Off the Menu

Name: Off the Menu
Brand: Tantor Audio
Availability: InStock
Author: Stacey Ballis
ISBN: 9781452680682

Author: Stacey Ballis

Narrator: Arielle DeLisle

Unabridged: 10 hr 9 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 11/26/2012

Categories: Fiction, Romance, Women

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included

Synopsis

As the executive culinary assistant to celebrity Chicago chef Patrick Conlon, Alana Ostermann works behind the scenes—and that's just the way she likes it. But with developing recipes for Patrick's cookbooks, training his sous chefs, picking out the perfect birthday gifts for his ex-mother-in-law, and dealing with the fallout from his romantic escapades, she barely has a personal life, much less time to spend with her combo platter of a mutt, Dumpling.

Then a fluke online connection brings her RJ, a transplant from Tennessee, who adds some Southern spice to her life. Suddenly Alana's priorities shift, and Patrick—and Dumpling—find themselves facing a rival for her time and affection. With RJ in the mix, and some serious decisions to make about her personal and professional future, Alana must discover the perfect balance of work and play, money and meaning, to bring it all to the table—one delicious dish at a time.

About Stacey Ballis

Stacey Ballis is the Director of Education and Community Programs at the Goodman Theater in Chicago. She is the author of several novels, including Inappropriate Men, Sleeping Over, Room for Improvement, The Spinster Sisters, and Good Enough to Eat. She is also a contributing author to the anthologies Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, and Living Jewishly.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jennifer on November 12, 2015

My first Stacey Ballis book was Out to Lunch which ended up being a 5-star read for me. I loved it! So when I saw one of Ms. Ballis' earlier books at my local library, I was super excited and scooped it up immediately. Off the Menu is a standalone novel that I personally shelved under the genres of......more

Goodreads review by Anastasia on December 13, 2012

Alana is a production assistant for Patrick, a famous television chef. He takes up all her time and doesn't understand boundaries. Her job leaves her with little time for herself, friends, family or to find herself a boyfriend. I can't say I didn't like it, because I finished it. I kept waiting for......more

Goodreads review by Jeanne on September 06, 2012

Let me begin by saying that I really wanted to like this novel. Recommended by Jen Lancaster, Off the Menu features a great setting (Chicago), food & foodies, an adorable canine named Dumpling, and a little romance. What’s not to love? Well, if I weren’t from Chicago, I’d be annoyed by the setting an......more

Goodreads review by Susan on July 29, 2012

First, let me say that chick-lit is not my favorite genre. I seem to read plenty, but I'm mostly disappointed. This book was no exception. The main character works for a celebrity chef. This is in the description of the book so it's hardly a surprise. Therefore, you would assume that anyone reading......more

Goodreads review by Regina on August 02, 2012

If you can get past several political jabs, this is a decent book. (Usually I prefer my chick-lit to be politics-free, but a liberal can never resist an opportunity to get in a good jab!) The food angle always fascinates me and that is Ballis' trademark. However, this whole book seemed to kind of ru......more