal prep as she did before. Nate was a much needed breath of fresh air.
If you’re not looking for a very exciting read, go ahead and read Virtually Perfect. Otherwise, I would give this book a pass.
*I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway
Lizzie Glass is a has-been Food Network chef. Struggling to make money, Lizzie ends up taking a job as the affluent Silvester family’s personal chef. However, when Lizzie finds out that the Silvesters’ twenty-something daughter, Zoe, runs a healthy eating blog that’s not all it’s cracked up to be, Lizzie decides that the truth needs to be set free.
The first half of Virtually Perfect is a never-ending loop of Lizzie planning and cooking for big parties. First, it’s the beginning of summer barbecue, then right after that, what do you know, it’s the Fourth of July. It’s basically the same setting, the same dialogue, the same story, but with different food thrown in. Then, as if to spice things up a bit, Roberts throws Lizzie’s observations of Kathryn and Kathryn’s friends into the mix. Oh look! There’s gross Sam and drunk Barb, and don’t forget annoying Kathryn! Barf. Apparently, Lizzie is unaware that she is just as annoying and unlikable as Kathryn.
On the surface, Virtually Perfect presents itself as a light, summer, chick lit read. But, Roberts adds so much drama and mystery to Virtually Perfect that it turns into a pseudo mystery book that doesn’t actually solve the mysteries it creates. We know that Lizzie is a has-been Food Network star, but we don’t exactly know why she’s a has-been. You would think that with all of the emphasis placed on the mystery surrounding Lizzie’s demise as a star chef that something big would come to light, right? Wrong! I’m about 96.3% positive that Lizzie’s fall from stardom is never even explained. I mean, we’re told that she sort of fizzled out, but, with all the attention that is put on this aspect of the novel, I wanted scandal or deception, anything that would liven up this boring book. Instead I got nothing. Then there’s the feud between Lizzie and her ex-best friend April. Urgh. Again, Roberts places so much emphasis on this feud that you’re just waiting for it to reach its boiling point. Perhaps an explosive outburst or fight that upsets one of Kathryn’s parties? But, no. We’re given a civil conversation between Lizzie and April that’s as dry as a desert. Don’t even get me started on Zoe. Where does Zoe take off to all the time? Why did she get the previous chef fired? What’s up with her friend Marie? Why has she created a fraudulent blog? To be honest, I couldn’t care less about the answers to these questions. But, it came as no surprise when Zoe never outright explains herself. We’re given some clues as to why Zoe created the website, but, that's it. The reader is left to speculate.
The book’s saving grace (if you can even call him that because, let’s face it, he ended up getting on my nerves in certain parts as well) was Nate. I think if he came in sooner, and if the book focused more on his relationship with Lizzie, it would have made for a more enjoyable read. Once Nate was introduced, Roberts didn’t focus so much on the monotonous parties, and meal prep as she did before. Nate was a much needed breath of fresh air.
If you’re not looking for a very exciting read, go ahead and read Virtually Perfect. Otherwise, I would give this book a pass.
*I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway
September 14, 2017
Coming down from having your own television programme and being a star of sorts to now being a personal chef - yes to a rich, spoilt, dysfunctional family is a bit of a come down and Lizzie is finding it difficult to come to grips with it. Anyone would. You have to deal with people with quirky tastes, some of whom are arrogant and rude and treat the hired help as just that. With Zoe the daughter of the house wanting to emphasise the difference it becomes awkward and difficult.
Lots of different personalities in this story (I felt one too many) but the storyline itself was a nicely crafted story. One young woman has to reinvent and recreate herself in the way she knows how to make an independent life for herself.
It was a bit bland in parts but generally a very readable story.
Lots of different personalities in this story (I felt one too many) but the storyline itself was a nicely crafted story. One young woman has to reinvent and recreate herself in the way she knows how to make an independent life for herself.
It was a bit bland in parts but generally a very readable story.
December 29, 2017
I think this review is going to require a disclaimer. The author has very strong words for various diets. Well, not so much the diets as the people who rabidly follow them. A lot of times I agree with her. Yet my agreement is not to be confused with a critique of the diets themselves.
