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Find Surprising Discoveries in This Enjoyable MemoirChristine Yount Jones

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

by Ina Garten (Author)

10,529 ratings

in Culinary Biographies & Memoirs

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In her long-awaited memoir, Ina Garten—aka the Barefoot Contessa, author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon—shares her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Time, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Town & Country

Here, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina’s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have been the result of hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.

From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her own trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain. Now, she invites them to come closer to experience her story in vivid detail and to share the important life lessons she learned along the way: do what you love because if you love it you’ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.

From the Publisher

The highly anticipated memoir from cultural icon, Ina Garten

For the first time, the Barefoot Contessa shares the full story of her remarkable journey

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Ina Garten] has created an inviting and relaxing world that’s the equivalent of one of her cocktail recipes. To use a Barefoot Contessa catchphrase, How great is that?”—The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)

“A freewheeling handbook for life . . . Be Ready When the Luck Happens is a romp, filled with adventure and serendipity, a magic act that makes the hard stuff of life seem like both education and play.”—The Washington Post

“Simplicity is at the core of [Ina Garten’s] appeal . . . her approachability, charisma and close connection to the sensibilities of the home cook have given her a devoted following.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Though a good deal of luck often came through for her along the way, Garten’s lively memoir emphasizes how hard work and unrelenting tenacity were what made the magic happen. An entertaining foray into this well-loved cooking host’s illustrious life.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Garten emphasizes the importance of doing what you love. Her story is a testament to the power of following one’s passion and the impact of hard work and dedication. . . . Whether you’re a longtime fan of the Barefoot Contessa or new to Garten’s work, this memoir is sure to leave you feeling inspired and ready to tackle your own dreams.”—Medium

“Be Ready When the Luck Happens is a wildly entertaining and compulsively readable story about curiosity and courage, challenges and coconut cupcakes. It’s also a love story for the ages. Smart and funny, warm and engaging, Ina Garten proves just how lucky a person can be if she’s willing to work hard, get over her past, and be fully and fearlessly engaged with life.”—Ann Patchett, author of Tom Lake

About the Author

Ina Garten is a New York Times bestselling author, the host of Be My Guest and Barefoot Contessa on Food Network and Max, for which she has won five Emmy Awards and a James Beard Award. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Over the Wall

“There has to be something more fun than this,” I said to myself, probably for the millionth time, as I sat at my desk drafting nuclear energy policy at the White House. I should have been thinking about enriched uranium, but more often than not, I was looking for distractions. I was most likely planning a weekend dinner party and wondering which ingredient would make the flavor of my chocolate cake POP (it’s coffee, by the way).

My ongoing frustration was that nothing ever happened in government, and even if it did, it took a really long time. Working in the Office of Management and Budget was exciting in the beginning because the issue papers I worked on went directly to the president—first Ford, then Carter. But after four years of shuffling what seemed like very important papers and pulling numerous all-nighters, I realized that despite my working on multibillion-dollar federal budgets, nothing ever seemed to get done. And when it did get done, somehow the next year, it got undone.

The only good thing about having a low threshold for boredom is that I’ve always been willing to take crazy risks just to get out of that miserable state. In my bureaucratic job, I was just part of a larger process, but I wanted to be the process—to do my own thing, either in real estate or in the food business, and, for better or for worse, to make my own decisions and mistakes, risking my own money. I also need immediate feedback, and there was nothing immediate about government work. The issues I was working on involved $50 billion budgets and $25 billion construction projects; I knew I’d be so much happier if they involved only $25, but my $25. I distinctly remember thinking, If I were asked to be the head of OMB, would I want it? And if not, what was I even working toward? I also knew that my success there would depend on a man choosing me to be the head of the organization, and in 1978, that would never happen. I needed to find an alternate track where my success would be measured by my own business skill and nobody could stand in my way.

I didn’t whine—no one wants to hear someone complain about working in the White House!—but I was withering a little more each day. Jeffrey, who knew all too well how unhappy I was, encouraged me to find a passion and follow it. “Pick something you love to do,” he urged. “If you love it, you’ll be really good at it. And don’t worry about whether you make money. Just do it!”

