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Craving London: Confessions of an Incurable Romantic with an Insatiable Appetite
Still single five years after a broken engagement, 29-year-old food lover Jessica Stone decides to leave New York City for a fresh start in London, hoping the change in scenery would finally usher in a new relationship. In this all-consuming memoir, she indulges in one culinary adventure after another while undergoing the trials and tribulations of trying to date in a different country. Would she finally find the winning recipe for lasting love?
Craving London is an intimate journey of the heart and palate. Those engaged in a life-long love affair with food and travel—as well as a hunger for self-improvement and a curiosity for foreign culture—will find many ingredients to sink their teeth into here.
Join Jessica as she reinvents her life from scratch, reminisces about her Cuban roots, shares her favorite recipes, and attempts to unravel the nature of relationships…one rapturous bite at a time.
Craving London is an intimate journey of the heart and palate. Those engaged in a life-long love affair with food and travel—as well as a hunger for self-improvement and a curiosity for foreign culture—will find many ingredients to sink their teeth into here.
Join Jessica as she reinvents her life from scratch, reminisces about her Cuban roots, shares her favorite recipes, and attempts to unravel the nature of relationships…one rapturous bite at a time.
234 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 124 reviews
January 9, 2021
Remember the pre-COVID days, when you could travel around the world and explore distant cities?? My family and I took an awesome trip to London in the summer of 2019. While there we at a lot of great food, so this book, Craving London, appealed to me immediately.
This is a memoir by an American woman, Jessica Stone, who quit her job in the USA and moved to London to find a new job and try out living abroad. She had broken up with "The Boyfriend" and was also looking to find true love. This memoir is part food writing, part travelogue and part a look into her experiences dating in London. Stone doesn't call any of the men in the book by their name but rather by monikers like "The Barrister" or "Secret Agent". While in London she worked part time as a copy editor for advertising firms and also attended Le Cordon Bleu. She wrote a blog at the time about her experiences, which became the basis for this book. The tone of the book was lightly humorous and it was nice to read about her quest to make a place for herself in London. I was hoping that it would be a bit more about food than it was but I still enjoyed the book and it did bring back lots of good memories of London. There were recipes at the end of some of the chapters that coincided with what Stone wrote about in that chapter.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
This is a memoir by an American woman, Jessica Stone, who quit her job in the USA and moved to London to find a new job and try out living abroad. She had broken up with "The Boyfriend" and was also looking to find true love. This memoir is part food writing, part travelogue and part a look into her experiences dating in London. Stone doesn't call any of the men in the book by their name but rather by monikers like "The Barrister" or "Secret Agent". While in London she worked part time as a copy editor for advertising firms and also attended Le Cordon Bleu. She wrote a blog at the time about her experiences, which became the basis for this book. The tone of the book was lightly humorous and it was nice to read about her quest to make a place for herself in London. I was hoping that it would be a bit more about food than it was but I still enjoyed the book and it did bring back lots of good memories of London. There were recipes at the end of some of the chapters that coincided with what Stone wrote about in that chapter.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
August 11, 2024
Fun to read with bonus recipes
4.65 rating. I enjoyed reading about life in and around London in Jessica Stone's book, "Craving London. " Fun, sometimes laugh out loud review of the author's adventures in the U.K., and the luscious dishes she provides the recipes for are a great bonus. An additional bonus, besides the recipes, is the candid view of how to maneuver around British society without insulting the natives and travel tips that would be absolutely essential for the region. Quirky and a little sad overall.
4.65 rating. I enjoyed reading about life in and around London in Jessica Stone's book, "Craving London. " Fun, sometimes laugh out loud review of the author's adventures in the U.K., and the luscious dishes she provides the recipes for are a great bonus. An additional bonus, besides the recipes, is the candid view of how to maneuver around British society without insulting the natives and travel tips that would be absolutely essential for the region. Quirky and a little sad overall.
July 10, 2021
I LOVE LOVE this book!!
Jessica Stone has captured my heart through my stomach in this delicious, hilarious, and refreshingly honest and well written memoir and travelogue.
Jess an American who transplants herself to live a life in London while training at Le Cordon Bleu after a failed engagement is just what I needed for a great lockdown read.
Thank you for not only transporting me to London but the sprinkling of amazing recipes throughout the book is simply divine! From chunky cookies, to delectable side dishes, brunch item menus and the to-die-for Curry Cauliflower, Jess........ THANK YOU!
Jessica Stone has captured my heart through my stomach in this delicious, hilarious, and refreshingly honest and well written memoir and travelogue.
Jess an American who transplants herself to live a life in London while training at Le Cordon Bleu after a failed engagement is just what I needed for a great lockdown read.
Thank you for not only transporting me to London but the sprinkling of amazing recipes throughout the book is simply divine! From chunky cookies, to delectable side dishes, brunch item menus and the to-die-for Curry Cauliflower, Jess........ THANK YOU!
December 6, 2020
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I thank both the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and then give an unbiased review of "Craving London".
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Five years after her heart was shattered by a broken engagement, author Jessica Stone decided to do something exciting and new - and moved lock, stock, and barrel to London. Leaving everything behind in New York, Jessica is ready for her life to begin anew.
A definite foodie, Jessica recounts her favorite and not-so-favorite dishes that tempted her palate while in England. Freelancing as a writer allowed her to satisfy her very sweet tooth in many ways.
Jessica also hoped that her love life would get a kick start too. Throughout the book, she talks, sometimes with a good sense of humor, the pitfalls and sometimes highlights, that occur when looking for love in a new country.
