The Devil Served Tortellini

Maria Pagliano is a woman on a mission. She must lose weight in time for her high school reunion in less than two months. Her old lover will be there, and she wants to show off a beautiful figure. Maria joins the Chubby Chums weight loss support group. This group is outrageously funny with their supportive sayings. Maria must stick to the crazy group, because she's definitely having a hard time saying no to her favorite Italian foods. Especially when chef Dante Del Rosso offers up his to-die-for Tortellini. Dante has finally found a woman who he can picture in his future. But, Maria is not only trying to keep her hands off food, but men are a no-no, too. Dante can't resist the passion that radiates from Maria or the love that fills up her heart. Her family is crazy and passionate, but Dante has always wanted that for himself. Now, Dante will have to convince Maria that he's right for her, because she's certainly fighting the attraction. With the little help of a matchmaking mamma, Dante just might get the woman of his dreams. Maria is an all around beautiful heroine. She is full of passion, love and excitement. She was once betrayed by a man she was deeply in love with, and the relationship left a deep scar on her heart. Maria doesn't want to make the same mistake twice, but Dante is just the passionate Italian to get her pulse racing and her heart thumping. Dante rates at the top of list for one the sexiest heroes I've ever encountered. And, I totally fell in love with him. Author Shirley Jump has a writing talent that is pure magic! I always love escaping into a wonderful book by this author, because she definitely knows how to create a world of love, laughter and luscious food. THE DEVIL SERVED TORTELLINI is absolutely hilarious and healthily dosed with scrumptious recipes. Mix in a crazy cast of characters, a fun plot, and pages ripe with excellent Italian dialogue, and you've got yourself a keeper. I can't wait to get my hands on Ms. Jump's next novel, The Angel Craved Lobster, coming in August 2005! I know it's going to be scrumptious!

It's almost time for her 10 year reunion, and Maria Pagliano wants to lose 25 pounds in 8 weeks to charm the pants off former paramour Antonio and compete with former heavyweight, Mary Louise Zipparetto. So it is off to the "Chubby Chums" for weight loss guidance. Of course, wouldn't you know that the meetings would be held across the street from an Italian restaurant, where of course she ends up after fleeing the first meeting (for guilt associated with what she ate that day). She meets chef Dante del Rosso, who encourages her to come in and take a load off. Soon she is helping him woo the local food critic. He thinks she is perfect as is, but she is not biting. Dante is soon in lust with Maria, and manages to insinuate himself in her life by hooking up with her family. She is resistant - she does not want a traditional guy from the neighborhood. But if Dante has his way (and her family and his wait staff...), she will be singing another tune. It is a great contemporary love story with the added bonuses of some incredible mouth watering Italian recipes (with the most hysterical cooking instructions)!

With her ten-year high school class reunion looming, and toting an extra few pound, Maria Pagliano is bounded and determined to lose a bit of weight. She has several reasons for the drastic life change, the two most important ones - to show up her nemesis Mary Louise Zipparetto, and to catch the eye of her former high school boyfriend, Antonio Lombardi. So, she joins the Chubby Chums weight loss group, hoping the support would help her meet her goals. She hadn't planned on the group meeting right across the street from the La Vita Deliziosa. The tiny Italian restaurant would play a pivotal role in her future happiness, if not in her future weight loss plans. Dante Del Rosso has one of the best Italian restaurants in Boston. Trouble is that no one knows about it except for patrons from the neighborhood. So he is thrilled when the food critic from the Boston newspaper shows up to review his offerings. But disaster comes in the form of a temperamental sous chef who accidentally sets the critic's tie on fire. However, hope is on the horizon in the shapely form of a mysterious but beautiful new customer who arrives just in time to save the critic, and Dante's restaurant review from going up in flames. It's blazing love at first sight, in more ways than one. As Maria and Dante cautiously, well cautiously on Maria's part, engage in the age-old dance of courtship, her family and his head waiter do what they can to get this couple together. A motherly push here, a fatherly shove there, and a Chubby Chum friendly piece of advice now and then are all that are needed to ensure a happy-ever-after outcome. Ah, amore! Shirley Jump takes her readers on a sparkling journey of delectable romance and equally delicious recipes as she whips up a delightful tale. Her lively storytelling keeps the reader entertained, and the recipes that separate and pertain to each chapter will certainly keep them hungry for more. "The Devil Served Tortellini" is a stellar sophomore novel from this talented writer. Sharon Galligar Chance Wichita Falls Times Record News

Dante is my kind of man. He loves his woman just the way she is. But in the recent past, Maria has been burned by love and isn't buying it. She is determined not to eat the caloric food in Dante's Italian restaurant or trust her heart to any man, especially this one. With the help of her wacky weight loss support group, the Chubby Chums, Maria sticks to her diet, only to learn it's what's on the inside that counts. Miss Jump's humor delights and her recipes entice. Dante's sous chef and Maria's big Italian family add to the fun. If you like humor with a heart this is a must read!

Shirley Jump has written another heartwarming, quirky, funny romance. You don't have to read the first book of her planned trilogy, The Bride Wore Chocolate, to enjoy this one, but that book is equally deserving and a little steamier than this one! Maria Pagliano has been burned by men before. She had planned on marrying David until she caught him cheating on her with a stripper on her newly refinished dining room table. She built a wall around herself to keep from being hurt, trying to convince her well meaning (and marriage obsessed) Italian family that she does not want to get married and does not need a man to be happy. She uses food to insulate herself from the hurt. She meets Dante Del Rosso, a hot Italian restaurant owner outside his restaurant after fleeing her first meeting of the "Chubby Chums", a dieters support group at the church across the street. Dante is attracted to Maria just as she is, which Maria is unable to understand. She pushes him away at every turn. At times I found myself rooting for Dante as he really seemed too good for Maria and her harsh militant stance against anything more than "sex with no strings" encounters with men. Dante is unwilling to have this type of fling with Maria and insists that he wants her to fall in love with him before giving in to their mutual sexual attraction. After she betrays Dante at his own restaurant by inviting a former flame from high school to a bachelorette party at his restaurant, Maria must come to terms with the hurt she's caused and decide how to take charge of her life and find the happiness that has eluded her. Like in The Bride Wore Chocolate, there are recipes at the start of each chapter. I can't wait to try the "Dante's Hurry Up and Get Naked Broiled Shrimp" and "Mama's Not-Everything-Is-As-It-Seems Ravioli.