Ruthie has had enough.

Work wise, she isn't where she wanted to be; her data entry job isn't satisfactory enough. Love wise, she isn't any better either, still pining after a man she met on her holidays. But as fate would have it, she inherits a considerable sum from her favourite grandma, and so she decides to ditch her current job and pursue a career on what she does best: cooking.

The culinary school she enrolls to brings a new set of pleasures and challenges, and on top of it all, a new chance at love, in the face of her classmate Jeff. The tumultuous, whimsical adventures of Ruthie in food and in love are narrated to her friends and also jotted down in the young woman's diary. She goes through all sorts of challenges and red-flag situations, until she realises one very crucial thing: the only one responsible for her happiness is herself.

This book somehow reminds me of Bridget Jones Diaries. But make it a red flag EVERYWHERE. Ruthie is a rollercoaster of a character; at first, I smiled at her naiveté, and then, I realised she is also a glaring red flag (because no, Ruthie, you can't fix him, no one can). But the end of the story kinda redeemed Ruthie in my eyes. The descriptions of her shenanigans at culinary school was also lovely to read, to the point I did get a bit hungry. As for Jeff, I liked him when he was Ruthie's friend. (And don't get me started about Dean, UGH.) The only ones NOT a red flag (kinda?) were Lilly and Trish, Ruthie's best friends, who throughout the book maintained a beautiful friendship with her. That really was the book’s most pleasurable point, and it's worth a read just to see those three goofballs standing up for each other through heartbreaks and career changes.

All in all, it was okay. Makes for a light read, if you get past the sea of red flag characters.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the opinion expressed is my own. My thanks to Netgalley, ECW Press and Amy Rosen for providing me with my copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.I wanted to really like this book.
I have worked through so many heavy books, this light and romantic one should have been on par for me. But, it was just meh.
It’s an easy read with lots of character, but quite predictable and simple in its plot line.
At times I appreciated the menu items, other times I had enough of the food descriptions.

I have a bottomless amount of mixed feelings about this book! It goes without saying that this is by far one of the funniest romance fiction books I've ever read. Every few pages, this book has me smiling and giggling like an absolute fool. But there was such slow sections of momentum throughout and at points it almost felt like a stream of consciousness rather than a set story. But let's get into it.

I always like to start with the positives so I want to outline some of the funny moments that I simply adored:
1) When the office is described as 'the architectural equivalent of a slap in the face' - brilliant wording
2) 'I'm fairly certain that Greg over there, the one with his finger up his nose, only watches movies of the pornographic variety' - HA-LARIOUS omg
3) Ian's character description ('Ian has straight dark hair that looks exactly how you would draw a man's hair with a brown crayon if you were in grade one' ... the character descriptions were beyond excellent and still characteristically witty.
4) When Ruthie resigns by crawling past Keith's desk and slipping her resignation under the cubical wall ('probably not the most professional way to quit, but I've never been accused of being professional' - brilliant!!)
5) '...died while fighting in the Korean War...of gonorrhoea' - Rosen's deadpan humour is endlessly fun to read.
6) 'I left Julia Child's tome Mastering the Art of French Cooking at home because I'm a burgeoning chef, not a professional weightlifter' - this might be my favourite quote, I really love the one liners!

Also, my heart absolutely melted for Bubbe. Ruthie's memory of her is remarkably heartwarming and she is such a phenomenal character that graces the pages.It's also such a great snapshot of life as a 20/30 something year old, and captures modern dating almost too well - I just wish there was more of a plot driving the whole thing. There were some really slow moving moments where I'll be honest I got a little bored. And I'll never forget at the beginning when Ruthie confesses they've never even sent themselves a voice note...who sends themselves voice notes...?

Overall, absolutely full of personality, humour and sweet moments of warmth but just not fast paced enough for me personally!

I must confess that I initially requested this book thinking the author was Ali Rosen-- who I've reviewed before.

As I started reading this book, I noticed that the tone and structure were very off for her books. I looked and realized it was Amy Rosen. The premise was still up my alley, so I went with it.

This book is told through the journal of Ruthie Cohen. She's coming off a break-up, a bad job, and a sudden inheritance. We're with her as she dives into her dream of cooking school and her love life heats up.

She's pining for a vacation fling and infatuated with her taken cooking partner.

Her journey is told in a series of journal entries that illustrate her hilarious adventures in cooking school, online dating and finding true self.

It's a fun book, at times Ruthie got a little annoying and neither of the romantic interests really wowed me. But it's made for a nice afternoon of reading.

