Katie Cravens is leading the life she always imagined. She’s engaged to be married, running a successful business, and at her ideal weight to fit into her wedding dress.
Life couldn’t be better, until her engagement derails and a preservative used in one of her popular frozen pasta products sends consumers to the ER. Although the engagement can’t be repaired, with some good PR and damage control, Pasta Pronto is on the mend.
To keep the company moving into the black, Katie heads to Italy to explore a collaboration with an Italian specialty food company. Thus begins a charming, romantic, frustrating and delicious adventure.
Lucianna Caramelli welcomes Katie and is eager to forge a partnership. Her brother, Luca, is less receptive. He insists that frozen pasta dinners are an abomination and Katie must learn to make real pasta, appreciate good wholesome food, stop counting carbs and live!
The perfect recipe for romance ends with a missing ingredient, even though the professional partnership goes forward.
Back home in the states, Katie is offered the opportunity to go head-to-head with Luca on a nationally televised cooking show, “Pasta Wars,” to promote the culinary collaboration: “The Pasta Pronto Queen vs. the Caramelli King!” Who will be victorious, what will it prove, and is it genuine?
Katie begins to doubt that her prepackaged frozen flavorless life is the path to fulfillment. Maybe more carbs, and more caramelli, should be on the menu! Pass the parmesan, please.
Elisa Lorello’s bestselling novels include Faking It, Ordinary World and Adulation. She resides in Billings with her husband, author Craig Lancaster.
– Judy Shafter