Author Heather Wardell made it to the top of my Favorites List with her first novel, Life, Love and Polar Bear Tattoo¸ and I have been eagerly reading her books since. Her latest, Stir Until Thoroughly Confused, did not leave me disappointed. The story centers around Mary, who is struggling to break free from difficult divorce. She moves to Toronto to put behind her controlling ex-husband and mother, but is without a job. She is determined to follow her dream of working as a chef. Enter Kegan. Yes, the Kegan from some of Wardell’s past novels, that Kegan. Kegan appears to be a somewhat changed man, and it doesn’t take long for a romance to start quietly brewing between him and Mary. But with Kegan now Mary’s boss, his controlling attitude revolving around his restaurants lead to one too many fights between the new couple. Mary is smacked with an ultimatum: choose Kegan and the relationship, or her dream career.
I love revisiting the characters from Wardell’s previous novels. It is fun to catch up with them and see which direction their lives have taken. In Stir, readers not only get plenty of Kegan to keep them happy, but a handful of other characters make cameos as well. This book is filled with interesting characters and unique plot points, even though the main subject is a well known one: should a woman choose her career or a man? Wardell keeps her story fresh and fast-paced, engaging readers in the world she creates so well. The only part I disliked was I felt there should have been more showing the downfall of Mary and Kegan’s relationship. I felt that things went really well for them, then started to fall apart almost without any warning. It seemed as though the characters were just a half step ahead of where the story was going. But overall, another fantastic read and a definite recommendation from me! If you haven’t read anything yet by Heather Wardell, a highly suggest you do!
[Rating: 4]
