Perfect book for people who love food. This book shows a chef's life through the eyes of Rachel, an award winning chef. It's very interesting to read about all the thought and effort put into making an elegant meal. I enjoyed reading and experiencing Rachel's journey as she finds her way to true happiness. This book also makes one think a little harder before leaving a review about a person on a social media site. Recommended!

I enjoyed Carla Laureano’s previous series The MacDonald Family Trilogy so it was with enthusiasm I cracked open The Saturday Night Supper Club. I wasn’t disappointed, the characters are well thought out and easy to relate to and the pace is swift.

I particularly appreciated the large cast, often romance books focus so tightly on the couple the reader doesn’t get much context, not here, here I became attached to Melody and Ana as well as Bryan and Dina in addition to our two leads. I am hoping this is a series and we’ll see more of everyone in books to come.

A word to the wise, do not read this book hungry or without access to food, the descriptions are mouth-watering! The research into this book much have been extensive, the kitchen/ restaurant scenes are so detailed and accurate, it’s awesome!

Christianity is worked into the characters and their reactions so the message is eloquent and feels natural, beautifully done and the conclusion of loving yourself the way God made you is such a lovely ending and encouraging to both the characters and the reader.

It’s five out of five for me, I read it almost in one sitting hungry to hear the end!

I am a huge fan of cooking shows. I love watching all the wonderful dishes that are made and wish I was sampling them. The funny thing is I am a horrible cook, but I have a husband that is an amazing expert in the kitchen. When I started reading this book, I immediately felt connected to Rachel. She is a very talented chef and very focused on her career. The dishes described in the book came to life as I could visualize tasting them. I love how Rachel never gave up on her dream. The author gives readers a glimpse into her past that was very eye opening. It made me understand Rachel better and helped me understand her desire to see her dream come true. She first has to believe in herself and the story really does a great job of exploring that. I wanted to see her succeed when she gets knocked down by her partners in a restaurant endeavor. Its funny how people will believe things written in a paper without getting all the facts straight. Good thing Rachel is feisty as she fights to overcome unsavory comments made in an article.

Alex was probably my favorite character. He is a writer and has had a hard time getting a break. Maybe he had something to do with Rachel's demise from her job, but he humbled himself to try to fix his mistake. I loved his faith and willingness to go the extra mile to help Rachel. At their fist supper club, I wanted to be a guest . The menu was scrumptious and everything seemed to go smoothly. As the relationship starts to develop obstacles find their way into their hearts. I loved how Rachel was very vulnerable at times and had trouble with trust. It made her very east to relate to. Alex has some issues of his own which causes friction between them. The story flows beautifully and I enjoyed learning about Alex's heritage. They are two very different people yet both striving for success. This is one book you don't want to miss. I loved when the author added this in the story, "Whatever decision you make, be sure you're doing it because it's what God would have you do, not simply because it's most comfortable." Sometimes it is hard to get out of our comfort zone. We feel good where we are and sometimes find ourselves unhappy and stuck. Thank you for writing such a wonderful book that touched me emotionally and spiritually.

"If God had wanted you to be anything other than who and what you are, He would have made you that way."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

The Saturday Night Supper Club is the first book that I’ve read by Carla Laureano and it most certainly will not be my last. Readers will find themselves behind the scenes of a restaurant and cooking. This would be the perfect read for foodie lovers because the author’s descriptions leap right off the page and right into your nose and taste buds. You know the author did a fabulous job describing the food when you’re one of those not-so-adventurous people like me who doesn’t like seafood, yet found themselves wanting to try every single dish mentioned. I loved the descriptions of the Denver food scene and felt as if I were physically there.

Not only do we have a beautifully crafted story revolving around restaurants and cooking, but we have a swoon-worthy romance in the works. It’s filled with all of the feels, especially the ones that make one happy and place a silly grin on their face, but the pair does find themselves in a tangle of trials and tension. The author also explores themes of social media affecting culture, sexism in the workplace, and identity.

