Lemon Curd

Kimberly Pugliano February 21, 2012

I enjoyed this book a lot and finished it in two days.  It was an easy read and just when I thought it was becoming predictable it would inevitably take a left turn. 

Reader Views Reviews, March, 2009
a review by Carol Hoyer, PHD

Ms. Poursagari has written an exceptional book about relationships, assumptions and controlling individuals. Her first novel is well-written and very easy to read. As readers you will be able to relate to her story..."Lemon Curd" by Homa Pourasgari is a down-to-earth romance novel...It is very captivating from the first page. Each reader will be able to understand how relationships can be confusing and harmful, yet we tend to ignore the warning signs.

BookPleasures.com Reviews, March, 2009
a review by Norman Goldman

Homa Poursagari's debut novel, Lemon Curd is a good old- fashioned romance story, however in this case the author has adopted a refreshing different approach from today's usual run-of-the mill love stories that resemble nothing more than pornography where more ink is devoted to hot steamy graphic sex scenes rather than the story itself...Poursagari manages to craft an addictive yarn that will likely be devoured in one sitting. And perhaps the story may even entice some of you to put down your own camera and take the time to see what's going on in your own life.

Front Street Reviews, August 2008
a review by Cynthia Murphy

Lemon Curd is a fun, modern romance set in Los Angeles and London. Pourasgari develops her characters in several ways.  She makes good use of descriptions and events to reveal details. Most importantly, the characters feel real. The dialogue between Anna Lisa and Neil is snappy and fast-paced. These are smart, witty people who are used to being the best at everything.  This shows in some of their verbal spats. Lemon Curd is a fun novel that asks a few serious questions about our society. The main characters are likeable and well-crafted, and the dialogue is funny. Overall, it is a very enjoyable debut novel. And it makes you want to eat some Lemon Curd.

OC Life Magazine, August 2007
a review by Sepideh Danosian

Lemon Curd is a modern day novel that deals with the complicated thing we call love. The thing we enjoyed most about this novel was that the heroine Anna Lisa was easy to relate to – her insecurities, her connection to her family, even her nosy, yet loving co-worker and friend Leila who adds a bit of Persian culture to the story. It’s a novel you can easily read in one sitting as Pourasgari has a way of pulling you into the book with her use of description and attention to minute detail.

The Midwest Book Review, December 2006

Iranian-born American resident Homa Pourasgari presents Lemon Curd, a modern-day novel that distills her years of experience observing human relationships. Romantic tensions between two officemates are exacerbated by their natural competitive streaks. Set amid a society that prizes multitasking, business success above personal interests, and the virtual worship of naked greed, Lemon Curd reveals how life imbalance translates to personal imbalance and follows the couple's struggle to resolve both internal and external contentiousness. A page-turner, high-stakes romance.

 
BookWire Review, September, 2006

In her first novel, author Homa Pourasgari offers up a romance firmly grounded in turn-of-the-millennium sensibility. Anna Lisa is a heroine we can root for. She’s stoic and doesn’t believe in whining. Even her insecurities are far more humanizing than the irritating neuroses common among the genre’s heroine. Anna Lisa’s struggle – sacrificing quality of life for career, getting ahead as a woman in a man’s world, and trying to find love – will strike a chord with many women. Pourasgari sketches great characters, particularly Anna Lisa’s wonderful grandmother. Englishman Neil has struggles of his own with a wealthy society fiancée. Both Anna Lisa and Neil spend a great deal of time misleading themselves about what they truly desire. Each wants human connection, deep love, and security – and each has chosen a partner completely unsuited. Lemon Curd is an enjoyable debut novel, we hope, is a harbinger of more good things to come.

 
Book Review, August, 2006
a review by Heather Froeschl 

Homa Pourasgari’s delightful novel, “Lemon Curd” offers lessons to learn, enjoyment of the story, and an enticement for a savory toast topper...The plot is well thought out, the characters multileveled and quite realistic. An interesting and easy going read, “Lemon Curd” offers strong female roles as well as positive male ones. Whichever side readers’ root for, the book is appealing and well written.

Bonjour Homa. Thanks for your fantastic book. We enjoyed reading it and will await your next novel. Merci encore.

Just finished Lemon Curd by Homa Pourasgari. I really enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down. The characters were rich and interesting and the plot line was really suspenseful--were they going to get together or were they not going to get together!  Gosh, if that Starter Wife can be made into a TV mini so can this book.  It has all the elements--I also loved the way she described the various environmental situations--Brentwood, jogging, restaurants--around L.A. the English Tea shop, and of course, lemon curd! Thanks a mill for the book, it certainly has enriched my reading intake!!!!!

I read one chapter from your book and from my point of view, it was great. I’m going to buy this book.

Mahmoud Naficy

My Auntie Siu bought a copy of Lemon Curd to give to me to read right before school started and I finished it in a day. When I first read the back cover, I found it hard to believe that with such a classic romance plot, it could be anything more than a romance novel. Yet after reading it, I understood how "romance [was] only a part of this story". Despite a somewhat simple clichéd meeting, it becomes obvious by the end that both main characters had been transformed into real personalities. It displays just the right amount of life's frustrating ironies & complexities, with the underlying idea that going after something you want might just be the final key. It's been about 3 or 4 weeks since I read it, but when I saw your book on my desk, I remembered that I wanted to tell you above all else, I'm happy & proud to be one of its first 100 readers, and that this book is certainly something to be proud of.

Christina Fan, UCLA student

Just a note to say how much I enjoyed your first book. It was a nice romantic novel easy to read.

Nazy Maughn, London, UK

This book was recommended by a friend of mine Afsaneh, and when I read the detail of the story from the back of the cover, it sounded like a romance story that I have read or seen on the big screen. It was a nice surprise to read this book and not wanting to put it down, It was very well written and easy to follow. I love to read romantic novels but I really like the ones that are real and not a fantasy. I hope to see more books from you.

I read your book and loved it. I loved the way you brought our culture into the book and introduced it.

Gilda Dehimi, Woodland Hills, CA

I'm not a "romantic novel" reader but "Lemon Curd" was such a delight to read.  It was fast paced and easy to get into.  I finished it in a few hours which is not the norm for me.  I'm looking forward to Homa's second book!

 Jila Davachi, Bel-Air, CA

I wanted to tell you how great your novel was. It took me awhile to read it because I have two little ones at home, but I finally finished. I found Lemon Curd to be sincere, romantic and a fun read. I can’t wait till your next book comes out.

Susan Rook, Los Angeles, CA

Arya Davachi, student journalist at Palisades High School

Lemon Curd, local author Homa Pourasgari’s debut novel, provides the reader with a heart-warming glimpse into the life of Anna Lisa Gibson and her lifelong struggle to find herself. Lemon Curd is jam-packed with drama, comedy and love.

Anna Lisa, a prominent businesswoman, is stunned when she finds out that she must work with an Englishman who is completely oblivious to the Los Angeles lifestyle. Though Lemon Curd looks like every other fiction novel in the bookshop, it is so much more. Enriched with culture, love and deceit, Lemon Curd is an entertaining and outlandish novel. At times it does seem a bit predictable, but it also manages to surprise the reader and leave them wanting more.