"The Coincidence of Coconut Cake": Read After Eating

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake was the first book that I purchased for no other reason than the fact that I love coconut cake. I didn't read the synopsis or the reviews, I simply grabbed a figurative fork and dived right in.

What would happen if the local restaurant reviewer unknowingly came into your restaurant on the worst day of your life? Told from alternating perspectives, Amy Reichert's The Coincidence of Coconut Cake finds Lou, a Milwaukee chef and restaurant owner, struggling to keep dinner service going on the day that her life is falling apart. A few days later, when she discovers that the local newspaper has run a scathing review about her restaurant, she realizes that her dreams may now be shattered. A chance meeting at a local pub introduces Lou to Al, the newspaper reviewer. Not knowing who the other person is, both characters begin to discover that things are not always being what they seem.

While it's essentially a meet-cute novel, at it's core, it's about second chances. For those who enjoy character development, C3 is a "candy" read: not challenging but enjoyable. At times the vivid descriptions of the dishes went on ad nauseam, but at the same time, were also mouth watering. I do not recommend reading if you are even slightly hungry.

Surprisingly, the novel also has moments of being suspenseful because the reader is thrust into knowing the secrets that both of the main characters are keeping from each other and is anxiously waiting to see what is going to happen when they inevitably find out the truth about each other. Reichert will keep you turning the pages.

The best part is that a recipe for coconut cake is included in the back of the book. And yes, it is delicious.