I rarely grab a book and read it without learning a little more about it. Been burned too many times. This time I was in a hurry, and I'd been reading too much of another genre. I just grabbed it and had to leave. I knew it had to do with a chef cooking for picky clients but mostly that it talked about being fake on social media. Now that is one of my great pet peeves. People who pretend on social media they are leading this happy, healthy life when really they're...not. I know people don't want to be viewed as sad failures, but be real. I also don't like the trend of people declaring themselves an expert on a topic they may be passionate about and trying to promote their views with little to no formal education on the subject.
I was shocked when the author had pretty stinging commentary about those who follow restrictive diets and/or start blogs without training on the subject. I agreed with everything she said. For example- Zoe is described as a 20 something giving her uneducated opinion on the internet, and ruining the careers of the actually informed by her ability to tap into what's viewed as cool. I loved that. An opinion doesn't make you and expert. An opinion should never have judgement of others attached to it. And then the main character Lizzie wonders why people on restrictive diets made foods supposed to look and taste like the supposedly evil foods. She says if it's truly better to eat a certain way you shouldn't have any trouble giving up the evil. And I started to wonder if maybe I wrote this book?! And then Lizzie says she's not a beach person because she burns easy and doesn't like swimming in the ocean but likes the smell and I realized I AM Lizzie.
I think too often people are seduced by passionate words and pretty pictures, and forget that a nutritionist is a thing. Reading a couple books or blogs isn't the same as a microbiology degree. I agree with Lizzie, talk to an actual doctor. Especially one who knows your health and family history. And being scared, or having a family member who had some disease does not make you and expert. I liked that the author was annoyed with several different restrictive diets. Yes Zoe is vegan and gluten free and a few other hashtags, but her psycho mother is Paleo and while she isn't the fraud her daughter is, she might be worse.
I liked Lizzie. I thought using the story of her mom falling for sites like Zoe's was helpful in showing why such sites can be so harmful. They aren't just a fun hobby. The only thing I didn't like was how Lizzie's love interest's dialogue seems off. Very much like a female author writing a male character in her debut novel. Hey! Would you look at that, it is. Overall I thought it was a great start at a writing career.
I rarely grab a book and read it without learning a little more about it. Been burned too many times. This time I was in a hurry, and I'd been reading too much of another genre. I just grabbed it and had to leave. I knew it had to do with a chef cooking for picky clients but mostly that it talked about being fake on social media. Now that is one of my great pet peeves. People who pretend on social media they are leading this happy, healthy life when really they're...not. I know people don't want to be viewed as sad failures, but be real. I also don't like the trend of people declaring themselves an expert on a topic they may be passionate about and trying to promote their views with little to no formal education on the subject.
I was shocked when the author had pretty stinging commentary about those who follow restrictive diets and/or start blogs without training on the subject. I agreed with everything she said. For example- Zoe is described as a 20 something giving her uneducated opinion on the internet, and ruining the careers of the actually informed by her ability to tap into what's viewed as cool. I loved that. An opinion doesn't make you and expert. An opinion should never have judgement of others attached to it. And then the main character Lizzie wonders why people on restrictive diets made foods supposed to look and taste like the supposedly evil foods. She says if it's truly better to eat a certain way you shouldn't have any trouble giving up the evil. And I started to wonder if maybe I wrote this book?! And then Lizzie says she's not a beach person because she burns easy and doesn't like swimming in the ocean but likes the smell and I realized I AM Lizzie.
I think too often people are seduced by passionate words and pretty pictures, and forget that a nutritionist is a thing. Reading a couple books or blogs isn't the same as a microbiology degree. I agree with Lizzie, talk to an actual doctor. Especially one who knows your health and family history. And being scared, or having a family member who had some disease does not make you and expert. I liked that the author was annoyed with several different restrictive diets. Yes Zoe is vegan and gluten free and a few other hashtags, but her psycho mother is Paleo and while she isn't the fraud her daughter is, she might be worse.
I liked Lizzie. I thought using the story of her mom falling for sites like Zoe's was helpful in showing why such sites can be so harmful. They aren't just a fun hobby. The only thing I didn't like was how Lizzie's love interest's dialogue seems off. Very much like a female author writing a male character in her debut novel. Hey! Would you look at that, it is. Overall I thought it was a great start at a writing career.
