Julia's Child
Sarah Pinneo

Plume / Penguin
January 31, 2012 / ISBN 978-0452297319
Fictoin // Humor
Amazon

Reviewed by Elaine Broome

Julia Bailey has big dreams…very big dreams! In these dreams - so real she can almost reach out and grab them - her organic children's food lines the shelves of the New York's finest grocery stores. 'Julia's Child', made with love, healthy ingredients, and a strong dose of conscience, flies off the shelves in stores large and small. Even the big mama of all her dreams, Whole Foods, carries her lentil, apples, and cheddar cheese treats. But before those dreams can come true, Julia needs customers, money, and recognition. What she doesn't need is the guilt that stares her in the face when she leaves her own children and husband as she tries to sell Julia's Child to New York moms. Can she do it? Or will the cost to her and her family derail her dreams?

Although Sarah Pinneo's Julia's Child breaks no new ground, it is quite a pleasant read. Julia is a believable and likable character - you will pull for her from the first page. We might have heard this story and met these people before, but I enjoyed spending time with them. Pinneo does not fall into totally predictable situations and characters - there are sweet little surprises throughout the story, including some tasty recipes.

So, if you're looking for an enjoyable read, maybe a new recipe to try, and a heroine you can root for, why not pick up Julia's Child. It's a sweet and tasty end-of-summer book. Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to dream a few big dreams yourself.