Simmer and Smoke: A Southern Tale of Grit and Spice

by Peggy Lampman

FIRST PLACE FICTION: 2015, Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
SILVER MEDAL: 2016, Ben Franklin Award for Best First Book

SOMEONE’S COOKING IN THE KITCHEN…DESIRE IS SMOKING ON THE STOVE.

1. ASSEMBLE INGREDIENTS: 

Shelby Preston—a young, single mother trapped in a hardscrabble life in rural Georgia—escapes her reality as she fantasizes herself a respected chef in a kitchen of gleaming stainless steel and pans shimmering with heat. Mallory Lakes—an Atlanta newspaper food writer—may lose her job, and searches for her muse in a shot glass of illusion.

2. SIMMER: 

Mallory secures her job by crafting a zealous doppelgänger to satisfy the expectations of an illusive cyber audience. This also mollifies the memories of her lover who recently bolted; no warning. Shelby persuades her mother to take care of her daughter so she can pursue her dream of going to chef school in Atlanta. She cooks them a special dinner said to bring good luck; Lord knows her family could use a pot of something good.

3. SMOKE: 

Chasing desires and ambitions, the women’s lives unravel down a path beyond the kitchen, then weave together in an unsettling culinary landscape of organic farms and shadowy borders—some borders not meant to be crossed. As Mallory combats her demons with booze and pills, and Shelby battles the odds stacked against her for becoming a chef, the women discover what’s really worth fighting for.

10% of net proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to The Southern Poverty Law Center.

Genres: Fiction, Womens Fiction, Food, Book Club, Contemporary, Family, Southern

380 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2015

About the author

I’m thrilled with the release of “The Ruby of the Sea”. Writing this book did me in, more so than my others.

It took an army of professionals and friends to lend perspective and authenticity to Linnea, Delphina and Ivy’s story. I looked more to the council of others than I had done in my previous work. I've given everything I’ve got to this fragile crew--hopefully, the world is kind!

It's a gripping story of twin sisters caught in their mother’s crosshairs on what to do about their disturbed younger sister.

Lush with secrets, lies, romance and psychological drama…“You tell me about a family without a certain amount of dysfunction, and I’ll tell you that family is lying.”

Interested? Here's a mini synopsis:

After aimlessly traveling the country for fifteen years, Linnea Chandler returns to her hometown of Key West, Florida keeping the genesis of a life-altering phobia to herself—not a good idea, as she comes to find out.

The 19th Century lighthouse that she, her parents and two sisters call home also has a troubled past, carrying the frightening myth that eerily mirrors the mystery of her younger sister today. Should Linnea run while she can?

The women must decide to what extremes they are willing to go to protect their secrets. Ignore the brutality behind the retrieval of spoils from a fatal shipwreck in 1857? Defy a 2017 hurricane threatening to pummel their town? And when their world is upended, do the women have the strength to move forward?

My greatest hope is that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this third book-babe of mine.

My passion is writing novels that break down familial and cultural barriers. Creating a cast to populate a story is one of the great, cathartic joys of writing. Of particular pleasure to me is developing flawed characters-living in and reconciling with-the shadows cast by their equally flawed parents.

Reviews

[Mitticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

+Digital copy gently provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review+

2.8 overcooked stars

As a child, at my aunt's, bored during the siesta, I use to read some old "Vanidades" -a fashion magazine-, where a catch-phrase get my attention: "Less is More"; meaning, before you leave your house dressed up look at you in the mirror and remove something. Well, this novel didn't follow that advise; instead, is like putting too many ingredients inside a pot. Prejudice, racism, classism, all themes that could be treated maybe with more finesse because are always in everyday background. Relationships, job problems, ethics... too many things are introduced in the mix.

Shelby is a young woman with the ambition of become a chef. Her voice is powerful. I feel mad with her when she treat bad her mother when she feel that have more right than her mother to fulfill her dreams. Excuse me, your mother has taken care of you and your daughter and is still young, and anyway the age is not and issue here; and understand her fierce love for her daughter. Is easy to understand her.
Is more difficult to feel simpathy for Mallory, the privileged one; except when she is really down.

Interesting the theme of the blogger been changed by the readers, feeling pressured to satisfy the readers. (I think all the authors understand this)

The food that get my attention: the fish in nutty crust; and the squash flowers.

The ending is not realistic, not at all.

[Shelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of Peggy Lampman's The Promise Kitchen through Goodreads.com. Lampman has a gift for descriptive language and a keen eye for the many causes of human suffering. However, she overdoes both of these talents. She often uses many unique and poetic images to describe the same event or emotion. It gets tedious. But what really ruined what could have been an enjoyable story for me was Lampman's decision to attack almost all of the social injustices and conservation issues we face in the world today. That may be an exaggeration on my part, but I did feel that she should have chosen one or two issues to concentrate on, saving some issues for her future work. Tackling so many - bullying, drugs, poverty, eating local, immigration, racism, etc. - the novel loses focus and becomes tedious. And it makes the characters unlikable. I don't need to know how they feel about every issue and sometimes knowing makes me care less about them. I don't like being preached at and I often felt that through they characters rationalizations, I was.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Southern book about friendship and family and food and even provides recipes at the end for some real Southern down home food. It's the story of Shelby and Mallory, two friends in Georgia who over the course of a year need to be strong women to try to make their dreams come true. It's a fun book to read and my advice is not to read it on an empty stomach because the food descriptions will make you even hungrier.

It was a fun book to read.

Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my full review here:
http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2...

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation. 


My Review:
I'm always excited to read books set in Atlanta or Georgia but sometimes the cliches can get in the way of a good story. Not so with The Promise Kitchen. Author, Peggy Lampman, juxtaposes single-mother Shelby with career woman Mallory, and rural Georgia life with Atlanta city life very vividly. The dual narrative at the beginning gives readers great background on the two women and as the story progresses she weaves the women's stories together in a delicious way. Like any good foodie fiction story, I was wanted to eat each dish the women made. I also loved all the details behind the dishes and descriptions of the various places in the story, such as Shelby's hometown and the "fancy" Atlanta grocery store. There's great determination in both women that really made me want to cheer them both on. This book made me very happy (and hungry) while I was reading it. The Promise Kitchen was purchased in a two-book deal by Lake Union Publishing and I'm interested to see what's next for Lampman...

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet, southern themed "foodie" novel that seemed to be trying a little too hard at times.

The southern stereo-typical characters were just were a little too over the top for me (ahem, a true GRITS ;) ) to really connect with. I ended up liking this book more than I initially thought I would, though. There is a good message to it, including improving your circumstances and bring true to yourself. The characters will grow on you:) I really enjoyed the food talk and recipes, and plan to try several.

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers for an eGalley to read & review!**

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delicious first by me by this author and definitely didn’t disappoint! I loved this! I laughed and cried at times during this book as it’s filled with so many emotions and relatable characters as well as story line. These characters Shelby and Mallory have lived very different lives and their love of food finds them to be very unlikely friends that both find that friendship and support brings their dreams together to make the most perfect recipe! A pure delight and must read! I couldn’t put it down and Can’t wait for more from this author!!!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it is a good book when I keep wanting to go back to it and then realize that I have already finished it!

[Sammm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review WIP

2016/10/29 UPDATES: BTW, if you've read my long rant about how dissatisfied I am with the book cover, they actually gave out credit: cover design: Laura Klynstra / cover photography: Jonathan Pollock | Getty Images The fact that "Getty Images" is being listed still makes me think the publiseher is partially if not most to blame.

(Man, I wish I could have read faster and gotten the review out before the book was officially republished. Owells.)

I may reorganize the review after I finish writing it. Right now the critical parts come first, but I might move it to the last after I'm done.

I honestly am quite smitten with this book and would probably spend quite a few days to properly compartmentalize my thoughts to write a coherent review.

But before the praises, let's start with the technical aspect! I believe I spotted a typo on P.267, where the "I" in "I love you" looks most definitely a lowercase "l" (L), instead of an uppercase "I". That was the only thing I picked up, and although it's a tad bit late for it (as the book was officially republished as I was writing this review), hopefully someone has already sent in their feedbacks.

---

Due to the false impression I had for this book (see the last part of this review), The Promise Kitchen turned out to be a total surprise for me. Is it the most unique book out there? Probably not. Most positively not. I mean, just how different can a story about food be, really? I may sound ignorant, and I admit I'm likely very much so, seeing that the number of food novels I've read was 1 ( 食堂かたつむり (Shokudō Katatsumuri) ; now 2 when counting this one); but I do imagine that when it comes down to it, the majority of those novels would be about people struggling with daily issues and finding comfort in cooking. Books in all genres would have to have a special something to stand out from its peer, and it's the same here. Perhaps, like I said, it is because I just haven't read enough books from the same genre, but this book REALLY worked for me.