October 31, 2017
Lizzie Glass had it all. A show on the Food Network, showing healthy cooking options every Saturday morning. A two-book cookbook deal with a major New York publisher. A monthly food column in a prestigious magazine. And she was just out of college.
But little by little, her life changed. Her show was cancelled. Her cookbooks stopped selling. She was forced to work as a personal chef just to afford the rent on her Manhattan apartment in a trendy neighborhood, and then for her much smaller Manhattan apartment at the edge of a far less trendy neighborhood. And then a shake-up at the magazine meant her monthly column went to another chef, so Lizzie felt like it was time to move back to her mother's place in Philadelphia, to figure out where to go next.
"Next" turned out to be a beach house on the Jersey Shore, where she got a summer job as a private chef for an ultra-wealthy media mogul and his wife. Despite it being a step down from where she was, Lizzie quickly got accustomed to the lavish kitchen and the fresh food from the local farmer's market and the short walk to the ocean. She was willing to put up with her nervous chatterbox of a boss all summer. She was even willing to apologize for past sins and make amends to her former college roommate, who had helped her set up her original cable access show and who Lizzie left behind when she made the leap to the Food Network.
But it's her clients' daughter Zoe, an internet personality in her early 20s, who is Lizzie's biggest threat. Her website, The Clean Life, promotes organic, vegan cooking. But there is a problem with her premise, and Lizzie can see through it. Pointing it out could potentially save lives, but it could also destroy not only Zoe's online reputation and Lizzie's job and her new potential relationship, it could also bring to light secrets from Lizzie's past that she'd rather not revisit.
Virtually Perfect, the debut novel from Paige Roberts, is just that. It is virtually perfect. Smart and interesting, offering a glimpse behind the scenes of life as a private chef, this novel is packed with likable characters, a strong plot, an interesting sense of place, humor, timeliness, and the perfect balance. Adorable and fun, Virtually Perfect is the perfect novel for a day at the beach or a day snuggled in front of the fire wishing for a beach. A great read for foodies!
Galleys for Virtually Perfect were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.
But little by little, her life changed. Her show was cancelled. Her cookbooks stopped selling. She was forced to work as a personal chef just to afford the rent on her Manhattan apartment in a trendy neighborhood, and then for her much smaller Manhattan apartment at the edge of a far less trendy neighborhood. And then a shake-up at the magazine meant her monthly column went to another chef, so Lizzie felt like it was time to move back to her mother's place in Philadelphia, to figure out where to go next.
"Next" turned out to be a beach house on the Jersey Shore, where she got a summer job as a private chef for an ultra-wealthy media mogul and his wife. Despite it being a step down from where she was, Lizzie quickly got accustomed to the lavish kitchen and the fresh food from the local farmer's market and the short walk to the ocean. She was willing to put up with her nervous chatterbox of a boss all summer. She was even willing to apologize for past sins and make amends to her former college roommate, who had helped her set up her original cable access show and who Lizzie left behind when she made the leap to the Food Network.
But it's her clients' daughter Zoe, an internet personality in her early 20s, who is Lizzie's biggest threat. Her website, The Clean Life, promotes organic, vegan cooking. But there is a problem with her premise, and Lizzie can see through it. Pointing it out could potentially save lives, but it could also destroy not only Zoe's online reputation and Lizzie's job and her new potential relationship, it could also bring to light secrets from Lizzie's past that she'd rather not revisit.
Virtually Perfect, the debut novel from Paige Roberts, is just that. It is virtually perfect. Smart and interesting, offering a glimpse behind the scenes of life as a private chef, this novel is packed with likable characters, a strong plot, an interesting sense of place, humor, timeliness, and the perfect balance. Adorable and fun, Virtually Perfect is the perfect novel for a day at the beach or a day snuggled in front of the fire wishing for a beach. A great read for foodies!
Galleys for Virtually Perfect were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.
January 18, 2018
Pretty good book.
I have to say, though- as someone who's had family members develop cancer, some of the anti-medical/scientific quackery in the book infuriated me. Mostly because these kinds of people exist in real life, spouting off a load of bullshit about how the "pharmaceutical industry" is trying to make you sick and kill you.
In reality, this whole "REAL foods will cure your every ailment" crap, based in natural fallacy and pseudo-science, is what will kill you. This article mentions a young woman who died after trying to cure her cancer with "real" food (and other "natural" alternatives), and that ended as tragically as you'd expect.
