New Book reviews for The Cassandra Cookbook came in at Amazon.com. Check em' out I'll post more as they're sent to me.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Know All Your Ingredients, November 6, 2008
By
Jennifer Coissiere (Georgia) - See all my reviews Cassandra Lee gets one life-changing blow after another. Having caught her fiancé in a compromising situation, only days before they exchange nuptials, Cassandra has more on her plate than she knows what to do with. The Cassandra Cookbook by Shawn James is not only about cakes and cookies, but how one woman is determined to secure the future of her parents and herself, by the choices she has to make. Will she be able to successfully make everyone happy? Cassandra's parents, Carlton and Helen Lee, are the owners of Cassandra, a bakery they opened when she was but a little baby. Through the years Cassandra followed in her parents' footsteps, learning the tricks and tools of the trade. Using the knowledge and her eye for attracting people, Cassandra helped to change the profits coming in to their bank accounts. When a major conglomerate corporation takes interest in the bakery's cookbook, a sign of the changes to come are obvious. James delivered a series of characters who were three dimensional, and believable. The plot was well developed. However, with such a great storyline the editing needed to be on point and it was not. The grammatical errors, extra words, and punctuation misplacements served to be a distraction at certain points throughout the book. Even with the errors, I still recommend The Cassandra Cookbook to a reader looking for romance, a little drama and whimsical characters.
Jennifer Coissiere APOOO BookClub
***Cassandra Rules, November 2, 2008
By OOSA Online Book Club "O.O.S.A. Gets It Read!" (World Wide Web, USA) - See all my reviewsThe Lee family owns a bakery that they named after their daughter Cassandra. Cassandra loves the bakery and currently is working as a manager. In the last five years she's made a lot of changes that have as a result generated a lot of revenue. In exactly one week Cassandra and Gerald will be married. As her parents near retirement Cassandra has no doubts that she will soon be the owner. She is overflowing with excitement. Regrettably, Cassandra's dream life is due for major upsets. First, she learns that her parents have decided to sell the bakery. Although she is clearly upset, Cassandra wants to please her parents and goes over the contract to ensure that they aren't getting the short end of the stick. Second, she catches her fiancé in their bed with another. Is Cassandra able to stand the heat in the kitchen? Or has she been burned too many times? "The Cassandra Cookbook" is a satisfactory enough read. The author repeatedly uses `I digress' which after awhile becomes excessive. Reviewed by: Carmen
A Tantalizing Recipe For Literary Success, October 28, 2008
By
Apex Reviews (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviewsCassandra Lee has spent nearly her whole life working in and building up her parents' bakery, named for her, thinking it would one day become hers. What she did not count on was that she would do such a good job that corporate food giant ITC would want to buy it. Although she is heartbroken that her parents would want to sell the store, Cassandra talks them into letting her represent them in the transaction so she can make sure they receive the best deal possible. To further add to her stress, she finds her fiancé in a compromising position that brings their engagement to a halt (in her mind, at least). Her whole life is turned upside down, but she knows she needs to keep it together to be there for her parents. Simon James is the market researcher at ITC who has been assigned to head up the project in preparation for his promotion to Product Manager. This project is his big break, and he struggles with his new role while balancing advice from his mother and his good friend, Smitty. Then, he and Cassandra meet and hit it off, and he has to figure out how to keep the deal professional while pursuing his feelings for her. The Cassandra Cookbook is a story of African Americans in the business world, showing how the choices they make can determine whether they will succeed or fail - an important theme, no matter your skin color. It is a classic tale of good person does well, bad person does not, with a strong message that you should consider how every choice you make affects other people. While the book is enjoyable, it needs editing for grammar and punctuation, and the descriptions are so heavy-handed as to be distracting, rather than helpful to the story. In addition, the first-person viewpoint, jumping from person to person, makes for some confusion and distraction for the reader. However, the story is compelling and the characters life-like, giving an interesting behind-the-scenes view of both the corporate business world and a successful bakery. It also gives some insight on the issues that African Americans must deal with every day in their quest to succeed.
Jennifer Walker Apex Reviews