The book follows the two POVs from our main gals, and occasionally a third POV from Miss Ann, Shelby's adorable daughter. Personally, I'm more fond of third-person limited narration (and that's just because I don't believe in true-objectiveness; every situation could be rather subjective, which is why third-person objective or omniscient isn't that great to me), and I don't usually prefer alternating POVs regardless of the way it was written (1st person, 3rd person etc.). That being said, I have in fact come across works with narration styles not of my preference that I happened to greatly appreciate; it's all about how smoothy you articulate the plot so the transitions of different POVs can be seamless.

I've read stories that made me feel "well, it's time to know what this other person is currently doing in another part of the world", aka POV switch felt rather forced, due to an ensemble cast being separated in multiple locations. I've also read ones that although having the majority of the characters all being near one another, the POV still switches, aka "it made me feel like it was only switched for the sake of letting the readers know what a particular character was thinking in a particular moment". THIS BOOK IS NEITHER OF THE ABOVE. Like I said, it could be just me, but I can't stress it enough that this book just works for me. One chapter flows to the next quite organically; the POV switch, to me, was timed finely that it felt natural; I was directed to expect checking upon the other character without feeling like it was a fix schedule, which is kind of an oxymoron cuz I am indeed complimenting on how it is mostly actually the case, just that it was done meticulously to make me overlook it and without feeling forced.

To talk about the story, we'd have to first talk about the characters... and well... That's gonna take me some time. xP

WIP

---

Below is a really long rant about my dissatisfaction towards the book cover. Be prepared.

And there's the only other thing I somewhat have an issue with--- the cover. Don't get me wrong. It's NOT a bad cover; it gives you a hopeful thought, and the joyous mood of the image very much fits the new title of the book, The Promise Kitchen.

(for those who didn't fully read the blurb, this book was previously published under the name Simmer and Smoke: A Southern Tale of Grit and Spice)

You therefore may falsely let your imagination go wild, thinking that this is a book about a sweetheart, that although having just had the crisis of her life, was able to stay positive and cheery, and ending up making her dream come true, opening some cute little teashop called The Promise Kitchen... Half of what I just wrote IS NOT what had happened in the story, but I'm being completely honest here; that actually was what I thought I'd be reading when I requested the book. =P

Again, it is a lovely book cover, I am not saying it isn't; I am however saying, it does not completely, correctly portray the content of the book. The book cover makes me think of a suburban wife with reasonable income, wanting to make a difference with her boring domestic life, who accidentally found her passion and talent for baked goods, and then achieved in being a pastry chef. THAT couldn't have been the furthest thing to what this story is about, but it unfortunately was the first impression I immediately got when I set my eyes on the book cover.

Just to be clear, it's NOT that I wouldn't be interested in reading what I had just described; I have, after all, requested to read this book based on the cover and the blurb; I'm just pointing out that, having actually read the book, I personally think the cover is a tad bit misleading and not entirely suitable. You either already lost potential readers because they were under the impression that this book was going to be something else, and therefore not touching it, or you'd be getting unnecessary disappointments from readers who read it because they thought it was going to be something else, only realizing it later that it isn't. Of course, you'd probably get a chance that people would like it regardless of it being something they weren't expecting, like myself here, but I don't particularly think the complication was worth it.

The entire time during my read, I kept thinking: "Maybe this was indeed just a random book cover? Strategically designed to be an eye-candy, but not exactly relevant to the actual material?" It was only until the very end, that epilogue, that I could say it was where the inspiration of the book cover probably came from... While I'm glad at least I can relate the book to its cover just a tiny bit, I'd still say it isn't enough overall. (Because I do really think the cover was so out-of-place during 99% of the book; just because it ties-in okay-ish with the last 1%, doesn't make it a perfect fit.)

To wrap up my constructive criticism (yes, that's what this is!) on the book cover, I'll complain just one more bit (great... sounding morbid). I'm presuming the cover is our resident sweetheart, Shelby, bringing out "Tracy's Famous Squash-Blossom Honey Cake".

