Review: Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched

I read Kim Barnouin's first novel, Skinny Bitch in Love, last summer and absolutely adored it. I was thrilled when I learned there was going to be a second book in the series. I finally got around to reading Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched last week (well after the publication date of  May 6) and I loved it. I think I liked the first one more but this second installment was really enjoyable.

Here's the synopsis:

For the second time in just a few short months, Clementine Cooper's professional reputation hinges on one restaurant review. Clementine's No Crap Cafe is poised to score the Holy Grail of publicity - a mention in the New York Times Sunday travel section - if Clem's veggietastic lasagna can bowl over the food critic.
Clem has no time for distractions. Or surprises. But when her meat-eating millionaire boyfriend Zach Jeffries shocks her with a sweet and romantic marriage proposal, of course she says yes! Now she has to plan the most important menu of her life while fending off her domineering future mother-in-law's extravagant plans for the wedding.
As if there wasn't enough on her plate, Clem decides to open a second restaurant on her parents' farm,Clem's No Crap Outpost, against Zach's advice. Just when she needs his support the most, Zach grows distant. The only person who really seems to understand is Clem's friend and biggest competition, the cute vegan chef Alexander Orr. Putting out fires in the kitchen is easy, but in her relationship? Suddenly, her time with Alexander feels...hotter...than usual, and Clem starts to wonder if the charming carnivore she's engaged to is really the man she should spend her life with.

One of my problems with this book was that it seemed like Simon & Schuster really rushed it to publication. On the minor end: there was one word that were only half italicized (perhaps because there was emphasis on the one part but why have the whole word be italicized in every other mention of it?) and another that had missed the first letter being italicized. There were other, more troublesome, issues, too. There seemed to be quite a bit of repetition. I expect there to be some information given in the second book of a series that I already know because I read the first book. But what I don't expect, or want, is that information told to me again...and again. There was something to do with Alexander (silly me didn't note the page number) that was mentioned at least twice throughout the novel in almost the exact same way. Finally, I had a really hard time following the time line of this novel. Sometimes it was very clear when weeks went by but other times (especially for the epilogue), I had zero idea when it was taking place. I think that contributed to the rushed feeling I had. Those are some specific(ish) examples but, as a whole, I felt the story to be a bit rough and I think the author and editor(s) needed to spend more time on it.

Enough negativity! I really did like this book. I liked it because it's full of a great cast of characters. Clem, our heroine, isn't going to be for everyone. Not just because of her personality (she can be stubborn and mouthy) but because of her age, which, I suppose, plays a large part in her personality. She's, I think, 25 and I know some people might find that they can't relate to her (just like I can't really relate to the mom characters I read). I like that her BFF, Sara, was still very involved in her life. As much as I wanted to strangle Dominique, Zach's mother, I liked that she was a good match for Clem. They're a similar type of woman, strong and used to getting what she wants, and I'm happy with how their relationship ended up. I adored Keira, Zach's step-sister. She was around 19 or so, and had a great personality and was just so much fun to read about. I'm also glad Alexander was around a little bit in this book (even if I'm not totally sure it was necessary) as I have a bit of a soft spot for him! Oh, and I loved Aunt Jocelyn just as much as Clem did. She was the older, wiser, confidante Clem needed and she had a fabulous personality.

I liked the behind the scenes look at the restaurant industry in this book. It was fun to read about Clem working in and running her restaurant's kitchen (though, my god, do I hate the name Clementine's No Crap Cafe). I suppose I liked it, in part, because I always enjoy reading about jobs and such that I have no experience with. I hate cooking. I can make enough so I don't die but I just don't enjoy it (though I will happily make a cake or muffins) so reading about a bunch of characters who live to make food for themselves and others was neat.

Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched was a really fun, perfect for summer, chick lit novel. Kim Barnouin has written a great second novel in her series that was enjoyable, even if I liked the first one more. If you like food, weddings, and chick lit, check this one out!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: Skinny Bitch in Love

Raise your hand if you've heard of the Skinny Bitch cookbooks. Keep your hand up if you think that a novel written by one of the authors would be super enjoyable. Surprise! It was! I ended up absolutely loving Skinny Bitch in Love by Kim Barnouin.

Here's the synopsis:

Clementine Cooper is a born vegan, com­mitted in every way to the healthy lifestyle she was raised with on her father’s organic farm. But how bad could a little butter be? Bad enough to get the ambitious and talented sous chef fired when an influential food critic discovers dairy in Clem’s butternut squash ravioli with garlic sage sauce. Though she was sabotaged by a backstab­bing coworker, Clem finds herself unceremo­niously blackballed from every vegan kitchen in L.A.
Like any vegan chef worth her salt, however, Clem knows how to turn lemons into delicious, cruelty-free lemonade cupcakes. She launches the Skinny Bitch Cooking School in hopes of soon opening her own café in an empty space near her apartment. But on the first day of class, sexy millionaire restaurateur Zach Jeffries puts a fork in her idea with his own plans for the space—a steakhouse. Clem is livid. For a carnivore, Zach is more complicated than she anticipated. He’s also a very good kisser. But could dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the city—and a meat-eater—be as bad for Clem as high-fructose corn syrup? Shouldn’t she fall instead for a man who seems to be her perfect match in every way—like Alexander Orr, a very cute, very sweet vegan chef?

You know those books that you get totally sucked into and don't want to put it down for anything? Plans with friends, eating, sleeping, you know, the other important things in life. Skinny Bitch in Love was one of those books for me. I could have had it finished in one sitting if I hadn't gone to my boyfriend's baseball game - and I seriously considered either not going or reading during the game. As it was, I didn't go out afterwards and went straight home so I could finish the book before bed. I was that invested in the book and Clementine's story!

I loved Clementine. I want to be friends with her - and not just because she could cook me food! It helps that she's my age, twenty six, and trying to figure out what to do with her life, just like I am. Though, she is much more of a go-getter than I am and didn't let anything get her down. She's also the kind of person who attracts great friends. Her best friend and roommate, Sarah, is awesome and provides some great spunk and sass to Clem's life. She also has a great friend in Ty (I really hope it's Ty...I didn't write down his name and my eARC has since expired! Eep!) who understands how brutal the restaurant business can be and is always championing Clem.

I really liked the food aspect of this novel. It was an important part of the story but it wasn't told in a way that would confuse the readers. There are a lot of cooking and restaurant scenes and vegan food and terminology. I liked that Clementine really explained veganism and how you can be healthy while living that lifestyle. Personally, I could never do it full time (my family did for a bit and I had several very tasty meals when I visited on weekends) but I liked living in Clementine's world for a little while. I liked that she butted heads with Zach but he was willing to work with her and didn't judge her for not eating meat (in fact, I think it Clementine was doing more judging of Zach!). Anyway, the point is that Clementine's lifestyle made for a very interesting and enjoyable read.

The romance part of this story was great. I was just as torn as Clementine on whether she should date Zach, the oh so bad for her guy, or Alexander, the sweet and vegan guy. I wondered who was truly being sincere and who would be best for her. There are sweet scenes and sexy scenes, and everything in between. I really liked how things turned out for her in the end.

Skinny Bitch in Love is a great summer read. Kim Barnouin's novel will suck you in and you'll want to finish it in one sitting. So, pack up the book, your sunscreen, snacks, and refreshments and park yourself by the pool or at the beach - and enjoy!

Happy reading :)