I was sitting in my office, exhausted, and it was only ten a.m. I had the whole day in front of me, so I decided to catch up on The New York Times instead of working. There it was—in the Sunday, April 2, 1978, Business Opportunities section, where they advertised everything from dry cleaners in the Bronx to a coffee shop with an apartment upstairs, or the hottest new food fad in the seventies: a frozen yogurt store (though it was hard to predict if frozen yogurt had a future).

I had never even seen that section of the paper before. As I studied the tiny print, I spotted an ad for a specialty food store called Barefoot Contessa, for sale in a place I’d never been: Westhampton Beach, New York—all the way at the end of Long Island. The ads were written in a shorthand that was difficult to decipher, and the word opportunity seemed like quite an overstatement. To this day, it’s hard for me to imagine why this ad spoke to me, but I’m so glad it did, because it changed the entire trajectory of my life. This was the ad:

Honestly, it sounded like a prediction you might find in a fortune cookie, especially the “gross over six figures” part. And cheese shoppe? Who would answer that ad?

That night, I went home and told Jeffrey that I really needed a new profession, and that’s when he reminded me that I should think about doing what I love. “Funny you should mention it! I just saw an ad for a specialty food store for sale in The New York Times.”

“Let’s go see it!” Jeffrey said cheerfully. Looking back, I imagine that he was probably just humoring me. We lived in Washington, DC, and Jeffrey had an important job writing issue papers and speeches for the secretary of state. How in the world could I work in Westhampton Beach? But Jeffrey always had the most positive attitude—If this is what you want to do, we’ll work it out. We got in the car the very next weekend and drove to Westhampton to see the store and meet the owner, Diana Stratta.

On the way, I reminded myself that there was no reason on earth why this was a good idea. Yes, I had taught myself how to cook and I loved being in the kitchen, but I’d never worked a day in the food business. In fact, I’d never hired an employee, I’d never even set foot in the Hamptons, and this certainly wasn’t its most welcoming time of year. Signs of spring were everywhere in Washington, where the air was warm and the cherry blossoms were a week away from their stunning peak moment. But Westhampton in early April was cold and cloudy, a sleepy summer resort town reluctantly waking up from its long winter nap. By the time we parked in front of Barefoot Contessa, the place we’d traveled more than five hours to see, I’d decided that it was a crazy impulse and predicted we’d take a fast look, then turn around and drive home.

The shop, a white clapboard building on a corner in the center of the village’s Main Street, was small—only four hundred square feet. It was so small that the stove didn’t fit in the tiny kitchen in the back and was instead right there in the store. There was one employee who was taking care of absolutely no customers (in fact, there seemed to be no one in the whole village), but she was baking big chocolate chip cookies. Instantly, the scent triggered a rush of good feelings, like endorphins on steroids, and my first thought was, I need to be here! I didn’t want to write papers about enriched uranium; I wanted to bake cookies, not just because I liked them (and I do!), but because I saw a completely different life from the one I was living. The food business, this food business, would give me the freedom and creative outlet I craved. You bake cookies, you sell cookies, and if the cookie doesn’t sell, you make something else that customers will love and that WILL sell. It’s a business problem to solve, and it involved chocolate chip cookies! How great is that?

Standing in this adorable little place named after an Ava Gardner movie (it’s about being elegant and earthy), surrounded by beautiful baked goods, gorgeous prepared salads, and ripe exotic cheeses, I experienced a true “ruby slippers” moment. I felt as if I had clicked my heels and finally come home. I enjoyed everything about cooking, from planning menus to shopping for ingredients, from following a recipe in the most scientific way to making something up just for fun. Most of all, I loved serving the delicious results to Jeffrey and my appreciative friends. It was my favorite escape from my intellectual but totally uncreative job. What if the thing I love to do for fun could actually be my work? I thought. I kept hearing Jeffrey say, “If you love it, you’ll be really good at it.”

We spent the night at a local hotel that had the ambiance of an insane asylum. The room was white, the bed was white, there was not a single glint of metal or sharp object in sight—the perfect setting for two lunatics who were discussing a move that was certifiably crazy.