I can’t talk about this novel enough. I absolutely loved it. This is a novel that will automatically be added to my favorites of 2018. I will be anxiously waiting for the next novel in this new series which releases in 2019.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

There is so much to love about this book. The focus is on a chef who specializes in fine dining, but after an article about her goes viral she loses her kitchen and it looks like all her dreams have come crashing down. Alex never imagined that his article would have the effect it did and feels horrible about it, so he sets out to make amends with Rachel (someone he has never met). Their first meeting is strained understandably, Rachel is angry at Alex for what he has done to her but Alex is determined to try to fix things and offers to help Rachel get another restaurant. Eventually Rachel decides to take Alex up on his offer and the two begin the Saturday Night Supper Club as a way to show off Rachel skills and find her investors. Neither imagined that this partnership would turn into so much more.

I am not a cook by any means and food holds little appeal to me (I eat because it’s required). Fine dining is so out of my realm, but even I could appreciate the love of cooking Rachel has and the effort she puts into it. It was heartbreaking to see her lose her kitchen because of one article and some comments made. I loved how Alex reached out to Rachel to try to make amends. It was his integrity that drew me to him at first and then as I got to know him more I grew even more attracted to him.

It was the relationships that really had me cheering for these characters. There were so many included, each was special and touched me in different ways. The friendship between Rachel and her girlfriends had me not only looking forward to each scene with them, but also wishing my best friend lived closer so that we could get together like these girls did. The sibling relationship between Alex and Dani had me wishing for a stronger relationship with my brother. Then there was the friendship between Alex and his best friend, the mentorship between Marshall and Alex. However it was the budding romance that was the topper for me. It was filled with so many sweet and romantic moments. I loved how Alex didn’t push Rachel, instead gave her stuff to think about and let her realize things on her own. I was frustrated with Rachel near the end when I felt she was being a little too stubborn, but she came around and I was pleased with the decision she made about her future.

Ms. Laureano wrote a beautiful story that kept me glued to the pages, connecting with the characters and feeling their emotions. I am looking forward to future books in this series, really hoping the feature moves to the best friends which would allow me to spend more time with most of these characters and allow me catch up with Alex & Rachel.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I expected to, but I think it was a case of faulty expectations on my part. This is a pretty standard Christian contemporary romance, but I was expecting more of a women’s fiction, club-type book, something along the lines of the Yada-Yada Prayer Group or even the Mother-Daughter Book Club where the focus was on the relationships within the group. This book was not at all that and so I found I needed to shift gears mentally in order to enjoy it. It is well-written, and the author obviously knows her stuff about the foodie scene. The romance was a little hotter than I like with a lot of focus on physical chemistry, but I wouldn’t say there was anything particularly inappropriate. My main complaint about this book was that I think I somehow ended up caring about the wrong things. I wanted a lot more about Alex’s sister Dina as well as about the two main characters’ best friends. And I felt that the growth in the main characters was oddly-paced and hard to follow. I was excited to try this new-to-me author when I received an ARC from the publisher and though I can’t say I was blown away, I would definitely read another book by her.

I love it when a story completely immerses the reader in the character’s world, and that is exactly what happens in The Saturday Night Supper Club. I’m not a foodie, but I totally felt like one while I was reading this novel. And it wasn’t just the food, it was the whole life of an award-winning chef—one I’m definitely not cut out for, I might add! And one Rachel begins to re-think in the aftermath of that article.

I loved Rachel and Alex: flawed, but also resilient, honourable, personable, and even flirty as they got to know each other better. Their relationship developed very organically, almost without calling attention to itself, which is my favourite way for a romance to develop. But it also became the catalyst for each of them—particularly Rachel—to take a deeper look at themselves and peel back layers they weren’t even aware of, allowing them to see life with new eyes. It’s that kind of ‘iron sharpening iron’ reciprocity in a relationship that makes a romance deeply satisfying for me, and this book had it in spades, not to mention some delicious swoony moments along the way. And the way in which Rachel’s cooking and Alex’s writing worked together to bring all this about was pure poetry, considering the way their relationship started.

Foodie or not, this is definitely a book worth savouring!

