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The Sunshine Potluck Society
Four women. One monthly potluck brunch. And the friendships that become family.
Lifelong friends Joanna, Debbie and Gwen, grew up on Bribie Island together, in the quaint little hamlet of Sunshine. Now that they’re on the cusp of retirement, they hold a regular potluck brunch to catch up.
Joanna is a retired chef who married a restauranteur in her twenties. Now she’s a sixty-year-old widow, she finds it hard to leave the house. The world is so big and overwhelming at times, she decides to hire full-time live-in carer, Emily Miller, to help her navigate it. She pays the bills by writing cookbooks, and spends her days testing out recipes with Emily pitching in.
Debbie is a glamorous sixty, and can't bring herself to fully retire. The successful law firm she spent her life building, requires her constant attention and she struggles to pull herself away to embrace a more relaxed pace of life with her friends in Sunshine. Her husband is a workaholic as well, and the two of them never had children. They hardly see each other most weeks, and she's beginning to wonder if he's intentionally isolating himself.
Gwen was a stay at home mother for over two decades, but now her husband and children act entitled and spoiled. They don't have the kind of respect for her she'd hoped. When her husband's dirty laundry comes home smelling of a perfume she doesn't recognise, she worries her perfectly manicured life may well fall apart.
Joanna's grandson, Aaron, moves back to the island, looking for a place to live. She lets him stay with her until he gets on his feet. But that forces Emily to face the boy who ghosted her after high school graduation.
Aaron Gilston was her brother's best friend, the high school bad boy, and captain of the hockey team.
Her first childhood crush, he stole her first kiss and then broke her heart. And now he's back in town living in the bedroom beside hers.
From the USA Today bestselling author of “The Waratah Inn” series, with over one million books sold, comes a captivating new beach read.
A feel-good, small-town story.
Lifelong friends Joanna, Debbie and Gwen, grew up on Bribie Island together, in the quaint little hamlet of Sunshine. Now that they’re on the cusp of retirement, they hold a regular potluck brunch to catch up.
Joanna is a retired chef who married a restauranteur in her twenties. Now she’s a sixty-year-old widow, she finds it hard to leave the house. The world is so big and overwhelming at times, she decides to hire full-time live-in carer, Emily Miller, to help her navigate it. She pays the bills by writing cookbooks, and spends her days testing out recipes with Emily pitching in.
Debbie is a glamorous sixty, and can't bring herself to fully retire. The successful law firm she spent her life building, requires her constant attention and she struggles to pull herself away to embrace a more relaxed pace of life with her friends in Sunshine. Her husband is a workaholic as well, and the two of them never had children. They hardly see each other most weeks, and she's beginning to wonder if he's intentionally isolating himself.
Gwen was a stay at home mother for over two decades, but now her husband and children act entitled and spoiled. They don't have the kind of respect for her she'd hoped. When her husband's dirty laundry comes home smelling of a perfume she doesn't recognise, she worries her perfectly manicured life may well fall apart.
Joanna's grandson, Aaron, moves back to the island, looking for a place to live. She lets him stay with her until he gets on his feet. But that forces Emily to face the boy who ghosted her after high school graduation.
Aaron Gilston was her brother's best friend, the high school bad boy, and captain of the hockey team.
Her first childhood crush, he stole her first kiss and then broke her heart. And now he's back in town living in the bedroom beside hers.
From the USA Today bestselling author of “The Waratah Inn” series, with over one million books sold, comes a captivating new beach read.
A feel-good, small-town story.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2024
659 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Lilly Mirren
38 books309 followersLilly Mirren is a USA Today Bestselling women's and contemporary fiction author.
She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and three children. When she's not writing she's running around after children, bushwalking, or spending time with friends.
"If readers are looking for an author who is the perfect mix of Debbie Macomber and Nora Roberts, Lilly Mirren is it." - InD'tale Magazine
She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and three children. When she's not writing she's running around after children, bushwalking, or spending time with friends.
"If readers are looking for an author who is the perfect mix of Debbie Macomber and Nora Roberts, Lilly Mirren is it." - InD'tale Magazine
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 15, 2024
I’m sad that I didn’t like this one as much as my other reads by Lilly Mirren. I loved the hints at Australian life, but it was too food heavy and I think the relationships a bit more cliche than I prefer.
October 22, 2025
This is a story of 4 women who meet regularly for a brunch. Three of the friends grew up together. The other is a caretaker for Joanna who is much younger than the others. The four of them work on a cookbook designed from their brunches. Throughout the book we learn about each woman and issues she is having. I enjoyed the book. It takes place in Australia so a few terms are a bit different. I can see myself reading the next book.
