Guest Book Review: Brooklyn in Love

By Shana Javery

On an island where finding love can be just as hard as finding a dinner reservation on a Friday night, Amy Thomas never imagined a family would fit into her lifestyle. So when Amy finds herself turning forty, moving to Brooklyn, and making way for a baby with a new man in her life, she realizes that starting over may be her biggest opportunity yet.

But how do you balance staying out all night dancing with staying up all night soothing a baby? Can a lifelong city girl trade in spontaneity for domesticity? Set amid the backdrop of Brooklyn and Manhattan's foodie scenes, Amy sets out to make her second act even sweeter than the first. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

So...I agreed to read Brooklyn in Love without knowing anything other than the title. Small confession: I apparently didn’t even read that carefully because I missed the subtitle which is a huge clue to the subject of the book: “A Delicious Memoir of Food, Family, and Finding Yourself.” I sure wish I’d noticed that from the start. The author Amy Thomas is an “uber foodie” (if such a phrase exists.) I’ve only been to Manhattan a few times and the Bronx for a Yankees game. After reading this book, however, I will be adding Brooklyn to the list and taking Ms. Thomas’ list of restaurants in my pocket. Her extensive knowledge of restaurants, famous chefs, and food in general is truly mind-blowing. I am not a foodie but I love wining and dining. As I read this book I actually felt a little stupid for being so stuck in my ways and avoiding the unknown when dining. Yep, I’ve made a New Year’s resolution in February-to be more adventurous in the future. You know, maybe skip the filet mignon and move out of my comfort zone.

As for the family part of this book, it was nice to read along as the author shared her experience of falling in love. I couldn’t relate to her fear of giving up her single life but I eventually figured out that when I got married in the mid-twenties I didn’t have the fears Ms. Thomas did as a 40 year-old. In fact, as I write this review it has just dawned on me that I was more willing to take a risk on love than trying an unusual dish!

I think my favorite part of this novel is the last phrase of the book’s subtitle: finding yourself. That’s the storyline I found most heartwarming. Who can resist the joy of reading a story where the main character figures out who she really is?

In summary, if you are a foodie you need to read this book. (Buy it-so you can keep it as a reference.) And if you just enjoy a good love story then find some time to read this lovely memoir.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for the book in exchange for an honest review and for including us on the blog tour.

Shana Javery is an attorney mediator with a background in employment law. She is thrilled to have renewed her lifelong love of reading over the past few years. Shana & her husband reside in Plano, Texas. She is grateful to all the fabulous authors out there who unknowingly have eased her heartache from becoming a recent empty nester.