The Recipe Box: A Novel

Roots, individual (and family) strength and recipes fill the pages of this saga. Sam left Suttons Bay and her family to seek her independence and her place in the world. Returning home, she felt like a failure... Enjoyed this inspirational romance. Generations are shared thru this family. Loved Willo, Deana, Gary and Angelo, the history and recipes. Slow moving and repetitive, at times. Good read. 3 1/2 stars. Voluntarily read ARC, thru Netgalley and publisher, for honest review.

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman is set in Bayview Points, Michigan. Samantha "Sam" Nelson is working at Dimples Bakery in New York when her boss, Chef Dimples goes too far and she quits. She has had enough of his attitude and taking credit for her work. Sam grew up in Bayview Points on her families' orchard, Mullins Pie Pantry and U-Pick. The orchard is having its hundredth birthday this summer and her grandmother, Willo is turning seventy-five. There will be a big party in honor of the two events. Sam heads home for the summer and works in the pie pantry alongside her mother, Deana and grandmother. When Sam was thirteen, she was given a handcrafted recipe box that matches grandmother's and her mother's. Inside are the family recipes that have been passed down from mother to daughter. While working alongside them and using the family recipes, she learns about their past, her family history, how the orchard came to be and her love for baking. She also learns that the right man that will complement her has been there all along if she just opens her heart. Join Sam on a journey through the past that will help her have a bright, happy future. The Recipe Box is a charming novel. I thought it was well-written and had a steady pace. Ms. Shipman has a conversational writing style that has an ease to it (makes for an easy to read story that is engaging). The author provided beautiful descriptions of the area, the orchard, the people and the baked goods (recipes included). I loved the characters in the story with Willo being my favorite. I appreciated the strong, intelligent female characters. There are great interactions between the women. Life lessons are included in The Recipe Box which include know yourself and be true to yourself. It is important to live a life without regrets. The Recipe Box is a feel-good novel. There is a predictable element, but it did not hinder my enjoyment. I like a book that gives me a good, heartwarming feeling inside and leaves me with a smile on my face when I am done reading it. I look forward to this author's next book.

I really enjoyed this book. Viola Shipman is a new to me author and I was definitely impressed with this first book. There is a nice easy flow to the writing and the characters are interesting and well developed. I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author. Samantha Mullins is a young woman who wants to spread her wings and experience life away from the family orchard in Michigan. So off to NY she goes to attend culinary school and work in a prestigious bakery. She's humiliated when she returns home after quitting her job in NY. Working in the orchard and baking with all the wise women in her family teaches her small life lessons she missed when she was younger. Now her views have changed about what is truly import in life. Has she learned this lesson in time to get the man of her dreams? I definitely recommend this one.