Mark and Lynn recently got a paperback copy of Elizabeth Bard's Lunch in Paris; A Love Story with Recipes which was one of our favorite books from last year. It was fun to be reminded of the book and recieving it seemed to be a positive omen for the end of a tough winter and the hope that a new spring is imminent. Ms. Bard's work is much in the vein of the once fresh romance/recipe genre that has fallen into cliche and sourness of late (Julia Powell's Cleaving being exhibit A). Fortunately, Ms. Bard's work here avoids these cliches and her sense of humor and lusty world view (she sleeps with her future husband half way through their first date) manage to keep the reader interested without feeling manipulated. There is some darkness here (Ms. Bard writes of some of her family's struggles with depression) but again Ms. Bard manages to maintain a light touch here and this particular edition gives a brief update from the time when the hardback version of LIP hit the shelves. This is a nice book to begin beach reading season and even a nice pickup for a cool mom on Mother's Day...
M & L
