Review of Taste Test by Kelly Fiore

[obiebookworm]

Nora Henderson loves to cook. She also loves her dad and her best friend, Billy. The one thing that she does not relish, though, is staying in Weston, North Carolina for the rest of her life. That’s when Billy steps in and encourages Nora to submit an application to Taste Test, a teen reality-show cooking competition. The prize is a scholarship to the International School of Cuisine in Paris, France and $50,000 to be used for culinary career advancement. Nora applies, doubtful that she’ll be one of the chosen. But to her surprise she is accepted; and before long her bags are packed and she is on her way to North Sullivan, Connecticut in the middle of January.

Dealing with the temperature change is not the only challenge that she’s confronted with upon settling into her new surroundings. Out of twenty contestants, her first encounters are with Joy, her egotistical roommate, and Christian, the narcissistic and strikingly attractive son of an internationally renowned chef. Both quickly become earmarked as Nora’s annoying nemeses. Fortunately, Nora rises above the din of adversarial badgering and condescending remarks by building friendships with her allies, Angela and Gigi. However, the tide turns when Angela and Nora’s bothersome rival, Joy, become victims of unexplained catastrophes and are eliminated during the cook-off challenges. Nora determines to find the culprit, but is constantly interrupted by Christian’s suave yet ensnaring invitations to become friends. Behind Christian’s mixed messages, Nora begins to see his human side and finds herself smitten, but dares not let that show since they are top competitors. And though a love-hate relationship ensues, Christian and Nora are named the finalists, but the competition is not over until the real perpetrators of the catastrophes make their appearance.

Nora can easily be one of us in many ways. She’s attractive, but not off the chart. She’s talented, but not a prodigy. She’s a girl, like all of us, who is filled with dreams and potential that get tested through day-to-day-life situations. Unlike us, her trials are aired for the world to see; and amid the crucibles, she embodies the essence of what everyone wants: she IS that quintessential heroine we want to see who can face her fears undauntedly and assertively charge with every fiber of her being. Edgy yet tender, filled with intrigue but romantic, Fiore’s debut novel is replete with unexpected twists that make this a delightful book that will hold your interest to the very end!
Ages 12 to 18