I’d like to say that I bought Barefoot Contessa on the spot and boldly stepped into a brand-new life, but it didn’t happen quite that way. Remember, I was only thirty and still a little nervous about committing to a life-changing decision as important as this one. Diana was asking $25,000 for the business, and Jeffrey and I discussed offering her $20,000, figuring it would give me time to think about it while we negotiated the price.

But the universe had other plans for me, and they were big. On Monday morning, back from Westhampton Beach, I was sitting at my desk, working on some nuclear energy budget and sinking into my daily stupor, when the phone rang. It was Diana, who said simply, “Thank you very much. I accept your offer.”

I remember sitting there stunned, thinking, Oh shit! I just bought a specialty food store!

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown (October 1, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593799895
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593799895
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.13 x 9.41 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1 in Culinary Biographies & Memoirs
- #7 in Television Performer Biographies
- #12 in Memoirs (Books)

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Ina Garten

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Ina Garten is a New York Times bestselling author, the host of Be My Guest on Discovery+, and host of Barefoot Contessa on Food Network, for which she has won five Emmy Awards and a James Beard Award. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey.

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Customers find this memoir to be a wonderful read that holds their interest throughout. The book provides great insight into Ina Garten's life, and customers describe it as an eye-opener that reveals her passion. They appreciate the author's relatable writing style, wit, and ability to make the book laugh-out-loud funny. Customers praise the author's determination and remarkable personality, while the book's authenticity shines through every page.

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Readability Inspiration Story telling Writing style Personality Honesty Humor Narrative style

255 customers mention "Readability"255 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a wonderful read that is interesting and enjoyable to read.

"...from a nuclear energy analyst in Washington, D.C., to an iconic culinary figure, detailing the pivotal moments that shaped her career and personal..." Read more

"LOVED THIS BOOK and couldn't put it down (unusual for me, and I only give 5 stars to people like Shakespeare)! I'm a fiction reader by preference...." Read more

"...Overall, this memoir is a very enjoyable and comfortable read." Read more

"...A very enjoyable listen!" Read more

132 customers mention "Inspiration"132 positive0 negative

Customers find the memoir inspiring and enlightening, with the story drawing them in and holding their interest throughout.

"...Overall, Be Ready When the Luck Happens is an engaging and inspiring read that captivates the reader with Ina Garten’s charm, resilience, and..." Read more

"...She is an amazing woman with an even more amazing trajectory to success. Her unconventional marriage made some of that success possible...." Read more

"...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..." Read more

"...Ina is smart, talented, funny, lucky, and has a ton of chutzpah! Ina seems honest and genuine, she even sounds a bit humble at times...." Read more

113 customers mention "Story telling"105 positive8 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling in this memoir, describing it as a charming account of a fascinating life journey filled with delightful anecdotes.

"...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..." Read more

"...Ina's journey is extraordinary. She never gave up her dream...." Read more

"...I’m so glad it was our monthly read because I found it to be a fascinating memoir that I looked forward to reading every night...." Read more

"It was such a fun story I couldn't believe when it was over. Loved the spine of the story: she is a real risk-taker...." Read more

74 customers mention "Writing style"66 positive8 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it relatable, easy to read, and beautiful, with the author's voice coming through clearly in the storytelling.

"...Her voice comes through with warmth and charm, as if she is telling you her story over coffee...." Read more

"...Every time I picked up her book I could hear her voice tell her story, as though she’s talking just to you. Loved it." Read more

"...Overall, it is very well written and I must say, one of the best autobiography I've ever read...." Read more

"...I love the way she wrote; described in detail her experiences, especially in Paris!..." Read more

67 customers mention "Personality"67 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's personality, describing her as a remarkable and determined woman who is true to herself.

"...She is an amazing woman with an even more amazing trajectory to success. Her unconventional marriage made some of that success possible...." Read more

"...Ina is smart, talented, funny, lucky, and has a ton of chutzpah! Ina seems honest and genuine, she even sounds a bit humble at times...." Read more

"...I love reading about strong, determined, passionate women who over come life's adversities and make their dreams come true...." Read more

"...I loved the book. Ina deserves the beautiful, joyus life that she's made for herself." Read more

60 customers mention "Honesty"48 positive12 negative

Customers appreciate the book's honesty, with multiple reviews noting the author's straightforward approach to sharing her stories.