The book also includes many recipes for a variety of foods that Jessica loves - and there are many. I thought this was a nice and thoughtful touch to add to her story.
If I had to find something to say other than how much I greatly enjoyed this entire trip through love and England, I would say that I wanted more information on how she finally met the man she would marry. In all the other relationships, we are treated to rich details of who, how, when, and the ups and downs of emotions with each new guy she dated. When she finally finds "the real thing", it's covered in but a few sentences which left me wanting more. To say anything past this would be a spoiler, so I must stop here. Even so, I would highly recommend this book as a fun romp, beginning to end.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Five years after her heart was shattered by a broken engagement, author Jessica Stone decided to do something exciting and new - and moved lock, stock, and barrel to London. Leaving everything behind in New York, Jessica is ready for her life to begin anew.
A definite foodie, Jessica recounts her favorite and not-so-favorite dishes that tempted her palate while in England. Freelancing as a writer allowed her to satisfy her very sweet tooth in many ways.
Jessica also hoped that her love life would get a kick start too. Throughout the book, she talks, sometimes with a good sense of humor, the pitfalls and sometimes highlights, that occur when looking for love in a new country.
The book also includes many recipes for a variety of foods that Jessica loves - and there are many. I thought this was a nice and thoughtful touch to add to her story.
If I had to find something to say other than how much I greatly enjoyed this entire trip through love and England, I would say that I wanted more information on how she finally met the man she would marry. In all the other relationships, we are treated to rich details of who, how, when, and the ups and downs of emotions with each new guy she dated. When she finally finds "the real thing", it's covered in but a few sentences which left me wanting more. To say anything past this would be a spoiler, so I must stop here. Even so, I would highly recommend this book as a fun romp, beginning to end.
October 13, 2020
I’ve recently been enjoying memoirs, particularly food and travel memoirs, so Craving London felt right up my alley. I didn’t like this book as much as I anticipated, unfortunately. There were hardly any recipes in the book, and for a book billed as a good memoir, I was really disappointed in that. The recipes that were included were barely even recipes at all (peanut butter and jam sandwich? Applesauce?). The title and description of this book leads the reader to believe it’s more about food than anything else. It truly read more like a diary of a single woman in London, though I suppose that was another intention of the author. I was anticipating much more bulk around the romance aspect of this book as well, and it just didn’t deliver. We get only the briefest look at a few different men, and that’s it. Had this book merely been entitled A Diary of London or some such, I might not have felt let down. Finally, there were quirks in the writing style that I found off-putting. So many times, I felt like I was reading the literary equivalent of a compulsive name-dropper. The constant translation of British word use made the author project a superiority-type of attitude. It gave a patronizing air to the book. Overall, I would not recommend this book to someone looking for a food/travel/romance memoir, but rather someone who just wants to read about someone else’s time as an ex-pat in Britain.
October 14, 2020
3.5 Stars
Thank you for the publisher for providing me an ARC via netgalley.
I REALLY loved the descriptions of food in this one and only wish there could have been more of that side of things! This was a really great look at the authors life moving from America to London in search of great love and great food. This book is getting a 3.5 star for me as I found a lot of the diet culture references / fatphobic remarks were unnecessary and just left a sour taste in my mouth. Shame really as otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can't wait to try out some of the recipes!
Thank you for the publisher for providing me an ARC via netgalley.
I REALLY loved the descriptions of food in this one and only wish there could have been more of that side of things! This was a really great look at the authors life moving from America to London in search of great love and great food. This book is getting a 3.5 star for me as I found a lot of the diet culture references / fatphobic remarks were unnecessary and just left a sour taste in my mouth. Shame really as otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can't wait to try out some of the recipes!
October 19, 2020
This book was received as an ARC from Ripe Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
While reading this book I felt like I was transported through London along with Jessica through her adventure of discovery post divorce. This book focused on the optimistic side of a difficult circumstance and what it truly meant to be. I loved how Jessica compared her life to recipes she discovered while in London and the creative titles she gave them just made me enjoy the book even more. I have read a lot of food memoirs in my career but none of them quite transported me along for the ride as Craving London did. Kudos to Jessica Stone for that.
We will consider adding this title to our Biography collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
While reading this book I felt like I was transported through London along with Jessica through her adventure of discovery post divorce. This book focused on the optimistic side of a difficult circumstance and what it truly meant to be. I loved how Jessica compared her life to recipes she discovered while in London and the creative titles she gave them just made me enjoy the book even more. I have read a lot of food memoirs in my career but none of them quite transported me along for the ride as Craving London did. Kudos to Jessica Stone for that.
We will consider adding this title to our Biography collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
November 15, 2020
I2w was fortunate to receive a copy of this book for free and I voluntarily reviewed it.
What a wonderful story!
So much depth, power and learning in it. I fell in love with Jessica from the first pages as she untangled herself from her Catholic education to understanding who she was as a teenager.
I liked the way Jessica used names such as The Boyfriend or The Accountant, you get the idea of their strengths and weaknesses. You don’t need to know anything more about them but how they relate to her and how she scoped them out in her life.
The whole story is well-balanced and demonstrates her learning about who she was. I loved the terminology and phrases like, “…let the rest of their lives melt into oblivion.” I can just imagine that happening.
An added extra with this book is that as a food blogger, Jessica has included recipes. These recipes don’t just remind of her England and her travels, but they pertain to the story. They enhance her actions and strengthen the purpose. In past books I’ve read with this kind of style I’ve just found the recipes annoying and a distraction to the story. But not this one. In this the recipes compliment the story, and you could see why they were included. It was all part of her life, self-improvement and learning.
