"Shortridge is an accomplished and superior novelist [with an] ability to make language flow with musical precision… a unique voice and a penetrating wit." —Statesman Journal Read more praise here. Jennie Shortridge's bestselling debut Riding With the Queen hit all the right notes. Now comes a story about one woman's quest to make peace with her plus-size body, forgive the past—and, along the way, discover the meaning of true love… Nothing gets Eleanor Samuels's heart racing like a double scoop of mocha fudge chunk. Sure, the magazine writer may have some issues aside from food, but she isn't quite ready to face them. Then her beloved Uncle Benny falls ill, and Eleanor's whole world is torn apart. Unlike her sisters, she has neither a husband nor a full-time job, so it's up to Eleanor to care for her ailing uncle. What at first seems scary and daunting becomes a blessing in disguise. Because while she's doing all that cooking and nurturing—and enjoying a delicious flirtation with a new chef in town—Eleanor begins to uncover some long-buried secrets about her emotionally frayed family and may finally get the chance to become the woman she's always wanted to be… NAL/Penguin trade paperback, September 2005, ISBN: 978-0451216434 More! Author's notes Chapter 1 Reading Group Guide Check out the Recipes BUY THE BOOK from Amazon or Barnes and Noble   Reviews Taiwan cover "An immensely wise and readable book that will provoke amusement, tears and thoughtful reflection." —Rocky Mountain News "[A] meat-and-potatoes story… that will stick to your ribs…" —The Olympian "A tasty novel." —The Oregonian "A remarkably affecting book." —The Denver Post "Funny, sweet and, most importantly, original." —Seattle Magazine "A food-obsessed read in the tradition of Like Water for Chocolate." —The Willamette Week (Portland, OR) "Eating Heaven is exactly the kind of book I most love to read—rich, funny, sad, sensual, and hopeful. I devoured every single word and wanted to lick the bowl at the end. Jennie Shortridge is a wise woman and her books are a tonic to the heart." —Barbara Samuel, author of Lady Luck's Map of Vegas "Powerful and provocative, Jennie Shortridge's Eating Heaven is a novel you don't soon forget—and it'll give you a craving for pineapple upsidedown cake, too." —Valerie Frankel, author of American Fringe UK cover "In Eating Heaven, Jennie Shortridge has created a delightful, charming heroine plagued with an appetite smaller only than her good and gracious heart. I loved the book!" —Ayelet Waldman, author of Bye-Bye, Black Sheep "Smooth writing, a cast of nicely developed characters, and a winning portrait of Portland, Oregon add up to one good read." —Nancy Pearl, author of Book Lust "Eating Heaven is about the meaning of family, about the great richness of small moments, about the tender struggle and complicated joy of the truest relationships of our lives. Jennie Shortridge's lovingly-drawn characters will inhabit your soul and win your heart." —Lisa Tucker, author of Once Upon a Day "Eating Heaven stole my heart. It's rich and sweet, with a dash of humor, a dollop of heartbreak, and a healthy serving of love." —Caren Lissner, author of Starting at Square Two "Shortridge serves up a tasty meal with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and savory. A delightful offering, Eating Heaven will leave you feeling deliciously full." — Jackie Moyer Fischer, author of An Egg on Three Sticks