Happy Spring!
About the book:
The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…Finola, a popular LA morning show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.
Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.
Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.
But side by side by side, these sisters will start over and rebuild their lives with all the affection, charm and laugh-out-loud humor that is classic Susan Mallery.
About the author:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. She’s best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her online at SusanMallery.com.
Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Bar
What I thought…
California Girls is a chick lit, rom-com novel. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Mallery creates a family of modern California girls—a local TV celebrity, an OR nurse, and a warehouse manager. They’re all sisters with a mother to write home about. Mom is so desperate for her girls to be in relationships that she sets her straight daughter up with a lesbian acquaintance. This same said mother immediately accuses one heart broken daughter of causing her engagement and impending wedding to be cancelled. She asks the other daughter (whose husband is cheating on her) what she is doing to win him back.
Geesh!
I thought the idea of three sisters going through major breakups at the same time was a good premise for a novel; however, Zennie, the OR nurse, was never really in a relationship (like ever) so that idea fell flat for me.
I did enjoy the ending, however. There was a brief moment where I thought Mallery was going to add in the “we have to break up because you’ll be happier” moment. Luckily it was only a line or two. I was also glad to see that not all the sisters had to find a man to be happy and fulfilled in the final pages.
If you’re a romance lover, you will probably adore this novel.
The Food…
There’s lots of alcohol references (to block out the breakup despair), pizza and cheetos and other comfort food (also used as an escape). At one point, Ali, I believe, is craving (or is actually eating and imbibing) brownies and wine. I immediately thought, “Well, that’s a novel idea!” A few Google searches later and I had an idea of the perfect food pairing for this book!
Red Wine Brownies
Red wine and chocolate—what more could a girl want?
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter
- 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 c. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 t. sea salt
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- 1/4 c. red wine
- 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8 x 8″ pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the butter and the chocolate chips in a large glass measuring cup or glass bowl. Microwave for about 45-60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until butter and chocolate are melted.
- Place brown sugar in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment. Slowly pour melted chocolate mixture into brown sugar with the mixer running on medium speed. Add in eggs, one at a time, continuing to beat. Beat for 30 seconds, until the color of the batter lightens just a bit.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in cocoa powder, flour, salt, vanilla extract, wine and walnuts. Mix until just combined (about 30 seconds).
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean.
- Cool completely before cutting and serving.
These brownies were delicious!
The wine added just a hint of floral overtones. If you like the ooey-gooey variety of brownies, you will love this recipe!
Check out what others on the tour thought about California Girls.
Review Tour:
Monday, February 25th: Reading Reality
Monday, February 25th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy
Monday, February 25th: @booknerdingout
Tuesday, February 26th: The Book Date
Wednesday, February 27th: Palmer’s Page Turners
Friday, March 1st: Books & Bindings
Friday, March 1st: Not in Jersey
Monday, March 4th: Bewitched Bookworms
Monday, March 4th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, March 5th: Odd and Bookish and @oddandbookish
Wednesday, March 6th: Bookchickdi
Thursday, March 7th: Running Through the Storms
Thursday, March 7th: Why Girls Are Weird
Friday, March 8th: View from the Birdhouse
Monday, March 11th: The Romance Dish
Monday, March 11th: Tar Heel Reader and @tarheelreader
Tuesday, March 12th: Girl Who Reads
Wednesday, March 13th: Kahakai Kitchen
Wednesday, March 13th: Romantic Reads and Such
Thursday, March 14th: Moonlight Rendezvous
Thursday, March 14th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Friday, March 15th: Mrs. Mommy Booknerd
Monday, March 18th: Jathan & Heather
Monday, March 18th: Rad Babes Read and @radbabesread
Tuesday, March 19th: Thoughts on This ‘n That
Wednesday, March 20th: From the TBR Pile
Wednesday, March 20th: A Splendid Messy Life
Thursday, March 21st: Broken Teepee
Friday, March 22nd: Girls in Books and @girlsinbooks
Monday, March 25th: Eliot’s Eats
Tuesday, March 26th: A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, March 27th: Into the Hall of Books
Thursday, March 28th: A Holland Reads
Friday, March 29th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Friday, March 29th: What is That Book About
For all my TLC Tours, click here.
I’m linking up with Foodies Read.
Novel Food (at Simona’s briciole) is up and running (from February 26 to March 26). I’m joining up. Check it out. (Simona is a fellow co-host at Cook the Books Club.)
the book is not my kind of reading style I think, the brownies, however, love the idea of them with a bit of red wine. Would add a nice complexity tot eh taste. Yum!
Yeah, I probably would not have picked up this book on my own. It was a fun read and directed me toward these brownies though!
These red wine brownies remind me of my favourite German red wine chocolate cake. Would love to have a slice now with my afternoon tea :-))
Oooh! I would love to try that cake, too! (With tea sounds perfect!)
Chocolate and wine is perfect pairing, but I never would have considered to actually make the brownies with wine. I love the idea.
I thank the author for prompting me to make these!
Brownies are one of nature’s most perfect foods. A bit of wine could only improve them!
Best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
100%!!!! I think brownies are the most perfect food!
If the sisters had your brownies, maybe they would all live happily ever after. 😀
Ha! They definitely needed to give mom some wine! Maybe that would have mellowed her out.
[…] Monday, March 25th: Eliot’s Eats […]
I love brownies with red wine, but would never have thought to put the wine in the brownie batter. These brownies look awesome!
I made these again this weekend and they were even better. I used a Malbec this time and they weren’t quite as “fruity.”
Is it weird that I want to still read this book even with the mom being ridiculous? Kind of reminds me of Lizzie Bennet’s mom. I’ve seen so much of Mallery lately that I need to read one of her books.
Those red wine brownies are a genius idea. Looks delicious too!
Like I said, it’s a quick read.
I have seen a lot of brownies recipes but not one with red wine: it sounds interesting. I hope you had some good laughs while reading the book. Thank you for your contribution to Novel Food 🙂
There was some interesting parts, that is for sure.
never thought about using wine in brownies….
Me either. It was a win, though.
Sometimes you need a read that doesn’t take a lot of brain power. That’s when I grab one of these kinds of novels. The brownies would definitely help make the book go down easier LOL.
I agree. It’s nice to not have to dissect.