I found this memoir to be fun, engaging and intriguing. A wonderful read. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great read to chew over and to remind themselves how special life is.
Thank you, Jessica. Great job!
What a wonderful story!
So much depth, power and learning in it. I fell in love with Jessica from the first pages as she untangled herself from her Catholic education to understanding who she was as a teenager.
I liked the way Jessica used names such as The Boyfriend or The Accountant, you get the idea of their strengths and weaknesses. You don’t need to know anything more about them but how they relate to her and how she scoped them out in her life.
The whole story is well-balanced and demonstrates her learning about who she was. I loved the terminology and phrases like, “…let the rest of their lives melt into oblivion.” I can just imagine that happening.
An added extra with this book is that as a food blogger, Jessica has included recipes. These recipes don’t just remind of her England and her travels, but they pertain to the story. They enhance her actions and strengthen the purpose. In past books I’ve read with this kind of style I’ve just found the recipes annoying and a distraction to the story. But not this one. In this the recipes compliment the story, and you could see why they were included. It was all part of her life, self-improvement and learning.
I found this memoir to be fun, engaging and intriguing. A wonderful read. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great read to chew over and to remind themselves how special life is.
Thank you, Jessica. Great job!
October 16, 2020
Ha! Best ever cookbook! Absolutely kick starts from the first paragraph! Sex and food just go together soooo well- pure genius! And it takes place in London, England- even better! Jessica Stone has created a cookbook that is just as entertaining a story of her love life (men's names changed to protect their identities.) This is a hoot to read while maybe fixing a recipe or a few from breakfast to dinner while reading. Maybe a good inspiration for our own cookbooks.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
June 8, 2021
3.5
I won this book via a Goodreads giveaway!
I wasn't blown away by this book, but I enjoyed it. It was a quick, easy read that made me smile a couple times, made me hungry, and have wanderlust. The flow of the story threw me off a little bit, but the writing was well done and I liked the lessons that she learned throughout the journey. Definitely recommend as a good, quick palette cleanser!
I won this book via a Goodreads giveaway!
I wasn't blown away by this book, but I enjoyed it. It was a quick, easy read that made me smile a couple times, made me hungry, and have wanderlust. The flow of the story threw me off a little bit, but the writing was well done and I liked the lessons that she learned throughout the journey. Definitely recommend as a good, quick palette cleanser!
January 14, 2022
I always enjoy an ex-pat memoir involving travel and food. This was an easy read and interesting to see how Jessica adapted to living in London and the contrast to American culture. The recipes interspersed were fun, and liked reading about London in general. I didn't really connect to Jessica though, we are very different in a lot of ways (she runs and joined a rowing team for one 🤣) and felt a little uptight/snobby to me at some points in the book. Big props to her for moving to a new country and jumping in to new experiences.
October 4, 2020
Let’s start this review off simply! This book is divinely delicious, amusing and gave me an appetite for good food and more chapters. I loved it.
The story begins with an end of a relationship and the start of a journey, a journey of self discovery, travel and taste buds. The Author writes her own story and brings with it recipes and meals that coincide with the situations she has found herself in, whether to enjoy during each chapter of her life or to satisfy herself despite the situation.
” …..if you can’t entertain yourself , how can you expect others to come along for the ride?”
I have read lots of foodie romance books, But this one is different. There is no fluffiness in Craving London. Jessica Stone writes with finesse, describing her discovery of a new city – it was amusing for me to read the differences in language between what Jessica knew as American terms to my own British language.
” Mr Darcy was at the market pushing a trolley ( the British have a way of making even shopping carts sound quaint).”
Along with life in a new city and a new dating life in London there are foods to go with each date whether it be weird or wonderful.
As Jessica fell in love with British food, so did I all over again. My favourite part of the book was the foodie talk and recipes, but there are plenty of other parts to get the reader turning the pages too. There are many amusing dates and dumpings. One of the best excuses I have heard to not see someone again is towards the end of the book. I won’t tell you what it is, but it was funny enough for me to take a photo of the sentence and send it to my Mum! She laughed too.
I thought I would enjoy Craving London, I wasn’t expecting it to be a book that I would rave about and consider buying as Christmas gifts for friends and family. Craving London is this new Author’s first book and what a spectacular first book it is. Highly recommended.
The story begins with an end of a relationship and the start of a journey, a journey of self discovery, travel and taste buds. The Author writes her own story and brings with it recipes and meals that coincide with the situations she has found herself in, whether to enjoy during each chapter of her life or to satisfy herself despite the situation.
” …..if you can’t entertain yourself , how can you expect others to come along for the ride?”
I have read lots of foodie romance books, But this one is different. There is no fluffiness in Craving London. Jessica Stone writes with finesse, describing her discovery of a new city – it was amusing for me to read the differences in language between what Jessica knew as American terms to my own British language.
” Mr Darcy was at the market pushing a trolley ( the British have a way of making even shopping carts sound quaint).”
Along with life in a new city and a new dating life in London there are foods to go with each date whether it be weird or wonderful.
As Jessica fell in love with British food, so did I all over again. My favourite part of the book was the foodie talk and recipes, but there are plenty of other parts to get the reader turning the pages too. There are many amusing dates and dumpings. One of the best excuses I have heard to not see someone again is towards the end of the book. I won’t tell you what it is, but it was funny enough for me to take a photo of the sentence and send it to my Mum! She laughed too.