I think what made this book break my heart is that people like Zoe are just fueling the fire. They're preying on the fears of people who don't understand the scientific basis behind certain cancer treatments- that however unpleasant they are, they are legitimately your best chance at survival because they're being prescribed to you by someone who has spent YEARS studying and trying to better understand why cancer behaves the way it does and how to best save the lives of the people who have it.
And like Zoe, a lot of these people are lying, either because they're delusional and sanctimonious about their beliefs, or because they're looking for cash. It's disgusting, but it's also an interesting topic for a book that the author pulled off very, very well. For a while I thought maybe Zoe had made Marie up entirely, but then I started to suspect she was dead- and then they confirmed it, after saying that Lizzie's mom was doing the same thing BASED ON ZOE'S BLOG, and it's just...
It's heartbreaking because it's true, and it's more common than you think; the healthy-food movement of the last ten, fifteen years or so has only fueled this "healthy food is a cure-all" thing, and people are legitimately dying from it. But since it's still a (somewhat) recent phenomena (that the majority of people understand is suicide at worst and dangerous at best), you don't hear all that much about it, so it makes for original writing.
On another note, the book was funny. Lizzie's a great narrator with a good sense of humor, and I loved that bit with the eagle ice statue and the, uh... Snake. Yeah, I guess we can still call it a snake euphemistically, can't we?
I have to say, though- as someone who's had family members develop cancer, some of the anti-medical/scientific quackery in the book infuriated me. Mostly because these kinds of people exist in real life, spouting off a load of bullshit about how the "pharmaceutical industry" is trying to make you sick and kill you.
In reality, this whole "REAL foods will cure your every ailment" crap, based in natural fallacy and pseudo-science, is what will kill you. This article mentions a young woman who died after trying to cure her cancer with "real" food (and other "natural" alternatives), and that ended as tragically as you'd expect.
I think what made this book break my heart is that people like Zoe are just fueling the fire. They're preying on the fears of people who don't understand the scientific basis behind certain cancer treatments- that however unpleasant they are, they are legitimately your best chance at survival because they're being prescribed to you by someone who has spent YEARS studying and trying to better understand why cancer behaves the way it does and how to best save the lives of the people who have it.
And like Zoe, a lot of these people are lying, either because they're delusional and sanctimonious about their beliefs, or because they're looking for cash. It's disgusting, but it's also an interesting topic for a book that the author pulled off very, very well. For a while I thought maybe Zoe had made Marie up entirely, but then I started to suspect she was dead- and then they confirmed it, after saying that Lizzie's mom was doing the same thing BASED ON ZOE'S BLOG, and it's just...
It's heartbreaking because it's true, and it's more common than you think; the healthy-food movement of the last ten, fifteen years or so has only fueled this "healthy food is a cure-all" thing, and people are legitimately dying from it. But since it's still a (somewhat) recent phenomena (that the majority of people understand is suicide at worst and dangerous at best), you don't hear all that much about it, so it makes for original writing.
On another note, the book was funny. Lizzie's a great narrator with a good sense of humor, and I loved that bit with the eagle ice statue and the, uh... Snake. Yeah, I guess we can still call it a snake euphemistically, can't we?
October 12, 2017
Lizzie Glass once had it all going for her with a successful TV show, cookbook deal and living the life of her stardom with attending parties and events. However, now she's lost everything she worked hard for with her show and magazine column being cancelled. With her only option being to take on a summer job, Lizzie never imagined she'd wind up a personal chef for a wealthy and eccentric family. Will she be able to do her job without letting their family problems get to be too much for her, or will her chance at happy ever after with Nate Silvester slip away because his family are a bunch of crazies?
Books of the Women's Fiction / Chick-Lit genre are not something I read a lot of, but after reading the blurb to this story I decided to give it a chance, and I've got to say that it was a story that had me smiling or laughing because of all the heroine goes through because the Silvester family are quirky, cunning and enough to drive anyone insane. The way this story started had me feeling sorry for the heroine, as she's going through a tough time and it's only going to get tougher, especially since she's lost everything she's worked so hard for and there's no way she's going to get it back.