"...Ina is smart, talented, funny, lucky, and has a ton of chutzpah! Ina seems honest and genuine, she even sounds a bit humble at times...." Read more

"I've been an Ina fan ever since the first TV show. I appreciate the honesty in here..." Read more

"Loved every this from start to finish. Ina’s class and authenticity shines through every page...." Read more

"...I appreciate her honesty as she tells her story, even the hard parts...." Read more

57 customers mention "Humor"57 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it laugh-out-loud funny and written with warmth.

"...Barefoot Contessa, Garten opens up about her life with a mix of humor, wit, and vulnerability that fans will appreciate...." Read more

"...Ina is smart, talented, funny, lucky, and has a ton of chutzpah! Ina seems honest and genuine, she even sounds a bit humble at times...." Read more

"...You’ll find yourself smiling at many of her stories. Some great recipes are included too! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it." Read more

"...But her sunny spirit, determination and hard work, her ability to recognize opportunities and the fearlessness with seizing them when they came..." Read more

47 customers mention "Narrative style"47 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative style of the book, which provides a candid exploration of the author's personal and professional journey, helping readers understand her life and passion.

"...When the Luck Happens, is a delightful and candid exploration of her personal and professional journey...." Read more

"...Really, what Ina's written here is a guide book for any women wishing to start their own business...." Read more

"...She never gave up her dream. She is an inspiration to women who want to find their authentic selves and live their life to the fullest...." Read more

"...Overall, it is very well written and I must say, one of the best autobiography I've ever read...." Read more

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Good Food Good Living
Book Review: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2025
Verified Purchase

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.”

Read more

Good Food Good Living

Book Review: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2025
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.”

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Bobbie Mikita
Couldn’t Wait to Get Back to Reading “Be Ready When the Luck Happens”
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2025
Verified Purchase
This book was nominated by a member of our book club otherwise I might not have ever read it. I’m so glad it was our monthly read because I found it to be a fascinating memoir that I looked forward to reading every night. Ina writes as if she is talking to you over a cup of coffee. She frankly discusses her early family life and her relationship with her husband, even when the truth is difficult to tell. Ina chases work that makes her happy and seems to naturally achieve one success after another, but really it’s her hard work and determination that lead to her success. You’ll find yourself smiling at many of her stories. Some great recipes are included too! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

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Harry Nimmergut
Loved It, Mostly
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2025
Verified Purchase
I've been an Ina fan ever since the first TV show. I appreciate the honesty in here (and about clearing up the elephant in the room about being childless). 2 things were less inspiring - the emphasis on Paris, which has no appeal (but I get why it is to her), and the fact that - as I had concluded - that Ina became quite the superstar with high visibility friends. The latter making the memoir less appealing because she's not the lowly unknown home cook that many think of her as. Being an MBA, I appreciated the discussions of decision-making (reflected in how badly I've blown big parts of my life, but I had an even worse childhood). But very enjoyable overall. Thanks for taking the time to do it. (One quick note - the date of 1989 on page 284 must be incorrect. Look at it.).

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skr
Her unique voice speaks of jumping in, hard work, and finding oneself along the way - loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2025
Verified Purchase
I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much that I a read through it so quickly. I don’t often read memoirs but I’m so glad I picked this one up. I’ve loved Ina’s style of cookbooks and TV shows. She is so welcoming so I thought I’d enjoy this, and I sure did. She makes things looks so easy on TV and you know that takes hard work, but I had no idea of the depth of that hard work, savvy choices, and bold risks she took along the way. Every time I picked up her book I could hear her voice tell her story, as though she’s talking just to you. Loved it.

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Celia K.
A lovely biography of Ina Garten
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2025
Verified Purchase
I'll try making a review. How hard can it be?

I used to watch Ina Garten's cooking show and I heard the praises for this autobiography. But I was not interested in reading this book until my beloved book club chose this book. I am glad they did! Ina Garten's book is entertaining and friendly. It feels like reading a letter from a friend about their past experiences. The physical book have some pictures and recipes included, and they are wonderful! In the middle of the book I had to switch to audio book so I can keep on "reading" while doing chores. The audio book is great also! Ina is the narrator so every thing in the book feels very personal and sounds exactly like how it was supposed to, compared to how I read it from the book. I liked the audiobook a little better because of that.

