From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: Food Whore by Jessica Tom

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Blog Tour: Food Whore by Jessica Tom

Author: Jessica Tom

Publisher: William Morrow

Date of publication: October 2015

food whore (n.): a person who will do anything for food

Fresh out of college, Tia Monroe has every intention of taking the New York City restaurant scene by storm. But after a coveted internship goes up in smoke, Tia’s suddenly just another food lover in the big city.

Everything changes when Michael Saltz, a legendary New York Times restaurant critic, lets Tia in on a career-ending secret: he’s lost his sense of taste. Now he wants Tia to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her lavish meals, a boundless supply of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a lifetime. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Tia agrees.

Within weeks, Tia’s world transforms into one of glamour and luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an unlimited expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of it . . . until she sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit. As the veneer of extravagance wears thin and her secret identity begins to crumble, Tia is faced with what it means to truly succeed. In a city where “making it” is the ultimate goal, she will have to decide: how far is she willing to go for the life she craves?

I'm not a big foodie. I mean I like to eat, but I don't go crazy over food. But, I thought I would give Food Whore a try. A "food whore" is defined as person who will do anything for food. But after reading this book, I'm not sure that description fits the main character. I think that is why I had a hard time connecting with this book.

Tia really bothered me. Now, I know she is young, but I really didn't like her. I didn't like how she treated her boyfriend or her friends. She wasn't someone who would do anything for food. She would do anything for clothes, money and fame. She let herself get caught up in the clothes and connections. I kind of lost respect for her early on. I didn't completely buy into her not really catching on to what Michael was doing to her. In the end, I think she got off kind of a bit too lightly.

I'm probably in the minority with this one. For me it was just OK. You can check out what others on the tour are saying in the links below.

About Jessica Tom

Jessica Tom is a writer and food blogger living in Brooklyn. She has worked on initiatives with restaurants, hospitality startups, food trucks, and citywide culinary programs. She graduated from Yale University with a concentration in fiction writing and wrote the restaurant review for the Yale Daily News Magazine. Food Whore is her first novel.

Find out more about Jessica at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. See what she’s pinning on Pinterest, and follow her photos on Instagram.

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Jessica’s Tours Stops

Tuesday, October 27th: The Book Chick

Wednesday, October 28th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Thursday, October 29th: fangirl confessions