HEATHER'S PICKGLOBE AND MAIL BESTSELLERNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER320 PAGESENGLISH
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In her long-awaited memoir, Ina Garten—aka the Barefoot Contessa, author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon—shares her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table. A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Time, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Town & Country
Here, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina’s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have been the result of hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.
From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her own trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain. Now, she invites them to come closer to experience her story in vivid detail and to share the important life lessons she learned along the way: do what you love because if you love it you’ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.
Heather’s Review
“This book is the runaway hit biography of the season! Think you know Ina Garten? Dive in and learn just how much she deserves our admiration.”
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Ina Garten's memoir is celebrated for its inspirational and enjoyable content, offering readers a glimpse into her remarkable journey and valuable life lessons. Customers highly recommend it as a great read.
"Ina and her story make good reading, her honesty is so sincere and her life is full of great events." — Ernie
"Ina Gardner is such an interesting person and her book about her journey is an inspiration." — Georgia
"I loved reading about Ina's personal journey, so informative and enlightening/" — Mina
Reviews
Inspiring and beautiful
"I purchased Ina's book for my mom for her birthday and she loves it. Ina's journey and how she pivoted in her career to follow her heart is very inspiring."
— Vesna (5/5)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir
"Ina Garten's life story coming into her insights, passions, and creativity through business and food is a wonderful read. I passed by the book table and it caught my eye. I have loved watching her and own her cook books. I also liked finding her favorite recipes in her memoir."
— Marie B. (5/5)
Follow your heart! 💜
"Essentially I found this book to be about following your heart and really doing what you enjoy for a living rather than working a job you may not be happy with yet pays well. I’m sure it helped that Ina’s husband Jeffrey was supportive of her dreams and encouraged her to follow them! Her explanation as to why she and her husband did not have children hits home - thanks for saying it out loud Ina. A fairly easy read that will appeal to cooks, dreamers, women and men."
— Janette (3/5)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens
"One of the best biographies I have read. I will want to read again. Made her Coq au Vin and favorite soup after reading it! Very inspiring and motivating!"
— L. C. (5/5)
For every book lover and foodie!
"Number 1 - shop Canadian and support Indigo. Number 2, I bought this book as a gift for someone who loves cooking. Ina Gardner is such an interesting person and her book about her journey is an inspiration."
— Georgia (5/5)
Ina Garten’s “Be ready When the Luck Happens,” a must read for any aspiring cook!
"Loved Ina Garten’s memoir! It’s so rare to get an intimate glimpse into the life of one of your favourite TV personalities. Ina writes with candor and humour about her remarkable journey. She teaches us about patience and the importance of seizing opportunity. Her voice shines through every chapter. By the end of the book, you’ll feel like you’re sitting down with an old friend. As a bonus, she includes many of her favourite recipes. We learn why they mean so much to her."
— Kelormat (4/5)
Great Read!
"‘Be Ready When the Luck Happens’ is an upbeat and easy read about Ina Garten’s life from nuclear policy writer at the Whitehouse to TV cook show host. The memoir feels somewhat selective in what is revealed {author’s prerogative), but is interwoven with her enthusiasm snd drive for cooking, self discovery, friends, celebrities and her husband Jeffery. She even offers up a few choice recipes. Would definitely recommend!"
— Cynthia (4/5)
Very Inspiring
"I love Ina! She’s optimistic and not afraid to take risks. I loved the book, and it gave me a lot of inspiration."
— Jordan (5/5)
Be Ready When The Luck Happens
"So interesting. It shows that celebrities are real people. Ina Garten went through a very tough childhood and still came out on top. She's an inspiration."
— Nancy D. (5/5)
Really enjoyed
"I really enjoyed reading Ina's memoir. I appreciated the honesty and openess with which she shared her story. I found there were some good take-aways about different things in life (not just cooking tips), like finance, negotiations, working with others and relationships. Kind of like sitting down with a mom who is willing to share her life experiences - not just the highlights but also the disappointments and bad decisions. Really happy with this purchase and look I forward ro re-reading again in the future."
— Emme D. (5/5)
Q&A
Published date: Apr 14, 2026
Language: English
No. of Pages: 320
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 9780593800027
Dimensions:
5.47" W x
0.82" L x
8.22" H
“[Ina Garten] has created an inviting and relaxing world that’s the equivalent of one of her cocktail recipes. To use a Barefoot Contessa catchphrase, How great is that?”—The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)
“A freewheeling handbook for life . . . Be Ready When the Luck Happens is a romp, filled with adventure and serendipity, a magic act that makes the hard stuff of life seem like both education and play.”—The Washington Post
“Simplicity is at the core of [Ina Garten’s] appeal . . . her approachability, charisma and close connection to the sensibilities of the home cook have given her a devoted following.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Though a good deal of luck often came through for her along the way, Garten’s lively memoir emphasizes how hard work and unrelenting tenacity were what made the magic happen. An entertaining foray into this well-loved cooking host’s illustrious life.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Garten emphasizes the importance of doing what you love. Her story is a testament to the power of following one’s passion and the impact of hard work and dedication. . . . Whether you’re a longtime fan of the Barefoot Contessa or new to Garten’s work, this memoir is sure to leave you feeling inspired and ready to tackle your own dreams.”—Medium
“Be Ready When the Luck Happens is a wildly entertaining and compulsively readable story about curiosity and courage, challenges and coconut cupcakes. It’s also a love story for the ages. Smart and funny, warm and engaging, Ina Garten proves just how lucky a person can be if she’s willing to work hard, get over her past, and be fully and fearlessly engaged with life.”—Ann Patchett, author of Tom Lake
Ina Garten is a New York Times bestselling author, the host of Be My Guest and Barefoot Contessa on Food Network and Max, for which she has won five Emmy Awards and a James Beard Award. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey.
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