Hot Mess

by Emily Belden

On Sale: 04/01/2018

Enlarge Book Cover

Hot Mess

by Emily Belden

On Sale: 04/01/2018

Format:

Amazon Apple Books Google Play Kobo

View More Retailers

Book Overview
Author Info

About the Book

The Devil Wears Prada meets Sweet Bitter in this riveting debut novel, the story of a young woman thrust into the hotChicago restaurant scene when her celebrity chef boyfriend, a not-so-recovering drug addict, vanishes and leaves her toopen his hip new restaurant alone.

Risk – the seductive, destructive kind – was never Allie Simon's weakness. She didn't play a game unless she knew all the rules. And when she played, she always played it safe. That was before Chicago's most lusted–after culinary genius, Benji Zane, walked into her world and pulled her into his. Burdened with a reputation shadowed by scandal and addiction, and gifted with the potential to reach superstardom, he's recklessness personified. And when he's offered the chance to light up Randolph Street with a new edgy restaurant, Allie takes the ultimate risk and invests her life savings in his dream.

And then Benji disappears, relapsing to a place where Allie can't reach him. The Chicago dining world can cut, damage, and sting. But an addict's lies leave behind the deepest scars. Left with nothing but a restaurant that absolutely must open in a matter of weeks, Allie is thrust into a world of luxury and greed, of cutthroat business and ruthless delight. She can either walk away completely burned…or stay, cook, and fight like hell for the life and love she wants.

Critical Praise

Praise for Emily Belden's memoir, Eighty-Sixed:"Bridget Jones...let Emily Belden show you how it's done in America."—Jeff Messick, author of Knights of the Shield"An edgy, irreverent snark-fest that ultimately morphs into a deep, emotionally satisfying story. Kudos to Emily Belden for this extraordinary memoir."—Chrissy Lessey, author of The Coven"So relatable that it feels like the therapy session you never had."—Cheeky Chicago“I can't quite put my finger on what it was about Hot Mess that made me inhale the entire book in less than 24 hours.” - Chicago Now“With razor-sharp wit and searing insight, Belden serves up a deliciously dishy look behind the kitchen doors of Chicago's hot foodie culture.” - West Suburban Living Magazine"This is an engrossing, slow-burn read that yields a very satisfying emotional payoff.... Rich with perfect details, balanced between the various different relationships and presented in a well-crafted narrative, this novel is meant to be savored." - RT Book Reviews"Belden has written a story that's more complicated (and feminist) than I ever suspected…. if you're ever in the market for a story with a complicated, smart, successful female lead who experiments in love and delicious food, this is it.” - The Bookly Club -