Upcoming Novel Bad Taste Is Billed As The Devil Wears Prada 'for Foodies'

Bad Taste, a forthcoming novel, sounds like it was written by someone with bad taste. Pitched as "The Devil Wears Prada for foodies," the book, according to Publishers Marketplace, follows an "aspiring cookbook author" named Tia Monroe as she "discovers the glamour — and toxic realities — of the New York restaurant scene." The story gets even more ridiculous: According to author Jessica Tom's website, Monroe is an NYU student who gets roped into becoming the "food-savvy accomplice" and ghost writer for a New York Times critic that can no longer taste.

Monroe must "order the most expensive dishes and shop for whatever clothes catch her eye," — two things that sound nothing like a the job description of a food critic — and then secretly write his reviews. The real heart-pounding-nail-biting dramatic tension in the plot line appears when Monroe's life becomes "even more complicated" because she must hide "last-minute four-star lunches, fresh truffles on the house, and designer clothing delivered to her apartment's lobby" from her boyfriend and family. Worst of all, the critic is taking credit for her writing, which leads Monroe to ask some deep questions: "Is he really giving her the chance of a lifetime…or holding her back from pursuing her own dream?" Curious souls can find the answer when Bad Taste is published by William Morrow in 2015.

· Publishers Marketplace [Subs Req'd.]
· About Bad Taste [Jessica Tom]
· All Book Coverage on Eater [-E-]