Appetite : A Novel

An affirming and utterly original debut about a young chef chasing her dreams—and the pro wrestler she idolizes who derails everything

“Appetite holds a mirror to the puzzling ways humans sometimes find themselves connecting with one another, on and offline. Prepare to be captivated.”—Jinwoo Chong, author of I Leave It Up to You

“I flew through Appetite in one hungry sitting—chest racing, mouth watering, and seriously questioning if I should make women’s wrestling my new personality.”—Haley Jakobson, author of Old Enough

How far will you go to feed your ambitions?

Zarina, a prep cook at a fancy New Haven restaurant, is underpaid, overworked, and might as well be invisible. The only upside? She gets to take home leftover ingredients and whip up modern spins on the Bangladeshi dishes she grew up eating—all while enjoying her second greatest passion, professional wrestling: namely, her hero Sierra Myst, the massively successful, high-flying heel who’s built like a superhero and is every bit as daring.

One night, Zarina posts about Sierra Myst, and the impossible happens: Sierra responds. Zarina is elated at the chance to become closer with her idol. At first, their friendship is everything she’s ever dreamed of. But as the weeks fly by, Zarina starts to feel more like Sierra’s unpaid personal assistant and relationship counselor—and her desire to make Sierra happy soon threatens everything she’s worked for.