At 289 pounds happiness was never an issue for Melanie Hoffman. She had a dynamic job as a high-powered attorney, wore Jimmy Choo shoes, and had a slim, trim, sexy husband who gave her hours of passion no matter how many cupcakes she inhaled or cream sauces she savored. But when Melanie realized she was headed for an early grave if she didn’t shed some weight, she decided to lose 145 pounds, quit her job and open up a gourmet take out café providing healthy and delicious food choices. It was all so perfect: new outlook on life, new body, and a new career—until the other Jimmy Choo dropped. After ten years of marriage, her husband calmly announces over morning coffee that he’s in love with another woman. Wait. Wait. Not just any woman, a woman who is heavier than Melanie ever was. Turns out he liked curves. Kind of makes you want to scream, “You all quit it!” And that’s pretty much Melanie’s reaction.
Losing the life she thought she loved, Melanie must find a way to survive, not just financially, but as a woman who has never really created any relationships outside of her marriage. When she’s suddenly hit with an unexpected financial burden, she’s forced to open up her carefully guarded existence by taking in a roommate—a young girl with a past. With nothing in common, what could be a disastrous living situation, becomes a unique and special friendship, as she learns she has the capacity to care for another person. As their friendship grows Melanie’s barriers begin to melt away like so much butter over a hot croissant and her heart becomes exposed. It is then that she meets Nathan, a documentary filmmaker and goes through all the pangs of a new love: first dates, first kiss, first passionate moment, and first fight, as she strips away all that keeps her from having a life on her terms.
In this tender and oftentimes witty novel, the reader is immersed in the lives of real characters that have flaws, and desires, and more living to do. The author cleverly unveils Melanie’s past through short remembrances of family dinners, holidays, special meals, and recipes. While each chapter reveals tiny morsels of how she closed herself off from the world and the people around her, the reader also finds herself invested in how Melanie grows to become the woman she always wanted to be—someone who is ready to experience life and take on new adventures.
There is a scene in Good Enough to Eat where Melanie says she hasn’t made or eaten chili for years because it reminds her of a bad breakup. Is there any food you don’t eat because it reminds you of something unpleasant?
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Maria Lokken is an avid romance reader and an award winning television producer.