I thought I would enjoy Craving London, I wasn’t expecting it to be a book that I would rave about and consider buying as Christmas gifts for friends and family. Craving London is this new Author’s first book and what a spectacular first book it is. Highly recommended.
October 25, 2020
I was completely baffled while reading the first chapter. It was a very descriptive account of the author’s ambivalence about the fact that she had sex with her boyfriend, since she was brought up as a Catholic. She was also living in New York at the time. I actually went back to look at the book description to see why the title was Craving London.
Then, aha, she does actually throw caution to the wind and make a move to London with no concrete career plans lined up in advance. Jessica pretty much delivers what she promised in this book; it is basically about food and dating in London. I did appreciate some of the additions to the book: recipes and sayings that are used by the people there. But I had hoped for more interesting tidbits about the differences in how people act and think there compared to the U.S. , and better descriptions of the country itself, but it really isn’t that kind of book.
Overall, it just wasn’t all that interesting to me; others might enjoy her constant search for men more than I did. I typically love memoirs, and I really wanted to like this! It was about London! However, it came across as the friend who always picks the wrong guy to obsess over, and can’t stop going on and on about him. There’s always a next guy for her to want to stay with even if he is so not worth it. If you're curious, she also seems to have moved away from worrying about sex with various men pretty quickly.
Not for me.
Then, aha, she does actually throw caution to the wind and make a move to London with no concrete career plans lined up in advance. Jessica pretty much delivers what she promised in this book; it is basically about food and dating in London. I did appreciate some of the additions to the book: recipes and sayings that are used by the people there. But I had hoped for more interesting tidbits about the differences in how people act and think there compared to the U.S. , and better descriptions of the country itself, but it really isn’t that kind of book.
Overall, it just wasn’t all that interesting to me; others might enjoy her constant search for men more than I did. I typically love memoirs, and I really wanted to like this! It was about London! However, it came across as the friend who always picks the wrong guy to obsess over, and can’t stop going on and on about him. There’s always a next guy for her to want to stay with even if he is so not worth it. If you're curious, she also seems to have moved away from worrying about sex with various men pretty quickly.
Not for me.
November 27, 2020
I didn't love this one. In fact, I am not sure I even liked it, to be honest. The "foodie" stuff was the best part, and there wasn't enough of THAT to save it.
**Arc Via NetGalley**
**Arc Via NetGalley**
February 15, 2021
Thank you to Ripe Press for providing me with a copy of Jessica Stone’s memoir Craving London: Confessions of an Incurable Romantic with an Insatiable Appetite, in exchange for an honest review.
After a break-up in her twenties, New Yorker Jessica Stone took a leap of faith and without having an apartment (flat) or job, she moved to London. Failure was not an option as Stone literally pounded the pavement looking for openings at copy writing agencies and trying to navigate life in her new city. Soon, Stone finds herself settled into London life and although the dating scene is tricky, she finds love in London cuisine and other joys of city life.
One of the primary reasons that I wanted to review Craving London is because I am missing my favorite city. My husband is English and we usually visit England ( often including London) at least once a year. This year, the pandemic caused us to cancel our vacation. I was looking to Stone’s memoir to provide a bit of armchair travel to a city that we mutually adore, she did not disappoint.
In fact, one of her favorite places, is also mine: Borough Market. Borough Market is a culinary delight that I did not discover until a more recent trip to London. It’s a massive covered market with vendors selling food from around the world. It’s an overwhelming sensory experience. Stone is a huge food fanatic and budding chef. While in London, she took a patisserie course at the prestigious Cordon Bleu and she sought out both unique ingredients and food experiences in the city. Her memoir will make you hungry! It also made me keenly aware at how many amazing food experiences I have yet to try in London and despite having taken food tours of the city, nothing I experienced was repeated with Stones. I made a list of her recommendations!
Her memoir includes several recipes. I always think this is a nice touch when I see it in a book that is not specifically a cookbook, but I must admit that I never actually try the recipes. It did work with the themes in Craving London.
Stone’s primary struggle that is woven throughout her memoir is dating. She is a passionate woman who is living a very full and exciting life, including joining running and rowing clubs, yet her romantic life always seems to fizzle. She meets men who are not the right fit or as equally committed. Sometimes it seems to be due to cultural differences, but also it just seems to be that she is meeting jerks. I think it is common for people to worry about the aspects of their lives that seem incomplete, especially if it happens to be a romantic relationship, but from my perspective, Stone had quite a fabulous and enviable life. She had a solid ( mostly) career, plenty of friends, was engaged in many activities, well-traveled and she was living in one of the best cities in the world.
Craving London ended with Stone realizing this and she is quite an inspiration for all people to get out and enjoy life, whether or not romantic love comes your way. I’m writing this review on Valentine’s Day 2021 and although I am happily married, I can get behind this theme of living your best life, whatever that looks like for you. Thinking back to when I was single, I also lived my life like Stone, enjoying things that made me happy and never letting a lack of a partner prevent me for dining in a restaurant or trying something new. It’s human to struggle over feelings of disappointment or lack, but it is also important to hear that being single isn’t all doom and gloom. Stone didn’t learn this lesson over night either.
