Recipe for Disaster

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 messher 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 fianc 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 frustrationand what little savings she hasinto 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 along. With the perfect blend of humor and heart Balliss writing is powerfully honest and genuinely hilarious.Jen Lancaster. INCLUDES RECIPES