I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

Guilia Melucci woos her boyfriends in the kitchen, having taken as her own the old chestnut that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. This is a collection of her failed relationships and the recipes that were inspired by the men in her past. Each chapter is about one significant man in her past (there are a few exceptions that are boyfriend-less) and what happened in the relationship, from start to finish. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are the recipes Melucci cooks or creates for and with her boyfriends.

The tone is fairly light throughout this book, making this a very easy read. The recipes sound scrumptious and if I can't have Melucci cook them for me (not only am I married, but I am not male so ineligible for boyfriend show more status), I suppose I will have to try them myself. The fact that the recipes are scattered smack in the narrative, as soon as they are mentioned, is distracting and interrupts the flow of each relationship, but once the reader adjusts to that (or simply puts the recipe on hold until the chapter has otherwise concluded as I did), the chapters cook along. Clearly writing about what happened in each relationship has helped Melucci gain some perspective on why none of her previous boyfriends was "the one" but this is more than just a therapeutic work. It's entertaining and fun, fluffy and delicious. I don't wish Melucci never finds the man of her dreams but I wouldn't mind reading more of her writings. Perhaps finding lasting love would add a new depth to her next book. This was a cute premise, nicely written, and if the ending is a little unfinished, that is probably because Melucci is still out there cooking and looking for Mr. Right. show less

I liked this little memoir about failed loves and successful cooking! Melucci keeps a sense of humor throughout her discussion of all the men who have come and gone in her life, and she clearly has a joyful life, with or without a man. I liked that the book ended with her still waiting for Mr. Perfect.

I was amazed at how many men the author has actually had serious relationships with, though. I could identify with her late blooming, but once she got started she sure did meet lots of guys. The last one, she just met on a street corner when he asked for directions! Maybe it's life in New York, or maybe it's her career in the publishing industry, but she certainly runs across lots of single straight men her age. That has not been my show more experience.I also admire Melucci's willingness to try again and again in her search for permanent love. At this point in my life (after a long marriage that failed), I'm almost willing to believe that lifetime love is a myth. This author maintains her faith in love despite her loss, and does a remarkable job of remaining friends with some of her past boyfriends. I wish her the best in eventually finding a true and lasting love.

Of course, the other enjoyable part of this book is the discussion of food and cooking. I am going to copy a few of the recipes. Most of them appear to be fairly easy and are quite tempting. show less

A memoir of Giulia Melucci's fizzled romances... and although that doesn’t sound very enticing, I must say that there are some mouth-watering recipes intertwined with the telling of these romances that will definitely make up for it.

Throughout this memoir we go from Giulia’s first boyfriend Kit, to Ethan (the love of her life), Mitch (I didn’t like him much), a couple of writers, a hippie older guy, and eventually Lachlan (a Scot who eventually used her and dumped her). Call me nosey, but I actually like reading about people’s relationships. I liked reading about all the ups and downs of her romances. And although, yes, there was a time or two where I felt frustrated for her, I felt that in the end she learned to love herself show more as a person and realize that because someone doesn’t love you, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t love yourself.

I loved that she had a recipe for all the moments in life. The recipes range from very simple to something I wouldn’t even try (since I don’t cook!) - but they all seemed simple enough. I especially liked the "F*ck You Cupcakes" - that was great!

This is a memoir and cookbook all wrapped up in one. So, if you like eating, cooking and have ever been in a bad relationship (who hasn’t?) this is a book you’ll enjoy. show less

Fun book in which a single woman tells of her relationships with various different men. As noted she loves, loses and makes spaghetti. She tells of the men she has loved and the meals she has cooked them. Also it includes the recipes that she cooked for them. The recipes seem simple enough but I'm not much of a cook. Overall light and entertaining of a single woman looking for love in new York and part cookbook.

This was a candid memoir about a woman's war-like relationships, studded with recipes. The recipes look good and simple, and employ a variety of meats, vegetables and pasta. The author changed the names and identifying details of some of her lovers, which was frustrating because I want to read (or at least flip through) their books! Still, I respect her need to protect their privacy.

Sometimes the author came off as neurotic/dysfunctional, as when she hoped that cooking for the men in her life and trying to fulfill their every need would make them love her. I could not tell whether the relationships failed because she was trying too hard or whether she just made terrible choices in mates. Overall, it was an honest and entertaining read.

With a witty way of telling a life story and a book full of great recipes, Melucci's story was not only fun to read, but also yummy to devour! Yes, this is very much a single gals journey through relationships and good food, mainly at the same time. Not one of the men that she dated ever seemed to complain about the fact that she could cook. Really, what human being would ever complain about a really good cook? With her Italian heritage and her appreciation for good products, the meals she created didn't just please her men, but will easily please her readers as well.

One recipe I jumped on was her angel hair with asparagus. With a quick saute in olive oil and garlic, the asparagus takes only minutes to cook. Toss in a bit of angel hair, show more and top with Parmesan, and what could be better? What's not to love? Other recipes in the book included a variety of pasta dishes, breakfast foods, and roasted meats. Intermingled with Melucci's stories of the men she dated, loved, and lost, you come to believe there will be a giant epiphany at the end of the book, but it's not there, and that feels all right. In a surprising sense, there isn't really a great arrival point in the book, but more a series of experiences that came into her life. On the whole, this was a great "journey" story, filled with great food, recipes, and characters who all work together to create an engaging recipe for a book. Now, if only I could find the energy to cook like she does! show less