Abbey Ross, who runs her own bakery in Oakland, California, is known for her visually stunning wedding cakes, but lately, Abbey’s own love life has become rather stale. According to her best friend, Bendrix, Abbey’s not the spontaneous young woman she was when they were teenagers listening to the Cure and creating attention-grabbing graffiti. Of course, her very public and humiliating failed relationship with a womanizing art forger might have something to do with that. Nevertheless, it’s time for Abbey to step out of the kitchen—and her comfort zone—and Bendrix has even handpicked a man for her to date.
Samuel Howard is everything Abbey’s dreamed of: handsome, successful, and—most important of all—looking to raise a family. But a creamy icing might be needed to hide a problem or two. When Samuel complains about disrespect for the institution of marriage, Abbey’s reminded of her nontraditional family, with thirteen children from various mothers. And when Samuel rails about kids having kids, Abbey can’t help but think of her twenty-year-old sister who’s recently revealed her pregnancy.
Soon Abbey is facing one disaster after another and struggling to make sense of it all. Her search for love has led her down a bitter path, but with the help of her unique family and unwavering friends, she just might find the ooh la la that makes life sweet.
A story about how amazing a "nontraditional" family can be, along with jazz and the ever-embarrassing quest to find true and perfect love in our thirties; A PINCH OF OOH LA LA will have readers salivating over peach and goat cheese tarts while tapping their feet to the thoughts of jazz classics.
Renee Swindle is a California native. She grew up in Vallejo and Lynwood and then went on to earn her BA in English from University of California, Irvine and her MFA in Creative Writing from San Diego State University.
Renee is the author of several novels including Please Please Please (Random House/The Dial Press, 1999) which was an Essence Magazine/Blackboard Bestseller; and also Shake Down The Stars (NAL-Penguin Random House/August 6, 2013).
Renee has been featured in Essence Magazine and has also been interviewed on KPFA, Blog Talk Radio and various local radio shows and local cable shows. Her writing group, The Finish Party, was featured in O Magazine. Renee’s work has also been published in Germany and Japan.
Renee currently works as a professor of English at Diablo Valley College at the San Ramon Campus and also at Solano Community College. For the last fourteen years she has lived in Oakland with her dogs and loves it.
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Ooh, I love any book where food is a central character. Sounds like a good story.
ReplyDeleteanything chocolate
ReplyDeleteCARAMEL DOUGHNUT OR APPLE FRITTER. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BOOK AND THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY! SHELLEY S. calicolady60@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy favorite pastry is apple pie! I request that instead of cake for my birthday every year :)
ReplyDelete