Another recent read of mine was The Bronte Project by Jennifer Vandever. It started out great: a doctoral student is searching for the lost love letters of Charlotte Bronte, and loses research funding because of an up-and-coming new professor whose field of study is Princess Diana.

While the novel begins by skewering academia (and having been at the bottom of the academic totem pole both as a grad student and as an adjunct instructor, I found these passages to be absolutely hilarious!), it gradually degenerates and the story gets more and more unbelievable and less humorous. I finished it because I cared about the main character (and let's face it, most of the time I stick things out to the bitter, bitter end because I'm stubborn!).

Fans of the Brontes might or might not enjoy this one...

I first heard of Kate Jacobs when I read somewhere that Julia Roberts bought the film rights to her first novel, Friday Night Knitting Club. I read that book last year on my way to my friend's wedding. I liked it. So when I came across Comfort Food, her second novel, at my library, I checked it out.

Comfort Food is about a gal named Gus who is quite Martha-Stewart-esque, and yet infinitely more loveable. Her cooking show is being revamped and she gets an unwanted new costar. She slowly loses control of her life...in a good way, of course.

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. I don't love it like I love Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, which for me is the gold standard for "group of girlfriends" women's fiction, but it was quite enjoyable nevertheless.

Learn more about the novel here.