Eating Heaven

by Jennie Shortridge

Nothing gets Eleanor Samuels’s heart racing like a double scoop of mocha fudge chunk. Sure, the magazine writer may have some issues aside from food, but she isn’t quite ready to face them. Then her beloved uncle Benny falls ill, and Eleanor’s whole world is torn apart. Unlike her sisters, she has neither a husband nor a full-time job, so it’s up to Eleanor to care for her ailing uncle. What at first seems scary and daunting becomes a blessing in disguise. Because while she’s doing all that cooking and nurturing—and enjoying a delicious flirtation with a new chef in town—Eleanor begins to uncover some long-buried secrets about her emotionally frayed family and may finally get the chance to become the woman she’s always wanted to be…

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Book Club, Food, Womens Fiction, Foodie, Adult Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2005

About the author

Jennie Shortridge is the author of five bestselling novels: Love Water Memory, When She Flew, Love & Biology at the Center of the Universe, Eating Heaven, and Riding With the Queen.

She is an avid volunteer and mentor, and is co-founder of Seattle7Writers.org, a nonprofit collective of authors that raises money and awareness for literacy.

Jennie is currently working on a memoir.

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, this book has been a great read, but has moved a little slowly. It's about a woman in her late thirties - single, overweight freelance writer for a cooking magazine - who suddenly finds herself caring for her "uncle", who is really a close friend of her mother. I think the book is about to get really interesting (I'm on page 146 as I write this) and I can't wait to see what unfolds!

Update: I'm nearly finished and have found a deeper respect for the author's message, although I'm not sure this book speaks to me personally. I have never had the task of being someone's live-in respite care nurse, but I have seen enough people struggle through this that I can relate to the situation. I find myself empathizing with Ellie and getting wrapped up in her story-line over the Uncle Benny story. It's interesting to think about family secrets and the life your parents had before they had you. I can also relate to using food as comfort until even food isn't enough. I actually found myself wishing the author had included the recipes for Ellie's creations!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was on my to read list, and was available at the library, so I checked it out, thinking it was going to be a nice light chickie kinda book. It was not. Well, it was chick lit, but a bit darker, and with a lot of messages. The author tackles food bingeing, cancer, love, saving a stray cat, cooking, death, family dysfunction. It was harrowing in spots. There was a lot going on, and a lot of things I could relate with. The book was well written, the food descriptive and sensual, loved the Portland settings, and there was a lot of humor. It tugged on my heart in a few places, and I read between tears in others. Some was predictable and silly. All in all, not a bad read.

[Blythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book; the author seems to have a deep understanding of human nature and can articulate it well, in addition to relational dynamics. That said, I wasn’t sure what kind of book this was; at times it felt light and fluffy. Sometimes it was dark and dreadful. Sometimes it was silly and funny. I would be interested in reading her later works to see if she has since found her voice.

[Sue Ridgeway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truthfully 2.75 stars… it was a sweet story of family and secrets. It was fine/good. Just didn’t wow me or anything.

[Deborah Provost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved this book. The characters were so relatable and lots of the plot struck close to home for me!

[Marissa Savala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book to read by a friend in 2013. I loved it then, and then forgot about it over the years. In 2019 I remembered I enjoyed the book, but couldn't remember the title or author. So I searched for the next year and a half trying to find this mysterious book that I wasn't even sure existed anymore. I submitted a vague description of my mystery book to a website with book lovers and librarians, and received on reply suggesting the book was "Eating Heaven". I immediately googled it to find that it had an almost nonexistent internet presence! I ordered it from Amazon and guess what... They lost it! It was as if the universe was trying to keep this book from me. So I found one more copy from a private seller, ordered it, and alas my white buffalo arrived. This book was every bit as wonderful as the first time I read it. I am well read across many genres and decades, and I am declaring this my favorite novel of all time. If you love food, cooking, family secrets, and characters who learn to love themselves, then this is a book to read and share with anyone who relates!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought this book might be chick-lit light or have too many issues tucked into it to be believable. There are a lot of issues dealt with but in a believable way (although sometimes things were just a little too convenient). Shortridge really made me care about her characters. The best part for me was that Shortridge didn't feel the need to tie everything up with a ribbon at the end.

[Kim Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite liked this moving book. The character growth is strong, and it is emotionally driven and well-written. There is only one character in the book I would not want to meet, and honestly, this character is supposed to be unsympathetic. I liked the depictions of Portland, and the food descriptions were well matched to the plot.

Highly recommended.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book!!! Shortridge needs to write some more books so that I can keep reading her stuff! She is funny and witty. Think that she will appeal to just about anyone who is an avid reader.

[Rubí Santander · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Why do most women in our country have an obsession with food, the eating as well as the not eating of it? We gladly feed others, yet we struggle with our own hunger. Is food a panacea to fill our empty souls? Have we lost touch with something vital—say, self-fulfillment, or even just self-acceptance—and all we can do is medicate ourselves with the pleasure of fat and calories (or heaven forbid, carbohydrates)? On the other hand, if we don’t eat and lose weight, might someone love us more? If we’re hungry and our stomachs growl, are we more virtuous than if we’re full and satisfied?"

[Sonia189 · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many little details I loved about this book. I would only change the epilogue a bit and would make it more obvious. But the main character is someone I identified with and could get her state of mind, even if I'm nothing like her.
I can understand why it doesn't work for many readers but well... it did for me.

[Donna Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this little chick book at Friends of the Library in Huntsville, and I fell right into the rhythm of a food-lover's tale. Will make you hungry for the finest quality foods. I laughed and cried, and it had a perfect sweet ending.

[Nancy Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this book has a lot of themes. Relationships between sisters. Mothers and daughters. Eating disorders. Stressful marriages. Fathers and daughters. And caring for a loved one with terminal cancer. And finding and losing love. This author put it all together in a wonderful story.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book!!! Family, whether blood or choice and looking back at family history — what a story!
Love the writing!! Tender and funny yet sad and thoughtful. Evokes emotions - either I was chuckling or close to tears!
Thank you Jennie for a fabulous book!

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed...
Wasn't able to put down for the last 100 pages - at least..
Not a "Beach Read" even though it looks like it is....
Lots of "issues", with humor and depth.
Tissues for the end...

[Momruns5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

For chick lit this was surprisingly good!! Made me cry multiple times. Really good example of how to help a close loved one let go of suffering from a terminal illness.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but awfully depressing.

[Nihal Ozel · Rating 2 out of 5]

tam bir tatil kitabı

[Maryann Sulic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Complex story. I greatly enjoyed character of Henry Bouche. I also thought theme of serious illness and hospice were lovingly depicted.

[Handan Yılmaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Linda Spyhalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good read!

[Mary Swenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wayyyy sad.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, very, very slow start. However, it did help you (as the reader) to develop empathy for the characters. Could have done without the last page.

[Jojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this would be light chick-lit I could read during my convalescence, but, although the writer's style is a tad chick-litty (not that I'm complaining; so is mine), the real subjects here were family secrets, handling the terminal illness of a loved one, and learning to accept yourself even when your crazy-ass mother has done a number on your self-esteem. Oh - and food. There's a food reference on every page, it seems, and recipes are included at the back of the book.

What I liked about the book: the relationships between the sisters was absolutely real to me. Although my sister and I have a beyond-wonderful relationship, the kind that other people openly envy, I like reading about sisters who have issues with each other, especially when they (like the sisters in this book) come together at the end to support one another.

The weight thing - yes, Eleanor loses weight during the book, but by the end she has regained her curves and found a true love who appreciates her passion for food.

The cat - that was a very cuddly cat, and I'm a dog person (in fact, I read the book on my Recovery Couch with my doggie lying on my feet).

The guy - does he really exist and will he marry me? Honestly, the description of this guy made me fall madly in love with him. I love to get crushes on fictional characters, what can I say, I live in Fantasy World.

The hospice - I do not have any personal knowledge of hospices but from what I know, the hospice described in this book is a very accurate representation. I wish that my grandmother had been able to go to a place like Benny's hospice; I think she would have had a much more peaceful death. Maybe I've been thinking about death too much lately, but I actually was really into the Benny section of the book. His character rang very true.

The chick-lit aspect of the book - See, the problem I usually have with chick-lit is that most of it seems to follow a similar pattern: girl meets a bunch of guys, perhaps has a relationship with someone unworthy of her, then ends up with the guy you've known since page 3 was the one she would end up with. Meh. I like to be surprised, I like my heart to feel all tingly when I realize what's going to happen...And in this book, there really was only one guy, and he didn't appear right away, and when he did, he was immediately appealing. Yet - I still didn't know what was going to happen. There was even a wild thought in my mind that Henry would turn out to be a user (maybe a one-nighter with Anne?) and Eleanor would end up with Stefan, who wasn't really as perfect-looking as his picture. 'Cause that's probably the way I would have ended it, if I had written this...So any chick-littish book that can keep me guessing is awesome.

Portland - I so want to go there.

The ending, overall - I am fine with not having every question answered. I am happy assuming that Christine is Benny's child.

What I didn't like - Mom. I totally did not buy into this character. Of course, I know from having my own stuff workshopped that the characters and situations that seem the least plausible are sometimes the most real aspects of the book. I just did not buy that this woman would marry Benny, take off on him and Rosemary, bring her younger daughters to visit Rosemary, then take a photography class with her secret ex-husband and make him a part of the family, alienating her current husband in the process...and then cut him out of her life, not even visiting him on his deathbed.

Yolanda - It seemed like she was a plot device - just there to give Mom something to be pissed about. I didn't get why Yolanda and Benny had married in the first place, and I didn't get why she had taken off, or why she clearly loved him but didn't come back when he needed her. She was not a shrinking violet, she was a bold, colorful character; she could have told Mom to go to hell.

The whole mystery thing - Yes, all families have secrets, but this just didn't ring true in any way. I actually thought it was kind of creepy how Benny came to Portland and took over, pushing the kids on their swings, etc., when poor Dad - although he was not a sympathetic character, either - had done nothing to deserve that. Dad was probably worn out from dealing with Mom and raising kids he suspected were not his own. Eleanor told the story from the point of view of an adult, looking back on her childhood, but there were too many missing pieces.

Anyway - I will definitely read more from this author. This was an ideal book for my convalescence, which is (regretfully?) coming to an end, so now I probably won't get to Jennie Shortridge's other books until summer.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent no-brainer read when you want something quick and effortless. Finally the end had some redeeming qualities I hoped would be there.

[Debra Daniels-Zeller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from a friend's reccomendation and also because it was written by a Northwest author. This book didn't seem like my usual fare at first, but I gave it a shot and was hooked from the first page. Shortridge is a really good writer. The main character Eleanor Samuels is a food writer, but not just any food writer, she's also got an eating disorder and can't stop eating things that aren't healthy. And she's not happy with the crap articles she's been churning out. Most of the book is about her caring for her "uncle" Benny who needs constant care because he has stage !V cancer. Eleanor immediately moves in with him so he can qualify for at home hospice care. She brings all the things she really needs, including her computer and cat and her life is basically turned upside down caring and cooking for her uncle. Slowly she begins disvoering things about her uncle and her mother that she didn't know previously, mostly through looking at his photo albums. So two stories are basically going on, Elenaor's struggles with food and her determination to give her uncle end of life care. And there's a love interest also with Henry, a chef she interviewed for an article. For not exactly my typical action/thriller novel, this book proved a compelling read, but the end was a sad tear-jerker and her final resolution with food issues felt a bit contrived. Also when she cared for her Uncle I wondered about issues with Medical insurance or Medicare, because these are big parts of the health care picture. Was this purpously left out because it might have been distracting to the theme? I missed that part of the reality of caring for someone with a late stage disease. There were poignant moments and laugh out loud moments, but the end was too well-wrapped and neat for my taste.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit painful to read for me with the one aspect of Uncle Benny's terminal illness, because it was so familiar to me with my own family. But the other aspects of the book were so well written, and interesting that I had to read the whole book. The story line of main character Eleanor, and her free lance cutting calorie articles, and her passion for food and food preparation were great.
Eleanor is imperfect, chubby, lonely, introverted, the family outcast, and addicted to sweets, with no apologies. She just is what she is. Her very imperfection made her believable, real, and very likeable. She just was the star in this book. I loved her. Especially easy to read was her independence, and her nurturing personality that was the anchor of Eleanor's personality.

The mystery of the strange and vague family dynamics, Benny, Eleanor's mom and dad, and Yolanda was very well done, flashing back in time with perfect descriptions of how the mom dressed, her lipstick, her sundresses, the family BBQ-ing in the back yard, the dad and his emotional removal from the core family, it was realistic and made the book.

Ms Shortridge really nailed the descriptive verbage in this book for any foodie. The fact that sea salt was the catalyst that pushed Eleanor to re connect with Henry made me smile and rang true to life.

The only factors that could have improved this book for me would have been more depth on Eleanor's career, her writing, and her articles, where they went, who they reached, etc. And perhaps more depth on the Rosemary story with Bennie and her mom. All in all, a very memorable read, and 4 stars for me.

[TabiLoves_ChaptersnTea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Eating Heaven quite a long time ago, but what has stayed with me is the warmth and humanity of the story. The book follows Ellie, a freelance food writer who is overweight and has a complicated relationship with food. She uses humor and sarcasm to get through life, but underneath that she’s dealing with insecurity, loneliness, and old emotional wounds.

A big part of the story centers on Ellie caring for her uncle — the one person who has always loved her unconditionally — as he becomes seriously ill. Through that experience, she slowly begins to confront not just her food struggles, but the emotional pain attached to them. Along the way, she reconnects with family, builds new relationships, and starts to learn what self-acceptance really looks like.

What I remember most is how real Ellie felt. Her struggles weren’t treated as a joke or a stereotype, but as part of a very human, very relatable journey. The story has a gentle, feel-good tone, even while it deals with grief, love, and complicated family dynamics. It’s ultimately about learning to be kinder to yourself — inside and out.

Even though some of the smaller plot details have faded for me over time, the emotional heart of the book hasn’t. Eating Heaven left me with a sense of warmth and compassion, and that’s what makes it memorable.

[Yolibear · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was reading this book, and I felt like I am missing the mark. The main character was seriously pathetic. I don’t think I have ever eaten like this before in my life. I mean shoveling food into my mouth without a fork in my car like an animal… are you kidding me?
Is this how other plus sized women live? Am I not the norm? Is my eating when I am sad (always with a spoon or fork) or when I am stressed not how the other half of the obese population lives? Does the rest of plus sized civilization eat when they know they shouldn’t (behind a dumpster, embarrassed) and eat cake out of a pan without a fork or servings meant for 6 people? I don’t want to appear oblivious… but I was so confused… and angry.
As I continued to read, I realized that this woman's pain was deep rooted in depression and her feelings of inadequacies. I don't recommend this book if you are looking for quick easy read. It deals with depression, eating disorders, and losing a loved one. I was tempted to put this book down. But I am so glad I pushed through my own personal feelings about the main character. I also loved how the ending was realistic and not all sunshine and rainbows.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleanor Samuels is a very special heroine and while reading this novel I felt that she was a real person. Rarely do I get attached to a fictional character, but she was so easy to relate to (except, thankfully, for the part about having someone close dying of cancer). Also rarely, books do not linger in my mind for long, and this novel is an exception for me. Several times since I finished the book I have stopped to reflect on the lessons Ellie learned and how she handled learning them with such grace and normalcy.

Anyone who has ever had a love/hate relationship with food and dieting will surely understand this quote (from page 80): "To hell with food and its false love, its deception. It lures you in, says, 'I'll make you feel better, I'll be there for you.' And then it drives everyone else away."

I don't feel that any review I could give this book would live up to its meaningful subject and poignancy. I'll just say it's the best book I've read in a long, long time, even if it did make me sob throughout the last 50 pages. Read this one and then go hug the people you love and tell them you love them for who they are.