Monday, December 28, 2020

Book Review: Craving London by Jessica Stone

When I read Jessica's introduction I immediately thought of the infamous "You Had Me At Hello..." scene in Jerry Maguire. Why? And how does Tom Cruise and Rene Zellweger relate to this book? Because my immediate thought after reading the introduction to Craving London was "You Had Me At the Introduction..."

book nestled in decorated christmas tree branches

What a great way to begin the journey into Jessica Stone's Craving London! A delightful romantic memoir of Jessica moving from New York to London with no predefined plan and the intertwining of discovering London through its' food, culture and of course romance. 

This book is a memoir of the journey of love, life and alot of laughs in a new country. Easy to summarize in a sentence, but not so easy to navigate as reality.  Admire her guts and tenacity navigating London without a safety net and then add her Cuban heritage and a dash of Paris for a full menu of diverse stories and recipes all can enjoy.

Foodies And The Recipes

Craving London is not a cookbook. But with delight for all foodies are recipes sprinkled throughout the book cohesively interwoven with Jessica's love affair with London. 

I love old school tried and true recipes. Each recipe has a backstory which are part of the charm; however, even more charming is that the recipes are for cooks. Not chefs, not fancy ingredients one cannot find or afford, but recipes across the food spectrum you will immediately say, "I can make that." Or more importantly, "I can't wait to make that!" Which brings us to my favorite chapter title...


Who Moved My Grilled Cheese?

This is a chapter after my own love affair with grilled cheese sandwiches. It's rare for me to meet a grilled cheese sandwich I do not like. While Jessica trained in patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu,  I appreciate her sharing the recipes throughout her London travels and trust me, this is a grilled cheese recipe you will want to try. 

The Ending?

Does Jessica find love? Is there a happy ending? Of course I cannot spoil the journey, but just as authentic is Jessica's life journey, the ending of this book is just as authentic.

Recommendation

I highly recommend Craving London. If you are a fan of memoirs with a sense of humor, recipes with a sense of purpose and navigating the twists and turns of romance then this is a book for you. If you have ever thought, dreamed, considered or are on the fence about changing up your life without knowing exactly where you will land enjoy the trials and tribulations of Jessica's journey from the comfort of your home - laugh, live, love vicariously through her journey while you are considering your own.

I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


16 comments:

  1. Having once been to London, and enjoyed the different foods, this sounds like a very charming book to read. Thanks for your review, Tracey.

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    1. I'm sure you would enjoy the book very much having visited London :)

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  2. This certainly sounds like a book for me. I love trying out new recipes. You had me at the grilled cheese! Thanks for a great review Tracey.

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    1. I'd love to see you make a few of the recipes.... they are right in your lane!

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  3. Thanks for the review Tracey...certainly sounds like an interesting perspective.

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    1. It truly is an interesting and introspective perspective!

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  4. This sounds like just what I need right now, a book that will make me laugh, includes recipes and a touch of romance. Sounds perfect! Thank you for the recommendation.

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  5. Oh here I go again, growing my booklist! Tracey this sounds like a delightful book. I'm also fond of grilled cheese sandwiches so you had me right there. I will put this book on my list! thanks for the review and recommendation.

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  6. Tracey, you had me at "A delightful romantic memoir of Jessica moving from New York to London with no predefined plan and the intertwining of discovering London through its' food, culture and of course romance." Great writing, London, and discovering life, love, adventure and food sounds like the perfect recipe - and then, there are those recipes! I can't wait to read this. Thanks so much for the wonderful review and recommendation!

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  7. Sounds like an intriguing book. Kind of reminds of a huge variation of the movie, Eat, Pray, Love (the Eat part that is). I'm already interested in Jessica's life in this book - you absolutely had me at hello also.

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  8. I do like the sound of this book and feel it is one I would enjoy. It will be interesting reading Jessica's perspectives on London and I love the intriguing nature of her journey. Food, Love and Discovery sounds a great combination! Thank you for a great review.

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  9. Love your take on the title too! And very accurate :)

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