“A can’t-miss title for fans of chick lit and modern women’s fiction.”—Library Journal, STARRED review
An unlikely friendship between two stubborn, lonely souls anchors this big-hearted book and dares us all to ask for more.
When her life falls apart on the eve of her 40th birthday, Kate Parker finds herself volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. There she meets … Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies. There she meets 97-year-old Cecily Finn. Cecily’s tongue is as sharp as her mind, but she’s fed up with pretty much everything.
Having no patience for Kate’s choices in life or love, Cecily prescribes her a self-help book…of sorts. Thought for Food: an unintentionally funny 1950s cookbook high on enthusiasm, featuring menus for anything life can throw at the “easily dismayed,” such as:
As she and Cecily break out of their ruts, Kate will learn far more than recipes.
A feel-good summer read with a wicked sense of humor, Vicky Zimmerman’s book will teach you that food is for feasting, friends are for savoring, and the way to a man’s heart is…irrelevant.
Fans of Jennifer Weiner, Elin Hildenbrand, and Sophie Kinsella will delight in this recipe for confidence, romance, and fun.
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Loved this book which among other things talks about the rivalry that occurs in nursing homes and the sadness due to loneliness that exists with the residents. This also talks about the personal rewards that visitors can get by meeting these residents and establishing surprisingly positive relationships, The book also talks about life during WWII in England and Sweden, not to mention cooking and great recipes.
Some books you finish and know this one’s a keeper. That describes Miss Cecily’s Recipes. Characters so well defined and easy to become invested in. Witty dialogue, tender in places, funny snarky in others. I laughed and also cried in this novel. would highly recommend.
I found it a little slow but it was a good read.
The characters were very interesting. The growing relationship between the heroine and the elderly woman living in the retirement home was wonderful. The stories of her life and her recipes were great. I did get very tired of the heroine’s whiny behavior, a little goes along way. I did enjoy the ending, it was a happy ending with all the loose ends tied up.
I found many parts of the book to be thought-provoking. There is real wisdom in the pages and lessons of life we all need to learn.
I like the characters and the interaction. It was a nice friendship that was built by the 97 year old senior and a 40 year woman. It was a quirky story that I really enjoyed. You usually read things in books where it goes fantastically wrong, this was things wrong that didn’t necessarily look wrong, it was just wrong for Kate. I liked the subtleties. It really worked and lessons that Cecily learned in her lifetime was able to help Kate in hers. It was a wonderful book.
I do not normally write a review, but anyone who loves reading combined with food and will love this book. I don’t want to give anything away, but this really was quite a surprise and a gift to read
This was a charming book. To be honest, I was so irritated with the main character, Kate, after the first 5 or 6 chapters. I decided that I could not finish it. But I went back and read the reviews and decided I needed to give it another chance. I am so glad I did! I ended up loving the book.
The story of friendships, various relationships, food, and quirky characters will have you laughing, being angry, crying, and cheering. It was so uplifting to see how people can impact others’ lives. I loved that Kate eventually learned that being in a relationship did not determine her worth as an individual. Watching her struggle and grow as you race through the pages was so heartwarming. I wish all young women could learn this important lesson.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I loved this book! Heartwarming and thoroughly engaging. The plot, the characters, the concept, the writing – all excellent. I couldn’t stop reading and when finished was as completely satisfied as if I had just eaten a delicious meal (such as those delectably described in this book). A story of friendship, cooking, and love. As the publisher says: “An unlikely friendship between two lonely and stubborn souls – one at the end of her life, one stuck in the middle – who discover one big life lesson: never be ashamed to ask for more.” I will be telling all my friends to read this book!
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark publisher and NetGalley for a digital advance reader’s copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
A thoroughly delightful, enjoyable reading experience. Kate is a typical down to earth, relatable, middle-aged woman. She is stronger than she thinks, and I loved how the author brought her through a series of self-discovery moments. Many of those moments were laughable, cringe-worthy, or profound, sometimes all rolled into one. I found myself pondering Kate’s conversations, self-revelations and willingness to stand up for herself even after finishing the book. The supporting characters are just as enjoyable, especially Miss Cecily. I loved how loyal Kate’s friends were and how a solid friendship that defies age barriers blooms between Kate and Miss Cecily. The recipes mentioned made me want to try a few of my own and just enjoy the creative process of unleashing myself in the kitchen. A highly recommendable book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own and freely given.
