The Restaurant Critic's Wife

Available January 5, 2016

Thank you to NetGalley.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I was super excited to read this novel and it didn’t disappoint. It was not only a tale of being the spouse of a restaurant critic (something I think I would love since I hate to cook so much) but also about a woman finding her place in a new town – new friends, new neighbors, raising kids and finding herself. Lila’s journey is so similar to what so many women face each and every day and she is completely relatable.

What I loved: I love how Lila could think on her feet, thanks to her past life as a crisis management manager for a hotel chain. She showed that even with “mommy brain” she was strong while dealing with situations where people normally lose all sense of logic, and remained cool while under pressure. And there were recipes!! I’ll never use them since I hate to cook, but I always love when the recipes are added to the novel.

What I didn’t love: The hubby, Sam, is a not a likable character at all. Sam becomes so obsessed with his job, his position, his reputation that he doesn’t see how lonely Lila is every day. What I didn’t understand is , if you’re so concerned with not being fingered as the new restaurant critic, why not take measures to protect your identity instead of just shunning everyone? Why not write the column under an assumed name but use your real name for the chef interviews, background stories, etc? Maybe if you didn’t order 7 different dessert items in one sitting, the staff wouldn’t be able to figure out that you’re reviewing the place.

What I learned: No marriage is perfect, but each marriage can be what works best for the people involved.

Overall Grade: B