Craving London is the ideal memoir for both Valentine’s Day and these months that we’ve spent lock-inside due to the pandemic. I relished both Stone’s personal journey and her thoughts on life in London.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
After a break-up in her twenties, New Yorker Jessica Stone took a leap of faith and without having an apartment (flat) or job, she moved to London. Failure was not an option as Stone literally pounded the pavement looking for openings at copy writing agencies and trying to navigate life in her new city. Soon, Stone finds herself settled into London life and although the dating scene is tricky, she finds love in London cuisine and other joys of city life.
One of the primary reasons that I wanted to review Craving London is because I am missing my favorite city. My husband is English and we usually visit England ( often including London) at least once a year. This year, the pandemic caused us to cancel our vacation. I was looking to Stone’s memoir to provide a bit of armchair travel to a city that we mutually adore, she did not disappoint.
In fact, one of her favorite places, is also mine: Borough Market. Borough Market is a culinary delight that I did not discover until a more recent trip to London. It’s a massive covered market with vendors selling food from around the world. It’s an overwhelming sensory experience. Stone is a huge food fanatic and budding chef. While in London, she took a patisserie course at the prestigious Cordon Bleu and she sought out both unique ingredients and food experiences in the city. Her memoir will make you hungry! It also made me keenly aware at how many amazing food experiences I have yet to try in London and despite having taken food tours of the city, nothing I experienced was repeated with Stones. I made a list of her recommendations!
Her memoir includes several recipes. I always think this is a nice touch when I see it in a book that is not specifically a cookbook, but I must admit that I never actually try the recipes. It did work with the themes in Craving London.
Stone’s primary struggle that is woven throughout her memoir is dating. She is a passionate woman who is living a very full and exciting life, including joining running and rowing clubs, yet her romantic life always seems to fizzle. She meets men who are not the right fit or as equally committed. Sometimes it seems to be due to cultural differences, but also it just seems to be that she is meeting jerks. I think it is common for people to worry about the aspects of their lives that seem incomplete, especially if it happens to be a romantic relationship, but from my perspective, Stone had quite a fabulous and enviable life. She had a solid ( mostly) career, plenty of friends, was engaged in many activities, well-traveled and she was living in one of the best cities in the world.
Craving London ended with Stone realizing this and she is quite an inspiration for all people to get out and enjoy life, whether or not romantic love comes your way. I’m writing this review on Valentine’s Day 2021 and although I am happily married, I can get behind this theme of living your best life, whatever that looks like for you. Thinking back to when I was single, I also lived my life like Stone, enjoying things that made me happy and never letting a lack of a partner prevent me for dining in a restaurant or trying something new. It’s human to struggle over feelings of disappointment or lack, but it is also important to hear that being single isn’t all doom and gloom. Stone didn’t learn this lesson over night either.
Craving London is the ideal memoir for both Valentine’s Day and these months that we’ve spent lock-inside due to the pandemic. I relished both Stone’s personal journey and her thoughts on life in London.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
March 25, 2022
DNF at 82%.
This book is so cringeworthy. Her interactions with men make me think of a college freshman, not a women in her early 30s. The author recognizes the naivety and self destruction of her former self but it doesn’t make it any easier to read about.
I think I missed how important food was in this book when I decided to pick it up. She makes love to food far more than to men. I love me some food but I can’t wax poetically about it for 3 paragraphs. It’s just too much for me. I know there are people that measure their days and life and celebrations by what they ate, but I am not one of them.
Most people who love this genre are already well aware of British English and the definitions of many common words and phrases. It felt condescending to have a section dedicated to those definitions. I also was wondering where the heck London comes in in this book. I learned more about the surroundings and culture of Thailand in one chapter than I did about London in the rest of the book combined. There should have been more about place, history, people.
Lastly, memoirs/travelogues are really all about relationships. The people you meet along the way make you and make your story. Aside from the crappy men she chased after, there were no relationships here. She mentions going out to dinner with friends, but no meaningful dialogue is included. She never just hangs out with her friends or discovers a new part of the city with them. When she does go out with them, all she recounts about the outing is the food or how they told her to choose another guy to be interested in.
I will admit she did include friend dialogue right at the point where I stopped, but it was about a guy… ughhhhhhhh. I’m done. I can’t read about any more painfully awkward dates or pastries they gave her a mouthgasm.
This book is so cringeworthy. Her interactions with men make me think of a college freshman, not a women in her early 30s. The author recognizes the naivety and self destruction of her former self but it doesn’t make it any easier to read about.
I think I missed how important food was in this book when I decided to pick it up. She makes love to food far more than to men. I love me some food but I can’t wax poetically about it for 3 paragraphs. It’s just too much for me. I know there are people that measure their days and life and celebrations by what they ate, but I am not one of them.
Most people who love this genre are already well aware of British English and the definitions of many common words and phrases. It felt condescending to have a section dedicated to those definitions. I also was wondering where the heck London comes in in this book. I learned more about the surroundings and culture of Thailand in one chapter than I did about London in the rest of the book combined. There should have been more about place, history, people.
Lastly, memoirs/travelogues are really all about relationships. The people you meet along the way make you and make your story. Aside from the crappy men she chased after, there were no relationships here. She mentions going out to dinner with friends, but no meaningful dialogue is included. She never just hangs out with her friends or discovers a new part of the city with them. When she does go out with them, all she recounts about the outing is the food or how they told her to choose another guy to be interested in.
I will admit she did include friend dialogue right at the point where I stopped, but it was about a guy… ughhhhhhhh. I’m done. I can’t read about any more painfully awkward dates or pastries they gave her a mouthgasm.
