Never Put All Your Eggs in One Bastard

“ Essentially a memoir about her experiences of selling her cottage in Auckland and building a functional home and workplace in the South of France at the age of 67, it is humorous, self-indulgent and at times shocking . . . Something of a late bloomer, by her own admission, Peta's life has taken many twists, turns and career paths, flanked by an ever-changing cast of eccentric friends and lovers. From nursing to counselling, to TV hosting, cooking, writing books and currently hosting cooking tours. ”

Carmen Lichi, NZ Woman's Weekly

“ For as long as I have been in the book trade there has been a Peta Mathias book to ensure great laughs, to engage the brain and just a good old story to be told. Peta crafts a story like no other and her titles 'tell it like it is'. Funny, passionate, outrageous and honest, this is a memoir about travel, house renovations, food, music, men and change. I would suggest that this book is more memoir - moving and raw, showing courage and character in the face of all that Peta has walked through. . . She still includes her trademark blend of narrative, recipes and humour. One thing is for sure - this book is most entertaining and will bring a shiver one moment and a hearty laugh the next. Be sure to add this newest Peta Mathias to your collection! ”

Wairarapa Times-Age Weekend

“ She's bold, she's colourful, she's interesting and she's ours...Peta Mathias is a staple of our foodie television watching. Now, the former nurse and self-proclaimed "bolter, nomad and gourmand' offers fans her candid and somewhat bitter-sweet memoir covering cuisine, travel and adventure. . . . Saucy tales, racy humour, languid laments about feminism are rife, but the book also recounts her most recent uprooting - selling her Grey Lynn cottage to transform a dilapidated Southern France hovel into a stylish new abode and cooking school in Uzes. Catholicism, hippie culture, perfectionism and men don't escape her pithy recounts, but it's clear Mathias is a woman who risks much, can't be tied down and is always dreaming of her next adventure. ”

New Zealand Food Technology

“ At an age when many think about slowing down, the fab Peta Mathias decided to change her life in dramatic fashion. . . She is opinionated, unconventional and wise … what Peta never can be is boring. This vibrant memoir may well inspire its readers to have some new adventures. ”

Nicky Pellegrino, NZ Woman's Weekly