I’m pleased to announce that my new book, La Pâte à Bombe is going to be released on June 13, 2025.
La Pâte à Bombe is the story of Fiona McConnell. As a kid, she helped her dad with his catering company on the streets of Los Angeles and dreamed of becoming a famous pastry chef.
Fiona gets her opportunity when Julia Stone, her much admired boss at Lucien, one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles, fires both her head chef and pastry chef, allowing Fiona the chance to prove herself. Julia also hires legendary personality Liam Auclair as her new head chef and his objective is to earn what no restaurant in LA has ever accomplished: Three Michelin Stars.
On Fiona’s first day as a pastry chef, she meets an upscale vintner named Rory Martin. Rory’s passion for food, wine, and surfing is perfect for her— the boyfriend she’s always dreamed of. But life, as it turns out, is not that simple.
Kirkus Review has the following to say…
“ Christensen delivers a delightful and multifaceted story that follows a feel-good thread about hard work, forgiveness, and redemption, while also pursuing an entertaining romantic plotline.”
The link to the full review is here. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/michelle-christensen/la-pate-a-bombe/
Here’s an excerpt –
A hush suddenly filled the kitchen. The cooks paused from their work. I glanced up from the torte in front of me.
It was a standoff. The cooks stood silent. The brute force of anger fell on the small galley. Something was about to blow.
My breath hitched in my throat. I’d never seen the crew so angry before. They were united in fury. All their rage trained on Chef Logan.
“Don’t you dare lay down your knives! If you leave, you’re all fired!” He bellowed.
Tickets spewed from the machine, the only sound coming from the line. The tickets chugged like a machine gun. No one was picking them up. They spilled over the counter like a stac- cato snake.
One by one, the line cooks laid down their tools and walked out of the kitchen.
“Come on, guys, let’s talk about this,” Sammy, the sous chef, pleaded.
The cooks brushed past, ignoring him. He turned and chased after them in a desperate last-ditch effort to make them come back.
The galley was suddenly empty. Chef Logan and Chef Angela were the only two left standing.
“What’s going on? Why did everything stop?” Julia stormed into the kitchen. Her calculated eyes took everything in.
She straightened her perfectly pressed, dark denim Hedley & Bennett apron. It was her armor. She paired it with black tapered pants and designer black T-shirts, giving her a polished, chic demeanor.
She pursed her lips. For Julia, it was the glare of death.
“Logan and Angela. It’s over. Both of you. Pack your things. You’re gone. I’ve had enough.”
Angela’s eyes sprouted tears as her nervous, skinny frame cowered. Shock crossed her face.
“It was nice working with you.” She brusquely brushed past me and pushed out the kitchen door, stifling a sob
“You can’t do this!” Chef Logan’s brutish frame stood taller in the kitchen. He was an intimidating man: fiery red hair, barrel chested, six feet tall, and could have easily been confused with a convict. It was hard to believe he was one of the best chefs in L.A.
“It’s done. Pack your knives. It’s time for you to go.” Julia stared, coldly.
Logan studied her a beat, incredulous, giving her a murderous glare. Finality crossed his face as he realized his fate. “Fuck you and fuck this place! You’re a fraud. All you care about is your stupid reputation. You don’t care about the food. You never did.”
His eyes trained on me, furious. “Watch your back, Fiona. She’ll be after you next…”
That’s just the beginning of things to come for Fiona and her journey to becoming pastry chef.
I’m excited to release my book. It’s been a labor of love to pastry. I’ve worked for so many years in the job of my dreams, and I wanted to share my experience in the craft.
Stay tuned for updates on how to become one of my ARC readers before publication.
I’m excited to share my book with you. I hope you enjoy it.
Michelle Christensen Writes 