Hold On, But Don't Hold Still

Starred review from November 18, 2019
Blogger Kuzmic debuts with a moving and hilarious memoir focusing primarily on motherhood. Kuzmic immigrated to the United States as a teenager after fleeing war-torn Croatia, was a single mother to two young children, and, at one point, relied on food stamps to feed her family. A love of cooking led Kuzmic to open a makeshift soup kitchen, then to launch her blog Sticky Cook, and finally land her own television show, The Ambush Cook, on the OWN network. Winning Your Own Show: Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star helped Kuzmic amass an audience, but she found her stride posting parenting videos online. Kuzmic writes that, in her videos and in her everyday life, she uses her lowest points as catalysts for change: battling poverty and depression taught her “the only way out is through,” the worry and guilt that come with motherhood inspired her to relinquish some control, and being the victim of “mom shaming” helped her set realistic expectations for herself as a parent. In her most affecting chapter, “I Didn’t Tell,” Kuzmic talks about the importance of finding one’s voice. Kuzmic’s tenacious and refreshingly candid memoir will appeal to any reader. Agent: Anna Sproul-Latimer, Ross Yoon Agency.