I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched
on May 6, 2014 and has 320 pages.
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Second in the Skinny Bitch romance series about the attraction between a vegan and a carnivore.
This is an interesting fictional series that takes off from a series of books Barnouin has written on vegan diet and cooking.
My Take
This was cute with a pair of strong protagonists and a fun look at the frantic pace in the kitchen. Definitely tells me that I do not have a passion for cooking, although I do enjoy the tasting. Ya gotta know someone’s passionate when they go into the kitchen to cook/play on their days off!
I loved feeling as though I were there in the kitchen. The sound of the atmosphere at Clementine’s is so wonderful! I felt the frantic pace, smelled the mole, and inhaled the fragrance of sautéed garlic. I don’t understand why more kitchens can’t foster a work atmosphere like this. I love that Barnouin calls out the hypocrites like the woman who shudders at the thought of eggs in her pasta, but placidly adds cream to her coffee, lol. Nor does Barnouin like the expected wedding traditions — and she has great fun poking at them. And I love that Clementine tries to be polite but won’t roll over for anyone, no matter what Zach pleads. There’s never an excuse for such rudeness as that bitch mother of his throws around. I love that Clementine puts her foot down, so very politely, lol.
Never were two people so incredibly opposed to each other. As much as I can’t stand Dominique, it is fascinating — like watching a cobra sway — to watch the duel between these two.
I do like the title of her café. It reflects what she thinks of the food most of us are shoveling into our bodies. I must say, her recipes sound very yummy and almost tease me into wanting to cook vegan. Her dad is a sweetheart; I love it when he gets excited about how the sales from their farm are evolving — which sends Clementine off into her next venture!
It did however start to fall apart for me with her obsession over that bloody ring box. She spins up this huge fantasy based on so little information that this starts to veer into the stupid trope. I thought Clementine was moving into Zach’s place, so why is she always showing up at her place?
Clementine really is a very decent person, giving Keira a job, putting up with her clumsiness, and yet finding the benefits of having her around. I love that the experience helps Keira so much, that it and Clementine give her the courage to go after what she wants — in spite of her stepmother! Alanna, too, has her trials as does Gunnar with his daughter and his unrequited love.
I love it! Violet explains that her dad taught her how to make spaghetti and meatballs even though meat makes him gag…yup, that’s love all right…lol.
All women should read this for Aunt Jocelyn’s list of things she wanted to accomplish and be sure of before marriage. Hmmm, actually, men might want to read it as well, just replace the pronouns with their opposites *grin*.
I am finding out how out of touch I am as well when I read Barnouin’s dialogs. I begin to see how older people don’t keep up with current idioms and expletives…sigh… It’s an interesting state to be both in- and outside myself.
This is nice. Sweet. I love how down-to-earth Clementine’s parents are, and surprisingly, Zach’s dad as well. And yeah, as a marketing ploy, it has me curious about her Skinny Bitch cookbooks and diet books.
I gotta read Skinny Bitch in Love, 1, as I want to be there on Eat Me when she wins!
The Story
It’s that point in a happy relationship when one side begins to want more, and it’s a happy moment when Clementine says yes. At least it is until Dominique insists on planning the wedding.
Things only get more frantic when the New York Times calls about an article they want to write on this new fad for vegan cafés, and it’s Clementine’s No Crap Café versus Fresh, Clementine’s success or Alexander’s job.
Not one to restrict herself — or need sleep apparently — Clementine is struck with inspiration for a branch Clementine’s at her parents’ organic farm.
And Dominique insists on Clementine hiring Keira, with no experience, to work in her kitchen.
The Characters
Clementine Cooper loves to cook and loves to cook vegan. Elizabeth, an uptight lawyer, is her newly married older sister. Kale is her younger brother. Her dad is coping with Stage III cancer. He and their mother, Mayzie, run an organic farm. Willy and Pete are the family dogs. Sara Macintosh is her best friend and current roommate. Sara’s boyfriend, Joe “Steak” Johansson, is the obnoxious host of Eat Me with a black Lab named Meatloaf; Sara’s spirited responses on the show led to her being hired as co-host of the show. Ty is Clementine’s other best friend, the best vegan pastry chef, and currently working in Paris. Cousin Harry has also been Clementine’s friend forever, and she talked Zach into giving him a job. Nadia is his model girlfriend. Uncle Bob is a klutz and Aunt Lee is long-suffering, lol. Must be love there too.
Zach Jeffries, a carnivore and CEO of Jeffries Enterprises, has been her boyfriend for the past seven months. Charlie is Zach’s beagle. Avery is his fraternal twin. Gareth is their brother, and Jolie is their half-sister who’s getting married to Rufus, a musician, whom no one in the family likes. Dominique Jeffries Huffington is his nasty bitch of a mother. Kiera is Dominique’s stepdaughter. Cornelius Jeffries is Zach’s bajillionaire father; Lydia is his current fiancée in line to become wife number four. I adore Great-aunt Jocelyn; she’s got some good advice. She’s married to Uncle Frederick. Cousin Griff.
Clementine’s No Crap Café
Clementine’s is a vegan café that’s been successfully open for the past two months with Alanna McNeal as sous chef; Gunnar Fitch is the vegetable chef (Violet is his very angry daughter); Everett McMann is usually the line cook; Evan McMann, his twin; and, Matteo is “the smoking-hot Italian maître d'”.
Alexander Orr is a friend and another vegan chef, except he works for Fresh, the restaurant that tossed Clementine. Gil Gilmore is one of Sara’s regrets. Martina Jones is the reporter from the New York Times.
The Cover
The cover is a bright blue three-tiered wedding cake topped with pink roses against a pastel pink background. The same pastel pink is the title in script on the wedding cake.
The title is quite accurate, for this Skinny Bitch Gets Hitched at the end.
