Barr, a former culinary TV producer for Good Morning America
, a cookbook author (Make It Italian
) and a former executive chef to Julia Child, novelizes her background and expertise. Casey Costello is an executive chef at TV newsmagazine Morning in America
in New York. After her relationship with a dentist goes awry, Casey moves in with her food-loving Italian family. Despite eating well, Casey's cynical attitude toward men remains, even when Danny O'Shea, a chef from one of New York's hottest new restaurants, makes a guest appearance on the show—and makes it clear he's interested in her. All the "will-she-succumb?" that follows isn't enough to sustain the book, but Barr weaves in a subplot revolving around the morning show's fearless and lovable host, Sally Woods, who finds herself enveloped in her deceased husband's unseemly business. That allows Barr to take Casey to Italy, where she is successful in peppering the plot with authentic culinary snapshots. There's not much here, but it's well composed. (June)
