Three sisters. One trip to Italy. The chance to change their lives. Amanda has always taken the role of big sister seriously. She has her life in order; a fantastic job in a great restaurant, a wonderful house and a best friend who’s a Rockstar. But, Amanda’s beginning to realise that her life is missing one monumental piece… Sabrina is living the high life in LA. Her Instagram is full of … Instagram is full of lavish parties, her tweets are brimming with celebrity names, but in reality she’s stuck behind a desk working for a boss who is determined to make her suffer. Is it time for her to stand up and take charge of her life?
Louisa has always been drowned out by her sister’s successes. As the university drop-out she’s always felt third best. But a chance encounter in a little Italian village may be about to change that…
When their beloved grandfather passes away these sisters are forced to take another look at their lives. These three sisters are about to embark on a journey of self-discovery that could just lead them down a road of romance (with a little help from the kitchen)!
Perfect for fans of Jenny Oliver, Carole Mathews and Lucy Diamond.
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The story moved quite slowly and the descriptions were just a little too syrupy…took away from what was a wonderful storyline.
A sweet book but I found it sickeningly sweet to the point where even the characters were getting involved in the sickeningly sweet nicknames. Real people don’t talk like that. Just couldn’t get my head around it.
Cooking entails a balance, of following recipes while inserting your own personality to create something unique and delicious. The same can be said about writing a compelling story.
I love to cook. Each time I pull out a new recipe, my stomach grumbles with the hope of savory satisfaction. The same can be said about opening a book by a new author. My heart skips a beat with the hope of an emotional connection.
Not every recipe or new book turns out as expected, but it never stops me from embracing the anticipation of finding that next delectable offering, whether it be served on a plate or in the pages of a book.
After sampling the first course of Ms. Knott’s story, I knew I was in for a full-flavored emotional experience. While this book has an intriguing plot and sequence of twists and turns that keep the reader engaged, it’s something else entirely that pulled me from one page to the next with insatiable hunger. The characters.
Amanda, Sabrina, and Louisa immediately became a part of my own family. The way each bonded with the two others in a genuine way, complete with sisterly discords, added a depth to the emotional experience when they came together as a family to grieve, to celebrate, and to lean on each other in times of need. And the way members of their extended family portray their own vulnerable emotions against the backdrop of parallel tenderhearted love stories brings a smile to my romantic heart.
The entire family, across three generations, conveyed the same genuine connection and love that made this novel a true pleasure to consume. Coupling that with the brilliant portrayals of the Amalfi Coast, the village of Orzoro, and the culinary treats shared throughout the prose, my hunger was satisfied in all capacities across each of the senses.
You can tell when an author has become one with their story. To do that with a single character is amazing. To do so with three sisters, a loving grandpa, an up-and-coming rock band, and an Italian pastry shop owner is bellissimo.
If your next literary recipe calls for an exploration of family bonds, following your dreams, discovery of love, and emotional connection, “How to Bake a New Beginning” is a wonderful opportunity for your palate to sample, one delicious word and experience at a time.
This is a wonderful debut from a talented new author, who I am positive is going to go far with her writing career. I found Ms Knott’s writing to be fresh, stylish and full of real passion for the story. I was incredibly interested in this book when I first saw the cover, which is cheerful and eye-catching. I know we should never base our opinions on a cover, but on the word’s inside, but for this one, I couldn’t really help it. The cover is as charming as the word’s within.
This is the story of three completely different sisters, who are all at different stages of their lives and who are still trying to find themselves in such a hectic world. Even though two have great careers they are a little lost with the love side of things, as different as Amanda, Sabrina and Louisa are they are all devoted to their family, they may have gone down different path’s but that absolute love for family is the driving force for each of them. Which as someone who is as equally very family focused this really rang a bell with me. When their beloved Grandfather suddenly passes away, the sisters are forced to confront some very personal issues. They decide that to really say goodbye to their grandfather they travel to Italy, their trip turns out to be just as emotional as they expected, but in completely different ways. What started out as a farewell to grandpa trip, ends up with each of the sisters discovering themselves and learning how to take charge of their lives and more importantly how to love.
Each sister is so different, each has their own views and private heartaches, Amanda the eldest is the one with the real passion for cooking, she is doing what she has always wanted to do and is working as a chef, but beneath that stubborn and protective older sister mask there is a heartache, something is missing from her life, now she knows what but can she pluck up the courage to finally grasp it?
Second sister Sabrina is living the high life in LA, to the whole world she is a high-flyer spending night’s out at lavish celebratory parties, her social media is full of enviable pictures. But really, she is stuck in the office with a boss who wants to make her life hell and suffering her own heartache, she is far from the happy-go-lucky socialite that she present’s herself to be.
And finally, baby of the family; Louisa after dropping out of university she has always felt inferior next to her older and much more confident sisters. She is definitely the one most people can relate to, she has lost her way a little. She appears cocky and out spoken but beneath the surface there lies a shy, young woman who is desperate to find her way and I think she has lost a little self-confidence especially while sisters are around.
This trip to Italy is the chance all three of them never expected but also what they needed, but will they have the courage and take control of the lives?
This is a wonderful holiday read, the relationship between the sisters is very real and relatable, the love that they share for their family is the driving force of this story. Ms Knot has done a cracking job at engaging the reader with her relatable character’s, beautiful setting and wonderful storyline. From page one you are immersed into the sister’s lifes, the story and relationships develop and evolve in a natural way and the story moves along at a brilliant pace.
You can real get a sense of how much this book and story means to the author, her heart and passion is evident in every scene, the driving force of the story is absolute family love, this really resonates with me. Another thing I love is how each chapter starts with a recipe, it’s cute and personal and links each chapter together nicely.
This is a delicious book, that you will devour in one bite! (Sorry I couldn’t help the food reference)
This book is utterly charming, with the magic of the Amalfi Coast irresistibly infusing the story. The author has created three fully realized, diverse characters in the sisters – not an easy feat! They’re each searching for something and their journey is such a fun one to be a part of. Well done!
“From the moment I met you, I was yours” – I won’t give away which character says this, but it comes as a swoon-worthy moment.
Charming
Good reminder to keep friends and family close while we can.