(cuz that's honestly the only scene in the book I find possibly resembles the book cover; so if not, then it's a decision-fail for using an irrelevant albeit pretty cover)

Squash blossoms are indeed considerably important in the story. But it just so happens that I didn't know nor could I guess what squash blossoms look like, and obviously I looked it up:

(image source)

And none of the flowers on that pretty cover looks like a squash blossom. (UPDATED: Okay fine, maybe the little yellow ones on the side could be it, but seriously?) BTW, while the recipe of the said cake (along others) are featured in the book, Author Peggy Lampman actually has it on her blog, with photos! This is what the said cake looks like:

(image source; read the wonderful blog!)

(UPDATED 2: And wow... There IS in fact another cake with the recipe included in this book, one I actually don't have any recollection being in the story... I used text search, the pound cake on P.101 might be it?)

(image source; read the wonderful blog!)

Note that, however, in the recipe included in the book, it is called "Clare's Lemony Poppy Seed Pound Cake".

At this point, if the publisher realizes the potential of this book, and decides to release a hardcover edition, I'd say just entirely scrap this cover and start all over. In case you missed it, the cake that's possibly being featured here, is either a cake made by Tracy , or one by Clare ; even if you've only read the blurb, you'd be able to tell that those are not the names of either of our two main gals. Tracy and Clare are considerably important in the story, but do I need to explain more that they're obviously not the focal point?

While "don't judge a book by its cover" is a common saying, I'm doing the exact opposite: I'm judging the cover by its book. If only publishers could all put more thoughts into the matter, then we wouldn't be getting that saying in the first place. I may be overly anal about this, and it may really just be a personal preference thing, but it pains me to come across misleading covers.

(and I'll say, the American mainstream comic industry is the worst.. Can't they just hire the same pencil artist to do the collected edition covers that they penciled?)

I always wonder who's ultimately more responsible for the outcome; did the publisher just not care to specify what they want for a cover? Surely it would be less likely to be the illustrators fault, as the publisher could always claim to be unsatisfied and demand a new draft? So does that mean the publisher actually think the cover matches its content? That'd puzzle me even more. Perhaps I'm blowing this way out of proportion and that not many people have an issue with it at all, but I do, so I'm voicing it.

[skw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. No one asked me to review it.

I don't know what to say about this book. I liked it. I felt like I lived these things along with the characters. But I was a little disconcerted. When I read the blurb for this book I got the impression that it was about the interaction between two women who met and became friends. And, well, it is. Sort of.

The two women meet about 1/3 of the way through the book. Mallory is a food blogger and Shelby wants to be a chef (and is a BIG fan of Mallory's blog). That's all very well and good, but these characters don't really have any interaction with each other until about 3/4 of the way through the book. So I spent all that time waiting for them to become friends. I almost feel cheated. Almost.

It isn't that the book isn't interesting. It is. And the individual lives of our two protagonists are well documented, both what they were thinking and what they were doing. There are also some really wonderful descriptions in the book of things like sunsets, clothes, facial expressions, all sorts of things. Lovely descriptive language in here.

And it isn't that the ending of the book is unsatisfying. It wraps up very nicely. No sequel required. But if Ms. Lampman is thinking about doing a sequel, I wouldn't mind more of Shelby's life. Does she become the famous chef she wants to be? I'd read that.

It's just that, well, I wasn't expecting it to take 3/4 of the book for these two women to finally get around to being in each others' lives. That threw me a little. But I also have to say that even though the selling point of the book was what happened in the last 1/4 of it, it still seemed to maintain the leisurely pace of the rest of the book. The ending didn't feel rushed. It didn't feel like the book just stopped.

So like I said, I'm a little disconcerted by this book. But I liked it. I recommend it. Go figure.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food, friendship, family, and a fresh start. Shelby Preston, a young single mother, is at a crossroads. She feels suffocated by her hardscrabble life in rural Georgia and dreams of becoming a professional chef. Lord knows her family could use a pot of something good. In Atlanta, Mallory Lakes is reeling from a bad breakup. The newspaper food columnist is also bracing for major changes at work that could put her job at risk. Determined to find the perfect recipe for how to reinvent herself, she gets involved in the growing farm-to-table movement. But an emotional setback threatens to derail everything she’s worked for. Shelby and Mallory couldn’t be more different. But through their shared passion for food, they form an unlikely friendship—a bond that just might be their salvation. This heartwarming and lyrical tale reminds us that family isn’t necessarily whom you’re related to—it’s whom you invite to your table. This is a new release of a previously published edition titled Simmer and Smoke; it contains twenty delightful recipes.

