The Secret Ingredient

by Jane Heller

Book Overview

Bestselling author Heller delivers a rollicking social satire for any woman who has ever said, If only he would change. After a visit to a Beverly Hills doctor, Elizabeth Baskin is convinced she's found the secret ingredient to save her marriage: a packet of miracle herbs to restore her husband to his perfect self.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312261721
• ISBN13: 9780312261726
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 323 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

THE PERFECT ENTERTAINMENT COCKTAIL OF REALISM AND FANTASY

I enjoyed every minute of this book. Elizabeth, our shero, wishes to turn her husband into the dashing romantic hero he used to be instead of the workaholic and sofa spud he is now, so she goes to an herbal healer who gives her a formulation of herbs and nutrients to slip into her husband's breakfast juice. The nutritional aid works -- too well, as hubby Roger goes from slob, to dashing caballero, to fault-finding self-absorbed, narcissistic control freak. Desparate to get her old hubby back, she and a friend get ino all kinds of misadventures and hilarious fiascoes. Think Lucy and Ethel meet the Desperate Housewives. I could see this as a movie with Debra messing as Liz and Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Roger. Great stuff!

If Only He Would Change

We've all secretly (and even vocally) wished our spouse would change something. In Elizabeth's case, it's wanting the early romance back plus for him to be neater, trimmer, more attentive. She finds a way to make this happen with "the secret ingredient" but isn't prepared for the changes that occur in Roger. It's fun, even though predictable at times. There are enough surprises to keep the reader involved. I enjoyed Elizabeth's predicament, her efforts to improve her relationship and the descriptions of life in L.A.

Keeps getting better!

I am a new fan of Jane Heller's - working my way up to reading her collection of wonderful books. Her imagination paired with realism is a masterpiece!This book hit so close to home for me! Elizabeth Baskin is married to Roger and is not happy with her marriage. She feels as if the "thrill" is gone. He doesn't pay as much attention to his looks, he works too much, gained weight, makes messes with English Muffin crumbs every morning (and doesn't clean them up) and falls asleep on the couch at night watching TV...sound familiar?????Elizabeth finds out about a "Life Enhancement" doctor who seems to have the answer to Roger's problem through a potion made up of herbs from Central America. She meets the doctor and is given what he called "The Stud Stimulant" that she is to sneak into his morning OJ or coffee. When the first dose doesn't take affect fast enough, being impatient she gives him double doses.Needless to say, Roger is back to the man she first fell in love with. His sex drive is nonstop, he buys new clothes, goes to the gym, watches what he eats.Sounds like the perfect potion, right? But, what about if he wants sex so much - that YOU can't keep up with him? What if he becomes so obsessed with working out and eating healthy that he begins to complain about how YOU look? In the beginning of the book, you learn that Elizabeth is employed with a company that sends her to 5 star hotels. She gets to stay there free, make impossible demands and inspect them to see if they remain 5 stars. I am thinking, this would be the PERFECT job for me! But, as I finished the book - I realized that NOTHING is perfect. Not a hotel, not a marriage, not you and not me. Jane's books always give me a little bit more wisdom and a smile as I close the book.

The Grass Isn't Always Greener

I think the "Secret Ingredient" has to be one of the best novels Ms. Heller has ever written to date. The story of two married woman Elizabeth and Clover who want their husbands to be the men they were when they first got married (attentive, loving, sexy, high energy level). Both women feel that after a few years of marriage, their husbands don't pay enough attention to them anymore, don't make love to them like they used to and they no longer do the things they used to do when then were first married. The women decide visit a doctor who specializes in giving a person back what they once had (enhanced).Well Elizabeth and Clover got what they wanted and more than either of them can handle. The husbands are now listening to what they have to say, helping around the house, are very attentive to their wives every need and they want to make love all the time. Seems like things have backfired, the wives can't keep up with their newly enhanced husbands and get left in the dust -- and since the wives can't keep up the husbands seek others who are willing to go the distance. Now what to do? Go back to the doctor and get the antidote -- well they find out the doctor really isn't a doctor but a con artist and that's when the fun begins.This was just such a good read; I didn't want it to end. Sometimes when you get you what you think want you find out what you had was definitely better that what you got.

I love Jane Heller's books

I have read all of Jane Heller's books. This one was excellent.This perticular book is about a woman who is unhappy with her husband and would like him to be more attentive to her. Jane writes this book in "first person" so you feel like she is talking directly to you. She goes to a doctor who gives her medication to have him enhanced,but as the saying goes, "becareful what you wish for, it just might come true" She has a few twists and turns with the Characters and I justloved it. I recommend it to all who would like some "readingcandy" or just read it for the fun of the story!