It is so obvious from reading this book that the author loves food. And that she knows how to cook. If it wasn’t for the fact that she talked about ingredients like asparagus and beets, my stomach would have been growling throughout the story. (I’m the opposite of a foodie, I think. My husband calls me a “Freddie Phooey”. I call my taste discriminating.)

I do really love to cook, though, and all kidding aside, I enjoyed reading not only the story of Rachel and Alex but how the restaurant operated and how Rachel prepared for the Supper Club. The amount of thought and preparation involved was amazing.

Aside from the food and the cooking, the story itself was well written. It flowed so naturally and kept my interest through the entire story.

The characters were very endearing. Rachel had a secret pain that caused her to leave home at the age of 15. And she battled incredible odds and became an award-winning chef with her education only that she gained on the job. She had a lot of learning about trust.

Alex was so kind. The fact that he couldn’t rest easy knowing he was the cause of Rachel’s pain, even though it was the opposite of his intention, and that he had to apologize to her was so sweet. I love the way he procrastinates, his insecurities, his seeming arrogance, and especially that he had the guts to cook for Rachel.

At the beginning of the story, there were mentions of people in the restaurant industry going to get drunk and to hook up after work which made me a little nervous about the direction I thought this was going. Rest assured that I was wrong. Other than the fact that there was a physical attraction between Alex and Rachel, there was very little emphasis on a physical relationship in the story at all.

For those who don’t like reading about alcohol in books, any mention of it here did not glorify it. One of the characters would not drink alcohol at all.


This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net

I am grateful to Celebrate Lit for giving me a copy of this book. The fact I received this book for free does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Award-winning author Carla Laureano pens a new contemporary romance series set in a supper club in Denver.

In The Saturday Night Supper Club, Rachel Bishop, part owner of a fine dining restaurant and James Beard Award-winning chef, finds herself the victim of an social media campaign when writer Alex Kanin’s article goes viral. It damages Rachel’s reputation, and she is pushed out of her restaurant business by her partners.

Alex realizes the article’s unintended effect on Rachel, and tries to apologize by hosting a supper club in his home and inviting influential people. As they work together on this unique dinner party, they discover their feelings for one another are growing – and Rachel discovers her dreams might be different than she thought.

Laureano creates a tasty story with realistic characters, a plausible storyline, a clean but delectable romance, and a sprinkling of faith tossed in. Alex’s backstory is a delightful addition to the storyline. The book has a dash of spice in the chemistry between Alex and Rachel, with rom-com moments and mouth-watering cooking descriptions. The culinary terminology is enjoyable, not overwhelming. One almost expects to see recipes in the back. All in all, The Saturday Night Supper Club is a delicious read for adults.

Recommended for public libraries and fans of Laureano’s earlier books. Watch for the next addition to this series: Brunch at Bittersweet Café (Spring 2019).

This book is much more delightful than I had anticipated! I worked in Food and Beverage management for many years and knew this would be a good read, but it’s actually a fantastic read.

The author brought her characters to life for me and I thought her research was incredible as she captured the pressure a restaurateur/chef faces each and every day. I admire the creativity and dedication required for continual success.

The secondary characters are just as entertaining and interesting to me. I loved how they rallied around Rachel and were so supportive of her and the supper club. In life, we all need good friends and good food. Rachel found both in this novel.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Ms.Laureano ,but it definitely wont be the last. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Although I'm more of a buffet or roadhouse diner myself, this behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of fine dining is fascinating and honestly, a little bit exhausting! I assure you, readers do not need to be hard-core foodies to enjoy the culinary background in this delicious romance!

Rachel Bishop is an uber talented and insanely dedicated chef. Rachel's passion for food saturates the story even as she is forced to take a step back and reevaluate her future plans. Alex Kanin is a man of integrity and faith so when his editorial inadvertently sets off a chain of events that leads to professional devastation for a certain chef, he is determined to make it up to her. Chivalry is so incredibly attractive, y'all!

