Hot Mess

Allie Simon, a twentysomething who has always followed the rules, meets Benji Zane, Chicago's most in-demand rising chef. He draws her into his orbit, and she soon learns that his talent comes with a history of addiction and a habit of taking dangerous risks, whatever damage follows. Allie believes that loving him means standing by him, so when he is offered a chance to open a high-profile restaurant on Randolph Street, she puts her entire life savings into his vision.

Then Benji vanishes, slipping back into addiction somewhere Allie cannot follow. She is left holding a large withdrawal slip and a restaurant that must open within weeks. Suddenly she is immersed in a glamorous, ruthless business world of wealth, ambition and cutthroat dealings, where she must either fall apart or fight for the future and the love she wants.

The novel takes readers behind the kitchen doors of a city obsessed with food, with a witty, pointed take on the restaurant scene and the pressures of a demanding industry. It will appeal to readers who enjoy stories about the food world and the glamour of high-stakes workplaces.