As for the dialogue, it was a wonderful combination of intense and amusing moments that had me wanting to discover whether the heroine would end up quitting or getting fired, because Mrs. Silvester is a bit full on with her ability to not know when to be quiet and believing her daughter can do no wrong. However, I liked how the heroine was resilient and courageous in challenging the Silvesters to see that their daughter is a spoilt brat that they should not allow to get away with half the stuff she does. Yet, what I liked most of all is that the heroine had an ally; someone willing to do right by the heroine.
Overall, Ms. Roberts has penned a fascinating and utterly engaging read in this book where the chemistry between Lizzie and Nate was wonderful and the ending had me sympathizing with the heroine. Why couldn't the Silvesters realize that their daughter is a troublemaker of the worst kind and that they're only enabling her with all that they do for her? Why couldn't Lizzie's mother have been honest with Lizzie about what was happening in her life? Will Lizzie be able to convince her mom to do the right thing when it comes to what's going on with her? However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, because of how things are going for Lizzie in both her career and her love life. I would recommend Virtually Perfect by Paige Roberts, if you enjoy Chick Lit; stories about a heroine down on her luck but managing to bounce back in the end; or books by authors Julie Pennell, Erin Watt, Debbie Macomber and Jenn McKinlay.
November 26, 2017
***I received a Kindle edition copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley***
3.5 Stars
Lizzie Glass is a former Food Network star who is now out of a job and looking for work for the summer. She is hired as a private chef for the Silvesters, a well off family who has a summer beach house. At first it seems like a dream job. There are dietary restrictions and some quirky requests, however Lizzie handles them well and get settled right in. Her surroundings are beautiful and the pay is great. Things start to take a turn as the summer goes on and the Silvesters start bringing their friends over. Sam in particular really grates on Lizzie's nerves. He's a crass, egotistical, overweight, rich businessman with orange skin and peach colored fuzz for hair (remind you of anyone in the public eye?). Other than a few obnoxious friends, Lizzie also has to deal with her employers' daughter Zoe. She comes and goes as she pleases and seems to have a bone to pick with Lizzie. When Lizzie discovers something about Zoe she is forced to make a decision that could cost her her new job and possibly destroy other lives at the same time.
I've been in a book lull. Every book I've picked up lately seems to drag and take me forever to get through. I needed a book that would be a quick and easy read but still have enough substance to hold my interest. This book was exactly what I was looking for. I really liked Lizzie's character and loved the descriptions of all the food she was cooking. I would have liked a little more perspective from Zoe and more explanation behind her actions. Overall, I would recommend this book and look forward to more from the author.
3.5 Stars
Lizzie Glass is a former Food Network star who is now out of a job and looking for work for the summer. She is hired as a private chef for the Silvesters, a well off family who has a summer beach house. At first it seems like a dream job. There are dietary restrictions and some quirky requests, however Lizzie handles them well and get settled right in. Her surroundings are beautiful and the pay is great. Things start to take a turn as the summer goes on and the Silvesters start bringing their friends over. Sam in particular really grates on Lizzie's nerves. He's a crass, egotistical, overweight, rich businessman with orange skin and peach colored fuzz for hair (remind you of anyone in the public eye?). Other than a few obnoxious friends, Lizzie also has to deal with her employers' daughter Zoe. She comes and goes as she pleases and seems to have a bone to pick with Lizzie. When Lizzie discovers something about Zoe she is forced to make a decision that could cost her her new job and possibly destroy other lives at the same time.
I've been in a book lull. Every book I've picked up lately seems to drag and take me forever to get through. I needed a book that would be a quick and easy read but still have enough substance to hold my interest. This book was exactly what I was looking for. I really liked Lizzie's character and loved the descriptions of all the food she was cooking. I would have liked a little more perspective from Zoe and more explanation behind her actions. Overall, I would recommend this book and look forward to more from the author.
September 7, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much. It was an enjoyable read that ended up discussing some important themes like the power of social media, clean eating, and media responsibility.
Lizzie Glass was a successful chef with a Food Network show, but when that ended she faded from view and became a private chef to pay the bills. When that won't pay the bills anymore, she gives up living in NYC and moves home to her mother in Philadelphia. Through her aunt, Lizzie gets a job as a private chef to a very wealthy media mogul and his family.