MORE Supper Club stories are on the way!!! I highly recommend this story and encourage y'all to check out the extras from the author's website!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

“The Saturday Night Supper Club” is the first novel I have read by Carla Laureano. While I am a Christian of many years, I have not read that many Christian novels. Based on the caliber of this book, I will be reading more in the future. It was an outstanding book to read both as a slice of life novel and as a representation of God working in our lives.

The story, while containing a romance, really revolves around Romans 8:28, (KJV) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” The majority of the characters in this story have had or are going through a major setback in their lives. We are shown that while the individual believes their live is falling apart, God has control of the situation and is leading them to the future He has planned.


Rachel Bishop is a chef in Denver who, in part because of an article written by another character in the story, is pushed out of the restaurant business she has spent several years building to its current high ratings. She doesn’t know what to do with herself and is really unhappy that the writer of the article chose to write about her.

Alex Kanin is that writer. His article, which did not name Rachel specifically, was the impetus for all that followed in the story. While he meant it for good for Rachel (who he did not know), the story snowballed out of control and ended up harming her. Because of his conscience, he wants to meet her and try to help her salvage her career.

The story, which alternates between their points of view, is how these two Christians meet and what God works in their lives. The road isn’t smooth but it leads to a better spot than either of them could have imaged at the outset.

Other characters are introduced whose stories I would love to read. I hope this is the beginning of a series as I hope to read more about Dina, Melody, Ana and Bryan and to see how God works in this lives of these Christians.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

I loved reading Rachel and Alex's story. (Cue all the sighs and hearts). The fact that it's a foodie story is just icing on top (but be forewarned, you'll probably want to do some serious cooking when finishing this book — don't say I didn't warn you).

Rachel Bishop just wants to be left alone in her restaurant kitchen, and to have her food speak for itself. However, when a mean-spirited review, an essay, and a misconstrued interview turn public opinion against her, she is forced out by her partners, and left floundering for a new direction in her career and life. Alex Kanin, the author of the essay that led to the public backlash, feels guilty for the demise of her career, and works with Rachel to come up with a fresh idea to find her place in the restaurant world, and thus is born The Saturday Night Supper Club.

I was really drawn to this book by the cover and that title (I've recently discovered that I apparently have a favorite sub-sub-genre - books about food, and restaurants, and bakeries). And while I enjoyed the book, and the characters, it fell a little short for me. I was hoping for a lot more to do with the actual "Saturday Night Supper Club," but instead, there were only 2 official events, even though they talked about making it the event nobody would want to miss, and how much they could charge for attendance. That sort of draw never materialized. The characters were full of interesting hints of backstories...almost too much. Every character seemed to have issues they were working through that were affecting their relationships, yet there wasn't enough time in this book to get through them all. It does appear that this will be a series, so I guess we'll just hope that we learn more about each of the main characters eventually.

I give this book 3 stars. I hope that if the series continues the characters will settle into themselves and their stories will feel more cohesive. I also hope for more food scenes. :)


I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

This book jumped out at me for two reasons. First, I loved Laureano's first book Five Days in Skye, which had just the right mix of character development, romance, and a great setting. Second, I loved the idea of reading a story about the behind the scenes life of a chef. We're big Food Network fans at our house...even our kids love watching it. I was not disappointed as I was able to mentally experience all of the amazing dishes that Rachel created. The attention to detail and creativity made me feel like I was right there in the story. I'm a visual person, so if a book can create vivid mental images in my mind as I'm reading, that's a winner winner chicken dinner in my book! : ) I know...I couldn't resist!

There are so many layers to this story and Laureano, once again, does a great job of developing each character from start to finish, particularly Rachel and Alex. I really loved Rachel's story. The journey she goes on could've completely caused her to shut down and never continue being a chef, but she uses her trials to take her on a journey to self-discovery. The risks she takes to do what her heart knows is true is inspiring.

Personal takeaway...Don't be afraid to step out in faith, even when the world thinks you're crazy. As a Christian, there are things that God has called me (and my family) to that other people couldn't understand. But every time we've taken that leap, we've seen amazing things come from it.

Loved this book and would definitely recommend it!