I received a free electronic copy of this excellent women’s novel from Netgalley, Vicky Zimmerman, and Sourcebooks Landmark – Zaffre. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am compelled to add Vicky Zimmerman to my must-read author’s shelf. Thank you, Netgalley, for exposing me to her work. I encourage friends and family to add this book to their collections.
Kate Parker is a thoroughly modern London woman, still single and pushing 40, and finding herself in a romantic relationship that she hopes is the keeper she has been searching for a long time. She has been employed with the same grocery chain for twenty years, rising steadily up through the ranks and surviving several company cutbacks, has several very dear friends who keep her grounded, including her bestie since they were four years old, Bailey, and of course, there is her mother Rita, widowed when only child Kate was just twenty and even more modern than her daughter, Rita is ‘into’ holistic healing of all sorts and dating much younger men. Kate is pretty self-sufficient – she’s an avid reader, loves to cook, loves to eat, and explore different cultural dishes.
Nick Sullivan is a 44-year-old geek, into classic computer games, legos, and crossword puzzles and existed on fast food before he met Kate but has entered into the spirit of food discovery. Though currently between jobs he is highly sought out in his field of computer coding and cybersecurity and when on a job has a one-track mind and disconnects from his life with Kate until that job is done.
Kate and Nick have dated exclusively for over a year, are together nearly every night, and are talking of children, planning their lives together, set to move in together at Nick’s apartment on their return from their autumn holiday. But while in France Nick experiences what he calls a wobble – he loves Kate and does want them to live together and eventually marry but – not yet. He feels like he simply must have more time to adapt to connubial bliss. And Kate’s roommate has already sub-leased her room, leaving her homeless on her return to London.
Temporarily moving in with her Mom, Kate is heartbroken and there is going to be another layoff at her job but her boss can’t decide who he is going to keep on yet – he will let them know by November. Her world is upside down with no structure that she can count on. The consensus of opinion among her friends, co-workers and her Mom involves kicking Nick to the curb. Kate doesn’t give up – on anything – and she wants to give Nick another chance, but is talked into giving him a deadline – they will not see each other until Nick commits and if she doesn’t hear from him by her 40th birthday in November, she will have to move on.
Kate and Bailey decide that an advertised animal rescue volunteer job of socializing kittens, just around the corner from her work – Kate doesn’t have a personal vehicle – is just the thing to give Kate an emotional outlet from job and man problems – but by the time Bailey drives her over, that position has been filled. Just around another corner is a retirement home also advertising for a volunteer and Bailey has to pick up her daughters from school, so she drops Kate off to explore that option. Kate isn’t so sure – she loves kittens. She isn’t sure how she feels about old people, never having been exposed to them. And after she meets Miss Cicily, she is pretty sure that if the gig didn’t involve cooking she would not be at all interested…
As Kate Parker nears her 40th birthday, she believes she has it all, including a man who loves her. Prior to Kate moving her things into his apartment, they go on a short vacation to the south of France where she is shocked and dismayed when he awkwardly breaks up with her – kinda. It seems he wants to be a friend with benefits. When he seems uncertain that he’s breaking up with her, Kate gives him two months to figure it out. While he’s doing that, she falls apart believing that without him she is nothing. When she begins volunteering at the Lauderdale House for Exceptional Ladies, she meets Cecily Finn, a 96-year-old curmudgeon. Cecily has given up and is just waiting to die. Kate and Cecily form a friendship where both learn life lessons.
This is a well-written book with an unique storyline and two engaging characters. That being said, however, Kate’s angst is a bit over the top. If lots of angst over a woman losing the wrong man-for-her is not your cup of tea, you’ll be tempted to throw the book across the room, so to speak. But stay with it because once Kate meets Cecily and opens her eyes, the book picks up the pace and you may find yourself reading far into the night.
My thanks to Sourcebook and Edelweiss for an eARC.