Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir Hardcover – October 1, 2024

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced5.0Reading Ina Garten, felt like watching her shows which I enjoy. It had warmth, wit, charm, and an insight into how Ina became the Barefoot Contessa.Be Ready When the Luck Happens is a page turner! It flows so easily that you want to know what will happen next, a few pictures and recipes included. We learn about Ina's early childhood, the love between her and Jeffrey, her real estate and cooking business ventures.While Ina thinks luck is it, we see that Ina works very hard to get the things she wants. Whether it is in testing recipes and adding her spin or in the way she went around getting the buildings ready for either her home or business. This is a memoir to read, start it now if you have not!Reasons I enjoyed this book:Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Great world building, Informative, Inspirational, Original, Page-turner, Unpredictable

I’m not a person who likes to cook but, Ina has seduced me with her recipes and ease of making amazing food. I love a good Memoir and this book does not disappoint. The vibe is a journey that offers the reader a rare opportunity to travel, find joy in your passion and the meaning of” living the best life”. Oh, I almost forgot the recipes and photos. Wow!

I was familiar with Ina Garten and had seen her cooking show several times, but I only casually followed her. I read this memoir for book club and was pleasantly surprised. I found the narrative flowed very easily and gave me a solid idea of how Ina charted her life path out of a difficult childhood, then as a wife and an individual. Her voice comes through with warmth and charm, as if she is telling you her story over coffee. The life choices she and Jeffrey made are not conventional, but worked for them, and they were blessed to have the resources to carry them out for most of their life. Even though they built their own wealth, their experiences are not necessarily the same as those of the average person. As a reader, however, I still felt like I could relate to Ina and celebrate her successes. Some might consider her mentions of her celebrity friends and contacts as name-dropping, but that didn't bother me as these people became part of her world because of the life choices she made. Overall, this memoir is a very enjoyable and comfortable read.

I didn’t know much about Ina Garten before reading my book club’s choice. I’ve only seen her show a couple of times. What a fascinating life she’s led. A wise, generous and humble woman.

I loved this book! I usually don’t read biographies or autobiographies unless they are historical but this was a very interesting and entertaining book written by a very talented, intelligent woman. And the recipes were a bonus!

Ina Garten’s memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, is a delightful and candid exploration of her personal and professional journey. Known as the Barefoot Contessa, Garten opens up about her life with a mix of humor, wit, and vulnerability that fans will appreciate. The book chronicles her evolution from a nuclear energy analyst in Washington, D.C., to an iconic culinary figure, detailing the pivotal moments that shaped her career and personal life.One of the memoir’s strengths is Garten’s ability to balance self-reflection with storytelling. She shares intimate details about her childhood, which was marked by strict expectations and emotional challenges and fueled by her desire for independence and creativity.Her bold decision to leave a stable government job and venture into a completely new field, buying a specialty food store in the Hamptons, despite having no culinary experience, is a testament to her audacious spirit and willingness to embrace change. Through anecdotes about her marriage to Jeffrey, their brief separation in the 1970s, and their enduring partnership, Garten paints a picture of mutual support and growth that adds depth to her narrative.The memoir also portrays Garten’s passion for food as an expression of love and connection. Her philosophy of simplicity and quality in cooking resonates throughout the book, emphasizing how food can bring people together.Fans will enjoy her behind-the-scenes insights into creating cookbooks, hosting television shows, and even decorating her Paris apartment—a testament to her meticulous attention to detail.However, the memoir does leave some gaps. While Garten touches on personal challenges such as her childhood struggles and marital dynamics, she does not delve deeply into topics like hormonal changes or how they may have impacted her quality of life. This omission feels like a missed opportunity to address an issue many professional women face but rarely discuss openly. Exploring how such personal factors influenced her career could have added another layer of relatability and depth to her story.Overall, Be Ready When the Luck Happens is an engaging and inspiring read that captivates the reader with Ina Garten’s charm, resilience, and ability to turn challenges into opportunities. While it may leave readers wanting more on specific topics, it remains a testament to Garten’s mantra: “Do what you love because if you love it, you’ll be really good at it.”