November 11, 2020
Craving London: Confessions of an Incurable Romantic with an Insatiable Appetite by Jessica Stone. Thanks to @mindbuckmedia and @ripepress for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Newly single Jessica travels to London in hopes of finding true love. As she dates in a new culture, she begins a culinary adventure.
This is a food lovers dream memoir. The descriptions of food are likely to make you hungry, no matter how much food you’ve just ate. There are recipes dispersed throughout the book, with witty titles and timing that syncs with the story. I cannot wait to make some of these recipes. I loved the cultural explanations for words; Cuban food and British sayings. The memoir was fun because it had a lot of variety. Along with the story, we have the recipes and at times, these descriptions that almost work as an index. The story itself was good, but I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much without the recipes and food descriptions. There wasn’t anything too unique about the author’s dating experience, but of course dating stories are always a lot of fun to read! I did find myself cringing a bit at times due to the talk of weight: talking about acquiring a muffin top as a pun for example felt a bit judgey. There was also some emphasis on virginity and purity, which made me uncomfortable, but I reminded myself that this was the author’s experience and perspective. Overall, a fun read for foodies and travel lovers!
“I didn’t expect to fall in love with the food in my adoptive country, and not just because I foolishly believed the rumors about British cuisine. I had learned to eat in New York, and I was not going to let something else take its place.”
Craving London comes out 11/17.
Newly single Jessica travels to London in hopes of finding true love. As she dates in a new culture, she begins a culinary adventure.
This is a food lovers dream memoir. The descriptions of food are likely to make you hungry, no matter how much food you’ve just ate. There are recipes dispersed throughout the book, with witty titles and timing that syncs with the story. I cannot wait to make some of these recipes. I loved the cultural explanations for words; Cuban food and British sayings. The memoir was fun because it had a lot of variety. Along with the story, we have the recipes and at times, these descriptions that almost work as an index. The story itself was good, but I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much without the recipes and food descriptions. There wasn’t anything too unique about the author’s dating experience, but of course dating stories are always a lot of fun to read! I did find myself cringing a bit at times due to the talk of weight: talking about acquiring a muffin top as a pun for example felt a bit judgey. There was also some emphasis on virginity and purity, which made me uncomfortable, but I reminded myself that this was the author’s experience and perspective. Overall, a fun read for foodies and travel lovers!
“I didn’t expect to fall in love with the food in my adoptive country, and not just because I foolishly believed the rumors about British cuisine. I had learned to eat in New York, and I was not going to let something else take its place.”
Craving London comes out 11/17.
January 30, 2021
I found this memoir to be charming and delightful. The book follows author Jessica Stone on a journey of self-discovery as she moves from the US to London in search of a new life, true love, and great food. Stone’s writing is engaging and humorous, taking us through her adventures (or misadventures) in dating as well as her exploration of food from her favorite restaurants to her eventual training at Le Cordon Bleu.
Personally, I found this book relatable and inspiring as someone who also studied in England in college and daydreams about moving back. (And also someone who is, as Stone describes herself on the book’s cover, “An incurable romantic with an insatiable appetite.”) I enjoyed Stone’s experiences exploring neighborhoods, markets, and restaurants around London that I was familiar with ... a fun bit of nostalgia that allowed me to daydream of returning to London in post-COVID times!
The recipes Stone included throughout weren’t exactly what I expected — I was anticipating more British specialties or dishes unique to London, but Stone’s recipes included a broader variety of dishes (everything from applesauce and PB&J sandwiches to cauliflower curry and tortilla española) that had a personal connection to Stone’s dating adventures, ex-pat journey, or Cuban roots.
After following Stone’s dating misadventures with the many nicknamed suitors throughout the book, I would have liked to hear more about the man she eventually ended up marrying. (I’ll leave it there to avoid spoilers!) But overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone else who daydreams of British adventures, true love, and the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.
Personally, I found this book relatable and inspiring as someone who also studied in England in college and daydreams about moving back. (And also someone who is, as Stone describes herself on the book’s cover, “An incurable romantic with an insatiable appetite.”) I enjoyed Stone’s experiences exploring neighborhoods, markets, and restaurants around London that I was familiar with ... a fun bit of nostalgia that allowed me to daydream of returning to London in post-COVID times!
The recipes Stone included throughout weren’t exactly what I expected — I was anticipating more British specialties or dishes unique to London, but Stone’s recipes included a broader variety of dishes (everything from applesauce and PB&J sandwiches to cauliflower curry and tortilla española) that had a personal connection to Stone’s dating adventures, ex-pat journey, or Cuban roots.
After following Stone’s dating misadventures with the many nicknamed suitors throughout the book, I would have liked to hear more about the man she eventually ended up marrying. (I’ll leave it there to avoid spoilers!) But overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone else who daydreams of British adventures, true love, and the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.
November 21, 2020
Something Magical happened...
Food, check. Travel, check. Dating/romance, double-check. Beauty of Life & Learning?
Something magical happens when these elements are brought together in the hands of a passionate master.
I love travel. I love good food. I love experiencing new things. Stone is a woman after my own heart.
She's after the heart of EVERY woman stuck at some point in their lives and are not sure of the way forward to something better. I felt, as if she was taking me by the hand on her journey. That she had included me in dinner parties & dates. I got to feel every nuance she describes in amazing sensory detail. I went with the digital version, but will now add a physical copy to my library. Do yourself a favor; buy the real book. The recipes alone are worth it, but with the adventure added in, I was ready to pack up and book a flight to London. And, I can't because of Covid. But this turned out to be an all-nighter. I couldn't put it down. Would be curious to see if Stone can pull off a book #2 that is this good or better?
