Book Review: "A Taste of Fame" by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson

The women of the Potluck Catering Club have a growing business. They even became the subject of a budding filmmaker's class project. Problem is, they didn't read the fine print when they signed off on his documentary. When he enters the club in the reality show "Great Party Showdown," the ladies of Summit View, Colorado, head to the Big Apple for the unexpected adventure of their lives. Between navigating New York City, dealing with other cutthroat contestants, and trying to maintain their close friendship in the high-stress world of reality TV, the Potluck women must keep their eyes on the prize--a cool million dollars--and work together if they're going to make it back to Colorado in one piece. A Taste of Fame serves up the perfect blend of humor, misadventure, and mouth-watering recipes. Fans new and old will love this exciting trip into the wild world of competitive cooking!

This has probably got to be my absolute favorite Potluck Club book ever. The story was written so extremely well. As a huge fan of the Food Network, I love any show that deals with competitive cooking. If the competition that happened in this book actually became a TV show (and I really think it should) I would definitely be watching and be a fan. I loved the behind the scenes action that took place and the descriptions of what it takes to make one of these shows. Also greatly enjoyed the trip to New York and the adventures the ladies had of just being in the city.

What I love best about this series is that these women are real. I get tired of reading other Christian fiction that portrays their characters as saints or those who are always eager to cast the first stone. Not only is it an overused stereotype, it's just plain wrong. The women in this book are just like any woman you meet in your church. They are flawed characters but they are real. They learn from their mistakes and they do what they can to live better lives. Usually you can tell with multiple authors when each author is writing. There is a distinct tone that is unique to that author's voice and stands out. This can be a distraction sometimes when it's obvious that the narrator has changed. Well in this series, I can't tell when Linda is writing or when Eva holds the pen. It all blends so seamlessly that the story just flows along. You don't feel overwhelmed, lose track or get confused with any of the character's stories. I felt that in this book, everyone had equal story time and each story was just as interesting, hilarious, and touching all at the same time.

There are TONS of recipes in this story, and all were used in the book. Alas I didn't get to try out any but there are many that are really simple to make. That way, if you get a hankering to try out something you're reading about, it's right there for you to stop reading, start cooking, and then eat and read at the same time. I cannot wait until the next book but at the same time, it's bittersweet because I know it'll be the last one. Until then, I shall cook up some of the recipes from this one and enjoy what I have. VERY HIGHLY recommended.

A Taste of Fame by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson is published by Revell (2009)