First Course

2022 Eric Hoffer Award - Short List for Grand Prize
2022 Eric Hoffer Award - Finalist in First Horizon Award (for debut authors)
2022 Book Excellence Award - Finalist in Chick Lit
2021 NYC Big Book Awards (Distinguished Favorite, Contemporary Novel)
2021 Paris Book Festival (Honorable Mention, General Fiction)
2021 American Fiction Awards (Finalist, Women's Fiction)
2021 San Francisco Book Festival (Honorable Mention, General Fiction)

"The food and the characters are equally scrumptious in First Course—a delicious debut from Jenn Bouchard." –Emily Belden, author of HOT MESS and HUSBAND MATERIAL

Second acts can be delicious.

When four life-altering catastrophes hit in just one day—including the loss of her parents in a tragic plane crash—twenty-four-year-old Janie Whitman retreats to her family’s summer house in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Here she tries to provide stability for her older sister Alyssa and two young nieces by cooking them amazing food.

Through a mix-up with the alumni office at her parents’ alma mater, Janie meets a young high school guidance counselor named Rocky at a volunteer event, and their fast-tracked romance helps Janie to see possibilities beyond the life she had known just a few weeks prior. But with her ex-boyfriend (and former boss) making overtures beyond her wildest dreams, as well as Alyssa’s estranged husband willing to do whatever it takes to win her back, the Whitman sisters are faced with big decisions.

Despite the obstacles in their way, when Janie and Alyssa are tasked with establishing a lasting memorial for their parents, they just might find the second acts they are seeking.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR FIRST COURSE
“I loved this story of reinvention and finding love when you least expect it. With charming characters and a setting that will have you rushing to book a trip to the Maine coast, First Course is the perfect book to tuck into your beach bag this summer.” –KRISTIN CONTINO, AUTHOR OF A HOUSE FULL OF WINDSOR

“In First Course, Jenn Bouchard finds the perfect recipe for a story—colorful characters and a compelling storyline—easily making the reader crave a second course.” –CHRISTINA CONSOLINO, AUTHOR OF REWRITE THE STARS

“Jenn Bouchard’s debut, First Course, is a sweet, romantic story about Janie, a young woman who, after a series of traumatic events unfolding in less than 24 hours, learns how to pick herself up again and rediscover who she is as a sister, daughter, aunt, girlfriend ... and cook. Bouchard’s writing is snappy and smart and whisks the reader away on a virtual summer tour of Maine. First Course is the perfect book for readers to take on their own trip to the beach or pool.” –SARAHLYN BRUCK, AUTHOR OF DESIGNER YOU AND DAYTIME DRAMA