Be Ready When the Luck Happens

April 5, 2025 /

Be Ready When the Luck Happens ~ Ina Garten

From the author’s website: ”From a difficult childhood to meeting and marrying the love of her life, Jeffrey, while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, DC 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 you’ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.”

I’m not much of a memoir person, I struggle with non-fiction of any kind. Perhaps I should rethink that stance, because this book was a charming delight, and I really enjoyed reading about Ina’s life, her successes and challenges, and learning more about her love for France (swoon) and her husband Jefferey (sweet). She talks about her frustrations, her marriage and why it works and when it doesn’t. I think her biggest strength is believing in herself and advocating for her vision.

Back when we got The Food Network, and when they showed cooking shows (rather than cooking competitions), I used to really enjoy watching her show, Barefoot Contessa. Last year I discovered that I can watch episodes on HBO/MAX, so I sometimes sit down and watch an episode or two. Maya got me this book for Christmas (or my birthday). The writing was pretty good, there were a few times when what I considered a minor storyline got a lot of ink, while a bigger one was over in a flash. That’s my only complaint. Recommended.

18 Comments

  • Jenny

    April 5, 2025 at 5:11 am

    Everyone has loved this book! It’s not something I would normally read, but since everyone recommends it so highly I’ll definitely get it at some point.

    • J

      April 5, 2025 at 7:48 am

      I feel the same way. I’m not generally into memoirs, but since everyone loved it so much, and since my daughter gave it to me, I figured I’d better read it this time.

  • Birchie

    April 5, 2025 at 5:23 am

    Thanks for the tip that her show is on Max! I’m going to get a subscription soon. I usually don’t watch cooking shows, but I’m interested in hers after reading the book.

    • J

      April 5, 2025 at 7:50 am

      If you want to die from alcohol poisoning, have a drink every time she says any of the following:
      How easy is that?
      How hard could that be?
      Good olive oil
      Good mayonnaise
      Don’t have any fun without me

  • Margaret

    April 5, 2025 at 10:57 am

    I’m with you on memoirs; they can be self-indulgent and boring. However, I’m undoubtedly missing out on a bunch of great ones because of that.

  • Lisa’s Yarns

    April 5, 2025 at 1:35 pm

    I loved this book! I was impressed by how vulnerable she was by sharing about her marital challenges/separation. She definitely has a ton of privilege but she’s such a delightful person with a soothing voice!!

    • J

      April 6, 2025 at 9:29 am

      I had to go back and read that part twice. I liked her vulnerability, and loved how eager Jeffrey was to do whatever it took to save the marriage. I would have liked more detail on that, but I guess that’s not fair in real life. If it were a novel I would mark it down for that.

  • Elisabeth

    April 6, 2025 at 11:32 am

    I was listening to this on audiobook at the gym. I still haven’t finished it (oops) – but loved that she was narrating it. I never really watched her show, and the back story was fascinating. I agree that some things were belaboured and she whizzed by some other topics, but it was a great memoir. I think I’m 90% done it, but I’m trying to wait to get the book. I’m just not an audiobook gal. Plus, I suspect there will be some great pictures in it?!

  • Kyria @ Travel Spot

    April 8, 2025 at 9:04 pm

    I never had TV, so I didn’t really watch her show, but I knew her as the one with the recipes that made sense and were not over the top. In fact, I liked her for not being over the top. So most of the information in this book was news to me, like I did not know that her husband was in finance or that she had ever had a job other than a cooking related one. I listened to it on audio, and liked that it is her narrating it. I think I gave it a 4/5, as I learned something and was not bored by it, so that is a win!