Recipe for Disaster

ISBN: 0425265501

Author: Ballis, Stacey

Condition: New

Stacey Ballis cooks up a delicious broth of a novel about a woman whose perfect life falls apart in spectacular fashion--leaving her with a house to restore, an antique cookbook (but no cooking talent), and one very unhappy schnauzer. For fans of Jen Lancaster, Jennifer Weiner, and Emily Giffin.To an outside observer, Anneke Stroudt is a mess-her shirts are stained, her fingernails stubby, her language colorful. But, despite her flaws, Annekes life is close to perfect. She has a beautiful historic house to restore and a loving fiancé who cooks like a dream.Until Annekes charmed existence falls apart when she loses both her job and her future husband in one terrible day. In need of a new start, she packs up her disgruntled schnauzer and moves into her half-finished home, where she throws her pent-up frustration-and what little savings she has-into finishing the renovation.But at the first step into the houses overhaul, Anneke is sidetracked when she discovers a mysterious leather-bound book, long hidden away, filled with tempting recipes and steamy secrets from Gemma Ditmore-Smythe, the cook for the houses original owners. Slowly, with the help of some delicious food and Emmas life lessons, Anneke begins to realize that, just like a flawless recipe, shes been waiting for the right ingredients to cook up a perfect life all alongWith the perfect blend of humor and heart, Balliss writing is powerfully honest and genuinely hilarious.-Jen LancasterINCLUDES RECIPES