Food, check. Travel, check. Dating/romance, double-check. Beauty of Life & Learning?
Something magical happens when these elements are brought together in the hands of a passionate master.
I love travel. I love good food. I love experiencing new things. Stone is a woman after my own heart.
She's after the heart of EVERY woman stuck at some point in their lives and are not sure of the way forward to something better. I felt, as if she was taking me by the hand on her journey. That she had included me in dinner parties & dates. I got to feel every nuance she describes in amazing sensory detail. I went with the digital version, but will now add a physical copy to my library. Do yourself a favor; buy the real book. The recipes alone are worth it, but with the adventure added in, I was ready to pack up and book a flight to London. And, I can't because of Covid. But this turned out to be an all-nighter. I couldn't put it down. Would be curious to see if Stone can pull off a book #2 that is this good or better?
December 31, 2020
I really like the chapter entitled, “Feed Me Love.” Jessica hits on so many great truths in here. I like how open she was about her pain, and that she found a path to overcome that pain. I also found it funny and honest how she acknowledged that her contentedness only lasted a week. Very relatable! But it’s weeks like that that get us through the other 51 of the year.
Jessica’s style of writing is very engaging, honest, and made me keep turning pages. I’m looking forward to testing out some of the recipes. I thought it was clever how she integrates them into the memoir. I craved a little more information at the end, but I guess I’ll have to wait for the next book!
A few quotes that hit home for me:
“As a vegetarian, I actually took pleasure in my narrowed choices. I’d look for the ‘V’ on the menu, and that was that. Instead of feeling restricted, I felt liberated. I chose to be content with my vegetarian options, much like those in an arranged marriage choose to accept their spouses. Instead of lamenting what you’re missing, you emphasize what you’re getting.”
“The truth is that I was sending mixed signals to myself. Why was I still interested in a man who kept me at arm’s length? Why was I so intent on doing all ‘the right things’ when he wasn’t perfect, either?”
Jessica’s style of writing is very engaging, honest, and made me keep turning pages. I’m looking forward to testing out some of the recipes. I thought it was clever how she integrates them into the memoir. I craved a little more information at the end, but I guess I’ll have to wait for the next book!
A few quotes that hit home for me:
“As a vegetarian, I actually took pleasure in my narrowed choices. I’d look for the ‘V’ on the menu, and that was that. Instead of feeling restricted, I felt liberated. I chose to be content with my vegetarian options, much like those in an arranged marriage choose to accept their spouses. Instead of lamenting what you’re missing, you emphasize what you’re getting.”
“The truth is that I was sending mixed signals to myself. Why was I still interested in a man who kept me at arm’s length? Why was I so intent on doing all ‘the right things’ when he wasn’t perfect, either?”
January 31, 2021
The only difference between those who do and those who don’t is just that — doing it.”
On the cusp of her 30th birthday, Jessica decides to leave her NYC life behind and move to London for a fresh start. This memoir follows her move across the Atlantic, her job search in a new city, her dating life in a different culture, her discovery of new cuisines, and it’s packed with some stellar recipes!
I enjoyed reading Jessica’s story. I think it’s incredibly brave to up and move to another country, let alone on your own! I loved hearing about her different work, from freelancing in beauty marketing to studying pastry cooking and sports reporting! I thought this was a heartwarming read of Jessica’s journey to find herself, and the added recipes were a bonus! I can’t wait to attempt to cook some of these.
On the cusp of her 30th birthday, Jessica decides to leave her NYC life behind and move to London for a fresh start. This memoir follows her move across the Atlantic, her job search in a new city, her dating life in a different culture, her discovery of new cuisines, and it’s packed with some stellar recipes!
I enjoyed reading Jessica’s story. I think it’s incredibly brave to up and move to another country, let alone on your own! I loved hearing about her different work, from freelancing in beauty marketing to studying pastry cooking and sports reporting! I thought this was a heartwarming read of Jessica’s journey to find herself, and the added recipes were a bonus! I can’t wait to attempt to cook some of these.
March 31, 2023
This was cute. Not perfect, but highly relatable. Will be recommending to a few people I know who could benefit knowing they're not alone in certain feeling about situations.
I very much enjoyed her names for the different guys she dated. And found inspiration in her writing even though I am in a committed and loving relationship currently. I found myself nodding a lot because of having similar in my past dating life.
Will definitely have to try the various recipes she has in a few of the chapters.
Take-aways:
💥Be yourself and you will eventually find your person. Don't change just to try to fit someone you're not compatible with.
💥Don't try to change someone to fit your needs.
💥If they want to be with you, they will make the time to do so.
💥Don't be like the monkey, let go of the impossible nut and set yourself free. (IYKYK)
Read it!
I very much enjoyed her names for the different guys she dated. And found inspiration in her writing even though I am in a committed and loving relationship currently. I found myself nodding a lot because of having similar in my past dating life.
Will definitely have to try the various recipes she has in a few of the chapters.
Take-aways:
💥Be yourself and you will eventually find your person. Don't change just to try to fit someone you're not compatible with.
💥Don't try to change someone to fit your needs.
💥If they want to be with you, they will make the time to do so.
💥Don't be like the monkey, let go of the impossible nut and set yourself free. (IYKYK)
Read it!
November 20, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, Jessica Stone and Ripe Press for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I love memoirs, which I have said time and time again, and I love reading about ordinary people and their lives. This one in particular really intrigued me: I am a Londoner and I absolutely love food. I had images of the culinary delights of London being described with a real hone in on British food. However, that is not what this book really is about.