I am a food show girly! I love Gordon Ramsay for sure. This book was cute, however, I just felt like about halfway through it started to fall a bit flat and I was losing interest. A true foodie will probably eat this up but it wasn’t for me.

Charming book that will appeal to all foodies! It's almost reminiscent of a romcom you'll want to watch again and again, because it's that good! Definitely would recommend!

As a rule, I love books written in installations- a diary, emails, etc. Off Menu is for the 20-something’s in all of us, feeling a little chaotic and trying to figure it all out as best we can. Ruth is relatable and charming, the book capturing her spirit from the beginning.

I love a cooking school adventure so Off Menu seemed right up my alley. The book started off strong but along the way I lost interest in the character and the romance. Sadly, this title was not a fit for me.

Definitely pre ordered the book. I think Amy did a great job on this book. The flow was something I enjoyed. I feel like there were definitely parts that I related to and without going too much into the book to spoil it, I am so happy she did whatever she felt was best FOR HER. Often times there's fears, or just anxieties about "doing the things" that prevent us from going for it. Amy did great at taking us on this journey and I would like a part two.

This book was mixed for me. I really enjoyed the parts about food, cooking school, and working in a culinary space. I did not care for the romance: the guys did not appeal to me and I felt the MC grew annoying and whiny about the men. It felt like a bad take on Brigid Jones. The book is more of a contemporary fiction piece than a romance and marketing needs it make that clear.

This was a lighthearted, fun read. I really enjoyed the emphasis on Ruthie's friendships, and her growth during culinary school. Really enjoyed the recipes in the book too!

Thank you Netgalley and ECW Press for the ARC!

Thank you ECW Press and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 
Twenty-something Ruthie receives an inheritance after the passing of her beloved Bubbe. She decides to use the money to quit her job and follow a lifelong dream to go back to school to become a chef studying French cuisine and pastry.
This book, written partially in a diary format, was funny, lighthearted, inspiring, infuriating, chaotic, and chock full of food, recipes, and technique. 
Ruthie has two love interests during her year of learning and self-discovery, and neither of them are great choices. They do make for some juicy and fun diary entries.
The standouts and my favorite elements in this book are the unwavering friendship and support from her "Ride or Dies" Trish and Lilly, and the wealth of information about French cuisine. (Including a multitude of amazing recipes at the end of the book). 
I did enjoy this book, but would have loved if the love interests had taken more of a back seat and it had focused on more of Ruthie's growth, the importance of friendship and the struggles of a female chef in a male dominated industry. 
Overall, this was a delicious, easy, and lighthearted read.

I enjoyed reading this book; it had so much food that it warmed your soul. Ruthie inherits some money after her grandmother passes away, and she finally decides to follow her food dream by going to a French Cooking School. She is also secretly looking to find love in the city of love itself. Nevertheless, she meets Jeff. But things aren't a cakewalk.
Alongside her friends, Trish and Lilly, will Ruthie be able to find the love she deserves and also fulfil the food dream that she's grown up with? That's what this book is all about. Thanks, Netgalley, for the book. It was a funny and light read.

Overall, Off Menu by Amy Rosen was as light and fluffy as some recipes described in the book, and since I love books about food and foodie fiction, this hit the spot. When I read Ms. Rosen’s bio at the end, it all made sense! She’s written several cookbooks and owns a place in Toronto, where the story takes place.

Written as a diary, the main character, Ruthie Cohen, leaves her dead-end data entry job and, using her inheritance from her beloved Bubbe (grandma) Bobby Grace, goes to cooking school to learn/master French cuisine and fulfill her dream of becoming a chef. Kudos to her, right? Unfortunately, for most of the book, Ruthie comes off as an immature, self-absorbed, whiny, and often insufferable 27-year-old who, while having a good palate and sense of taste, has lousy taste in men. I would have taken a hard pass on both Jeff and Dean! I kept thinking that when it came to relationships, Ruthie acted more like a teenager than someone nearing 30. Good thing her two BFFs, Lilly and Trish, are there with reality checks and to pick up the pieces.

I related more to the late Bubbe Bobby Grace (I’m old enough to be Ruthie’s Bubbe, but I wouldn’t have been nearly as patient with her as her Bubbe was). I kept hoping that at some point Ruthie would show some strength (chutzpah), grow a spine, and take control of her life.

