Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife: All the Dishes You'll Need to Make from the Day You Say "I Do" Until Death (or Divorce) Do You Part...Review

About the book:
Flavored with frustration, simmering with rage, and iced with affection, these recipes will make you laugh as you multitask your way through the challenges and joys of matrimony.

Whether you're a new bride or an old hand at marriage, it's always handy to find fresh and fascinating recipes to add to your repertoire. And the recipes in this collection are perfect for you, the busy, overextended, and occasionally conflicted modern wife. Enveloped in them are the secrets -- delicious, distressing, and everything in between -- that accompany women on their marital journeys. Here are recipes you won't find in just any cookbook:
  • Beans 'n' Weenies of Sexual Tension
  • Midlife Stress-Stuffed Cabbage
  • Control-Freak Cookies
  • SoufflĂ© of Fallen Expectations
  • A Fairly Satisfactory Family Stew
Though she grills societal norms with gleeful relish, Nava Atlas never loses sight of marriage's simple, loving rewards. The result is a feast of retro art, sly wit, and cultural commentary. No woman will be able to read this without thinking of five friends she must share it with!

When the opportunity to review this little gem came, I wasn't sure what to expect. Was it really a recipe book? Was it a bash on marriage? I'm pleased to say it was, for the most part, a delight.

The subtitle says, "All the Dishes You'll Need to Make from the Day You Say 'I Do' Until Death (or Divorce) Do You Part". With recipes like, "Sweethearts Engagement Buffet" and "Way Too Much on Your Plate", Nava has a fun take on marriage. There was a bit more criticism of husbands than I like, but hidden in the snark and sarcasm are also little tidbits about the rewards of a good marriage.

The book is full of great retro 50s art and advertising. There is something in it for everyone: whether you're a newlywed, a tired mommy, heading for divorce, or married to a good man who is like corn and has traits like these--maturity, tenderness, consistency and endurance. A light, easy read, and while I have nothing to complain about in my marriage, or about my husband, I laughed my way through it.

My favorite recipe? "Happily-Ever-After Ambrosia".

Thanks to Nava Atlas for sending me a copy of her book to review. You can learn more about Nava here. You can purchase the book here.

Want to know what other reviewers think? Check out: Moms Without Blogs, The Zen of Motherhood, Nicola Knits.

Read 7/09

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4/5 Stars

Comments

  1. I would love to read this fun book!What I love about my husband is he is so funny! He can do different voices. he does Christorpher walken really well. thanks! jacquecurl1@gmail.com

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