October 20, 2025
Enjoyed
Great light hearted read
A must and can’t wait to read the second book!
Enjoyed it thoroughly, easy to read and nice story line!
Great light hearted read
A must and can’t wait to read the second book!
Enjoyed it thoroughly, easy to read and nice story line!
June 11, 2024
This is a warm, loving story centering around 4 women (Gwen, Joanna, & Debbie), 3 of whom have been friends since kindergarten and are now in their 60's. The 4th woman is a caregiver for Joanna who suffered traumatic events about 10 years ago. Joanna is a retired chef and restauranteur who is now widowed. She earns an income by publishing cookbooks. Emily is her 20-something caregiver with a soft voice of reason and a loving and tender heart. Debbie is a successful lawyer about to retire; her husband is also a lawyer. Unfortunately, Debbie fears her marriage is on the rocks. Can it be repaired? Gwen has been a nurturing stay-at-home Mom whose adult children now drop off her grandchildren for her to babysit whenever they please. She's a people pleaser but feels neglected and taken advantage of by her entire family. Imagine breaking your ankle and being dropped off at the hospital for 4 hours so that the family can continue on with their fun picnic at the beach! She also suspects her husband is having an affair but is too timid to ask him.
And then there's Aaron, Joanna's grandson, a former high school bad boy who leaves the military and moves in with Joanna for a short while. Emily had a crush on him when Aaron and her brother were best friends growing up, and perhaps Aaron noticed Emily during their teenage years too? The couple add a young, fun and flirty dimension to the book. Maybe Aaron and Emily will have their own story in the next book in the series? Can't wait!
The women consider themselves "friends for life" and support, encourage, help and advise each other through life's many challenges. What a great bunch! Their friendship has stood the test of time, and they meet monthly for brunch, mixing life with various cultural cuisines. Joanna gets the idea to combine their recipes, photographs and comments for a cookbook, and her publishing company thinks it's a great idea; hence, the Sunshine Potluck Society Cookbook is born!
I enjoyed the support each woman wholeheartedly gave to each other--from movie night after locking Gwen's husband out of the house, encouraging Debbie to have an honest heart-to-heart with her husband, Debbie's rescuing Gwen during her time in need, etc. Ms. Mirren describes each character so vividly that they become the reader's friend also as we cheer them on. "The Sunshine Potluck Society" is a tender-hearted clean read about friendship, loyalty, love, heartaches, and so much more! A true delight, and I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book and have voluntarily given my honest opinion in this review.
And then there's Aaron, Joanna's grandson, a former high school bad boy who leaves the military and moves in with Joanna for a short while. Emily had a crush on him when Aaron and her brother were best friends growing up, and perhaps Aaron noticed Emily during their teenage years too? The couple add a young, fun and flirty dimension to the book. Maybe Aaron and Emily will have their own story in the next book in the series? Can't wait!
The women consider themselves "friends for life" and support, encourage, help and advise each other through life's many challenges. What a great bunch! Their friendship has stood the test of time, and they meet monthly for brunch, mixing life with various cultural cuisines. Joanna gets the idea to combine their recipes, photographs and comments for a cookbook, and her publishing company thinks it's a great idea; hence, the Sunshine Potluck Society Cookbook is born!
I enjoyed the support each woman wholeheartedly gave to each other--from movie night after locking Gwen's husband out of the house, encouraging Debbie to have an honest heart-to-heart with her husband, Debbie's rescuing Gwen during her time in need, etc. Ms. Mirren describes each character so vividly that they become the reader's friend also as we cheer them on. "The Sunshine Potluck Society" is a tender-hearted clean read about friendship, loyalty, love, heartaches, and so much more! A true delight, and I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book and have voluntarily given my honest opinion in this review.
June 11, 2024
Excellent beginning of a new series! It's all about growing up in the same community, getting older, families and life itself. The old saying about being handed lemons and making lemonade hold true in this story. The gals gather together monthly to feast on a potluck that varies from culture to culture across the world, decorations and all. The cuisine is exquisite due to having a professional Sous-Chef that heads it up. The group giggles, talks and cries together and I loved every moment of this story. It's life after all, with its heartaches, work headaches and family dynamics, and I recognized all parts of this book. It felt like this author had been peaking inside the lives of everyone she met. Thanks for wonderful writing and a great storyline. Loved it!
June 15, 2024
This is a wonderful small town read that draws you in as we meet Debbie, Joanna and Gwen. These ladies grew up together and are now thinking of retiring but each has their own troubles and tribulations to face. Along with Emily who is Joanna’s live in carer, they love and support each other through what life throws their way. It’s well written, it’s emotional, it made me laugh and it made me cry as it made me feel as though i was part of this ongoing friendship through heartbreaks and heartaches and through fear of the unknown as these wonderful ladies come together each month for a potluck and catch up. It’s an enthralling read and I cannot wait to see where we go in the next book.
