Leaving Patrick - Hardcover

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Prue Leith is one of England's top chefs and food celebrities. Her Leith's Restaurant and Leith's School of Food and Wine have made her a culinary star, as did her 12 cookbooks and television shows, "Take Six Cooks" and "Tricks of the Trade." She has held Cookery Editor or Food Columnist jobs for the Daily Mail, the Sunday Express, the Guardian, and the Mirror. Originally from South Africa, she lives with her husband in Oxfordshire, England. She has two grown children. This is her first novel.

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Already a best seller in England, this first novel by cookbook author Leith addresses the age-old adage of "be careful what you wish." Thirtysomethings Jane and Patrick are busily ensconced in their upwardly mobile careers Jane as an attorney and Patrick as a restaurateur. But Patrick would like to move to the country and have babies, and Jane would like to make partner. Dissatisfied with Patrick, she leaves him to find happiness of her own accord and sets out on a romantic adventure to India. Meanwhile, Patrick opens a new restaurant and becomes involved with a younger woman. Leith is one of England's top chefs, with cookbooks, television shows, and a restaurant to her credit. Her knowledge of food and the restaurant business adds credibility and realism to this enjoyable read, which makes the transition well from England to the United States. Public library patrons will enjoy this poignant look at marriage and career. Kathy Ingels Helmond, Marion Cty. P.L., Indianapolis
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Leith one of Britain's most renowned chefs has written a charming first novel about a wife's holiday from a marriage gone stale. Patrick Chambers, an amiable oenophile and restaurateur, manages Jane's, a successful, two-star restaurant named for his wife. Jane is an ambitious maritime lawyer whose career consumes her; when she and Patrick drift apart, they decide to separate. Embarking on a group rail trip through India with a host of obnoxious fellow tourists, Jane finds herself attracted to Rajiv, the group's handsome and enigmatic guide. When Rajiv leaves their tour for his next assignment, Jane, too, decides to abandon the group. Hoping to find the "real," nontourist India, she hunts down Rajiv, hires him to be her personal guide and succumbs to their strong mutual attraction. Eventually, Rajiv decides to return with her to London. In Jane's absence, Patrick meets Stella, a young, influential and very attractive food critic, and they quickly become lovers. Stella persuades Patrick to sell Jane's and open a new restaurant, which she will help launch. As soon as he agrees, Stella spends money aggressively, creating such a large debt that even with the restaurant's near-instant popularity, it barely turns a profit. Jane and Rajiv's transplanted romance begins to fail, and Stella's questionable behavior and series of misfortunes lead Patrick to the edge of bankruptcy. As Patrick and Jane each see their marriage in a new light, they hope it is not too late to save it. Although readers will be able to predict the ending, Leith maintains a credible tension until the final page. Her colorful Indian travelogue and insider's view of the food service business breathe new life into a fairly standard plot. This lighthearted romantic confection is sure to win a new legion of readers here. Agent, Pat Kavanaugh at Peters, Fraser and Dunlop.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.