With Edward, Isabel experiences chivalry, develops a sense of her own femininity and and examines life values from a broader scope. As they progressed from meals à deux to full dinner parties with an eclectic New York crowd, she saw that Edward was showing her how to rediscover the joy of life. This is a nice way to leave things – rather than with a funeral, which might have altered the overall tone.

Together, they plot, this will keep Edward happy and busy, while giving Isabel a much-needed break from her failing marriage. We all strive to be that well rounded, socially gifted persona, or spend time learning from those special people.It's a tale of two friends sharing views on life over gloriously cooked meals that ends up changing the course of each other's lives. I fell in love with Edward, it was hard not to, he is such an elegant, intelligent man, a man who only uses the best.

Vincent's descriptions of food, written with the sumptuous detail of a restaurant review, are something to savor, as are her recollections of Edward himself and the way he dedicated himself to living after having lost the love of his life. Rich with description of meals savored, losses grieved, and moments cherished, it's at once tender, revealing, and utterly enchanting! Isabel, struggling over her crumbling marriage, and Edward, a man in his 90s who is grieving over the recent death of his wife, strike up a friendship over weekly dinners. New to NYC and with a faltering marriage, Isabel received an unusual request from her friend Valerie: Would she look in on Valerie's father, Edward? She has authored a few books and works as an investigative reporter for a popular New York tabloid and he's a guy with various talents who never reached the limelight.Here was a seemingly ordinary man, who had lived a small, hard, honest life, but who was anything but.

Edward is an amazing man, a man who wholeheartedly loved his wife, loves to cook and entertain, Isabel is in a troubled marriage, a journalist who is working in New York. With its delicious food, warm jazz, and stunning views of Manhattan, Edward's home was a much-needed refuge for reporter Isabel Vincent. The more I think about him, the more I think he's kinda a dickhead, doing a disservice to all genders. Isabel Vincent delves deeply into matters of the kitchen and the heart with equal and unabashed passion.Edward is teaching Isabel the luxury of slowing down and taking the time to think through everything she does, to deconstruct her own life, cutting it back to the bone and examining the guts, no matter how messy that proves to be. This was a short sweet book but it would have been better if she had written a more detailed account of her time spent with Edward instead of bagging on her d-bag ex-husband so much.