I’m a sucker for books about food. Especially if those books include magical realism, like GARDEN SPELLS and LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, or a sweet bit of romance, like Amy’s debut (which released yesterday, folks, in case you missed the excitement!) — THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE.
It’s the story of Lou — a Milwaukee chef and restaurant owner — and Al, a British, somewhat sour restaurant reviewer, who finds himself at Lou’s restaurant the night her life falls apart. What follows are a lot of shenanigans, some fantastic food descriptions, and an unlikely love story. I read it in about 24 hours and told Amy she should (MUST) write a sequel when she gets a chance 🙂
So here are 5 things to love about THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE:
- THE FOOD. I’ve never wanted to visit Milwaukee more than when reading this book (to be honest, I’ve never wanted to visit Milwaukee BUT now that I know the food they have and that it’s Amy’s home, I’m adding it to my must-visit list). Butterburgers? Frozen custard? Deep fried cheese curds? Yes. Please. *Note: As a true and good Canadian, I am no stranger to melty cheese curds. Poutine, a combination of french fries, squeaky cheese curds (the squeakier the better), and hot gravy smothering it all, is practically a national dish, but DEEP FRIED cheese curds? That’s a whole new level.
- LOU & AL. Oh, these two. So much goes on between them, and just when it seems things *might* be on the upswing, BOOM. Amy hits us with yet another conundrum. While the relationship could feel predictable in the wrong hands, Amy had done a bang up job of keeping the tension up and the turns coming, all while making us fall in love with these two.
- CAST OF CHARACTERS. From Harley and Sue, to John, to Gertrude and Otto, the supporting cast in C3 is made up of easy-to-love characters who provide just the right amount of flavor without overseasoning the main plot.
- COCONUT CAKE RECIPE. Who doesn’t love a recipe at the end of a food-themed book?
- THE ENDING. This was as satisfying to me as I suspect the Coconut Cake will be, which I have big plans to make later this week!
Karma!!! You’re next!!!!