She goes to the New Jersey shore to cook for the summer, and meets the family. The wife and mother, Kathryn, has jumped from one food fad to another and currently is following the Paleo diet. Her daughter Zoe is a strange girl with her own pantry of food, and Lizzie is told she has a food blog.
As the summer goes on, Zoe shows up and takes pictures of Lizzie's food. Lizzie finds them on the blog, which is much more popular that she was led to believe. The blog say that Zoe helped put her friend Marie's cancer into remission by having her follow a special diet listed on the blog.
Lizzie is shocked. Zoe is 23 years old and not an expert in the field, anymore than she is.
When Zoe's half brother Nate appears on the scene, he and Lizzie have an instant attraction that could spell trouble for Lindsey. In the end, Lizzie must decide on exactly what her future will hold.
I definitely recommend this book. I wish there were recipes for some of the delicious food that was described so well!
Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lizzie Glass was a successful chef with a Food Network show, but when that ended she faded from view and became a private chef to pay the bills. When that won't pay the bills anymore, she gives up living in NYC and moves home to her mother in Philadelphia. Through her aunt, Lizzie gets a job as a private chef to a very wealthy media mogul and his family.
She goes to the New Jersey shore to cook for the summer, and meets the family. The wife and mother, Kathryn, has jumped from one food fad to another and currently is following the Paleo diet. Her daughter Zoe is a strange girl with her own pantry of food, and Lizzie is told she has a food blog.
As the summer goes on, Zoe shows up and takes pictures of Lizzie's food. Lizzie finds them on the blog, which is much more popular that she was led to believe. The blog say that Zoe helped put her friend Marie's cancer into remission by having her follow a special diet listed on the blog.
Lizzie is shocked. Zoe is 23 years old and not an expert in the field, anymore than she is.
When Zoe's half brother Nate appears on the scene, he and Lizzie have an instant attraction that could spell trouble for Lindsey. In the end, Lizzie must decide on exactly what her future will hold.
I definitely recommend this book. I wish there were recipes for some of the delicious food that was described so well!
Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2018
Lizzie Glass is a Food Network has-been who is now reduced to working as the cook for the Sylvester family at their New Jersey summer house. Filled with regrets and trying to regain her footing, she becomes embroiled in Sylvester family drama, particularly the mystery surrounding daughter Zoe's food blog.
This was minimally acceptable chic lit. I really liked the premise and found the social media angle particularly interesting, but there was so much angst and drama surrounding a cast of thoroughly unlikeable characters that it became a bit of a slog at times. There were plot twists you could see coming a mile away (see love story), and almost willful blindness on the part of Lizzie as to the actions and motives of those around her. And it really bothered me that there were questions that the author never bothered to answer. Not little "it would have been nice to know" stuff, but important points that were emphasized numerous times. What caused Lizzie's show to be cancelled? She alludes to something major throughout the book - and it's something she dwells on - but we never find out what it was. And where does Zoe go all the time? We'll never know. The author tries to tie things up at the end yet it felt somehow unfinished to me. So to read or not to read? It's not horrible and it goes quite quickly - and it does have its moments. But if you're looking for a light beach read you could probably do better.
This was minimally acceptable chic lit. I really liked the premise and found the social media angle particularly interesting, but there was so much angst and drama surrounding a cast of thoroughly unlikeable characters that it became a bit of a slog at times. There were plot twists you could see coming a mile away (see love story), and almost willful blindness on the part of Lizzie as to the actions and motives of those around her. And it really bothered me that there were questions that the author never bothered to answer. Not little "it would have been nice to know" stuff, but important points that were emphasized numerous times. What caused Lizzie's show to be cancelled? She alludes to something major throughout the book - and it's something she dwells on - but we never find out what it was. And where does Zoe go all the time? We'll never know. The author tries to tie things up at the end yet it felt somehow unfinished to me. So to read or not to read? It's not horrible and it goes quite quickly - and it does have its moments. But if you're looking for a light beach read you could probably do better.