--My thoughts. Two different ladies, Mallory has everything or so it seems and Shelby comes from a different background. I loved both and I couldn't wait to see what would happen - I loved the recipes and they made my mouth water. I was so excited to see the author included them! I loved the descriptions of the farm the best. Shelby's lifestyle -- her momma and daughter with the neighbor -- what a story! You will WANT to read this. I agree, family isn't always who you are related to, it's who is at your table.

I love stories like this and I am so glad that I got to read it. Shelby fought hard to get where she wanted to go, even if it meant leaving her daughter with her momma. I look forward to more by this author!

I received this book as a part of Goodreads first reads program in exchange for my honest review.

[Reading-for-life (Angela Sanford) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Promise Kitchen is a beautifully written novel about two young women that are the complete opposites of each other. Shelby has lived in rural Georgia all of her life, just getting by. Mallory grew up in a wealthy home with all of the advantages that Shelby could only dream about. Shelby has a young daughter, Miss Ann, that she is raising by herself. Miss Ann's father left after she was born without one of her eyes. With all the love of Shelby and her grandmother, Miss Ann may not have a lot in terms of money value but she has the love and values that some kids can only dream of. Mallory is bewildered from a breakup with the man of her dreams. Working for the local newspaper as a food columnist, Mallory has always prided herself with her wonderful recipes and advice. Going through some major changes on the job, Mallory is to the point of a breakdown. She has been self medicating herself with alcohol and pain pills, which only adds more fuel to the fire. After an accident while drinking, Mallory is ready to give up when she encounters Miss Ann passed out and barely breathing. With the life of Miss Ann hanging in the balance, Mallory is determined to help her and her mother, Shelby. With her help, Shelby's dreams of becoming a chef and making a great life for Miss Ann is possible. This is the first novel I have read by author Peggy Lampman and I dare say, it will not be my last! She has written this novel with so much feeling. I found myself laughing out loud at times and crying at others! I highly recommends this novel!

[Lisa Redfern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heat and flame transform substances from one thing into another.

Simmer and Smoke is a very well executed debut novel. The subtitle—A Southern Tale of Grit and Spice—gives an accurate description of the sentiment of the book.

The story follows the lives of Mallory and Shelby—women who live near Atlanta, Georgia. They have divergent economic and social status and challenge ineffectual feelings, failures and self-doubt as they strive toward their personal and professional goals.

The mother daughter relationship with the theme of ‘home’: what it is, what it means and what happens when one strays too far away from it—is explored throughout.

“Home is the place I can live with myself, without hating myself.” – Mallory Lakes

It took a while to feel connected to the characters—at first I identified more strongly with one—then switched to the other. Whenever I put the book down, it persistently called to be picked up again and again.

In many ways, Simmer and Smoke reminded me of the NY Times best seller, The Telling Room, by Michael Paterniti. Its pacing is indicative of the culture from which the story is told and it leaves one with a craving to search out the food that is described within the pages.

Fortunately for the curious reader / fan, Lampman’s culinary website – dinnerfeed.com — has hundreds of recipes to investigate and includes more of her expository writing.

[M.K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simmer and Smoke is such a fun read. It has been a long time since I read a book and truly enjoyed it. Usually I complain about the author’s lack of knowledge of the subject matter, grammar, pacing, and unlikable characters, at least to myself.

Ms. Lampman creates a likable underdog in Shelby who can cook, but comes from a poor background. In Mallory, she creates a driven woman who leaves her daughter with her mother to enter the culinary world. A great balance of internal and external conflict as the characters work their way through myriad challenges and temptations in the food industry.

The struggles of the two women is reminiscent of The Valley of the Dolls if it happened south of the Mason-Dixon Line and food was involved.

The author must be a wonderful Southern cook by her loving description of food. If she isn’t, then she’s one of the best researchers in town. Simmer and Smoke made me hungry just reading it. Ms. Lampman uses words, dreams, and raw emotions to cook up an amazing tale.

Simmer and Smoke is a wonderful gift for your imagination. It allows you in a matter of hours to live out a dream. It also satisfies an internal yearning for the characters to realize what's important in life. The reader may also have an epiphany in the course of the book too.
​
Author Lampman had me at bacon.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was asked by the author to read this book and give a review. I wish I could add another half a star. I would rate this book at a 3.5.
The story was good, but I felt there was to much description. I am an avid reader and love to get into a book a feel it, but I felt this book went over board many times in the descriptions of things that weren't always relevant to the story. This bugged over the course of the book. I do however feel that she did a really good job at helping you know exactly how the characters felt. I enjoyed the characters and the real life feelings and situations they found themselves in. I personally could have done without some of the swearing. I enjoyed the recipe takes and how she incorporated food into her book. There were a handful of parts that seemed to drag a little, but I did enjoy the story and though I wouldn't put it on my own shelf to read again I would suggest it to a friend if they were into this genre.

[Beth Agejew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Southern Literature at Its Finest!

I have always been a fan of Southern literature and, over the years, I have read quite a bit. Simmer and Smoke: A Southern Tale of Grit and Spice ranks right up there with the best. The story centers around two women, Mallory and Shelby, who come from two very different worlds. Mallory has had a priveledged upbrining, while Shelby has had to fight for every penny. Throughout the book, events unfold which bring the two women together. Those events will make you laugh and they will make you cry. By the end, you will understand how a nurturing family, loving friends and a whole lot of determination can help you accomplish any goal you set for yourslf. Thank you Ms. Lampman for penning such a wonderful tale (and for including some delicious recipes, as well!)

[Candice · Rating 2 out of 5]

From reading the description of this novel, I figured this is right up my alley. It sounds like something I would devour and enjoy. Unfortunately, I found this book to be a bit slow. I wasn't too invested in the characters and felt that they were given very little depth. The food element in this story was lacking for me and some of the descriptions of slaughtering animals were thrown in and a turn off.

This story line could've been really good if it was developed more. The book itself was long but the emotional connection to the characters was missing for me. I was disappointed. I was given an E-ARC of this book from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. 3.5 stars

This book is about family, love, food and friendship. It tells the stories of Shelby, a single mum struggling to fulfil her dream of becoming a chef and Mallory, a famous cook and food blogger and how their lives become enriched by each other. The writing was really lovely and the story flowed really well. I liked how it was told from the points of view of Shelby and Mallory and even Miss Ann for a couple of chapters. The characters in this book are typical of characters you find in books set in the south and is full of southern charm.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's writing addresses many current cultural and other issues with criticism. The book is a emotional story of starting over, finding friendships and of course food is a center part. The characters were not as deep as I would normally like and some were irritating. Not my cup of tea but the women starting over and forming friendships is a important part of the book.

[Pam Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful! I love the culinary back drop that really pulls the family and friendship connections together. As advertised with romance and recipes but a bit deeper as choices and sacrifices are made as women try to follow their dreams. A good read.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Simmer and Smoke. The character development was thorough and interesting; the story line gave me much to think about people's biases; and just a feel good story.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a bit of an odd start, but really a wonderful story. I almost want to read it again. I loved each character. I could see them, want to know them. Thank you Peggy Lampman for this great book!

[Lady Heather]

"An ARC has been provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review"

[MalJacks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough book to get through, and I usually love books centered women rebuilding their lives around cooking. But it's always hard to read a book when you don't like the main characters, and for the vast majority of The Promise Kitchen, I liked neither Mallory nor Shelby, and I didn't the self-righteous virtue signaling themes that surrounded them. They are both extremely judgmental of those around them, Shelby of her mother (who is 44 but constantly described by Shelby and written by the author as "old" to the point you're imaging a woman in her mid-60s or 70s), and Mallory of pretty much everyone else. Mallory owns up to her hypocrisy over eating meat, but has no self-awareness over other hypocrisies: she grows up in one of top 5 country clubs in the state, uses her family's membership to lord over people who annoy her, compare other country clubs to hers as "tacky", yet seems to despise the wealthy, such as those at the Tah-Dah dinner. She writes all about supporting local, but scoffs at the Tah-Dah dinner guests expecting their meal ingredients to all be locally sourced. She is supposedly a very outspoken liberal, yet other than her guilt over Manuel, she doesn't seem to have sympathy for anyone who didn't grow up with a silver spoon (I mean, farm-to-table and organic is usually very expensive, but what's affordable for many of her readers isn't good enough for her). As she builds up a digital following, she gets even more insufferable, full of herself and mentally degrades Shelby the first several times she sees her, as a "fan" with constant italics emphasis on the word, her appearance, etc. She thinks horribly mean thoughts about a woman at the Tah-Dah dinner who she's never met. I just didn't find her character likeable at all.

Shelby I grew to like towards the end, but her treatment of her mother at times was grotesque. I've already mentioned that she seemed to think her 44-year-old mother was ancient, and that was the worst for me when Shelby finally decides to pursue her dream of becoming a chef when her mother has also decided to pursue her dream of being a hairstylist, and it makes Shelby so angry because her mother is too "old" to pursue her own dream, and I guess because she's not clairvoyant in knowing that Shelby is all of sudden wanting to move to Atlanta and let her mother take care of Miss Ann 24-7. What's more, she whines that because her mother is so "old" that she should be helping Shelby pursue her dream instead of her own, dismissing or just missing altogether the fact that her mother is only pursuing her hair styling dream because she had to put it off to raise Shelby alone and then help out with her granddaughter.

The author could have and should have written about her native Alabama, instead of creating a Georgia town and making it as backwoods and redneck, racist and homophobic as possible, with the attitude that all Georgia needs is a few liberals to make us see the error of our ways (despite the liberals in this book being judgy of literally everyone around them). Also, I didn't understand why some of the writing style had British nuances, when the author is from the southern US. It didn't fit the super-southern dialogue of any of the characters and I've lived in Georgia all my life and no one uses British grammar or phrasing here.

The parts I liked most were Miss Ann healing, justice coming to Tony Grasso, Jackson staying in Shelby's and Miss Ann's life, and Itchy and her husband working on their marriage. I usually don't write scathing reviews, but I just found the main characters very hard to stomach.

[Judy Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It brought so many things to the table besides fantastic food. I am not a "foodie”. I am someone that does not like to cook, but the fact that the plot is tightly interwoven with recipes and cooking did not turn me off at all. (I recently read a book about someone going to a cooking school, which did bore me a bit!) This book has so much more than the love of cooking holding it together.

The recipes blogs written by the characters within the pages of the book are more about how the food makes them feel, the memories that the food brings back to them, than about the actual preparing of the recipes. I think that is why I enjoyed the cooking parts so much.

So many things are going on in the pages of this book. For much of the story, the reader is getting to know two very different women, separately, as they go about their lives. Since I knew the story would bring these two together at some point, I was not surprised that their worlds would indeed collide.

The author did an amazing job of creating life-like fully formed characters. They are flawed and lovable, and I was happy and distraught for them during the course of the story. The cast of characters are varied in age, economic level, social status and the list could go on. The basic needs of all of them are the same, that (I think) is at the root of the book. They all have suffered loss, dealing with grief and heartache, but strive to achieve a good life. (A good life might be a different definition for each of them.)

I have read one other book by this author and after I read it, I immediately purchased her other two books. It has taken me a while to read this, and I am sorry for that, since it was an emotional journey that I truly enjoyed taking. The story and its characters will not leave me for a long time. They definitely have taken a piece of my heart with them. I am wondering even as I write this, what lives they go on to live. That is a sign of a great story to me, when I finish a book, the story does not leave my mind.

I definitely recommend this book!

[Heather]

This book has been sitting on my ereader for a long time.  Now I'm upset that I didn't read it sooner.

Shelby is a young single mother who follows food blogger Mallory and loves to make her recipes.  She wants to be a chef but that would require her to leave her daughter with her mother in southern Georgia and move to Atlanta to work and go to school.

The newspaper Mallory writes for has just moved totally online and she has thrown herself into creating a new, indispensable, digital persona.

Shelby and Mallory cross paths at the grocery where Shelby gets a job.  Their lives start to intersect more and more until the day when they are bound together by an accident.

The writing in this book was very beautifully done and pulled me in immediately.  I loved the contrast between the poor, rural Shelby who dreams of a better life and urban Mallory.  One of the themes in the book that haven't seen written about much in foodie fiction was the accessibility of foodie culture.  Shelby decides which of the meals that she will make based on what is available and affordable at her local grocery store.  She talks about how she understands that Mallory feels that all the produce needs to be organic but that isn't possible for her.  When Shelby tries to get a job in a deli at the grocery store, she wears her best clothes for the interview but realizes that they are shabby compared to the affluent people she sees there.  The grocery store in question just rebranded as an upscale store, losing some neighborhood clients in the process.

Overall, I wasn't as invested in the story by the end as I was in the beginning.  I wasn't a fan of the romance angle for Mallory or of the accident plot that seemed like it wasn't necessary.  However, I think that the well done characterizations of Shelby and the secondary characters is still enough to recommend this book.

There are recipes in the back of this book like there are in a lot of books that feature food.  But guys, I actually made one of the recipes.  I know, shocking, right.  I think that reading all the people who link up at the Foodies Read pages is getting to me.This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story

[Brandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Promise Kitchen, Peggy Lampman weaves the story of two women together to create one lovely tale.

Shelby Preston is a single mom. She lives with her mom and is living primarily in poverty. But Shelby has dreams - she wants to bake and cook and do more with her life. She wants to go to cooking school - but it will require really big sacrifices. She'll need to move - and leave her little girl with her mom. This isn't a permanent move - she will be able to bring her daughter with someday, but it's hard. And it feels like the world is against her.

Mallory Lakes is a writer who shares recipes through the newspaper she works for. She has a certain amount of famousness in Atlanta where she is based. But she's going through a rough break-up and can't seem to land on her feet and get things together. It all feels overwhelming and like it's too much. And maybe it's not worth it to move on.

Mallory and Shelby are connected through their love of food - Shelby often makes the recipes that Mallory shares. Baking and cooking are healing for them both. As both women use cooking to get through the hard parts of life, their lives twist together in unexpected ways!

Overall, this is a sweet story that leaves you feeling happily-ever-after can indeed happen. It's also a quick read and the story really flies by.

[Justkeepreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love books about food, cafes, shops.

Shelby Preston is in need of a clean break. Her family could certainly do with a good deal of comfort. This book sees Shelby move to Georgia to start a new life perusing her dream of opening her own restaurant and becoming a professional chef.

Meanwhile Mallory is recovering from a bad breakup and is bracing herself for massive changes in her job as a food columnist. Determined to find a way to reinvent herself Mallory gets involved in a new movement that sees farm grown food becoming more popular and getting more people to buy it. But things happen that see these two unlikely characters paths crossing.

My favourite thing about this book were the recipes that you can gain from this book food that they make in the book that you can make at home.

This was a good story but I felt that I was missing an emotional connection.

However I thank NetGalley, author Peggy Lampman and publisher Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book for exchange for a honest review.

I wish everyone who picks up this book a happy reading experience

[Lauretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very timely book. The two protagonists are a nearly 40 college-educated, formally trained chef has lived a life of privilege and now writes a popular food blog in Atlanta and a mid-twenties uneducated single mother who is untrained but a gifted cook and dreams of making a better life for her and her daughter. On the surface they couldn't be more different, but their lives entertwine in unexpected ways, leading to redemption and hope for both. The climax of the plot is an accident in which an undocumented immigrant riding a bicycle on a mountain road at night is injured and subsequently deported, along with his family. One woman is the driver; the other is a witness. Both are profoundly affected. When the younger woman's daughter almost dies and the older woman helps to save her, their paths in life are both more strongly connected and hopeful for both. The plot emphasizes the plight of the undocumented immigrant whose well being is as fragile as a butterfly's wings and how everyone is responsible for helping to make their circumstances better.

[Buttonholed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peggy Lampman brings to the table a heart-warming tale of two southern ladies, Shelby Preston and Mallory Lakes, who couldn't be more different from one another.

The tale is told in two parts with alternating chapters from Shelby, Mallory, and Miss Ann. You will see how they get together through their love of food.

Shelby, who feels constricted in her poverty stricken life in a suburban town of Coryville, Georgia, dreams of becoming a chef. A job that will bring a better life for herself and her daughter, Miss Ann.

Mallory, a newspaper food columnist in Atlanta is trying to pick up some threads of a breakup and tries to hold on to her job. There are major changes at work, so she gets involved in writing a daily blog on the growing farm-to-table movement.

The tale covers a year's time of insightful thought, love, friendship, and of course - food.

Read my full review http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/

[Debbi Daniels Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books you fly right through and some you'll want to savour. Such was the case with The Promise Kitchen. Peggy Lampman is a beautiful writer that has crafted a story of hope and dreams presented by a cast of well developed characters I thoroughly enjoyed meeting, even the ones that were only briefly encountered. Her vivid descriptions put you right there and what fun I had. This story is both funny and touching as we experience the merging of two entirely different women's lives Mallory and Shelby. You will laugh, you'll cry and say "Uh huh", as you read of the sacrifices Mothers make for their children and grandchildren as well as the messiness of "romantic" relationships. I am going to be thinking about little Miss Ann for awhile along with the message that sometimes family is who you choose. A wonderful and heartwarming read.