Having said all that, I still liked this often humorous story, particularly the scenes at the cooking school, at a cooking competition, and when Ruthie and Trish go to Paris, Some characters, especially Chef Antoine at the cooking school, and Pete, Ruthie’s boss, stood out. I recommend Off Menu, especially to anyone who likes food fiction and a sprinkling of wisdom from a loving grandma. Besides delicious descriptions throughout the book, the author includes recipes at the end. And yes, there is a website for her cinnamon buns! Thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for the opportunity to read the ARC. I’m happy to provide this review, and all opinions are my own.

I would like to thank Net Galley and ECW Press for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. From the blurb, this seemed liked the kind of book I would love. Ruthie quits her job as a data entry and uses her inheritance from her grandmother to follow her passion, and enroll in cooking school. The blurb promised Bridget Jones like vibes and hilarity. There were neither. Ruthie is unlikable. Her friends not much better. It was annoying, and just not for me.

Off Menu by Amy Rosen is a lighthearted tale about Ruthie, a young woman who following an inheritance from her beloved Bubbe Bobby Grace, decides to follow her passion, give up her corporate job and embark on a career as a chef. She uses part of the inheritance to enrol in culinary school where she meets the charming Jake, an ex musician who is practically perfect in every way, if it wasn't for his model gorgeous girlfriend. To further complicate matters she is still holding a torch for Dean, the man she met while on holiday in Thailand with her best friends six months earlier.
Written as a series of diary entries we follow Ruthie on her journey to achieve her culinary dreams while juggling her complicated love life and making sure she is being a good friend too. This format actually worked quite well, it kept the story flowing while giving the reader a really good way of measuring how much time is passing, and making it feel like we get a really good insight into Ruthie's thought processes and emotional state, even if it did make her come across as pretty unlikeable at times. The author has done a wonderful job of making sure Ruthie has a very distinctive voice and it really helps to bring the character to life. I also thought that the way the author portrayed how complicated and messy relationships could be was very relatable but for me the romance plot was the weakest element of the book, I did not like either of the love interests, the friendship between Ruthie, Trish and Lilly was a far more interesting relationship. Food and food descriptions make up a huge chunk of this book, so be prepared to get hungry while reading, the good news is there are some recipes at the back of the book so you can cook along if you want to.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book - Ruthie's story was fun, romantic and a great journey of self-discovery and finding your truth.

After her bubbe passes away and leaves her a small inheritance, she decides to follow her heart and attend culinary school. There she meets a fantastic new guy she teams up with as a kitchen partner, but soon she's feeling more. And then Dean comes back into her life, he was a vacation fling she wanted to last longer.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Off Menu by Amy Rosen pairs food and romance.

The book centers around 20-something Ruthie Cohen, is a data entry clerk for a second tier movie app. She spends her days thinking about the amazing meals she will make her besties, Trish and Lilly. She also spends a significant amount of time pining over Dean, her vacation fling from 6 months earlier.

Her grandmother Bobby Grace passed away, leaving her $62,873 along with instructions to use it. During a Prosecco fueled night with her friends she decides to turn her passion for cooking into a career. She signs up for culinary school and meets her cooking partner Jeff.

Jeff is a super hot (and taken) musician that takes up space in her head beside Dean.

I love the diary entries in the book, that format definitely made it feel more of a personal story.

Thank you to Amy Rosen for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Off Menu publishes June 17 2025

"Off Menu" is a generally delightful book that chronicles the main character Ruthie's journey through culinary school, serving feasts for the senses with detailed exploration into cooking techniques, history and food overall. As a food lover, this was a joy to read. Ruthie, on the other hand, has more ups and downs than she bargains for, with her entanglements with the already-coupled-up Jeff and old-ish vacation flame Dean. I love Ruthie's voice through her diary, and the book is downright hilarious at times. The relationships in the book can be messy and thorny (not a fan of Ruthie being interested in a guy who already has a girlfriend) though I suppose that is also realistic. While it does end on a good note, I wish it didn't end so abruptly; there could easily have been more pages or even an extra chapter to cap things off.

I had high hopes going into this one and it fell a bit flat. Seems others agree.

The idea, the diary style, all of it such a great idea but just poorly done. I also could not connect with the main character, Ruth. I found myself rather annoyed with her at times. I love the idea of her finding passion in food with her friends, the friendship between her and the other two girls was so wholesome but the rest of it was just meh. The romance didn't romance for me at all either. I hate a love triangle, neither of them really gave anything.

Not for me, but happy I gave it a go!! I definitely think this has it's audience.