Hi everyone, as promised here is an extra post this month with a few chick-lit reads that have a food-infused story. So, if you’re after some lighter, livelier, and funnier reads then this post is for you!!
The first two books are ones I’m a bit embarrassed to say are ones I go to for some comfort reading!! To be honest, I fell in love with Katie Fforde’s books after reading this first one, Second Thyme Around or its original title, Thyme out. After reading that I was hooked and couldn’t get enough of her books. We meet Perdita Dylan, an organic gardener, who bumps into her infuriating ex-husband Lucas while delivering to Grantly House.He’s also the new chef at Grantly House, Perdita’s number-one customer. Worse, Mr. Grantly has the insane idea of starting a television cooking show that will put Lucas and Perdita together as “The Gourmet and the Gardener.” Now, things are heating up in the kitchen – and elsewhere. With the bright lights blazing and old feelings stirring the pot, it could be a recipe for disaster…or absolute delight. If you’re after hilarious banter, some romance along with a dash of cooking disasters this is definitely for you.
Katie Fforde’s Recipe for love is another delicious light read with a Masterchef-style program in its storyline. When Zoe Harper wins a coveted place in a televised cookery competition she’s thrilled. It’s a chance to cook her way to fame and fortune and the little delicatessen she’s set her heart on. The first task has hardly begun when she finds herself with rather too much on her plate. Not only has she got to contend with the fiercely competitive and downright devious Cher, but she’s fast developing an inconvenient crush on one of the judges – the truly delicious Gideon Irving. All too soon there’s more than canapès, cupcakes and cordon bleu at stake. Set in Fforde’s unique Cotswold landscape, this book is filled with haute cuisine, love, and drama!!
After exhausting Katie Fforde I went in search of similar authors and found Jenny Colgan fairly recently actually. Unlike Fforde, Colgan’s stories are set in varying locations of the British landscape. Also, the titles I’m including are both the first volumes in a series. In Little Beach Street Bakery we find ourselves following Polly Waterford as she moves into a small flat above an abandoned shop in the sleepy seaside resort of Polbearne.To distract her from her troubles, Polly throws herself into her favorite hobby: making bread. But her relaxing weekend diversion quickly develops into a passion. As she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, each loaf becomes better than the last. Soon, Polly is working her magic with nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, and the local honey-courtesy of a handsome local beekeeper. Drawing on reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes… and discovers a bright new life where she least expected it. Colgan has crafted a quirky but charming world in this series filled with memorable characters, both human and animal, and a whole lot of baking!! You could say I fell in love with her writing too!!
The next read, The cafe by the sea, takes us to the other extreme of Britain, to the quiet Scottish island of Mure where we meet Flora who’s come back home. In bright, bustling London, she can be anonymous, ambitious… and hopelessly in love with her boss. But when fate brings Flora back to the island, she’s suddenly swept once more into life with her brothers – all strapping, loud, and seemingly incapable of basic housework – and her father. Yet even amid the chaos of their reunion, Flora discovers a passion for cooking – and finds herself restoring a dusty little pink-fronted shop on the harbour: a café by the sea. But with the seasons changing, Flora must come to terms with past mistakes, and work out exactly where her future lies. Now this one is quite different from her other series. Although it feels like an old-fashioned community, there’s diversity here with more references to current events and contemporary themes. Filled with hilarious dialogue, a stellar cast, and some family secrets that have a way of spilling out no matter the cost. Be prepared for an awesome set of reads once you get started into this culinary delight!!
So there you have a few of my favourite chick-lit infused with food, cooking, humour, and memorable characters. I hope you find these and… please don’t judge me for delving into romance every now and then!!
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 