I found the book quite confused and it didn't really have a clear direction or focus. The book really isn't about food, though it is mentioned and some recipes are included (not really anything to do with London/British cuisine). It is more about Stone's move to the UK, unsuccessful dating life and Stone's clear obsession with self-help books. It was very disjointed.
Stone based this book on her food blog and I think this really what has confused the book. Whilst the format of a food blog works online (with a detailed story before a recipe) this does not translate into a book.
Sadly, not for me.
I love memoirs, which I have said time and time again, and I love reading about ordinary people and their lives. This one in particular really intrigued me: I am a Londoner and I absolutely love food. I had images of the culinary delights of London being described with a real hone in on British food. However, that is not what this book really is about.
I found the book quite confused and it didn't really have a clear direction or focus. The book really isn't about food, though it is mentioned and some recipes are included (not really anything to do with London/British cuisine). It is more about Stone's move to the UK, unsuccessful dating life and Stone's clear obsession with self-help books. It was very disjointed.
Stone based this book on her food blog and I think this really what has confused the book. Whilst the format of a food blog works online (with a detailed story before a recipe) this does not translate into a book.
Sadly, not for me.
May 7, 2021
I don't know if this book qualifies as a memoir. It's the true story of the American author's escape to London after a break-up as a young woman, looking for love in all the wrong places, but finding good things to eat along the way. Her search for her soulmate is a recipe for disaster, mixing red flag denial, naive expectations, and overthinking. Stir in equal parts of travelogue, English-British dictionary, cookbook, and restaurant guide, and you have Craving London. Break-up by break-up, recipe after recipe, she leads the reader through the dining courses of her years, ultimately ending with the platitudes about life and love that we readers have been telepathically shouting at her from the first chapter, hoping she will learn from her mistakes. On the bright side, her writing style was brisk and engaging. This book was free as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for my review.
November 17, 2020
Happy Pub Day & Book Review!!
𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀
Craving London by Jessica Stone
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 /5stars
Now I am not normally a memoir reader. Although sometimes I do make exceptions for ones that contain humor. This was enjoyable, it was well written and descriptive, which I enjoyed being that i have never been to London. It also had recipes at the end of most of the chapters, which I thought was a great touch! I enjoyed the authors growth and how she became fearless and unstoppable.
The only thing that I was a little eh for me, was that I felt like I didn’t connect with the author. And I know it’s a memoir, but there was just no connection that kept me wanting to know more about her. Don’t get me wrong, it was a great story and I did enjoy her growth and her experiences but in that aspect it fell a little short for me.
All in all I thought this had me laughing, had my mouth watering from all the amazing food and recipes and had me enjoying the the London life.
December 22, 2020
Jessica has given us a charming book filled with stories about love of food and love of love. The recipes she includes made me hungry just reading them--I dog eared almost every one of them to try!
As for the love of love portion...we've all dated at least one or two of these men. We know how it feels to have our emotions and hope shoot high into the air only to come crashing right back down. These stories make Jessica's book so relatable, and you will root for her as she details her dating adventures.
The book ends with a paragraph--a Nightcap, she calls it--that makes me think we might get another book? Fingers crossed!
As for the love of love portion...we've all dated at least one or two of these men. We know how it feels to have our emotions and hope shoot high into the air only to come crashing right back down. These stories make Jessica's book so relatable, and you will root for her as she details her dating adventures.
The book ends with a paragraph--a Nightcap, she calls it--that makes me think we might get another book? Fingers crossed!
May 12, 2021
I won this book on Goodreads.
I overall enjoyed this book. It was a fun easy read.
I loved that the author put recipes throughout the story that tied in with the chapter. The different sections of the book are divided up like a menu (appetizer, main dish and desserts etc)
The author’s story of her life in London was well written, and interesting. I loved her pseudonyms. I liked her honesty and she explained how she remembered the details because she had journals she wrote while she was living in London.
I really liked that she gave us an epilogue (nightcap) and brought the reader up to date on her life.
I overall enjoyed this book. It was a fun easy read.
I loved that the author put recipes throughout the story that tied in with the chapter. The different sections of the book are divided up like a menu (appetizer, main dish and desserts etc)
The author’s story of her life in London was well written, and interesting. I loved her pseudonyms. I liked her honesty and she explained how she remembered the details because she had journals she wrote while she was living in London.
I really liked that she gave us an epilogue (nightcap) and brought the reader up to date on her life.
September 7, 2021
This is a very easy to read book, and the stories told feel very relatable, especially if you've ever lived abroad or traveled abroad.
I love that there are also sections that share bits of the culture like British vernacular you may not be familiar with.
There are also little recipes sprinkled here and there. I didn't try any of them, but they are relatively simple and are not the true focus of this book. They're more of a fun addition to break up the text and give you a pause.
A definite fun read!
I love that there are also sections that share bits of the culture like British vernacular you may not be familiar with.
There are also little recipes sprinkled here and there. I didn't try any of them, but they are relatively simple and are not the true focus of this book. They're more of a fun addition to break up the text and give you a pause.
A definite fun read!
December 2, 2020
I won a copy of the ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed this book. I actually moved to London around the same time that the author was there, and we are around the same age, so I was interested to read her experience. I enjoyed reading about her athletic pursuits and going to pastry school. Her run-ins with different Mr. Wrongs was very relatable! I thought the author was very likable and I would love a follow up to see how she's doing now. The book was an easy read and kept my attention.
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