November 12, 2025
sweet story
In this delightful story about friendship, Lilly Mirren shows that she really understands women and emotions on a wide scale. The Potluck Society is a small group of women who have been friends for a long time and one more recent addition to the group. They meet monthly with an international theme to each month and bring out the best in one another. They share heartaches, joys, and life changes.
I really like this book. It is extremely well written, has well developed characters, and has a different twist. It’s a refreshing change from the bought a bed-and-breakfast at the beach theme that seems so rampant these days.
In this delightful story about friendship, Lilly Mirren shows that she really understands women and emotions on a wide scale. The Potluck Society is a small group of women who have been friends for a long time and one more recent addition to the group. They meet monthly with an international theme to each month and bring out the best in one another. They share heartaches, joys, and life changes.
I really like this book. It is extremely well written, has well developed characters, and has a different twist. It’s a refreshing change from the bought a bed-and-breakfast at the beach theme that seems so rampant these days.
June 13, 2024
Debbie, Joanna and Gwen are lifelong friends. They have been through many ups and downs. Debbie has her own business and is trying to slow down a bit in order to save her marriage. Gwen is tired fo being taken advantage of by her family. Joanna lost her husband and her restaurant and has been trying to heal from the trauma with the help of Emily, a young lady who is her carer. She has potluck brunches with her friends and they are writing a cookbook together with the recipes and pictures from the brunches. This is a wonderful book about friendships.
October 11, 2025
Kindle. 4 women living in Sunshine Australia. Joanna, widow, cookbook author and augrophobia, hasn’t left her house in a long time. She has a monthly potluck with childhood friends. Gwen, mother of 4 and grandmother with angry husband who is having an affair. Debbie, power lawyer with her own firm, workaholic lawyer husband and no children. Her firm starts to fail so she closes it and retires. Emily, 20 something, helps Joanna at her home. Nice story of 60 somethings and their lives.
October 14, 2025
This was an easy read (2 days) with the characters being somewhat relatable, but for an older age range. It’s set on an Australia island so the language was somewhat formal and dated for an American, but also easy to read if you can get past that. Definitely for an older person to enjoy but did have a few younger characters. I got it for free and decided to spend $5 for book 2. Great beach or vacation read.
October 24, 2025
A good down to earth story with characters to match it
The book was so enjoyable, four ladie
s all with their own life stories. Stories that did not match one another so each one was a surprise as in any other book it could see the end coming and what it would be. However, good enough to read through until the end. If anything, I enjoyed each woman even with friends to help her stand on their own 2 feet.
The book was so enjoyable, four ladie
s all with their own life stories. Stories that did not match one another so each one was a surprise as in any other book it could see the end coming and what it would be. However, good enough to read through until the end. If anything, I enjoyed each woman even with friends to help her stand on their own 2 feet.
October 1, 2025
Girlfriend power!
Take three lifelong friends, one widowed and two married; stir in a bit of chaos, misunderstanding, and unexpected projects, plus a few Side characters just to make life interesting; add a cup of cooking, a teaspoon of baking, and a pound of marvelous menus; and stir. Laughter, heartbreak, love, and promising situations result. Happy reading!
Take three lifelong friends, one widowed and two married; stir in a bit of chaos, misunderstanding, and unexpected projects, plus a few Side characters just to make life interesting; add a cup of cooking, a teaspoon of baking, and a pound of marvelous menus; and stir. Laughter, heartbreak, love, and promising situations result. Happy reading!
October 17, 2025
While there is never any doubt as to the outcome, this is a pleasant summer read. Experienced readers of the genre might wonder which woman will be pleasantly surprised and which will not, or how long it will take Joanna to respond to her nature, etc., but I didn't find the conflicts deep or concerning.
Still, I looked forward to picking it up each time I put it down.
Still, I looked forward to picking it up each time I put it down.
October 30, 2025
Iseng mengunduh buku ini di playbook karena gratis, dan ternyata suka. Mungkin karena cocok untuk perempuan seumur saya :D
Persahabatan tiga perempuan berusia 60-an yang saling menguatkan dalam menjalani masalah hidup masing-masing, dengan alur cerita yang sederhana, manis, dan menyenangkan. Semoga bisa merasakan persahabatan seperti ini juga dengan teman-temanku saat ini.
Persahabatan tiga perempuan berusia 60-an yang saling menguatkan dalam menjalani masalah hidup masing-masing, dengan alur cerita yang sederhana, manis, dan menyenangkan. Semoga bisa merasakan persahabatan seperti ini juga dengan teman-temanku saat ini.