The book itself shared stories of how she gets to be who she is right now. A glimpse of her humble, curious and hardworking personality. She dropped famous names like it was nothing. While some people think it's bragging I feel like she just happened to be in that circle. It was just luck that she was to be able to meet, know, serve and work with those famous people.

Overall, it is very well written and I must say, one of the best autobiography I've ever read. Very recommended, especially if you used to or still watch her cooking show.

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Kindle Customer
Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2025
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What a delightful story and a perfect one for me to read right before going to France! I knew OF Ina Garten but not much about her life and success. I immediately ordered one of her cookbooks. She is truly amazing and if I could live life backwards, I would follow in her footsteps in my own career. She has become someone I would love to meet and discuss life over a home cooked meal!

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Amazon Customer
this is an amazing personal memoir,,,everyone should read this book !
Reviewed in Canada on March 31, 2025
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I thought I was about to read lots of recipes but the authors ,s decision to follow her heart ,facing multi challenges along the way, opting out when her head told her it was time for new adventures, was a most captivating story. There is something in Ina,s scenarios for everyone to relate to in their own personal life stories …in 1960,early married years ,I had never cooked , so decided if I could read ,I could cook so started with dinner party recipes ie scallops, weiner snitzel,Baked Alaska!!? Later I found that I actually liked creating dishes for guests .."..starting with Gourmet magazine ,moving on to Julia child and Lucy Waverman …..I’m late arriving at The Barefoot Contessa but look forward to purchasing those editions too,, my advice ,,,buy this memoir for inspiration ,,you’ll be so glad you did …I give it 10stars for humour !,and the guts to follow her dreams !!bev macdougall

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Raelene Hodge
Great read
Reviewed in Australia on January 22, 2025
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Ina's journey and learning more about her life. If you have enjoyed her cooking presentations, you will enjoy reading how it all came to be.

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M. A. Balchin
Ina has done it again
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2025
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Love Ina as a cook but this book is something else. So inspirational, so down to earth, really a great read.

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Bernice
An elegantly Individualistic concept of lifestyle
Reviewed in Singapore on January 11, 2025
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I loved that Ina sprinkled in her gorgeous recipes throughout the book, but most importantly shed light on the lessons she’d learnt in the business, as well as things she learnt about herself.

A very candid sharing about her family upbringings made the book content very relatable and real. Her pursuit to find beauty in food, hosting, fashion, and authenticity in the way she comes across to people is inspiring and this book is an awesome read.

Thank you Ina - I’m learning to find beauty and elegance in this too.

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Arq. Raquel Berti Martinez
Hermosa biografia de la inteligencia, resiliencia, sensibilidad, y talento de Ina agarren.
Reviewed in Mexico on January 17, 2025
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Detrás de la cálida personalidad de Ina hay una mujer de negocios súper talentosa. Este libro es una mezcla deliciosa de cocina, negocios, compasión, humor, y cariño de pareja. Delicioso libro!

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Book Review: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

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5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Book Review: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

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5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn’t Wait to Get Back to Reading “Be Ready When the Luck Happens”

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved It, Mostly

5.0 out of 5 stars Her unique voice speaks of jumping in, hard work, and finding oneself along the way - loved it!

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely biography of Ina Garten

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!

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5.0 out of 5 stars this is an amazing personal memoir,,,everyone should read this book !

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read

5.0 out of 5 stars Ina has done it again

5.0 out of 5 stars An elegantly Individualistic concept of lifestyle

5.0 out of 5 stars Hermosa biografia de la inteligencia, resiliencia, sensibilidad, y talento de Ina agarren.

Book Review: Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

Couldn’t Wait to Get Back to Reading “Be Ready When the Luck Happens”

Loved It, Mostly

Her unique voice speaks of jumping in, hard work, and finding oneself along the way - loved it!

A lovely biography of Ina Garten

Loved it!

this is an amazing personal memoir,,,everyone should read this book !

Great read

Ina has done it again

An elegantly Individualistic concept of lifestyle

Hermosa biografia de la inteligencia, resiliencia, sensibilidad, y talento de Ina agarren.