February 24, 2018
So, I picked it because I wanted a happy read about living at the beach (Jersey Shore, to be specific). Of course, since every current book ends up having a cancer patient, that's what I got instead. As soon as I realized it (I don't read blurbs), I was ready to quit, but then I realized the not-quite-my-style writing style had me curious. What was it I liked and did not prefer? So I read for those reasons. In short, it's a bit redundant for my tastes (repeated variations of internal motivations/backstory) and a little heavy on adverbs. On the other hand, I appreciated the 'witty repartee with adjectives' shared by MC and Love Interest. And while the tropes, 'ships, and other rich NYC/Philly people stereotypes (e.g. diet crazed; money over happiness) were not very fresh, the perspective for addressing cancer in fiction was. Instead of a focus on individual suffering (patient or caregiver), it was a thoughtful look at treatment avenues (traditional vs alternative) and the importance of the treatment information source. This theme was presented with a light hand within an active plot and vivid character opinions and interactions. As the plot picked up (last 2-3 chapters), the aforementioned redundancies lessened nicely. The epilogue was comforting without being overly cheesy. And, with regards to the MC, it was a nice reminder that chivalry still lives.
October 18, 2018
Lizzie Glass had a show on the Food Network and a cookbook deal, but after just a few years her show is canceled and she is barely scraping by living in New York City working as a private chef. When she decides to move home to Philadelphia she ends up landing a summer job as a personal chef for a wealthy family at their summer home on the Jersey shore. Going from her normal life to working as the hired help in a lavish home is quite an adjustment, but things are working out and this job is paying the bills. But when Lizzie meets her employer's 20-something daughter Zoe things start to change. Zoe runs a popular "clean living" and wellness website, but soon Lizzie realizes things aren't what they seem with Zoe and her site. Lizzie has to decide if it's worth confronting Zoe and how that might impact her current job and her future.
This is a quick and mostly light read. I did like Lizzie's character and the antics with the family she's working for and definitely entertaining. It wasn't the best book I ever read, but it would be a good beach read especially since most of the story takes place over the summer.
This is a quick and mostly light read. I did like Lizzie's character and the antics with the family she's working for and definitely entertaining. It wasn't the best book I ever read, but it would be a good beach read especially since most of the story takes place over the summer.
August 21, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
What I thought would be a light and fluffy book about a cook turning over a new leaf didn’t end up being as light and fluffy the whole way through. Blind parental love clouds the judgement of people and those who seemed nice (albeit flaky) turn nasty.
What I loved: I liked how the romantic aspect of the story didn’t overtake the entire novel. Sometimes the romance overtakes the intended storyline and it was kept nicely as a subplot.
What I Didn’t Love: I wish there could have been more about Lizzie’s fall from grace – it seemed glossed over and that it happened but it was not as significant as changing a burned out lightbulb. I would have liked it if Lizzie had made a major gaffe on television or at an event instead of just no longer being flavor of the month.
What I learned: If the main character is a chef – there really should be recipes in the book.
Overall Grade: B-
September 30, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed Paige Roberts' debut novel. A book about a young woman trying to determine her next career move while feeling at loose ends socially and romantically, the story may start with a fairly common premise but rapidly becomes specific, intriguing, and amusing. Lizzie is not your average women's fiction protagonist, and I found myself quickly engrossed in this smartly written, fun, and of-the-moment story.
Roberts has a facility with language and an eye for vivid visual and culinary detail that you don't often find in this genre. Couple these engaging elements with a quickly moving plot, and you have a delightful page-turner that I got through in two days. . . and emerged feeling a bit more interested in current pop science/health issues. "Virtually Perfect" raises a number of thought-provoking questions about the power and seduction of social media as well as about media responsibility. Just as blind parental love clouds the judgment of Jim and Kathryn, so too do beautiful photographs and a large number of followers/RTs/likes cloud the judgment of the public (most notably, the followers of Zoe's site).
Paige Roberts is definitely an author to watch, and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.
Roberts has a facility with language and an eye for vivid visual and culinary detail that you don't often find in this genre. Couple these engaging elements with a quickly moving plot, and you have a delightful page-turner that I got through in two days. . . and emerged feeling a bit more interested in current pop science/health issues. "Virtually Perfect" raises a number of thought-provoking questions about the power and seduction of social media as well as about media responsibility. Just as blind parental love clouds the judgment of Jim and Kathryn, so too do beautiful photographs and a large number of followers/RTs/likes cloud the judgment of the public (most notably, the followers of Zoe's site).
Paige Roberts is definitely an author to watch, and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.
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