What a delicious treat it was to read Carla Laureano’s newest novel, The Saturday Night Supper Club! With menu descriptions that were scrumptious and mouth-watering, characters who were multi-layered and captivating, and a setting in Denver, Colorado, this story grabbed me from the first page and kept me reading and hungry to the end. The main characters, Rachel and Alex, were vividly drawn and engaging, and I loved seeing their growth and interaction together. The fun cast of secondary characters left me hoping to see some of them in future books by the author. Seamlessly woven through the story is a message of forgiveness, faith, and hope which adds depth and inspiration to it. I would recommend this to those who enjoy clean, contemporary fiction.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publishers/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I have read by Carla. Her books just come to life and the characters seem so real to me. I can feel their emotions. This book was no exception.

Rachel is thrown into a situation she never asked for. Alex threw her into the situation without really meaning to and he will do whatever it takes to make it up to her. He didn’t mean to fall for her in the process.

Overall, this is a very well written book that I highly recommend if you are looking for a good contemporary romance.


A copy of this book was given to my through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

We are immersed in the restaurateur/foodie world while we read this novel. Lots of jargon I’d never heard, but it was obvious the author knew her story world and her heroine’s field. That said, at times the narrative was difficult to follow because of the exclusive language.

The main character was hard to like. (Can’t call her a heroine since she wasn’t often heroic toward others, especially from the beginning.) She didn’t act noble until we were well into the story, so I found myself reluctant to root for her. I did like how she went after her dreams and worked very, very hard. That’s true to life and respectable.

The main male character’s climbing world was well-researched too. I liked him sooner because he seemed more noble. Though he’d have to swallow his pride, he was determined to obey what he felt God directed. This element kept me reading, especially when I found secular components later.

Some aspects of this story were so vivid, so representative of our times—the essayist with strong opinions, the snowball effect of social media, the power of the same to upend a person’s current life. The precariousness of stability in the social media age.

Though I often found strong prose, at times I felt the author focused scenes on lesser elements, which made my interest lag. Part of my disinterest was due to the cold protagonist.

I liked the obvious feminist leaning of the protagonist’s worldview. She works in a male-dominated field, yet she is competent, successful, visionary. She doesn’t bash men, which makes her heroic, even though she took flack for that stance. The fact that her love interest believes in equality as well only makes him more noble and likable.

There were some elements that made me double-check the publisher’s name: the reference to certain male body parts, one-night stands, and the mention of main characters participating in eastern religion practices, etc.

The chemistry and banter between the romantic pair was lots of fun!

I would have liked to see the male character explore psychology in more areas of his life, like his parents’ decisions, for example. That choice may have been a missed opportunity, or it may have been intentional, given word count restrictions.

One more tip for readers—don’t read this book while dieting, hungry, or fasting. 😉

The romance really worked here. The secular elements didn’t. The heroine sometimes struck me as juvenile and unlikable, and I would have liked to see a stronger character arc for her. A well-developed story world and immersion into the foodie scene made the book stand out.

My review needs to begin with a disclaimer: I’m not a “foodie.” I’m more of a southern cooking, steak, and BBQ kind of gal. That, however, did not take away my enjoyment in reading this book. If you are like me, don’t let it deter you from reading it. For those of you who love fine dining and great restaurants, you’ll fall in love with the setting of this book. This contemporary setting and dialogue will appeal to many.

The character development throughout this story is what gives this novel it’s glow. The characters in this book are relatable. I liked them in the beginning of the story; but became very interested in them as their backgrounds were more fully revealed as I kept reading. Alex, one of the two main characters in the books, is facing a perplexing dilemma: His well-received article revives his career but inadvertently destroyed the career of someone he’d never met. The way he sets out to help Rachel is an intriguing one, and Carla Laureano’s storyline holds your attention to the end.

There’s a quote in the book that ties the main characters’ storyline together: “Nothing’s wasted. Not with God. Sometimes you just need to have faith that He’s got what’s next. “. Good advice for all of us. I’m hoping this book is a series, as I’d like to know how Alex and Rachel’s story continues.

I received an advanced copy of this book via Net Galley. This is my honest review.