Mixing It Up
Mixing It Up by Tracie Banister
Print and e-book, 413 pages
Published October 19th 2016
The driving force behind several buzzed-about networks, Devlin Hayes is considered to be a wunderkind in the television industry. Although his plans to rebrand CuisineTV and make Serving Romance more Millennial-friendly don’t thrill Cecily, her charming, blue-eyed boss is a hard man to say “no” to and she really wants to keep her job—even if that means sharing screen time with a loathsome blast from her past.
Mercurial Italian chef Dante Marchetti a.k.a. “Il Duce” was once Cecily’s boss, and she has the PTSD to prove it. Now the owner of one of the hottest restaurants in town, Dante’s egomania knows no bounds and his constant attempts to provoke and upstage Cecily make her want to conk him on the head with a sauté pan. She thinks they’re toxic together, but viewers love their chemistry and clamor for more.
As Cecily battles to maintain the integrity of her show, she finds herself scheming and manipulating right along with Dante and Devlin. Is she fighting a lost cause? Does she really belong on TV, or would her culinary talent be better served elsewhere? And could one of the men who makes Cecily’s blood boil ignite a passion in her for something other than food?
My thoughts about Mixing It Up ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)
First line—'"Mmmmmm, this tastes amazing," I murmur my approval after taking a bit of coq au vin I just removed from the oven.'
I was warned that I would be craving food as I read Mixing It Up and it is so true. What a fun, yummy story! It's a story full of very interesting and quirky characters, as well as having some great discussions about food.
Dina, Cecily's cousin, is one of those memorable characters. I love the relationship those two have. They are more like sisters, two gals who have a good time together and who always have each others back. Then there is Dante Marchetti, the chef who becomes such a big part of Cecily's life.... whether she likes it or not. (love the food fight scene, 'nuff said!) And let's don't forget Cecily's whole extended family. What a crazy bunch! I loved the quirkiness and dysfunction of that whole mess.
Mixing It Up is a very entertaining story that had me in stitches all while trying to figure out who Cecily was going to end up with and what direction her life was going to take. Tracie definitely has a great sense of humor and it totally comes out in her stories and her characters. I loved my time with Cecily where I got a little 'taste' of the life of great cuisine.
About the author
An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play she penned. (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she also starred in and tried to direct the production.)
Tracie’s dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, she decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. Mixing It Up is her fourth Chick Lit release, and in it Tracie finally got to live out her fantasy of being a Cordon Bleu-trained chef.
Connect with Tracie
This prize pack includes:
Garnier-Thiebaut Oh, La La, Chéri French-themed
4-piece Kitchen Linens Set
(Apron, kitchen towel, pot holder, and oven mitt.)
Kate Spade Deco Dot Recipe Box
with 8 tabbed dividers and 40 recipe cards
The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook
by Mireille Guiliano
To enter this giveaway, simply e-mail the author at traciebanister@gmail.com with your proof of purchase. Entries will be accepted until midnight on October 26th, 2016 when a winner will be selected via random drawing. This is an international giveaway, so anyone who buys Mixing It Up within the allotted time frame is eligible to win. Good luck!
Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!
Thanks so much for the lovely review of Mixing It Up, Susan. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the book. :)
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