Hannah McCouch's debut novel reads like it was conceptualized when Nora Ephron movies were the hottest thing going, plotted when Bridget Jones's Diary was the hottest thing going, and written when Anthony Bourdain was… well, a bit hotter than he is now. Girl Cook is a lively, formulaic insider's novel about the barriers facing women who want to be gourmet chefs–especially a certain 28-year-old woman who was a spoiled gadabout before her millionaire father cut off her allowance. First-person narrator Layla Mitchner works the kitchen at a snooty Manhattan restaurant, but still struggles to get by; in spite of her French culinary education, the head chef is so determinedly biased against her that he promotes a coke-snorting thief and a summer intern over her. Alternately hostile and despondent, Layla engages in a decidedly Bridget Jones-like battle against cellulite, low self-esteem, and her indecision over whether a fantastically rich, handsome, capable socialite or a perpetually stoned bohemian musician will be the one true love that validates her out-of-control life, or at least gives her some temporary respite in the sack. McCouch, herself a New Yorker and a former restaurant and Food Network cook, is clearly writing what she knows, and she spices up her Cinderella story with an insider's perspective, memorable anecdotes, snappy banter, and mouthwateringly specific food descriptions. If only her protagonist were as appealing as her menus. Layla's quick thinking and smart mouth are her only positive traits; her crippling dependence on others, her self-absorbed whining, and her frequently lamented inability to take charge of her life are mildly insulting to the regime-challenging female chefs that Girl Cook purportedly champions. It's hard to sympathize with a character whose worst problems are both so superficial and so painfully of her own making. Still, McCouch's sprightly writing and talent for sharp characterization make Girl Cook a fun summer read. Like Layla's elaborate gourmet creations, the book isn't likely to stick to the ribs, but presentation and piquancy are key.