How Far Would Your Love of Food Take You?

It takes a great writer to draw you in with whimsical stories of freshly baked bread and fragrant fruit compotes and the like. The best of those writers will have you scrambling for your keys and in the middle of your closest grocery store to pick up all you need to make what you just read about before you even realize it. And the pinnacle of those writers cross the bridge from blog posts and recipe testing to a full-fledged author, not just of cookbooks, but an intoxicating novel; an engrossing tale that you simply cannot put down. Jessica Tom has done just that with Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit.

Jessica’s food blog is full of beautiful photos, enticing and refined recipes accompanied by descriptions that bring the dishes to life before they become a reality in your kitchen. You’ll find an array of dishes, ones that can easily match any taste, on her blog and I suggest that you check it out and become inspired.

But what about the book? I received a copy to review prior to the official release date, October 27th. I received the copy just days before a family camping trip. It’s important to note that I don’t camp (it’s happened about four times in my entire life). As someone who works primarily online and for many hours a day, I don’t get the opportunity to truly unplug and read for pleasure, well, ever. To hold a book in my hands and move the pages with more than a swipe of a screen, crafted by someone who has a similar passion to mine was incredible. I poured over the book as soon as our camp was set up, without completely ignoring my family.

Jessica’s writing style was robust and with the focus being on food (mostly), her appreciation for ingredients, the art of cooking and combining flavors and textures held my attention. Then, of course, there is the small detail of deceit. Without giving the book away, Tia (the stories main character) finds herself secretly working with the New York Times renowned food critic which leads to parts of her life suffering and others flourishing, but without a soul to confide in.

I finished the book in one day and once done I wanted to hop on a plane to New York City and dine on all the dishes she painted in my mind. If you love food and a great story, I think that you will truly enjoy the journey that Jessica takes you on; just make sure to have some snacks at the ready though they surely will not compare the foods Tia dines on.

Food Whore goes on sale October 27th. With the holidays coming this will not only make a great book for your collection but also the perfect gift for your favorite food lover. Jessica even has a discussion guide on her website in the event that you add the book to your book club rotation. If you add the book to your book club discussion, make sure to invite me!

*We received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate the write-up; however, our opinions are wholly our own. View our Disclosure Policy for more info.