Jesse Sutanto is in her very best form with this one. Mebel is a wonderful character. In my eyes, knocks spots of Vera from her earlier series and is a force of nature.
This is a book about infedelity, love, generations working together, friendship, creativity, cooking and more importantly, puts a smile on your face, every single page.
A part of my wants to read more of Mebel, another part of me thinks, let it be, as this book is just marvelous.
Thanks to the Atlantic Books and Netgalley for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

When a Chindo (Chinese Indonesian) Trophy wife in her 60s discovers that her husband is about to leave her for their 20-something chef, she decides that she will win back his affections by becoming a trained Chef herself and sets off in her Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton finery to do just that.

But culinary school turns out to be a shock to Ms Mebel's system - in more ways than one! What follows is a hilarious tale of a woman's self discovery late in life. Then, as Mebel's journey proves, it's never too late!

Jesse Sutanto is a multi talented and massively gifted writer, and Mebel is a gift indeed. I will read anything this author writes. And so should you!

Mebel Tanadi is a trophy wife. Mebel Tanadi is more than happy being a trophy wife - it’s everything she’s ever planned to be and she is very good at it. She works hard at looking stunning - spending hours on her hair and make-up every day, weekly treatments, yoga, exercise and excessive shopping sprees. So when Mebel’s husband of forty years declares that he’s leaving her for a woman more than thirty years her junior (and their personal chef, no less!) Mebel’s world suddenly seems a lot less certain.
A split second decision sees Mebel realising that to win her husband back she needs to become what this new woman has - Mebel needs to learn to cook. And that is how Mebel Tanadi finds herself packing up her Gucci, Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton and Laboutins and enrolling in the Saint Honoré School of Culinary Arts. And for the first time in her life she makes some genuine friends and does something purely for herself.

Ms Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block has been an absolute delight to read. The writing flows so beautifully that you simply won’t want to put it down, I devoured it in just a couple of days. Mebel is such a refreshingly honest character which leads to some wonderfully funny moments. She is initially an unlikeable character with some seriously inflexible views that have been instilled in her since birth, but as Mebel gets to know her fellow students they challenge those long-held views and she learns who she is, who she wants to be and what is truly important in life.

The book is effectively a redemption arc for Mebel, a voyage of self-discovery and one that I’ve enjoyed reading so much that I can foresee myself reading it again in the future.
I look forward to reading more from Jesse Sutanto in future!

This book was absolutely delightful! I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher.

I’ve read so many books by this author now and I think she’s absolutely brilliant! She does such fantastic comedic stories, with loveable but prickly characters. She’s just an absolute joy to read. Mebel is no exception and joins the wonderful aunties and Vera Wong as brilliant comedic female characters.

This is a book about second chances, realising who you are and challenging the narrative you’ve always been told. Mebel gets a horrible shock when her husband of forty years tells her he’s leaving her for their 24 year old chef. Her world is thrown into turmoil and she’s determined to win her back so she won’t lose her social standing and way of life. She decides to enrol in culinary school in Paris to learn to cook and win him back through his stomach. But things don’t quite go to plan.

Throughout the book we have Mebel realising her own worth as she meets people from different walks of life who challenge what she’s been told until now. She goes through huge character growth and it’s really inspiring. She’s not perfect, but she’s willing to learn. We see her starting to challenge the expectations put on her and change her own priorities, and expose the hypocrisy of others.

Loved this! I can’t wait for more from this author.