June 13, 2024
The friendship between three women is still strong even after so many years. They all have to handle their own challenges.
I enjoyed reading this story about the importance of friendship, it makes life so much more meaningful. And it has also a sweet romance. I’m curious for the next one.
I enjoyed reading this story about the importance of friendship, it makes life so much more meaningful. And it has also a sweet romance. I’m curious for the next one.
June 14, 2024
This was a great story of friends who meet for pot luck dinners where they share their hopes and fears and issues they are having. Some of their problems work out, others don't. But with their support of each other they learn to be stronger and soldier on.
December 28, 2024
Dare I say this was a 5 star for me? This was a book club read for my girls, and my mother recommended it just based on the book rating and the synopsis on the back of the book. I am not going to lie. I was dreading reading a book about a bunch of women in their early 60s. I was soooo sooo wrong. This book had me cackling so loud, and I felt so deeply for the characters. This was truley a a group of women who created a monthly potluck brunch where they built a sisterhood around. They created a cookbook together and bonded over their life experiences and friendship. I wish my friendships had lasted this long. Debbie is something else, baby. She is me, and I am Debbie lol. I seriously was so proud of Gwen and how she finally stood up for herself with the support of her friends. I got my HEA from JoAnn and Caleb and was so happy for them. I hope the next book gives us an update on Emily & Aaron. Amazing writing, Lilly. The banter in this book was chef kiss. 5/5 stars from me. Can't wait to read The Waratah Inn 4 book Series.
October 2, 2025
classy
The story is about the lives of a group of women and their life experiences. Well written and many can relate to several of them. Was a good story and i enjoyed the book, and characters.
The story is about the lives of a group of women and their life experiences. Well written and many can relate to several of them. Was a good story and i enjoyed the book, and characters.
October 6, 2025
Friends and fun.
I loved this story. It shows how women can be friends and work together, plus having fun and dealing with life issues. The characters are very real, kind of like people you already know.
I loved this story. It shows how women can be friends and work together, plus having fun and dealing with life issues. The characters are very real, kind of like people you already know.
October 18, 2025
Not for me
This book is very light and I kept waiting for something to happen. The four women are interesting, but there is not enough plot to the story and it is very predictable, borderline boring. I read this book for my book club and I would not recommend it to others
This book is very light and I kept waiting for something to happen. The four women are interesting, but there is not enough plot to the story and it is very predictable, borderline boring. I read this book for my book club and I would not recommend it to others
July 19, 2024
This was light, quick read. Left some loose ends.
September 1, 2024
A Great Read
As usual Lilly has a great series started. I cannot wait to read the nest book. I highly recommend it.
As usual Lilly has a great series started. I cannot wait to read the nest book. I highly recommend it.
September 7, 2024
Wonderful
This book has all the good feels, and the four characters were wonderful. Can't wait to continue the series! Thank you
This book has all the good feels, and the four characters were wonderful. Can't wait to continue the series! Thank you
June 1, 2025
The Sunshine Potluck
Divorce and tears. Love and happiness. Couldn’t be any better and more fulfilling. Great story with so much feeling in it.
Divorce and tears. Love and happiness. Couldn’t be any better and more fulfilling. Great story with so much feeling in it.
September 29, 2025
Cute story about 3 friends plus one friend’s caregiver. Takes place on Bribie Island in Australia.
October 3, 2025
Sweet
Nice book with likeable characters and plot. I'm going to read the second book very soon, to keep enjoying these folks in Australia.
Nice book with likeable characters and plot. I'm going to read the second book very soon, to keep enjoying these folks in Australia.
October 5, 2025
Good Read
Well written and enjoyable read about friendship and lives. The good and not so good. I’m glad that I read it.
Well written and enjoyable read about friendship and lives. The good and not so good. I’m glad that I read it.
October 10, 2025
3.5 stars
Such an easy enjoyable read. As a senior myself, it was pleasant finding characters in my age group and sharing similar experiences.
Such an easy enjoyable read. As a senior myself, it was pleasant finding characters in my age group and sharing similar experiences.
October 17, 2025
Story about friendship
A sweet story of friendship between 4 women. Friendship isn’t limited by age or what we do, but the caring that is shared.
A sweet story of friendship between 4 women. Friendship isn’t limited by age or what we do, but the caring that is shared.
October 21, 2025
Love and Friendship
A nice story with good vibes. Feel like I know the four women I the story personally. Would love to share times like this with friends.
A nice story with good vibes. Feel like I know the four women I the story personally. Would love to share times like this with friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews