Comfort Food    by Kate Jacobs Order:  USA  Can Putnam, 2008 (2008) Hardcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Lori Waddington Augusta 'Gus' Simpson is the host of her own successful cooking show, Cooking With Gusto. She has raised two daughters - twenty-seven-year-old Aimee and twenty-five-year-old Sabrina - on her own since the death of her husband eighteen years ago. For the most part, Gus is content with her life. Lately, however, things haven't been going so well. Gus's fiftieth birthday is just around the corner, and she is starting to feel her age. Gus is also concerned about her daughters, as she is convinced that Aimee is way too serious, and Sabrina is way too flighty. And last but not least, the ratings for Cooking With Gusto are down, and the network executive decides to add some spice to Gus's show in the form of ex-beauty queen Carmen Vega. When Gus and Carmen first meet, they take an instant dislike to one another, but the tension between the two increases the ratings for the show. And Carmen is not the only addition to Gus's show, now titled Eat Drink & Be. After a last minute cancellation by scheduled guests, Gus decides to invite family and friends to join her on the show. These include Aimee, Sabrina, Sabrina's ex-boyfriend Troy, and Hannah, Gus's next-door neighbor and close friend. This is a hit with the viewers, and Gus's family and friends become permanent additions. Of course, not everyone is thrilled about being part of Eat Drink & Be, and pretty soon there is quite a bit of tension on the set. And in the midst of everything else, Gus is busy fighting her attraction to her new culinary producer, thirty-nine-year-old Oliver Cooper, a man who definitely adds some needed spice to Gus's life. While I found the storyline of Comfort Food to be a bit silly at times, Kate Jacobs has written a novel that will make for an enjoyable light read. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews