Lizzie Glass had it all. A show on the Food Network, showing healthy cooking options every Saturday morning. A two-book cookbook deal with a major New York publisher. A monthly food column in a prestigious magazine. And she was just out of college. 

But little by little, her life changed. Her show was cancelled. Her cookbooks stopped selling. She was forced to work as a personal chef just to afford the rent on her Manhattan apartment in a trendy neighborhood, and then for her much smaller Manhattan apartment at the edge of a far less trendy neighborhood. And then a shake-up at the magazine meant her monthly column went to another chef, so Lizzie felt like it was time to move back to her mother's place in Philadelphia, to figure out where to go next. 

"Next" turned out to be a beach house on the Jersey Shore, where she got a summer job as a private chef for an ultra-wealthy media mogul and his wife. Despite it being a step down from where she was, Lizzie quickly got accustomed to the lavish kitchen and the fresh food from the local farmer's market and the short walk to the ocean. She was willing to put up with her nervous chatterbox of a boss all summer. She was even willing to apologize for past sins and make amends to her former college roommate, who had helped her set up her original cable access show and who Lizzie left behind when she made the leap to the Food Network. 

But it's her clients' daughter Zoe, an internet personality in her early 20s, who is Lizzie's biggest threat. Her website, The Clean Life, promotes organic, vegan cooking. But there is a problem with her premise, and Lizzie can see through it. Pointing it out could potentially save lives, but it could also destroy not only Zoe's online reputation and Lizzie's job and her new potential relationship, it could also bring to light secrets from Lizzie's past that she'd rather not revisit. 

Virtually Perfect, the debut novel from Paige Roberts, is just that. It is virtually perfect. Smart and interesting, offering a glimpse behind the scenes of life as a private chef, this novel is packed with likable characters, a strong plot, an interesting sense of place, humor, timeliness, and the perfect balance. Adorable and fun, Virtually Perfect is the perfect novel for a day at the beach or a day snuggled in front of the fire wishing for a beach. A great read for foodies!

Galleys for Virtually Perfect were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.